Burn Image
Chapter 2-
The Night Watcher
Rated 18+
For "mature" scenes, and Gore
Note to readers: Still a fairly clean chapter, we're not into the "good stuff" yet. XD
There are many different kinds of heros. Not the kind you see on your TV every day or in the movies. There are people actually out there just doing the right thing. Everyone says they want to be a hero. So what stops them? Laws? Physical strength? Or the fact that they realize that when push comes to shove they just don't have what it takes?
But that's why I'm here.
A quick burst of smoke appeared in the cold night air. The large green hand rolled the cigarette between his fingers for a moment and let it fall to the ground. The moon was high in the sky and shined onto the large figures back. Only the whites of his eyes were visible through the shadows his body created. The loose ends of the red bandanna wrapped around his head fluttered in the light breeze. A devilish smirk was barely visible as it crossed the man's face.
I'm here to do what you can't.
The softest sounding metal started filling his ears as it came closer. "Where have you been?"
The tall, but strangely shaped figure remained in the shadows of a large vent that remained stationed on the roof they currently stood upon.
"Doing what we were hired to do."
"Done?" Smirked the man as he turned his head allowing the light of the moon to shine across his green skin.
"Of course." Grinned the figure as he too emerged from the shadows revealing a large pink fish hooked up to some metal legs. "Come on. Let's head back home. I have new beer with our names on it."
"Sounds good." Replied the giant turtle as he leapt off the ledge of the roof back onto the roof itself. He wore a full black suit littered with bits of metal armor. The shoulders held the symbol for the Foot Clan on them. The only part of his actual body that was visible was his head which sported a tattered red mask.
The mutant fish turned to start heading away and the mutant turtle took one step and suddenly stopped. The fish turned his head and stared curiously at the mutant, "What is it, Raphael?"
"...Something's wrong...Come on!" Raph jumped off the roof and onto the next one before Xever could even reply. He quickly followed behind into the unknown.
Raph grabbed onto the ladder of a fire escape as he leapt down into an alley and slid down. Xever, thanks to having fake legs, merely jumped directly into the alley. Raph walked calmly but he nervously looked around as he walked up the alley.
"What do you think is happening?" Asked Xever, now more curious of Raph's actions.
For a moment Raph didn't answer. Almost as if he couldn't hear Xever.
"Raph..." Xever waited. "Raph." More waiting. Finally he grumbled and walked past Raphael and stopped directly in front of him. Ready to get angry at him for dragging him into an alley where there was clearly nothing happening, but then he was taken to Raph's eyes.
Raphs mouth hung open a few centimeters, and his eyes looked lazy. He looked tired as his lime green eyes began to haze over. "RAPH!" That was enough to force Raph to shake his head and take back in his surroundings.
"What?!...What's...going on?" Asked Raph as he suddenly re-took in his surroundings, "Oh right...sorry."
"Idiot! Why are you trying to freak me out? Why are we here?" Complained Xever as he crossed his arms.
Raph looked around again, "I thought...I thought I heard something. Maybe it was just a cat or somethin'..." Raph slowly took his hand in and pinched the bridge between the eyes as if he had a headache.
"Are you all right? Or were you drinking already tonight? I swear if you're just dragging me around on your drunk adventure I'm going to-"
"No..." The serious tone Raph expressed stopped Xever immediately. "Xever...remember when Leonardo was captured?..."
"Yes."
"..." Raph looked away from Xever and began to viciously think. His eyes shifted back and forth nervously. He looked tired. Even Xever could tell from behind him.
"What is going on?" Asked Xever
" ...I've...I've told you that Leo told me what happened to him that night...but I never told YOU what happened...Let's just say...it was really gruesome..."
Xever was worried, but now very confused, "...I assume so but...why are you bringing this up?" He asked.
"Because...I don't know...I just...something just made me think of that..."
Raph slowly started to re-compose himself but both he and Xever jumped as loud foot steps began to fill the quiet alley, and split the cold night air. Both quickly sunk into the shadows. A man wearing a hood emerged from around the corner and stared down the seemingly empty alley. The hood was baggy and covered most of the rest of his face. He wore long denim pants that covered what were obviously black combat boots concealing weapons. He had a quiver hooked to his back that held several short thick poles. Yet no bow. So they couldn't be arrows, right?
"Come out...come out and play." As the man stepped forward he came up to a trash can. He stopped in front of it and his smile escaped the folds of cloth covering his face with the hood. He kicked it. But it wasn't a normal kick that would send it a few feet back. No. This man managed to kick it directly into the wall directly across the alley with such force it busted. Raph and Xever looked to each other only slightly nervous. Mostly because they didn't know who he was.
"Come on. Come on...COME ON!" A burst of flames escaped the mans hand as he thrusted it forward down the alley. "I KNOW YOU'RE HERE MUTANT!" He screamed. His smile now long gone.
Raph and Xever nodded to each other and decided to take the direct approach of just emerging from the shadows.
"Aaah,...there you are." The man suddenly calmed down. Xever looked nervous as he noticed that this man's eyes resembled Raph's only moments ago.
Raph however went directly for his sais.
