Me: Hey y'all, its me again... I HAVE RETURNED...

Raph: It's about time...

Leo: Raph!

Me: No, Raph's right...l've been absent for way too long..

Raph: See...l told ya...

Me(smirking):...but l had to come back...l know how much he missed me...

Raph(little too quickly): l DID NOT!

Turtles(Raph excluded): Ooooooohhhhhhhh...

Mikey: Oooohhh...Raphie's got a girlfriend...

Me: He does not!:.

Raph(at same time): I DO NOT!

Others laughing

Me(huffing indignantly): Well, since you guys clearly have no sense of what matters here, l'll go ahead and continue with the long awaited chapter 9! Hope you guys enjoy it...especially you Leo...*bats eyes

Leo(gulps nervously): What's that supposed to mean?

Me(mischievously): Guess you'll have to read to find out...

Mikey POV-

I opened her bag up as Sensei was speaking to me. l had no intentions of snooping, but my ninja-trained senses were sensing movement in the bag...but l was not prepared for what was in it.

a small, dark-green head popped out at me, looking at me, then quickly going back in it's shell...yeah...guess l accidentally scared the poor little fella.

"Umm, Sensei...l guess she has a pet turtle with her..." l say, as l gently picked up the little guy, who is still in his shell. As l turn around to face Sensei, l stepped back, seeing his stern face, knowing l was in trouble. l may have good ninja senses, but l didn't have eyes in the back of my head. lf l did, then l wouldn't have tripped over my own skateboard, thus sending her poor little turtle flying. Lucky for me, Leo jumped up, catching him in a mid-air flip, and landing without a sound. Pfft...l could do better...but at least her pet turtle was safe. Hehe, l wonder how she'll react when she finds out that me and my brothers are turtles. Maybe she'll be excited...why wouldn't she be...she obviously likes turtles, otherwise-

"Mikey!" Leo, Donnie and Raph yelled angrily, snapping me, yet again, out of my wandering thoughts.

"Pay attention to your surroundings Mikey." scolded Leo.

"Mikey, the impact from that fall could have caused the little guy serious injuries...that could've killed him!" lectured Donnie.

"Watch where you're going, Shell-Head!" yelled Raph. Geez, it was an accident...will these guys ever stop finding fault with me?

At this point, l had my head hung low, and Sensei must have sensed what l was feeling, for when he said "Yame!", he looked at me with a hint of softness...the look he gives us when he's worried, or just trying to reassure us without saying it.

That shut us up. All of us, even Raph stopped talking, and quickly came to stand in front of was still holding her turtle with great care. l noticed it's head had finally came out again, and Leo was using his forefinger to pet it's head. l had to admit...it was so adorable...it reminded me of Raph and Spike...before Spike became Slash...even though he was still a good friend...it seemed a bit weird at times...it was nice seeing one of my brothers holding a smaller turtle...blame it on my soft side.

"Leonardo, well-done in saving our guests' turtle companion..." Splinter said, sending shivers down the back of my shell.

'Companion'...is that how she viewed her pet too, as something along the lines of a friend...like my Ice-Cream Kitty? l mean, that gave us some sort of common ground...l tell Ice-Cream Kitty everything...my super-awesome ideas, which were either scoffed at or ignored by everyone else... l hung out with him, share my food with hi...l can even tell him when l'm sad or scared without having to be laughed at, or yelled at...

As l thought about it more, l wondered if maybe, just maybe, she may want me as a friend...a small deep part of me told me that l wanted more than that, but l knew if l wanted a chance to even gain her as a future companion, l would have to first be her friend...at least that's how the movies always showed it...the guy meets the dude, who really likes the girl...they become friends...then after getting to know each other and going through a whole bunch of drama, they eventually both come to realize they're falling in love with each other...admit their feelings to each other and live happily ever after.

Now, Mikey was smart enough to know that real life didn't offer happily ever after existence...but the main plot had to be pretty much true, right? Well, only one way to find out...

He was gonna make a list of goals he wanted to meet...it always seemed to work for Donnie, maybe it would help him too.

Without a seconds hesitation, he rushed off into his room and shut the door. He definitely didn't want his brothers to find out his plan...he'd have to share it with Ice Cream Kitty later while they were out...he wasn't often entrusted with getting the pizza deliveries, though he didn't understand how they couldn't like his awesome pizza combinations...like all of them, his pizza creations were one- of- a- kind.

