For prompt 078 - Where?

Gone Exploring

"We ain't lost, Leo."

"No? What would you call it then?"

"We're explorin'."

"'Exploring'? You call driving around dark and desolate streets in some unknown, obscured neighborhood on the outskirts of town when an H.A.T.E. van is hunting us down with spotlights and shotguns and a fishing net big enough to catch a pack of dolphins while we have no way of communicating to anyone outside of this truck or even get a GPS lock on our current position because someone decided to take a short-cut under a low clearance bridge that knocked out our radio transmitter, as us 'exploring'?"

"I think you 'bout summed it up there, yeah."

". . . Right. Well. Glad that's been cleared up then."

". . ."

"Still not sure how we got so far out without noticing."

"High speed chases tend ta do that kinda thing to ya."

". . ."

"What?"

"What, what?"

"Well, what now, Fearless?"

"I was under the impression you wanted to lead tonight, as it is part of your training."

"I only said that 'cause I wanted ta drive. But ya can't think up a plan and drive at the same time, so unless you wanna drive. . ."

". . . You know I don't like driving, Raph."

"Then get to thinkin'!"

"I am thinking, Raph, but I don't know where . . . Ugh!"

"I— How the shell did they find us so fast?!"

"Take a left up here. Raph! Turn left!"

"I'm turning! I'm turning! Talk about back seat drivin'. . ."

"The next right. . . Good. Another left through that parking lot."

"How is this making us any less lost?"

"Oh, so now you'll admit that we're lost."

"When you're the one giving directions, yeah, we're lost."

"Oh, ha ha, Raphael. Park in that alley over there."

"What alley?"

"That alley."

"Yeah, yeah. I see it."

"Cut the engine and sit tight. I'll be right back."

"Where are you—"

". . ."

". . . 'sit tight' he says . . . show him where he can sit. . ."

"There, that should keep us hidden for a while."

"What'd you do?"

"Moved the dumpster in front of the alley. If you didn't see it before I pointed it out to you, they certainly won't spot it now. Hopefully, anyway."

"So then we just wait it out."

"Yeah. But it shouldn't take too long. No more than a half hour at most. Then they'll get bored and look somewhere else and we're home free."

"Right. . ."

". . ."

". . ."

"I'm sorry. This night didn't go how I had planned."

"Eh, no big deal. Just how the ol' Turtle Luck runs."

"I wanted it to be special, though, your first training run after officially becoming Second in command."

"Don't worry about it. We'd no clue these H.A.T.E. guys would be around the same time we would be. Besides, you and I'll have plenty more training runs where this one came from. In between all that extra leadership trainin' ya got me doin', that is."

"It's still less training than I do. . ."

". . . I know."

". . ."

". . ."

"You've been in an unusually pleasant mood this past week. Even Mike wasn't able to annoy you yesterday, with that whole pancake debacle."

"Yeah, so I've been in a good mood, so what? That a crime now?"

"No, but it's kind of nice. I don't like it when you and I fight."

"Yeah, same here."

"May I ask why you have been in such a good mood? But, you don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I—"

"Nah, it's a'right. I don' mind. It's just. . . ever since that thing last week, ya'know? And I . . . I—I thought that. . . But then . . ."

"I know, Raph, I know. Everyone's fine, it's okay."

"Yeah, I know. But I . . . it just kinda reminded me what all I got, and that my life . . . my life ain't really all that bad, ya'know? Sure, it's got its bads, but s'long as I got you guys. . . Eh, 'nuff a this sappy, mushy stuff. They oughta be gone by know, huh? Let's blow this fruit stand afore those wackbags come back."

"Haheha. Okay Raph. Whatever you say."

". . ."

". . ."

". . ."

"Wait, go back. What did that street sign say? North 7th Avenue."

"Whoo! Now I know where we are."

"Like I said, home free."

". . ."

". . ."

"What're we gonna tell Don and Mike 'bout why we're so late?"

"The truth, most likely."

"What, that we got chased by a bunch'a mutant hatin' wackbags and got ourselves lost 'til we could lose 'em?"

"No, that we went . . . exploring."

Perfectus

Disclaimer: See no Turtles, hear no Turtles, own no Turtles.

Author's Notes: I hope I made it easy enough to tell who was talking when that everyone was able to follow it. Sorry if you think either of them are a little OOC but I did sort of have them explain why. Raph is still reeling from some event the previous week (I left that open to interpretation, tell me what you think happened in your reviews!) something that put at least two members of his family in danger, coupling that with his new found power/freedom with officially being made second in command, and he is bound to act a little different. Meanwhile, Leo is happy that his brother is happy. Raph is being generally pleasant with everyone, so there is peace in the Lair, and Raph and Leo have begun to rebuild their once close relationship. Raph is over his jealousy and Leo is letting go a bit of control. This could be read after my story Shade but you don't have to. Also, just wanted to point out, this is my first (completed) dialog fic! Awesome! (Also the first Prompt fic that I've given a proper name)

Right, so, as some may know, other than my two Halloween publications I had pretty much dropped off the face of the earth this past month. I have a lot of catching up to do! Hope this makes up for the absence. Drop me a line if you want! :)

I seem to have a thing for writing one-shots. . . I did not foresee this coming, yet find that I do not care. :D

-TheOneThatGotAway99