"Donnie, What's the big surprise that you had to drag us all out of bed?" Raph growled, irritated. The three brothers, Splinter, and four girls were in Donnie's lab, wondering the same as well. Donnie was standing in front of them.
"Yeah, Don. Couldn't it wait in the morning? A turtle does need his beauty sleep, you know?" Mikey groaned tiredly, rubbing his eyes, yawning. Leatherhead walked into the room wheeling in a strange monitor.
"Leatherhead? what are you doing here?" Leo asked.
"Leatherhead and I staid awake all night fixing this. But, we did it! We've finally got it to work!" Donnie shouted barely able to contain his excitement.
"Did what, my son?" Splinter questioned. Donnie walked over to Mona and took her hand gesturing her to the bed, with the monitor next to it, to lie down on it. Cautiously, Mona laid down as Raph walked over to her standing beside the bed next her. Donnie started up the monitor and began to rub some gel on the mutant's stomach. Then he took a sensor that was connected to the monitor and began to rub it over Mona's belly. A picture came on the screen followed by an erratic heartbeat. Oh the screen, was a small baby with a tail as it moved. Raph and Mona's eyes widen in shock as did everybody else as well watching the screen.
"O-Our baby?!" Mona stammered. Raph watched the screen in silence, completely paralyzed in shock. Donnie scanned Mona over again then inspected the image on the screen.
"By the looks of it, the baby's definitely gonna take after Mona. But, I can't tell what the gender is because of the tail in the way. However, they seem to be healthy." Donnie explained. "I'd say it'll probably be about three months before they are born."
"Donnie, this is the best gift ever! You and LH really out-did yourself!" Raph exclaimed. Donnie smiled sheepishly, rubbing his head.
"It was nothing really. Just a few broken circuit boards and wires."
The turtles and the four girls jump down in front of April's shop. They walked in as they entered.
"April?" Leo called out. "Anybody home?"
Suddenly, they hear a scream and the sounds of someone getting beaten up. "No!"
"April's in trouble!" Donnie exclaimed. He pulls out his staff and runs towards the back door. The others follow him with weapons drawn as they ran out into the alleyway. They see April holding a bat.
"I give, I give!" They hear someone shouted. Leo adjusted the light bulb and everyone was surprised to see that it was Casey. April panted as she looked down at him.
"Easy April, it's only me!" Casey protested. April gave him an angry look.
"Casey, what the heck are you doing?" She questioned. "That has to be the dumbest thing in the history of dumbest things anybody could do!" Raph and Donnie walked over and helped Casey up. "What were you thinking?"
"I'm thinking I'm glad that's just a whiffle bat," Casey commented, rubbing his head. "Sheesh!"
"No, I mean, why would you do such a thing?" said April as she threw the bat away and started walking towards the back door to her shop.
"You asked me to, remember?" Casey asked.
"I did not!" April protested.
"Sure you did!" Casey said as he steps to her. "You was bragging about your ninja fighting skills," He flaps his arms. "And I said I ought to sneak up on ya sometime and test out how good you was. And you said that sounded like an interesting idea."
April glared at him, placing her hands on her hips. Then she looked at the four brothers and girls. "So, how are you guys doing?" She asked. "I was about to make some hot chocolate. I can easily make enough for nine," She smiled. Everyone cheered as they followed April to her shop.
"Great, I love hot chocolate!" Casey exclaimed, happily.
April counted as the four brothers and girls walked into her shop. "One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight," She smirked and pointed to herself. "And nine." Slamming the door on Casey's face.
"Come on April, you weren't that scared," Casey protested outside. "You beat the crud out of me!" He groaned. He hears no response. "April? Guys? Geez, everybody's so sensitive around here," said Casey, as he kicked a can and started walking away.
In the living room, Mikey and Leo were sitting on the couch, along with Yuuki and Alopex, Raph was sitting on the chair while Mona sat on the arm rest of the chair, Donnie was sitting on the table while Venus sat in a chair next to him.
"Think Casey's okay out there?" Mikey questioned. Suddenly, Donnie's shell cell began to ring.
