Summary: "Say what are you supposed to be anyways? Some sort of Japanese...alien...reptile?"
Characters: Raphael & Mysterious Character
Genre: Comfort/Friendship
Written On: July 8th, 2012

A/N: Alright we have reached chapter two! Thank you for the wonderful reviews, I appreciate them. Also I fixed the typos from the last chapter. I looked it over and was surprised at how many there were! This is what happens when you try to write a story at 2 in the morning. This took me a few days to do, I was working on another chapter but I got a sudden inspiration to write this and just had to do this. We see more turtles but Raph's the main guy (again). I'm sorry but he just works so perfectly for this chapter!

While reading this, I suggest listening to Teenager by MONA. It was what I constantly had set of repeat while I wrote this. Also let's see if you can guess who this chapter's special guest character. Here's a hint, they're from the old cartoon. Good luck guessing!

TMNT © Nickelodeon

02: A Painted Smile

"A smile is a curve that sets everything straight."
— Phyllis Diller

It was Halloween night. The streets were paved with people dressed in unique and outrageous costumes. Children ran about, pretending to be their favourite superheroes and swinging their bags full of candy. Some were eating their well-earned treats but others were saving them, planning to add it to their stockpile and keep it all-year-round. Parents did their best to keep an eye on their children but in a metropolis jam-packed with costumed youngsters it was not easy. They ran out of sight when they spotted a house with its lights on and a bowl on the porch, overflowing with candy.

Michelangelo was not so different from these children and required his brothers to keep a constant watch on him. If they looked away for even just a second, he would run off into the sea of costumed children and would not be seen until next Halloween.

"Ha ha! Look at all of this candy!" Mikey exclaimed as he swung his pillow case which was chock-full of candy. He was walking backwards, facing Donatello and Leonardo while Raphael walked ahead of him. His mouth was watering from all of the chocolate and sweets. "Bros, I am set for life. I will need nothing but pizza, candy, video games, comics and a good TV."

"Oh really Mikey? What about Klunk?" Donatello teased, stepping to the side as a group of small children ran past him. Tonight was one of the few times during the year when they were able to walk freely on the surface.

"Oh man I totally forgot about Klunk!" Mikey gasped, his elbows rising up as he placed his palms against his cheeks dramatically. If there was one thing that Michelangelo was known for, it was his theatrical outbursts. His pillow case flew through the air, smacking Raphael in the face.

"Mikey!" Raphael yelled out, yanking on the pillow casing with a furious expression. Michelangelo felt the pillow covering slip from his grasp and instantly turned around. "Hey! That's mine Raph!"

"Too bad bozo," Raphael spoke with a smirk as he dug his hand into the makeshift treat bag, taking out a handful of the sweet confections. "Ya smack me with yer bag and I get to take some candy. It's compensation."

Raphael pulled the wrapper off one of the candies and plopped it into his mouth. "Raph, don't!" Mikey ran at his brother, waving his hands frantically as he tried to reach for his candy. Raphael kept his hand extended out, pushing on his brother's chest.

He chewed on the candy and then his face scrunched up, like as if he had eaten a sour lemon. Raphael stuck out his tongue with a repulsed expression. "Yuck! Coffee Toffee," he moaned as he wiped his tongue, still holding back his younger brother. "Little too caffeinated fer my tastes but I'm sure you'd like it Donny. Catch boy genius."

"Raph, give it over before I go ninja all over your butt," Mikey threatened, one of his hands reaching for his nunchucks. Raphael pushed back Mikey forcefully, causing the younger turtle to tumble backwards and trip over a fire hydrant. Raph grinned at the little 'accident', throwing some toffee in Donatello's direction.

"Gee, thanks Raph," Donatello commented sarcastically as he caught the tossed candy, mocking a tone that was usually reserved for his elder hot-headed brother. Leonardo simply shook his head, watching an all too familiar scene unfold.

"Raph, was that really necessary?" Leo asked scowling as he walked over to Michelangelo, attempting to help him back up. "Eh," Raph shrugged at his brother's question, twirling on his heel and stuffing some more of Mikey's stash into his mouth.

"My candy!" Mikey whined as Raphael ate more of the candy, just to spite the orange prankster.

"Raph, just give it back," Leonardo spoke sounding worn-out. It was starting to get late and the last thing he wanted was to get into another fight with his brother.

"Why should I Fearless? He hit me so I'm just returning the favour," Raphael said in his matter-of-a-fact tone. Leo only frowned more.

"Raph you know Mikey worked hard to gather all of that—"

"So give it back!" Mikey cut in, reaching over Leo's shoulders and trying to grab his candy.

