A/N: This fanfic is based on nowadays CG version of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I had this foreword before that was part of a review of Nickelodeon's TMNT(2012-2015 (R) Ciro Nieli, other producers, designers and scriptwriters), but I'll make it short. I love this rendition of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, specially what they did with Leo and Donnie. But I'd change one thing: Raphael, he needs a twist or angle. With Raphael, there are gravitating facts that define him: his scorn, his distrust, his dislike for authority mixed with his need to be accepted. Keeping all that we know of this Raphael so far, my aim is to bring back bits of the old Raph from other renditions, make him more conflicted as opposed to a bully, and cover this impression that he doesn't understand himself. And yeah, a lot of that is just making him a big old grump.

I've considered that maybe a romantic interest would help bring out the 'grumpy' in Raphael, while keeping the show light without too much of the whinny emo hysterics. Thus this fanfic. So here it is: Mona Lisa - or Mona *Lizard* (I'm so witty...) - in an inclusion that wouldn't annoy me...

Note: You can skip the prologue. The story begins next chapter.

The One Where Mona Lizard Appears

by She-Who-Is-Not-To-Be-Psycho

Prologue: New Reality
AKA April's Documentary
AKA The story so far

.

The camera started rolling and the image moved until it came into focus on a freckled red-haired girl, who was obviously holding it on herself. "This is take number one." The sound got screwed by her hand brushing against the camera microphone. "This documentary is about the strange happenings that took place over the last year in New York and the rest of the world. So let's start, shall we?

"Hi. My name is April O'Neil. I was kidnapped by aliens who look like brains and pilot human-looking robots. But I got help, because I was rescued by these guys -"

She disappeared from the screen; the camera was turned around, and four turtle-like creatures show up sitting on a couch - the tall one suddenly self-aware; the one with the blue mask nervously trying to smile while looking away, the smallest one -

"Whazzup!"

"I can't believe you convinced us to do this." The one further away crossed his arms, while the small one posed at the camera, right at the front. April continued:

"These are my friends - the turtles. They are mutated turtles, an accident from one of the aliens experiments. They are teenagers... and, they're ninjas. We'll get back to that...

"They made the difference when the Kraang invaded. Those aliens, they're all over the city even now. They are called the Kraang. Me and my father were their victims. Dad was turned into a giant bat, and then a blob during the last alien invasion, and we barely got to turn him back, along with everyone else - ah, that's thanks to this guy: Donnie."

Suddenly the camera did a zoom in and he was obviously panicking. "That really isn't necessary! I'm fine as is!"

The blue-masked turtle besides him chipped in. "You deserve the recognition. You really did do it." The camera focused on him next, and he noticed, the same way Donnie did. "Eh?"

"This is Leonardo, the leader."

"Ah - no, I -"

"He uses swords - That's right! Why don't you tell us about you training as ninjas?"

"We have had an honorable sensei teach us." Leonardo's demeanor changed as he said this, solemn and as if there was not an ounce of doubt in these words. "A-actually we're doing everything against his teachings by appearing in this video..."

"It's a registry. The people should know about everything you have done. You single-handedly stopped an alien invasion! Twice!"

"While fighting Shredder," the one with red added.

"And evil mushrooms and squirrels!" The one in orange this time. (And behind him, almost imperceptible, Donnie commenting, "Weirdly enough, it's all true, even that...")

"Right! I mean, you fight these guys practically every day," said April. "Somebody should at the very least keep a record of all you have done."

"Yeah, Leo," the enthusiastic one added, "We deserve this! And we might get a lot of awesome friends too! Maybe even fans!"

"You're dreaming, Mikey." The cranky one was all disagreement.

"Oh right, this is Michelangelo, the party guy, and Raphael," April said. Raphael hn-ed as response. Mikey posed like a rap star.

Somebody else made a sound of disgruntlement right then, out of camera. "Yeah. Because anyone would want to see Raph's shinny personality on a movie..."

The camera moved to a boy, who was sulking. "What is it, Casey?"

"I can't believe I'm the only one who's not in your documentary."

"I didn't know you wanted to appear. Of course you can be part of the movie."

His expression immediately turned into a smug smile. "Slick." And he went on to pose too. "Casey Jones here. The turtle's awesomest friend."

"Self-appointed," said Donnie.

"And full of it," Raph agreed.

"Oh, c'mon, of course I'm the cool one! I'm the only one who's not named like a nerd - I mean, except for you, red."

Donnie felt especially insulted by that. "What do you mean, 'nerd'?! Our names come from great European artists. We're chic."

"Pff-yeah. Right. Donatello."

"What's that supposed to mean? And how's 'Casey' a better name -?"

