A/N: Hey guys. I don't own the TMNT characters but I'm a big fan of them nonetheless. This is my first time writing on TMNT and it is my first translation from my Danish TMNT story. I have done my best to translate but it is difficult and it takes time because I'm not used to write in English. The story is the beginning of my TMNT saga and I want to share my visions with your guys who love the turtles as much as I do. I like to think I know Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo's characters pretty well. My story takes place almost after the ending of second season of the new cartoon. Enjoy!

"My sons, Ninjitsu is the art of cunning and it represents all the techniques which the ninja makes use of," master Splinter explained seriously. "This is the reason why you must learn the way of balance."

"Sorry, Sensei," Michelangelo interrupted confused. "I know that you have explained it to us before, but what is the way of balance?"

"Have you forgotten shell brain?" Raphael commented and smiled widely. "It doesn't surprise me!"

"I haven't forgotten," Michelangelo protested offended. "I just can't remember it."

Splinter shook resignedly his head and smiled indulgently towards his students. They had still much to learn about the art of Ninjitsu. The old rat rose from his seat and his students followed him until he stopped in front of some bamboo canes, which he had placed the same morning. Michelangelo heaved a sigh but he knew as the others did that they had to train without any complains.

"Get up!" Splinter commanded softly and jumped on the nearest cane.

It was an easy matter to keep their balance. They had learned the lesson from the childhood by Splinter, who was a Ninjitsu master, and he had trained his students for sixteen years. Splinter didn't regard them only as his students, they were also his sons and he loved them very much. It seemed like yesterday when he found the four baby turtles in the sewers of New York.

The green ooze on their bodies had changed their lives forever, and Splinter had never regretted it. At that time, he was a little rat, but the ooze made him bigger and wiser. He had soon realized that the world above would never accept them because they were different from the humans. For that reason, he had tried to keep his sons in the sewers as long as he could.

The baby turtles had grown as time went by and even though they were very much alike, they had both inner and outer differences. He had named his sons from a book about renaissance painters.

Leonardo was the big brother and the leader of the small team. His skin had a light green colour. When he was a child, he had chosen the blue bandana around his head and the blue ribbons on his katanas. Master Splinter had carefully chosen these swords for him because the awe-inspiring blades were suited for his sharp brain and determent will. He was indeed the most conscientious and serious of his sons. He was unselfish and would do anything in the world to protect his family. Splinter admired his courage and his discipline. He observed his ninja training and enjoyed the training lessons with his Sensei and his brothers.

Raphael had already climbed to the top of the canes and he looked impatiently at his brothers. Splinter knew his sons well and he cared for them in every way. Nevertheless, he was worried that Raphael still had so much anger in his mind. His deep dark green colour and his red bandana suited him well for his dark humour and temper. His weapons were a pair of flashing sais, which he had decorated with red ribbons. Raphael was the most confident turtle in the team but he was also the person who was pessimistic most of the time. He practiced the martial art for his own pleasure, and he wasn't the type to run away from a fight. Splinter also knew a curtain thing about his short-tempered son. Raphael liked his brothers more than he showed them.

Donatello skin was a light lime green colour and he was the inventor in the small family and peaceable by nature. Splinter had with care chosen the bo staff for the genius turtles because it was an inspiring and solid weapon. Donatello had no doubt in his mind as a child that he would have the purple bandana and the purple ribbon in the middle of his new staff. Donatello was very intelligent and he had always had a solution to most of the problems, which they had encountered in their lives. He was brave but he would rather avoid a fight if it were possible. He spent most of his time in his workshop and laboratory, which were his most cherished possessions.

Michelangelo was the one of the four brothers who had a problem with the focus on his training because he was so easily distracted by other things. He had a dark blue green colour and he was the funny turtle in the group. He loved to have fun and he had a huge amount of knowledge about TV and comics. He had decorated his nunchakus with orange ribbons. The weapons were perfect because of Michelangelo's personality. He was a kind of a braggart, cheerful and he loved to tell jokes all the time. Master Splinter only wished that his son would pay more attention to his training lessons. He was the best athlete of them all but he could sometimes be lost in thought when Splinter trained his students.

"We have been through this lesson before," Splinter reminded them patiently. "The way of balance is the way of invisibility."

