Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT
A/N: I know that all of the title of chaper 5 didn't come out right, apparently symbols don't come out when you do titles. I just can't get this story out of my system. Even after I write one chapter, the next two are biting at my innards until I get them out. It's wierd! Yet at the same time, I see a difficult bridge to build in the future! Reijiro: thanx for the censor advice. Will be duly taken into consideration. Jessiy Landroz: I understand completely and agree! RAPHAELFAN02:Don't worry about going on and on, it gives me something interesting to read. I'm thrilled to know how much you look forward to these chapters! Your job does sound interesting. I mostly work mama/baby, so the most insanity I work with is dealing with crying babies for twelve hours straight. artykidd: relieved to know that I'm getting Raph's POV down decently. About the kid? Well, you'll find out! Silent Water13: Ouch! I think that you're frying that lady from there! I'll bet you're following me just to see her rot! hahaha! Tewi: Is Klunk normal? (Let's see, walks on vertical wall, twists head on axis, has humanoid smile) well, guess you'll have to find out on that one! Sister of the Night: Happy to see that you're enjoying it. moonie016: Nope, sorry, he's not crazy. But if you think about it, seeing wierd things and having everyone think you're crazy can make you doubt yourself and your sanity, don't you think?
Chapter 6
Family Feud
Yeah, that was kinda wierd. Ah, er, uh, (looks uncomfortable) thanks for the uh, sympathy. Er, I mean, it's not like I needed it or nuthin', just, ah, kinda nice to hear is all. Don't you go tellin' no one or I'll bust your chops! Ya get it? (you nod) good. Anyway, I was now in a very ah, interesting perdicament. I've never seen Klunk do something like that. Good thing it wasn't Klunk or I'd have to kick her out! hehehe... Anyway, all that it really served to do was get me ticked off. It really got on my last nerve, ya know? And you know how I get when I'm ticked off. (you roll eyes, he flushes and glares) Hmph. Well, let's just say that it wasn't exactly pretty...
88888888888888888888888888888888
"WHAT THE F#CK!"
Klunk came flying at my face, her own face unnaturally human. I ducked, my beak practically kissing the friggin floor. Klunk sailed over my head. I turned around and Klunk looked right back at me.
The dame.
Or was it? I looked back, and Klunk looked right back at me with her bright blue eyes. I was sure Klunk didn't have blue eyes. The dame got it wrong. But I had some nagging feeling that this wasn't the dame. Or at least the one that I knew.
"Raphael! What is wrong! Raphael!"
For a moment I didn't notice Splinter's urgent words as I looked right back at Klunk's eyes. No menace. No sense of evil or wrong or hatred. Then I knew it. This definetely wasn't the dame I knew. Then who was she? And why did she come here? Dammit! Why couldn't they just leave me the Hell alone!
I felt a furry hand on my shoulder and whipped around to come face to face with sensei. He looked at me with urgent, pleading brown eyes.
"Raphael, please. Tell me what is troubling you, my son!"
I pointed to Imposter Klunk and practically begged him to see it. I guess that a sense of desperation kinda set in there. If anyone didn't believe me to be crazy,it'd be a relief. "Sensei. It's right there! Don't you see it! C'mon, tell me you see it, it's standing right there! It looks like Klunk, and it was walking on the wall before it jumped at me!"
He stared at me for a moment. "Klunk...walking on wall...standing" he looked again at the spot I indicated, where she was sitting there looking up at us expectantly, then looked at me. His eyes looked kinda sad. "Raphael," he spoke softly "perhaps it would be best if you would come with me. Then we can talk with your brother. Would you like that?"
Oh cripes. He was talking to me like I was a friggin kid! Like I'm a loon! I couldn't believe it. For my brother's to think I'm crazy is one thing, I mean they probably thought I was crazy before all this happened. But for my Sensei, my Father to think that I've lost it was the last straw. I mean, what right did that crazy thing to make it so only I can see it. That just justified thier beliefs that I was loony!