"That's probably him now," said Leo.
"He's such a bonehead," Raph commented.
"Uh, hello?" Donnie asked as he answered his phone. But, he winched as he heard static. "Huh, it's not Casey. Sounds like somebody's trying to send me a fax."
April growled in frustration. "Oh that Casey gets me so mad!" She carried a tray with nine cups filled with hot chocolate as she walked over to the table. The three brothers and girls walked over to her at the table, taking a seat.
"What are you talking about, April?" Raph asked. "You totally clobbered him!"
"Well," April hesitated. "It's just that I really thought I was getting somewhere in my training with Master Splinter," The turtles, and girls take their hot chocolates, listening to her. "But Casey totally caught me by surprise. I should have heard him coming. You guys would have."
"Well, if it makes you fell any better, April. I'm still learning myself." said Yuuki.
"It takes a lot of practice," Donnie tells her.
"Master Splinter spent a lot of time training us to be aware of our surroundings at all times," Leo explained. "After a while though, if you studied hard enough, you got a sixth sense for it."
"Maybe you guys could help with my ninja training?" April suggested.
The four turtles give her surprised looks.
"Yeah, that's actually not a bad idea, April." Yuuki commented. The four brothers looked at each other, before shaking their heads.
"No way!" Raph said, waving his hands. The four girls looked at them surprised.
"Why not? I'm a quick learner!" April protested.
"It's not you, April," Donnie explained. "It's us."
"Last time we tried to play sensei...well, let's just say it didn't work out too well," Leo said, hesitantly.
"Yeah, we though we could teach this kid," Raph chuckled. "And we were just kids ourselves."
"Raph, that's no way to tell a story," Mikey argued. "Here, let me do it. It was a dark and stormy night, in a galaxy far far away-"
"Mikey," Raph warned.
"Uh, I mean, many moons ago, on a night much like this one,"
Four younger turtles with shorter masks that covered their heads were running in the sewers.
"We were four young turtle tots facing the most horrible of all dangerous dangers. Dun, dun, dun, the wrath of Master Splinter!"
Splinter smacked his staff against the map of the sewers that was hanging on the wall.
"We'd been warned. We knew what we were not supposed to be doing." Leo added.
Splinter smacks his staff, making the four turtle tots gasp. "Do not go to the surface!" He told them as they were walking across a balance beam. "Never go up to the streets! It is far too dangerous," He warned them as they were having dinner and slammed his teapot down, making them gasp. "Under no circumstances should you ever go above ground," Leo lost his balance, falling off from the beam. "If you ever think of going topside, just do not!" Splinter exclaimed. "You had better hope I never catch you going out of the sewers!"
The four turtle tots gulped and looked at each other.
"So, what did you guys do?" April asked.
Leo opened the manhole cover. "We went topside." The four brothers struggled to slide the manhole cover as they tried to move it.
"When we finally go the lid off." Donnie said.
"Hey, no cutting in line!" Raph warned as they tried to crawl out.
"Then move your big fat shell!" Mikey exclaimed. They climbed out and looked around the alley in wonder and amazement.
"It's amazing!" Leo said. "All this open space!"
They walked further down the alley, exploring. "Man, Master Splinter's been holding out on us," Raph said. "Up here, it's...it's..."
"Beautiful," Donnie finished.
"What we didn't know was that just around the corner, was destiny. Or actually this kid that needed help," Mikey said.
A tall black haired boy was wearing a red shirt, blue jeans and sneakers. With him was another boy who was wearing glasses. They watched as the older boys were playing hockey in the streets.
"It's Danny McDonough and his wolf pack," The boy wearing glasses said.
"Man, these guys think they own the street," The taller boy whined. "How come they gotta play in front of my steps, Stevie?"
"I'll help you," Stevie explained, clenching his fist. "We'll stand up to them." He glanced over at the older boys nervously, gulping.
"I'd like to, but they'd just beat the crud out of us. You just go on around and go home," The taller boy told Stevie. "I'll be okay."
