Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT.

Raph

Mikey and I followed the kid to some abandoned warehouse not far from where we were. All of us walked up the steps to the second floor that was empty besides a few broken pieces of glass and rotted wood as well as an old mattress, pillow, and blanket.

"It's not very pretty, but the cops probably won't suspect that you're hiding here. I hide here all the time when I wanna get away from things," he said.

"It'll have ta do for now," I said, and tossed my bag off to the side.

"The name's Casey Jones if you didn't already get it," he said.

"I'm Raphael or just Raph. That's Mikey, but you said you already knew about us," I said.

"Well, I just knew your names from the kidnapping and assault charge from the news. Police are looking everywhere for ya," Casey explained.

"Yeah, we kinda figured that. But…..wait! Why are they charging me with assault? I..….I ki-…" I tried to say, but couldn't with Mikey looking at me like that.

"Whoa, dude! You mean you were trying to kill her?! What the hell's your problem?!" he asked, getting out his hockey stick.

"I didn't mean to do it, bozo. I just pushed her away from Mikey before he got whipped with a belt," I said. Then we all sat down and laid out our entire life story up to this point including what happened with her. Mikey even showed him the almost faded hand marks on his arms.

"You mean she's not dead?" Mikey asked.

"Not unless ghosts can suddenly speak to police officers and most of the news stations around here. According to her, she caught you trying to sneak back into the house early that morning. Then you pushed her against a shelf and started beating her up until she was unconscious. When she woke up, you two were gone, so she called the police about the kidnapping and assault; she seemed more worried about the kidnapping though."

"Of course she would be. She wasn't that concerned when she was about to whip my brother with a belt!" I said.

"If she's not dead, then can't we just go back and explain what happened? Then we wouldn't have to be running anymore," Mikey asked.

"It's too late for that. She already said that I beat her up, and she probably has the mark on her head to prove it. They'd never believe me," I said.

"Oh," Mikey said, and his expression dropped.

"So what's your story, Jones? And why did you keep callin' me a Pink Dragon?" I asked, changing the subject.

"That's Purple Dragon. They're a big gang down on the Lower East side of town where I used to live. We've got a long history together. Their leader goes by the name of 'Hun.' He and his dragon scum came to my old man demanding protection money when I was little. When he refused, they set fire to my dad's shop and killed him. They almost killed me and my little sister too, but for some reason they spared us. From that day forward, I vowed to hunt down every last one and protect anyone else from meetin' the same fate," he explained.

"Nice, even if you do go a little overboard; and that's comin' from the hothead Laird brother," I said.

"I do whatever it takes! So what's your plan after the search dies down?" Casey asked.

"We're gonna go get our other brothers and find a forever home upstate. I already got the front of our house designed," Mikey said, and then showed him the sketch he made of a large house with a big front porch to go along with it.

"Not too bad kid," Casey said.

"I'm gonna start working on the kitchen now. It's gonna be huge so I can work on my famous recipes," he said and got to work right away.

That's when I pulled out the map I had stolen from that lady and a pen.

"Okay, so we're still in the bottom portion of East Harlem around here," I said out loud, pointing to the spot with my pen. "Donnie's over here in Chelsea. As soon as we spring him and he disappears, they'll know we had something to do with it. So we'll have to cross the bridge over to Jersey and then go from there. It's the fastest way out of the city from Chelsea," I said to myself, circling key areas.

"What about Leo? We can't go without him," Mikey asked.

"I don't know where Leo is Mike."

"I do! He's with Mr. Saki!" Mikey said, and I just looked at him.

"Great job Mikey! Now, what's Mr. Saki's home address?" I asked him, and his face dropped. "I'm not worried about Leo anyway. I'm more worried about getting you and Don out of the city first," I said. Mikey then went back to looking down at his blank page looking more downhearted.

"You know Raph, I really thought Mr. Saki was gonna be the one," Mikey mumbled.

"I know kid. I was hoping he'd be the one too. But the longer he waits, the greater risk of us being separated again, or someone may decide to adopt Donnie before we can do anything. As soon as we're safe in our new home and the search for us dies down a little, I'll come back and look for Leo."

"Promise?" he asked, holding out his pinky finger.

