Chapter Ten: Family Troubles

In their lair, the turtles were doing some extra midnight training with Splinter. They were doing multiple exercises like balance, strength, and things as simple as fight training. April meanwhile after taking a little time off work to be in the lair was doing a night shift to make up for taking time off by her boss. For the next exercise, Splinter set out a long beam and then faced the turtles. "Okay my sons, this exercise is a balance test. You four must make your way across this balance beam with your arms linked, and if you fall off you must do it from the beginning. This is test the strength of you as a team, and how much you will listen to each other." The turtles nodded and then huddled up. "Okay…so we need to cross the balance beam while linking arms without falling off." Leonardo said. "Oh really? I never realised. I thought we were huddled up to discuss Mikey taking all the pizza." Raphael sarcastically stated. Leonardo just looked away awkwardly, while Michelangelo looked at Raphael shocked. "Hey, I don't take all the pizza." Michelangelo's brothers all gave him a doubtful look which he didn't say anything to." "Okay so we'll listen to each other and do whatever each other says, otherwise we'll end up having to do it again." Everyone nodded at Leonardo, although Raphael nodded with a little resistance filling his mind. The four exited the huddle and faced the balancing beam.

Leonardo was first.

He looked at the balance beam, observing the somewhat glossy surface and how whether or not that was on purpose or if the beam was like that anyway. Leonardo took his left foot and slowly placed it on the beam, immediately gripping his two toes around the front and his heel gripped around the back to ensure a tight hold. Leonardo then quickly pushed himself up, instantly feeling the weight of balancing on one foot. He leaned forward, worrying his brothers and himself. "Leonardo remember…balance is strongest when it's most needed." Splinter said. Thinking about it, Leonardo closed his eyes, taking a deep breath in, then out. Leonardo then placed his right foot stepped onto the beam first, almost immediately slipping at the first step, but after gripping around the beam with that foot he got his balance back.

Donatello was next.

Donatello and Leonardo then link arms and then Donatello then placed his left foot onto the beam. He quickly gripped his two toes and heel around the beam, same thing with the right foot. Donatello then began to slowly shift along with Leonardo to the left, making room for the next turtle.

Now it was Michelangelo.

He linked arms with Donatello and gripped both two toed feet around the beam and shifting along with the other two to make room.

Finally, it was Raphael.

Raphael linked arms with Michelangelo, and gripped both two toes on both feet around the beam, and the four began to slowly shift along the beam.

The four looked and felt the end of the beam being miles away as opposed to the couple of metres that it actually was. While shifting, Michelangelo suddenly became engulfed in shock as him slightly moved forward, shaking himself and his brothers. "Steady…steady." Ordered Leonardo. Michelangelo steadied himself as quickly as possible and the other looked at him anxious. "Mikey, don't do that. Do you want us to have to do it again?" Wondered Leonardo. Raphael suddenly looked at Leonardo with annoyed eyes and slightly aggressively asked him, "What, and it's not like you could not mess up just because you're a so called 'leader'?" Raphael's statement wasn't taken lightly by Leonardo, who moments after told him, "You know what Raph, I'm the leader not you so what makes you think you can talk crap to me?" Raphael's temper suddenly began to rise as the feud between him and Leonardo began to increase. "Oh really fearless leader, well when this is done why don't we go at it?" "Guys…guys we need to focus. Now's not the time for your bickering." Donatello stated. "Donatello's correct. You two must learn the importance of being brothers and family as a whole. If you two continue to fight, then our family will fall apart." Splinter said.

Leonardo just sighed and told Splinter, "Well it's not me who's causing the problems." Without any specific mention of him, Raphael knew exactly who Leonardo was referring two, which he wouldn't take. "Okay that's it." Raphael stated. Raphael let go of Michelangelo and leaped off the beam, causing the other three to fall of the beam. Raphael went and grabbed his sais, and then looked back at Leonardo angrily. "Come on fearless leader, I've had enough. Let's fight." In his mind Leonardo knew that fighting Raphael wasn't a good idea, but his emotions were experiencing a challenge. "Alright then let's go." Leonardo then grabbed his two katana and faced Raphael.

Two began walking towards each other, but quickly stopped and saw Splinter between them. Splinter then shouted, "LEONARDO! RAPHAEL! THAT…IS…ENOUGH!" Leonardo and Raphael looked at a furious Splinter and quickly lowered their weapons. "You two need to STOP THIS! You two are brothers. Raphael you need to not let your anger get the better of you, and Leonardo you need to understand that being a leader does not mean you can control everyone. Stop this. If you don't stop this then you all will fall apart as a family, and remember what I've always said to you…family comes first…being a ninja comes second. Especially when your other two brothers are caught in the middle of it." Leonardo and Raphael then looked and saw Donatello and Michelangelo, who looked at them both worried and innocent. Leonardo and Raphael then looked at each other while Splinter said, "A family is what you are, you four and me, we are all a family. If the two of you fight and fall apart, then that means that we have fallen apart as a family, and that is never a good thing."