Stevie placed a hand on the taller boy's shoulder. "Be careful. I'll see you tomorrow." The taller boy waved as his friend left. As the taller boy turned to walk to his house, the older boys blocked him.
"Hey guys, here comes Arnie dork. You forgot to pay your toll yesterday. This here's our street!" Danny said, jerking his thumb to his gang.
"I...I don't want no trouble," the boy replied, nervously.
"Well, you got trouble." Danny said as he and his gang advance closer. The boy pushed past Danny and his gang and took off running. They chased as they skated after him.
In the alley, Raphael was standing on top of a dumpster.
"I am Raphael, king of the trash!" He exclaimed. The other three turtles climbed onto the dumpster, but Raph threw them off.
"Sorry, Raph," Leo said as he picked Raph up by his leg and knocked him down. "You're the trash and I'm the king!"
"All hail Leo! King of the trash can!" Mikey cheered. Suddenly, Donnie heard voices that were coming closer towards them.
"Guy's, somebody's coming," He told them. The boy ran into the alley while the four turtle tots hid underneath the dumpster. The boy saw that he was trapped as he was at an dead end. He leaned against the wall panting, trying to catch his breath. As he stood up to run away, his eyes widen.
"Oh crud," The boy muttered. He backed up as Danny and his gang skated towards him.
"Poor little fella," Danny said, smirking. "He ran into a dead end."
The four brothers cringed as they heard the boy getting beat up.
"Somebody ought to help that kid," Leo whispered.
"Yeah, finally some real action," Raph murmured, getting up, ready for a fight. But, Donnie stopped him.
"Remember, we can't be seen," He told them.
As the gang was beating the boy, a trash can suddenly came flying at them and hit one of them. "Ow! Hey man, what's your deal?" He shouted as he pushed one of his friends. Mikey threw a trash bag at one of them.
"Ow! Hey, cut it out!"
Then a rope was thrown at one of their feet, being pulled. One of the boys lost their balance and fell on top of Danny, placing his hand on Danny's shoulder.
"Hey, quit it!" Danny said. He turned towards the boy at their feet getting ready to beat him up some more.
"Danny! Lunch time!" Danny's mother called out. He turned to the boy.
"Next time, pay your toll if you want to use our street. Come on, we're outta here," Danny said as he and his gang left.
"That's when young "Master Leo" convinced us to help the kid out," Mikey said.
"To train him so he wouldn't need little green guardian angels all the time," Donnie added.
"We thought we already knew everything there was about ninjitsu, so how hard could teaching be?" Leo said.
"And it had to be better than being stuck in the sewers doing nothin'." Raph said.
"Okay," Leo explained as he turned to the other three turtles. He was wearing a red hat that covered his face, blue jeans, a yellow shirt and brown jacket. "You guys know the plan. We'll each take turns teaching the kid what we know. Agreed?"
"Agreed." The other three turtle tots saluted.
"But remember, guys," Donnie warned. "No matter what happens, we can't let Master Splinter know what we're up to."
Leo nodded and walked over to the boy as he was getting up. The boy groaned as he rubbed his arm. "Hey kid," He turned to Leo. "I saw what happened earlier. You know, you really shouldn't let those bullies push you around like that."
"Oh, it's no biggie," The boy rubbed his arm. "I'll heal."
"It IS a big deal," Leo argued. "It's a matter of honor! You can't surrender your honor so easily. The street belongs to everybody."
"Not for kids like you and me," The boy looked away crossing his arms. "I'm too small."
"No! Those guys are small because they have no heart and no honor. My sensei, my teacher, always taught me that true strength comes from within," Leo explained.
"Maybe, but how do you get it?" The boy asked.
"You train. You train in the art of self-defense," Leo said as he did some moves. The boy watched in awe. "I can help you, teach you." The boy smiled at him.
"Okay, then let's meet back here tomorrow, the same time." Leo said.
The next day, Leo and the boy were on the rooftop, sitting with their legs crossed. The boy was struggling.
"First of all, you have to be serious about wanting to change things. You have to feel the power, connect with the power. Find your inner core, your honor, your true heart. Have you found it yet?" Leo explained as the boy continued to struggle more.
