Author's Note: More re-vamping, making sure any loose ends are tied-up. Me need REVIEWS!
Chapter Rating: R, for harsh language, innuedo, and sexual themes.
CHAPTER FIVE: Bittersweet Realization
Dusk had just settled onto the city, the stray wisps of sunlight that escaped the horizon beginning to fizzle out, the gleam of a crescent moon now beginning to illuminate the city sky.
Peering warily though the glass of April's third story apartment window, Raphael watched his brothers hover around her computer monitor, all of them motionless and listening intently as she pointed at certain areas on the screen and spoke. The room was dark, barely lit by the bright blue glow of the monitor, and slowly Raphael's eyes shifted out of focus, seeing his reflection in the window's shiny surface, grimacing at the dark circles under his slightly redden eyes, and the drooping corners of his green mouth.
He looked horrible.
Snarling to himself, he shook his head and then gave a knock on the window, hoping the darkness would hide his exhausted face from the people inside. Michelangelo approached the window and unlocked it, allowing Raphael to push it up with a huff and enter, ducking his head so he could get in and closing the window behind him. Clicking the latch, he strode toward the buzzing computer and silent brothers, Michelangelo at his side.
"Do we smell nice now?"
He didn't answer, stopping shortly behind April's chair and nodding down at her when she threw a glance and a smile at him.
"Raphael, Leo was telling me about your friend…Yin, was it? Well, according to this article I found here, she's the number one fugitive in the Japan, with a three million dollar reward on her head."
"Does it say why?"
Raphael's voice broke at the end of his sentence, causing him to clear his throat in annoyance, furrowing his brow at the glare of the monitor, his glossy brown eyes refusing to focus and read the tiny words displayed on the screen. April's slender finger drew his gaze slowly, moving along the many rows of fine print as she read.
"It says she's wanted for possession of government property, breaking and entering, assault, …and murder."
He could feel his brothers' eyes on him, and his temples throbbed from the awkward silence that had descended on the darkened room. He took a step back, his sweaty palm reaching up to touch his face, pinching the bridge of his nose, and gradually he turned around, walking over to the couch situated on the opposite side of the room, collapsing onto the crisp cushions. Sighing deeply, he draped his arms along the top of the couch and tilted his head back, staring blankly at the stucco ceiling. Christ…more good news.
"…I want details."
"On what?"
"Everything, I guess. Tell me what she's stolen."
Raphael's gruff request was answered by the noisy clicking of Aprils' fingers across the keyboard, the data processor beside her uttering a mechanical sigh before it registered her typed command.
"Let's see…thousands of dollars of automatic weapons, hundreds worth of food, a couple cars…and apparently a top-secret military chemical."
Out if the corner of his eye, Raphael caught his brother Donatello taking a step closer to the humming computer, leaning on the back of April's chair.
"Does it say anything else about that chemical? Anything at all?"
"Hmmm…it's called 'Elixir L', and it says that it was a military project supposedly terminated until a terrorist faction got a hold of it, tampered with it, and smuggled it into the United States. Apparently, if this thing is sold on the black market, a whole new means of terrorism will begin…"
The level of April's voice rose slightly as she read, her interest and anxiety increasing, making Raphael snort softly to himself.
"Guys, this is serious. If what you say is true, if your friend has this thing…not only is the Japanese and American government out to get her, but all the violent, trigger-happy scum of the world."
Raphael closed his large hands up into tense fists, closing his eyes at the feel of his wide fingernails sinking into the flesh of his palm, letting out an irritated growl.
"…Fan-fuckin'-tastic."
Leonardo clicked his tongue in obvious displeasure at his brothers' colorful remark, causing Raphael to smile a little and languidly lifted his head up, his half-lidded eyes trying to focus on April.
"What else does it say?"
"Not much else. 'Says she's broken in to several houses, probably for supplies, and has assaulted numerous police officers and civilians that she's come in contact with."
"And the murder charges?"
There was a small pause as she placed a hand on the mouse, clicking its tiny buttons several times to scroll down and read.
