Review please!

-Leah by Michelangelo

Ch. 4-Midori's Vendetta

Leo and I exchanged worried glances. Raphael was staring at the television with a blank expression on his face. He wasn't fooling anyone. All three of us knew that he was still distraught.

Last night the red-masked turtle had come home in an incredibly emotional state. Master Splinter had taken Raphael to his room and comforted him as best he could. My brothers and I stayed by the door for hours, filled with concern until Sensei finally emerged and told us Raph had fallen asleep. We didn't have the heart to wake him for early morning training the next day. He slept well past four in the afternoon, obviously exhausted. But that's not why we were worried. No, it was because our hot-headed brother hasn't said a word since.

It was nearing time for patrol and Raph was still staring off into space. I contemplated his thoughtful expression for a moment, before I made up my mind. I got up and approached him cautiously before plopping myself down beside him.

"Hey Raph."

The red-clad turtle turned his head towards me, his eyes never leaving the screen. He grunted to let me know he was listening and I paused before continuing. It wasn't much, but at least it was a response.

"What are you thinking about?"

Dull green orbs glanced up at me. "Nothing."

My eyes narrowed slightly as I put a hand on his shoulder. "You don't have to hide from us, Raph. We all know you feel things too. We don't like seeing you like this."

"I know Don. I just-I need some time to get sorted out okay? This is…I've never had to deal with anything like this before and I-OH screw this!" He jumped, up throwing his hands up in frustration before heading for the lair entrance.

Leo stepped in his way. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, where do you think you're going?!"

"What's it look like, Fearless?!"

The eldest's expression darkened. "Raphael, you were gone for almost eight hours, practically worrying us to death, and you came home an emotional wreck! If you think we're letting you out of here just like that, you're sorely mistaken!"

My immediate older brother sighed dramatically and his shoulders drooped. To my very great surprise my normally hot-headed brother reached out and put a hand on Leo's shoulder, his green eyes staring straight into the other's dark blue ones. "Look, I can't believe I'm doing this…I need some time-alone. I gotta get out of here, Leo. I can't take it anymore. I need to talk to Casey, get this thing off my chest."

"You could always talk to us." The blue-masked turtle whispered.

"No, I really can't Leo. It's too hard—trying to get you to understand me-it's like talking to a wall. Leonardo, please."

I watched as all of Leo's resistance melted away with those final words. I must confess that I would have done the same. I'd never seen my hot-headed brother so desperate, and I'd wager by the expression on his face that Leo hasn't either.

Leonardo stepped aside and Raph gave him a grateful smile before heading past. A forest green hand caught an emerald green shoulder and Raphael paused.

"If you find any trouble, call us immediately, understood?"

The younger nodded before turning away and running out of the lair.

I took deep breaths feeling the cool crisp night air filling my lungs and for the first time in quite a while, I grinned. I still can't believe I actually begged Lame-o-nardo to let me out. I was just as shocked when he let me go. As I jumped from rooftop to rooftop my mind flew back to the events of two nights ago.

Midori's face was wet with tears as she bent over her mother's body. I beat back the tears that threatened to escape the corners of my eyes as I pulled her up by the elbow. She fell against me, her head pressed to my plastron. I wrapped my arms around her tightly, trying to steady her. One three fingered hand tilted her chin upwards so that her eyes were staring directly into mine.

"Is there somewhere you can go? Anyone? Family? Friends?" She shook her head, though whether it was in denial or refusal I wasn't certain.

"I won't leave her."

I grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her, not-so-gently. "Midori, look at me! Whoever did this could still be around or better yet be waiting for a chance to kill you too. I know I never met her, but I'm guessing your mother would have wanted you to stay safe, not sit here waiting for your own demise!" Midori stared for a moment, before nodding slightly. I used the back of my hand to wipe away her tears. "Then get your things. It isn't safe here." Another nod.

The teenage girl returned to her room and I followed. Midori pulled a large duffle bag from under the bed and stuffed the file into it. The bag itself was already pre-packed and I raised an eye-ridge at her. "She believed in being prepared. So do I." She said, answering my question, her head lowered in sadness.

"Is there somewhere I can take you? Somewhere you'll be safe?"

"Yes, my uncle lives off of Ninth and Baker."

"Alright, then let's go."

We made our to our destination slowly and I carried the bag for her as we walked. She turned to me and gave me a grateful smile. "Thank you. For all you've done for me."

"Hey you were the one who volunteered to help me. If it weren't for me…maybe none of this would've happened."

"It's not your fault, Raph. The end result would have been the same, no matter what had happened between us."