"Uh, I don't think so. Uh, little dude, I can't feel my legs," The boy said.
"That's a good thing, stay focused and breathe and you'll find your true strength," Leo told him. As Leo watched the boy as he tried to meditate, his mind began to wonder back to yesterday with his encounter with the girl with pig tails.
"Uh, little dude, I don't think this is working." The boy said. Leo snapped out of his thoughts and looked at him. How long was he spaced out. His eyes widen. He needed to get back home, fast! Leo stood up. "Just keep practicing. You'll get it! I-uh, need to go to the bathroom. I'll be back!" He said, running.
At the turtle's old Lair, Mikey and Donnie were sparring. Splinter was watching them. Donnie jumped to kick but Mikey dodged it. "Excellent, Michelangelo. Donatello, lift your leg higher for the kick," Splinter instructed. Mikey knocked Donnie and he landed in front of Splinter. Donnie sat up, rubbing his head.
"Sorry, Master Splinter," He said. Splinter held his hand out and Donnie took it as Splinter helped him up.
"That is enough for now. You may rest, my son. It is Leonardo's turn to train," Splinter said as he turned to the couch. Raph was watching the TV with a stuffed bear, sitting next to him that was wearing Leo's mask and a T-shirt.
"Uh-oh, oh boy..." Raph muttered as he looked back as Splinter then back at the bear.
"Come Leonardo," Splinter called out.
"Master Splinter, we wanna keep practicing!" Mikey called out as he and Donnie tried to distract him.
"But it is Leonardo's turn," Splinter explained.
"Leo won't mind, will ya Leonardo?" Mikey called out. Raph lifted the stuffed bear's arm, waving at Splinter.
"Uh, wave if it's okay, Leonardo," Donnie said, nervously. Raph lifted the stuffed bear's arm, waving at Splinter.
"See? Leo doesn't mind." Mikey answered. Splinter frowned in suspicion.
"Uh, is this right, Master Splinter?" Mikey called out as he and Donnie began to spar.
"What about this leaping over the leg sweep?" Donnie asked. "I think I'm getting better!"
Splinter turned to them."I said enough practice. Leonardo, Leonardo?" He called as he began to walk over to the couch. Mikey and Donnie cringed as he got closer.
"This is it, it's all over! We are so cooked!" Mikey panicked as Splinter reached a hand out. Donnie and Mikey screamed. Raph immediately shut his eyes.
"Leonardo!" Splinter shouted as he placed his hand on Leo's shoulder.
"Yes, Master Splinter?" Leo answered. Splinter blinked in confusion.
"It is time for your practice," He explained.
"Oh, okay, coming sensei," Leo said, giving Raph a wink and a thumbs up. Raph returned it. Leo jumped over the couch and flipped, landing next to Splinter.
"Sorry I didn't answer earlier," Leo said as he rubbed his eyes and yawned. "I kind of dozed of there for a moment." He started his katas. Donnie and Mikey were watching Leo and Splinter. Donnie nodded to Mikey and he quietly slipped away without Splinter noticing.
On the rooftops, Mikey finished dressing up, wearing the same outfit that Leo was wearing. "Now the student has become the master," He chuckled as he walked over to the boy. "Ready for more learning?"
"Well, I've been trying to be serious and breathing stuff to find my inner strength like you said,...but kinda makes my head hurt," The boy said as he scratched his head. "And I still can't feel my legs."
"What, are you kidding me?" Mikey questioned. "Get up, get up!" He helped the boy up. "Forget all that baloney, the first and most important lesson is this: you need the right attitude!" The boy blinked, confused, looking at Mikey. "And part of having a winning attitude is having a cool battle cry! A heroic superhero battle cry, like in the comic books!"
"I got it! Goru guru sama!" Mikey exclaimed. The boy scratched his head, completely confused.
"Go ro ro bo...wha?" He questioned.
"Goru guru sama! It means Mister Thunder! Goru guru sama! It's perfect for you!" Mikey exclaimed. "If you yell out Goru guru sama while charging into battle, your foes will flee like cowards before you! Ooo I really wanna see that! Come on, let's try it!"
