DISCLAIMER – Guess it's time for one, eh? *Clears throat* - I do not own the TMNT's. I do own Kira and the story below. *Checks story to make sure* Yep, that's about it. Enjoy! Oh and I dedicate this to all the Raphy fans! Hope I did him justice. I'm also hoping of doing a bit more with his character in subsequent chapters. Also, the Japanese phrasing that I have in this chapter has been changed from the original update. I credit Kuroi Neko-kun for the corrections. I tried to find an English to Japanese word and phrase translation site. However, the only one I found offered words grouped into categories, without any reference in how to say things respectfully – as to an elder or teacher. Thanks, Kuroi Neko-kun!!
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CHAPTER 15 – Raspberries or Katas?
Raphael finished up his series of katas and then took a breather. He looked over at me with smirk, as if I should be impressed. Personally, I could care less about how well he did them. Yes, he did do them well but I didn't like him one bit, so it didn't matter. However, he suddenly scowled at me for no apparent reason. I didn't know what to make of that so I ignored it and continued with my plan to get out of the dojo.
I was currently slowly edging my way over in the direction of the door. I had already made good ground towards it during Raph's last set of katas. However, I was not as close as I wanted to be. My goal was to go and find Don. I needed his assurance that he would continue to be my sensei. The horrifying thought that Raphael was going to be sensei filled me with dread. After what happened in the kitchen there wasn't any chance I could do katas with him overseeing my progress. Especially after the snippy comment he made earlier about my attempt to do the one Don had taught me. I knew that despite my insistence, Raph would never believe me about not remembering how to do them. Unlike Don taking the benefit of the doubt, I was certain Raph would drag me kicking and screaming to wherever he wanted me to be!
I also knew that if I asked him about needing to talk with Don, Raph would refuse me. That was why I was taking the opportunity to find out myself – whether he liked it or not.
Just as I thought I was close enough to the door, I noticed Raphael smirk again. He was about twenty-five feet away from me while I was only about three from the doorway.
"What'cha doin', Kira?" He asked me sarcastically, tilting his head to one side and sniggering.
I stopped simply out of intimidation. I wasn't sure what he was going to do. However, in that moment I kind of felt he knew what I was up to. By his posturing and facial expressions, he seemed to be working on a plan. Something about his stance told me that he could easily bridge the gap between us before I would even make the threshold of the door. I decided to stand there for a moment. He relaxed a little, or so it seemed. I did the same. However, I heard Don in the hallway where he seemed to be talking to someone. Just knowing he was close by bolstered my resolve to see him and in that instant I had made up my mind.
Quicker than I thought I could I shot into the hallway. However, as I did that I felt the rush of air as Raph jumped the distance between us. Had I not twisted around and down, flinging myself headlong into the corridor, Raph would have grabbed the top of my carapace. Had he done so, more than likely I would now be flying back into the room I had just vacated.
However, he had missed! I was giddy with elation at my minor success, but it did not last for long.
In my mad rush to make the hallway I had not looked where I was going. Surprised by my sudden entrance, Splinter stood wide-eyed in the corridor as I came hurtling towards him. My eyes were equally as wide. I thought for sure that we would collide. I knew if that happened my life, as I knew it – regardless if I wanted it or not – would soon be over.
However, just as I thought for sure it was a done deal and as I flew by an opened door, I felt someone push me up and away from the rat. The last movement forced me into the wall of the corridor opposite from where Splinter stood. I had just missed him but with no effort of my own. Whoever had intervened did so in the last moment before impact.
While I still had my momentum, I slid unceremoniously at an angle to the floor, hitting it hard with a loud thud. I then found myself sliding on my carapace past the startled rat and coming to rest at a pair of green feet – Donatello's.
A scowl met me as I looked up at him. My sensei looked down at me with surprise and with just a bit of irritation.
"Kira, what in blazes are you doing?" he asked me, his right hand grasping a mug of what I assumed was coffee.
"Um…looking for you." I replied uneasily. I cringed as I glanced over at Splinter and saw a similar look on his face as well. Furthering my view of the hallway, I looked back from the direction I had come from and saw Raphael advancing into the corridor. He was standing in the dojo entryway with an equally unhappy expression on his face. However, I was wondering who it was who had averted certain disaster by throwing me against the wall?
It was then that Father came out of the open doorway near where Splinter stood. I suppose one could easily say that Father was not at all pleased with me. In fact, one could say he was royally pissed off – with a capital 'P'. Considering what almost happened, I couldn't really blame him. Yet for the moment, I was more worried about the shell on my back.
