DISCLAIMER: I don't own the TMNT. Raph occasionally spends nights in my bed, but that's it. _ I do own my O/C's and I own the story. Well, it owns me. I'm only here to help it come alive. Enjoy! And please, tell me anything that comes to mind, good or bad! Oh, if you come across any * in the chapter, look to the bottom and you'll find an author's note.

"It's too quiet." Leonardo whispered, peering through the darkness at the museum.

"I don't see any guards." Donatello said, lowering his night vision goggles.

"Well, maybe they got tired and decided to take a nap." Michelangelo joked, swinging a nun-chuck to amuse himself.

"Why don't we stop yappin' and go in there ta see what's goin' on." Raphael jumped from the tree without waiting for a response from is brothers. Using the shadows, he silently and expertly made his way to the wall of the large museum. He pulled a pair of handclaws from his belt and was slipping them over his hands when he was joined by his brothers.

Leonardo sighed, and Raph grinned as he started up the wall. As silent as they were, the night was quieter and the spikes in their handclaws made light scraping sounds. Raph knew Leo would be cringing at the noise. The mid October air was cool and crisp, invigorating Raphael and turning this chore into a game. April had received an anonymous tip revealing a plot to steal an old and rare samurai sword. Naturally, the turtles took it upon themselves to thwart such a plot.

They were nearing the third floor of the building where the sword was supposed to be housed when they heard the commotion. All four paused, looked to one another, and as one they sped to the window. Donnie was there first, and just as he reached the window sill, a body flew through it, sending shards of glass flying and causing Donatello to lose his grip. Raph grabbed his staff wielding brother as he fell backward, and all eyes turned to the moaning, twisting body on the ground.

"That ninja garb look familiar to anyone else?" Raphael asked as he helped Donnie regain his grip on the wall.

"Is that a Foot ninja?" Michelangelo asked, raising a brow in confusion.

"If it is, then there's bound to be more." Leonard said.

"Who's fighting them?" Don asked.

"No idea. But I'm gonna find out." Raphael smirked, climbing past Donatello to the edge of the window. Grabbing the edge, kicking off the wall, he pulled off a back flip that got him through the window, clear of the jagged shards of glass. What he saw surprised him.

The room was large, with paintings and display cases lining the walls. Paintings depicting famous battles in ancient Japan, display cases of samurai armor. Raph wasn't looking at any of it. In the middle of the room a small figure fought against what seemed to be a swarm of Foot ninjas. Raph was joined by his brothers, and by their pause at his side he knew they were as awed as he was by the lone figure's display. Dressed in white, a tenugui* wrapped around the bottom half of her face, she fought valiantly against the Foot with a pair of white fighting fans emblazoned with a brilliant red and orange phoenix.

"Who's she?" Mikey asked, jaw half open.

"No idea." Raph said. "But she's hoggin' all the fun." Still grinning, Raphael withdrew his sais and dove into the chaos.

The first two were caught by surprise and Raph took them out easily. The third came at him with a pair of nun-chucks and he just smiled. The Foot ninja swung with one nun-chuck, and Raph caught it easily in the forks of one sai, stabbing forward with his other sai. It was caught easily and swept aside by the Foot's free nun-chuck. Raph's grin widened as he kicked up, catching the Foot hard in the jaw. "Right into my trap, numbskull."

The fight was over quickly, the turtles working in practiced unison until the Foot ninjas were either writhing on the floor or fleeing. Raph gave his sais a few spins before blowing on the tips and sheathing them in his belt. "Well that was fun."

Almost as one the four turtles turned their attention to the white clad figure standing calmly by a lone display case and among the largest concentration of downed ninjas. Michelangelo was the first to break the silence.

"That was awesome!" He said, rushing toward her. "Where did you learn those moves?"

There was a smile in her eyes as she flicked her fans closed, tucking them in her belt behind her back. "Now what sort of Ninja would I be if I told you that?"

"Right on." Mikey said.

"Your movement was fluid and graceful." Leonardo said, stepping forward and bowing.

"Thank you." She said, bowing in return. "You control your katanas like a master."

"Yeah yeah nuff with the chatter." Raphael stepped forward, putting himself square in front of the white ninja, arms crossed and eyes narrowed as he studied her. She was shorter than them, but only by an inch or two and her body was lean and trim if a bit curvy. Hazel eyes glittered with amusement from under sandy blonde bangs, her hair tied back in a single ponytail and hanging nearly to her waist. "Who exactly are ya?"

She laughed, the sound low and breathy. "Straight to the point huh? I like that." She pulled her fans from behind her back, flourishing them in an elegant display. "You may call me Phoenix for now. And what may I call you?"

"I'm Michelangelo!" The orange banded turtle offered up happily, unaware of his red banded brother's annoyed glare.

"My name is Leonardo." The katana wielder said, bowing his head slightly. "This is Donatello and you've already met Raphael." The last was said dryly, almost mockingly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you all." She turned her eyes to Donatello and placed a hand on her hip, bending her knee just slightly. "Your bo work was amazing. It takes great skill to use such a seemingly useless piece of wood in such an effective way."

Donatello sputtered, not meeting her eyes and Raphael could swear his brother was blushing. "Er... Thanks." He finally managed to get out.

"Don't mention it. I'm just glad you guys showed up when you did. I don't know how much longer I could have held those ninjas from the sword." Phoenix walked the few steps to the display case, touching the glass almost reverently. "It would be a shame for this to be taken from the public."

"Yeah. Good thing you where here." Raphael said sarcastically. He didn't quite believe the show she was putting on. It was just too convenient that she was there when an anonymous tip from April had alerted the turtles. "Just how did you come ta be here at the right place at the right time?"