Grabbing a pencil stub with a chewed eraser, a product resulting from his many homemade comics involving him and his family, as well as his favorite comic-strip heroes, which he still read from time to time. That, and a fresh-torn piece of paper, which Mikey started writing his list of goals-

Meanwhile, Splinter and the others stared after Mikey, used to Mikey's enthusiasm, but all feeling that there was something...off about Mikey.

Splinter, having his suspicions, wisely said nothing. There would come a time, if his suspicions were correct, when all would be clear, but for now, he would merely observe what played before him. He sincerely hoped his youngest would find happiness in his future, but like any parent, he was secretly worried. This may require some meditation on his part.

"l am going to meditate...you three keep an eye on our guests...inform me when she awakens" Splinter said as he walked towards the dojo.

"Aye Sensei" they said as he walked into the other room. After a minute of silence, Raph broke the silence, he started muttering angrily

"l still can't believe he did that! He nearly got himself killed because of her! Why if-" he rambled on, not really being paid any attention to, as the other two were lost in their own thoughts.

"Man, he's got it bad..." Donnie thought, not feeling comfortable with the idea of his little brother in...dare he say it? lt was really t early to tell, but it was obvious that his little bro. was really infatuated with this mystery girl. He really hoped this didn't turn out to be a disastrous relationship- like what happened between him and April...true, things had worked out between the two after she declared her love for Casey aloud, but that first failed crush would forever haunt Donnie, and doing so, impact his personal views of love.

Leo was busy stroking the turtles head, talking softly to it, feeling satisfied at the little guys' head coming out and blinking understandingly, as if it was actually interested in what Leo had to say. 'This must've been how Raph felt with Spike' Leo thought- it was nice to have someone- anyone, pay attention and enjoy being around you. Normally, he had to deal with Raph rebelling on his orders, Mikey goofing of and Donnie isolating himself...but here was someone who didn't judge him...who wouldn't make fun of or disregard him...

"Aww...look at you guys...you two make a perfect pair of buddies!" cooed Mikey as he came out of his room, snapping a picture of Leo and the turtle...hehe.

Three heads snapped up at the sound, but Raph was first to recover.

"Why you little-" he started, raising a hand to smack him, but stopped as Mikey glared at him...un-Mikey like.

"Dude, don't even go there with me...you have no idea... "

"Umm...its good that you're okay.. are you sure you don't need Donnie to check for injuries? You took a pretty hard hit earlier..." Leo said, getting an uneasy feeling about the situation, but also petting the turtles shell now to keep it calm, despite how he was feeling inside. The turtle appreciated it, for its head was rubbing against Leo's thumb, begging to be pet there, to which he gave in.

Donnie looked at Leo and the turtle, observing that for a male, this turtle was being very affectionate...unless...

"Umm...Leo...can l see your new turtle- pal there...really quick."

Leo internally groaned, but reluctantly handed the turtle to Donnie, as the turtle struggled against being handed over, waving its arms around, trying to get back to Leo, looking at him pitifully.

"Awww...why're you being so mean to the little guy? He was happy.." whined Mikey, watching the turtle struggle with Donnie.

"l'm not being mean to the little guy...l mean...if it's even a guy..." Donnie trailed off, trying to examine the struggling turtle.

"What are you talking about Donnie?" asked Leo, eyes beginning to widen with realization.

"Umm...what are you talking about Donnie?" asked Mikey, still not getting Donnie's implication.

"This 'little guy' may not actually be a 'little guy' Mikey, it may be a 'little girl'..." he said beginning to lift the turtle above, only to freeze as a new voice spoke.

"l could have told you that...who are you, and what are you doing with Akira?"

Me: Ooohhhh...betcha didn't see that coming...betcha Leo is feeling a bit guilty for 'violating the poor girl'...

Leo: Shut up! l didn't know it was a she!

Raph: Geez, that didn't sound much better Leo...would violating a poor little guy sound better?

Leo smacks forehead, as everyone else laughs. Akira rests her head on Leo's hand and looks up at him.

Leo: Well, girl or boy, at least you're not holding it against me...

Me: Maybe not, but don't think you're out of awkward scenes yet Leo...there's plenty more coming your way...

Leo groans, as others bust up laughing

Me: Don't think l left you three out either...l have a whole lot in store for up-coming chapters!

Turtles groan unanimously

Me: Hey, change of topic, what do y'all think of Akira? A bit early to judge her character, but give her time...in the meantime, feel free to let me know what you think...or if you have ideas, that would also be fantastic!