"Oh, I remember it now," Michelangelo interrupted enthusiastically. "How could I forget it?"

"Do I really have to answer? Raphael asked and gave his brother a tap on the head. "Idiot. I'm surprised that you have been able to learn how to walk."

"Raphael, quiet!" ordered Master Splinter sharply and clapped his hands, so the light went out. Suddenly the cave was in total darkness. "A ninja must practice his techniques all the time so he can carry them out with speed and precision. It requires both if you want to avoid my cane."

With these words, the exercise started and it wasn't an easy task. Leonardo concentrated his senses and moved away from the cane when Master Splinter turned it against him. It was very difficult to move on the bamboo canes because they weren't particularly steady and their Sensei wasn't the rat who would make it easy for his students. Leonardo smiled and backed quickly as Donatello almost hit him when he made an attempt to get away from Splinter's cane.

Their Sensei was incredible fast and it was getting harder to avoid the cane when Splinter swung it towards them. Raphael cursed in a low voice when he placed his foot in the air and began to fall. He swung his arm and took hold of the nearest bamboo cane with his three fingers.

It lasted only a few seconds before he got up but he jumped immediately to the side so the cane wouldn't hit him. Michelangelo smiled when he recalled the first time they had tried the exercise in their new home where he had clapped with his hands in the dark, so Master Splinter became visible. Unfortunately, he didn't get many points for his ingenuity and he didn't think that he could fool Master Splinter with the same trick twice. He was a cunning rat but it shouldn't prevent Michelangelo from trying to get the cane from the Sensei's hands. He gasped and jumped quickly away from the cane where he had balanced a moment ago. Master Splinter was after him and he had to make a daring manoeuvre so he could escape from the old rat.

It was difficult because he had been trapped in a corner. He could feel where his brothers were but he didn't have the time to concentrate on them. Splinter swung his cane hard against his side and Michelangelo leaped over the rat while he could feel the cane graze him. He took hold of some of the bamboo canes and stood straight in the air. Splinter turned around with lightning speed and aimed a blow at his hands. Michelangelo saw it coming and bend his arms with a flexible movement so he gathered enough strength to land on his feet without being harmed by the cane.

He hurried along the bamboo canes and Master Splinter drew his attention back to his brothers who wouldn't be in the safe zone for long. Michelangelo felt relief that he had gotten away from his Sensei unharmed but he knew that he had to find a solution to take the cane from him. Unfortunately, he never got any further in his thoughts.

"Hey guys, why is it so dark inhere?" yelled a voice confused in the cave.

Leonardo stopped short as he was struck by lightning and he glanced at Casey Jones who was walking right in the cave without looking where he went. They had given him admission to the cave a long time ago, so he could call them if something happened on the surface. At this time, Leonardo regretted the decision deeply and Donatello, who stood next to him, had apparently the same opinion.

"Leo, let me ask you one question. How big is the probability that he is going to hit us?" he whispered gloomily.

The answer came before Donatello had time to finish the sentence. Casey stumbled over the stairs and began to fall in the direction of the bamboo canes. Splinter and the turtles jumped from the place in the course of a second after which they landed perfectly on the stone floor. Leonardo looked resignedly at Casey who crashed down the bamboo canes. This man was so clumsy that it was amazing that he was still alive. Splinter took a deep breath and exhaled slowly while he clapped his hands so the light returned to the cave. Casey moaned and rose from the mess.

"I'm sorry guys, I couldn't see a thing," Casey explained.

"You don't say," Michelangelo said. "We were almost cut to turtle kebab."

"It wasn't that bad," Casey objected and spread his arms to each side. "You moved quickly away from the place."

"We are aware of the risk after all those times you have crashed down in our home, lamebrain," Raphael said dryly and laid his hand on his friends shoulder. "Here is an idea: Why don't you take a look around before you walk right into the cave? It would help, trust me!"

Casey was Raphael's best friend and they were very much alike with their big temper. Some of the people in the cave would claim that Casey made Raphael to look more relaxed and reasonable in comparison. He was a loyal young man, even though he could look rough when the anger came to his blue eyes. He was tall, suntanned and he had long black hair to his shoulders. He had met Raphael when he fought alone against a gang named "The purple dragons". He hated the gang because they had burned down his father's store. The meeting with Raphael had been violent but they had made peace when Raphael and his brothers had helped him.

