Disclaimer: I don't own TMNT.
"Consequences"
Seth ran up to his room and grabbed his backpack. He would find his way above ground – Do I still have those directions Sensei gave me? – and live on the streets until he found a place to crash. Yeah, I could be overreacting, he thought as he distributed the weight of his belongings, but I bet that Splinter guy is really ticked now. Master Daisuke always made my life hell on earth for at least a week whenever I made him that angry, and Splinter seems like the type who pulls the same stuff. It's better if I just lay low for a while, and what better place than above ground where they can't go?
He shouldered his pack, the old directions in hand. As he was leaving he passed Leo, who asked where he was going. Seth ignored him and kept moving. Leo called after him, but Seth was already in the tunnels backtracking the route he had taken less than a week ago.
Not three turns had passed before someone tapped him on the shoulder. Seth turned around and got a punch to the face in return. He stumbled back and fell to the ground, then looked up at his assailant. It was Raph. "There. A few more o' those and we'll be even." He offered his hand to Seth. Seth ignored it and got himself up.
"What in the name of God's green earth are you doing here, freak?"
"You know, I'm getting' pretty sick o' you callin' me 'freak.' I ain't no more a freak than you, ya pasty punk. Now come on. I'm takin' you back."
Seth laughed, then moaned in pain from the punch. He took some deep breaths to calm down the burning pains in his face. "Like hell I am. Buzz off." He readjusted his shoulder straps and started walking away.
Raphael grabbed Seth's backpack and a bit of t-shirt, yanking him back so that they were shoulder to shoulder. "Like hell you ain't. One way or another, you ain't leavin'. I'm pissed off and I got orders. Capiche?" He spun him around in a semicircle, releasing him so that he was facing the way he had come.
"Look man, you don't know who you're dealin' with, so I'll let all this slide. But trust me, you don't wanna mess with me. Give up and go back to your freak family."
Seth didn't even get to turn all the way before Raphael grabbed his shoulder and yanked him back around. Seth punched, only to find himself standing at Raph's side, his wrist in a lock he had seen police use on particularly rowdy culprits. Seth tried to get out of it; the pain that shot up his arm from the slightest pressure Raph placed on Seth's knuckles was enough to make him yelp. "Like I said, you ain't leavin'. Sensei wants tuh talk to ya."
Constantly on the verge of yelping out in pain from the wrist lock, Seth was led back to the lair. The one other time he tried to get out was before they walked in the main door, and it landed him on the ground in a lot of pain. Raphael simply dragged him back up, lock still in place, and kept going. Once inside the lair, Raphael made a beeline for the traditional Japanese paper door that closed off Master Splinter's room. Seth desperately wanted to struggle, but the wrist lock kept him from wriggling away.
The door was open and Leo was standing in a shadow next to it. He closed the door behind Raphael and Seth, then took a guard position by it. Don and Mikey moved in to block off the main entrance should Seth make another run for it. Inside Splinter's room, Raphael thrust Seth out of the lock and toward Master Splinter. The burly turtle moved to a corner and folded his arms, daring Seth to make a move. The teen glared at Raphael, who only looked back with perfect composure and a small smile. "Kneel, Seth." He whipped his head toward Master Splinter, then to the door. Raphael caught Seth's attention when he straightened in his corner and put one hand lightly on a sai. It was like he was saying, 'Make my day. Try and run.' Seth glowered at him and looked back to Splinter. Slowly he lowered himself onto his knees. "I am sorry that Raphael had to bring you back by force, but I could not let you leave."
"Look, I panicked, okay?" he began, trying to lessen the severity of whatever trouble he was in. "It happens, and I screwed up. So if you're gonna deliver some judgement from on high, just do it. The sooner I get all this over with and get back to Japan, to my real Sensei, the better."
"I have no intentions of punishing you, Seth." Seth was bewildered, but said nothing; no punishment sounded just fine to him. "I wish the exact opposite; I want to help you. And it is for that reason that I want you to come talk to me at least once a day, whenever you have free time. If you plan to continue with your rudeness, then you owe it to me to help me understand. Until then, you may not leave the lair. Are we clear?"
"Yeah, one question though. Ain't the point of bein' rude not having to explain yourself to anyone? Least of all the ones in charge?" he said, smirking arrogantly.
"That is your choice, but it is my decision to say when you are ready to return to your Sensei."
Seth's smile disappeared. "You wouldn't." Splinter turned his back in dismissal. Seth stood up, but did not leave. "Hey, you can't keep me here! In case you hadn't noticed, I ain't a freak like the rest of you guys! I can go up whenever I want and get a job! I can get the money to go back to Japan like that!" He snapped his fingers.
Splinter did not turn around when he said quietly, "Yes, but what would your Sensei say? Would he approve of you ignoring his wishes?"
"Don't you talk about my Sensei, rat!!" Seth started toward Splinter. He didn't know what he was intending to do; possibly fight him, but Seth couldn't even tell he was moving, his thoughts were so riled up. He was stopped by two vice-like hands on his shoulder and arm. Raphael pulled him back and put him against the corner he had been standing in.
"We ain't freaks, you little turd," he hissed into Seth's face. "And if I ever catch you talkin' like that to my Sensei again, I'll make sure your stay here is a living hell. Got that?"
"Raphael." Both boys turned their heads to look at Master Splinter. "That is enough. I have dismissed Seth. You may let him go." Raphael bared his teeth at Seth, then released him with a small shove.
Seth jerked his shoulders to adjust his shirt – Raph had tossed aside the backpack when he had taken Seth to the ground outside the main entrance. Seth jabbed a finger at Raph's face, saying, "I ain't done with you, freak," and then yanked open the door to leave. He walked right past Leo, leaving the screen door open, and went to the main entrance. Mikey and Don blocked his way. "I'm getting' my sack. That a problem?"
"We'll get it for you," Don answered.
Seth's eyes narrowed. "Fine. Break the stuff inside and I break you. I'll be upstairs." He turned on his heel and climbed the stairs two at a time, disappearing into Raph's room. Leo, Don, and Mike watched him go, barely noticing when Raph and Splinter came out of the room to watch Seth's exit.
"Dude," said Michelangelo when he couldn't stand the silence any more. "That guy's got major issues."
"You would too, Michelangelo, if you were in his position." Master Splinter's sad voice drew the eight eyes away from Raph's room entrance and down to Splinter's level. "His sensei and I spoke before he made the decision to send Seth here." The turtles waited for him to say more, to explain why Seth was such a royal pain, but he simply said, "All he needs is time." Then he turned and walked back into his room, closing the door behind him.
A/N: Well, that's the end of the story that I have SO FAR. Hopefully I'll be able to start working on it again, since a couple of you seem so keen on it. ;) I have one other thing related to this that's an interview with the character Seth. I did it to get to know him better, to see how I envision him. So, I'll post that next. Be warned: There may be a very long pause between the interview and my next story posting. (Sorry. I'll try not to take too long. ;;)