"Xever...look...I thought he had a flame thrower on him...how did he-"
"Shoot these!?" The man shoved his hand into the air and allowed fire to blast up from it. He quickly brought his hand back down and the flames ceased. "YOU'RE!...Not the one we were looking for..."
Raph growled as he tightened his grip on his sais. "Who are you, and what do you want!?" Demanded Raph.
"Hehe, mah names...none of your concern. What do I want? Two things. First is to know who YOU are, and second...I'd like your blood." The man smirked evilly, and that was all Raph needed to charge forward.
It was almost as if the man knew where Raph was going to strike. He also had no problem sending Raph into the wall, much like he did the trash can.
Xever awaited a moment to strike and finally, he believed it came. He leapt from his starting point and went directly for the mans head. Not that it mattered. The man easily dodged and with a flick of his hand one of the strange short poles he was carrying made it into one of Xevers legs, rendering him useless.
As Raph tried to collect himself he pushed back into the wall of the alley. There was nowhere to climb out, there was nothing to leap to. It was just him...and this guy...that could shoot fire...crap...
He looked as the man stepped over Raph's sais that he had dropped upon being tossed. He still found that his breath was just barely coming back from the initial shock.
The man held four of his short metal poles in each hand. Each had a strange handle but the same deadly sharp edge. With a blink of an eye the man lifted the poles like they weighed nothing, and the toss as well appeared as if it were him flicking his arms in the air. The poles came flying at him before he had a moment to dodge.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" The blood curdling scream filled the streets. The red turtle bit his lip and he tried to calm his breathing. He didn't know how the strange man managed to do it, but he had landed two poles in each of his arms and two in each of his thighs. As if there had been perfect targets, and he was a master marksman. The black suit Raph wore began to leak blood.
"RAPHAEL!" Screamed Xever as he tried to lift himself up.
Raph managed to subdue the screaming even as the pain began to set in even more so. Every twitch only brought more pain. He was unable to stand even as the man stepped closer.
"Tell me...does your blood heal you too? Let's see." The boy smiled as he quickly and unmercifully pulled two of the poles from Raph's body.
"AAAHHHH!" Raph grabbed onto the now free arm with the other despite the pain from moving it with the poles sticking through it.
"Well...you're resilient. I'll give you that. Perhaps you will do my Master some good." The man pulled what looked like a dart tipped with some strange liquid out of a small container he revealed from his large pocket.
Images began to flood his mind. Images that Raph had conjured in his head trying to paint an idea of what Leo had told him that night so long ago. Why was that night coming into mind? Why was...
His eyes widened as the realization finally struck him. The world became silent and all he could hear was his heart beat. He felt like everything was going to stop functioning...it hit him so hard he thought he would pass out. But then...another twinge of power struck him.
The torture that Leo had endured...was more than Raph could bare. He absolutely despised the fact that his brother had been so hurt, but even he cringed in fear at what Leo had told him.
Raph's eyes moved to the top of the mans hand. A tattoo...the same one as the burnt image they had been finding around the city for so many years. This was it...This was one of the people they had been looking for. The only good thing was that neither Raph nor Xever were blinded and could easily see his face. They HAD to escape. They now currently held more information about these strange people than anyone else.
With much distress on his face he did the only thing he could think of. He grabbed one of the poles out of his other arm with his free one. It stung...it hurt...the pain was close to unbearable. He swung at the boy with such precision that even the boy had to back away.
The boy's eyes grew wide with fear realizing that somewhere...somehow...this strange mutant had gained more strength. Finally the boy smiled and leapt up to a fire escape. He leaned over the railing to stare at Raph one more time. Showing his hazy eyes once more.
"Well...you're not what I was sent here for...but you'll do. Relax for now. Healing powers or no, you're losing a lot of blood and will probably pass out really soon. I'm not gonna take you tonight. But watch out...By the way. My name's Quiver. Consider yourself lucky mutant. You and that other turtle mutant, whom I'm sure you know since you both have the same emblem on your armor, are the only ones to live and tell the tale of the Children of the New Flame."
Xever chuckled, "That was lame."
"That's what I was thinkin'" Smirked Raph
Though they were both in sufficient pain they didn't want to give Quiver the satisfaction. Finally Quiver left, and the two were alone.
"Xever..." Said Raph as he dropped his arms down to his sides and started to look sick.
"What?" He asked as he began pulling the pole out of his own robotic leg.
"Don't...tell my brothers or the girls about this. Don't tell Leo-" Before Xever could answer, Raph fell to the ground unconscious.
"RAPH!"
"And that's what happened, Sensei..."
Splinter and Raph sat apart from each other in the dojo. Splinter stroked his beard as he eyed his tired son. His arms and legs were completely bandaged with Xevers "handy work" The bloody suit laid carelessly on the floor at the entrance of the dojo.
"It would seem that you did face one of Leonardo's enemies...but why he let you escape...well...I suppose we should be thankful..."
"Yea...but Sensei...that guy...he seems like...well, an idiot. He was able to actually...make me afraid. I thought about Leo and what he must have been feeling when he was captured...and I just...I know Leo was hurt bad, and he suffers some serious nightmares now but why am I so scared? …"
Splinter only stood silent to not feel as though he was giving a rushed response, but he knew instantly why Rapahel felt so close when imaging what could happen to himself. "My son...you and Leonardo have always been close...even when you do not seem to like each other at all. In truth all four of you are and always will be connected...though you cannot REALLY see what Leo saw and felt I have a feeling that deep down you truly understand how he is feeling, and you've watched what has become of him."