"Oh, they're just gonna cream us again," The boy complained as Mikey lead him into the alley until the two spotted Danny and his gang.
"Not with your cool battle cries!" Mikey told him as he pushed the boy towards the gang. "Remember, Goru guru sama. Now, go get 'em!"
The boy gulped then narrowed his eyes and walked over to Danny and his gang. He clenched his fists.
"Goru go bolo ama!" He shouted. The gang smirked and skated over towards the boy and began beating him up. Mikey cringed.
"Maybe I didn't give him the right name..." He murmured as he watched.
Donnie and Mikey met on the rooftops. Mikey took off his clothes and tosses them to Donnie.
"How's it going?" Donnie asked.
"Um, great," Mikey answered, hesitantly.
"Good, because I got something really special planned for them. They're gonna love it!" Donnie said as he put on the hat.
The boy sat across from Donnie looking down at a chessboard that was sitting in front of them. "It's really important to really think your actions through. It's all like a game of chess," Donnie explained. "You have to be thinking three to four moves ahead of your adversary. Planning, knowing what's coming."
The boy looked at the chessboard unsure of what to do and scratched his head. "Uh,..." Donnie tapped his finger on the table. He looked up at the boy, who still hadn't made a move. Hours seemed to passed, as Donnie had his head laid on the table and a pigeon landed on him. He looked up again to see that the boy still hadn't made a move.
"Well, it might take a little more time...for some people, I guess," Donnie said as he stood up. "I'll be right back." He left as the boy stared at the chessboard, thinking.
Donnie ran to Raph, handing him the clothes and tossed the hat on Raph's head. "Good luck," He told him. Raph quickly got dressed and ran over to the boy, sitting down.
"I've been studying the board like you said and I still don't get it. Like the horsey, though," The boy said as he held up the knight piece. "I'm trying to think it through, but I don't know."
"Listen guys, the first and most important lesson is to never think. Never! Just act and react and always attack!" Raph said.
"I sure wish you'd make up your mind. Be serious, use your battle cry, think it through, never think! I don't get it!" The boy shouted, confused.
"What you need are weapons. It's all about the weapons," Raph said. "We gotta find you some kind of weapon."
Raph looked at the chessboard before getting an idea. Across from Raph and the boy were three cans that were sitting on the ledge. Raph held the chess pieces in his hand and threw them, knocking down all three cans. "Ha!" He turned to the boy. "You try!"
"Uh...kay." The boy answered nervously, holding the chess pieces in his hand. He threw it but the pieces hit the wall and rebounded back towards him and Raph. Raph cringed.
"Hmm, maybe you just need a better target. Let's see how you do in combat," He said. Raph lead the boy into the alley.
"Now remember, focus on your weapon. It's all about the weapons!" He explained.
The boy threw the pieces at the gang but missed as the pieces landed near their feet. Raph cringed as he watched the boy get beat up by the gang.
"Maybe we need to work on the kid's aim a little...or find him a different weapon." He murmured.
Back in the Lair, Mikey, Donnie and Leo stood across from Splinter as he stood in front of them. "Now, I wish for you to take what you have learned and use it in pairs. Michelangelo and Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael," Splinter raised an eyebrow, seeing that Raph wasn't there. "Where is Raphael?"
"He's in the shower?" Donnie answered, nervously, jerking his thumb.
"Yeah, yeah, he's in the shower," All three turtle tots said together. Leo smiled sheepishly. Splinter gave them a suspicious look.
"You four have been acting very strangely of late," He pointed out.
"Uh, Raphael, it's time to get out of the shower!" Leo shouted, running off. Donnie and Mikey smiled sheepishly and followed after him. Splinter had a confused look on his face watching them leave. Raph walked in as the others ran over to him. "Raphael!"
"Raphie, hold still!" Mikey told him and Leo dumped a bucket of water on Raph.
"There."
"What was that for?!" Raph demanded.
"You just got out of the shower," Leo whispered. Raph turned to Leo and growled until he saw Splinter walking up to them with a stern look on his face.
