Chapter Three- Adventures on Patrol

"Ready, Master Splinter?" Mikey asked hurriedly.

"Patience, my sons." Splinter laughed as he approached. "Do you have everything you need?"

"We got our weapons." Donnie nodded, twirling his bō. "Aren't you bringing anything?"

"I have a bō myself." Splinter nodded, tapping the end of said weapon in his hand against the floor. "It's just one of our training staffs."

"Nothing else?" Raph asked.

"I do not intend to fight this evening." Splinter explained as they headed out. "Besides, you all do well with the one kind of weapon you have."

"Too true." Raph shrugged.

"Come on!" Leo urged. "April's waiting for us!" The five of them broke into a sprint and hurried through the sewers and the abandoned subway tracks. Leo reached the sewer grate before the others and peeked out. He looked around, but saw no humans or Kraang droids. So he climbed from the hole and allowed his brothers and sensei to follow him.

Mikey took a deep breath. "Smell that, Sensei? That's fresh air!"

"I have been up here before." Splinter droned. "I know what fresh air smells like." Mikey chuckled nervously, shrugging. "So, where do you usually begin?"

"Usually, we just start at the top of this building and leap across from one apartment to the next." Donnie explained. "If we spot anything unusual, we stop to investigate."

"Very good." Splinter nodded.

"And we usually stop for pizza afterwards." Mikey added with an excited smile.

Splinter chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Of course you would."

"Hey guys!" April called as she rounded the corner into the alley. "Glad I caught you. I just got a brilliant idea!"

"We have patrolling to do." Leo reminded her.

"I know, and you can still do that." April waved him off. "But I was thinking we could introduce Sensei Splinter to Murakami-san."

"Oh yeah," Raph smirked. "I almost forgot about that guy."

"How can you forget him and his pizza gyoza?!" Mikey demanded excitedly, his mouth watering.

"Boys, aren't we supposed to be patrolling?" Splinter reminded them.

"Of course." Leo nodded. "And we will. But you did say that you had no intention of fighting tonight. And you'll like Murakami-san."

Splinter raised an eyebrow, but knew in that moment that he wouldn't be able to change their minds. So he nodded and followed his turtle sons across the rooftops to Chinatown. April remained on the ground, leading them in the right direction and keeping an eye out for anything suspicious. When they reached the restaurant, the turtles ducked down behind the edge of the apartment. Splinter followed their lead.
"What's wrong?" Splinter asked.

"Nothing." Raph assured. "It's just that the Purple Dragons used to hang around here, and we like to look before we jump into battle and kick their butts." Splinter had to roll his eyes at the last comment. April approached the shop first and waved her friends down when the coast was clear.

"April-san?" Murakami called.

"Hi, Mr. Murakami." April greeted. "I've brought my friends for a little dinner."

"Oh, wonderful!" Murakami nodded. "I will make some pizza gyoza for you boys."

"We also have our sensei here." Mikey piped up. "This is Sensei Splinter. Sensei, this is Murakami-san."

"A pleasure to meet you." Splinter bowed in greeting.

"It is an honor to meet the teacher of such brave fighters." Murakami bowed back. "You've taught them well. Now, how about that gyoza?" The turtles cheered and eagerly took their seats.

"How about ramen for me?" April suggested.

"Same for me." Splinter agreed.

"Coming up!" Murakami nodded. He immediately got to work, slicing, stirring, and mixing in a flurry of activity.

"So this is the man you saved from the Purple Dragons?" Splinter clarified.

"Yep." Mikey nodded. "And introduced us to pizza gyoza!"

"I still think it's too weird." April shook her head.

"You love it and you know it!" Leo insisted.

"Whatever!" April rolled her eyes.

Splinter chuckled. "Are they usually like this?" He whispered to April.

"Hard to say." April shrugged with a smile. "Just wait until the gyoza comes."

Splinter was confused until he witnessed his sons devouring their food the second it was set down before them. He quietly and politely sipped the broth from his own bowl, though even he had to admit that Murakami had quite the talent for food.

"Your sons are very kind, Splinter-san." Murakami said as he poured some tea for himself and his guests. "You trained them well."

"Thank you." Splinter nodded. "It is good to know they are applying their teachings well."

"Indeed." Murakami sipped his tea. "So, are you a turtle like them?"

Splinter almost spewed his tea. "What?"

"Not to worry, Splinter-san." Murakami laughed lightly. "Your sons are safe; I have no intention of revealing them. They saved my life after all. I simply asked if you are a turtle like them."

Splinter cast a brief glare at his sons, as though to scold them for not being more careful. But they returned with encouraging glances, assuring him it was all right. "I am not a turtle. I'm a rat."

"A rat?" Murakami mused. "Very interesting. I can only imagine what Neko-san would do if she saw a rat so tall."