"This article states that there hasn't been any solid evidence against her, but believe she's responsible for the deaths of Yamota Kyosho and Hitashi Fujo, both former chairmen that represented a multi-million dollar bio-chemical Corporation in the Japanese government before it was accused of crimes against humanity and a plot against the government. Authorities also link her with the murder that happened a couple nights ago near a movie theatre."
Noiselessness fell on the room. Raphael struggled with himself silently, refusing to think of Yin, the only picture willing to flicker across his memory being of her on his bed: her full lips quivering and her dainty brow knitted together in woe, a trembling hand clutching the bedding beneath her half-naked body. No…he wasn't going to remember that. He wasn't going to dwell on that. It's over and done…he has a new, more dangerous task before him – help her now, wallow in self-pity later.
"So? What happens now?"
April spoke up, the silence beginning to bother her. She had no idea of the severity of this situation. Inhaling deeply, Raphael gave each of his brothers a concentrated look before addressing April, meeting their eyes in wordless agreement.
"April…you're asking the right question to the wrong person."
-Later-
Raphael went rigid as he entered the lair, reaching instinctively for his weapons, the unfamiliar person who had triggered his distress instantly drawing two long daggers from boots hidden under lengthy and baggy khaki pants. April, who had been at the back of the group, let out a soft gasp, and glancing back Raphael saw her plaster herself against the outer sewer wall. The sound of his brother's drawing their weapons followed immediately after, and Raphael grew slightly more comfortable – one to four; she's out-numbered.
"Who the hell are you, and what the fuck are you doing in my den?!"
Taking a threatening step forward, Raphael barked out at the foreign body who challenged his family, who dared to confront him on his own turf. Leonardo moved in front of him, however, his skin stretched tightly across his toned muscles as he addressed her, his voice calm despite the situation.
"Where are they?"
Her eyes narrowing, she gave Leonardo a throaty growl before uttering something softly in Japanese, glancing quickly in the direction of the kitchen as a four-foot rat and a slender young woman emerged. Both looked mildly startled.
"Please, my sons! Lower your weapons…she is not your adversary."
The old rat approached them noiselessly with his hands held out, coaxing his sons out of their defensive state. Leonardo was the first to lower his weapons, his katanas gradually finding their home in the scabbards on his back, and soon Raphael's other brothers' relaxed as well. Giving the strange girl one last glare, Raphael tucked his sais away and stepped further into the lair, hearing April murmur something to Donatello as he persuaded her out of her hiding spot.
"Forgive me, my sons…I did not mean to alarm you. If you will all gather around, I can introduce everyone."
Obediently, Raphael's brothers found any available chairs near their Master, April plopping down on the couch between Mike and Leo; Donatello settling down on the arm of the sofa. Raphael chose to remain standing, behind the couch, still eyeing the intruder that sat beside the wise Rat's tawny armchair. Splinter gestured toward his sons and spoke gently to the stranger.
"These turtles you see before you, child, are my adopted sons…"
Still watching the stranger and ignoring his Master's tale, Raphael noticed she appeared calm and relaxed, in spite of the conflict from moments ago, her weight shifted back on her palms and her long legs hidden by those huge khakis folded beneath her. Her outfit was unusually radical for someone who carried weapons of ninjitsu; her pink tube-top exposing her naked shoulders and cut abs, the small navel in the center of her creamy flesh decorated with two large silver studs. This was not the only piercing Raphael saw, for two small rings adorned her eyebrow and another silver stud embellished the underside of her bottom lip. She seemed to have a passion for cosmetics, Raphael assumed as his eyes traced over her face; her lips were darkened with almost black pencil and her red eyes were heavily shadowed with dark silver.
What? Red eyes?
"…So all of you are a product of neglectful chemical disposal? This…mutation…you underwent was not intentional?"
Raphael's thought was interrupted by the girls' injection, causing him to glower at her before throwing a look at his Master, who answered with a slight nod of his angular head.
"Correct."
"Interesting…"
She ran a pink-and-black sock-sleeved hand through her short-cropped hair, which was brilliant lilac streaked with black. That radical hair, however, didn't hide the curves and corners of a black tattoo that slithered down both sided of her neck, stopping just at her collarbone.
Wait…he's seen this before.
