Stranger Whistles

by TJ HECTOR


-Summary:

2k12 Human AU. Set in high school, your worst nightmare, and a neighborhood overrun by gang violence. What should Mikey do when he's the only one who knows why Raph has run away from home? Something needs to be worked out in order to restore the family before it's too late. Teenage raw sentiments-more fragile than it seems. Mikey and Raph- centric. Rated for language.

-Warning:

Just some curse words. You're warned. And maybe a little violence in future chapters.

-A/N:

Hi, it's the author. This story started out as a human version of Nightwatcher story, but gradually expanded to something more. I'm really interested in what kind of teenagers they'd become if they weren't turtles. I'm trying hard not to turn this one into all angsty and dark. Yeah, I want to include more brotherly fluff and capture the warm scent of home...

-Disclaimer:

I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (in this case, humans?)


Chapter One: Amazing Whistling Dude

[Michelangelo]

It was late at night when my second-eldest brother and I got out of the movie theatre. It was fun, just the regular kind of movie Raph and I would enjoy—muscle-showing actions, scums crying and running for their lives, good guys winning as usual, and some hot scenes with a couple of blond chicks. If I went to the movies with Don or Leo we probably would watch other kinds of movie like sci-fi or suspense, that'd be great, too. But sometimes you just like watching movie with Raph. He wouldn't talk much like Don did sometimes ("Could somebody turn the commentary track off?" Leo would remark kindly but sarcastically.), but he always did something that would make you feel like he's having a real good time hanging out with you. Like when some scumbags just got punched in face, Raph'd chuckled in his silent style next to me and whispered, "didja see that?" Well, for a sturdy, ill-humored sixteen-year-old who constantly ran away from home, it was good enough. I'd always cherish it.

It was an accident that we had decided to go into the theatre tonight. Well, it was actually an accident that I ran into Raph on my way home in the first place. He had not showed up for almost three days now. And now I was still wondering whether he's coming home with me or not.

Now we were just walking toward the direction of our block. I guessed Raph wasn't going home tonight after all. He was maybe just making sure I got home alright. Our neighborhood hadn't been a safe place to wander around after dark ever since gang violence worsened and crime rate glided high these years.

"So, Raph, will ya come home tonight?" When we were close to our apartment building, I asked carefully and hesitantly.

He did not look at me; he just kept walking, green eyes staring into the distance.

"Raph? Ya know, Leo's probably worried about ya or somethin', and Dad…"

"I got somethin' to do." He said expressionlessly.

"Ya goin' to hang out with Casey again?"

"Yeah."

"What's so important?" I asked, probably a little too suspiciously, because he suddenly turned to glare at me.

"It's none o' your business, Mike." He snorted.

"Alright, I got it." I tried to smile. "But are you considerin' or somethin'?"

"Considerin'…what?"

"Going home?"

He stopped walking abruptly and turned to face me.

"Seriously, yer a spy or what? How much did Lame-o-nardo pay you?"

"Two bucks?" I shrugged, grinning. "Just kiddin', man! Leo didn't make me do this!"

"Okay." He crossed his arms, still looking pissed.

"Come on, Raph! I really wanna know! When will you come back?"

His face darkened, and I was preparing for the worst. But he just snapped and quickly walked away.

"Good-night, Mikey. Oh wait, do me a favor, don't tell Fearless and next time I'll treat you ta sundae."

I watched him until he was completely vanished in the darkness.

O-O-O

"Mikey!" someone called when I closed the door behind me.

I smiled at the scent of our sweet home. (Home sweet home. Ain't it the best place in the world?) It wasn't a big apartment; me and Donnie shared a room while Leo and Raph shared the other. Our father was out visiting an old friend who just settled down in Philadelphia, and it was highly possible that we wouldn't be seeing him until weekend.

"Hey Donnie. What ya up to?"

