Kayla slid her mask over her face, pulling her ponytail through the hole in the back. As she gazed down at the busy, New York streets below she pulled her hood over her head. She only had a couple weeks of freedom left before she had to go back to school. April had just taken her to school the day before to register and get her school pictures taken. She was dreading school, to say the least. Especially having to deal with Alex and his little gang.

Kayla crouched down as she surveyed the streets below. For some reason her gaze rested on a small electronics store down the street. A boy was coming out of it carrying a plastic bag, he must've bought something. He looked about her age, maybe a couple years younger. He had dark brown or black hair and a darker tan than her. Looking past him Kayla noticed a man walking behind him. Narrowing her eyes she recognized the man as being someone she put away a month ago for stealing. As if on cue the man bolted forward and ripped the bag right out of the boy's hand.

Kayla raced to the opposite side of the building and leapt down into the alley. In a second she had an arrow out and her bow aimed. When he barely came into view she shot the arrow, sending it sailing out of the ally. It snagged his pants and she yanked the rope that was tied to the arrow. When the guy was in the shadows she grabbed the collar of his sweatshirt and pulled him up, slamming him into the wall.

"Didn't I take care of you just last month?" she asked rhetorically.

"I-I. Look kid. I gotta make a livin', too." he stuttered. Kayla knocked him out before he could finish, she didn't have time for lame excuses. She got out a rope and started tying him up when she heard the sound of a shoe scuffing sidewalk. Her head whipped up and she saw the boy standing just inside the alley staring at her in amazement. Kayla tied the knot and grabbed the plastic bag that had fallen on the floor, tossing it to him. He caught it, but he was still staring at her.

"Call the cops kid." she said before turning back to the ally.

"Wait!" Kayla stopped and barely glanced over her shoulder. "You're the Shadow Archer, right?" he asked.

Kayla turned around more. "What's it to ya?"

"Well, I…you seem younger than I expected." he admitted. "You look close to my age. Do you go to my school?"

"Looks can be deceiving. Besides, there's lots of schools in New York." she answered back before pushing a button on her belt, sending the grappling hook into the air. It snagged over the ledge of the building's roof.

The boy stepped further into the ally. "Wait! Why do you do this?"

Kayla sighed. "Because someone's gotta keep this city safe." she pushed the button on her belt and it began pulling her up, she really wasn't in the mood to answer a million questions.

Suddenly the rope lurched and Kayla dropped down about a foot, making the rope swing her back and forth. She reached out a hand to brace herself against the wall, but her hand grabbed something soft. Looking up she found his face only a few inches from her own, her hand had grabbed his shoulder. His eyes were wide and he was just as surprised as her. Kayla found herself getting lost in his dark, chocolate brown eyes.

Kayla blinked and snapped out of her thoughts. She let go of him and unhooked her rope from her belt. Wanting to avoid anymore embarrassment she decided to just take the fire escape. So she back flipped into the air, landing on the first level before leaping up a couple more and finally landing on the roof. When she found her grappling hook she realized it wasn't completely hooked on the ledge and that's why it lurched the way it did.

"Idiot." Kayla muttered to herself as she gathered up her rope and hook. She slid it back inside her belt before racing away across the rooftops, slightly hoping the breeze would blow away her embarrassment.

"Oof!" Kayla slammed into something and fell back landing on her butt. Her hood had fallen back and she held her hand to her head.

"Why don't ya watch where you're goin' kid?" a rough voice asked. Kayla looked up and groaned inwardly when she realized she ran into the Nightwatcher. She saved herself some dignity by not answering and instead stood up, pulling her hood back over her head. When she turned to leave he called after her, "Where do ya think you're goin'?"

She looked back at him. "What's it matter to you?"

He didn't answer. "What were ya runnin' from?"

Kayla turned around and crossed her arms over her chest, letting her cape cover her shoulders. "I wasn't running from anything. I was patrolling."

"Patrolling?"

"You gotta a problem with that?"

"No. Just never heard many people say that."

"Yeah well, this is one." she answered before turning to leave again.

"Who said I was lettin' ya leave?" he asked before Kayla heard the sound a chain. She leapt into the air, barely missing the chain he threw at her. When she landed he threw a punch and she whipped her bow out to block it. She spun her leg around and kicked him in the face, but thanks to his helmet he didn't feel anything. He threw his chain once more and she back flipped over it, landing right on the ledge of the building. She got out an arrow and shot it. It whizzed by his head, missing it by less than an inch, and stabbing into the brick wall right behind him.

"Next time, stay out of my way." she threatened before turning and leaping to the other building and racing away.

The Nightwatcher watched her leave. When she was about five buildings away he turned and pulled the arrow out of the wall. He held it in his hand as he looked it over. It was black with silver fletching and a small, shiny black arrowhead. He looked back to where the Shadow Archer left before looking back at the arrow. Still clutching it in his fist he leapt to the next building over and took off his gear. He then leapt down into an alley and lifted off a manhole, jumping down into the dark sewer.

When he reached a brick wall he pulled a pipe and it opened to reveal a subway station. The lights were off because it was well past midnight and he headed straight for his bedroom. He sat down on his hammock and gazed down at the arrow. Something about it seemed…familiar, but different at the same time. As he rubbed his fingers over the smooth surface and idea popped into his head.

Pulling his sai out of his belt he used the blade to slice the arrow in half. Looking at the ends he realized it was a simple wooden arrow that was painted black.

Hearing footsteps he slipped it under his pillow and looked up. Kayla walked past his room. When she saw him she stopped and scrunched her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Raph. What're you doing up?" she asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. And what're ya doin' up here? Your room's downstairs."

"I needed to use the bathroom."

"There's one downstairs."

Kayla rolled her eyes and couldn't help but smirk. "Mikey's little experiment of corn, fudge, and jellybeans on pizza didn't agree with his tummy."

Raph smirked, too, and could help chuckling at his little brother's idiocy. "Figures."

"Well, I'm going to the bathroom. Night, Raph."

"Night."

Ok, wow. This is by far the shortest chapter I've written for this story, but it has very important info in here so make sure to pay attention. Also, does anyone think I should bring back the boy Kayla helped at the beginning of the chapter, or should I just make it a one time incident? Please review and let me know!