New Friend, Old Enemy

A few days have passed since the incident with the videophone and Raph's temper with the man. Sure he gets angry from time to time. But Emi couldn't help but be proud of how he has been handling his anger. It just showed, no matter how little or how much, he had matured from it.

As for the negative feeling that dwells in the back of her mind, it has only grown stronger when she wishes to meditate.

"I don't know what to do about it, Father. No matter how much I push the feeling away, it just keeps coming back to bother me," said Emi, looking downcast. "I just want it to go away."

Concerned for his adopted daughter, he put a hand on her shoulder, "The feeling will never go away, Emi. It will never go until whatever this negative feeling has revealed itself."

She looked up at him, staring into his warm brown eyes, "How can I make it reveal itself?"

Splinter shook his head, "Only time will tell. You just have to be patient my daughter."

Biting her bottom lip, she nodded, "Okay."

He smiled at her acceptance, "For now Emi, how about you go on patrol with your brothers? Get some fresh air."

Emi couldn't help but giggle, "I have been doing that, Father. Mikey will always drag me with them now ever since Raph's episode with that man."

Splinter chuckled along with her, "Yes. I know."

Before she could say more, Mikey slammed the door to the dojo open, catching the two's attention, "Emi! Time to go on patrol!"

Not letting the girl have a choice in saying, he rushed at her and started pulling her with him to meet their brothers at the entrance of the lair. Before she fully left the dojo, Emi waved at Master Splinter with a giggle.

Chuckling, Splinter smiled at the girl's retreating form.

"So, the usual patrol?" asked Emi, once they all climbed up onto the rooftop without being seen.

Leo nodded, "Yup."

Nodding, she grinned as her tail softly wagged behind her, "Alright then." And with that, she left the four behind.

The four terrapin brothers were caught off guard when she suddenly disappeared on them. But hearing her laughter not that far away made them all smile and started following her.

Jumping from one rooftop to another, Emi couldn't help but breathe in the air. The feeling that had been growing in the back of her mind slowly disappearing. Smiling, she looks back at her brothers and saw that they had caught up with her.

Mikey was the first to run next to her, "No fair Emi! You cheated! You got a head start."

She laughed, "No one said that there were rules, Mikey."

He was about to retort but thought for a minute, "Huh, you're right."

While the two were conversing, they didn't notice a certain blue leader running past them until he jumped to another rooftop, "Ha-ha!"

Looking back at the others, they noticed that both Raph and Donnie had run past them too.

"Woo-hoo!" Donnie shouted in glee.

Smiling at one another, both Emi and Mikey started jumping and dodging obstacles that were on the rooftops, catching up with their terrapin brothers.

"Yeah!" Mikey shouted, jumping over to the next rooftop with the white-haired girl.

As they ran, they all notice that the next rooftop to jump to had a huge gap but was lower than the one that they were running on. Not stopping, Donnie started running ahead of them, "Check it out!"

As they all ran to the edge of the roof, the four watch Donnie making it to the other side with a low triple flip before making it the other roof. He ended up rolling before stopping to face back at them with a smug look.

Looking at each other, they all smile and watch Mikey go next as he started running up on the planks that held the water tank and highly flipped to the rooftop that Donnie was on. He slid before raising an arm up at them, "Ha-ha!"

Donnie softly applauded him before looking up at them.

"Top that, Turtle Chumps!" Mikey shouted.

"What? No insult for Emi?" Raph asked with a smirk.

"No, 'cuz I know she can outdo the both of you," Mikey replied with a smug look.

Emi couldn't help but shake her head, a smile shown on her lips, "I'm flattered, but I'm not that great."

Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looks over to see that it was Leo. He held amusement in his eyes as he raised an eye ridge while the smile never left his lips. His silence genuinely telling her that she always top them.

She huffed, softly punching him on the plastron, "Whatever."

Raph couldn't help but roll his eyes at the two but smirk, "You two gonna get going or what?"

Looking over at him, they smirk back. Leo took his hands off her shoulder as he turned to their still waiting younger brothers, "All right, guys." Taking a couple of steps back, he positioned himself ready to run, "Check this out."

Taking a short run, Leo started to front flip. When he got close to the edge of the rooftop, he pushed himself off with his hands, landing on his feet on the other roof. But he didn't just stop it there. He ended up adding no arm cartwheel, standing next to his younger brothers.

Mikey awed at his eldest brother's move. Once he was done, the three look back up at the last two still on the other rooftop.

The two look at each other, Emi gesturing for Raph to go. Smiling, Raph smirked down at their brothers, "Cute, kiddies." Taking a couple of steps away, he started running and jumped.

The three screamed when they saw that he was going straight for them. With no time to run or dodge, Raph slammed right into the other three, turtle piling each other. Both Raph and Emi started laughing while the other three groan at the sudden tackle.

Getting back up on their feet, Donnie looked down at the still seated Raph, "Hey, what was that? You didn't do any flips."

"Oops," smiled Raph.

While the four were conversing, Emi's ears pricked up when she suddenly thought that she felt a hidden presence. The negative feeling that she has been feeling had come back again. Though it wasn't as strong. Swiveling her ears to listen closely into the hidden shadows, her thoughts were interrupted when Leo shouted for her, "Emi! It's your turn."

Looking down at them, she saw that Raphael had gotten back on his feet and is now patiently waiting for her along with the other three brothers. Listening for any disturbance in the shadow, she couldn't hear any footsteps. Though the feeling of being watched and that small negative feeling not leaving. She decided to put it to the back of her mind to figure out later and turned back to look down at the four.

