Tribulation: Chapter Three
****Author note is at the end***
"Regret for the things we did can be tempered by time; it is regret for the things we did not do that is inconsolable."
-Sydney Smith
Disclaimer: I do not own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
***Italics=flashbacks***
Let us take a moment to recap shall we!
Clearing my throat while staring at the stilled image of Raph's bike zooming towards some unknown destination on the television I inhaled a deep breath and spoke again.
"Raphael…t-that's was Raphael riding off into the storm."
The silence that followed was heavy and suffocating to say the least. I could almost feel the confusion rolling off them in thick waves. The three of us staring at each other, motionless, silently questioning, I could have thought of a thousand other places I would have rather been.
'Like out in the storm trying to convince Raphael to come home.'
Donatello was the first to break the silence while slowly approaching the television screen.
"L-Leo what are you talking about, how could that be Raph, he was…wasn't he just here?"
That statement was enough to make me hang my head down in shame.
'That's the thing Don, he was just here,' I contemplated in silence.
"Leo?"
The sound of my name brought me out of my thoughts. I carefully raised my eyes only to be met by a pair of concerned blue ones.
"We got into a fight. You guys know how I wanted to have an extra training session today since the weather is crazy. Well, when I brought the notion up at breakfast, Raph did not seem thrilled by the idea, so a while ago I tried getting him to go to the dojo first, just in case he found something else to occupy his time."
I paused mentally fast-forwarding through the events that happened just moments ago. Sighing, and staring at the stilled image that was broadcasted on the television screen I continued.
"I found him lying on his floor staring at some map. I don't know why, but I got angry… I was such a jerk to him! We exchanged a few words and ultimately I snatched all of these push pins out of it. He told me they were markers for all the places he wanted to see eventually."
Slowly, I shut my eyes as I felt my body shaking. In an attempt to divert my attention, I began pacing around the living room.
"He ran out on me and I followed him to the garage. I tried to stop him but he just got on his bike. I tried again and he told me that he was going to go on a tour of New York City and sped off. I should have tried harder; this is my fault. If I wasn't such a jerk Raphael would still be here instead of out there."
Still trembling and pacing, I ended my explanation. From what I just told, it would be of no surprise if my brothers hated me. I am supposed to be the leader, the example, the one that has a clear head. I let my temper get the best of me, and that is an inexcusable act.
"This is all my fault," I shouted while stopping to face my brothers who were staring back at me with wide eyes.
"Are you sure that was him," Mikey asked tentatively, "I mean the news could have filmed anyone. Maybe he just went to Casey's to blow off a little steam."
"I think Leo is right," Don added while swiftly moving towards his computer.
As his fingers rapidly flew across the keyboard, filling the still area with a melody of uninterrupted rapping, I was captivated by my younger brother's intense focus. Looking over at Mikey who was just as perplexed as I was, we simultaneously gravitated towards Don's area of work.
'What is he doing now,' I mused silently as I peeked over his shoulder.
Multiple windows filled the screen, and many more were appearing as his continued nimbly typing away. One in particular grabbed my attention. It was a map showing the progression of the storm, and it looked like a fast end was not in sight. The last window to pop up was the same stilled image that aired on the news of the lone cyclist riding off into the nightmarish storm.
Taking a moment to clean and straighten the pixels while magnifying the picture, Donnie was able to crop everything else out besides the rider.
The custom design of the red metallic machine glistening under the streetlights was unmistakable, almost as unmistakable as the matching red helmet and biker attire that the rider was wearing. After exchanging knowing glances amongst ourselves, there was no doubt in our minds that our brother, Raphael, was indeed braving the waking hell.
'Oh shell,' I gulped mentally 'we have to go after him before he gets himself hurt'.
"Well dudes, you know what they say," Mikey uttered while making his way back to the couch, "if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then obviously it's Raphie Boy. Hey, you can even see his bad attitude in this picture".
"So not the time" I responded while shooting him yet another stern glance.
"You can't blame a guy for trying," Mikey whispered while shrugging off my glare and getting comfortable on the sofa.
I watched as my little brother aimlessly stared at the different news channels on our TVs, which had abandoned the still of the lone rider in favor of showing scenes from the chaotic streets. On every television screen, a different news station had their respective weather reporter live at the hair-raising scenes broadcasting to the masses that there is a possibility the condition outdoors will only get grimmer. The longer I stared at the footage that was flashing before me, the more fear I felt for Raph's safety.
'I gotta go get him I'm the reason he's out in the storm right now.'
With my mind made up, I swiftly grabbed a spare shell cell off Donnie's desk and began heading out of the room. I did not even pass the couch before I heard a loud sigh coming from Michelangelo.
"What are we going to do now," he questioned emphasizing the 'we'. His gaze never left the screens.
Stopping my movement, I could not help but to notice the marginally wary tone his voice held, and I knew he was aware of my next course of action. A part of me always respected how Mikey had a gift for reading people, but at the same time, I hated it.
When he averted his eyes away from the television screen while turning down to volume, only to stare at me with an air of silent accusation, I had to collect myself. His icy blue eyes seemed to warn me that whatever I was about to do was stupid…
However, I did not care and I decided to clear the air and set the record straight.
"We don't have to do anything," I stated curtly in the most authoritative voice I could muster, "however I need to go get Raph, he is my responsibil-"
"No he's not," Mikey shouted while standing up, his blue eyes overflowing with emotion, were staring holes into my body, "remember he's our brother too, we should all go!"
The lair fell silent. I am almost certain if a pin fell in the dojo we would have been able to hear it out here. Even Donatello stopped his typing at the computer and hesitantly began observing the situation between Mikey and I.
I was speechless. It was very rare that Mikey would shout at anyone of us…especially me.