"Revising that paper I need to present at tomorrow's seminar." My over-six-foot-tall, dark-reddish-brown haired brother replied, his head burying in a pile of notes. He had this huge desk (which he was now sitting in front of it) occupying one-third of space in the small living room, and it's basically his natural habitat. Donnie's pretty smart (obviously I did not do him justice by describing him as 'smart'.). He was also sixteen, but he's studying in graduate school now.

"Well, ugh, go get 'em, Donny-boy." I patted him on his back, sending his head smashing into that pile of notebooks. I chuckled.

"Mikey, don't disturb him."

I turned and saw Leo standing at the corner or our living room, leaning against the wall and facing the TV screen.

"That's why you turn the TV mute? …oh, are you watching that space traveler Ryan show again?"

"It's called Space Heroes and it's Captain Ryan, Mikey. By the way, have you seen Raphael?"

"Nope." I said.

"Really Mikey? Why are you home so late?" Donnie yelled from the desk.

"I went to a movie." I said.

"With whom?"

"With…this girl I met, from the…uh, kendo club." Seriously, Mikey? Have ya forgotten that Leo's the president of the club?

"Who?" Leo frowned, "You mean, Karai?"

"No, …no! Absolutely not. It's Tanya…yeah! That's her name. She's…uh…Karai's friend." Not Karai, I ain't that stupid to oversee Leo the mighty has a big crush on her.

"I never heard of this girl. You sure she's a member of the club?"

"Of course! She was…pretty secretive and mysterious, that's why she usually goes to late night movies."

"Alright." Leo sighed; he knew when I was babbling and knew better to ignore me. "I'm going to bed. And you should too." He turned away. I heard the door of his room closed quietly.

"Donnie? You gonna be up all night?" I turned and asked Don.

"I'll try my best to finish this before dawn." Donnie replied, yawning.

I looked at his lean, weak, and sleepy figure and an idea crossed my mind.

"Hey, how 'bout I make you some coffee and snacks?"

"That'd be awesome Mikey, but it's already twelve o'clock. I think you need to go to bed now. Don't you have that geography exam tomorrow morning?"

"Ugh, I hate geography."

Donnie looked back at me and gave me his face of "com'on, geography is fun".

"I ain't you, Donnie." I smiled innocently. "Ya know the only subject I enjoy was Art. And I don't even like Leo's condemned kendo after-class training."

"Alright then. If you have no intention to sleep in anytime soon, would you like to tell me about why did you lie to Leonardo?" He smiled smugly.

I put a hand on my cheek and rubbed it feverishly. "How d'you know?"

"You're never a good liar, Mike." Donnie smiled. "But…it's a good thing. Sometimes."

"Okay, okay, I'll tell you. But let me make some coffee first." I said, because Donnie looked like he could drop from his chair at any moment.

"Thank you, that'd be a big help." He yawned again.

When returning from the kitchen, I only discovered my tired-out brother crouching on his desk, snoring quietly. I set the coffee down on the table, in case he woke up later and had to continue his work. However, I did not leave the room. I pulled a chair and sat down beside my sleeping brother with my legs pulled up in front of my chest.

"Why d'ya have to be so tired?" I asked, knowing he would not hear a word. But I felt like talking. "I thought ya enjoy the grad school and all. And 'bout the lying thing, I ran into Raph after school. It turned out that he did go to school today, but he was goofin' off with Casey in the gym. Where do you think he lives all these days? An alleyway? Heck, he's been wearing the same clothes for days now. That's kinda disturbing. And he doesn't even give a damn. And ya know what? I'm startin' to worry about him."

Donnie was sleeping quite soundly. I though I hadn't finish my story, so I kept talking.

"Oh yeah. And so we went to the comic book store together. And after comic books, we bought a pizza and ate it in the park, like a picnic. After that Raph suggested we watch a movie together. I was a little surprised though. Do ya think he misses us at all? Why did he run away? Nobody's pushing him. School's fine. His homeroom teacher likes him so much she never turns him in when he's in trouble. Nobody ever messes him up in school. Nobody dares. I just don't get it."

