Raphael had played this out in his head a hundred times. The words they would spout, the taunting, the teasing, and then the eventually acceptances that would only be skin deep. They would never treat him the same again, he would lose his place amongst them. And that …that was something that hurt him ….no he had to start thinking of himself in his proper gender ….her.
They were so few …and now ….she had gone from one of four to being truly alone.
The dream had ended.
The laughter came first.
Her brother's broke out laughing. Not that she blamed them, because, in their shells there is no way she would think they were telling the truth. After all, they played together, train together, eat, slept, and bath together. Yet, she doubt they could remember a time when she went to the bathroom in front of them. A time, where they saw her privates, and that was probably running in their heads even as they tried to play this off with their laughter. Hard laughter, that seem to still their breath as they fell against each other for support.
She knew this would happen, but still Raphael couldn't help balling up her fist. Her temper was starting to mount, until, it seemed they were able to catch their breath. The laugher abated for just a few seconds and then words were spoken, biting words. Words that would summon their laughter back as they pointed out her appearances. Words that blew away her anger, as it replace it with something harder to ignore ….harder to escape, insecurity and shame. Raphael would drop her eyes to the floor as her face started to feel hot and a sudden familiar sensation would tickle the back of her eyes.
She was crying again.
Tears stream down her face, unnoticed by her brothers, but not by her father.
A hard rap on the ground would bring the laughter to a sudden end, with Leo having to smack Mikey to completely end it, as they took in the anger in their master's eyes. All eyes were on their sensei as he held back a barely contain hiss. He had expected an outburst, but, the shaming …the laughter and the words. It had stun him, kept him quiet, until he had saw the tears.
It was enough to jar him to action.
"She isn't lying. Raphael is a Kunoichi."
"Come again?"
Mikey would blurt out.
The elder rat's eyes would become gentler.
"Your brother is in fact your sister."
"How is …how …how is this possible?" Donnie would turn back to look at Raphael. The tears running down his no …her mask less face would stop all questions and answers then as Leonardo would take over. A hand held out to caution his brothers as he walks over to his former brother. Head still down she didn't see him coming until his arms were thrown around her.
"Sorry."
A single word, but it stop the tears as she looks up at him. Green eyes that he suddenly saw the beauty in. Not masculine at all, but, gentle and all girl. It almost startled him, but he didn't let go as his brothers would move to join the hug as well.
"Sorry."
"Sorry."
Slowly emerald green hands would move to complete the circle of hugs as one arm went over the shoulder of Donnie, and the other was about mid-shell on Mikey.
"Sorry."
Raphael would reply.
The last sorry uttered, but it was as greatly received as the first.
A small smile was on Master Splinter's face as he saw his sons and daughter embrace.
"So," he hated to break up the moment, but it needed to be done. "Do you think you still need to leave, my daughter?"
Raphael's head would pop out of the group as the hug broke apart.
"You …you still want me here, even though I lied? I mean, as a family, we shouldn't keep such secrets from each other, and I kept this one for so long. I lied to everyone for so long."
Splinter shrugged.
"Everyone has their secrets, and being family doesn't make it any less so."
Raphael nods as he smiles a bit.
"Then yes, sensei, I wish to stay."
Master Splinter would nod.
"Then I guess, that leave a few more things to address."
He would point his staff at the mask and knee pads.
"Do you wish to keep your name and colors?"
Raphael didn't even think twice about it.
"Hai, sensei. I want nothing to change."
She said those words to her father first before glaring at her brothers.
"I mean nothing."
Mikey, Donnie, and Leo would instantly put their hands behind their backs as they answer in unison.
"Nope, nothing will change."
Master Splinter's whiskers would droop. He knew they were lying, that all three had their fingers cross, but, for now …he decided, it was best to deal with each obstacle …one at a time.
Raphael silently agreed, she would take what she could get ...for now.
(The end)