Smiling, she raised an arm at them, telling them that she was ready to jump. Taking a couple of steps back, she started running. When her feet touched the edge of the rooftop, she jumped high into the night sky.

The four brothers stared in awe at how high she jumped.

As she felt herself descend, Emi started to flip and twirl as if she was in a diving competition.

When she was close to landing on the rooftop, Leo couldn't help but stare. Her white hair glinting under the moon's light as it swayed perfectly around her face at her descent. Her honey golden eyes that shines brightly like the stars. He watched as she landed lightly on her feet in front of them.

Both Mikey and Donnie smiled and started to compliment her while Raph looked at a certain blue turtle at the corner of his eye. He couldn't help but roll his eyes when he saw Leo still looking at Emi with that love awestruck look.

Feeling a hard elbow to the side of his plastron, Leo jumped at the contact and turned to see that Raph was the one to knock him out from his staring. He gratefully smiled at him.

Raph only shrugged and turned his attention back to the three in front of them.

"That was so cool, Emi! You gotta teach me how to do that," Mikey said excitedly.

Smiling, Emi was about to reply until a loud creaking noise was heard. Turning to the sound, Leo was the first to react. He quickly ran and hid behind a wall from where the noise of the direction was from. The other four following closely behind.

Seeing Leo unsheathing his swords, the others followed his action and had quickly yet quietly took out their weapons. Quietly, they waited for a few seconds until their leader started running to confront the enemy. The others not too far behind.

Trying to catch the scent of the enemy, Emi quickly halted in her step when she noticed that she only smelt a cat. She was still hidden behind the wall when she saw all four terrapin brothers stop in their steps, weapons raised.

Putting her twin tessens away, she walked to stand next to Leo to see that her nose was correct. There, sitting on the edge of the rooftop, was a small kitten that meows at them in surprise.

Sheathing his sais away, Raph put a hand on their leader's shoulder, teasing him, "Don't give up, Leo. You might actually win this fight."

Leo glowers at him until he was pushed by Mikey, who had put his nunchucks away, and is now approaching the small black and white kitten.

"Aww! It's a little kitty."

Picking it up, he started to rub the kitten's stomach until he saw the collar on its neck, "And its name is-"

Before he could say it, a man's voice shouted, "Mittens!"

"Good guess," said Mikey. Until he noticed that he didn't recognize the voice, "Wait, who said that?"

All five siblings look down at where the man's voice had come from. They saw him shouting out from one of the apartment windows that were near them, "Mittens?"

"I think that's the owner," said Donnie. Their eyes widen when they saw Mikey quickly getting up from his spot, about to approach the man with the kitten in hand.

"What are you doing?!"

"Whoa!"

"Hey!"

"Mikey, wait!"

Mikey stopped at the edge of the roof, turning to look back at them, "What? I'm returning Mittens to her owner."

"Are you an idiot?" asked Raph. He stopped for a second at what he just asked. "Wait- let me rephrase that. You're an idiot!" he said, pointing at their baby brother.

Shaking her head, Emi turned to look back at Mikey, "You can't show yourself to a human, Mikey."

Confused, he asked, "Why not?"

"Because they'll freak the heck out, that's why not," Donnie answered.

"No, they won't. I'm not so scary," said Mikey, still not getting the picture like the rest of them.

Trying to throw some sense into him, Raph added, "You're an ugly, green mutant armed with ninja weapons."

Used to Raph's insult, Mikey petted the cat, "Look, this guy's gonna see that I'm just a regular, cat-loving dude like him. Next thing you know, we'll be best buds." He then smiled, "This is gonna be awesome!"

He suddenly jumped to the fire escape ladder before anyone of them were able to stop him.

"No!"

"Don't"

"Wait!"

"Mikey!"

"Mittens!" the man called out again.

Emi watched with worry as their energetic, hopeful, baby brother ignored their shouts.

Jumping down to the fire escape, Mikey landed in front of the man, "Hi, here's your-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the man screamed, "Ugly, green mutant freak!"

Frightened that the man might attract attention from others, Mikey quickly tried to calm him down by showing him his cat, "But I got your cat!"

"Help! He's got my cat!"

"Dude, chill! I'm just-"

Mikey didn't get to finish as the man's cat started scowling at him and latched itself onto his face.

"Aah!"

Emi and the three terrapin brothers couldn't help but shake their heads at him while Raph facepalmed. They watched Mikey screamed as he fell down the escape ladder, trying to pull the cat off from his face.

Sighing silently, Emi jumped down from the rooftops. The others following not too far behind.

When they landed in front of him, Mikey was rubbing his head from the fall before looking up at them. Emi held a concern while the other three held a "We-told-you-so" looks. Sadden that they were right, he stood back up onto his feet, "Someone want to help me with this?"

He turned so they could see his shell. There, on the back of it, was the kitten that he tried to return. The black and white kitty was not as calm and nice as it was before. It was now snarling as it was latched onto his shell, scratching it.

"No," the three brothers instantly replied.

Sighing, Emi softly shook her head as she walked up to him, "Here, Mikey."

He turned his shell more towards her while she grabbed onto the kitty, cooing, "Now, now, Mittens. Let's go return you back to your owner."

Feeling the calm aura and soft hands from the white-haired girl, Mittens calmed and let go of Mikey's shell. It hissed at him one last time before purring in Emi's arms.

She smiled down at the purring animal before looking back up at the still open window of the owner. Looking at the terrapin brothers, she gestured, "Give me a minute?" Without waiting for their reply, she quickly and quietly climbed up the fire escape.

