Chapter Two...
A manhole cover raised and moved aside. Raph looked side to side and climbed out. He moved the lid back and held his right arm to his plastron. His shoulder felt like it was on fire. Despite the pain, a thought shoved its way to the front of his mind: what was he supposed to do now?
He considered going to Casey's apartment, but decided against it. It was too early in the morning. He didn't want to go to April as she was more than likely already at work and she'd want to know the whole story. That was something Raph did not want to think about.
So, he decided to take it to the roof tops and run. He had no destination, he just didn't care where he ended up. Raph spotted the nearest fire escape and, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, climbed the ladder to the rood. At the top, he paused long enough to hold his arm and breathed out a curse. His shoulder could literally be set on fire and it would feel better than it did currently.
Raphael sucked it up and began running. He jumped from roof top to roof top with ease, knowing exactly which buildings he could use. However, he couldn't get his mind off what he had read... or what there was left for him if he intended on never going home.
He couldn't think of one damn thing. He came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the current building. He leaned over the short wall and looked out. Not only was he an outcast to the outside world, but now he didn't even have his brothers or...
Raph shook his head, attempting to clear the thoughts. It was too late, an internal battle had already begun.
Which would prove bad for the battle that could be started by the two dozen Foot that were silently surrounding the building, waiting on every roof top within jumping distance. His head bowed, Raph's thoughts beat out his sixth sense.
It was already too late when he heard a noise and finally looked up.
* * * * *
Leo sighed, but his gaze remained on his clasped hands resting on the table in front of him. He wanted to understand what he had read, but he also wanted to understand the mindset Splinter had when he'd written it.
To Leo's left, Mike was folding and unfolding a napkin. Splinter's initial intent for raising them was not what was troubling him at the moment. He was worried about Raphael.
Mike glanced up at Don, who sat across the table from him. Mike could easily tell he was lost in thought. Don didn't seem to have his gaze focused on anything in particular. He simply stared past Mike, looking towards the living room.
Splinter sat in the fourth seat, across from Leo. The notebook sat closed in front of him on the table, having been pushed across by Leonardo.
No one had spoken since Raph had stormed out.
Leo looked up, making eye contact with Splinter. He seemed like he was about to say something, but stopped when he noticed Don now was looking at Splinter.
And Don was the first to verbalize it: "You... didn't have any attachment to us... at that time." He looked away again, but let his thoughts out in broken sentences, "We hadn't spoken yet. These... " He motioned at the notebook without glancing at it, "...these were random thoughts... before we really began to grow..." He paused, now glancing at the notebook. "It was Yoshi's originally..." He met Splinter's eyes.
The sensei nodded once. "Raphael was correct in a way. My initial intentions were to train the four of you to avenge my Master's honor and Shen's honor. I realized, however, as you grew, that it was wrong. I had forgotten I had those thoughts. I had forgotten about this notebook."
"Maybe we should go find Raph," Mike suggested, quietly.
"Give him time to cool off," Leo said, abruptly.
"But--" Mike tried.
"No. He isn't thinking clearly. It's too soon. Raph will come back when he's ready."
* * * * *
Raph spun around, his shell to the wall. His eye ridges lifted, and he gave his advesaries a half grin. "You guys again? Don't you ever move on?" In one swift motion, he drew his sai and spun them. "We gonna fight or stare at each other?"
The first few Foot advanced one at a time. Raph enjoyed this: he wouldn't even break a sweat at this rate. However, it would take all night to get through all of them.
Still, this was going to be easy.
* * * * *
"Leo--"
"No, Mike. Just give him time."
Mike gave him an exaggerated pout.
Leo glared at him. "Mike, don't look at me like that." The pout continued. "Okay, Mike, we'll go look for Raph tonight. And stop giving me that look."
"Sure, Leo," Mike grinned.
Leo rolled his eyes, then stood and headed for the dojo.
* * * * *
Despite the sun having risen, the alley remained mostly concealed in darkness: the perfect hiding place.
A young woman walked past the entrance of the alley. She stopped, thinking she heard a noise eminate from the alley. She took a few steps closer and gazed over it, noting dumpsters on each side. The woman paused, listening intently. And she heard it again. It sounded like ragged breathing.
"Hello?" She knew this was far from the smartest thing to do, even if she was capable of defending herself. She just didn't want to find out to what magnitude, if she had to fight. She heard the noise again and took a few more steps into the alley. "Hello?" She inched her way, warily, to the dumpsters. She stopped when she could look around them...
The woman gasped. It wasn't from fear. Surprise, definitely. Curiously? Oh, hell yes. She took a step closer. "Are you... okay?"
His head shot up, automatically drawing on his reserves for protection. But his head tilted to one side. She couldn't be one of them...
She knew from the look in his eyes. "I heard you. I didn't know what it was. I was just walking by." She paused, his gaze unwaivering. "Do you need any help?" What are you getting yourself into?
He cringed as pain shot through his shoulder again. Could he trust her?
She felt nervous, but wanted to help. "Are you hurt? Umm... you could rest in my apartment while I'm at work." Brilliant, she scolded herself. She might return to an empty apartment. Literally.
Raph held his arm tightly to his plastron. He let out a breath and nodded. He went to stand and found her helping him up. This was unexpected. His eyes made contact with hers again. He found he could read alot in her eyes. She spoke the truth and had no bad intentions for him. "Thanks," he breathed out, leaning on her for support.
