Mikey has a new cell phone, Raph has a new secret, and the Shredder has a new plan.  One word: CLONING

Disclaimer: None of the characters in my story are mine. They all belong to whoever it is that owns the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. I only own the storyline.

Ninja Neo: I hope you guys enjoy this story. It is the very first I've ever written. It's more of a practice story right now. I'm practicing for a bigger story I have planned up and hopefully your reviews help me in my writing. Feel free to criticize, and I will not take them wrongly. All help is appreciated. Oh, and if I do get something wrong, please correct me so I can correct it in the next chapter!

CHAPTER ONE: AVERAGE TROUBLE

"Wooo-hoo!!! Yeah! You are NOT going to believe what I found up on the surface!"

Donatello jumped up from the CPU he had been trying to fix all morning, startled at Michelangelo's sudden entrance, causing him to land on a computer hard drive. He lifted his foot to find the smashed remains of it.

"No! Great, now I'll have to ask April to find me a new one. Uh, Mikey? Do you think you could tone it down a bit? I'm trying to fix a simple CPU so that Master Splinter can learn some computer skills."

"Who needs a computer when I have THIS?" Michelangelo walked quite fancily over to Donatello and popped out a cell phone.

"Where did you get a cell phone? You didn't go into a store, did you? Because you don't have a very good….um….disguise." His disguise was usually built up on wearing an open jacket and a cowboy hat. His weapons and turtle-like features were always exposed, causing him to receive many scared glances. Luckily, people simply took him as a freak in a costume. "Besides, you have a shell cell, remember?"

Michelangelo ignored his comment about the disguise and opened up his new flip-phone. "Well, on a shell cell, I can only talk to whoever has a shell cell. What if I wanna talk to people who don't have one?"

"Mikey, what people?"

"Um…I can meet people! Yeah, I have friends. Lots of them. We like to hang out at…uh…the park! Yeah, we're buddies."

Donatello gave Michelangelo a look.

"What? You don't think I have friends?"

"No, Mikey. I think you have friends. Just not any that don't have shell cells."

"Anyways, I was walking in the park (in my better-than-yours disguise, by the way) when a dude just came up and said he liked what I was wearing and that I deserved a phone for it! Score!"

Donatello merely stared at Michelangelo, not understanding how he could be related to such a dumb-nut. "Don't you find anything suspicious about this? A stranger just came up to you and offered you a cell phone. No money was asked for? He didn't have a cell phone stand? He didn't look like an insane person whatsoever?"

"I know! Isn't it great? I guess I'm just that special."

"Mikey, there could be something wrong with that phone. It might be some sort of scam. Maybe the person stole it. If you want, I can take it apart and scan it for – "

"Aw, you're no fun! I'm gonna go show Raph and Leo my new toy!"

With that, he jumped over Donatello and ran towards the TV, landing on a floppy disk. It met the same fate as the USB port. He kept on running, not bothering to glance behind him.

Donatello watched in disbelief and cried, "No! I needed that to load the programs!"

Raphael had been overhearing the whole conversation while pretending to watch TV. He knew too well how Michelangelo would always bring home unwanted items. There was the time with the dog that wound up being a skunk. Then the other day he found a nice green rock that was actually a grenade! They took it to the roof tops, slowly and carefully. That's when they met the foot soldiers for what seemed to be the hundredth time. They almost lost Leonardo if the grenade hadn't accidentally exploded in front of most of the ninjas.

Raphael was just about to make his escape when Michelangelo jumped in front of him.

"Where ya goin?"

"Away from you, now get out of the way."

"Wait! I wanna show you something!"

"I don't feel like looking at the moment. Move!"

"Come on, Raph! Just check out my new – "

Right then, Raphael shoved Michelangelo to the side into the couch. He hit the couch with such force that it fell back, taking him with it. "Ow!" He got up and fixed the couch, Raphael chuckling all the while. He began to walk away towards his room when Michelangelo yelled out "Maybe I should tell Casey to come on over and bunk up with you!" He knew that would hit Raphael's buttons hard.

"You call that maniac over and I'll crumble up that fancy little cell phone of yours!"

"Hey, now that you mention it, I do have a cell phone!" With that, he takes it out and flashes it to Raphael.

Raphael simply shakes his head and continues on down to his room. He passes Leonardo, who looks at his face. He immediately interprets the look and asks "Is Mikey up to something again?"

"Do yourself a favor and don't go back there."

Leonardo accepts the warning, but continues on to the TV room anyways. Michelangelo sees him and his smile spreads to his…um…ears (if that's even possible). He stood up from the couch and was about to speak when Leonardo held up a hand. "I don't feel like reading one of your new comics right now, Mikey. Save it till later, and maybe I can read it then. I have to speak with Sensei."