Hidden in the shadows, she made it to the window and put the kitten back on its feet on the windowsill. The kitten turned around to meow at her. Smiling, she pets the little animal one last time before hiding more within the shadows when she saw the man come back in a rush.

"Oh, Mittens! You haven't been eaten! Thank goodness for that."

The man looked outside for any more unwanted guests before quickly shutting the window behind him, his cat in hands.

Once Emi saw that it was safe, she jumped from the fire escape and back down to the others. Mikey was still sad when she came back. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him because she knew where he was coming from.

All their life, they have been isolated to not be seen by humans and only had each other. So to have a friend that is not just your family members, will be kind of nice since you will be able to share interest and non-interest with each other.

Smiling in sympathy, she patted Mikey on the shell until Raph spoke, "Face it. Humans will never understand you. Heck, we don't even understand you."

She narrowed her eyes at the red terrapin, "Raph."

He shrugged, "Okay. Everyone but Emi, don't understand you."

Emi rolled her eyes at him before focusing her attention back on Mikey when he sighed, "Yeah."

Rubbing the back of his shell, she hoped that her baby brother would feel better until he suddenly gasps, "But I bet that guy would!"

Wondering who he was talking about, Emi looked up at where he was looking at and saw a billboard advertisement of Chris Bradford, a famous martial artist, an expo that was happening in town for the week.

She raised an eyebrow, "Chris Bradford? The martial art superstar?"

"With a chain of dojos across the country. He's your soulmate?" Leonardo finished for her.

Facing them, Mikey spun his nunchucks before posing just like the man in the billboard, "We've got so much in common."

"What if you stop standing like that?" Donnie sarcastically asked, making the white-haired girl giggle a bit.

While the youngest terrapin talked, Emi, who now held a small smile, had moved away from him and stood next to Leo, who gave her a small smile before focusing back to their baby brother.

"We'll have a little less in common," he said deflatedly but quickly brighten back up and turned to the billboard. "But still a lot. And look, he's in town for a martial arts expo."

The brothers couldn't help but roll their eyes at their gullible, hopeful, baby brother.

Mikey then turned back to them, "Maybe he'll show me his secret kata, the Death Dragon. And I'll show him my secret kata, the Secret Kata," he said the last dramatically.

"Catchy," Donnie said unimpressed.

"Check it out," said Mikey. He then started throwing punches and kicks with some kind of weird robot dance in the end. Once he was done, he quietly whispered to them, "But don't tell anyone you saw that."

Emi couldn't help but blink in embarrassment as Leo replied, "No problem."

Shaking his head, Raph walked up to their little brother, "Face it, Mikey. Chris Bradford is the last person on earth that would be friends with you."

Mikey glower at him, looking away when his hot-tempered brother said that.

"Well, tied for last, with everyone else on earth."

Hearing a silent but distinct pebble being kicked, Emi's ears perked up when a couple of human scents hit her nose. She quickly gets into a defensive stance, her hands hovering over her tessens.

It seems the others caught on quickly when they saw her action. Getting into defensive stances, they looked up when they saw a couple of ninja's; in black ninja outfits with headbands that have a symbol of a foot, climbing down from the apartment rooftops. Emi quickly turned around when she heard a couple of them land behind them.

"Ninja's? In New York?" asked Donnie, looking around at how many surrounded them. "Other than us?"

The ninja's all started pulling their weapons out, making the others to do the same.

It was a quiet stand-off between the two groups. Wondering who would make the first move. A minute passed until one of the ninja's decided to throw shurikens at them. The stars lodging into Donnie's wooden staff. Narrowing their eyes at the new enemies, they waited and watched as the ninjas ran towards them.

Dodging a swung katana aiming downwards at her, Emi spun lightly on her feet and roundhouse kicked the ninja away from her. Her ear twitch when she heard a blade being swung at her from behind. Taking both tessens out from her obi, she brought them up above her head, stopping it from cutting her in half.

Looking behind her, she saw the ninja that was holding the weapon. It was a naginata that they held. Narrowing her eyes at them, Emi pushed the blade away and disappear from the ninja's view. Confused at where she went, they quickly looked around them until they felt an immense pain from their abdomen. Looking down, they saw the top of the back of her head. She had back elbow them, hard, in the stomach with her back close to their chest.

Emi moved away from the ninja when she felt them start to fall forward.

Hearing sharp whistles in the air coming straight for her, Emi opened her tessens and blocked every shuriken and kunais that were thrown at her. Another presence was felt behind her again as she blocked a sword in front of her. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the sword away and backflipped over the ninja behind her who tried to jab their sword at her. She landed on top of them, using most of her weight, making them fall flat on their front. Pushing herself off, Emi brought her tessens up in front of her as she came back to shell with both Leonardo and Raphael.

"Why are you so happy?" Raph asked, blocking a sword from cutting him in half.

Curious, Emi looked from her peripheral vision and saw that he was right. Leo was smiling happily while fending off the ninja's.

Kicking one of the ninja's away before having to block more swords, Leo happily replied, "It's just nice to finally be fighting people, instead of robots, or aliens, or weed-monsters."

Slapping the blade of the naginata away with her tessen, Emi grabbed onto the staff and pulled it towards her. Pulling the ninja who was holding onto it with it. When they got close to her, she kicked them away, releasing their hold on the weapon. She threw the weapon away when another, bigger, ninja entered the battle.

This ninja caught her attention instantly. They were wearing different ninja outfit from the rest that they have been fighting so far. But it wasn't their outfit that caught her attention. Rather, the intimidating aura that was coming from him.

