HERE IS THE CONCLUSION TO THE PROLOGUE TO THE EPISODES. I HOPE YOU GUYS FIND THE TURTLES IN CHARACTER. I DO TRY AND KEEP THEM IN CHARACTER TO THE BEST OF MY ABILITY. LET ME KNOW HOW I DID, KAY?

GOD BLESS AND GOOD DAY!

~THE LUPINE SOJOURNER

"Dao!" I screeched. Dao looked horrified at himself, and I started to panic. Mikey was frozen. Mikey was...frozen. Mikey...was frozen. The thought replayed in my head, over and over. Suddenly, the others were in the room, and as frozen as Mikey in their shock. I tried to get control of myself, but it was very difficult when my brother was a block of ice on the Lair's floor. Before I knew what was happening, I was behind a shell. Leo. Raph was already fighting Dao, who could hardly even raise a hand, much less actually defend himself from Raph's rage. Leo, comparatively, was a bit less aggressive than Raph normally, but now that one of his brothers was frozen, maybe gone...anyone would turn homicidal. I grabbed Leo's shell anyway. It was worth a shot before I had to fight my family for my friend. I didn't want to do that, but I definitely would if need be.

"Wait, Leo! He's...he's a friend. It was an accident. Please, just trust me. He didn't mean to do it!" I pleaded, and I saw that Leo was still very distrustful, but he at least still trusted me enough to help me stall Raph and Lupa murdering this poor kid. Breiefly, I wondered where Lupa came from, even as I pulled her back. I was grateful that Leo could trust my sense of pheromones and emotions as I pulled Raph off Dao and helped the poor kid up. Raph growled.

"Asami, what are you doing?" He demanded but Leo still managed to restrain Raph's near charge to my defense. "Get. Away. From. Him." Even when 'he' was a potential enemy with unknown intent, even with all the justifiable strikes against my new friend, none of us would ever refer to someone so similar to us as 'it'. We knew better. Lupa was shell-shocked.

"Get back here, sis!" She hissed, apparently coming out of her shock enough to talk. Her eyes and body language was akin to those of a frightened animal.

"He's not an enemy, guys! He's a friend. It was just an accident." I pleaded, arms out protectively.

"One I can reverse." Don mumbled, looking at Mikey critically. He had joined the fray almost as soon as Raph and Leo started it, but seemed too distracted by Mikey to really do anything, and stopped to closely examine the turtle in ice quickly. Dao sighed in relief, then flinched when every turtle eye turned an icy glare toward him, so fiercely, their third eyelid came down, giving off the intimidating white-eyed appearance. "Asami, get the hot water going in the tub. We'll need it completely full." Don said, now watching the new mutants' every move.

"What is going on out here?" came Sensei's voice almost as soon as I had taken the first step toward the bathroom. I flinched. Here we go... "Do you have any idea what time it is?!"

"Sensei...I met a friend on my patrol, and...well...it appears he has ice powers. But it's not a problem for Don to reverse." I said hurriedly, as I was walking toward the bathroom and turned the water on to hot. Splinter frowned, following me.

"You trust him?"

"Hai, Sensei. I could smell his fear, as well as everyone else's. He was just as shocked as everyone when that ice encased Mikey. He didn't mean to." I had to believe that. He was genuinely terrified, though if that was due to his turtle guards or the fact that he had just frozen somebody, it was hard to tell.

"I see. Well, it seems you're gift is useful in this instance." Dad mused, still terse at being awoken so late at night. I sighed. I sometimes still found myself hating my 'gift'. And then there was times like this that it wasn't so bad. It does allow me to know almost as soon as I meet you if you are lying or not. "But I hope you remain vigilant, all the same." I hummed. He was probably right.

"I will, Sensei. Mikey needs to get in here ASAP, so..." With that, I left the room. "Don! The water's ready!" I called, and then hurried out to grab Mikey and help get him to the bathroom. He was so cold...would the water even work? Would Mikey ever be completely thawed again?

"We should probably leave the water running and the drain up a tad, to keep the water hot." Don mused. He looked the way I felt; trying to rationalize why he shouldn't feel too hopeless and depressed with the 'what if?'s in this scenario.

"Great idea, Don." I said, smiling at him. "Think this'll do the trick?" I asked, not overly concerned anymore. I knew if Don was on the case, everything would be okay...right?

"If this doesn't work, we always have the heating lamp." He said casually with a shrug. I nodded. Yes, that would work.