"KIRA! What were you DOING?" Father yelled. Yet then, as if he had almost forgotten his manners, Father bowed low to Splinter who seemed rather startled at the outburst. "Sumimasen, Sensei, sumimasen!" he expressed hurriedly. I detected an edge of embarrassment to his voice as he said this, too. For a moment, I honestly found it quite interesting.
In reply, Splinter nodded likewise but not as deep, saying, "Daijoubu." Then he disappeared into his bedroom, leaving me with the three angry turtles.
I just lay there on the cold concrete floor, staring up at Donatello, Father, and now Raphael as he came 'waltzing' into the hallway to observe the brewing confrontation.
"Answer me, Kira. What were you doing?" Father reiterated his question, albeit with more control of his voice this time. He was quite upset based on the stern expression he gave me.
"Um…I – ah – was looking for – ah – Donatello?" I answered meekly.
"Seems you've found me." Donatello said flatly, as he stared down at me. "What is it you want?" He then asked.
I looked quickly over at Raph who was now leaning against a wall in the corridor. With his arms folded across his plastron, he watched the scene play out before him. A cocky, arrogant smile spread along his face. I shoved back what I thought of that smile, too. Considering my close proximity to the 'emotion detectors' that were looming over me, what I was thinking or feeling for that matter was not for their 'sensors'. I was in deep enough as it was.
Donatello restated his question, "What do you want, Kira?"
Finally finding my voice, I answered him, "Ah, aren't you working with me this morning?" I held my breath, hoping that I had completely overreacted with Raph in the dojo. I saw Don look up at Father and then over at my antagonist. I could swear they were discussing this among themselves but for the life of me I didn't see or hear anything. It was as if they were 'reading' each other. I was obviously out of the loop.
Donatello then looked back down at me and replied, "No. Raph will be doing the honors this morning. Tomorrow morning it may be Mike….or Raph again. I'm responsible only for the evening katas. Or whatever I deem necessary." Then he left, heading for his bedroom.
I was dead. In an instant, I didn't care about anything. I just wanted to die. Just bury me, leave a marker or not, but I lost all interest in life as I once knew it.
Before I could react, though, Father had hoisted me up and was handing me over to Raphael. I resisted as I saw him reach out to me. I grabbed onto Father and did a rather healthy howl of protest.
"NO! I hate him…don't you DARE do this to me! NO!" I screamed.
"Kira, you're acting ridiculous!" Father corrected, "Knock it off!"
I refused to cooperate and thrashed wildly. However, I wasn't any match for the strength that Father put upon me. Before I knew it, between him and Raph they managed to get me back into the dojo. With Raph holding onto me and despite my struggle against him, Father left the room and closed the door. That was when Raph let me go.
I raced for the door and tried to open it. However, I found it locked!
Trapped in the dojo with a crazy turtle, I was now with the one who earlier made a point to get into my face. The one who warned me about touching his weapons. Gone was my amusement from the day before about painting his sais pink. I no longer found it funny.
I hugged the door, afraid to turn around. What was he going to do with me? Would he toss me around the room? What about the katas? I didn't know them and I just knew he wouldn't walk me through them. If my hell could have become any worse, it just did.
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I lost track of time with my mind on only one task. Avoid eye contact with Raphael at all costs!. Oh, I could hear him pretty much, but I refused to look at him. He had scared the life out of me so badly after breakfast that the mere thought of making eye contact with him, now, petrified me.
"Kira, I'm not going to ask you again. Come over here and let's start your routine." He growled. It was not the first time he had asked me this, either.
Raph had been beseeching me to obey him for quite a while now, but I refused to respond. I was mildly surprised that he hadn't become more forceful before now, in fact. I was sitting on the carpeted floor, leaning as far into the door as I could get. I had my head ducked down into my shell and my back turned towards him. Actually, I found this novelty of my anatomy quite comforting. To be able to duck into one's body was like having a personal sanctuary. I was rather content to stay there, too.
Unfortunately, Raphael had other plans.
Unexpectedly I felt him pick me up. I immediately popped my head out of my shell, thrashing around and trying to run – but my feet were dangling again as he literally carried me away from the door.
"You're acting like a baby, Kira. I'm not going to hurt you!" he seethed.
"Like hell… let me go!" I hollered, squirming violently against his embrace.
"Clean your mouth up. If your father catches you talking like that…." Raph corrected me. His grip tightened even more on me.
"He doesn't seem to be here at the moment, now, does he?" I barked sarcastically as I continued to thrash.