Rage was building inside me with the intensity of a freight train. Right now I was royally pissed off. And as far as I'm concerned, there's only one course of action avaliable when one reaches pissed off mode.
I whipped around, glaring menacingly at the Imposter Klunk. Imposter Klunk looked surprised for a moment, apparently the thing realized the danger it was in at the moment. And it was right.
I lunged.
Scrambling on Splinter's hardwood floor, it darted out of my way just in time to avoid my sai. I broke free of Sensei's hold and chased after the thing.
After knocking over a table, crashing a lamp to the floor, and pulling a tapestry down in my pursuit, the thing squeesed between the sliding ricepaper doors out of his room. I was so pissed off that my vision seeing red I lunged after him.
Thinking back, I realize that I should've known better than to let my anger get the best of me. (Dammit! I sound like friggin Leo again!) I'll admit that Ihave a tendency to not let a single rational thought cross my mind when this happens. If you know me at all you'd know that already. My next actions were proof of that.
I charged the door. Instead of opening it like any other sane person would do I crashed right through, ripping the ricepaper and splintering the wood. Man. It took a long time to find that ricepaper intact too. Whoops.
The moment I entered the main area of the Lair all my brothers jumped to my feet. Apperently they were doing their usual when someone has to go into Splinters: lounge about, look casual, pick up every snippet of conversation to be heard. I know 'cause I've done the same thing on multiple occasions.
Luckily for me I wasn't really paying attention to them, or they'd probably tick me off somehow. As usual.
Anyway, I chase Imposter Klunk into the main area and all hell breaks loose. Leo attempts to jump in front of me, probably giving his first attempt at calm, rational reasoning. I plow into him like he's not there. After all, I have a kitty to catch.
I think I might've knocked him into one of the other's or something. I heard a lot of oofs. I don't really know. Wasn't really paying any attention.
Freak kitty jumped on top of the TV sets, so like anyone in pursuit of something, I pursued it.
I'll choose this time to point out that sometimes Donny can be an idiot. I mean, he didn't even design the TV sets or stand to sustain the weight of a five foot turtle. Suffice it to say, the TV sets themselves let me know this tidbit of information since our brainy turtle didn't bother to tell anyone.
The sets crashed to the floor with me on it and I automatically put my arms in front of my face, shielding myself from the flying glass and plastic bits. I was on my feet the next second hunting my quarry.
Only Mikey jumped on top of me unexpectedly, knocking me back to the floor.
I turned and furiously wrestled with him to get him off, my mind centering on one thought: it was getting away.
"Raphael! Stop! Master Splinter, what's wrong?"
"I believe he think's he's chasing Klunk!"
"But he's right there!" Leo said.
"HA! Schizophrenia! I knew it!" Donny quailed.
Huh? What the shell! What were they talking about? Well, first to get Mikey off of me.
Somehow I managed to roll and peel him off of me so I could get out of arms reach. Now to find the Imposter Klunk...?
There was two clunks, sitting side by side. One was staring intently at me, and the other was staring at the other Klunk. Which was which?
I stared at them for a moment. The only difference was their eyes. The one looking at me had blue eyes, the other one had amber. Suddenly the amber one hissed at the other. She turned into a bristling ball of fur and dashed away like her tail was on fire. I knew that Klunk didn't have blue eyes! Once again I lunged.
Only once again my brother's stopped me.
Leo came in from behind.Hisarms encircled my own in a lock, his hands grasping my shoulders. Immediately I heaved, trying to bring my arms to my chest to break his lock, but he held tight. Then Mikey and Don came and helpedhim, each grasping an arm of their own. The entire time I fought them. All I could see was the dame-klunk waltz over and look at me curiously from the Lair entrance. It pissed me off.
"Raph, what do you think you're doing!"
"Stop it! Raph please!"
"Alright. Let's try calming down a bit."
"Raphael! Calm yourself!"