"Donnie!" the girl called, successful in getting his attention. "Er, why don't you tell us a bit about your living experience here, in the sewers?"

"Well, ah, yes. Well, we have all the accommodations as last time - a gym, kitchen, a lab - that's always top priority."

"We also got a new super-sweet spot to roller-skate!" said Mikey.

"The gym could do with some improvements..." grunted Raphael.

Donnie continued: "We have everything a mutant turtle of various interests might need. It's not perfect but -"

"But we make do. Everyone worked hard to get this place. And everyone is together, and safe. That's all that matters," completed Leo, who seemed to ground things for them. "Now it feels like we finally got our home back."

"Yeah," cheered Mikey. Go Turtles! We re back on the game!"

And Donnie, "I only wished Splinter were here..."

There was a moment of general gloom on the room.

It was interrupted by the male voice off camera again. "I mean," the image went to Casey, "don't you feel ridiculous with a name like that? It sounds like the name of a donuts shop, or peanut butter. And Donnie sounds like something out of the Italian mafia!"

Donnie growled. "Can you believe this guy?! Figures he wouldn't know a name from the Renaissance classics. "

"He does have a point, Donnie," said Leo. "I mean, because it sounds so Italian...?" he added when he had Donatello glaring up his face.

"Oh! Oh! Donnie, say 'Ya sleepin' with da fishies', Bro!" encouraged Mikey, with a fake Italian accent.

Raphael rolled his eyes. "Shut up. You all have stupid names."

April must have made a face behind the camera, because Donnie had noticed. "What's wrong, April?"

"I was thinking what should we call you?"

"What do you mean? You just did: Donatello, Michelangelo, Leonardo," Raphael counted, pointing at each at a time.

"No, I mean like a way to show in the news."

Leo was the first to talk, "What about 'Heroes from the Sewers'?"

"Lame..." Raph said.

"What's so lame about it?" Leo said, looking ticked.

"Your naming sense is worse than Mikey's."

"Hey!" Mikey said.

"So," Leo was not to be thwarted. "Maybe, the 'Amazing Martial Arts Combat Force'."

"You forgot the 'Monstrosities from the Sewers' bit," said Raph, rolling his eyes.

"That doesn't have to define us," Leo contended.

"Could be something like The Turtles Gang... you know, like a tournament club team name", Donnie suggested.

"Yeah, you only forgot to add junior at the end. Are you kidding with the cheesy names?" said Raphael, head-palming. "We are an ass-kicking turtle group, not a boy band."

"Dude, we'd so rock it as a boy band~" said Mikey, who was pushed away by Raphael.

"Underground Ninja Reptiles Team...?" Donnie offered. "At least it's accurate."

"Artsy Mutant Freak Show," said Casey, to everyone who stared or glared. "I'm just saying. You're all mutant turtles named after Renaissance painters."

"Who like pizza," Mikey chimed in.

April asked, "Well, since Mikey is who usually names things - what would you call yourselves, Mikey?"

He posed as if he had been expecting the question before saying, "Awesome Pizza Fighting Squad!"

Raph hit Mikey at the back of the head. April was quick to add, "We'll leave that for another day..."

There was a cut in the film. It went to black. When the image came back, it was April in the image again, the camera moving as if somebody was manipulating it.

"So, red, what you want to accomplish with this? Also, you know, you are way more fit for appearing on camera."

"C'mon, Casey, don't play, this is serious," she said with a shy smile. "I'm filming this for posterity - and in the interest of my pursuing of my goal of becoming a news anchor. It's either that or a career in computer programming." Her expression turned to worry. "Hopefully it will help me for college..."

"Sure it will, April," said Donnie, just coming up from behind.

"Aw, Donnie, why you cut in on the scene like that for? You completely ruined the take. No one wants to see your ugly mug."

Donatello glared at him.

"Well, it's a good thing you're the one behind the camera then; your face is so ugly it would probably break the lens!"

"Ah, c'mon, you two..." April said, Casey having just appeared too - immediately after, the image went to feet. ("Oh yeah? Try saying that to my face!" "I just did!") Then, the image went out.

And then it went up again. The image of one giant eye, that, as it was moving back, it showed to belong to one Michelangelo. He finished setting the camera in front of a weird improvised scenario filled with cardboard clippings and stuff. His head popped out from behind the table.

"It's the Mikey's puppet show! Today: The impostor kitchen glove and the invasion of the household appliance monsters! Also featuring: the romance between Spatula and Spoon~" He suddenly stopped, one hand holding a spork and another a coffee jar, "Or should I start with how many smoke-bomb eggs I can put in my mouth? No, wait! I should start with my turtle yoga classes." His hand moved towards the camera and the image went to black again.