Raphs eyes shifted down as he nodded in silent response. "I just want him to go back to the leader he was..." He felt horrible that he didn't have more...though the information he had gathered that night was going to push them further along than they had in years, it still wasn't enough to answer the questions...
"He has lost much of his time because of this. All of you have...I do hope this is not stopping you from experiencing the rest of your life my son."
Raph shook his head, "No...heh, unlike Leo I can talk to other people besides my brothers." He meant it to lighten the mood, but it didn't help. "Is Leo still here?"
Splinter nodded, "Yes. But he will probably awaken soon. He has been sleeping since he arrived."
"'Kay...I better go. I don't want him to see...all of this." He half smiled as he stood up and showed off his bandages as if they were a joke.
"Raphael...it's okay to be scared...You have seen what has happened to those not as fortunate as Leonardo, and worse...you are typically alone. You only have Xever to rely on, and even that is at Karai's leisure. Be careful."
He turned to walk away and then suddenly stopped, "Sensei...one more thing...about last night...I never would have even gone into that alley but...I heard a voice calling to me. It was...ethereal...a girl's voice...it just...took hold of me and I couldn't stop it."
Splinter shook his head, "Perhaps you were tired and all this work is driving you crazy." He joked but Raph could tell by the look in his eyes that he was worried.
Raphael bowed to Splinter, scooped up the heavy load of his armour and left the dojo.
Splinter sighed as he watched his son through the gap in the door, exit and leave the safety of the lair.
It was always harder for Splinter to watch Raphael leave than any of the others. He worried most for his red masked son. However, Raph had done plenty of growing over the years.
A few months after Karai had extended all of his sons an offer to join the Foot Clan Donatello had agreed. He was the first of the four sons to go, and the one that had been the least seen in the last year since Leo had been captured. The next to go was Leonardo. Karai had begged and complained until Leonardo had finally agreed to be her second in command. He made a wonderful leader as always. Michelangelo left third. Feeling that he needed to be with the bulk of his brothers, and after learning a little better control Splinter had finally given his blessing for Mikey to leave their sewer home. Splinter had always expected Raphael to run off and join Karai first, but obviously he never did. After all of his brothers had left he had come to Splinter in a very strange way...
"Sensei..." Asked Raph as he walked into the dojo. Rubbing his arms as if he were worried about something.
"What is it Raphael?" He asked in a calmer fatherly tone than he was used to for talking to Raph.
""I want to join the others in the Foot Clan."
"Very well. I'm sure they could use your strength an-"
"No...I want to work with my brothers, and I know Karai will place me as a leader...it's inevitable." Splinter nodded knowing that Raphael was right. Despite his rash decisions he was dependable and Karai trusted him. "I want to stay here and train a bit longer with you...please...train me to be a better leader."
That conversation had shocked Splinter so much he wasn't able to speak for a few moments. Raphael always figured that he knew what was going on or what was needing to be done to succeed. Even though later he discovered that he wasn't always right he continued to get irritated. Having the most sure of himself son come up to him and ask to train him to be a better leader...well...how would you react?
Of course he trained Raphael, and they both took it VERY seriously. It wasn't long before Splinter had deemed Raphael ready. Unfortunately for Raph things did not go as planned. He was placed as fifth in command. Not that it bothered him, but Karai placed him on solo missions. He hardly had a chance to ever lead. Xever would go with him, or once in awhile he would get a small squad. Otherwise Karai found him more useful for stealth. She was right, but that didn't mean that not getting the chance didn't hurt.
His solo or duo missions always went well. However, after Leo had been captured Raphael had been going out on his own a lot. Whenever he didn't have an order he'd still put on the suit and disappear into the night. Splinter had been able to hear a few of the stories from Casey Jones, Raphaels best friend outside of his brothers. Sometimes the two would pair up and "play" vigilante. Whenever Raph was with Casey he had a tendency to get careless and it always resulted in him getting hurt. Nothing serious yet, but Splinter still worried.
What worried him most was that Raphael had been putting a name to the vigilante he had created. He called himself and so did everyone else: The Night Watcher.
Raphael was never met with any problems whenever he burst through the Foot Clan entrance of the Technodrome building. He would open the doors and everyone would instantly get out of his way. They feared him. They feared Leonardo, but in a different way. Rumors of Raphaels "merciless" nature had circulated through the company since the day he had arrived. Once in awhile Raphael would get the chance to co-lead with Leo, Mikey, or even Karai. He always pushed them to their limits, and he was hard to please.
He made his way to the elevator and shoved his way in. If it had been Leo in the elevator everyone would have done their best to get out as fast as possible. If it was Raph...well...no one dared breath. Though his exterior would say that he preferred the Foot Clan to act this way around him, in truth Raph felt uncomfortable with people so afraid of him. Some people in the Foot Clan he was able to talk to like they had been old friends, but for the most part they all just stayed out of his way.
