A/N: This is a collection of adventures between Zoe and Raphael as they get to know each other and their relationship develops. It's meant to be a fun, ongoing romantic series. Another important message: This IS the same OC in my two part series Zoe. But this story is NOT geared toward a mature audience like that one is. I'm aiming for a little lighter feel here.
"If I hold you at arms length, you cannot hurt me.
But neither would you ever know how much you mean to me."
-Mysteryred
Raphael
Pop! Chomp. Chomp. Chomp. Pop!
"Grrr."
Chomp. Chomp.
If I have to listen to that sound for one more second.
Chomp.
"Grrr."
Pop!
I clench my teeth as I look my little brother in the eye and jab his beak. "If you pop that gum one more time I'm gonna smack it right out of your mouth!"
Mikey flashes me an innocent smile.
I raise an eye ridge as I back away.
Chomp. Chomp. Chomp.
"We should be able to get in through that skylight." Donnie whispers as he and Leo examine the greenhouse shaped window.
Pop!
I whirl around, smacking my orange clad brother so hard the gum flies out of his mouth, sending it soaring through the air, attaching to Donatello's cheek with a squish.
"I told ya!" I grin.
"Ow! Hey! I forgot!" Mikey protests as he rubs the back of his head.
"Gross! Get it off! Get it off!" Donnie grabs the pink glop, pulling it from the side of his face in long gooey strands. It sticks to his fingers and he whips his hand around flinging the blob over his shoulder were it attaches to his bo. Pulling forth his weapon he swings it wildly trying to get the goo off.
"Hey watch where you're swinging that thing Donnie!" I yell, ducking as the six foot wood stick flies over my head, only to miss me and make contact with the back of my little brother's legs.
"Whoa!" He flails, grabbing for the closest thing to him.
Mikey's light green hand grabs the side of my shell as Donnie's staff whirls past my head yet again. I grab it and yank, Donnie flies forward slamming into Mike who falls back crashing into me with a grunt.
"Quiet down! Everyone! Be quiet! We're ninjas we're supposed to be-" My older brother, Leo, is waving his hands at us making cut throat gestures.
"Quiet!" We yell at him, each of us from within our spot in a heap of turtle.
He rolls his blue eyes and palms his face.
"Get offa me!" I push Donnie's face with my hand while shoving my foot against Mikey's cheek.
"Shhh!" Leo hisses his gaze shifting toward a nearby rooftop.
As we finish untangling ourselves, there's a shift in the air.
We fall silent, slipping into the shadows of the rooftop. I watch the human dressed from head to toe in solid gray land gracefully just feet from the skylight. Mikey is craning to see around me, a fresh wad of gum rolling around in his mouth. He glances at me, a small pink bubble slowly emerging from between his lips. I clench my teeth, snatch the blob, slap it to his forehead and shove him back.
Now I can shift my focus back to the newcomer. From the shape of the body and the garb, I'm pretty sure it's a kunoichi.
Karai's supposed to meet up with us. But there's no armor on the uniform and Karai wears black.
The stranger pivots before the skylight, scanning her surroundings. I can't see her face or hair. Both are covered with a mask that matches her clothes. She's carrying a silver compound bow and black keep over her back. Reaching into the keep she pulls something out, using it to cut a hole in the glass before slipping in a gloved hand to unlock the window.
She disappears through the skylight, pulling it shut after her, and we gather around.
"I'm going to go out on a limb and say that wasn't Karai." I say looking at Leo.
"Not Karai, she texted me and cancelled. Master Splinter asked her to stay with him instead." Leo glanced at Donatello knowingly and I wait to be filled in.
Donnie rubbed his cheek, picking off some residual chewing gum. "All of the new test subjects are female. Sensei didn't want to risk them getting their hands on Karai. I think her mutation is still too fresh for her to argue with him right now."
"But you cured her." Mikey said as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Yes, but this is The Shredder's project, Stockman's just the scientist. Shredder would use Karai just to hurt Sensei." Leo knelt down and reached a hand through the hole in the glass and lifted the skylight door. "Let's get April before it's too late."
We slipped inside, creeping along the top floor of the ten story building. The hallway was plain, long, starch white, empty, and lined with closed doors. Mikey ran up to each one, peeking inside the rectangular windows.
"Nope. Not April." He said each time.
"Mikey cut that out, you're going to-" Leo was interrupted by the arrow whizzing over Mikey's head, past mine, Donnie's and his own, before landing into the chest of a Kraangdroid. In the next second the lights in the hall flickered and went out.
Well this just went south.
I shrug.
Eh, could be worse.
Suddenly the door Mikey had been peeking in, yanked open and a robot hand reached out grabbing him by his throat. Kraangdroids flooded the hall on all sides of us.
It just got worse.
I reach for my sai and spring into action.