Quickly, Raphael shifted his gaze to Yin, who sat beside the outlandish girl. The large jersey she had been wearing was no where to be found, her small figure dressed in an oriental-style two-piece gown; the top a sleeveless turtle-neck ending several inches below her breasts, the bottom piece cut low and dropping to her ankles, slit all the way up the right side. Both were an emerald green outlined in yellow.
Raphael felt his chest tighten and his throat burn; she looked amazing. Again, as if on cue, the memories from earlier that day flooded his head, causing him to close his eyes and shudder.
No. Not now.
Opening his eyes slowly, he looked from Yin to the unfamiliar girl…who seemingly didn't look to be all that unfamiliar. Both were Asian, Japanese at that…both had the same build…same eccentric eye and hair color. Holy shit…they're twins.
"So…you're the sister Yin spoke of?"
Leonardo chimed into the conversation between his Master and the stranger, breaking Raphael's train of thought…again. Growling under his breath, Raphael gazed at his brother through thick, red eyebrows.
"Christ, Leo. Isn't that obvious? They're twins."
Raphael was answered by a glare from his brother, but he ignored it, his attention now focused on the girl beside Yin. She apparently found his comment to be humorous, a hand concealing her small smile as she spoke.
"Not exactly."
The girl leaned forward, resting her chin in a palm and her elbow on her knee, her other hand held up to her face where she twirled her lip stud between her thumb and finger. Cocking an eyebrow at her casual behavior, Raphael leaned forward, his palms finding the edge of the couch.
"…Not Exactly? What the hell does that mean?"
The small smile on her round face faded slowly as she considered him for a moment or two, glancing sideways at the silent Yin and exchanging unspoken words.
"Am I correct to assume you know…what we are?"
Her voice changed sharply, dropping into a serious and slightly monotone inquiry. A nod from the majority of the room's occupants answered her, and with a sigh, she continued. Her tone, however, remained unenthusiastic.
"Each generation produced by the organization was designed to look different, but every subject in that one particular generation were made to be identical. All the females of the same age looked the same, and all the males of the same age looked the same. The most they did was tweak the chromosomes to alter hair and eye color…minor things like that. Aside from our serial number, it's how they could tell us apart."
"Why?"
April spoke up, leaning in on her knees in intrigue as she question the girl, but made a funny little sound with her tongue when she was answered by Yin, her slight surprise clearly apparent.
"It cost less money to use the same program multiple times. Plus, it would confuse the enemy in battle if several of the same person attacked all at once."
"Oh. I—I'm sorry…but what was your name again? I was expecting only one person when I came…"
"You mean Yin. She was the one you were meant to see. I'm Yom."
After acknowledging her sister, Yom reached over, placing her small hand on Yin's thigh. The two shared a warm smile and Yin moved her hand so that their fingers laced together. This action was very quick and subtle, but Raphael caught it, arching a red eyebrow curiously. Just how close are these two…sisters? With this, a dirty little picture popped into his thoughts, making him take in a short breath silently – Holy Christ. Quickly blinking away that colorful image, Raphael grimaced, sighing loudly through his nose. Fucking hormones…that wasn't meant to happen.
"Yin and Yom, huh? S'gotta ring to it."
From the other side of the sofa, Mike gave a smile to the twins.
"But wait, didn't you say you didn't have names, originally? What made you guys name yerse—"
"Just how did you find this place, Yom?"
Raphael gruffly interrupted his brother's babbling, unhappy with how casually she addressed breaking into their secret lair. He must have caught her off-guard, for the girl shot an insulted glance at him, which slowly melted into a sweet-but-false smile.
"It wasn't all that difficult, really. I just followed your distinct scent…"
Snorting loudly, Raphael crossed his muscular arms and scowled, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Bullshit."
That overly sugary smile didn't fade. The girl leaned forward onto her folded knees and folded together her slender fingers, tipped by brightly colored fingernails of metallic blue, and gazed at him, those piercing rubies beneath her powdery eyelids dissecting the large, amphibious specimen in front of her. Then, very casually, she gave a shrug.