"There was word on the streets saying someone planned to steal this sword. I've been keeping an eye on the museum since. It was no coincidence that I was here."

"Lay off, Raph." Donnie said, stepping forward.

"Yeah, she was a huge help." Mikey chimed in.

Raphael scoffed, still skeptical but he couldn't argue with all three of his brothers.

"Do they normally come all at once?" She asked.

"From experience, yes." Leo responded. "Why? Do you think there may be more."

She shrugged. "From my experience, the enemy rarely ever shows their secret weapon from the start."

"Maybe we should search the museum." Donnie suggested

"That's a fantastic idea." The white ninja turned her hazel eyes on Donnie and Raph groaned as he watched his brother practically melt. "We could split up and search quicker."

"What if one of them comes back?" Mikey asked.

"You're right." Phoenix crossed her arms, furrowing her brow as she studied Michelangelo. "What if some one stayed here? Tied up these no goods and kept an eye on the sword?"

All eyes turned to Leo. All except for Raph's. His remained on the mysterious white clad ninja. Raphael thought it was all too convenient that she all of a sudden showed up. New York was their town, their kingdom. If there had been a ninja out there, running around all in white and flinging around a pair of white fans, the turtles would have heard about it. Especially if said ninja went by such a flashy name as "Phoenix." Raphael didn't much like it.

"Phoenix, would you keep an eye on the sword while my brothers and I sweep the museum?" Leo asked, sheathing his katanas.

"I would be honored to help you in such a way." She said, inclining her head slightly. "I don't know this museum very well, so I would end up slowing you boys down."

"I think I'll stay with ya." Raph said. "Wouldn't want ya ta get outnumbered."

"Raphael." She crooned, mischief in her eyes. "I'm touched that you care."

"Alright then. Search what you can but be careful." Leonardo eyed Mikey knowingly and the youngest turtle just grinned and shrugged.

Raphael watched as his brothers disappeared quickly. When he turned back to Phoenix, she was watching him, that touch of mischief still in her eyes. "What?"

She shook her head, still watching him. "Just thinking about you. You... Intrigue me, Raphael." She purred his name, and Raphael wished she'd remove the tenugui from around her face so he could see her mouth. "Where did you come from? How come I've never heard of you?"

"Ninja, remember?" He said, mockingly. Admittedly she was starting to make him uncomfortable with the way she was eyeing him. The way she bent her knee just so and her hand on her waist.

She laughed, that low breathy laugh, and walked to him, stopping with barely a foot between them. He felt his heart start to race despite his best efforts and it was several moments before he realized he was holding his breath.

"I think we should keep an eye on the surroundin's." He put his hands on her shoulders to move her away but that was a mistake. She responded by placing her hands on his arms, sending a tingling spark through to his very core. She pulled herself closer and his breath caught once more.

"I had a hard time focusing on my opponents once you came into the room." She whispered, snaking a hand slowly up his arm to his shoulder. "I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. Your speed, your strength."

Raphael had to swallow past a sudden lump in his throat. Her hands were warm and she smelled somehow... Hot. Like cinnamon. Her eyes held onto his with the depth of her intensity and her body pressed closer to his. He was unaware when his own hand dropped to her waist as her hand slipped from his shoulder to the back of his neck. Then he felt a prick, a quick, sharp pain where her hand rested on the back of his neck. The mischief in her eyes deepened as Raphael struggled to understand, struggled to pull himself from the spell that was Phoenix.

He disentangled himself from her, stepping back and shaking his head. "Man. Kinda dizzy."

"I've been told I have that effect."

Raphael brought a hand to where he had felt the prick, and found a small bead of blood. He couldn't think, couldn't hold a thought. His vision seemed to be blurring and he was having a hard time keeping his eyes open. "Whaddya do ta me..?" He slurred, rubbing his eyes. As he sank to his knees, he watched her walk to the samurai sword and break through the case. The alarm sounded as he fell to his side and the last thing he saw before loosing consciousness was Phoenix, sword in hand looking at him with what he thought might be guilt. Guilt or not, Raphael promised to pay her back, however long it too.

She knocked quietly before opening the heavily carved and gilded door. The room inside was heavily decorated and Phoenix felt as if she were back in the museum. In the far corner was a large canopied bed, curtained with red and gold. The curtains were closed, cloaking the bed's inhabitant in shadow. She knelt at the foot of the bed, bowing her head. How long she stayed in that position she did not know, but it was a long while before a raspy voice from the shadow told her to stolen sword in her hand, she moved to the side of the bed and drew the curtain aside just enough to pass the sword through.

"Did you have any trouble?" The voice rasped.

"No, Master. They were as you said they would be." She replied, her voice just above a whisper.

"Good. He was the one who stayed?"

"Yes, Master. The one wearing red."

There was a pause and Phoenix could almost see the figure in the shadows nod. "Tell Brody to give you the procedure. An arm this time." There was another pause in which Phoenix expected to be dismissed, but what her master said instead filled her with joy and proved to her just how well she had done her job. "The whole arm, from hand to shoulder."

"Yes, Master. Thank you." She hardly waited for her dismissal before leaving the room, closing the ornate door gently behind her. Her heart was light, flying, and she was not going to let her conscience ruin it. She hadn't hurt the turtle, and knew that his brothers would be able to retrieve him before the authorities showed up. All in all, no harm had been done. Who cared about a crusted old sword anyway. She would push that nagging feeling that she had done something wrong and relish in the joy of her coming reward.

Tenugui: a piece of cloth also used in martial arts with many functions. It could be used to cover the face, form a belt, or assist in climbing.