The negative feeling that she has been pushing in the back of her mind soon came back. Making itself known by spreading quickly throughout every part of her body. Her body becoming numb by how cold it felt. Emi was quickly snapped out of it when she saw the newcomer punch Leo, sending him flying at the brick wall, and kicking Raph towards the younger terrapin brothers.

She gasped, "Leo! Raph!"

The newcomer was a lot faster than the others from before. After taking Raph down, he went after the other two. Donnie ran up to vault over them, but the enemy grabbed his staff and back-handed him with it, sending the purple terrapin slamming into the wall.

Emi's eyes widen at how easily this guy was taking down the others. Hearing a click, she quickly turned her head to see Mikey throwing his bladed Kusarigama at the enemy, only for them to grab it, pulling Mikey straight towards them.

"Mikey!"

"What are you?" the enemy asked.

They never got an answer as a kick was delivered to their head, letting go of the weapon and Mikey. The enemy grunted, holding onto the side of their helmet. Growling, they turned towards the person who was responsible for kicking him. Their eyes widen when they saw that it was a girl with dog features who was the one responsible.

Emi's golden eyes shined within the moonlight, glaring at the enemy as she took a defensive position, tessens out on each side of her. The others taking up on both sides of her, weapons drawn.

Before they could fight some more, wailing of police sirens were heard loud and clear. The enemies looked at each other before leaving. Putting her weapons away, Emi looked at both Leo and Raph. A silent agreement between the three of them to retreat and go back home for the night. They all nodded to one another and started leaving, hiding within the shadow as they went towards the closest manhole.

It didn't take them long to get back to the lair. The others separating ways to think about what just happen.

Emi went into the kitchen, getting herself a glass of water as she sat on a stool. Lips pursed, her eyes narrow at the table in front of her as she thought back to the enemies.

The ninja's were good. Especially their teamwork. Unlike them when the boys first started learning to fight together, these enemies helped each other flawlessly. Not once did they get in each other's way.

And then, there were the negative feelings that have been bothering her all week. Not once has it ever been as bad as it did during the fight when that newcomer appeared. The coldness that came from it. Spreading like a wildfire within every limb of her body. It… frightened her.

She didn't get to think for long until both Leonardo and Splinter entered the room.

"There were so many of them Sensei. They just came out of nowhere and surrounded us. If it weren't for Emi, we would've been caught by surprise."

Looking up at the two, Emi watch as Leo walked to stand in front of her on the other side of the table while their father put something away in the cabinet next to the stove. Splinter closed the cabinet door before putting his full attention on his eldest son.

"And their leader was crazy good, by which I mean he was good and seemed a little crazy. Besides, he had all these guys with him. It-it wasn't a fair fight," said Leo, looking down at his hands on the table.

Emi and Splinter exchanged a raised brow before looking back at Leo.

"What do you mean, "fair fight"?" Emi asked.

Leo looked at her, "A fair fight, you know, where either side could win?"

He turned to face their father when he spoke up, "So a fair fight is a fight you could lose."

Intimidated by their father's tone and afraid that he might have said something wrong, Leo nervously explained, "Well, yes, but- What, I- What I mean is-"

Splinter interrupted him, "You don't want to assure your victory."

"No, I do, but-"

Leo never got the chance to explain himself before getting tripped by their father.

"Ow! Hey!"

Splinter stopped him from getting up by holding him down with his staff up to his neck, slightly choking him.

"Was that fair?"

"No!"

"Did I win?"

Emi's giggling could be heard, making Leo blush in embarrassment, "I see your point."

"Seek victory, not fairness," said Splinter, before getting off of him.

It took Leo a second before he realized what their sensei was trying to teach, "Hai, sensei."

He grabbed the offered hand that was given to him by their father and was pulled back up to stand on his feet. As their father left the kitchen, Emi went up to Leo, patting him on the back of his shell. She smiled at him, trying to cheer him up, "You alright?"

Looking at her, he smiled, "Yeah."

"Emi."

They both looked over to their Sensei. He gestured for her to follow him, "I wish to speak to you my daughter."

Wondering what he would wish to speak to her about, Emi left Leo's side and followed their father into the dojo. She stepped into the room as Splinter closed the door behind them.

"Please sit, Emi."

Doing as he requested, she walked to sit near the dojo's tree, kneeling as she watched him do the same from across her. It was quiet between the two until he broke it, "Something seems to be bothering you, my dear."

Her eyes widen at him, surprise that he noticed, "How did you know, Father?"

"From your expression before Leonardo and I have walked into the kitchen."

She looked down at her hands, knowing fully well that their father will notice. Even when it is just a minor problem or just a slight out of character from them, he would and could always tell that something was bothering them

Sighing, she looks back up at him, "It happened…"

Splinter raised an eyebrow, knowing full well what she was talking about and wish for her to continue.

"During our encounter with this new enemy, the feeling came back. This time though… it wasn't just a minor thing in the back of my mind. Rather, it spread itself throughout my entire being…"

She trailed off, still playing what happened in her mind.

"What did it feel like, Emi?"

"It… felt cold… Like death was near."

Running a hand on his goatee, Splinter couldn't help but worry. This was the very first ominous feeling that has ever happen to them before. Especially since it is Emi, who has more connection to the universe than he did. When she had first started living with them, he would notice how well in tune she is to the aura's around her. He remembered how when something was bothering one of the boys, she would be there for them, trying her best to reassure them or just be there by their side. There was also another time when they went scavenging, Emi would either feel or detect something before even he could.

So to just simply ignore this feeling of hers… He knew he could not put it aside. Yet, there was nothing they could do about it.