I shook my head furiously and continued to fight. Then, finally the truth began to come out. "No! Can't you see it! I know it sounds crazy but I'm not crazy!" Well, that sure sounded sane. "It's not me! You gotta listen to me. It's an alien dame! I met her and she did something to me, something... Anyway I gotta fix it! I know you can't see her, but I swear she's there! And she's...she's..."
I stopped when I realized that they were hardly paying attention to what I was saying. They weren't even listening. They were simply agreeing with me as you might a bumbling drunk who doesn't know what he's talking about. The entire time they were trying to 'subdue' me. They weren't even listening. They weren't...even...listening...
I relaxed my fighting then, when the full realization started creeping in. Saddened anger started to flare up. I shoulda realized it. I shoulda listened to my gut instincts. I can't tell them. They won't listen. They don't care. All I did was make it worse. Something bad happens and I can't even tell my family 'cause they won't believe me. If I was a human they'd be calling the loony bin right now. 'Cause something weird is happening that I can't explain and that automatically makes me crazy. They won't listen. They don't care. They just don't fu#kin CARE!
They slowly began to relax when I stopped fighting, talking to me in soft words meant for some fu#kin baby. Someone without the fu#kin smarts to fully understand. And it's all because they don't care to listen to me because I'm the fu#kin black sheep of the family and that means that I can't feel a fu#kin moment of it!
I'd have to deal with it myself.
"Raph, you OK now? I can get you a snack if you want..."
"Here. Lets go to my lab so you can get some nice rest, how does that sound, hmm?"
I fu#kin lost it.
Out of it's own violition my fist plowed into Donny's face and he flew backward, caught completely surprised. My foot was already flying when the group got over their shock and reacted. Leo's arms, which never really moved, just loosened automatically tightened their hold; practically immobilizing my arms. Without thinking about it I swung my head back, catching Leo's beak with the back of my skull. I heard him grunt wetly (if that description makes any sense) and his arms immediately lost their hold on my arms and I surged forward.
Mikey grasped hold of my arm and Donny grabbed the other, having recovered from my blow. I growled and bodily hurled them off their feet.(Wow, the power of adrenaling + anger!) They lost thier grip in their surprise and fell to the ground.
Then Master Splinter was there and caught my chin with his walking stick. "Raphael! I demand that you calm down immediately!" I almost reacted. Almost. But I stopped myself. I didn't want to hurt anyone. I just wanted to get away. Get away from fu#kers who don't believe me, or trust me enough to...
Even my thoughts were cut short when my brothers all caught me in a dogpile. Caught by surprise I hit the ground on my chest getting all the air knocked out of me. My 'family' wasted no time and grabbed all my limbs in a way thatprevented me from even crawling an inch. Kinda like Steve Irwin does on his show.
Sensei's voice rang out. "Donatello, open your lab and get it ready! Make sure that he cannot get out or hurt himself. Michelangelo, Leonardo do not let go! I shall go assist your brother. Keep him still and calm."
Calm? Calm! They had me pinned to the floor against my will and expected me to remain CALM!
"Let me go you fu#kers! Just let me go! I'm leaving! You won't fu#kin listen to me I'll fix it myself! You won't have to worry about me anymore. I said let me GO!" I roared and struggled, fighting with my brothers.
"Please. Stay calm. I shall assist you, Raphael."
Oh great. Just peachy. I'm hearing voices in my fu#kin head again. Just what I need!
The dame-klunk hopped down from the Lair entrance and serenely walked over to me. None of my family saw it. That fact was driven home when she walked through Donny on his way to the lab. He stopped cold, and shivered for a second, then continued on. I couldn't believe it.
My brother's had hold of my limbs so tight they were beginning to go numb, so all I could do was turn my head and stare at it. "But how..." I mumbled.
"Oh great! He's talking to whatever again. Hurry Donny!"