He hadn't come back in the night before so he knew he needed to report to Karai right away. However...he felt the necessary need to stop at another floor before that. The 67th floor. The elevator opened up to a large practice room. Usually this particular training room was crazy with ninjas flying everywhere. But it was still too early for them to have arrived. A few early risers were there but they were just talking. As he stepped in they turned to him.
"Morning Commander." Smiled one of the men. These were some of the few Foot Clan members that treated him normally.
"Morning. Is my brother here yet?" Asked Raph as he stepped forward.
One of the girls pointed up to the rafters high above, "He's sleeping." She smiled, almost giggling. Raph shook his head and smiled. He particularly loved how care free the Foot Clan members under his youngest brother were, but was also pleasantly surprised at how effective they were in battle.
"Thanks." He grabbed a rope that hung from the rafters and began climbing up. Sure enough there was his orange clad brother sleeping. Completely sprawled out and open for attack. He debated on whether or not to body slam him, but instead smiled and gently kicked his brother. "Get up."
"Wha~" Mikey tilted his head up and looked around completely zoned out. He lifted an eyebrow to see who it was that had woke him up. But his confusion melted away into excitement "RAPH!" He leapt at his brother and trapped him by wrapping his arms and legs around his red brother. "Dude, I've missed ya!"
Raphael pushed his brother off and crossed his arms, "It's only been a week."
"I know, but I get so lonely" Pouted Mikey. "So what's up? Why the random visit?"
Raph thought for a moment but came up with nothing more than the boring truth, "I gotta go talk to Karai. Somethin' important."
Mikeys eyes widened with curiosity. He clearly wanted to know.
"None of your business." Growled Raph like any older brother.
"Does she know you're coming?" Asked Mikey. Raph faced his brother to see that Mikey looked a little...well...it was more of a warning that unless Karai was expecting him that maybe he should stay away.
"No. I'm heading to her room. She can't escape listening to me in there."
Mikey sweated a little, "Bro, you know Leo's the only one allowed in there. I think you should wait. I tried to prank her last night...let's just say she caught me."
"So?" Asked Raph uncaring to the situation.
"Uh well...she just got off the phone with her grandparents last night. She looked upset so I tried to hide for reals and sneak out. But she caught me. Needless to say I got my butt handed to me." Said Mikey as he rubbed his shell remembering getting thrown into the wall, "Girls got an arm on her, I'll give her that."
Raph rolled his eyes, "She won't be mad when she hears what I gotta say."
"Hope you're right." Said Mikey. The tone in his voice showed that he wasn't holding much faith in Raph for this situation. "You leavin' again?" Asked Mikey
Raph began walking back across the rafters to the rope that would allow him to go to the floor. "Yea. Think I'm gonna be on a few all nighters. I'll stop by when I come back."
"'Kay. But if you come home on saturday April's gonna come spend the night at the lair. Said she'll buy all the beer we need. So come home." Smiled Mikey
Raph stopped, and without looking at Mikey he responded, "Everyone?"
Silence. Mikey scanned the floor looking for something to say, but he sighed and could only speak the truth, "We invited him...but I don't think he's comin'..." He shook his head and plastered a smile back onto his face, "But no worries! We don't need 'im! It'll be you Me, Leo, April, Casey, Dad, and Karai even said she might try and show up. Doubt it though. Either way, it'll be fun!"
Raph smiled, "I'll see what I can do."
Raph stood in the elevator going to the very top floor of the Technodrome building alone. His arms were crossed and he tapped his finger against his arm. His brow furrowed, and his teeth were gritted so hard he believed that he might crack one.
Stupid Donnie...Who does he think he is? So busy you can't even come spend time with your family? What about A-
DING! The elevator opened up and Raph stepped out. The hallway was quiet. There were only two doors besides the elevators in this entire level.
One door...led to the original Shredder's old room. It had long since been cleared out and was now used as his room. Well...a room that he was meant to share with Mikey and Leo...but none of them were ever there at the same time. The other...well...Raph liked to say that the devil lived in there. He gave a reluctant chuckle at his own joke, and began his awkward walk forward to her room.
He knocked, half expecting a screaming girl to start...well...screaming at him for even daring, but that didn't happen. Instead a soft. almost charming, voice became audible through the door. He breathed in a sigh and gently pushed it open.
The girl had uncombed hair, but it still maintained its sleekness. She was still in her pajamas, but the windows were open, letting in the light end of fall breeze. The morning sun glowed through and for a moment it blinded Raph until he adjusted to it. She stood in front of the window, unwilling to face him. There was something large in her hands.
"...You weren't who I was expecting to see...but I suppose it's fine..." Raph felt confused at how calm she was. Even when she wasn't mad she still sounded mad. Finally his eyes adjusted better to the shadows coming off her and the object she was holding. His eyes widened.
"Is that-"
Karai sighed which immediately silenced him. She turned to the side and placed it on the table beside the window. It was Oroku Sakis helmet. She turned back to the window and continued to just...stare. Raph lost any interest in speaking and walked up to her. He placed a firm hand on one of her shoulders. Usually he wasn't very good at this sort of thing, but he felt that even though he didn't know the pain she was feeling, that maybe he at least understood it.
Normally she would have pushed him off, not wanting the unnecessary attention, but it seemed that today maybe, she needed it. She was still a girl after all.
"Heh...want me to kill Mikey for ya?"