"Oh. Good point." We watched poor Mikey look less and less pale the longer he stayed in the water. It was nerve-wracking. Sitting here waiting...

"I swear, if this don't work, Don, I'm pummeling that punk so hard into the floor, he won't remember what it was like before he was in pain!" Raph growled, standing in the doorway. Don sighed.

"It will, Raph. It will. Mikey will be perfectly fine." Don sounded almost like he was reassuring himself, not just Raph, who stalked away, growling. I sighed. Raph was being tough for his family, but I knew he was feeling just as scared and hopeless as the rest of us, if not more so.

"I'll talk to him, get him to calm down. Be right back."

"Alright. Your funeral." Don replied, never taking his eyes off Mikey. I came out to find Raph staring into space on the rim of the pit. He was subtly rocking himself, arms holding his legs to his chest. I felt a tug at my heart, and was seated next him in an instant. His shoulders were shaking and the smell of depression was thick. I swallowed. Raph started slightly.

"Hey." I said, smiling half-heartedly. I wrapped an arm around him.

"If that sicko actually killed Mikey..." He said, voice shaky and yet angry. His head leaned against my shoulder. This was something I shared with every one of my siblings, this mutual respect and trust. Nothing of this conversation would ever leave our mouths again. But the affect would be the same. I never wanted to lose that.

"He didn't. Don knows what he's talking about. Mikey'll be fine." I promised, though, like Raph, the horrid dread of 'what if?' plagued my thoughts as I rubbed Raph's shell. What if Mikey was frozen forever? What if this thawing didn't work? What if nothing did? What. If? I shook my head subtly. No. It'll be fine. This will work out. Don will be able to get-

"YIIIKES! CCOOOLLDD!" Came a high-pitched screech from the bathroom. I smirked. Knew it would be okay! I got up and jogged with Raph to the bathroom. Dao was still where I left him, shaking under Leo's stern gaze. I would have scolded Leo, had Sensei's cautionary words not rang through my head. I found Mikey shivering under the shower, rubbing his arms and hopping from foot to foot, splashing water everywhere. I ran over and turned off the water before helping Don up. He was shaky, as well, but looked more shell-shocked than cold.

"Ow, Mikey! Gosh! No need to yell." He grumbled, wriggling a finger in his ear.

"Well, ex-excuse m-me!" Mikey retorted, still shaking. I grabbed a towel, and draped it over him. "I am s-so c-c-cold!"

"I know, bro." I said, rubbing Mikey's arms. He was still icy to the touch, but at least he'd mostly thawed out.

"Everything okay here?" Leo asked, and I saw Dao right beside him, quaking in terror when I turned around. I sighed.

"Yes. No permanent damage done." I said. "You can stop menacing my friend now." Yes, I was being sassy. I was aware of that. I just didn't care. Leo scowled.

"You can understand why I am a little distrustful." It was a statement. A true one. I rolled my eyes.

"I suppose, but still. Knock it off." He glared daggers at me, but moved aside. "Sorry, Dao. We take threats to our family's safety seriously."

"It wasn't just a threat, Ami! He actually-" The conversation was cut off as Mikey tackled Dao, and tussled with him on the floor, yelling insults as he pummeled the poor guy who was clearly outmatched. I sighed, running over to pull Mikey off.

"Enough!" I yelled. Lupa, who was ready to pounce, flinched with everyone else as their eyes fell on me. I stood my ground, growling. "I am only saying this once; This. Is. My. Friend. He did not mean to freeze anybody, right Dao?" It would be best to let everyone hear Dao's side of things. They'd understand then...I hope. Dao swallowed, standing up shakily.

"Y-yeah. I feel terrible. I am happy that what I did was reversible. I had no idea I could do that, I swear! This is as new to me as it is to you, I promise." He said, voice growing stronger the more he talked. " I feel like I've just been mutated, but directly afterwards, I was frozen for more tests by...weird android men."

"Weird android men?" Don asked, cocking a brow, arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah. I never got a clear look. It was pretty much a grab-and-mutate scenario. That was fifty years ago." Dao sighed. "I am still a fourteen-year-old in body, but one could say I'm sixty-four." He said. Don looked closer at Dao now.

"Really?" Raph spat. "And I'm from the future." Dao bristled.

"I'm telling the truth!" He turned to me. "You believe me, right, Asami?" I nodded. I had from the moment I met him.

"I'd be able to tell if you were lying, Dao." I said, smiling. "I can smell pheromones." I went on at the blank look I had received.