I ignored Leo's voice as I heard the other resonate in my head again. "Please. Remain calm. I understand the predicament that you are in and am here to help you. Just trust me."
"Trust you? Another friggin psycho alien bit#h? Ha!"
Unfortunately, once again, I didn't have much of a choice. Man. Turtle luck workin' true to form.
A paw slowly lengthened and formed a delicate pale feminine hand. That hand laid itself on my head. I was too baffled to struggle. Not like I could anyway with the three stooges against against me. The hand felt painfully icy, satisfyingly cool and comfortably warm at the same time. Slowly that feeling began to spread and seep into other parts of my body. I heard my brother's voices, but I paid them no heed. I felt as though I was in a spa (wierd, considering I've never been in one) like I should be relaxed. My body felt weak, but in a good way. Reeeeeal good.
"Hey, Raph's all stiff!"
The dame-Klunk smiled warmly at me. I shook my senses awake. What is she doing to me?
"I am doing something that you were meant to do."
"Hey, his skin is starting to feel funny!"
What! She's reading my mind! Man that pisses me off. My one private realm left and...woah. I definetely feel funny. Like, I'm getting lighter somehow...
"What! He feels spongy, or...HEY!"
They suddenly lost their grounds on my shell and fell through me onto the ground. I felt a kinda wispy feeling, other than that I felt nothin'. They didn't move from their positions, simply stared forward in dumbed expressions of disbelief. Then they scrambled frantically to their feet and stared down at me. I didn't move from the floor. Something told me it was pointless anyway.
"Leo? LEO! I can see through him! He's see-through! I shouldn't be able to do that! Leo!"
"I know, I know! Oh geesh, DONNY! DONNY! GET OVER HERE! Holy..."
"Leonardo, what is it? What...Oh no! My son! My..."
"What is it? HOLY SHIT! What the shell's happening!" Even in this situation, had to laugh.hehe. Never heard Donny curse before.
"We don't know! That's what we called YOU for!"
"Tell us, Donny! Fix him!"
"Well...I...uh...um...I..."
"DONNY!"
"Well,...I..."
I ignored them and stared back at dame-Klunk. I stared right into her eyes and told her plainly in my mind: No. Stop. I don't want to do this.
She looked back at me sadly. "I am truly sorry, but you see, we don't have much of a choice."
"What! I..."
It was then that I kinda began to lose focus. By then, there was no way that I had to get out of the way. Because of my brothers, I was caught. And now I didn't know what was going to happen. Not like they give a damn anyway. But where was I going? I wondered this as my vision began to go blurry. The Lair, my bros and Sensei, they all began to get fuzzy. They were staring at me and shouting something but for some reason I couldn't quite hear or make out what was being said.
Shit. This needs to stop happening to me.
8888888888888888888888888888888888
A/N: The majority of that chapter changed from my original plan as I was writing it. You know how that happens sometimes. Hope that you enjoyed reading this version. We don't have a lot of patients today so I might start the next chapter. I'm warning you guys that I may be coming dangerously close to a writers block so offer any outside opinion that you wish. Trust me, it'll help. Always did help avoid a block. (Man, hate writer's block!) Well, that's all for now. Happy Holidays! Toodles!
Ah, one more thing. I've been considering writing a story dealing with a 'sensitive issue'. It is the Iraq War. The story will be based on a veteran who needs help. My husband suggested that I ask you guys about it ahead of time to see wether or not a large number of people will be offended. The veteran's stories in my story will be second hand, meaning I haven't been there. I did get them directly from veterans, though I will reveal no names. I will recreate them to the best of my ability and will tell you either before or after each chapter exactly what (excluding the turtles, of course) is not real or assumed. I will also place a warning about the issue or subject. It is not my wish to offend anybody, but I'd like to write this story. Being in the military myself I work with a lot of veterans and hear a lot of stories. Please let me know your thoughts on this subject. I would really like to know what you guys think. The last thing I'd want is to offend people and get kicked out. Thank you.