She smiled and shook her head, "This isn't his fault. But he is still in trouble for attempting to throw water balloons in my room."
"That is his trademark." Laughed Raph. Karai pulled out of his grasp and walked over to her bed. She lifted a long piece of cloth that Raph quickly identified as a kimono robe. "What's that for?"
She sighed, "My Grandparents sent it...for...well..you know..."
The relaxed environment became an instant depressing one. Nothing was said, until Karai decided to fake a smile and lifted it up around her. "What do you think?" Karai had worn a kimono in front of him before. The one time her grandparents had visited for all of about 10 seconds. She had spent hours trying to do hair and make up and had like four foot clan girls helping her into her kimono. The black kimono had dark maroon flowers on it with an obi that matched the flowers and worked perfectly with her. Of course after her grandparent's hasty visit she had thrown it off and went back to sweat pants and complained the rest of the day. Still it had looked nice on her. This one...was white...it looked like a much nicer quality. The flowers on it were still maroon but a much lighter version. The obi also remained the same, but he could tell by its length that it would be tied differently...probably with more difficulty.
Raph rolled his eyes, "You know I'm no good at your girl crap." He groaned
She angrily pouted until he groaned reluctantly, "It looks fine." Happy with his answer she set it back down. Raph turned his body to face at the window. Hoping to hide the redness spreading on his face. In truth he really did think that it would look good on her. Karai wasn't a girl he had ever liked "like that" but he was a male with needs and he couldn't help but imagine it on her...and slipping off. AGH! He slammed his palm into his head trying to erase the fantasy he had just created in his head.
"Raphael."
"Y-yea?" He turned to her and his blush faded away.
She smiled as she lifted up a knife, "Why are you here?"
Raph backed away nervously even though he knew she was just messing around and trying to make light of the situation that had filled the room.
He cleared his throat and sternly fixed his gaze showing that he was now serious, "Last night...Xever and I were attacked." Her eyebrows raised showing her curiosity. As she stared into his eyes longer she found that her own grew wide and her heart began to sink. Her folded arms flopped to her side.
"Does Leo know?" She asked, staring at the floor.
"No. And Xever is sworn to secrecy as well. Karai...it may have just been this guy...and he was wearing a hoodie so he could have been hiding some kind of contraption in his sleeves, but...I think they can actually control fire."
Her eyes sternly darted up to him. She walked over to the small bed stand and opened the drawer, pulling out a file. She opened it and pulled the picture out. It held the image that was always charred into the sides of walls after an attack. "Control fire, huh?"
"I know it's stupid but...never mind. I'll figure out what was in his sleeves to make it wor-"
"On the contrary...I think you may be onto something. Raph the Foot Clan has held many secrets for many generations...some of them...not so human. Though I am not entirely familiar with them myself...I believe that you may be correct. We won't say anything, but we will look more into it. Understood?"
He nodded but did not speak. She began to look him up and down, and suddenly she cringed. "Are those bandages from...last night?" She asked looking as if she might puke.
"Yea...he got me pretty bad...but I think he wanted to see me heal or something...I'm almost certain that's what he wanted...lucky for me he was right on the money and it healed up pretty much already."
She walked to him and glared. He attempted to avert his eyes from hers but found it impossible, "Remove your bandages. That's an order."
Raph sighed and began unwrapping the gauze from his arms. He was attempting to put them back into rolls until Karai kneeled over and began quickly tearing the bandages off his thighs. Raph sighed and did the same to the ones of his arms seeing how impatient she was to see the damage that had been done. Her eyes went from angry to concerned. There were two obvious places on each of his arms that had until recently been holes. The same for his thighs.
"Xever pulled 'em out after I passed out. He was able to fix his leg...they got him too. "
She covered her mouth with one hand as she allowed her other to trail down his thigh and over the marks.
Raph blushed and tensed up, " 'Eh, um Karai. Little close for comfort."
She pulled away and continued to look at the marks sternly, "Keep them covered until the scars are gone. We know how Leo will get if he finds out what they're from...How is it you escaped?"
Raph shrugged his shoulders, "I have no idea...I hate to admit it but he EASILY had us beat...he just...let us go...something about his master? I don't know. All I know is that he gave us his name...or at least what he'd like for us to refer to him as."
"And that is?"
"Quiver."
"That's adorable." She said sarcastically rolling her eyes. "Do you think he'll come after you again?"
"Absolutely."
She turned from him and angrily tapped the bed stand, "Fine...for your safety...this is NOT the best plan. But I don't need everyone freaking right now...not yet anyway...I want you out on your own for the next few days. Xever will stay here to make things look like it's normal. They'd expect me to send him with you again if something was happening...come home Saturday for the...the-the thing...you know the thing...right that was it, the party thing your brothers are doing back at your lair. Act like things are normal. You'll be healed by then right?"
"Should be."
She looked back to the ground, "Two attacks in one night...at least you survived."
His eyes shot to her, "What?"
She turned her head up to stare at him sternly, "Leo's squad found a victim last night, but one of his men filled out the report instead of him. I suspect he'll be here to tell me all about it soon."
"Then I'll get out of here before he does." Said Raph has he turned back to the door of Karai's room.
"Very well. Then you know your orders."