"Don't believe me, huh? Well then. Ask Yin. Perhaps you'll believe her…"
Her red eyes bored into Raphael as if she knew every thought and emotion he had felt about Yin since she ad first arrived. His smile was sugary and almost leering, and Raphael made sure to give her a venomous glower before turning to Yin, who was fiddling with a lock of hair before she spoke up.
"Go ahead, hun. Tell 'em."
"You all have certain glands that release pheromones when ever you get emotional, or excited. They don't all produce the same chemicals at the same time, in fact some are almost unnoticeable…but if you're enraged, or…or anxious, it'll trigger a particular gland that makes a very distinct scent."
"So, naturally, the sewer has a very unique scent."
Yom spoke matter-of-factly, chewing at her cuticle.
"Fascinating, simply fascinating…"
Donatello pressed the tips of his fingers together in front of him, pondering Yom's explanation. After a thought-filled silence, he spoke again.
"If what you say is true…then what has stopped the foot from using dogs to find us?"
A smile answered the question before the girl spoke, her fingers finding her lip stud again.
"The watery conditions make for difficult tracking if they don't have a solid and potent scent to go by. And I said the sewer had a unique scent, but not just this particular area. I could have been searching forever if I just went by your smell, for you've all been through the entire sewer system probably several times. All I had to do was follow the fragrance of watermelon."
Beside Donatello, Michelangelo made a questioning sound in his throat, smiling that familiar smile of confusion.
"What? Why watermelon?"
Pondering this also, Raphael glanced at Yin, his eyes widening in realization. Memories rushed into his head, randomly, before one in specific came to mind. Oh God…
"…It's her shampoo…"
Raphael spoke aloud to himself, his eyes unfocused and half-lidded, unintentionally answering his brother's question. Abruptly he shook his head and shot a glare at his brothers, who ogled him curiously. Looking away, he locked eyes with Yom, who seemed intrigued by his correct answer.
"It IS her shampoo. How did you know, Raphael?"
He scowled at her, her meddling grin deliberately overly sweet and nosey.
"Lucky guess…"
"I'm sure…"
With a sly wink she shifted her attention on to Donatello, continuing her explanation. Grimacing at her, Raphael huffed.
"Yin has been using the same shampoo ever since we escaped. It's always been something mixed with the essence of watermelon. So, I just followed that, and when I saw large turtles come out of a small niche in the sewer, I just put two n' two together."
"I see…"
Donatello nodded, his curiosity satisfied. Michelangelo, grinning next to the now silent Donatello, leaned forward.
"How do you know it wasn't my shampoo?"
Snorting in a very unlady-like manner, Yom gave him a skeptical look. Mike could only grin back, the giggling April on the cushion next to him encouraging him.
"You don't need shampoo Mikey, you don't have any hair."
"Hey, don't insult me like that! I don't make fun of you 'cause you don't have a shell!"
Rolling his eyes, Raphael watched Leonardo fake a glare at his brother's wide smile. Splinter, who had been studying the two sisters through bushy eyebrows and laced fingers, now leaned forward and cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"The hour grows late, my sons; Let us continue tomorrow. Yom…will you be staying here tonight?"
"Only if it's not too much trouble…"
The old rat gave a small wave of his thin, bony hand.
"Not at all. And April…I assume you will be too?"
Seeming to have forgotten herself, April gasped softly, stealing a glance at her wristwatch.
"Oh my…I can't, I'm sorry. Works gonna be hell tomorrow, we have new people coming in. But I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon, I promise."
Already on her feet and heading out the den door, April grabbed her coat and turned.
"I'll fix up my apartment for you two, incase you want to stop by or stay a night or two. They know my number, just call me before ya come…"
Gesturing toward the nearest turtle, April smiled and spun around, shuffling out into the small corridor of the sewers, a pocket flashlight lighting her way moments after.
Yin, turning to Yom, shared an eager smile with her sister, and watched as Yom rushed forward and stopped at the opened door of the lair, laughing out a gracious salutation to the disappearing April.
Turning back, Yom beamed at the rooms' occupants, stretching her arms over her head and sighing. Reaching her sister's side, both approached the Master Rat and gave him their thanks with a low bow, his ears pulling back and he shook his head chastely.