Sighing, he put a hand on her shoulder, "If my thoughts are correct, and it does have something to do with the foot clan. Then I am very much worried for you and your brothers when you do encounter Shredder."

Her eyes widened, "You think it might have something to do with Shredder?"

Putting a hand on her chin, she started thinking out loud, "Now that you mention it, this feeling was just a mere minor before the foot ninja's appeared. But now that they're here…"

She stopped talking when she felt her father's hand squeezed her shoulder, "Do not dwell on it, Emi. For now, go and be with your brothers. I even hear April in the living room."

Sighing, she smiled up at him, "Okay, Father. I'll do as you wish."

Standing back up on their feet, Emi bowed respectfully before leaving the dojo.

When she left, Splinter couldn't help but sigh in worry. He just hopes that his children will be alright.

Appearing in the living room, Emi looked around. Raph was doing his usual daily push-ups, April was reading the newspaper, Donnie on his laptop doing whatever it is that he is looking up, and last but not least was Mikey. He was sitting on the bean bag chair looking through a martial arts magazine that was only dedicated to Chris Bradford.

Smiling, she giggled as she walked over to where her red terrapin brother was doing push-ups and instantly sat comfortably on his shell. Raph grunted at the added weight, but continue on his exercise. He smirked, used to Emi doing this to him sometime.

Their attention was soon taken when Mikey started fanboying about Chris Bradford.

"Whoa, that's rad! Oh, I wish me and Chris Bradford were friends!" he said before nom-ing on the magazine, laughing.

Criss-crossing her legs, Emi put her chin on her hand as she smiles at their happy baby brother.

"Mikey, you already have a human friend," said April, putting down the newspaper.

Mikey looked up at April from his magazine, blinking. He didn't know who she was talking about until she answered him.

"Me!"

He looked away from her, back to his magazine, "April, you don't count. We saved your life, you have to like us."

Still doing his push-ups, Raph grunted, "Too bad there's no place for freaks to meet people when no one can see how hideous they are."

Mikey glared at his magazine offended by his older brother's comment. Emi pouted at him, "Don't be mean Raph."

The red terrapin chuckle at her, knowing that she knew that he was right.

Instantly realizing the solution thanks to Raph's comment, April exclaimed happily, "Wait, there is- The internet!" She turned to the smart-aleck sibling, "Donnie, can I see your laptop?"

"Uh, y- Uh, sure! Just a sec," said Donnie, quickly clicking a button on his laptop before handing it over, sitting next to her.

Grabbing the laptop, April pulled up a website and started typing, "Check it out, it's a site where you can make friends with anybody online."

Her words piqued Emi's interest as her ears perked up, tails swishing, "Really? I wanna see!"

"Sweet!" Mikey exclaimed, booty bumping April over as Emi ran over to sit on his other side, curious at how the site works. She watches as Mikey quickly makes his profile before looking up his idol's name. When he found it, Mikey hugged the laptop to him, "Ohh, Chris Bradford's on here! He'll be my first friend!"

They watched as he added him. "Mikey, people don't always respond immed-" April was cut off when the laptop ding. Letting them know that Mikey's friend request was accepted. "But sometimes they do

Bubbling with excitement, Mikey exclaimed, "No way! Chris Bradford has accepted my friendship! I have a friend! Thanks, April!"

Donnie looked in disbelief and jealousy when he saw his baby brother hugged his crush as if it was nothing until he noticed that the excitable turtle wasn't holding his laptop anymore. Not seeing it anywhere near them, he looked up and quickly caught it before it could be broken into scraps on the floor. "Hey!"

Watching Mikey getting up from the couch, Emi frowned in curiosity, "Where are you going?"

"To hang out with my friend, Chris Bradford."

"This guy's famous. He probably has thousands of "Friends," said April, trying not to hurt the young turtle's feelings and rising hope.

Not deterred by her words, Mikey stopped by the entrance of the lair and turned back to them, "And guess who's number 5,286?"

"You?"

"Daniel Ramirez! And I'm right next to him. Later!" Mikey saluted before he jumped over the turnstile, running out of the lair.

They all watched as he left. Emi, a bit worried about what Chris Bradford might do to her baby brother.

"Well, this ought to be interesting," said April.

Everyone looked at Donnie when he asked, "Should we go after him?"

"Eh, he's gotta learn somehow," said Raph, stopping in the middle of his push-ups.

Emi walked over to him, softly smacking him on his shell, "Be nice."

He smirked at her, "Hey, I'm just saying the truth lil' sister."

Hopping back on his shell, she sat back on him, pouting, "I know. But there's no need to be mean about it."

She squeaked, falling on her butt when Raph moved her off. Rubbing her behind, Emi was about to tell him to warn her next time when he was about to get up until she was pushed forward onto her front side. Groaning, she was about to get up until Raph heavily laid himself on her back.

"Raph!" Emi whined, her arms stretched out in front of her as she slaps the floor. "Get off! You're heavy!"

"Not until you say, 'Raph is the greatest turtle brother ever'," said Raph, smirking as he has his fun laying on Emi.

Struggling, Emi groaned, "Never!"

With a growing smirk, Raph quickly flipped both himself and Emi so he was straddling her on her hips. He brought his hands near her waist, where he knew was where her greatest weakness was.

"You better. Or else, I just might torture you."

Her eyes widened, "You wouldn't."

"Oh, I think I would."

Before she could say anymore, Emi squealed in laughter when Raph started tickling her.

"No! Stop Raphael!"

Raph couldn't help but chuckle along with her. Her laughter was contagious.