I glanced up at her with amazement. First she wasn't afraid of me, and now she doesn't even blame me? What kind of human is she? "Do ya…would you mind telling me what she was like?"

Midori gave me a sad, tearful smile. "Not at all, actually, it'll be nice to tell someone."

We sat side by side on a rooftop and she began. "My mother was born in Japan in the year of the dragon. She gave me this." Midori gestured to the one sen coin attached to the chain around her neck. "She was high-spirited and beautiful, but boy could she pack a punch." I smiled and she smiled back slightly. "Anyway, the village she grew up in was still rather quaint. All their people were taught in the ways of ninjitsu. Then one day, the Shredder split away from the rest of the clan. My father went along with them, willingly following Saki. Only too late did he realize his mistake. The Shredder's enemy was brought before his army to be executed. You see, this man and my mother, Hikari, had been raised together. They were closer than siblings and my father knew that killing the man who had been like a brother to him would be an eternal black mark on his honor. So instead of executing him, my father helped the man escape. My mother never married again. She told me that my father's final act had shown her that she would never find a finer man." Midori paused and I looked at her.

The tears had ceased and she sat straight and proud, her silhouette framed by the moonlight radiating from behind her. She's so strong, going through all of this and still being able to look fondly on old memories…I've never met a more perplexing individual. She's amazing. "Whatever happened to this enemy of the Shredder's?" I asked curiously.

"We never found out. Just before he was killed my father told my mother he was headed to America. When we finally escaped all those years later, we headed straight for the big apple, hoping to find him. Unfortunately it seems he vanished without a trace."

"That would be a very ninja thing to do."

"Yeah I guess." She shrugged. "But there has to have been some reason for the Foot's appearance in the city and my mother and I were hardly important enough to make them fly all the way from Japan just to kill us off."

I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. I can't tell her anything about it or I could get her even deeper in trouble with the Foot. Besides telling her that my family was the reason the Foot came here in the first place probably isn't such a good idea, after all, she's upset enough as it is.

We sat there for hours just talking, she told me all about her Mother, Father, and their conflict with the Foot. I looked up. The stars had faded and the sky was getting lighter, oh no. I checked my T-phone. Five o'clock already?! Oh man, they're gonna kill me.

Midori stared at me, rather alarmed and I realized I'd said that last sentence aloud. "Who? Are you in danger?"

"Nah, nothing like that. It's just I'm not supposed to go around in the daytime, for…obvious reasons and family worries when I break curfew. I better get going." She clung to me, obviously not wanting to be left alone right now.

I took her the rest of the way to her uncle's and saw her safely inside before I headed straight for the warehouse district. There was an old abandoned factory there that Casey and I had often contemplated using as a hideout. I settled myself in there and waited until night fall. Once I was certain I was alone the dam of emotions that had been forming inside of me finally burst and I collapsed with devastation, frustration and guilt. I had felt so helpless. Not being able to do anything to save Midori's mother, to help her with the pain. I couldn't take it anymore. I couldn't help it. I broke down.

I had lied when I told Leo I was going to see Casey. He wasn't who I wanted to talk to right now, who I needed to talk to right now. I jumped onto a fire escape behind the building that I'd dropped Midori off at night before last. I peered in the window and saw her delicate form stretched out on the bed, her off-black hair covering her face. I knocked quietly on the glass and she looked up slowly. When she saw it was me, she jumped up and rushed to the window.

"Raph!" she exclaimed pulling my arm towards the window. "Come in! I have something important to tell you!"

"I don't think I should…"

"Don't worry, my uncle's not home, he's at work. He works for a shipping firm that transports Japanese antiques to the U.S. that's how I found out about the Foot's smuggling operations."

I bent over and went through the window. The room was expensively furnished, obviously her uncle was well-to-do.

"Raph." I stared at her. "You know how I told you that the Foot were planning to smuggle a shipment in through the docks tomorrow night?" I nodded. "Well I just redid the calculations and confirmed it! We have to go after them!"

"What? No!" I said sternly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "You can defend yourself, but it takes a lot more than fists to win these kinds of fights. You just let me take care of it. I'll make them pay. Don't you doubt that for a second."

I stared into Raph's bright green eyes and I knew he would keep his word. I could also see that his mind wasn't about to be changed anytime soon. "Fine." I agreed, my eyes narrowed.

"Alright, stay here, stay safe. I'll be back tomorrow night to tell you how it went. Here take this." He handed me a small slip of paper before heading out the way he came.

I stared at it. "What is it?" I asked as he was about to jump off the fire escape.

"My phone number." He answered before vanishing in a puff of smoke…again. Show off. I thought with a sad smile.

Sorry Raph. I will have my revenge. And no one is going to stop me. Not even you.