"It is nothing. The couch here pulls out, and is big enough for both of you to share. If that doesn't suit you, I may be able to coax my sons out of one of their rooms…"
The Wise Rat gave his sons an intimidating look, but couldn't conceal the playfulness in his eyes.
"The couch will be just fine…thank you so much, Master Splinter."
Nodding, he turned and pulled several blankets from a dresser cabinet, which sat beside the sofa. Setting them down on a cushion, her bowed shortly to each of the girls, ushering his sons into their own rooms soon after. Raphael followed his Master down the hall to his room, sneaking one last glance at the sisters, his eyes lingering on Yin. Ignoring the small tug at his heart, he gave his brother Michelangelo a nudge in the ribs when he noticed him watching them as well. Huffing at Raphael's impatience, Mike complained loudly, grinning in hopes that the girls might hear.
"They can stay – but tell Yin not to use my shampoo anymore."
-That Night-
Her hands languidly traveled along his body, those hot palms and slender fingers tickling and stroking his flesh, gently, while her mouth moved against his; her lips enveloped by his.
Jesus…this felt good.
His body trembled, a burning desire that lay hidden for so long now flaring, her body melted to his, making it all the worse.
Allowing his tongue to mingle and dance with hers, his two-fingered hand found the back of her head, his green digits ensnaring themselves instantly in her silky strands. He couldn't stop himself, he palmed her head and pressed it forward, bringing her lips in closer, so hungry to taste all of her.
He must touch her, feel and explore every Goddamn piece of her.
With a soft grunt, his other hand located her hips, his palm sliding down far enough to cup her and pulled her close, rewarding him with a small moan. His eyes rolled back into his head, that sound making his throbbing manhood push painfully up against the inside of his plastron.
Damnit…he needs release soon, or he might explode right now…
Seeming to read his mind, he felt her warm palms trail down his arms and move to his middle, falling slowly toward the fire between his legs. It was agony waiting for her, hearing the sound of her nails dragging across the hard shell; passed his chest…his navel. With a sharp gasp, he finally felt those burning fingers encircle him…
"…!!"
His eyes snapping open, he held his breath, and every muscle in his body tensed as his eyes darted blindly around his dark room. The beating of his heart roared inside his head, and gradually, Raphael came to. Cussing under his breath, he could hear hushed voices in the den, but only barely, for his heart still pounded in his ears.
Fuck.
Sitting up and rubbing his sleep-heavy eyes with a knuckle, Raphael looked around at his room slowly, grumbling at the fact that he was unable to see a thing in the darkness. Yawning, he finally became aware of the burning sensation in his lap, and reaching down, he felt himself in full extension.
Christ…it was just a dream.
He growled, tearing the blankets off and throwing his legs over the side of his bed. He's not going to be able to get to sleep again, not with this fucking hard-on. Getting to his feet, he tucked himself back into his shell and stumbled quietly toward the door, hoping his presence would go unnoticed.
Opening the door just enough to peak out, he peered into the den, which was lit by the glow from the television in the far corner. His eyes focused in on the couch, watching for any sign that the girls were awake. Stepping out into the darkened hall when he saw no movement, he tiptoed across the hall, making his way quickly and quietly to the bathroom on the other side.
Raphael shot a cautious glance at the den once more before he closed the bathroom door behind him, flicking on the light switch. Overhead, a boxy light-fixture sputtered for a moment and then hummed, a white light bathing Raphaels' skin in its' florescent glow. His eyes burned from the drastic change of dark to light, but ignoring it, he hastily reached over and clicked the door's lock.
Taking a second to allow his eyes to adjust, he moved forward and pushed the lid down on the toilet, collapsing on it soon after. Raphael then sat there, for several moments, staring blankly at the crumbly drywall opposite him and sighed, the throbbing extremity pressed against the inside of his shell reminding him of what he came in this room to do. Growling, he knew he could only ignore it for so long.
With a defeated groan, he stretched out his arm, feeling around carelessly for a hand-towel in the cupboard beneath the sink, and finding one, dropped it on his lap. His fingers then reached between his legs and withdrew his rigid shaft, grasping it tightly.