Raph nodded and began to walk out of the room, "Oh, and one more thing." Raph stopped to turn back and listen to her, "Keep your communicator on. I hate that you turn it off to ignore me. Besides that, then I can track you."
He just smiled and walked out of the room once again leaving her alone. The knife she had been previously holding now found itself in the wall. Ferocity colored her face. "God Dammit...if they really can control fire..." She pulled her hair back and took in a difficult breath. She shut the windows and drapes calmly and then flopped onto her bed, wanting nothing but more sleep.
Raph felt bad that he could only leave Xever a note about why he was going off alone, but if they were seen together and then everyone knew he had gone off alone they would start to pick up that something was wrong.
He was more likely to get attacked by these guys again if he was alone. Which was perfect. Karai would be all over tracking Raphs every movement which meant that if something bad happened they would get to him faster than they did for Leo...
He shook his head. The morning light was starting to become covered with light clouds. It wasn't going to rain, but it was definitely going to get cold tonight. Granted they were still HOURS away from nightfall. He knew he wouldn't be attacked in broad daylight. None of the attacks had been so. That they had been certain of. The only reason he had left Technodrome so early was so he could avoid running into Leo.
Where to go, where to go? Back to the Lair? Nah, Splinter would make him train. Chance running into Leo back at Technodrome? Negative. Casey's?
Raphael began to take the necessary path to Casey's apartment, but stopped. "Right...he had some chick over last night." Raph groaned as he remembered the drunk text message he had received the night before from his friend. He stopped and thought again. Got it!
He quickly turned and with a devilish grin on his face turned back to the downtown area. It wasn't long before he came up to the TCRI building. Slipping through the back door where normal employees could not see him he made his way to the Elevator. TCRI and Technodrome were very similar in their...secret designs. However he was treated differently here. In Technodrome he was "feared" as a Commander, here everyone thought he was...tired.
He'd walk in and upon seeing the first person in a lab coat or holding a clipboard his eyes would droop, his shoulders slump, and he looked bored out of his mind. He couldn't help it. The thought of being around roughly 300 nerds made him lose interest so fast that he couldn't appear intimidating at all. He waited in the elevator for what seemed like forever. He stopped at a floor that was very familiar to him. The main Kraang lab. He stepped in and was surprised to only see a few people in the room working.
"Ah, Commander. Can I help you with something?" Asked one of the men in coats who came up to him. He looked confused. Usually none of the commanders ever came here unless it was one of two things, an order from Karai, or visiting April. Even still they would usually send Leo for that stuff.
"I'm here to kick Donnie's ass. Where is he?" Said Raph in a harsh tone, but the scientist easily picked it up as tough brotherly love.
"Sorry sir. He's really busy. You know how it is?"
"No I don't." Said Raph as he slumped his shoulders again, "Is what he doing so important that he can't talk with his brother for five minutes?"
The scientist shook his head, "Sorry...you just can't." Raph couldn't help but notice that the scientist would no longer look at him directly. Even he seemed a little sad at the mention of Donnie.
"Yea...I know." Said Raph as he hung his head. It had been this way for a long time...in fact, Raph was certain that the last time he saw Donnie was the last time all four of them were together. The night after the rescued Leo they had stayed together and...that was it. "Then I'm here to see April."
The scientist smiled and nodded as he returned his gaze to Raphael, "She's on the floor below us. Careful when you walk in there though. They had been working on something toxic all night and let's just say that our lovely head scientist kept making a mess. My guess was that she was tired. I also heard she was sent home drunk last night by her own employees."
"Really?" Said Raph who narrowed his eyes and looked back to the elevator.
"Yes. But your brother took him home."
"He did!?" Raphs attention shot back to the Scientist in surprise.
"Yes. Commander Michelangelo."
"Oh..." Raphs eyes lowered again, this was going to be a constant circle of disappointment in this situation. "Sorry...thought you were gonna say that nerd-o actually got out of the lab."
The scientist shrugged and walked away, "Sorry. I have to get back to work. Like I said, floor below."
"Thanks."
Raph stepped back into the elevator but took one last look before the door completely shut, "It feels like only yesterday..." For a moment the room returned back to the way it had been the first time they had ever been in it. He could see himself and his brothers standing alongside each other...how happy they had been right before Traag appeared through the teleporter for all of about two seconds.
The door closed and he began to go down the one floor. Obviously it didn't take long until the door opened up again. The room was empty. All the computers were shut down, and nothing was happening. He scanned the room but found no movement. Across the room was a door with a sign that read "Authorized Personnel Only". As he stepped to it he noticed that the electronic card lock was off. The door would open if he just pulled it. That meant that SOMEBODY had to be in there right? Somebody with the authority to turn off the lock for such a dangerous room. Sure enough there she was.
April laid on her side on top of one of the cold metal tables. In her lab coat and all fast asleep. She was entirely drenched and he could see that the chemical shower door was open meaning that she had just been in it. He recalled what the scientist on the floor above had said about her making mistakes lately and began worrying about whether this was safe for her.
He smiled as she let out a soft girlish snore. He couldn't help but notice that one of her shoes was just barely hanging onto her feet. He rolled his eyes as he stepped forward and kneeled down next to her face.