"Neko-san?" April cocked her head.

"My cat." Murakami laughed. April covered her mouth to suppress her giggles and the boys busted out in laughs.

Splinter chuckled and shook his head. A meow made him look down, and he smirked. "April, do you know what Neko-san looks like?"

April cocked her head and looked past her sensei. She blinked in surprise when she saw a black, orange/brown, and while calico cat sitting at Splinter's feet. The cat leaped up to the counter and warily sniffed Splinter's hand. Splinter remained still and calm, waiting for the cat's response.

"Neko-san, be nice." Murakami said carefully.

"It's all right." Splinter assured. "Let her be."

Neko-san finally rubbed her mouth against Splinter's knuckles. Splinter started scratching the cat behind her ears, and she started purring. She soon settled herself down in the rat's lap and curled into a ball, sounding like a motor as Splinter stroked her fur.

"Amazing." Murakami chuckled at the sound of his cat's purr. "I misjudged you, Splinter-sensei."

"We're used to that." Splinter assured. He continued to stroke the feline in his lap, his mind wandering a little.

Hamato Yoshi laughed as the tiny grey kitten leaped into the air, trying to catch the fly buzzing about her head. He picked up his little pet and tickled her stomach. The kitten took his fingers in her tiny claws and started teething them.

Splinter blinked and shook his head, confused by the sudden flashback. He could vaguely hear his sons, April, and Murakami talking about the recent Purple Dragon activity. He looked down at Neko-san, remembering the little grey kitten he had taken in off the streets when he was sixteen and kept as a companion for years. That same kitten remained with him through his marriage, moving into his new home, the birth of his daughter, and the destruction of his home. The poor little kitten had perished in the fire along with his family.

"Sensei?"

Splinter looked towards April, who had spoken. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, April." Splinter assured. He began eating again, giving April the clear message that he didn't want to talk anymore. April kept eating her own food, but she cast Splinter concerned glances a couple times, wondering what could've gotten him so sad so suddenly.

"Should we not head back?" Splinter suggested asthey stopped to rest in an alleyway. "It is getting late."

"Aw come on." Raphael complained. "Can't we stay out a little longer?" His brothers agreed.

"You all have training tomorrow." Splinter reminded them. "We should all be in bed by now."

"But it's been so much fun!" Mikey protested. "Right?"

Splinter smiled and put a hand on Mikey's shoulder. "This has been one of the happiest nights of my life. But we must remember our responsibilities. Now come along." The boys looked a little sad, but followed their sensei/father out to the entrance of the alley. Leo and Raph peered out and looked both ways before darting across the street and back into the shadows. Donnie and Mikey did the same, looking all around for any cars or pedestrians. Splinter and April were close behind when April's phone suddenly flew from her pocket. She skidded to a halt and hurried back to get it. She grabbed her phone and turned to leave when she suddenly stopped. She had the most unnerving feeling...like she was being watched. She slowly looked all around her, but the windows to all the apartments were dark. Not a single human being could be seen in any direction. The only sounds were the buzzing of the streetlights and the distant traffic. April shrugged and started towards her friends.

HONK!

"April!"

April gasped as a pair of headlights flooded her vision. A force tackled her and sent her tumbling across the ground and into the shadows once more. She looked up to find herself in Splinter's protective embrace. The black van that nearly flattened her continued down the road. Another followed close behind. Hanging on the back of the second van was a familiar dog mutant waving his fist.

"Watch where you're walking ya rotten kids!" Dogpound shouted as the van rounded the corner.

"Dogpound." Raph growled. "What's he doing here?"

"Whatever it is, it can only be trouble." Leo said. "We gotta follow him. Master Splinter, you get April home and we'll—"

"I'm going with you." Splinter said firmly. "I too want to know what he's up to."

"But what about April?" Donnie asked.

"I'll go straight home." April promised. "I'll come down to the lair tomorrow to check in on you. Now catch that dog!" She ran off without another word.

"You heard the woman." Leo said. "Let's go!" They darted off down the street after the vans. They continued to follow the trail until the vans stopped in a parking garage, all the way on the top floor. No other cars were around, so the turtles and their master hid behind the door to the lower levels of the garage. They watched as Dogpound jumped off the van he stood on and Foot Clan ninjas exited the second. Fong jumped out of the driver's seat of the first van.

"All right, mutt." Fong huffed. "What do you want?"

"Same as you." Dogpound smirked. "To bring down the turtles."

"The Purple Dragons don't mess with the Turtles anymore." Fong corrected. "If they come to us, then we beat them down. But we don't need more trouble from them."

"Listen, you little insect." Dogpound growled. "Shredder has a new plan to take down—"

"The Turtles and Splinter, whoever that is." Fong sighed. "I know. But I'm saying we're done. Tell you what: we'll raise your cut to 85% and then you stop bugging us about those scaly freaks."

