Shaded Gray
Well, this is my first time not writing a one-shot and not writing a strict comedy...Tell me what you think but please don't be too hard!! Constructive critisim is always welcome just no flames please!
Summary: The world isn't split into good people and bad people, despite how easy that would make things. People grow and change, morphing into unexpected characters. Michelangelo and Raphael get an inside view in the workings of human nature as they realize that in order to save New York, they must work with two of the stealthiest thieves that the world has ever known.
For years, Michelangelo and Raphael watched the neighborhood kids grow up, had grown up with them. Out of sight in the dark sewers beneath their stained and worn sneakers, they had mimicked the way the kids of their respective neighborhoods talked, walked, and acted. Perfected the way they carried themselves; Mikey had perfected the kids on the border of the ocean, catching on to the way they talked and walked with an air of arrogance. Raphael, meanwhile, had been mesmerized with the kids from Brooklyn. With their slouching, slinking walk that was reminiscent of a panther and their imposing voices, Raph figured that it was hard to not be captivated by them.
When they were six, Raphael and Michelangelo watched the kids jumping rope, playing four-square, and simply enjoying the bliss that innocence afforded them. At age nine, the Brooklyn kids, still retaining some remnants of innocence, began being used to traffic drugs back and forth in their backpacks, while the coast kids began to hang out on the beach and surf. At age twelve, all remnants of innocence were gone from both worlds as the coast kids, following the examples set by the older surfers, spent their time getting high on beach; the Brooklyn kids, meanwhile, had either completely shut themselves off from the world in order to better their lives or else spent their time honing their criminal skills.
By the time the turtles were seventeen, Mikey had quite watching the kids altogether. Raphael, meanwhile, was still fascinated with two children, a set of seventeen year old twins. From listening to many conversations, he was able to learn that their names were Daniel and Brandon, and they were the best thieves in town. Raphael, despite knowing that they were breaking the law, never tried to stop them for one simple reason: he was fascinated by them.
For over eleven years, Raphael had watched the twins grow up, seen what they have endured throughout their short life time. They weren't like normal criminals. Every time they stole from someone, they were meticulous and calculated everything exactly to ensure that no one was hurt. They spent time volunteering at the animal shelters, always gave change to the homeless people on the streets and smiled at everyone. Anytime they saw a kid getting jumped, they didn't waste time asking questions, instead jumping in to break up the fight but never joining in. Needless to say, Raphael was sufficiently confused. He was used to seeing the world in black and white, no in betweens, no gray. And if there was ever a pair to challenge his views on the world, it was Daniel and Brandon.
Raphael never intended to talk to the twins, content with simply watching them in from the safety of the sewers. He never believed that their paths would cross. He didn't realize how much they would come to depend on each other, nor how close a bond they would achieve.
"Raph, what are you doing?" Raphael sighed, turning away from the edge of the rooftop he was standing on in order to look at his older brother.
"Nothing," Raphael was really not in the mood to talk to Leo, still upset about their earlier fight.
"Don't be like that, Raph. I apologized. Are you sure you and Mikey don't want to come with us this week?"
"I'm good. I told you, that farm house is too far away and I kinda want to have some time to myself."
"Well you won't be alone; Mikey's staying." Leo laughed. Raph chuckled, seeing that Leo genuinely wanted him to go. Nonetheless, Raph really didn't feel like leaving their home.
"True, but two of us in the lair is a lot better than five. I'll be back home in a few minutes to say bye," Raph turned back to the edge of the building. When he sensed Leo was gone, he jumped down to the middle of the fire escape in order to hear the conversation taking place between the twins below him. Currently, the pair were picking the lock on a convenience store.
"And you said you got the combination for the safe, right?" One of them asked between a mouth full of tiny tools, on his knees and jimmying the lock. The one pacing around and waiting sighed impatiently.
"For the last time, Brandon, we don't need it. All we need is the micro-scrambler that I made. It'll scramble the code and reset the safe back to it's original code, which is generic throughout the U.S. as 123456. Just make sure you can get the safe open without the key once the code is set."
Brandon took a quick minute to look up at Daniel, disbelief shining in his crystal blue eyes. The lock popped open with a slight "sntch" sound. "Are you really asking me if a I can jimmy a damn key hole?" Daniel smiled and the two walked inside.
Raphael sighed; he knew he should stop them. It was wrong and immoral to steal, not to mention against the law. Yet Raphael knew he couldn't, could never face the twins. They interested him too much. He knew if any of his brothers saw him, they would be incredulous, especially because he was the one always out stopping crime. That was why for the past ten years, he had kept the twins' identities secret.
Raphael didn't wait to see what the twins walked out with, instead standing up and stretching. With one final glance back, he jumped back up to the top of the rooftop and jogged home, happy to say goodbye and get some long-desired peace.
If you want to make me really happy and want me to continue, leave a review please!! Thanks!