* * *
A manhole cover raised and moved aside. Raph looked side to side and climbed out. He moved the lid back and held his right arm to his plastron. His shoulder felt like it was on fire. Despite the pain, a thought shoved its way to the front of his mind: what was he supposed to do now?
He considered going to Casey's apartment, but decided against it. It was too early in the morning. He didn't want to go to April as she was more than likely already at work and she'd want to know the whole story. That was something Raph did not want to think about.
So, he decided to take it to the roof tops and run. He had no destination, he just didn't care where he ended up. Raph spotted the nearest fire escape and, ignoring the pain in his shoulder, climbed the ladder to the rood. At the top, he paused long enough to hold his arm and breathed out a curse. His shoulder could literally be set on fire and it would feel better than it did currently.
Raphael sucked it up and began running. He jumped from roof top to roof top with ease, knowing exactly which buildings he could use. However, he couldn't get his mind off what he had read... or what there was left for him if he intended on never going home.
He couldn't think of one damn thing. He came to an abrupt stop at the edge of the current building. He leaned over the short wall and looked out. Not only was he an outcast to the outside world, but now he didn't even have his brothers or...
Raph shook his head, attempting to clear the thoughts. It was too late, an internal battle had already begun.
Which would prove bad for the battle that could be started by the two dozen Foot that were silently surrounding the building, waiting on every roof top within jumping distance. His head bowed, Raph's thoughts beat out his sixth sense.
It was already too late when he heard a noise and finally looked up.
* * * * *
Leo sighed, but his gaze remained on his clasped hands resting on the table in front of him. He wanted to understand what he had read, but he also wanted to understand the mindset Splinter had when he'd written it.
To Leo's left, Mike was folding and unfolding a napkin. Splinter's initial intent for raising them was not what was troubling him at the moment. He was worried about Raphael.
Mike glanced up at Don, who sat across the table from him. Mike could easily tell he was lost in thought. Don didn't seem to have his gaze focused on anything in particular. He simply stared past Mike, looking towards the living room.
Splinter sat in the fourth seat, across from Leo. The notebook sat closed in front of him on the table, having been pushed across by Leonardo.
No one had spoken since Raph had stormed out.
Leo looked up, making eye contact with Splinter. He seemed like he was about to say something, but stopped when he noticed Don now was looking at Splinter.
And Don was the first to verbalize it: "You... didn't have any attachment to us... at that time." He looked away again, but let his thoughts out in broken sentences, "We hadn't spoken yet. These... " He motioned at the notebook without glancing at it, "...these were random thoughts... before we really began to grow..." He paused, now glancing at the notebook. "It was Yoshi's originally..." He met Splinter's eyes.
The sensei nodded once. "Raphael was correct in a way. My initial intentions were to train the four of you to avenge my Master's honor and Shen's honor. I realized, however, as you grew, that it was wrong. I had forgotten I had those thoughts. I had forgotten about this notebook."
"Maybe we should go find Raph," Mike suggested, quietly.
"Give him time to cool off," Leo said, abruptly.
"But--" Mike tried.
"No. He isn't thinking clearly. It's too soon. Raph will come back when he's ready."
* * * * *
Raph spun around, his shell to the wall. His eye ridges lifted, and he gave his advesaries a half grin. "You guys again? Don't you ever move on?" In one swift motion, he drew his sai and spun them. "We gonna fight or stare at each other?"
The first few Foot advanced one at a time. Raph enjoyed this: he wouldn't even break a sweat at this rate. However, it would take all night to get through all of them.
Still, this was going to be easy.
* * * * *
"Leo--"
"No, Mike. Just give him time."
Mike gave him an exaggerated pout.
Leo glared at him. "Mike, don't look at me like that." The pout continued. "Okay, Mike, we'll go look for Raph tonight. And stop giving me that look."
"Sure, Leo," Mike grinned.
Leo rolled his eyes, then stood and headed for the dojo.
* * * * *
Despite the sun having risen, the alley remained mostly concealed in darkness: the perfect hiding place.
A young woman walked past the entrance of the alley. She stopped, thinking she heard a noise eminate from the alley. She took a few steps closer and gazed over it, noting dumpsters on each side. The woman paused, listening intently. And she heard it again. It sounded like ragged breathing.
"Hello?" She knew this was far from the smartest thing to do, even if she was capable of defending herself. She just didn't want to find out to what magnitude, if she had to fight. She heard the noise again and took a few more steps into the alley. "Hello?" She inched her way, warily, to the dumpsters. She stopped when she could look around them...
The woman gasped. It wasn't from fear. Surprise, definitely. Curiously? Oh, hell yes. She took a step closer. "Are you... okay?"
His head shot up, automatically drawing on his reserves for protection. But his head tilted to one side. She couldn't be one of them...
She knew from the look in his eyes. "I heard you. I didn't know what it was. I was just walking by." She paused, his gaze unwaivering. "Do you need any help?" What are you getting yourself into?
He cringed as pain shot through his shoulder again. Could he trust her?
She felt nervous, but wanted to help. "Are you hurt? Umm... you could rest in my apartment while I'm at work." Brilliant, she scolded herself. She might return to an empty apartment. Literally.
Raph held his arm tightly to his plastron. He let out a breath and nodded. He went to stand and found her helping him up. This was unexpected. His eyes made contact with hers again. He found he could read alot in her eyes. She spoke the truth and had no bad intentions for him. "Thanks," he breathed out, leaning on her for support.
* * *