Fighting Words
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Walking into the brothel was almost intoxicating. The smell of the foreign smokes and barrels full of whiskey and drinks was enough to give Leonardo a contact high. The women in the cavern smiled at him and giggled making him blush quietly. One particular woman in a blue dress highlighting her green skin came running up and latched herself immediately to the arm of Raphael.
"Oye, Raphie I knew you was' gonna protect us!" She spoke, her accent slightly thicker than Raphael's.
"Of course Doll I ain't never lettin' them touch you without proper pay. You ladies work too hard for that sort of treatment." he said, squeezing her hand in reassurance but maneuvered her off of him so he could lead the two other turtles to the back room. Leonardo and Donatello entered the smaller room, obviously used for discussion. Raphael kicked back one of the wooden chairs out so he could sit on it and look up at the two guests.
"C95 huh? Fuck never thought I'd I see the day." Raphael said with a laugh. Leonardo looked between the two brothers.
"I'm sorry, I'm not familiar with that code." He said honestly.
"It means storming the palace." Donatello explained. "Killing the emperor."
"Oye! Don't be sayn' so loud." Raphael reprimanded. "You don' know who's listen' right now."
"Oh, sorry." Donatello said more quietly. Leonardo couldn't help but to eye the door, feeling they
might actually being watched.
"Don't trust your men? Even the women could be spies for the palace." Leonardo commented.
"Probably." Raphael agreed, "most of the women were brought here from the palace so I wouldn't be shocked if they were. Hide'n out in tha rebellion is pretty smart."
"The rebellion, what progress have you made with this rise up?" Leonardo asked.
"Heh, not much. Our numbers are pretty small and the fucker don't make it easy. You not part of
some rebellion?" He asked.
"No, I am not from these parts." Leonardo responded.
"Hm, why such an interest then if you ain't from around here?" He asked. Leonardo was starting
to pick up Raphael was interested in who he was.
"I'm from up in the mountains. My interests are slightly more personal."
"Yer' some sort of monk?" Raphael asked in some disbelief. "ain't no way someone like you is a
monk."
"I was raised by strong political leaders and Buddhist worships." Leonardo explained.
"That's a whole lot of bull." Raphael countered, getting out of his seat. "Who are ya? I don't see a brand on ya." He said pointing at his own stamp of ownership.
"It doesn't matter who I am, we have a similar goal." Leonardo tried to say.
"Leonardo helped me Raphael. He isn't looking for trouble." Donatello said.
"Trouble don't need to be found. You ain't a Jaeger, you ain't some merchant or no good thug."
Raphael pointed out. "I wanna know why my assistance is needed. Who did ya' piss off ya' need a couple of Jaeger's to help ya." Leonardo stood there firm. He didn't want to start a fight, at least not now. But this gave Raphael time to assume. He smirked.
"You a Krieger?" He said, almost like a joke. Leo stood firm but didn't respond. Donatello immediately grew stiff, catching Raphael's attention.
With speed, Raphael grapsed Leonardo's wrist and flipped it to see the insignia he dreaded.
"A fucking Krieger." He growled, throwing the strangers wrist down with aggression.
"Leonardo has the same goals as us Raphael there's no need for this anger anymore." Donatello tried to reason.
"Have you forgotten what happened to our fatha' Donnie?" Raphael yelled. "It's these freaks that took 'im away or were ya' too busy flaunting over 'im cuz he's a fucking freak!" Leonardo flicked his eyes towards Donatello. This was a piece of information the intelligent turtle forgot to mention. Leonardo looked back at the angered Jaeger and needed to pick his words carefully.
"Your father, he was a Jaeger as well, during the wars?" Leonardo asked, seeing the tension in the turtle's body tighten profusely.
"Nah, he was a mina' working at the wall of the castle. Ya' freaks killed 'im when fighting off Jaeger at the city wall!" Raphael hollered.
"I'm sure it was not intentional Raphael. Krieger vow to never hurt the innocent at all cost." Leonardo tried to reason.
"Mah dad was innocent! Because he wasn't there to teach us tha trade they took us away to be Jaeger! Krieger did that. Ya Freaks did that!" In an instant, Raphael swung at the Kreiger with all his might, Leonardo picking up on the attack and dodged with ease.
He was watching Raphael's movements. There was no strategy to his attacks, just fists full of anger and rage.
It was understandable.
Though for years people had loved Kriegers, worshipped them and counted on them to help them. But, then there were people like Raphael who saw them as freaks, as monsters. Leonardo having the constant reminder that there were people who truly feared him.
Leonardo backed up, knocking the door open to the rest of the brothel. Light on his feet he was able to dodge away as Raphael came at him like a bull. Leonardo was quick and side stepped being mindful of the people around him. Raphael not so much.
A fist as strong as the gods came down onto the neighboring table, smashing it into bits. Leonardo took note of this. That certainly wasn't considered normal.
Raphael roared, chasing the Kreiger out of the brothel and into the street. Leonardo decided this was the best place for the fight. He was quick, dodging the attacks made by the angered Jaeger, blocking the hand hand combat.
Raphael was getting frustrated, he wanted to pierce the stranger with all he had. Raphael pulled out his weapon of choice. A pair of Sais. Leonardo once again took a mental note of the weapon. More so because both he and Donatello carried peculiar weaponry for mere Jaeger.
Leonardo caught on to the approaching attack, realizing he might just have to put on a slight show. He pulled out a single katana, not needing for a second one in this case. Raphael thought he had the upper hand, swinging one sai above and one below. He was proud of himself. He had always been told how strong and powerful the Kreiger were but he was keeping up with Leonardo like it was a daily routine. But what he wasn't prepared for was Leonardo flipping his katana to the side, slipping the blade in between the two sais and twisting. Raphael immediately lost grip, watching as his weapons were flung to the other side and grunted when his plastron was introduced to a foot.
