Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles.

A/N: Yes, it's back, and hopefully better. I decided why make you people suffer with the cave-manish version when you can have the new and improved version? (wink)

1.

Raph bounced back and forth on the balls of his feet, arms wrapped around his legs, watching for activity down below. It was pretty boring tonight. He had gone out on his own accord because Leo had, plain and simple, ticked him off. It really shouldn't have made him mad at all. It was just a training session with Splinter meditating in his room. Leo, as always, was directing it.

It had been a simple kata that Leo called, one that Raph easily could get done. But for some reason, his limbs weren't cooperating with him and his brother had made him do it again and again. This also made his fuse burn shorter and shorter, until finally, Raph exploded in Leo's face after he told the hotheaded turtle to do it twenty more times until he got it right. Simply put, Raph had stormed out of the Lair for some late-night patrolling, even though it wasn't in their rounds to do it on this day.

Raph yawned in boredom. Crooks taking the night off, I guess, he mused thoughtfully. And why not? It was a full moon in a cloudless sky that hung over New York City, revealing any and all crime that happened. Must also be why the policemen had an extra cup of coffee with them. Raph never had understood the stereotype that most policemen on night watch had donuts and coffee within easy reach. It was never donuts, except in the mornings when criminal activity was less likely to happen.

An irate driver below yelled at some pedestrian that had evidently jaywalked. Raph watched the offender scurry to safety on the sidewalk before he got flattened by the driver. Nothing here for me. The turtle rolled back onto his heels and stood up, stretching his legs. How long had he been sitting there? Five minutes? Ten? He shrugged to himself and stepped down from the edge of the brownstone onto the main part of the roof.

He took a running leap across an alley, landing lightly on his toes on the next building. Coiling himself for another spring over a gap in the apartments, he jumped onto the other roof. Raph was about to begin running again when he heard a clatter in the space he had just cleared. Finally! The turtle whirled agilely and peered over the wall, looking down into the grungy space. "Oh boy," he grumbled irritably.

Down below, a small figure scampered as far as it could into the alley, striking the dead end almost instantly. In the light of the lamp above a locked store door, he saw that it was a girl with dark brown hair and periwinkle eyes. About the age of fourteen, he guessed. From above, he really couldn't tell how tall she was. Panting came from her mouth as she tried to meld with the shadows behind a dumpster.

Entering the alley were about seven Purple Dragons, unnoticed by the patrol down the street. The evident leader of the group held the standard pipe in his hand and smacked the walls with it a couple times. His companions chuckled as the leader whistled as one would for a dog. "Here, girly girly! Come on out!" he called sweetly, a trace of a rasp in his voice. "We won't hurt you!"

"Alright, rapists or muggers, which one?" Raph muttered, eyeing them. The girl behind the dumpster made a face as her hunters came ever closer. The turtle above carefully took out a Sai. "She's going to get herself hurt like this…" He silently crow-hopped onto the edge of the building when all of a sudden, the fugitive ran out from her hiding place.

The leader of the Purple Dragons advanced upon his cornered prey, grinning like a hyena. "There you are. Gonna come quietly, or do we have to pop you one?" he asked, testing the pipe on the walls.

She scowled at them. "I'm warning you, don't come any nearer!" she growled blackly, crouching.

"Oh? What 'cha gonna do? Flick me, midget?" he taunted. "You're gonna make me'n my boys rich. I saw you do that thing before, girly. And I'm gonna make you do it for money."

"Says who?" she spat back.

"Now's no time to act tough," Raph grunted, getting ready to drop down in front of the hapless hoodlum and deck him.

The leader took another step. "Don't come any closer!" the girl threatened, holding her hands above her head. He charged at her, swinging the pipe like a maniac. "Tatsu morph!"

"Say what?" Raph yelled as a column of bright light blinded him. He stumbled backwards, landing on his shell, spots dancing in front of his eyes. The turtle rubbed them with a fist, blinking. He saw nothing but heard surprised shouts and an angry bellow that sounded nothing like whom he had been about to rescue. There was a hissing sound and pained yelps that faded into the regular sounds of the city. They must've run away. "Argh, why can't I see?" he growled.

Slowly his vision began clearing, the spots vanishing into the windows of nearby skyscrapers. Tendrils of white smoke curled up from the alley, carrying the scent of singed hair. "Either she had a flame thrower or I'm hallucinating," the turtle grumbled, standing and slipping his Sai into his belt. Tentatively, he peered down into the alley and rubbed his eyes again in disbelief. Nope. Still there.

Sitting by the dumpster with an immensely amused grin on its scaly face, was a dragon.

I'm liking this more and more already.

Ashite Imasu,

LN