"Yeah, I promise," I said, sealing the deal. Suddenly, I heard a growl from Mikey's stomach.

"Awww. Sorry stomach, but I gave my last bar to Klunk. Raph, do you have any more food?" he asked. I took out my bag and looked inside to see it empty.

'Okay Raph, just relax. Panicking won't get us anywhere. I can't go hunting for food now unless I have a death wish. As soon as the sun rises in the morning, I'll go…wait we can't leave then! That lady saw us, and they'll be cops everywhere looking for us! But that could take days! And Mikey…..won't shut up!'

"So how do you guys get food?" Casey asked.

"From a store called 'Dumpsters.' It's got great prices and everything," I said.

"Oh…well I could be your lookout if you want and bring you some food from my place. It won't be much since my step-dad is hardly ever around, and Ma's forced to work three jobs to support us, but it'll be something.

"Yeah, that's another thing? Why the hell are ya helpin' us when all you've ever wanted to do every time you meet me is slam my head through the wall?" I asked.

"Firstly, it's because you and I got matching tempers and I'm still plotting my revenge to get back at you. Second…I don't know. When you told me that your foster mom beat up your little brother…I guess I saw myself in you with why you had to get out of there. I'd do anything to keep my little sister safe from our step-dad. Guess us 'beat-up kids' gotta stick together right?"

"Don't be goin' soft on me Jones," I said. Then I pulled out Celia. "I'm gonna work on getting her nice and sharp in case we ever get into a spot. I guess I can use those pieces of wood to start. You think you can get me a flat stone while you're out?" I asked Casey.

"Shouldn't be too hard. I'll be back," he said, and gathered up his gear and left.

Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break

Donnie

I sat at my desk staring at Ms. Adam's laptop screen typing in my new email username: RenaissanceGenius84. Short yes, but to the point. I hit enter and immediately sent a friend request to April who was AprilShowers14. I started to design my page when I got a notification right away that my request was accepted. That's when a chat box appeared in the corner.

AprilShowers14: Hey Donnie! Glad you're on here. Also, RenaissanceGenius? Really?

RenaissanceGenius84: What? It's perfect! It's better than DonatelloLairdisagenius which was my top pick until I came up with this one.

AprilShowers14: (I'm rolling my eyes right now)

RenaissanceGenius84: Your loss. Did you take that letter to Mr. Saki yet?

AprilShowers14: Yeah. I couldn't see Mr. Saki, but the receptionist said that she would give it to him.

RenaissanceGenius84: That's a relief.

AprilShowers14: Have the police told you anything about Raph and Mikey?

RenaissanceGenius84: Not yet. I don't even think they'll keep me up to date with what they find unless they find them wherever they are. Between you and me, I'm getting really worried about them.

AprilShowers14: I can't even imagine. Like I said, if you need anything, dad and I are here.

RenaissanceGenius84: Thanks April. Where is Saki Industries anyway?

AprilShowers14: Near my house.

RenaissanceGenius84: I mean like where exactly? I want to try and send more letters to Leo until he finds out that I'm online now.

AprilShowers14: Oh I see! They don't have a website or anything, which is weird, but I can give you their address. It's 2919 Yankee Boulevard, 10016. It's on 5th avenue.

RenaissanceGenius84: 5th avenue?! Wow! If Mr. Saki owns a business there, he must be really rich.

AprilShowers14: I've been bored all day so I did some research on him. Besides owning Saki Industries, he's won some major awards like getting the key to the city from the mayor and other random 'best company' awards. There's not much on his personal life though.

RenaissanceGenius84: Then we'll have to make do with what we do know. I'll send another letter to him and drop it off at the company with Ms. Adam's number again, and my username so Leo can email me instead of me sending random letters to Mr. Saki's company. Thanks, April. I gotta go now.

AprilShowers14: Oh okay. See you later Don. Stay in touch.

RenaissanceGenius84: I will.

Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break

The next three days went fast, but I got up early each morning, went for a quick run, and then went to the park to meet with Mr. Yoshi. I could listen to him talk about his stories and life in Japan for hours. He even taught me how to sit in a lotus pose correctly. Wait till I tell Leo about it if he ever answers my letters.

