New York City is also known to others as the big apple. In a peculiar street, a van drives into an alleyway from prying eyes. The one who's driving it is the youngest of the four brothers named Michelangelo or Mikey. He deflates the large turtle head at the top as a wall rises up behind him and he reverses into it like a garage. He gets out as the wall closes behind him. Mikey moves a manhole cover back into place then slides down a ladder before skating through the tunnel.

"Why skate halfpipe when you can skate a sewer pipe?" Mikey asked himself as he rode on his skateboard throughout the sewers.

"Whoo-hoo!"

Mikey skates down a stair railing then a slope then through another tunnel, jumping over a subway train as it passes by.

"Whoa! Sewers up, bra!" Mikey cheered as he felt adrenaline rushing through him.

Mikey flips his board over twice before riding down some more railing, then jumps over a large sewer pool before riding down a spiraling staircase with a huge smile.

"Hey! Whoa! Cowabunga!" He exclaimed in joy.

Mikey then rides his skateboard on his belly through another tunnel, avoiding pipes along the way with precise precision. Seeing a large fan ahead, he stops before he got off his skateboard.

"Dude! Going down!"

Mikey then jumps down a hold and lands at the bottom, catching his skateboard in the process.

"Yeah!" He smiled as he rotated his shoulder before facing the wall.

Mikey pulls the second lever-like pipe and a brick wall opens to reveal a room. He passes through and it shuts close behind him. Mikey tosses his skateboard to one side then slides down a stair banister into the lair.

"Here's Mikey!" Mikey said but laughed nervously. 

"Guys? Anyone? Hello?" Mikey let out a small sigh after no one answered. He can probably guess that Donnie is busy with his work, Splinter is in the dojo and Raph is probably asleep, again.

"Whatever. This place used to be fun." Mikey sighed as he went to the couch before sitting down.

He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV and it was the news.

"And with rocketing interest rates, that's bad news for homeowners as the Real Estate Market continues its downward spiral." Mikey let out a yawn at this boredom. Ever since Leo left, things weren't the same and he's so exhausted after his work.

"Coming up, the vigilante known as Nightwatcher strikes again." At that, he perked up. Ever since Leo left, a new vigilante showed up and it piqued his interest in what the people had to say about the mysterious Nightwatcher.

"Oooh, now I can't say for sure but he was definitely an alien." That comment made him almost laugh.

"I think it's a disgrace taking the law into your own hands like that. Leave it to the police!"

"Up next…" Mikey just ignored the rest of the news as he remembered the good times he and his brothers used to have.

"Yeah. I remember how that used to feel. Busting up crime syndicates. Sure they had a bunch of guns but they weren't like these guys." Mikey said before he jumped on the couch while flexing his biceps.

"Ugh, why do you do this to yourself, Mikey?" Mikey deflated as Donnie came in for a break from his work.

"Those glory days are over. Forget about them. Get on with your life. Concentrate on your work." Donnie told him as he went to the kitchen to get something to drink and to eat.

"Ugh, yeah, yeah, spoken like a true has been." The voice made both of them look up to see their red-clad brother was finally up and was on the upper level of the lair.

"Well, look who woke up. I suppose you think the Nightwatcher is some kind of hero." Donnie said in a deadpan voice as Raph jumped down and walked towards him.

"Beats sitting around doing nothing while dirtbags run free." Raph said with a small sneer as Donnie rolled his eyes at him.

"I would love to know what it is that you do that's so great. At least we're contributing around here. All you do is sleep all day." Donnie remarked with equal fire to his statement.

"Yeah. I do nothing. You're right. You've got me all figured out." Raph remarked sarcastically.

"Well, I know that your rogue attitude has always been a source of contention to this team. You think fear is the best way to accomplish things but you're wrong!" Donnie started to argue.

"Does Miyuki even know what you're always up to everyday? I mean, you two are friends and buddy with each other." Donnie added and that seemed to snap something in Raph as he gave him a small glare.

"First of all, this team you speak of doesn't exist anymore and leave Miyuki out of this argument, Donnie. She minds her own business and I do mine. And second of all, hoo-yah!" He said and raised his fist at him. Donnie yelped and quickly covered his face but a voice stopped Raph from giving his brother a punch.

"Raphael." They turned to the voice as their sensei and father stepped out of the shadows.

"Enough."

Raph rolled his eyes at this but backed off.

"Heh. I think I made my point." Raph said with a smug tone as he started to walk away.

"Well, that doesn't prove anything." Donnie said as Raph gave him one last warning look.

Raph climbs back up to the upper level and heads off, probably to his room just as the doors to the lair opened and the resident kunoichi-in-training came in with a satchel.

"Hey, guys." Miyuki greeted as Mikey brighten up.