'Did he just…' I thought to myself as I closed my mouth, which I just realized had been hanging wide open in shock. I felt my eyes widening as I stared at my infuriated brother in awe.
'Strange,' I mused silently as I slowly regained my composure, 'I wonder what that was about.'
Clearing my throat, I began to explain why this ordeal was my burden to bare, "Look, you and Don are not a part of this. This is an issue that Raph and I need to work out, and besides you have seen the weather, it is way too dangerous for you gu-"
"It's too dangerous for us? Leo, what about you?" Mikey shouted again his face livid as he extended an accusing finger at my form.
We stared at each other for a moment in silence until the fire extinguished itself from his eyes, and he heaved a sigh.
"Look Leo," he breathed out dropping his hand back at his side, "you're the one that is always lecturing us about keeping our cool in order to think things through, you know in order to make the right decision. Well bro, wouldn't it be smarter and safer for us to go together as a team, as brothers?"
I took a moment to consider what he was saying as he slowly advanced towards me, putting his hands on my shoulders while glaring hopefully into my eyes.
"You honestly think that you're the only one that worries? Geez dude, Donny and I worry about you guys all of the time. Sometimes I think about hiring Doctor Phil to do an intervention with you two. Come on dude lets go get good ol' Raph together."
I stared down into my brother's eyes and I could not help but to shortly succumb to the emotions that they were exuding. Hope, trust, and determination were pouring through his gaze like water gushing through broken dam. For a moment, I almost took him up on his offer but I quickly shut down that notion once I thought about the danger I could be putting them through.
'I would much rather die than risk any of my brothers being injured…or worse', I thought to myself as I tore myself away from Mikey's grasp.
Turning away slowly, while ignoring the call of my name that my youngest brother whispered out, I could almost feel the waves of hurt I caused.
'It's for the best', I thought as I swiftly began heading to the entrance of the lair, 'he will get over it in no time'.
"Wait Leo, wait", Don shouted breaking his silence. He approached me quickly, both hands behind his back.
"I think that Mikey is right; we should come with you."
Before I could interject, Donatello quickly added, "If you really think about it, we could be an asset. First, do you even know where to look for Raphael?"
Stopping my advance, I silently turned to Donny as realization began setting in. The perplexed expression that my eyes must have held was all the permission he needed to continue.
"Look, I installed tracking devices in all of our shell cells just in case we got separated. I also installed a tracking device in Raph's motorcycle.
He slowly brought one of his hands from behind his back. In its grasp laid a tablet shaped device, which had a sequence of flashing lights and blips.
"This scanner will be able to lead us to Raph's location, but I am the only one who knows how to read it."
'Now that I think of it, this scanner thing would be helpful…I would be able to find Raphael right away instead of having to search the whole city…but then again…'
Donny,I-I mean, I still don't know about this…"
As if sensing my doubt building up again, Donatello uttered, "Oh, Mikey has also been helping me upgrade the battle shell. I have added a few things that might prove very useful against the storm." He sat in silence thinking for a moment, "besides, what if you do find Raphael and he is hurt, what are you going to do?"
Heaving a long sigh of defeat, I turned around.
'He's right, if Raph is hurt somewhere out there I can't offer him the help he needs.'
""Alright Don, you got me there," I stated while watching a small grin break out on his face, "there's power in numbers we should all go and find Raphael…together."
"Wahoo! I just knew you would come around," Mikey shouted while bounding over the couch and stumbling towards us, "now we just need a plan."
"We will figure one out while we gear up," Donny replied while moving back towards his computer desk and shoving various items into his duffle bag, " besides, the more time we spend here, the more time the storm has to become worse."
While we swiftly gathered all of the supplies we needed, we briefly discussed our plans. We determined that the best course of action would be to use the battle shell, obviously, while taking the main roads, one because they were vacant, and two the private and side streets were all blocked off. From Donny's last reading, Raph was making his way to upstate New York, and we planned to cut him off there.
Once we finished gathering our supplies, we loaded the battle shell and got in. Donny then connected his scanner into the battle shell and a small screen near the steering wheel projected everyone's location. Holding down the button on the remote control that opened the garage door, we all silently listened as the ghastly metallic sound echoed throughout the garage. Slowly, the opening became wider and the hellish nightmare in our wake became clearer.
"Are you guys ready for this", Donatello uttered, his voice revealing just a twinge of distress.
"We can do this dude," Mikey added although it was more like a question than a statement, "besides it can't get any worse than this."
"Let's go," I instructed, "we are wasting time."
Slowly as if trying to savor out last bit of sanctuary, Donatello began to slowly exit our garage and enter an almost unrecognizably chaotic city that we called home. The scenery was much different from what had been broadcasted on the news, it was worse. We sat in silence the first few minutes, taking in the sights in disbelief, just listening to the wind as it abraded the exterior of our vehicle while also listening to the rhythmic hum of the engine and the sporadic beeping of the scanner.
The longer I sat there, the more I could feel the sickening feeling of uneasiness churn inside my stomach. My muscles tightened, my breathing increased, and I could feel sweat beginning to form on my forehead. I looked around the van to see if my brothers noticed my panicking state…
…They did not…I was still in the clear.
'Why am I starting to get a feeling that something bad is going to happen?"
Staring out the window, I started to think of Raphael, my brother who was out there alone…
'Raphael wherever you are, please be safe…'
"…Please," I mouthed in silence.
(A/N): Well, hello there! It has been quite some time hasn't it? I am so sorry about the wait everyone. Just so you guys know, I didn't forget about any of my stories. I hope that those of you who are reading this story enjoy this chapter! Please Read and Review!Constructive criticism is welcomed with open arms too! so please if you spot anything let me know!
Thank you for your support,
ChatterBOXX
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