"I've really enjoyed my time with you, Mr. Yoshi," I told him.

"As have I, Donatello, although I must tell you that I may not come here as often anymore," he said, and my heart stopped.

"What?! Why?! Did I say something to offend you?!" I asked.

"Bangō!(No) Of course not! Do you recall me telling you about the man I met on my journey here?" he asked.

"You mean the one who wants to open up a restaurant? Murakami-san?" I asked.

"Hai. You see, he is blind and is still getting used to learning the layout of what will be his restaurant. Remember when you saw me outside talking to another man the first time you came to sit with me?" he asked again, and I shook my head. "That was him, and he would like to get started with fixing it up and opening it for business as soon as possible. I also told him about you and he said he would be honored to meet you and have you help out; as long as you still want to that is."

"Yeah! I'll have to get permission from Ms. Ad… uh, my mother, but I'm sure she won't mind," I said, feeling my heart skip a beat when I almost told him about my secret.

"I hope one day I can formally meet your mother and tell her what a joy your company has been," Mr. Yoshi said, and I blushed.

"You don't have to lie, Mr. Yoshi," I said.

"I never lie to friends; unless I have to," he said. "Murakami-san lives in the Lower East Side, so it will be a little way to walk from here."

"That's okay. I live in Chelsea so it's not so bad. I could always meet you there," I said.

"Perhaps. Though I must admit that you walking to Murakami-san's restaurant by yourself has me a little uneasy." Mr. Yoshi admitted.

"Don't worry, Mr. Yoshi. I've walked farther by myself before, and I even have to walk here to visit you by myself," I said.

"Very true. Unfortunately, that does little to ease my worry. Is there a subway located near your house Donatello that will take you to the Lower East Side?"

"I can look them up on my phone real quick," I said and took out my phone to look up the subway routes. "Here we go. There's the 14th street subway station in Greenwich Village. That'll take me to the Lower East Side in about thirty minutes. That's better than the hour it'll take me by foot according to my GPS." I said.

"Then I will meet you there, and we can ride the subway to Murakami-san's restaurant together," he said.

"You don't have to ride with me if you don't want to, Mr. Yoshi. I don't want it to be out of your way," I said.

"Think nothing of it, Donatello. Just think of it as an old man like me making sure that no other thugs come and attack you. I wouldn't be able to forgive myself if something happened to you on the way to or from Murakami's."

"That's alright I suppose. Maybe this way, I could show you a little more of the city. It'll be fun."

Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break

"Come on Ms. Adams. Please?" I begged.

"Don, you have a big heart like your brother, and I've always admired that about you. But I don't know Mr. Yoshi as you do. He saved you yes, but what if something happens to you? Not to mention that you'll be practically on the other side of the city. Going to the park with him is one thing, but…" she said.

"It's not like I'll be by myself. I'll call you every hour to check-in, and I'll be back by one. It's the least I can do for Mr. Yoshi. You can track my phone, and I'll take Raph's knife just in case. Please, Ms. Adams," I continued. "I'm just going to help someone whose blinds start up a restaurant. That's it!" She cupped her chin, and I put my hands together like I was praying.

"Alright fine, but you do have to check in every half-hour, and I don't mean a simple text either. Call me right before you get on the subway, when you get off, and you can shoot me a text when you get to Mr. Murakami's. Also, I'll be tracking you, so don't be surprised if I show up unannounced," she said. I was about to object at her 'stopping by' and the dumb 'every half-hour thing', but she held up a finger. "If you don't like it, then you're not going," she said. I sighed.

"Fine," I said. "Also…if I call you, don't be shocked if I call you 'mom'."

"Huh? Why?"

"Well….I haven't told Mr. Yoshi that I'm a foster kid yet," I mumbled.

"Why not? That shouldn't be something to be ashamed of," she said.

"Because I don't want him to know. He'll just feel sorry for me, and I don't want that to take away the relationship we already have. I'll tell him eventually, but…..not now." I said.

"Okay, Don. If that's what you want, but you really shouldn't hide something as small as that. There are thousands of foster kids out there in New York alone. It may end up hurting your relationship with him the longer you hide it," she warned.