"But I got a – "

"No, Mikey. I'm busy. Sorry."

Leonardo walked on, not looking back to Michelangelo's confused face. Usually Leonardo would be the one who would want to see all of his new things. Even if he wasn't excited and showed signs of boredom, he'd still stay and at least listen to what Michelangelo had to say. Except for the two incidents with the skunk and the grenade, Michelangelo could always rely on him to be there for him.

Master Splinter was meditating in the training area when the doors slid open and April entered. She almost called out Donatello's name until she spotted Splinter sitting with his legs crossed on the floor. She walked slowly, careful not to disturb him or interrupt his meditation. She tiptoed quietly, trying not to make the slightest noise. Up ahead she saw Leonardo walking towards her at a fast pace. She signaled to him to slow down and not to disturb Sensei. If his meditation was broken, he would get angry and sometimes give the turtles more training as punishment.

Leonardo stopped in his tracks, wondering if it was worth it to break his concentration. What he had to say was important and should be seen to immediately. With a deep breath, he walked forward and was about to tap Splinter on the shoulder when the wise rat said "It is interesting listening to you both try to be quiet. April's boots are not made for stealth, and Leonardo, you should know better than to interrupt me."

"Forgive me, Sensei," he began. "But I have some news that can't wait till later."

April kept going towards Donatello, slowly and quietly, when she heard Master Splinter tell her "You can stop walking so clumsily now. I believe I am done with my meditation." She felt a little foolish, turned to Splinter with a smile, and ran to Donatello. He was sitting there, digging through a box of computer parts, grumbling about something that sounded very much like "Mikey". She cleared her throat and he turned around.

"April! How did you get here so fast? Did you bring the parts?"

"Yeah, I have them in this box. Lucky for you, I was coming down to visit. I was actually surprised when you didn't ask me for extras, so I was already on my way with some more. Why do you need more already? I gave you the hard drive and the flash drive yesterday. They'd usually last for a while. Don't tell me you lost it already. These kinds aren't that easy to get, you know."

"No, I didn't lose them. It's very hard to live in a place where all of these materials are constantly in danger of crazy siblings."

April nodded her head, immediately thinking of Michelangelo. She remembered when she was bringing Donatello a car battery for experimentation. Michelangelo slammed into her on his skateboard, and she had to go and retrieve another battery out of her expenses. The bruise on her arm had stayed for a long time, and was still partially there. She handed him the box and apologized for not being able to stay and help. She had to go attend her shop.

"Thanks for the parts, and watch out for Mikey. He has a new phone today."

"As long as nobody gives him my number, I'll be ok. I don't want him to be calling me every five minutes."

"Oh, so you do know him well!"

Smiling, she said her byes, turned towards the door and left.

Leonardo and Splinter went into a room where they were sure not to be heard by the others. Splinter shut the door behind him and turned to Leonardo.

"Now, my son. What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Sensei, I think the foot are after us."

Splinter frowned. "Yes, they are. They have always been after us. Is this all you wished to speak to me about? If so, I am greatly disappointed."

Leonardo shook his head. "No, Sensei. You're not getting it. I think they're following us to find out where we live. I was up on the rooftops earlier, practicing some of the drills you showed me with my katanas. I was about to go home when I noticed a foot soldier following me. I went all around the city trying to shake him off. I climbed the rooftops, swam in the river, and even went through some backyards (all the while being careful not to be spotted, of course). I finally lost him after about an hour or so. But the weird thing is, he never once came towards me to attack. I would stand still and pretend to look at the stars, or observe a stray dog. He always kept his distance and just…well…followed."

Splinter sat down on a nearby chair and stared at the ground. Leonardo wasn't sure if he was thinking or just surprised at the news. Usually Sensei's actions were hard to read. He didn't know whether to ask or to keep silent. Before he made up his mind, Splinter said "They have already found our home once before, and sent the mousers to destroy it. We were lucky to come out alive. But it is not like the Shredder to keep chasing us out of our home until we surrender."

"I don't think he wants us to surrender, Sensei. I think he just wants us dead."

"This could be disturbing news, but I am not sure if we should consider it to be a warning or just a foot soldier's curiosity."

"I'm almost sure it's a warning. Why would a foot just follow me and not attack?"

"They could just be observing what it is you are, trying to find out how it is we are difficult to defeat. Still, it is possible that you might be right, my son. You must go and warn your brothers to be extra careful when they go up to the surface. While you are at it, you might want to remind April and Casey to make sure they are not being watched whenever they enter our home."

Leonardo excused himself and went to his brothers. Master Splinter continued to sit there, wondering what it was that the Shredder could be up to.