"Mikey quit it!" Leo commanded his little brother before turning his attention back to Raph. "Master Splinter has warned you about doing this kind of stuff and I for one—"

"Master Splinter this, Master Splinter that, why don't you ever just stop being Splinter Jr. and stop expecting us to be like you?" Raphael yelled, waving his hands and tearing the pillow case on a fire hydrant unintentionally.

"Oh here we go," Donny said with a roll of the eyes, eating one of the Coffee Toffees. Mikey let out his signature girly scream as his candy bag was torn. "Why!"

"Raph, I don't expect any of you to be like me! Why would I even want that?" Leonardo shouted incredulously.

"Because you're 'perfect' and if we're anything less than that, we gotta hear it from you AND Master Splinter," Raphael growled, tossing the frayed pillow case aside. Donatello and Michelangelo just watched silently as the two older brothers yelled at one another, causing a few bystanders to look on.

"I never said I was perfect!"

"Oh, of course not! Cause our Fearless Leader isn't supposed to say that he is perfect, he's supposed to be humble and modest!" The fight was escalating, rapidly. Donatello was beginning to worry the fighting was going to lead up to violence. Even Mikey was starting to fret which usually meant something bad was going to happen.

"Raph! I don't want to hear it!" Leo ordered his younger brother, glaring heavily at him, "it's late, you ruined our night and now we've got to go back and get Mikey more candy since you just threw it all away! Just stop it, we're done!"

Raphael stood there, rage fuming inside of him. He wanted to yell, scream, do something. But as he gazed around he noticed that a small crowd was surrounding them. Mikey and Don both looked anxious, unsure of what to do. Leo looked frustrated and cross with him. He didn't need to be caught up this. He needed to get away, he needed to go somewhere and just think.

Raphael rammed his shoulder into Leonardo's and moved past him, running down the street and away from them. Leo looked up, watching his brother disappear into the shadows. He rose to his feet, making his way past Don and Mikey, trying to catch up to him. "Raph!"

Donatello reached out, grabbing his brother before he could go any further. Mikey was just behind him, staring at them with alarm. "Just let him go Leo," Don said as he held his elder brother back. "He just needs some space, let's give it to him."

Raphael strolled down the sidewalk, head facing down and eyes narrowed. He had been walking for a while now, taking in the cool October night air. He felt calmer and not so angry but he was still a little pissed. As he walked he had to evade wave after wave of candy-crazed kids. Most would march around him but the majority would just run straight into him. He generally didn't like children and having to maneuver through a vast amount of them was making his bitter mood worsen.

"Stupid Leo," he mumbled under his breath, glowering at the air. "Stupid Mike for hitting me with his stupid bag of stupid candy and all of those stupid kids. Stupid."

"Wow, that's a lot of stupid," a female voice spoke out from behind Raphael, faintly sounding impressed. He stopped mid-step, turning his head to see who was speaking cynically to him. The sidewalk was empty save for a few retreating families who were returning to their homes.

"Over here big guy," a girl called out, waving her hand to grab his attention. Raphael spotted the girl sitting on the steps of a townhouse two blocks down. He stood there, contemplating whether he should ignore her and walk away or say something, acknowledging her presence. He wasn't able to make much of a decision as the girl got onto her feet and sauntered her way towards him.

As she walked over, Raphael eyed her, more specifically the costume she was wearing. She was dressed in some sort of odd lizard suit. It was a light shade of green and had a bright yellow patch in the center, indicating it was some sort of stomach area. A long tail was moving as she moseyed over, its colours matching the green and yellow design. Her hands were covered by a pair of webbed gloves though Raphael could have easily mistaken them for real webbed fingers. Her feet were covered by some brown leather boots and she had a pink scarf tied around her neck.

The strangest part of her costume was not the fact that she had painted her face to match (and it was eerily realistic too) but that she didn't have her hair covered. It was long and a light shade of brown, her bangs just hung loosely and the rest was pulled up into a high ponytail held together by some kind pink headband. Raph could only raise a brow ridge at the ridiculousness of the costume.

"Wow, you made a girl have to walk all the way over to you. You must be quite the charmer," the girl spoke with a fake, flirtatious tone. Raphael leaned back, feeling a bit on edge. He didn't know who she was and felt some 'weird lady vibes' coming off her, as Mikey would say. He remained silent, wearing an irritated expression.

"Oh, so you're the tall, dark and silent type huh? I can work with that," the girl said playfully. Raphael scowled, already annoyed by her. The girl looked up at his eyes, watching his face with interest. They stared at each other for a few seconds before Raphael felt himself become flustered, looking away from her.

"Aw, shy already Red?" she asked with a girlish giggle. "Don't worry, I can fix that."