"Oh, really? What are pheromones?"

"Basically, they are the smell of emotions. Your body secrets a chemical with a distinct scent when emotions are felt. With my lupine nose, I can pick them up." Dao's jaw dropped.

"Wow." He breathed. Lupa and Mikey finally smiled at my friend.

"Yeah. She's a mean, uh, lupine tracking machine!" Lupa cheered. "And when me and Ami work together, we can pretty much find you guys anywhere." Dao chuckled.

"Guess that makes Hide-and-Seek difficult?" Mikey groaned.

"You have no idea!" It was great to see that everyone was starting to relax around Dao. They were not fully convinced he meant no harm, but at least Dao was getting more comfortable around my siblings.

"I see you children are getting along." Dad said, appearing like magic behind me. I stiffened slightly, but was actually fairly used to it by now. I turned, waving to him.

"Hey, dad. This is Dao, my new friend. Dao, this is my father, Master Splinter." Dao swallowed.

"H-hello, sir. I apologize deeply for...for f-freezing your son. I had no idea I could freeze things, I swear." His voice rose at least ten octaves as Dad leaned closer. For several seconds, there was silence, as Dao fought not to look away and father stared deep into Dao's eyes.

"I believe you." He said at least. I breathed a silent breath of relief. Dao was safe. Leo came over, staring at Dao as well.

"Is this another lesson, Dad?" He asked. Dad chuckled.

"No. This is called 'trusting your gut.'" Leo smiled.

"Oh." I rolled my eyes. Dao chuckled nervously.

"Does this mean I'm not gonna get attacked anymore?" I laughed, throwing my arm around his shoulder.

"Nah. We're all good." I then narrowed my eyes at my siblings. "Right?"

"Yes, Ami." (Leo) "Sure thing, sis." (Lupa) "Whatever." (Mikey, who still looked mad as cuss) and "I still don't trust him." (Raph, obviously) came back at me. I sighed.

"That's the best you're gonna get, I'm afraid." I noted, hands on hips. "Wanna tour? If you're going to stay here, you should know your way around." I said with a wink. Dao sighed.

"If you say so. You're probably right." I took his wrist.

"Here, we have the dojo, where we train in the mornings and evenings..."

=#=#=#=#=

"You really don't have to..." Dao said awkwardly as I spread sheets over a spare mattress in a small storage section that served as a suitable bedroom. I smiled, turning to face him.

"Really, Dao. It's no big deal. I don't mind." He shuffled his feet, not meeting My eyes. It was clear he still felt horrible, and to be honest, I was still shaky from the expreience of Mikey being frozen. I sigh. "Dao, listen...it's not your fault. You have no control of these powers. Yet. So, naturally, we can't hold you entirely resposible. Yeah, you screwed up, but it was reversible. No real damage done, okay?"

"...Okay." He sniffled. I decide to drop the matter and head to the kitchen to get dinner going. Dao followed me like a lost puppy. I sighed.

"Hey dude. Seriously. We're all okay. We've moved on. Don't blame yourself, kay? We're cool." Dao flinched. I smirked. "Pardon the pun." Dao scowled at me.

"That's not funny." I shrug.

"I know. Anyway, if you would...uh..." I assigned him tasks and we chatted as dinner was prepared. He seemed to fit right in, at least to me. Dao himself, however, was still riddled with guilt and shame. I needed to find a way to help him. "So, what do you normally do for fun?" Dao hummed as he stirred the macaroni sauce.

"I suppose I used to...read."

"Well...uh...we don't have a lot of books, but...you are welcome to them." Dao smiled.

"Thank you." It took a while, but we eventually got Dao to feel like a brother to us. Raph took a little while longer than the rest, simply because he was the most protective of Mikey. But Raph eventually got it into his thick skull that Dao was not an enemy. Meaning, I had to drill the message into his skull whilst sparring. It ended with us wrestling all around the dojo, screaming our points of view at each other until I accused Raph of not liking Dao just cus he was a mutant. Raph snapped that it wasn't true, but I pressed, because he'd faltered. Soon enough, we were embracing and Raph sheepishly apologized and all was fairly well. We eventually found him a better room and he settled in for a few years before we moved him out into a small abandoned, forgotten home practically above the lair on the surface. He visited frequently and we stayed in contact with these nifty little devices Don cooked up for scavenging expeditions, so those remaining at home wouldn't worry their brains out. Things were fine, until the boys turned fifteen...