Mission time! A bit of a break, we do need.
Raph: This is TMNT, not Star Wars.
Me: You like it and you know it, Raph.
Leo stands on the rooftop of their neighbors house, watching his brothers climb up silently to join him. He recalls his solo training session from earlier that day and knows he has to tell Raph. He walks over to his brother. "Hey Raph?"
"Yeah?" The moment he gets a response, Leo realizes that mentioning it know could jeopardize the mission.
"Uh, I have something to tell you when we get back," he covers.
"Why not now?" Raph asks.
"We need to focus on the mission. Plus, it isn't too important," Leo decides. Raph believes him and all four set off to the TCRI building.
The four run across the rooftops and Raph spots a sign at the street corner to his left. 'Chloe's house is nearby. I could visit her after the mission,' he decides. He knows he needs to tell Leo about seeing Chloe, but something in him doesn't want to. 'C'mon Raph, what is more important? Family? Or Chloe?'
He tears his gaze away from the street and back to his brother in front. They need to have this mission be successful. Whatever Kraang Tech is planning, it can't be good. They reach the tall building and scale it like they did before. But before Mikey can grab the handle of the hatch at the top, Donnie pulls him back.
"Wait!" He whispers. Checking the hatch, he finds it is both locked, and electrified. They look around and find a window that looks into the lab. They all study what they are seeing.
In the big open area, there are not one, but two portals next to each other. Kraang bots mill around with guns at ready, while a few human scientists are at the control box. The team can't hear what they are saying, but Donnie is eagerly watching to see what happens.
"Don? I thought you said they would make a portal," Leo asks, confused.
"Sh!" Donnie says as both machines power up. They watch a scientist walk up to the portal on the right side. He has a small orb in his hand. He tosses it into the portal. Another scientist is at the left portal and catches it. After a quick inspection, he deems the orb the same with a thumbs up.
"I don't think those are portals," Mikey comments. His brothers shush him. The scientists run tests with other objects, some a little larger. But then the portal does not give it back and it spurts electricity.
"C'mon team. Let's move," Leo says when a few bots start looking in their direction.
"Wait," Donnie says. He takes out a small camera and attaches it to the window. He wants to monitor the progress without travelling all this way. "Okay." He joins his brothers out of view of the window. They make their way back to their cables, avoiding a few bots in the process.
"What were those things Donnie!?" Raph asks once they land on a safer building.
Donnie explains as they run. "They are portals, but they are a specific kind of portal. Teleporters."
"Why would Kraang Tech need teleporters?" Leo asks himself out loud.
"I'm still going with Dimension X though," Mikey says, the only one of the four whose mind is on something else. They jump up and ricochet off a water tower, rolling to land on the next roof over.
"It's probably for business," Raph suggests, "There's got to be a deal behind all of this."
"I wouldn't cross that off the list either," Leo says. They zig zag to different rooftops on the way home, just in case they were followed.
Then they slide down the rooftop and enter the dojo, tired. They set their weapons away and step out of their armor. Leo unties his bandana and sees Raph doing the same.
"Hey Raph?" He asks. His green eyed brother looks up from the floor at him, silently letting him continue. "Thanks for listening."
Raph grins, "It isn't going to happen all the time. But with the fate of, the world, probably, at stake, it's seemed appropriate." They hang up the masks and race to the bathroom. Both have a feeling in the back of their mind that they are missing something, but the recent updates from the mission block them from understanding what it is.
"Almost there Donnie?" Leo asks, drying off his hair. Donnie is at his computer, getting the camera up and running.
"Yeah, almost."
"I call the shower next!" Mikey cheers, slamming the door.
"Mike- Ugh, whatever," Leo chastises, only to realize his youngest brother can't hear him anymore.
"There, all done. They aren't doing much now. Just trying to fix it," Donnie examines. Leo decides to take watch with the camera while Donnie gets changed and waits for the shower. Raph had gone to explain the whole thing to April, since she was a bit out of the loop. He should be back soon, and with dinner.
When he arrives, he is intercepted by Master Yoshi before he can reach the stairs. "Hello, Raphael. How was your mission?"
"Donnie learned some new information. He'll be able to explain it better."
"How are you, my son?"
Raph starts walking up the stairs, "I'm good. I'm going really good."
"Raphael?" The teen freezes at the tone his father makes.
"..Okay, I'm a little concerned.." he says, choosing his words carefully. Master Yoshi strokes his chin.
"How so?"
"I don't know if we can defeat this. I don't know.. I don't want to lose a brother," Raph says, not hiding his feelings from his sensei.
"You don't want to lose your family, hai?"
"Hai, sensei."
"Will you do anything to keep it?" Master Yoshi asks. Raph looks down at the stairs, then back up.
"Hai, Father."
Master Yoshi nods once, "I am glad to hear it. I believe your brothers are hungry." Raph nods and continues up the stairs.
So, I wrote that last part without thinking. I have a feeling that in the back of my mind, Splinter is rooting for a son. But, I don't think so once I thought about it. Splinter trusts they will figure it out, even if it means giving her up.
He is making sure Raph remembers that family is more important. (Splinter is like a mind reader..!)