"Miyuki! Hey, been a while!" Mikey jumped over the couch and gave his friend and sister a hug which she returned.

"Nice to see you too, Mikey." She pulled away and greeted Splinter and Donnie.

"Hey, Donnie. Hi, Master Splinter." She nodded as Donnie waved his hand to her in greeting as Master Splinter bowed a little in greeting.

"So what did I miss?" Miyuki asked ashl she gave Mikey a fresh box of cooked pizza which he excitedly accepted.

"Mikey, remember to share with your brothers and sensei." Miyuki reminded him as he gave her a thumbs up.

"Oh you know. The usual. Donnie and Raph arguing about what they do." Mikey said as he took a bite of the Hawaiian pizza slice.

"Really?" She asked as she gave Donnie and Splinter a slice of pizza.

"Yeah. Things haven't been the same since Leo was sent away for training and, well, things aren't looking so good." Mikey said sadly.

Donnie just sighs and looks at Splinter.

"Why couldn't you have sent Raph away instead for training?" He muttered and Miyuki heard it but chose not to speak up.

"Donatello. This home has become like an empty shell. Each of your brothers has strengths and weaknesses. You must learn to be strong when they are weak. If you don't learn to recognize this, then all hope is lost for our family." Splinter said but the sadness was evident in his voice as he hung his head and his ears drooped sadly.

Miyuki looked at Spinter in concern as Mikey just silently ate his pizza with Donnie. She took two extra slices of pizza on a plate and went to the upper levels.

"I'm gonna see how Raph's doing." She said as she went off to Raph's room.

"What does she see in him anyway?" Donnie asked in confusion as Mikey looked at him.

"Dude, don't tell me you're jealous." Mikey started to snicker as Donnie blushed lightly.

"W-What?! No I don't! I mean, sure. It's nice to have a kunoichi in our team but that doesn't mean I like-like her, Mikey!" Donnie argued as Mikey just laughed.

On the upper levels, Miyuki headed to Raph's room and she could hear that he was punching his punching bag again from the sound of his grunts and hits. She took a deep breath and knocked gently.

"Go away, Mikey." Raph said as she rolled her eyes in amusement.

"Raph, it's Miyuki. Can I come in?" She said with a small smile.

The room went silent before the door opened to reveal Raph as he was a little surprised by her visit.

"Hey." He said as his voice softened as she smiled softly.

"Hey yourself, Raph." She teased as he snorted and he opened the door wide as she stepped in.

"What are you doing here anyway?" He asked as she gave him the plate with pizza.

"Oh just trying to get away from my male classmates that's been bugging me for the past few days. So I decided to drop in after getting some pizza." She said as they both sat down on the bed.

"They've been bothering you huh?" He asked as he took a bite out of his pizza slice.

"Oh yeah. They've been bothering me ever since I enrolled in the University. I know I'm 18 but I still have to complete my education 6 months after. We graduated, yes but they're getting on my nerves." Miyuki sighed as she flopped on her back on Raph's bed.

"Why don't you tell them that you're dating someone?" Raph suddenly questioned and his eyes widened.

Miyuki jolted up in a sitting position as she looked at him in shock and disbelief.

"I mean, u-uh, why don't you just tell them to mind their own business?" He corrected nervously but he couldn't stop the blush from forming on his cheeks.

Oh gods! Why did he say that?! He's so stupid! He glanced at Miyuki who suddenly wouldn't meet his eyes. He's so freaking stupid!

"I'm sorry. I didn't know what I was saying, Miyu." Raph muttered as he felt like hitting himself.

"Raph, it's okay. I get that question a lot. I know I'm 18 and all but going into a relationship never crossed my mind until now that is." Miyuki laughs a little in embarrassment. This was an unexpected topic.

"Sorry. I, uh, didn't mean for the subject to steer that way, you know?" Raph said as Miyuki shook her head with a smile.

"Me neither. Talk about an unexpected talk." She laughed softly as Raph joined her in her laughter.

Raph couldn't help but admire Miyuki even from the day they met. The way her raven black hair sometimes looks like midnight blue in the day time with those turquoise highlights or the way her eyes shined like the most precious cyan gems. Every time he sees her smile, it just makes him all warm and at peace on the inside. And every time she looks at him, he always finds himself lost when looking into her eyes.

He asked Master Splinter about this the other day but he didn't give a straight answer but in a riddle.

"The flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all."

He didn't quite get the meaning of that saying but he knew that it was directed to him and Miyuki. Mikey and Donnie seemed to know what the saying meant and were laughing up a storm when he told them what Master Splinter said. Donnie didn't say anything as Mikey kept on laughing and telling him that Casey won't let him live this down while Donnie told him that the meaning of the saying is for him, Mikey, Master Splinter, Casey, Leo and April to know and for him to find out.