"I just got out of the shower, sensei," Raph explained. All four smiled sheepishly as they looked up at Splinter.
"Hmm, I can see that," Splinter answered, hesitantly, crossing his arms."Do you always shower with your mask on?"
"Uhh, yeah, it's a great way to keep it clean!" Raph said. Splinter gives him a questionable look, shaking his head.
"Come, let us resume your training,"
In the alley, Leo, who was wearing clothes again, stood with the boy. "Okay, now it's time to try out what you've learned, to face your enemies."
"But you already made us face 'em, twice!" The boy pointed out. "And they creamed me both times!"
"Em, I did?" Leo asked, confused. "Well, let's try it again, using everything you've learned." He pushes the boy towards the gang. Standing back, watching, Leo saw his brothers walking over towards him.
"So, you think he learned anything?" Mikey questioned.
"I hope so. I mean, you taught him self-defense, right, Mikey?" Leo asked in response. "How to punch and kick? And I covered inner strength."
"I didn't teach him any fighting skills," Mikey answered, confused. "I thought Raph was gonna."
"I didn't," Raph shook his head. "Donnie, did you?"
"Oh shell," Donnie muttered in realization.
"Go so bo gara!" The boy shouted. The four turtle tots cringed as they saw the gang beat the boy up again.
"Okay, we're gonna start over," Leo said. "But this time with the real basics."
"Right!' Mikey commented. "Or as Master Splinter would say, "the foundation of any house must start strong and-" A shadow towered over them and Mikey made a girlish scream as Splinter stood over them.
"Master Splinter!" The four turtles exclaimed.
They gasped, seeing Splinter was not happy. He was furious.
"Um, Master Splinter, we can explain," Donnie explained. "We've been teaching."
"Like you!" Mikey exclaimed. "But not as good as you."
"You know, trying to follow in your footsteps?" Leo asked, sheepishly.
"There's this kid and-" Raph started to add but Splinter hold his hand up.
"Enough! Home, now!" He snapped, angrily, crossing his arms.
"But...the kid," Raph protested.
"We can't just abandon him," Mikey defended.
"You are not ready to teach! You could do more damage than good. The child must find his own path, as you must find yours. Now come, we are going home," Splinter told them. All four turtle tots whined as the hang their heads down.
Everyone busted out laughing out loud. "Oh man, was Splinter angry!" Mikey exclaimed.
"He must have made us practice for 78 hours straight," Leo recalled.
"I think he wanted to make sure we were so tired, we wouldn't be able to go topside," Donnie said.
"So whatever happened to this kid, anyway?" April wondered, raising an eyebrow. The four turtles looked at each other.
"You know, I don't know," Leo answered, shaking his head.
The boy was walking down the street with a solemn look on his face. "I'll just have to tell that kid in the red hat the training isn't working. Guess I don't have what it takes."
"Hey geek boy, doing a little reading?" He heard and looked up to see Stevie being picked on by Danny and his gang. "Oh, you're gonna cry? Oh look, he's gonna cry!"
"Give it back!" Stevie shouted as he tried to grab for his book.
"Stevie?" The boy asked, before narrowing his eyes, growling.
"What are you gonna do about it?" The gang asked before hearing a loud scream until Danny was punched to the ground. The others skated towards the boy. The boy ducked, causing one to wack the other with his hockey stick. He grabbed the stick and punched the older boy in the stomach and the face. Danny got up with a stick in hand seeing the boy knocking his gang down like they were nothing. He growled and skated over to him striking with his stick. The boy blocked it, striking back until he knocked Danny off of his feet making him fall to the ground.
He looked up at the boy in fear before he and his gang skated away, leaving him and Stevie alone.
"That's right, you better run!" The boy exclaimed. "You bullies better watch it, because Arnold Casey Jones aren't letting you push nobody around anymore!"
"Gora...gora...Goongala! Goongala! Goongala!" He roared out loud as his voice echoed throughout the streets.
"Wow," Stevie said in awe with his mouth slightly dropped. Casey walked over to him and handed Stevie his book.
"Come on, Stevie, I'll walk you home."