I imagined Donnie would say, "I don't get it too."

So I sighed, standing up. "Good night, Donnie."

Presently I was back in my room, sitting on my bed. I took my sketchbook out of my book bag. This was where I kept my drafts of my original comic book ideas. I wanted to have the summary of my next issue done before I went to sleep. The recent story I was working on was called Stranger Whistles. The first issue had only twenty copies, which Donnie and his friends helped me printing them out; I sold eighteen copies in school. Well, I enjoyed drawing the story, but I didn't think it was something. It was Raph who told me it was awesome and all and I should keep it up. The plot, too, amused Donnie and Leo, but none of them was as enthusiastic about it as Raph. I didn't know why Raph liked the comic book so much; I guessed he kind of related himself to the protagonist, who was this bad-tempered amazing whistler. It was a sorta strange and disturbing story. The main plot went like this: there was this whistler named Stranger—well, obviously it wasn't his real name, which was Kevin—and he could summon his mental strength (okay, this one was totally Leo's idea) by whistling and became a butt-kicking hell of a fighter; however, every time he used this whistle-power-thing, he lost something, like, he became short-sighted, cranky and callous to his loved one (Donnie and I worked this one out). He really wanna help people with his super power, but he couldn't afford to lose anything anymore. He tried not to jump into a fight whenever he saw one, but he couldn't help it. When he saw someone was in danger he just snapped and jumped on the evil side. So finally his life fell apart and his family didn't trust him anymore. That's the first issue. In the end of that issue, he was all alone and started calling himself Stranger.

Dad said it was a very sad story; he liked it though, and he was glad to know that I could do better than flunking algebra. I didn't think it was sad and all—okay I admitted it was a bit sad 'cause this dude lost almost everything but his belief in humanity (to quote Donnie). But geez he was so cool, so strong and stern before his own fear and those street gangs. And he fought alone.


[Raphael]

"I'd say yer little brother seemed a little worried 'bout ya." Said Arnold Casey Jones, taking the hockey mask off his face.

Raphael turned to glance at his friend; he shrugged, jerking the tail of the red mask on his face to remove it.

"There's nothin' ta worry about." He said quietly, looking away. The chilly air on the roof felt pleasant on his skin. The taste of alcohol on the top of his tongue turned into a sensation of dizziness.

"He seems like a nice kid. See him now and then in the cafeteria. Blond kid about this tall, right?"

"Yeah, that's Mikey."

"Not to disrupt the mood pal, but—aren't yer family worried?" Casey said casually, taking a sip from the bottle. "I mean, I at least go home every night."

"Ya mean every other friggin' mornin'?" Raph smirked.

Casey shrugged. "So where ya gonna sleep tonight?"

"Here seems like a good place." Raph looked around the rooftop.

"Ya gotta be kiddin'. Y' 'll freeze ta death."

"I got vodka." Raph shook the bottle in his hand, grinning.

"Man, that's not gonna help. I tried it once on a rooftop. Ended up with a goddamn flu."

"Not so tough when it comes ta flu huh?"

"Whatever." Casey laughed lazily. "God. I wish this night could last forever. The look on their face was fucking awesome man." He shook his head.

"You mean the Purple Dragon goons? Yeah." Raph grinned heartily. "They've never expected someone in this neighborhood would bust their asses."

"It's time ta pay. Time ta restore the order."

"What order? We're chaos."

"That's you, fucking lunatic."

"You sure? I've never seen any guy crazier than you, Jones."

"So, tomorrow night?" Yawning, Casey looked at him.

"Count me in." Raph raised a fist; Casey punched it with a smile.

After Casey left, he sat on the edge of the building for a very long time. It felt funny inside his body; it was not a result from the beating he took though. He only got some bruises and small cuts, nothing serious. It was…maybe internal, he didn't know. He felt edgy. So vexed, and lonesome.

-End of Chapter one.