TMNT: Cherry Blossoms of Life
Ch.2~ The Explanation
The guys had sat us all down, Raph sat the farthest away, sitting with Master Splinter clinging to him like the small child he appeared to be. His limbs we are fully bandaged, hinting that he was very seriously hurt. Along with that, he seemed almost scared of Casey and myself. What could have made him that scared?
"Well let's start with the obvious, Raph was out last night and was attacked by the Foot who injected him with something now he's returned to frame and partial mental state of his six-year-old self," Leo explained, I frowned.
"Were they the ones who hurt him?" I asked, Raph seemed offended and stepped forward.
"Heww no! I mean.. I had these injuries when I was six, for some reason the owd scars reopened." Raph answered I could see his normal domineer fighting with this meeker child version.
"Yes, umm we never told you guys this, mostly because we don't really talk about it. But Raph has had PTSD since he was a small child, and it was all caused when Raph disappeared for a year. H-he was held captive by a psychotic human and when we were kids he was terrified of humans. Those scars that reopened were made by that man when Raph escaped. So, until we get him fixed he will probably stray pretty far from you guys, and be very unlike himself." Leo explained, I felt tears well up in my eyes and Raph looked to us worriedly.
"Who did that to him?" Casey hissed, I moved to calm him but I saw Raph walk over.
"Don't worry Casey, he's not stiww around, he died, or better yet I kiwwed him almost ten years ago. He's gone, he can never hurt anyone ever again." He stated his small fists clenched.
"Fuck…" Casey muttered slumping in his chair.
"I ain't wookin' for sympathy!" He yelled, I saw him looking at me angrily looking much like his normal self and he stepped closer. "I did it because he was a monster, if he were stiww awive, you wouwdn't be."
"What do you mean?" I said, he looked at me sadly.
"He wiked kiwwing red-heads like you." He muttered, I saw tears welling his eyes. "Heh, you wook wike them, it's funny I never noticed it before now."
"Raphael come back and remember your exercises." Splinter called, he looked at me a moment before closing his eyes and breathing in a pattern walking back to Splinter.
"I'm fine Daddy…" he lied, I could tell that telling me that had broken his fragile line of control.
"Well if Karai is doing this stuff and out for you, shouldn't we leave. I mean what if she attacks the lair again?" I stated, Casey nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I mean no offence guys but right now yer a turtle down, and I think Karai has some fucked up plan," Casey added, Splinter seemed deep and thought as they guys looked to him.
"They're right Daddy, Weo and I are the strongest, and she knows it," Raph stated, his small fists clenched.
"I know, I worry if she will follow us out of the city, I do not wish to make us a target." Splinter said Raph nodded.
"I guess, stiww we can't just stay here can we, she wants our shewws on a siwver pwatter, and whatever her plan is… We can't wet her keep doing this, what if she plans to turn us aww into this! We can't wet her do that, then we'ww be hewpwess!" Raph argued I was surprised he was so eager to fight.
"Raphael, we do not know what her plans are, she could've meant to kill you, not turn you into this." Splinter replied Raph stomped his foot.
"No, she meant this, her ninjas had me to the ground, they couwda just kiwwed me, but they didn't," Raph stated Leo let out a sigh.
"I have to agree with Raph father, it seems like this may have been intentional and either way we have more a chance outside the city. The Foot can roam the city easily, they can't do that in the countryside." Leo added Splinter sighed.
"You are right, but we must leave during the day, we are less likely to be tracked." Splinter sighed, Raph looked to us wearily.
He grabbed Splinter's robe sleeve, he leaned over and Raph clearly was whispering to him. He nodded and picked up Raph setting him on his lap and beckoning over Leo. Leo leaned over and was whispered to by Splinter who was wrapping Raph in his robes. Leo pulled away and raced, I was a bit confused until Leo returned with his mask and a blanket.
"Here bro, this better." Leo soothed, he wrapped Raph in the blanket.
"Uhuh…" Raph muttered, slipping back on his mask retying it to fit his smaller head.
"Me and Ape will go do some shopping and collect some stuff we'll be back in two hours, you guys be ready to head out," Casey stated, we all nodded and I let Casey lead me into the elevator.
Once it sealed shut I sighed, "I always figured something bad happened to Raphael." I muttered.
"Yeah me too, he always was so angry, like he had a vendetta against tha whole world," Casey added I nodded as we entered the garage above and walked out to our car.
"I wonder what that man did to him..?" I mumbled as Casey started the car and we drove off.