"By the way I haven't tumbled over the bamboo canes with you guys on the top that often," Casey added and smiled.

"No, just five times to be accurate," Donatello pointed out.

"It is good to see you again, Mr. Jones," Splinter said in his polite way. "But I thought that we had an agreement so we could prevent these incidents. Why didn't you call us before you arrived?"

"It isn't my fault," Casey defended himself and laid his hand on his chest. "I tried to call you but you didn't answer the phone."

"Well, you didn't call me," Michelangelo said and smiled goofily. "You couldn't do it because Donny had my shell cell in his workshop."

"I have tried to call all of you but I got no answer," Casey said. "I couldn't call Don and it actually surprised me."

Donatello took his shell cell from his belt and opened it. "Well I never! You have called," he smiled embarrassedly and shrugged his shoulders when he noticed their bewilderment. "Don't look at me like that. I had to take the shell cells to my workshop last night because I needed to make the shell case stronger."

"You didn't get finished Don?" Michelangelo asked and shook his head. "That is almost disappointing."

"It was about that time where Mikey decided to pay me a visit," continued Donatello with his explanation and ignored the comment from his younger brother. "To make a long story short: He broke them. I wasn't finished with them when we began our training lesson therefore it was impossible for you to call us today Casey."

"Why doesn't that surprise me Mikey?" exclaimed Raphael and pointed accusingly at Michelangelo. "Can't you stay out of trouble for once in your life or is it just a bad habit of yours?"

"Yeah, yeah, just blame me!" Michelangelo complained and crossed his arms in despair. "It isn't my fault that the shell cells are fragile."

"It is just another reason why you shouldn't touch them," Raphael concluded.

"I think that we got away from the subject," Leonardo interrupted calmly and turned towards Casey before Michelangelo got the time to answer him. "Is there a problem in the world above?"

"Well yes and no," Casey answered mysteriously.

"Could you please explain yourself, Mr. Jones?" asked Master Splinter and looked seriously at him.

"It is April," Casey explained. "I was on my way to my friend Steve when I decided to pay her a visit and she is honestly very concerned. She wanted to hear if you could stay at her place tonight. She doesn't want to be alone in her apartment."

"Has something happened to her? Raphael asked and turned his attention away from Michelangelo.

"Oh no, nothing has happened to her," Casey answered reassuring. "But there have been some robberies in the town lately and she doesn't like it."

"Robberies?" Leonardo asked and looked concernedly at Casey. "What have been stolen?"

"I don't know actually," Casey confessed honestly. "I didn't ask her but ran down here to get you. The only information, which she gave me, was that it had been some rough dudes who attacked the stores."

"I think, I have heard something about it," Donatello said. "It was in the News last night after an interesting show about atoms. The store owners had been knocked down by some mysterious thieves."

"It is very common thing in New York," Raphael intervened.

"Yeah, but there had also been battles in those stores," Donatello explained seriously. "And it wasn't the store owner who joined the battle. It seemed like the thieves had fought about the stolen goods and the strange thing is that it has occurred in eight stores over the entire city."

"I don't understand where you're getting at Don," Michelangelo said. "Why is it strange?"

"Because of the battles in the stores. It could mean that a person is trying to stop the thieves or the thief. It might be important," Donatello explained.

"What were stolen Donny?" Leonardo asked curiously.

"That would be the weirdest thing about this story," his younger brother said and laid his hand thoughtfully around his chin. "The thief wanted flutes."

"Maybe it is some crazy musician who has run out of instruments?" Michelangelo suggested and smiled.

"Nonetheless we can't let April be alone," Casey said. "She has a lot of thing in her junk business and it wouldn't surprise me if she also had a couple of flutes."

"I agree," Master Splinter nodded and looked at his students. "You must go immediately to her home and protect her from harm."

"Not a problem, Sensei," Raphael said confidently. "It is a piece of cake."

"We must hope so, my son," Splinter said but he didn't sound certain at all.

A/N: So what did you guys think? I know that the beginning was a bit short but it is a start. Please give me some reviews. I really appreciate it, thanks!