Raph moved through his training almost robotically.
It had been almost a week since they'd won against Shredder and lost their Father on the same day. Donnie had been laid up for most of it, ribs and wrist strapped up, and the others had dealt with their own bruises and sores.
He was getting restless now though.
Charging up his powers, he punched the training bag, walking away as it started to glow, before it exploded, sand coating the floor.
"Raph?" Leo gave him a look of concern, "Are you okay?"
"How can you all just stand around talking when Dad could be out there hurt?! Badly!"
"Like I said this morning…" Leo's voice was tense, "… we have to organise the search, look at everything we know!"
"But we don't know ANYTHING!"
There was a moment of silence, before Mikey softly spoke up, "We know that we were battling the Shredder and Dad took a major hit… that was meant for- "
"- Me." Donnie's voice was soft, coming from the sofa he'd been ordered to rest on, "And then when we went back for him, he was gone."
April turned to her laptop and shook her head, "I've called every hospital asking if a Japanese man your Dad's age was brought in. Nothing. I've contacted the police to see if they've seen anything, and there's still nothing!" She looked up at them, "But, maybe no news is good news?"
"Bullshit!" Raph snarled, "We should be out there looking for him!"
"We have been Raph!" Leo rushed to follow him, "But he can't be found anywhere! With Donnie laid up the way he is, we just have to wait…. How can we search an entire city?!"
"I'll manage."
"Raph!" Mikey protested, "It's not a good time for the hot-head thing! At least wait until Donnie's back on his feet to fix up the Battle Truck again!"
"The kid's got cracked ribs and a busted wrist! He ain't getting up anytime soon!"
"I-I can try and do some- "
"- No Donnie." Leo's voice was gentler now, "You need to rest." He then turned to Raph, "Go and blow off some steam. Maybe you'll find something out there."
Donnie needed time to rest, and he didn't need to be guilted into doing work.
"Count on it." Raph grunted, before storming out.
…..
He raced across the rooftops, determined to find something even if it meant being out all night. Jumping on top of a nearby van, he kept his eyes open.
There!
In that alleyway!
Jumping off, he rushed into the alleyway, reaching out, only to find that the cause of the shadow, was nothing but a pile of rubbish.
Not his Dad at all.
The frustration bubbled up, as his gaze turned to the skies.
"Dad…" His voice sounded broken, even to him, "… Where are you?"
…
His search continued on for a few more hours as he headed back up to the rooftops. The moon was high in the sky when he heard trashcans banging, prompting him to look over the side.
Men in suits, searching for something with flashlights.
"Well…" Raph smirked, "… What do we have here?"
It looked like a possible out-look for his anger.
Much better than a punching bag.
"Hurry up and find him!" A man in a different coloured suit called out, "The boss wants this tied up tonight before he makes a bid for the top! And when the boss moves up, we all move up!"
Raph moved a little closer to get a better look, only to gasp softly when he spotted a child, probably only around eight, hiding in a nearby dumpster.
"Do I need to remind you boys what will happen if we don't re-capture our quarry?!" The colourful man continued to rant, "Find him!"
"He ain't here!"
"Then try the next alley!"
As the suited men moved away, the kid moved to leave the dumpster.
"No." Raph hissed, "Stay down!"
The kid didn't hear him, as he lifted the lid of the dumpster up a little higher, only to knock a lamp to the ground, the CRASH echoing throughout the alley.
The kid ducked back down just in time to avoid being seen, as the men rushed back.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are." The leader crooned.
The lid of the dumpster opened just a little, as Raph felt like his heart was jumping into his throat. "No." He muttered, voice barely above a whisper, "Stay where you are."
"Time to stop playing hide and seek." The leader flashlight landed on the dumpster as he moved closer.
Quickly, Raph jumped out of the shadows, landing in the beam of the torches. "I think it's your turn to hide now." He smirked, pulling one sai out and spinning it around, "I'll give ya til three." His other hand was automatically moving back to his stash of playing cards.
Knowing that his eyes looked extra creepy in the light of the torches, he started to count.
"One…"
"Wrong time of the year for Halloween freak!" The leader sneered
"… Two… "
"Alright boys! Teach this kid a lesson in minding his own business!"
"… Three!"
As the suits moved closer, Raph leapt into the air. He dodged chains and bats, ducking, twisting and leaping out of reach as he knocked them out one by one, landing with a little flourish.