"I know. Thanks, Ms. Adams, but I'm gonna go work on some of my summer homework," I said, and walked out of her office upstairs to my room. Sophie and her twin were playing Barbies on the floor, and I just went over to my desk. Without paying attention to the girls, I got out a big piece of paper and started drawing quick sketches with arrows leading to other picture sketches. The bigger ones were the ones that I'm sure would most definitely happen if my secret got leaked. They included:

-He would be shocked and not talk to me anymore for fear of offending me

-He would be angry that I kept an important part of my life right now and never wanted to speak to me again

-Nothing would change in our relationship, but it's obvious that Mr. Yoshi is trying to hide the fact that he feels sorry for me.

Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break

I got up early, jogged towards the 14th street subway station in Greenwich Village, and saw Mr. Yoshi sitting on a bench waiting for me.

"Morning, Mr. Yoshi," I greeted.

"Good morning, Donatello. Are you ready to go?" he asked.

"Yup. Let's go," I said, and we walked down the steps together. I started walking towards the ticket area, but Mr. Yoshi started walking towards the swinging doors that were locked unless you scanned in your ticket.

"The pay computer is over here Mr. Yoshi," I said, pointing to the computer.

"I know. I already have our tickets," he said and held up two tickets, giving one to me.

"Oh. Thanks, Mr. Yoshi. Here, my mom gave me some money for…"

"Keep it. I don't want it," he said, and all I could do was smile. After we scanned in and went through the swinging doors, we walked down a couple more steps and made it to our subway going to the Lower East Side. We waited for a few minutes till the subway came, and we got on after the other passengers left. Most of the seats were filled, so we just hung onto the railing.

"Do they have subways in Japan too, Mr. Yoshi?"

"They do, but only in the major cities. I grew up in a dojo on the outskirts of Tokyo, but you could still see the city in the distance. I did not go into the city much as I was busy training, but my wi…someone I cared for very much loved staring at the city as it's lights reflected off of the water with me. I did venture there a few times though. I must say that the subways here aren't as crowded with people as they are in Japan."

"Really? I mean this is packed and all, but how many people do they fit on those things?" I asked.

"Much more. I'd say double the amount of spacing here. They are also a lot cleaner and well organized in Japan," he explained.

"Man. Now I really wanna go to Japan; the video games, the Magna, the clean subways!" I said. Mr. Yoshi just chuckled.

Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break*Break

About forty minutes later, we arrived at the Lower East Side. I followed Mr. Yoshi for a bit until we got to a building with planks of wood stacked off to the side. We walked in and saw a plump man standing near a bar in the middle of the room. He had a pot in his hand and was touching it everywhere.

"Kon'nichiwa Murakami-san," Mr. Yoshi said to him.

"Ah! Kon'nichiwa Yoshi-san," Mr. Murakami-san said, turning to face us, and the two did a quick bow to each other.

"I brought someone to introduce to you. Donatello, this is Murakami-san. Murakami-san, this is Donatello; the young man I was telling you about."

"Oh yes! It is an honor to meet you, Donatello. Yoshi-san has told me all about you and the mornings you have spent with him these past few days."

"Yeah, well it was nothing," I said, running my hand through my hair shyly. "I really enjoyed it. Learning all about Japan, and the Hamato clan is just incredible."

"Japan is a country that has many stories to tell, Donatello," Murakami said.

"And I'm looking forward to hearing more. Anyway, Mr. Yoshi told me that you might need some help with getting your restaurant started. I could come and help you and Mr. Yoshi in the mornings; as long as it's okay with you, Mr. Murakami."

"Of course! We could always use more hands. Many of my new equipment just arrived today and will continue within the next few days. My new stove will be arriving at noon today, but right now I am just sorting through these boxes of equipment I ordered. Why don't you start with that?" he said.

"Sure," I said. I sat on one of the benches and started opening the boxes with him.

I know, it's been a while, but I'm back. Most of this was written, but there were a few parts that I needed to write that would connect one idea to another. I wanted to put more on Raph and Mikey's part, but since they can't leave due to being spotted by the cops, there's only so much that can happen inside Casey's warehouse. I didn't want my ideas to all be spent on this one chapter, but at least we got more bonding between Yoshi and Donnie. Let me know your thoughts.

LaurenHardy13