Raphael let out a long, tired sigh, his hand beginning to stroke rhythmically; carrying out the same intimate procedure like it had done so many other times. The feeling of being dirty or immoral had long since disappeared, this ritual now being more of a bodily function rather than something pleasurable. His breathing growing ragged, Raphael's head lolled and thoughts drifted, that smutty image of the sisters that he had thought of earlier popping into his head, taking advantage of him and fueling his hormones. Through gritted teeth he muffled a moan and released, catching his hot fluid in the towel, feeling it burn into the cloth.
How pathetic…this is what he'd been reduced to. Thinking back, he pictured Yin sitting on his lap, her creamy white bosom pressed up against him. He could've had that…he could have had her. The sound of her soft breathing…the taste of her full lips…the hot, precious feel of her center around his…and he turned it all down.
Hissing loudly, Raphael squeezed his head for one more burst of tantalizing feeling, disrupting his memories as the last of his seed oozed out. Whining silently to himself, he let his grasp fall free from his swollen manhood; his palm sweaty and fingers sticky.
What did he do? He gave that all up…for this? Leaning his head back against the wall behind him, he gazed vacantly up at the ceiling. Like so many other times in his life, Raphael felt regret. Unlike those times, however, this couldn't be shrugged off, or blamed on another. This was one of those times…she was one of those people…that made him hurt just to think about. The question of 'what if', he wouldn't allow himself to imagine, his heart only able to handle so much.
Sniffing abruptly when he felt something warm and wet trickle from his eye, he rose to his feet, wiping his face with his arm. Turning the knobs of the sink as he stood in front of it, he listened to the hiss of the faucet muffle when he held the towel under its' mouth. Stoically, Raphael watched the white solution of semen and remorse flow off the towels' fibers and down the drain. After giving the towel a squeeze, he then began cleaning himself off, tucking his length back into his shell and wiping his hands. Rinsing the sink out, he tossed the towel into the hamper across the room, staring solemnly at his morbid reflection in the mirror above the sink.
Unlatching the door lock and turning the handle, Raphael crept back out into the hall, pausing to check if the girls' were awake again. When his senses were greeted by only the buzzing television he relaxed, heading for his room. His curiosity, however, had other plans, for instead of reaching for the doorknob, Raphael spun around and skulked toward the den, eyeing the couch. As he neared, he could see the ruffled hills and valleys of the blankets, and the two different pillows. Raphael didn't, however, see any head on either of the pillows. His eyes widening, he rushed forward, stopping at the side of the sofa only to whip back the covers, exposing an empty bed.
What the hell?
Raphael's brow knitted together and his eyes narrowed, dashing into the kitchen, and into the hall, searching for the two bodies that were supposed to be sleeping safely in his den. Finding nothing, he swore aloud and sprinted to the nearest room, swinging the door open and flicking on the lamp, his brother Michelangelo waking immediately with a small cry.
"Hey…! What's th'matter with you Raph? Jeez—"
"They're gone."
"What? Lookit the time, Ra—"
Growling, Raphael punched the door and bellowed out at his sibling, too impatient to be nice.
"They're gone, Mike! The girls, Yin and Yom!"
Understanding finally crept onto Michelangelo's face, and he leapt out of bed, and almost onto his face, groping blindly for his mask.
"What? Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm fucking sure! They're gone, as in, not here!!"
"Okay, okay…don't bite my head off…"
Now stomping down the hall toward his Master's room and ignoring his brother, Raphael caught his other two sibling jumping out of their rooms, apparently wretched out of their slumber by his shouting. Leonardo stepped in front of him, blocking his way, already masked and armed, his katanas slung on his back.
"What's going on?"
Glaring past his brother, Raphael roughly shoved his sibling to the side, Leo hitting the wall with a startled gasp, unprepared for Raph's advance. Michelangelo quickly stopped any retaliation from Leo by telling him what he wanted to hear, Raphael sauntering toward the end of the hall where his Master's room lay. The door opened before he could knock, the figure of a four-foot rat emerging. Meeting his Masters' eyes, Raphael opened his mouth to speak, but Splinter spoke for him.
"They're gone."