That had helped.
"Next?"
The others took a step back.
"Don't be shy boys… there's plenty for everyone."
"W-what are you?!"
"… Dangerous." Raph pulled a card out of his back pocket, charging it up and throwing it at the leader's feet, chuckling when the man jumped back, "Very dangerous."
"G-Get him!"
The other suits looked at each other, before shaking their heads and booking it in the opposite direction.
"Oh, come on!" Raph called after them, "We were just getting started!"
But they were already gone, including the leader.
Satisfied, Raph turned back to the dumpster, kicking the side of it. "Come on. I don't bite."
The lid creaked up as the kid glared out at him.
"Come on, no need to be scared." Raph watched as the kid slowly got out, green eyes never leaving him, "What's your name?"
Silence.
"Well?"
Suddenly, the kid drew back his leg and kicked Raph right in the shin, causing him to flinch slightly with a pained kiss.
Shin kicks were the number one attack he and his brothers would inflict on each other. His shins were rock solid now.
"Cute." He growled, "Real cute."
He hadn't been kicked by an eight-year-old since Donnie had had a minor meltdown over one of his inventions getting broken… by Raph.
He blocked the kid's next punch.
"You get one free hit." He snarled, "Now knock it off."
The kid continued to glare, "I ain't telling you my name if you don't tell me yours!" He spat out.
"… Raphael." Raph was silent for a moment, waiting for the kid to tell him his name, before quickly realising that it wasn't coming anytime soon, "So, what d'ya do to piss those guys off so much?"
"Don't call me kid!" The kid pushed him away, "I'm Tyler and I can handle this myself!"
Oh, Raph had seen this behaviour before… on himself. Time for a bit of Yoshi psychology, "Fine!" He turned away, "I'm in the middle of something myself anyway."
A kid's curiosity knew no bounds…. Usually.
This kid however, made a run for it.
"God dammit it." He hissed, moving to give chase. He easily got ahead of the kid, smirking when Tyler ran right into him and fell to the ground.
"I was trained as a ninja kid…. You can't sneak away from me."
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"And you can't go messing with those mob goons again! You're just a kid! You'll get hurt!"
"I SAID, DON'T CALL ME KID! YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME!"
Raph's temper started to flare up again, as he leaned in close.
"Oh yeah?"
"YEAH!"
"OH YEAH?!"
"YEAH!"
That was it. Scooping the kid up under one arm, he ignored the shouting, kicking and hitting and slowly made his way to the police station.
The kid would wear himself out eventually.
…..
He was right.
By the time they reached the alleyway opposite the police station, the kid had settled down.
"Alright, there we go." Raph set Tyler back on the ground, keeping a hold of his shirt, "Go in there, tell them where you live and they'll take ye home… I'd go in with ya, but- it's complicated."
"But- "
"Get going…. And no funny business! I'm right here watching ya."
Tyler glared at him, but moved to cross the street, walking up the steps pf the police station before hesitating.
'Go on' Raph mouthed, gesturing for the kid to keep going, watching as Tyler headed into the station, the door behind him.
"Kids." He sighed, turning to get back to his search.
And then he heard the creaking door.
"Shit."
Waiting in the shadows, he watched Tyler race past him, easily grabbing him by the collar as he went.
"HEY!"
"Tell me what's going on with you, or I'm going to keep bringing you back all night! And I'm going to get more pissed off every time I have to do it!"
"Alright, alright! Okay!"
Slowly, keeping on eye on him, Raph placed Tyler back on the ground.
"It-it all started after school. I got my homework done so my sitter let me watch my favourite movie. And then my mom came home… she was really happy because she'd managed to get a recording of a bad guy that was going to help put him away for a long time. She's a reporter you know, and she was going to be famous!" Tyler paused, "But I guess the bad guys heard about the tape and they wanted it really bad, but Mom knew they'd just kill us as soon as she gave it to them." Tears were now starting to build in Tyler's eyes, "She told me to brave, gave me the tape and told me to run… so I did. And then you showed up."
It sounded like a bad evening.
Raph knew about bad evenings.
"They've really got your Mom?"
"Yeah! And I'm going to go back and kick all their butts!"
"Bad idea." Raph sighed, "Look kid… Tyler, if all this is true, then I can guarantee that I will get your mom out. But first, I need to get you into a safe place!"