"April." He said in a very soft tone that no one would normally associate with Raphael.
She let out a soft sigh and Raph could instantly smell alcohol on her breath. Not a lot, but it was there. He closed his eyes as he suppressed any anger forming inside him. This wasn't her fault...well it was but...it shouldn't have ever been the case. He gently scooped her up in his arms. Though he was trying to wake her up his actions would lead one to believe that he was trying to let her continue to sleep. He walked her over to a makeshift bed that had been put in the lab two months ago for her sake since she had spent many a night in this room. It was crummy, but it was better than the table. After setting her down he peeled the wet lab coat off of her and hung it over the counter beside him. "Good Lord. How out is she?" He groaned. The scientist had said that Mikey had taken her home last night because she had been drinking, but he didn't think it would be this bad.
"April." He said in a slightly harsher tone. Yet his hand made its way to her face. It was so soft in his large hand. He trailed up her face and gently combed through what hair she wasn't laying on. "April, come on. Wake up."
Slowly her eyes fluttered open. At first all she saw was blurry green kneeling beside her, "...What are you doing here?" She asked in a soft mutter that went perfectly with the soft smile crossing her face. Her vision started to come back into place and she realized see was talking to a different turtle. The red mask filled her eyes. She still smiled but Raph could tell she was a bit disappointed. She placed her hand over his that was combing through her hair and sat up. Raph stared deeply at her as his eyes started to share her pain.
"Don't look at me that way." She giggled lazily.
He removed his hand from her head and sat next to her on the bed.
"And just where have you been lately?" She asked as she began to wring out her hair.
"You know. Here and there." He answered while leaning back. "Where is everyone?"
She shrugged despite the fact that she actually knew the answer, "I've been working them all so hard lately that I gave them the day off. Plus...they think I'm at home resting as well. It'll put their minds at ease if they think I've had a day of rest."
He gave a quick scoff, "I've heard you've been in the Chemical shower a lot lately. "
"Yea...keep getting stuff spilled on me."
His eyes grew narrow as he turned to her, "By who?" He demanded an answer but she smiled and looked at him sadly.
"No one. I've been clumsy lately...put my hand in the wrong place...plus I've come in here...with a little more alcohol in me every time...I'm prone to making more mistakes with that in mind...it was so hard to hide it from Leo last night when he stopped by..."
Raph shook his head and gazed out at the table of experiments across the room, "The April I knew wouldn't be so clumsy. She knows how to take care of herself. She wouldn't allow the stress to get to her so much. So tell me what's really happening."
"I just did. I'm being clumsy and I really just need to be more careful and not drink so mu-"
"Or are you TRYING to get someones attention?" Raph said this with a sharp tongue. The words stung her and the room grew silent. Neither one could look at the other. Finally she dropped her head down.
"No...Maybe...at first...but not anymore...now it just happens because I really am tired."
Raph lost all fight in him and slumped his shoulders. He lifted an arm and wrapped it around her. Instead of just letting it sit there she covered her eyes and curled into him. He didn't turn her away and wrapped his other arm around her as she began to cry into him. One of his hands began to pet her head as he laid his over her head. "I'm sorry it's been this way...but you know we'll take care of you." She nodded, but couldn't stop her tears.
He hated seeing her this way. He was the absolute LAST person April should have shared her problems with and yet here he was...trying to force his opinion on her to try and help. It made him angry. She was so tough so smart, and yet...here she was...this poor girl had been so stressed out to the point of self harm that she broke down. She had always been able to keep her composure.
He debated why she hadn't let out her feelings with Leo the night before...maybe the other scientist were in the room and she was trying to keep an upbeat mood around them to make them feel like everything was normal. Or maybe she was afraid that Leo would scold her for acting so stupid. Who knew. All he could do was hold her until she wanted him to leave.
"You have training tonight?" He asked in a soft tone.
She nodded her head which rubbed against his shoulder "Uh-hu." He could tell her tears had stopped but she probably didn't want him to see her face which was why she still clung to him. "Want me to take you there?"
She nodded again, "But Raph...can we...stay like this...for a little longer?"
He paused for a moment and sighed, "Sure..."
"Uuuuuunnnn I shouldn't have drank this morning too...uuugh...do you have to jump so high?" Moaned April as she clung to Raphs shell as he leapt across the rooftops to the lair.
"Sorry Princess. Want me to walk on the street for you? Oh, wait. I can't!" He said in a bitter sarcastic voice and she stuck her tongue out at him.
Much to Aprils joy they FINALLY made it to the lair. He landed in the alley and she went down on all fours off his back to the manhole that she collapsed over, "SOLID EARTH! THANK GOBLAAARGH!"
"You gotta be kidding me..." Moaned Raph as April started throwing up everything in her stomach to the side of the manhole.
She sat at the kitchen table in the lair and Raph walked to her with a glass of water that she eagerly took. "unn..."
"Still feel sick?"
"No...just regret." She smiled as she joked, which even managed to get Raph to laugh a little.
"We're here a little early so Splinter's still probably out on his walk. I'm gonna take off though. You gonna be all right?" He asked
She smiled at him, "I'll be fine...Thanks for visiting me to today Raph...and for taking me here. Will I see you on Saturday?"