"Not until you say it, Emi."

Laughing while trying her best to push his hands away, Emi breathlessly asked for the other two that was still in the room, "Donnie! April! Help me… please!"

The two, who had been asked, were watching them in amusement.

"No can do, Emi. I don't think I want to be Raph's next victim," said April, giggling when she saw the silver-haired girl weakly slap the red-terrapin's face.

Donnie chuckled, "I agree with April there, Emi. Sorry."

"Traitors!" Emi laughed.

Raph started laughing when he saw her face starting to go red. Their fun and laughter was soon over when they heard someone loudly clearing their throat. Stopping his torture on his poor little sister, everyone turned to look to see the eldest turtle brother standing just a couple of feet away from the laughing two.

Gasping for breath, Emi groaned as she flopped her tired arms onto the ground, "Oh thank goodness. Leo saved me."

While she was gasping for air from all the laughter, Emi didn't see the jealous and angry look that Leo was sending to Raph. Jealous because his brother, whom he knew he could confide in, was straddling on top of the girl whom he liked for years.

Rolling his eyes, Raph got off of their little sister, helping her back up onto her feet.

Emi smiled up at him before turning to Leonardo, " Hey, Leo." Her smile disappeared when she saw his frown. Concern, she asked, "Are you okay?"

Looking away from Raph, he smiled at her, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Okay," she said, nodding.

She knew he wasn't telling the truth but accepted it anyway. She'll wait when he thinks he is ready to tell her.

Raph started walking away, rolling his eyes, when he sees Leo walking to stand next to Emi.

April and Donnie couldn't help but watch between the three, feeling awkward yet confused about what was going on.

? ﾟﾐﾢ?

It was the next night as they were on patrol again. Leo had led them back onto the rooftops, looking down in the alleyway where they were ambushed yesterday.

Emi stood next to Leo and Donnie, looking into the alleyway with them.

"They must have been watching us from here. The perfect place to stage an ambush," said Leo.

Donnie looked at him, "It wasn't very fair, was it?"

"It's not about fairness. It's about victory," Leo said pugnaciously.

Donnie raised his hands defensively, not wanting to argue with the blue leader, "Okay, I'm sorry."

Frowning, Emi put a hand on Leo's shoulder, calming him just a bit.

They look back over their shoulders when they heard Mikey's voice. Still talking about his day with Chris Bradford.

"And then- and then Chris Bradford put on his hakama. Man, that guy can rock a hakama!"

Running his hand down his face, Raph irritatedly looked at their baby brother and sarcastically said, "Yeah, maybe he'll wear it again when he takes you to the prom."

Mikey ignored him as he walked up to the three who were still at the edge of the rooftop, "And then after that, he-"

He was interrupted when Raph had enough of their brother's enthusiastic day with his new friend, "Oh, enough! You've been going on about this for three hours."

"Ooh, someone sounds jealous," said Mikey, getting up close to Raph's face. "You just can't admit that you were the "R" word."

They all blinked. Wondering what R-word he was talking about.

"Rong."

Leo and Donnie couldn't help but groan at their baby brother's ineptitude of his spelling. While Emi softly chuckled at his misspelling of the word.

Scoffing, Raph argues back, "I'm not wrong."

"Oh, yeah? If you don't want to talk about my friend-" Stopping in the middle of his sentence, Mikey backflips away from him to the other three that decided to ignore the two. He grabbed the two brothers by the shoulder, "I've got two other brothers who do."

Leo pulled himself away, "Actually, I'd rather talk about anything else."

"Like the concept of the silent "W," perhaps?" said Donnie, making the two to give him a deadpan look.

Hmphing, Mikey walked away from the two to hug Emi, "Well, since you two don't want to… I got the greatest sister who will."

He stuck his tongue out at his brothers while Emi gave a nervous smile, scratching her cheek, "Uh, sorry Mikey. But I have to agree with Leo. It's nice that you have finally made a human friend, but-"

She didn't get to finish her sentence when Mikey pushed himself away from her with a frown, "Fine. Heh, I'll go talk to a guy who likes to talk about Chris Bradford more than anyone else." Cupping a hand by the side of his mouth, he loudly whispered, "Chris Bradford."

The two brothers moved when Mikey jumped away from them, leaving his siblings to go to his human best friend. Frowning, Emi walked to stand next to the two, "You think we should follow just in case Chris Bradford hurts him?"

Leo grabbed her hand in his, squeezing it in reassurance, "He'll be fine, Emi."

"Leo's right. Mikey only learns when he experiences it," said Raph, walking to stand on her other side, his arms crossed in front of him.

Sighing, she nodded, "I guess you're right."

Emi was meditating in the dojo the next day. Though Leo and Raph both said not to worry about Mikey, she just couldn't help but do just that. Michaelangelo was their baby brother. The one who made everyone smile even though he irritates his brothers sometimes. If something were to happen to him, or to either of them, she knew that the family will never be the same.

She was brought out of her worrying when a presence made themselves known by sitting next to her. Opening her eyes, she saw that it was Leo. He was looking at her with a sheepish smile, "I didn't distract did I?"

She giggled, "Nope. You did the exact opposite for me."

He was confused a bit by what she meant until he finally understood. Smiling, he put a hand on her head, "Glad I could help."

She giggled before Mikey's shout rang throughout the entire lair.

"Guys! You can't believe what Chris Bradford showed me!"

Curious, the two got up and was about to leave the dojo until they saw Mikey dragging their other two brothers into the room. Raph held an irritation look while Donnie was frowning.