(Raph's POV)
I had a bag packed, Daddy and I had searched through our old things, I packed an old Gameboy and games, my old stuffed rabbit and soft red blanket. Now I was dressed in my old gear and even my old mask, I was currently staring at myself in a mirror. I looked so wrong, here I was about four feet, my arms and legs covered in gauze bandages. This was an image I hope to never see again.
'We have to be careful…' a voice quipped I turned to look an old imaginary friend.
"I've wong outgrown you, I don't need you," I muttered, he didn't fade and I could practically feel him grab my hand.
'I wouldn't be here if you didn't need me, you know that.' He stated I sighed.
"Renoir, I don't know how to handwe this, it's been over ten years, wooking wike this is… It brings back too many memories…" I explained, he nodded standing in front of me.
'You're still you, both of these personalities are you, didn't you hate the spiteful person you grew to be. Think of this as a chance to change yourself.' Renoir comforted, I looked at the mirror seeing my older version with red eyes.
"I did hate being wike that, I hated being so angry, I hate the eviw in me wike I could turn into him. That I would turn into Osvawdo and be just as eviw as him and the Shredder. Maybe this can be a fresh start." I rambled, Renoir nodded as I heard footsteps approach and he disappeared.
"It's almost time to go, ready to go bro?" Don asked, I nodded and picked up my bag walking over to him.
"Yeah, wet's go," I replied he lead me downstairs where everyone had gathered.
Looking at April and Casey I felt the need to hide and protect, shaking it off I walked toward them head down. I need to get over this fear, I need to remember Casey isn't Oz and April isn't one of Oz's victims, Casey is my best friend. Looking up at them I forced a smile which made Casey grin back goofily, which made my smile turn more genuine.
"Looking all decked out there bud, full head mask, and smaller gear," Casey commented, I chuckled.
"Yep, I'm aww kidded out, man it's been a whiwe since I sported this look." I laughed, he seemed to cheer up laughing with me.
"Nice, hehe!" he chuckled, I felt Daddy place a hand on my shoulder.
"Let us head out before we lose daylight." Splinter urged everyone else grabbed bags as we piled into the elevator and then into the van, father, myself and my brothers piling into the trailer hooked to their old car.
"Hey Raphie come sit with me and let's play this game together, you know how bad I am at Zelda puzzles." Mikey chimed, I nodded and raced to his side.
"Hehehe, you're terribwe Mikey, wet me hewp." I cheered, soon we were both engrossed in the game me helping him with the puzzles in dungeons and encouraging him to do fun stuff out in the vast landscapes.
(Leo's POV)
It's been about three hours and Mikey and Raph had been playing a game together eagerly. But Raph was looking tired now leaning into Mikey commenting less and less. Mikey took notice and pointed at him a grin on his face. Raph soon closed his eyes and began to snore softly falling asleep, father strolled over and put a blanket over the sleeping boy.
"Seems his stamina has run out," Father commented, I nodded and father walked back to his spot groaning as he eased himself down. "I think I shall follow his lead, my old body needs rest."
We all looked at each other worriedly then at father, we had talked about father growing old, and we meant old. Death would come for our father soon, and we all had tried to deny it till we spoke. We all slowly in a way understood that we could not prolong our father's life. None of us were eager to see him slowly die, now that Raph was partially returned to a childlike state, how would he accept it if Father were to die.
"What will we do if..?" Mikey questioned, I sighed looking down.
"Let's not think about it right now, I'm sure father will be fine until we get Raph sorted," Don answered I sighed.
"He's been getting worse, we've all seen it that's why we had that talk not too long ago?" Mikey insisted.
"I know, but Mikey we need to have hope in father's good health, we know if he dies what could happen…" Don stated, I sighed and pulled him close. "Our father is strong, he will survive. If he doesn't we will have a large plate on our hands…"
"Raph couldn't handle it, not now, he could barely handle it we were teens," I stated, they looked down sadly.
Don reached and grabbed my hand, "We have to have hope, I refuse to let what happened there, happen here in any way shape or form." Don muttered Mikey and I bit our lips, that talk of this other world he visited was traumatizing to him.
"Bro remember, even if Dad dies, the Shredder is gone, he can't take over the world." Mikey reminded as I put an arm over Don's shoulders.
"Don, we will be okay, even if that does happen, we can hold it together, we can help Raph, he will more likely accept our help now then if he was still a teen." I soothed, he nodded and leaned into me sniffling.
"I know, I just, look at him, you remember what he was like back then…" he stated, I nodded looking at a sleeping Raph.
"We have to keep him from getting closed off again, and we need to make sure he knows we're here for him," I affirmed, Mikey nodded as Don did too.