When it came in once more, it was Mikey again, this time speaking from the couch, laid back (or he would have been if for a split of second we had not seen him dropping a stick hastily - that is, the stick he used to turn the camera in from that distance, before posing and acting relaxed).

"So, Michelangelo here, in the zone. Follow these easy steps for smoothness absolute like a turtle-do -"

"Mikey -"

"ARGH! Oh it's you, Donnie."

"It's that... my training bo?"

"...No?"

He rolled his eyes. "Did you wax the Shellracer 2.0 like I told you?"

"Can't do, bro. I'm in my chillin' time."

"You better not be messing with April's camera."

Mikey was up and gone next second. "Gotta go, wax the Shellracer -"

"Mikey!" Donatello followed behind.

And then there was nothing but the silent image of the couch. Then, murmurs of voices coming from a distance, growing near... Then someone came to the camera - a body, and then another, headless - that is, the heads not within the canvas of the image, but from the sound of it, it was the angry one, and Leo, the leader. The conversation had already started from before, and they only stopped in front of the couch when one called the other, "Raph. Stop and listen to me for a second! We need to talk about this."

"Maybe I don't want to talk." He stopped, nonetheless.

"I get it, alright? From all the times you told me... I had the responsibility, it was my stupid idea. It's my fault. My leadership got us going all the wrong - if it wasn't for my lousy decisions, Splinter -"

"Stop right there. Leo, you probably should hear this now that I can say it... I don't blame you." Raph turned, but almost imperceptibly.

"Don't blame me?! How can you not blame me?! From all the times you've given me grief, if there was ever a time to blame me -"

"Well, I don't. I know how I am but not today. I've thought back on that day many times and I know if it as me, I'd have done everything exactly the same."

Leo seemed disgruntled even more so by that. "From all the stupid times, you decide to cut me some slack now?! I want you to get angry! I want you to blame me! I blame myself!"

"Well, tough luck, Leo, because I don't. I blame myself."

"Oh, just perfect -" They had moved out of scene, with the sounds fading, but you could still get some murmuring. "Then why, Raph? You insist in going off on your own. What are you doing? Why the solo act?"

"I - it's... not about you. I can't be around you right now."

Leo stopped, and growled. "What, you're suddenly better than us?"

"No, that's not what I -"

"Then what was it?" Leo called out. "Talk to us."

Raphael pulled away as Leo tried to move over. "I just need to be alone." He sounded pained.

"We all are coping. We need to stick together. More than ever. We only got one another."

"I know that. You don't understand. You're better off without me."

"Is this about you getting angry -"

"That's not it. Not in the way you think. It's just, since that time with Splinter... It's all wrong."

Leo's manner was cutting. "How?"

"I just... After what happened in that place, I... I didn't get angry. In fact, I thought it was strange, I knew I had to be most angry of all now, but it was like I had forgotten how to be angry... Or maybe I was still in denial, and expecting Splinter to sprint out of a rooftop or... or behind a door, saying something wise - saying we need to do something, just be reassuring. Then I turned to you three. And, it was like it wasn't you. You were so angry, like how I was supposed to be. And then you started talking revenge, saying things like killing the Shredder."

Leo's eyes grew colder, "What had changed, Raph? After all that he's done to us, you know that he deserves it."

"That doesn't matter. That was never the issue! Splinter wouldn't want us to be - wouldn't want you to be..."

The tension was high. Leo was angry. "To be what, Raph?"

"Splinter wouldn't want you to turn into me!"

Leonardo seemed about to retort something when he turned to the camera; he must have noticed the red light that meant it was recording. He went to it, and the image went dark again.

... A new time, the camera was turned on. The image was of Raphael. A sad Raphael. He had an odd pensive look, staring up front at the camera without really looking.

"Right. I just need to say this out loud. After I just I watched that conversation with Leo and, it's not like... Damn it, I don't know how to say it. Even I don't know... How did it all turn out this way...?" He paused, and sighed. "Splinter isn't here. Normally I would talk to him - I would talk to him about this and anything. But he isn't here. Actually, I don't know if I would be like I am right now if it wasn't for... " He chuckled sadly, then looked up, serious again. "Well, I guess I was lucky that way... yeah. I don't know if...I don't know if this is going to make any sense to you, but... just bear with me.

"My name is Raphael. I'm gonna tell you a different story."

.

A/N: And so it begins…

Because I seem to have mixed things up, disregard the previous note here. Lastly, I'm just gonna say I am very much looking forwards to see what the authors are going to do with the new series and all this I'm saying is just my appreciation, if not wish-fulfillment…

Over and above all, this is just me trying to endure hiatus…