Once the two were in the room, Raph ripped his arm away from his baby brother's grasp and went to lean on the dojo's tree while they all watched Mikey excitedly demonstrate the Death Dragon kata to them.

"And then he kicks, twists, and sweeps the leg," said Mikey, finishing the kata with a low sweep. "Ha! The Death Dragon."

"That was amazing!" Leo exclaimed in excitement.

Emi nodded, agreeing with the blue leader.

"Yeah, it's devastatingly effective and complex," said Donnie.

"And yet even Mikey could learn it," said Raph, making everyone look at him.

They turn back to Mikey when he bowed, "Thank you." Emi giggled, waiting until he finally caught on.

"Hey!"

Their attention was quickly taken when they heard a beep from Donnie's laptop that somehow magically appeared there. Emi tilted her head in confusion, flopping her ears. That seemed to have caught Leo's attention who blushed at the action. He turned his attention back to Mikey when he rushed over to the laptop.

"It's Rad-Brad! That's my little name for him."

While Mikey was checking his message, Leo felt a poke on his arm. Looking to see who it was, he saw that it was Emi who had tried to gain his attention. She still had that confused look when she looked at him, "When did Donnie's laptop get there?"

Looking over at the laptop that Mikey was still messing around with, he turns back to her and shrugs, "Dunno."

They turn their attention back to the orange terrapin when he spoke, "He wants to get together for a little B-ball. Can't wait to find out what the "B" stands for!" Licking his finger, he pressed the enter button to send his message.

They all looked at him when he started leaving.

"You're going now?" asked Leo.

"Sorry, dudes and dudette, human friend stuff. You know how it is," was all Mikey said before leaving. But stuck his head back in, "Oh, wait. No, you don't."

They all watch him chuckle and walk away with a deadpan look.

Sighing, Emi shook her head before looking at the three who were still in the room, "So. Who's trying out the technique first?"

Leo smiled instantly, "I will!"

Raph frowned at him, "Why do you get to try it out first?"

Before the two could start arguing, Emi quickly intervened, "Come on, no arguing. We'll all get our share turn on trying it out."

Not wanting to upset her, they both nodded and started to get in position. Leo started out the technique first while Raph put his arms up to defend himself. Emi and Donnie had decided to stand at the sides, watching them as they practiced it.

Sweeping his leg, Leo wasn't able to catch Raph off guard as he jumped over his swept leg. Frowning a bit at his failed attempt, he mumbled to himself, "Not quite."

Thinking about what he did wrong, he smiled as he brought his hand up, "Wait, I think I got it."

Trying it out once more, Emi looked up when she saw Master Splinter walking up to stand next to her. She frowned in concern when she saw his eyes widen when Leo had finally perfected the technique.

She jumped when their father demanded harshly, "Where did you learn that?"

Helping Raph up from the floor, Leo answered, "Mikey learned it from his new friend."

"The man who taught him that kata is no friend! It comes from the Shredder."

"Shredder?" Donnie spoke in alarm.

They all stiffened in alarm, looking at one another before looking back at Splinter.

"You mean Bradford is one of his students?" asked Leo in disbelief.

"He must be."

"So Bradford's just pretending to be Mikey's friend to get to you."

Putting a hand on his head, Raph groan in relief, "Ohh, what a relief! Everything makes sense again."

Pouting, Emi walked over to jab Raph in the plastron, "Raph!"

Raph rubbed his plastron with a frown, "What?"

"It means Mikey's in trouble!"

It took him a second to realize her words until he freaked out, "Mikey's in trouble!"

She couldn't help but facepalmed, muttering, "I just said that."

After creating a plan and getting their things ready, all four siblings left the lair to save their brother from their now known enemy.

Leaping through the rooftops, it didn't take them long to arrive at the rooftop of Bradford's dojo. Landing next to the two older brothers, Emi muffles her giggle when she saw the two twinkle fingertips. They smiled, pulling her to them so they can wrap an arm around her shoulders. She rolled her eyes at them until they all turned to Donnie.

He was chewing a piece of gum, which he was taking too long to chew on. Raph gestured a "hurry up" to him. Complying, Donnie decided to blow a bubble first, popping, and grab the gum out of his mouth. He put the gum at the tip of the pencil on his pencil compass and started carving a hand size circle onto the rooftop window. Popping it off, he started to unlatch the lock to unlock the roof window.

Once it's unlocked, Leo opened it as the four of them ready their ropes, throwing it down. Descending undetected, they unsheathed their weapons when they saw foot ninjas throughout the room. They quickly took care of the enemies quietly and swiftly as they made their way to a tied up Mikey.

Raph kicked the last foot ninja, who was guarding their baby brother, in the head. Looking at the down foot ninja, Mikey looked at them, shouting in amazement, "Dudes! That was sporadic!"

Both Raph and Leo shushed him while Donnie facepalmed at their baby brother's use of the vocabulary.

"That's not what that means!" Donnie whispered.

Shaking her head, Emi took a dagger out and cut the rope off of Mikey. She patted him on the head when he sat up.

Smiling, Mikey hugged her tightly to him, giving her a kiss on the cheek.

Leo frowned a bit at the action but soon focused back at the mission at hand. Helping Mikey up from the floor, all five siblings quickly went to climbed back up on their ropes to the rooftops, taking their ropes with them, and started leaving the building.

As they ran, Emi's ears swivel behind her, hearing rushing footsteps. She looked at Leo, nodding to him that everything was going according to plan. Nodding back, he nodded to the other three. They all nodded back, understanding the plan right away.

