This universe is a weird mix of Next Mutation and the New Cartoon, so there are references to the Battle Nexus as well as Venus
Chapter 6: Laughter's Good For the Soul
The wind whirled around flapping the red bandanna behind him as Raphael watched over the beautiful sight of good old New York City. They had gone out for patrol, apparently the Purple Dragons had been causing a ruckus downtown. The others were behind him chatting idly…but he didn't care what it was about. He just wanted to enjoy this sight. Stars barely twinkled through the foggy sky, the lights of countless buildings illuminated the city landscape. He felt at peace here. Calm. Collected.
Those damn nightmares still haunted him. Things were all right for a while but lately they were just kicked up a notch. It was weird, he had been a lot calmer and tamer as of lately. Hell even Leo noticed this. The only reason Raph could surmise why he was suddenly haunted by these…well…if he was honest with himself he didn't have a damn clue as to why. Donnie's the one who's good with that kind of stuff. If he had to guess though, it was his instincts kicking in. Something was coming, and that darkness that'll always be a part of his soul could feel it. That part of his soul that he wanted trapped, locked away, and to throw that god damn key as far as he could. He felt that whatever was coming was going to stir something inside him…and that scared him.
"Nice night."
Shaken from his thoughts, he turned to see Mikey standing next to him, looking out and marveling the sight as well.
"Yeah, it is."
Mikey glanced to his left, eyeing Raph wondering if he should go for it and press him about his nightmares. Before he could open his mouth to even 'try' to go for it, Raph already had his answer.
"Nope."
"Nope what?"
Raph glanced towards Mikey. He knew what Mike was going to say…it was just in his nature to try to help his brothers out. He hid a smirk as he could see the oncoming pout of being so easy to figure out, as he answered:
"I don't wanna talk about it. At least not now. Thanks anyway, Candyass."
Mikey huffed into a pout and rolled his eyes, infuriated that he had been second guessed.
"Jeez Raph, you in touch with the psychic hotline or something, Dickhead?"
Raphael smiled…so Mikey wanted to play the word game hmm? He'll beat his ass at this hehe.
"Nope Mikey, I just felt the earth shake with your chunky, baby fat filled body and new something was amiss, so Eat shit ."
"I'm not chunky, and this is NOT baby fat. This is pure muscle, see?" As he flexed his pecs right in front of Raph's face, "PURE MUSCLE, and second off that doesn't count."
"It counts Mikey."
"Nuh uh."
"IT COUNTS!" And at that he puts Mikey in a deft headlock, noogieing until it felt like Mikey's head was about to cave in.
"Okay, ok it counts, it counts…Fucker."
Raph lets go, a little surprised by Mikey's language but when seeing his grin, he was silently thankful that Mikey was in a good mood. In fact, it seemed he was in a better, happier mood. If that's possible with Mikey.
"That's what I thought. Knew you'd see it my way," Raph winked which put Mikey in a cute mock-fake pout, "and second of all that is NOT muscle Mikey, that is pure baby fat. I bet if I touch ya stomach you'd be like the Pillsbury Doughboy, just screaming 'Oh ho ho ho'. Ain't that right you Gay lord focker."
Mikey busted out laughing at that last choice.
"Okay Raph, I must applaud you for pulling that one out of your butt," to which Mikey gave a mocking golf-clap, knowing now that the game was completely afoot he's have to pump up his game, "And could this baby fat withstand the awesomeness of being 'Battle Nexus Champion', Homo-slut."
Raphael couldn't help but quirk a little smile at that…such a weird choice. One time it would have pissed him off tremendously with Mike mentioning that damn Nexus…but that changed when he saw Mikey getting pummeled in the rematch. Raph was so angry with himself, feeling so useless with not being able to help his best bud. But Mikey held his own, kicked ass and took that asshole's name. After that, he let the whole Nexus thing not bug him as much as it used to.
"Yeah maybe that's true Mikey. Or maybe you won that match from him choking on all that blubber that covered his face. Hehe yeah, and when you land on him he was like 'Ok fuck it I give, just get this heavy sumbitch off of me.' See look at all this baby fat, ya chunky Idiot." And at that Raph grabbed Mikey's cheek and squeezed, making squishy sounds as he pinched him.
"Owww. Ow, ow, ow Raphie damn!" As Mikey rubbed his sore cheek he tried playfully punching at Raph's arm, which Raph dodged and instead Mikey connected with Raph's open-faced palm.
"See told ya you were slow Mikey, from all that fat you got stuffed your gut, hehe," as Raph opened his other palm, holding them as if they were punching mitts.
Mikey playfully punched at him, mimicking himself like he was Rocky Balboa or something, on purpose aiming at both of Raph open-faced palms.
"I'll fly like a fly, and sting like a bee. God Raph 'Idiot'? For that you get the grade D…for dumbass tee hee. And just watch these reflexes, I'm just too fast for you to handle. I'm like The Flash, like whoosh," with whoosh he punched Raph's open faced palm, as he was moving with Mikey like two boxers in an imaginary ring, "and I'm goooone, you…uh….Jerk-faced asstard."
Raph chuckled heartily, "Well 'Idiot' may not have been as imaginative as…Jerk-faced asstard? Hehe I'll give that one too ya. But it worked, didn't it Knob-goblin?" Raph leaned in and winked, making Mikey half chuckle and half pout as he suddenly leapt and pounced on Raph, as the game now turned from boxing to wrestling.
In all this time, Leo, Don, and Venus just looked on in silence. Venus was confused to the whole thing.
"They're best friends, and yet they wrestle and call each other names? Isn't that a little weird?
Leo and Don shared a laugh, Donnie saying, "They've done this before."
To which Leo harrumphed, "Yep. Many times," as he rolled his eyes although he was trying to hide his smirk.
As Venus looked back she couldn't help but laugh as both Mikey and Raph were laughing, trying to pin each and give each other headlocks, still flinging insults back and forth. She was just glad that Raphael was smiling and happy.
'That smile looks cute on him,' and bashfully blushed immediately at that thought. Still, she had to admit to herself it DID look good on him.
At that they heard an alarm go off in the distance.
Leo got back into his leader mode, "Okay knock it off guys. Looks like we got some action about two blocks away. Let's go."
Venus walked over and spread apart the mess of arms and legs attached to both Raphael and Mikey. Raph looked up and his heart couldn't help but melt a little as he studied her smile.
"Time to go guys."
"Ohhh okay," Mikey pouted, wanting to continue the fun he was having.
All Raph could do was utter a simple "Yeah" at Venus's direction, as she walked away and he followed here with his eyes.
Mikey watched this and his smile became gentler, softly clapping his hand on Raph's shoulder and helping him up. Raph looked over at Mikey and smiled.
"Hey Mikey…..thanks…..for you know…."
Both brothers shared a silent moment, as Mikey beamed and squeezed gently on Raph's shoulder.
"Anytime, man. So come on, let's do some damage, Raphie-boy."
Raph shook his head, "You mind not calling me Raphie."
Mikey just beamed and answered, "Okay Raphie."
And of course…being Mikey….he gave him a quick, soft slap on the cheek before running off into the distance, cackling like a maniac.
Stunned for a moment, he held his face at where Mikey slapped him before playfully muttering "Son of a bitch"…racing after the offender.
And as Raph disappeared into the distance, catching up to his brothers and a frantic Michelangelo…if you listened carefully, you could hear the echoes of a girly scream:
"Ahh….Raphie just hold up a sec…ohm owwwchie."