He went down hard against the dirt but didn't dare to move as the same katana was swiftly pinned beneath his jaw. He looked up to see the Kreiger standing over him and sneered.
"Ya better kill me cuz' the second I get up ya' gonna wish ya had." Raphael growled. Leonardo ignored the threat, but took note of the growing crowd around them. He could see from the corner of his eye Donatello stance slightly shift, ready to attack if needed. He looked back down at Raphael.
"I'm sorry for your father." He said with sincerity. "If the Kreiger attacked with no means then I apologize for the actions of my people. I was not there so I cannot speak for them. But I do not wish harm on anyone. I am desperate need to complete my mission and I would be honored to have you along." With that, Leonardo retracted his katana and stepped off the pinned turtle, offering a hand to help him up. Immediately, the crowd began to disappear, just like Leonardo had hoped.
Raphael looked at the hand quickly swatted away. He stood up and grinned, seeing the plot the Kreiger just pulled.
"Not a fan of eyes on ya' huh?" He pulled.
"I don't like to draw attention to often." Raph huffed.
"I ain't help'n ya." He said looking over at Donatello who joined the two. "Donnie ain't either." Donatello was slightly taken back by the demand.
"Pardon? I believe if I remember correctly I was the eldest. And I am going to help him with, or without you. We have similar goals, and Leonardo has a better chance at succeeding than the rebellion does." Donatello said flatly.
"He ain't tell'n the whole story, are ya freak?" Raphael said. Leonardo kept quiet, paying more attention his surroundings, looking for wondering eyes. Raphael grew annoyed by the lack of response.
"How did you find mah brother? Hm? Not like 'is photo was up on some tree, certainly not cute enough to jus' pick up." Raphael teased. Leonardo was starting to grow tense. He felt the wondering eyes.
"Raphael, I will tell you everything you wish to know in due time. But Donatello is a dire part of my mission and he has already complied to come with. This is an invitation for you to join us and become something bigger than a thug protecting some women in a brothel." He explained to him. "The choice is yours, but I will not allow you to disrupt my plans for a past event I was not apart of and cannot change. I ask for your help to free all people from the restraints of the emperor. Your choice." Raphael looked at him, he didn't trust him not one bit.
"Alright, I'll come. Only to watch ova' Donnie. He's too kind for your species." He said with sneer. "We ain't friends, just turtles with a common enemy." Raphael said walking in the opposite direction back towards the brothel. Leonardo couldn't help but to take a breath of fresh air, feeling slightly more comfortable.
"Ahem." Donatello huffed. "I do apologize for my brother. And I should have told you the reasoning for his hatred." Leonardo smiled.
"Cruel remarks and swinging fists are something I did grow accustomed to. I know people fear me and that's okay, because there are people who don't and that's all that matters. Why don't you hate me?" Leonardo asked. Donatello looked towards the ground.
"I feel like you are the only one left that can change this world. Whether it is good or bad, it needs a change." He said honestly. Leonardo understood, even though Donatello played the pacifist character, he too didn't fully trust the Krieger.
"Alright!" they turned to see the larger turtle walk over with a bag in hand. "All packed up, let's hit the road!" He said.
"Fantastic!" Donatello said with gleam. "I have the carriage, should only be a weeks ride." He explained. Leonardo turned to follow the intelligent Jaeger back to the direction of the carriage that they came in. Raphael's eyes roamed over the armor and weapons on the Krieger and spotted a strange pair of wooden nunchucks in the Krieger's bag caught his attention.
"Oye, didn't know you were such a softie fearless." He said, reaching to grab at the weapon.
Instinctively, Leonardo sensed the movement of the Jaeger, and twisted so swiftly and so quickly, Raphael didn't even blink. Once again he was met with a katana at his throat. They stood there for a moment, Donatello blinking in confusion as to why once again Raphael made Leonardo upstage him.
Leonardo took his blade away instantly.
"Didn't your mother ever teach you never to take things that aren't yours?" He asked, shieving his blade and continued to walk. Raphael gulped, realizing he might have underestimated the Kreiger. He shook it off, continuing to walk a few feet behind the turtle.
When they finally made it to where they had left their ride, Donatello gasped.
"Ahhhh, where did the carriage go!" Donatello hollered. Raphael Smirked.
"Did you leave it unlocked and unmanned?" He asked.
"We were only gone for a few minutes!" He protested.
"You are in Titan Brotha! The home of thieves, you leave no stone unturned." Leonardo smirked at the barter between the two brothers. It was wholesome.
Also made Leonardo feel homesick.
"Well what do we do then with no ride?" Donatello asked.
"Ah, no one will sell to us considering our friend 'ere is exposed." Raphael pointed his thumb to Leonardo. "I supposed we go to the next town and get a horse." He said, starting to walk towards the North.
"And how long of a walk is that?" Donatello asked.
"About 3 days time!" Raphael said.
" 3 days! What will we do about food?" He protested. Leonardo patted him on the shell and walked past him.
"We hunt Donatello, must have learned some skill while becoming a Jaeger." He said.
"That was part of the training I didn't enjoy." He mumbled following behind, not realizing the eyes that were watching them and reporting their every move.
A:N/ Hello! Sorry for such a late update but made it through! Also great news! Not one but TWO of my stories were nominated in the TMNT Universal Readers Choice awards! It's been so long since my stories have been recognized in this sort of matter (Check out Judgement who got 2nd place in the stealthy stories best Leonardo of 2015 ^.^) but if yall want to check them out Vessel was nominated for best action/adventure and Cherish for best romance! *Tcest warning. Im very honored and very excited wanted to say thank you to all my readers 3
Till next time!
-F