"No way! You're not dumping me!"
Raph groaned. Was this how his Dad felt during his more… combative years?
"What does it take to get through to you?! It's Way. Too. Dangerous! Do you wanna get- "
To Raph's horror, tears then started to build in Tyler's eyes, as the kid let out a broken sob.
"Look… Tyler. I know how ya feel…" Raph sighed, "… My Dad's missing. I was out there trying to find him when I found you."
"… Really?"
"Really."
"Aw, that's so touching!"
They both flinched at the new voice, turning to the left, where the colourful mobster was staring at them.
"Is the poor little freak missing his Daddy?!"
Raph glanced up and down the alley, quickly realising that they were surrounded.
Dammit… he shouldn't have let his guard down.
Pulling out a few playing cards, he stepped in front of Tyler and tensed for a fight.
"Hand him over." The leader sneered, one hand moving threateningly to his gun, "Now."
"Come and get me creepo!" Tyler yelled back, making Raph roll his eyes.
What a hot-headed kid.
Pushing the kid to one side, he lunged at the oncoming thugs, taking care of them with ease.
He'd faced down Elite Foot ninja and the Shredder.
These guys were nothing.
And then the leader pulled out the grenade and threw it at the kid.
"KID!"
Raph dived in front of him. It was an explosive right? Electricity couldn't hurt Donnie, so explosions couldn't hurt him, right?
It was shoddy logic and he knew it.
A bright white light filled the area before everything went dark. Raph rubbed at his eyes, grateful that he was alive.
This gratefulness disappeared however when the darkness didn't dissipate.
"We have a problem…" He hissed, feeling Tyler pressing up against him, "… I can't see a thing."
Reaching behind him, he lifted Tyler into one arm again, knowing that he had to get the kid out of here, no matter what.
"If you run straight ahead, there's a skinny guy! You can totally take him." Tyler hissed.
Raph did as he was instructed, only for Tyler to cry out.
"WALL! Go that way!"
"Which wa- UGH!" He ran smack straight into the wall, feeling his nose bust on impact, "SHIT!"
"That… was the wall."
"I could have done with knowing that a second earlier… and we need to work on your directions."
"They're coming for us, get going! Left!"
Raph started to run, only for Tyler to call out again.
"Your other left!"
Raph swerved, hearing the men chasing them. A minute passed before Tyler called out again.
"Stick your left hand up!"
"What? Why?"
"Just do it!"
Raph did as he was told, feeling his palm hitting the cold metal of a fire escape ladder.
"Get on my back kid." Raph ordered, feeling Tyler climb onto his back as he started to climb up. When he reached what he believed to be the last length of ladders, he stopped. "Tyler, where's this thing bolted to."
"Here." Tyler guided his hands.
"Great, start climbing now!" Raph then charged the bolt slightly, rushing up the ladder as he heard the little explosion, followed by the clanking of metal against metal and the thugs screaming in alarm and grunting in pain.
Once he was on the roof, he lifted Tyler back into his arms, a little unnerved from being so high up and unable to see.
'Just think of it as a training exercise' he thought to himself, 'Just another one of… Dad's training exercises.'
"Where to now?"
"Just go straight, there's a gap coming up so when I say jump, jump!"
….
"Tyler, where are you taking us kid?!"
Tyler's grip tightened around his hand. "Just a little further!"
They came to the edge of the building, where there was a small wall. Raph sighed in relief, hating how his eyes still refused to cooperate and work! Leaning back against the wall, he went to sit down, letting go of Tyler's hand.
"This is it." Tyler whispered, "This is the place where they got my Mom."
He did promise.
"Alright…" Raph took a deep breath, "… tell me everything that you can see."
"Uh, I can see a couple of goons who's butts I'm gonna kick!"
Raph automatically reached out to grab him, stopping him from just rushing down. "Woah, woah, woah! Think before you act! You can't just go storming off like a hot-head!" And then he groaned, "I'm starting to get a sense of how my Dad feels now."
Tyler calmed down though, and that was all that mattered, the kid moving back to peer over the edge of the roof.
"Hey Raph, look!"
"I can't look! What is it?"
"I can see my Mom! There she is!" There was a pause before Raph heard the sound of Tyler running away, "I gotta get down there!"
"Kid!" Raph hissed, "Wait up here, I'll- "
"- I'm not waiting here! I can't!" Tyler protested, "I promised her! I promised I'd come back for her! I promised."