I then kicked out violently and hard, connecting with 'something'. Horror to horrors, it was Raphael. Moreover, the look on his face told me that I had landed him a good one.
"That's it!" he bellowed, "You've had it!"
The next thing I knew I was flying across the dojo!
Screaming, I landed on my posterior, skidding a few feet and creating quite a rug burn along one of my legs, the carpeting aiding the injury. After I stopped sliding, I grabbed my offending leg and grimaced from the pain.
"Good night, what did you do to me?" I complained. "Owe! Owe….it hurts…stupid…." I seethed. However, I quickly dispelled that expletive before it escaped.
"You shouldn't have kicked me, Kira!" he hollered at me.
"You … I wasn't trying to kick you!" I yelled back at him.
"NO? Then explain what jus' happened before I tossed ya?" Raph demanded as he began to walk towards me.
"You were in the way; that's what happened!" I cringed as he now loomed over me, but the pain in my leg hurt too badly to care.
The next thing he did surprised the heck out of me. He stooped down and, brushing my hand away, looked at the abrasion. He grabbed my leg and turned it so he could see the affected area.
"Sheesh, it's nothin'. Just a little raspberry on yer leg! The skin isn't even broken!" Raph looked at me and chided, "Nothin' but a big baby, that's what ya are!" Then, he grabbed my hand and pulled me up to a stand.
"Now, let's start those katas, okay?" he commanded as he attempted to take me to the middle of the room.
"No, not with you. Only with Donatello." I rebelled, pulling back fiercely.
Using both of his hands, he maintained his hold of me, "Sorry, no can do. It's me and only me, sweetheart. So, we'll start on that bassai-sho you were attempting to do when I first came into the dojo!" Raph said as he resumed pulling me into the middle of the room.
Jerking my hand out of his, I told him, "I said, 'no'! Forget it; it's not gonna happen!" I was getting pretty peeved right about then and I think my sensei 'sensed' it.
However, what happened next pretty much set the stage for the remainder of my time in the dojo for the morning. Raph grabbed me by the back of my carapace and quickly forced me up against the closest wall. I hit it with a resonating thud. He came snout to snout with me, his eyes blazing and his mouth working, "You will do exactly what I say, when I say, and how I say it." He seethed low and threateningly. "If you chose not to cooperate, then we'll do a little 'tossing' and 'throwing' to teach you what a real rug burn is all about!" He maintained his expression and tone of voice. "By the time I'm done with you, that green skin of yours will be nuttin' but one big red raspberry. So, those are your choices." Raph glared and waited for a moment.
I could only stare in shock and trepidation. He was serious; no doubt about it.
Then he asked me, "What's it gonna be, Kira?"
What's it gonna be, he asked me? Well going back to that encounter in the kitchen, what I was feeling right about then pretty much mirrored what I felt only a little while ago. His over-the-top confrontation had me properly chastised. I realized in that moment that I didn't have much of a choice. Of the two Raph had given me, the least painful was putting up with his being my sensei.
I soon found myself following his directions in short order. He worked with me for a good three hours, allowing me bathroom and water breaks once he was sure I wouldn't bolt. Of course, he convinced me that if I did, the other choice he had offered me would be my reward. It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out the foolishness of trying his patience. Reluctantly I complied with his threat.
There were moments when I didn't have a clue what Raph was asking of me. Yet he was insistent that I do what he wanted from me. However, even after tossing me in frustration – and earning yet another red mark on my leg – I still maintained my ignorance. Once he was convinced I was sincere, he took me step by step through whatever kata we were working on. All in all, I ended up learning about three sets with the bassai-sho becoming somewhat polished by the end of my session with him.
When Raphael dismissed me, he told me to bow before him and then said that I had to greet him in the same fashion the next time. It was not something I enjoyed doing since I still did not respect him that much. With Splinter, it was easy; he had touched my heart in a way that Raphael didn't. I did respect the fact that Raph could trash me on a moments notice, though, so for that I gave him the perfunctory bow.
Now safely ensconced in my bedroom, I breathed a sigh of relief. I had survived my encounter with my worst enemy. However, as I reflected upon the past three hours I noted that I still did not like Raphael. Yet, at least I wasn't nearly as deathly afraid of him as I had been before.
I was just a little bit afraid of him and that was enough - believe me!
Soon, I heard Father call me to lunch. I also heard my stomach growl but my head telling me to expect another granola bar. Considering the problems I had caused that morning with my initial reaction to Raph as my sensei, I highly doubted that I would be getting much in the way of a meal. I resigned my self to a monk's diet for the remainder of my life because I was certain that trouble seemed to shadow me regardless of how fast I tried to out-run it.