"S-Stop treatin' me like I'm sum kind of dessert!" Raphael finally yelled out, the words stumbling out of his mouth, making him feel like a bumbling idiot. "I'm not in the mood for it!"

"So he speaks, I was wondering how long it would take you to speak up," the girl's voice suddenly went higher in pitch, the low, seductive tone completely forgotten. She smiled at him, holding back a laugh from his reddened face. "So, do you have a name Mister Broody?"

"What's it to ya?" Raphael said angrily, heavily glaring at the girl. The girl's expression didn't change, she just kept smiling at him.

"I'm Mona. Mona Lisa," she said as she held her hand out for Raphael to shake. He hesitated for a moment before grumbling and finally taking her hand and shaking it. "Mm' Raphael."

"There, now was that so hard?" Mona said as she crossed her arms over her chest, leaning to her left side. "Now why did you feel such a need to express such an excessive amount of the word stupidity?"

"Huh?" Raphael titled his head, the words passing through him and anger starting to bubble again. "Are you calling me stupid, cause if ya are—" Mona sighed, holding her hand up and shaking her head. "No, I was just asking why you were saying stupid so much."

"Oh, uh, right," Raphael spoke slightly embarrassed. He suddenly felt like he had pulled a move that bonehead Casey Jones was infamous for; overreacting and not understanding. He gazed off to the side, not saying anything again.

"Well?" Mona asked sounding a bit impatient. "Are you going to tell me Raphael or am I going to have to start flirting with you again?" Her voice dropped back down to that seductive tone, adding emphasis to her words. "Hm?"

Raphael spun around, meeting her eyes with a fuming anger. "No, don't you even think about it," he warned her with a serious look. Mona could only laugh at his reaction, making the threat seem comical. "I'm being serious," he said sternly, scowling at Mona again. It was like the girl was just enjoyed pushing his buttons.

"Oh, I know," Mona said with flippant regard. Raphael gave her an angry stare, not too pleased with her. Mona straightened up, noticing Raphael's glare. She sighed, her face taking a more gentle appearance. "Hey, look I'm just trying to see why you're so upset," she spoke as she placed her hand on his shoulder.

Raphael slapped her hand off, not wanting Mona's sympathy. "I don't want any of yer pity," he harshly stated. Mona frowned at his action, letting her face harden. "I'm not trying to feel sorry for you, I just wanted to show you some kindness. I thought you would like some."

Mona became quiet as she allowed Raphael to process her words. The angry turtle scowled heavily, taking in a deep breath and dropping his shoulders in defeat. "...Fine."

Mona listened attentively to Raphael as he explained his current situation. An argument had erupted between brothers and as always Raphael was the one who ran away. Mona didn't interrupt him or make a face as he gave the details. She just kept a calm, composed look and listened, something Raphael sorely needed.

"So, after all that you just ran off?" Mona asked as she rested her hands against her knees. While telling his story, the pair had returned to the front of Mona's house and she had sat on the bottom of the steps. Raphael was standing and leaning back against the railing, staring up at the night sky. "Yeah, whenever we get into these fights I always just run off. Gotta clear my head, you know?"

"Yeah, I see where you're coming from," Mona spoke softly, closing her eyes. "You don't want to get any angrier, so you leave to get some air."

"Sumthin' like that." Raph pressed a hand to his forehead, taking in the tranquillity of the night. Mona hummed quietly, opening her eyes and glimpsing at Raphael with curiosity. "Say what are you supposed to be anyways? Some sort of Japanese...alien...reptile?" Mona inquired as she squinted her eyes at the (supposedly) green-costumed male. He narrowed his eyes in response.

"Yeah, cause there ain't a giant turtle shell on my back right now," Raphael said cynically, turning around and pointing to the large round shielding attached to his body, all the while scowling. "I'm a turtle ya wingnut."

"I can clearly see that, thank you," Mona retorted, matching his scowl with her own. He definitely had some attitude, Mona could see that. "You definitely have an juvenile outlook on things."

"Yeah? And what's that supposed to mean wise guy?"

"That's wise girl and what I mean is that your personality shows off your age," Mona replied with a relaxed smile. "How old are you anyways? I mean you aren't that tall—"

"Oh gee thanks, so what I'm a shrimp now too?" Raphael interrupted looking somewhat insulted.

"—No, I was going to say your attitude says otherwise," Mona countered back. "You've got to be at least sixteen, maybe seventeen."

"Yeah, sweet ole' sixteen. Not the best of birthdays," Raphael mumbled. "What about you? You don't look too much older than me. You gotta be still be in high school. You ain't that tall either."

"Ouch," Mona mocked. "That hurt but sadly you're wrong. I'm a college student, first year."

"Seriously?" Raphael asked in disbelief. He hadn't that Mona was that much older than he was but as it would appear, she was. "Yep, legal age to vote. Not that I've ever cared much for politics, science is more my thing."