"Shredder says you will help us." Dogpound's fists clenched threateningly.

Fong was unfazed. "And if we don't?"

Dogpound suddenly grabbed Fong and lifted him into the air, raising a spiked fist. "Then we'll bury you alive. Master Shredder has waited a year since coming to New York to have his revenge. And no street scum like you is going to get in the way."

"That's it." Raph growled, drawing his sais. "Time for a beat down."

"No, Raphael." Splinter ordered. "They are not a threat at the moment."

"Which is why we gotta stop them before they become a threat!" Raph growled again. He suddenly darted out into the open, straight towards his enemies.

"Raph, don't!" Leo hissed.

Dogpound turned at an enraged shout and barely had time to register Raph's foot before it drove into his face. He yelped and stumbled back, dropping Fong in the process.

"He's an idiot." Donnie droned.

"We gotta help him!" Leo urged, drawing his katana blades.

"Help him and then beat him into the ground." Donnie groaned, pulling out his staff.

"Let's do this!" Mikey laughed. "Booyakasha!"

The three remaining turtles and their rat master charged into battle. Mikey swung his nunchaku across Dogpound's face, distracting him enough for Raph to jump to his feet and lunge into battle to help his smaller brother. Leo and Donnie started attacking the Foot Ninja while Splinter charged for Fong, who drew some switchblades to fight the mutant rat. He was quickly overcome, however, when Splinter knocked the blades from his hands with ease and kicked him into the driver's seat of the nearest van. Splinter turned as Mikey was suddenly thrown into Raph, sending the two turtles tumbling. Splinter leaped between them and the mutant dog, brandishing his bō threateningly. Dogpound snarled and swung his fists towards the rat's head. Splinter easily ducked and jumped for the dog's head, swiftly kicking him in the jaw. Dogpound stumbled back, rubbing his sore chin.

"We should get out of here." Splinter urged as he helped his sons to their feet.

"Are you kidding?" Raph laughed, running to battle the Foot. "I'm just getting started!"

"Raphael!" Splinter snapped. But his reckless student had already started pounding Foot Ninja with his brothers.

"Look out!" Mikey cried.

Splinter turned just as Dogpound's oversized fist suddenly collided with him, throwing him aside and into a street lamp. Mikey jumped for Dogpound, only for the mutant dog to grab him and throw him in the back of a van. Donnie ran to help his brother, but he soon met the same fate. Leo and Raph followed. Dogpound slammed the doors shut and jumped onto the back of the van.

"We got the turtles!" Dogpound announced to Fong in the driver's seat. "Get us back to headquarters!" Fong only nodded and sped towards the road down the parking garage. "Say your prayers, Turtles." Dogpound laughed at the trapped ninjas in the van. "Your master is the one Shredder wants. Maybe if you cooperate, your deaths will be only a little painful." He yelped when the van screeched to a halt. "What now?" He looked ahead and found someone standing between the van and the exit. Dogpound squinted a little to be sure his eyes weren't playing tricks with him. Nope; there really was a giant, humanoid rat with a bō staff standing there. "Hey, rat! Ya wanna move?"

"Not without my sons." Splinter said calmly, holding his staff ready.

"I'm warning ya only once!" Dogpound shouted. "Move or we'll run you down!" When Splinter didn't move, Fong revved the engine and floored it. The humanoid rat remained unmoving until the last second, and he jumped high into the air and landed on the hood of the van. With a swift kick, he knocked Dogpound off the van and sent him tumbling to the ground. Splinter jumped down to the doors of the van and yanked them open, thankful they were unlocked.

"Everyone out!" he snapped. The turtles wasted no time in jumping from the moving van and out onto the pavement. Fong, unaware his captives had escaped, simply continued his speedy drive down the spiraling ramp.

"Thanks, Sensei!" Mikey cried.

"Let's get out of here!" Leo urged. They jumped when Dogpound landed in front of them, snarling. About a dozen Foot ninja followed, taking out their weapons and standing ready.

"You're Splinter?" Dogpound asked incredulously. "You're the one Master Shredder has been searching for?"

The Turtles and Splinter didn't answer. They only held their fighting stances and prepared to battle again. Dogpound laughed.

"A rat!" He laughed cruelly and as though it was a practical joke. "My master's greatest nemesis is a sewer rat!" The Foot Ninjas started laughing as well.

The Turtles exchanged looks before glancing at their father's bored expression, as though he had been insulted like this before.

"Can we pound them now?" Leo asked.

Splinter thought for a moment. "Very well. But we are going straight home after this."

The Turtles smirked and charged for their enemies, Splinter right by their side. Dogpound and the Foot, when they realized how close their enemies were becoming, stopped laughing to meet them head on.