Rushing to the nearest manhole, they uncovered it before rushing in, closing it behind them.

Leo looked to them, "Everyone knows the plan?"

They all nodded besides Mikey, "Ooh! What plan?"

Sighing, they all shook their head while Emi just put a hand on his shoulder, smiling, "Just follow what we do okay?"

"Got it!"

They all became quiet when they heard the manhole cover above them start to move. Leo quickly giving them the signal to move. They all dispersed and disappear into the shadows of the sewers. Quietly, they watched and followed the foot ninja's as they walked deeper into the sewers.

One by one, they started grabbing the lackeys, knocking them out. The siblings dragged them with them as they quietly followed Chris Bradford, a dark-skinned man, and the last two foot ninja lackeys to the huge sewer open area.

The brother's all threw their captured lackeys to Emi, who caught them flawlessly, tying them on the sewer pipes above. She left them hanging as some quietly groaned in pain.

Emi quickly hid in the shadow above when the dark-skinned man ignited a flare. She quietly watched as he and Chris Bradford's eyes widen at seeing their men.

"Show your face!" the dark-skinned man shouted.

Doing as he demanded, both Leo and Raph swam out of the sewer waters while the other two revealed themselves from behind. Emi, following their lead, stood herself straight and proud above them as she looked down at the last two remaining enemies.

Looking around them, the dark-skinned man shouted in alarm, "They've trapped us!"

Seeing as how there was nothing else they can do, Chris Bradford commanded, "Take 'em down!"

Emi jumped down from the pipes when she saw Bradford throw Raph at Leo. Taking a stance next to the two, she took her tessens out as they charged at the man.

Raph ran, trying to punch the martial artist with his sais. But every time, Bradford would dodge them, barely getting a scratch on himself. Raph wasn't able to dodge in time when Bradford punched him hard on the jaw. Shocked, Leo ran and leaped with his swords ready to slice the man. Unfortunately, Bradford was able to catch the bladed weapon with his fingers, kicking the blue leader away.

Emi quickly put her tessen away, catching Leo when he landed within her arms. However, she didn't expect how much power there was in the kick so Leo had toppled her over, landing on top of her. Hissing at how hard her head had slammed on the concrete, she opened her eyes just to look into a pair of dark blue eyes.

Leo blushed at how close their proximity was until he was pulled off by Raph.

"You can stare into her eyes later! We still got some business to finish!"

Focusing back to the battle at hand, both Leo and Emi got back on their feet. The three heard a snap. Looking over to their younger brother's, they saw that it was Donnie who had snapped his fingers. Understanding what he wanted, they all started to dodge the enemies attack while running backward.

Once they met in the middle, the two enemies didn't notice that they had switched opponents. But it would seem they didn't care as they kept attacking them.

Taking care of the dark-skinned man, Raph tripped him from behind as both Leo and Emi kicked him on the chest, making him skid on the concrete. They started to make the two back up, intimidated by being outnumbered by them.

"They knew we were following them," said Chris Bradford, keeping his eyes on Mikey.

"That's right," Mikey replied.

As Bradford started to throw a punch, Mikey ended up using the Death Dragon on him. Smiling at him being able to take down his ex-friend along with the dark-skinned man, Emi ran over to the sewer valve. Just when she touched it, another hand grabbed it on the other side. Looking up, she smiled when she saw that it was Leo.

They looked back over at Mikey when he shouted, "Hit it!"

Hearing the cue, they turned the valve together. The sound of the sewer rushing water could be heard loud and clear. Looking over, they heard both males yell as a large amount of sewage water swept them away down the system.

"Well, that didn't seem very fair," said Raph, smiling at their demise.

Walking up to them, Leo replied, "No, it wasn't."

They all laughed until Mikey shouted, "High three!"

Smiling, they all high three's each other. Except for Emi who gave them a five.

Emi was drinking tea next to Master Splinter, who was deep in thought, while the turtle brothers all ate pizza. Taking a sip, her attention was turned to Donnie when he spoke, "Um, sensei, aren't you hungry?"

Running a hand on his goatee, their father replied what was on his mind, "I fear we are celebrating too soon."

"Too soon? The bad guys were swept away in a river of raw sewage. By my watch, that makes it the perfect time," said Raph, smiling at their accomplishments.

"Shredder knows I'm alive," said Master Splinter, getting up from his seat to stand in front of his sons while still being able to look at Emi. His words brought a strong feeling of concern and worried for Emi. "And worse, he knows about all of you."

This made them all look at each other.

"It's my worst nightmare come true."

"So it's not over?" asked Leo.

"Oh, no. It's just beginning."

This news brought everyone's spirit down as they finally grasp a bit of how dangerous their encounter with the foot ninja has just gotten.

Splinter returned back to his seat next to Emi. When he saw the deep in thought look on her face, he quietly spoke to her, "Emi."

Snapping out of her thoughts, Emi looked up to her adopted father, who was looking down at her intensely. Straightening her back, she quietly replied, "Father. Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, "I know that Leonardo is the leader among your team."

Confused at where he was getting at, she frowned, "Yes?"

"I wish you to take care of them. If Shredder were to ever appear, I know that you will be able to get everyone, including yourself, out of there."

With a nod, she promised, "I promise, Father. I will never let anything happen to my brothers. I swear on my life as a Kunoichi. But most importantly as a daughter, a sister, and a friend."

Nodding, he sighed sadly, "Just please, come back to me in one piece."

Smiling, she looked over at the four brothers who had decided to eat a new box of pizza and is now chatting with each other.

"I promise, Hamato Yoshi. That we will all come back in one piece."