"Heh, you sound like my brother Don," Raph chuckled.

"Well I'd hope so! He's the only smart one from what I can see."

"Hey, not that I don't appreciate you listening to me and stuff but...why are ya out here by yerself Mona?" Raphael questioned as he watched Mona flinch. Her expression changed from cheerful one to a more miserable one.

"You can blame my idiot boyfriend Filch for that one," she replied solemnly, her usual cheeriness all but gone. "We were supposed to go to a party together but he stood me up. Again."

"Ah," was all he said before stepping over and sitting beside her. "So why are you even with him if all he does is avoid ya?"

"Because, he used to be a gentleman once upon a time," Mona replied wistfully. "He used to be a lot nicer when we were in high school, caring too. But the past few years he just started to be more arrogant and distant. Nothing like the sweet guy I once knew."

"Huh, sounds like two different people to me," Raphael said staring at Mona. She shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe. I just don't know anymore."

"Hey, listen, I suck at all this sappy stuff but," Raph paused, uncertain of what to say, "if ya ask me, I think you deserve better."

"Oh? Do you?" Mona asked, attempting to tease the turtle but not sounding into it. She huffed, crossing her arms over her knees.

"Yeah you do. So dump 'im and find someone better, someone who's not a loser and will care," Raphael concluded. He may not have been good at comforting people like his father or brothers but he had his own way of caring. He knew when to say the right thing and had said it.

"You know, that sounds...that sounds right. I've been wanting to but I've never been sure if I should," Mona said with frown. "I guess I just needed to hear someone else say it to be sure. Thanks."

The air felt less tense but Mona still seemed upset. Seeing this, Raphael draped one arm over Mona's shoulders, pulling her in for an awkward hug. Mona lightly laughed, shoving Raphael back. "You know, you're quite charming, aside from your anger issues," Mona spoke with an earnest smile. Raphael beamed a smile back at her, one not as large but just as jovial. "Ah, there's da good ol' Mona Lisa smile."

"Hehe, thanks," Mona spoke, leaning forward and giving Raphael a small peck on the cheek. The red-banded turtle froze on the spot, his cheeks tinting red. Mona tilted back, flashing a heartfelt smile. Raphael blinked, placing a hand on his cheek and grumbled something too low for Mona to hear.

"Hey, how would you like to crash a sorority party with an older woman?" Mona asked with a small laugh, staring out at the open street filled with trick-or-treaters. A small amount of children were still combing the streets in search of sweet, delicious candy despite how late it was becoming.

Raphael, once recovered from the little kiss of gratitude, guffawed at the very thought of attending. He was not a party dude like Michelangelo and he doubted he would ever become one. "Sorry, I ain't no Mikey. I'd be the death of the party, not the life of it."

"Too bad, I would have liked for you to come," Mona responded truthfully. Raphael became quieter, taking note of dark outside it was becoming. He would have to return soon otherwise his brothers might come out and start looking for him. That would mean his shell cell ringing constantly and his family being in constant worry over him.

Raphael pressed his hands against his knees, pushing off with a grunt and standing upright. Mona observed him unspeaking, just watching. He had his back facing her and she knew what that meant. "Heading home?" she enquired sounding displeased.

"Yeah," Raphael replied back quietly. Neither one said much else, Raphael just stood there and Mona hugged her knees to her body to keep warm. Mona finally spoke up after the long silence, sounding disheartened but glad, "Well, it was nice meeting you Raphael. You gave me some surprisingly astute advice, so let me give you some. Don't get so upset with your brother, he means well and while he might try to get under your shell he only wants what's best for you, they all do. Alright? Just listen."

Raphael nodded his head slowly at Mona, taking her words to heart. "Yeah I know. I promise I'll try ta listen more. It was nice meeting you too Mona. I'll, uh, see you around?"

"Yeah," Mona spoke with a grand smile. "We'll meet again. Mona Lisa can't smile without her painter."

"Hey, isn't that supposed to be Leonardo?" Raphael said with a small smirk.

"Yeah, but I like Raphael's painting so much more."

A/N: And thus we reach the end of the second chapter. So, as you can see this chapter's special guest was Mona Lisa. I never watched the 1987 cartoon (I wasn't even born when it gave!) but I did happen to watch one episode of it and it just so happened to be the one that had Mona Lisa in it. I always thought the chemistry between her and Raph was cute, so after listening to Teenager by MONA I felt inspired to write this.

I'm working on chapter three as we speak and it will be a good one. Next time: Michelangelo meets with a young Turtle Titan fan, but can he help him with learning to let go? Stay tuned for Chapter 3: Learning to Fly