Trouble just seemed to be faster.
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DANCINGFAE:
Yep, that's Kira's opinion, too! However, I think Raph redeemed his true intent with this chapter. In his own way, he is trying to assist Leo in training Kira for whatever roll she will play in the clan. Since Leo pretty much neglected to train her to fight, Raph has to 'toughen' her up lest she become more of a burden in the field and therefore a danger to the clan in general. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed.
KUROI NEKO-KUN:
Raph's an attitude in a half-shell, that's a sure bet! However, so is Kira, though she is trying to cooperate. Yet I think all of us can relate to the 'fight or flight' tendency that she exhibited in this chapter. Her need to get to Donnie – her safe haven in the dojo – was intense. As for your story, it was a delight to read! Keep updating and don't worry about how people respond! We're all here to improve what we love to do – write and explore the world of the TMNT's! Thanks for the encouragement, too! :0) Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
PRETENDER FANATIC
Yeah, I had fun creating trepidation and fear in Kira re: Raph. He can be so intense and I think initially he can overwhelm anyone, especially where Kira didn't have a clue how far to push him. The 'pink sais' are a sore point with Raphael, for obvious reasons. What better way to create angst in the dojo than to give her a tidy tidbit of Raph's nature, eh? Yeah, and then some! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed.
BUSLADY OF SOCAL
Oh, the things Kira did to the entire clan, for that matter. Each turtle has their own way in dealing with her. However, Raphers is more up front and personal, I think. Kira has learned a great deal of what NOT to do with regards to our red masked turtle hero! I hope that she will be on the upswing now that she has at least three katas under her belt and she's not as 'deathly' afraid of him as before. What will Donnie do to her in the evening? Hmmm…what will Splinter say to her before she goes to bed? Can we say his tail will not be lashing about playfully? Never irk the rat! Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
GUMMADOON FANATIC
Hey, don't sweat it. You're reading so I'm fine with that. It is good to hear from you again, though! :0) Yeah, they do get kind of tough with her, but they have a whole history of rebellion, which evidently – based on what Splinter said – only lasted for 2 years. They should all count themselves lucky, me thinks! Once Kira gets a foot hold and can improve in certain areas – like katas – things might be on the upswing. We can only hope, though! Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed.
MELIKA
Oh, Raph, Raph, Raph – what ARE we gonna do with that temper! Put it to good use getting Kira to cooperate is what! He has to be that way because she would just ignore him. She doesn't like him so that would be her excuse. Try as she might to get along and despite her commitment to this task, the overall experiences keep eating away at her resolve making her dissolve into an emotional heap. I wanted Splinter to be her sanctuary – but with bite. He's not going to baby her, either, but he's wise enough to know that she needs some inner peace, too. However, things are looking up with Chapter 15, once she had her act together, that is. Maybe she can get something besides granola bars and 'eggshells' for lunch this time around? Hmm…no promises. Thanks for reading and reviewing. Be blessed.
LADY VENOM2
I try to update as much as possible when the muses are working! I was on a roll that is now sort of winding down, so I'm trying not to push too hard. This Chapter 15 was the hardest one to get out, for some reason. Usually when there are confrontations like the one between Raph and Kira, I can whip it out in no time flat. However, my attention is being diverted to one sick kitty and an elderly dog that we may have to put down. Anyhew…about your review, I like taking the TMNT's out of the cartoon world and putting them in real situations. What would they really be like if this or that happened? I find it daunting to write more than one turtle in a chapter, though, and I know I need to overcome this. I love stories where the characters of all four are featured and it just reads like a soap opera! :0) Thanks for noticing, by the way! Thanks, too, for reading and reviewing! Be blessed. In addition, I can't wait for the next Rowan story, either!
RAMICA
Actually what Kira needed was a sensei like Raph. He forces her to pay attention – or else – and she, therefore, becomes a better student for Donnie, or whomever is drafted into the job. I know that in some fics, there is only one sensei. However, since Kira has affected all four – or five, if you include Splinter – in such a negative way, it becomes a collective effort! Eventually in the end, only one turtle will end up becoming her sole sensei. I may actually have a readers vote on who it should be, too! Just a thought. Yes, the 'real' Kira was a handful to manage, that goes without saying. Will Kira/Alicia be able to put up with everything that her father and the rest of the clan dish out to her? Only time will tell. Thank goodness she has Splinter on her side – or, does she? After nearly slamming into him, that fact has not been settled, yet. Hmmm….. Thanks for reading and reviewing! Be blessed.