"Okay, alright." Raph could understand Tyler's stance on this, "But we do this together, okay? You're going to have to be my eyes… and no steering me into walls this time, right?!"
"Right."
"Let's get our signals straight first… here's what we're going to do."
…
Sneaking into the warehouse was easy enough, breaking the lock of a window and climbing inside. Form there, it was easy to sneak down to the lower floors, Raph grimacing at the over-powering smell that met them.
"Thank god these guys wear a lot of aftershave." He muttered, taking a breath and stepping out from the shadows, "My advice… give up now, save yourselves a world of hurt."
He heard chuckling, before a familiar, whiny voice spoke up.
"We should thank you for making it so easy for us! We just had to wait and you brought the kid right to us! We got him boss!"
Heavy footsteps.
"So, this is the punk freak who's caused me so much trouble? Do you know what I do to people who cause me trouble?!" Heavy footsteps moved closer, "I make them pay… personally."
"Talk to me kid." Raph hissed, "Where is he?"
"Ha." He heard the boss chuckle, "You're as blind as a bat."
The following punch knocked Raph right onto his back, busting his nose again. If he got out of this night without his nose being broken fully, he would be surprised.
He pushed himself to his feet and took a deep breath.
"C'mon kid!" He growled, "Now!"
Tyler, thankfully, didn't hesitate any longer.
"Two o'clock!"
Raph ducked, feeling the air shift as a punch missed him. He then rose up and kicked the boss right on the chest.
"Five o'clock!"
Another kick.
"Duck and roll!"
As the boss was kicked in the back, he bellowed out, "SOMEBODY SHUT THAT KID UP!"
"Three o'clo- MMPH!"
Raph winced. There went his eyes.
Now they were playing a game of blind man's bluff.
It wasn't a shock when the boss managed to land a punch on him, sending him crashing back to the ground.
"All that karate stuff don't mean nothing!" The Boss revealed in his new-found victory, "If you can't see!"
A kick to the mid-section.
A punch to the gut that made him gasp, desperate for a breath of air all of a sudden.
"This is so easy!"
A punch to the jaw.
And then there was a scream of pain, followed by Tyler's voice again.
"One o'clock!"
He kicked the boss back.
"Seven o'clock!"
Another kick.
"Three o'clock!"
Another.
"One o'clock! One, one, one, one!"
Multiple kicks to the face sent the boss to the crowd, judging by the loud THUD.
For a moment, there was silence, until a familiar, high-pitched voice echoed throughout the room.
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE! DO SOMETHING! GET HIM!"
Raph felt Tyler grab his hand, pulling him to safety, over to a pile of boxes.
"Here! Make this explode or something!"
Hopefully, there was nothing flammable or highly explosive in these, Raph mused to himself as he charged up the bottom one, allowing himself to be pulled away as it exploded, sending the entire pile toppling down onto the thugs.
"I think they've got my Mom in this room, but there's a big lock on the door that you can explode! And then we can- "
"- Tyler, wait a sec!" Raph knelt down in front of him, "Your Mom might get a bit freaked out if she sees me hanging around you. I don't exactly look like your friendly Samaritan. Besides… you promised YOU'D come back for her…. Now go and get her."
"But… what about you?"
"I'll follow you out. But remember, head straight for the police station!"
"Got it!"
"You know…" Raph got to his feet, "… We did pretty well for a couple of hot heads."
He blew the lock and moved into the shadows, hearing Tyler reunited with his mum, free her and rush out of the room.
Just as his vision came back.
Perfect.
Sneaking around, he walked up behind the colourful leader, and tapped him on the shoulder, prompting him to spin around.
"Well, if it ain't the blind freak!"
"You've got some nerve talking about being a freak man… especially wearing a tie like that."
It was a polka dot monstrosity.
The man took a step back in alarm, "Y-You can see?!"
"I can see." Raph reached out and grabbed him by the coat lapels, "But looking at you, I'm kinda missing the blind thing." He lifted the guy up and threw him back into the pile of boxes, cackling in delight.
….
Tyler and his mother were at the police station, Tyler handing his mother the incriminating tape, before looking up at the rooftops, where Raph was watching.
He gave the kid a thumbs up, before moving away and taking a deep breath.
Time to go back home… and apologise to his brothers.