While looking at each other Leonardo and Raphael for the first time seeing regret in both their eyes which surprised both of them. Even more surprising, Raphael was the first to lower his weapons and say, "Yes sensei." Leonardo then did it. Splinter looked at them both, and then Michelangelo and Donatello still on the floor and shook his head. "I'm going to rest. There's no more training tonight. Tomorrow you will be allowed to the surface again but before then you will stay in the lair and think about what being brothers mean…think about it." Splinter then left the dojo, leaving the four alone. Leonardo and Raphael looked at each other again, once more seeing the regret in both their eyes. "You know Raph," Leonardo began. "I honestly don't know why I was chosen as leader, but I do know I want to be the best leader I can. I don't know about you, but I want to be the best I can be." Leonardo then turned and left the dojo, while Raphael then walked away in a different direction towards his room.

Meanwhile Donatello and Michelangelo still on the floor turned to each other with uncomfortable looks and slowly got up and left the dojo, simultaneously leaving the awkward scenario.

…

The next day as night fall was about to hit, in the lair the Michelangelo was watching TV, Donatello was in his lab, while Raphael was practicing meditating and Leonardo was practicing his sword fighting. In his lab, Donatello was observing a big blue print of something which he planning to build.

Raphael was in the dojo, by himself, in a very much typical mediation position, his eyes closed and slowly breathing in and out. The dojo had small brightly lit candles formed in a circle around Raphael, as Splinter had suggested. Taking a small breath in…then out Raphael began to put concentration into his mind. Suddenly Raphael began to think about things that people have said in his mind. "You two are brothers, and that is most important." Raphael heard Splinter say in his mind. "You know what Raph, I don't know why I was chosen as leader." Raphael heard Leonardo say in his mind. "I don't know about you, but I try to be the best I can be."

Raphael suddenly swung his eyes open, stopped his slow breathing and looked around to see him alone. Raphael looked ahead of him, and did a deep sigh and slowly shook his head.

Raphael quickly got back up and speed walked towards the dojo exit. Raphael entered the lair where he saw just Michelangelo who was on the sofa watching TV. Michelangelo looked and saw surprised to see Raphael and told him, "Oh hey Raph…how's it going?" "Fine Mikey…fine." Raphael replied.

"Raphael," Raphael heard Splinter say. Raphael looked ahead and sure enough saw Splinter who had just appeared from his room, and walking up to him. "How was your mediation?" "It was fine sensei." Splinter suddenly looked and saw the distress in Raphael's eyes, which unlike Raphael's brothers who just see the anger which he mostly displays, Splinter had seen this look before in Raphael which he had only shown when he wasn't in the company of his brothers. "Raphael…follow me into my room." Splinter told Raphael, who indeed followed Splinter into his room. Michelangelo saw Splinter and Raphael going into Splinter's room, and instantly his curiosity was increased. Michelangelo began slowly tip toeing towards the two. "Don't even think about it Michelangelo." Splinter said before closing his room door, making Michelangelo throw his arms into the air.

Splinter stood around while Raphael sat on his knees. Splinter then walked up to Raphael. "Raphael…I know you want to control your anger, who have troubles. As your father, I understand this more than your brothers, and I want to help you. I've tried to channel your anger Raphael, but more remains. Anger is a difficult enemy, that can destroy you from the inside." Splinter said as he put his hand on Raphael's head. "You try to hide your emotions from your brothers, and the only emotion you let your brothers see, is your anger, and that is what I want to help you supress." Suddenly Raphael began having a tear come from his face, shaking his head at the shear fatherly display which Splinter was showing him. "Don't worry…I am here for you…my son." Splinter said. Raphael looked with tears coming out of both eyes. Splinter suddenly heard a slight creaking sound, which he followed to his room door. "Michelangelo!" On the other side of the door Michelangelo who had tried to listen in on the conversation, had not managed to hear basically anything because of how quiet the conversation in Splinter's room was, but was able to hear Splinter loudly saying his name. Michelangelo threw his arms up in the air again as he sat onto the sofa.

Splinter looked back to Raphael, and said, "Remember Raphael, all emotions are good, but never let your anger get the better of you." Raphael nodded as Splinter nodded back.

On the sofa annoyed at not being able to eavesdrop properly, Michelangelo suddenly saw Splinter's room door open and saw Splinter leave his room, with Raphael following. Splinter seeing the other two not in the room, went to Michelangelo and said, "If you ask Raphael what our conversation was about or tell your brothers that me and Raphael had a conversation, you will not be allowed out to the surface for a total of four months." Michelangelo threw his arms up in the air again as he looked seeing Raphael no longer drenched in emotion, looking like he did hours ago.