He smiled and nodded before he left the kitchen and then the lair. Upon her certainty that Raph was gone she lost her smile. Setting down the glass of water that remained she slid off the stool and took the ladder that allowed her access to the boys old room. As she climbed in she sighed.
The room was clean. Most people would like that but to her that meant that they hadn't been there in a while...each of the bed sheets matched the color of their mask. Other than their beds only a few torn and old posters were plastered to the wall. Almost everything else had been removed. ...One by one as the moved into the Technodrome building the room became less crowded. It was the only piece that reminded them that they were teenagers even if the world didn't give them that leisure. She knew that things changed as people got older, but with how much her world had changed in the last few years...well...April wished she could go back to this...
One of the beds in the room particularly caught her attention. The purple one. She slowly made her way over to it. She felt nervous...almost like she shouldn't, but she slowly sat down on it crumpling the comforter beneath her. She looked scared, and stared straight forward as if she had done something wrong and she was getting punished for it. A few moments past and her heart beat so quickly she felt the need to lay down. After much debate she slowly lowered her head to the pillow.
That smell...
The brothers being turtles and all, had a strong sense of smell. Even still when Donnie and April had dated sometimes for her he would spray on just a small pinch of cologne he had found. April had loved the smell and was always intoxicated by it. As little as it was she could smell it in his pillow even still. She buried her head in it taking in the smell. She wrapped the covers over herself and snuggled up. She had laid like this...in this bed...long ago. Nights that Donnie would convince his brothers to go on patrol without him the two of them would stay behind. They would talk...study...experiment...play...so on and so forth.
She sighed deeply as she lifted her left hand to her face beside the pillow. Her right hand came up next to it as well and began fiddling with her ring finger. The gold band was a bit loose on her, and she was always afraid of losing it.
She sat up but kept the covers over her head. For a moment she listened for Splinters foot steps but heard nothing, he must have still been out. She lifted up her cell phone and nervously dialed a number. It took her quite a bit of debating to finally press down on the call button. She waited...one ring...three rings...
She sighed, she knew it was a waste of time to even bother with the remainder of the rings. Even still...she could not bring herself to hang up just yet. Not until she was sure.
Seven rings...she sighed and clenched her eyes shut trying to hold back her sadness. However,...right before the voice mail was about to come on she heard a faint click.
"What is it?" Said an almost irritated voice over the phone. Her eyes shot open. She was in such shock from hearing the voice that she stumbled with her words and didn't say anything for the first few seconds. "April?"
"Y-yes?!" She finally blurted out.
"You called me. I'm busy, what is it?"
She shook her head to try to snap back into the situation. She just couldn't feel like this was real. "Um...uh..."
"If this isn't important I really need to go. I've got a strong chemical about to boil over."
Though she was still nervous she fiddled with her hair with her free hand and managed to give a small smile even though no one could see, "S-sorry...It's um...the...the airconditioner in the condo...it's broken down again...can you come fix it?"
There was silence, and then a scoff from his irritated voice, "It's almost winter. You don't need it."
Her eyes snapped like she had just been yelled at for doing something stupid, "Oh...um...you're right. Sorry...How stupid of me..."
"If you REALLY want it fixed then call a repairman. I bet if you pulled out the instruction book even Raph or Casey could fix it. Is that all?"
"...Yes..."
Her hand fell from her hair as she looked defeated and hurt. He finally decided to speak again, to end the discussion, "All right then. Bye."
Before he could end the call April jumped, "D-donnie!"
"What?" He asked with an irritated groan.
"Have you...been eating enough?" She asked trying to pull cheer back into her sad voice.
There was silence for a moment until the irritated turtle finally spoke back, "Goodbye April." The call was then terminated before she could try to say anything else.
"Bye..." She said to no one as she slowly lowered her phone down to the bed. She began to curl into herself and held onto her stomach as she could no longer hold back her tears. The poured out like waterfalls. She knew Splinter would be home soon, but he wasn't yet. She felt that because she was alone that her sadness could be audible.
Her chokes between each breath as she cried echoed through the room.
Down below Raph had returned back into lair. He had remembered that he needed more gauze to cover his wounds in case he ran into Leo. Instead of going all the way back to the Technodrome he had decided to just take some from the lair.
He had heard April talking on the phone...the whole thing, her phone volume was turned up so high how could he not? He leaned up against the wall in the living room. Arms crossed with a passionate fire in his eyes, and teeth grinding into each other. He was furious.
"Fuck you, Donnie."
The cold night air...just as he had suspected, blew a strange wind across him. Something about it felt wrong...something about...all of this felt wrong...maybe if he had paid closer attention to everything the guy, Quiver, had said to him the night before...but...he shook his head deciding that there was nothing to do but move on.
In his full armour Raph matched the night sky other than his red mask. Lucky for him he had a few of these. The one that was now covered in holes from the night before had found its way to the labs at TCRI where the "nerds" were hard at work desperately searching it for any piece of skin or hair that may have latched onto him from Quiver.
He sighed until a soft vibration from one of his pockets awoke him from his daze. He pulled out his T-phone to see that Mikey was calling him. He quickly lit a cigarette before finally answering.
"Yea, Mike, what is it?" He said in a bored tone as he released smoke. "What?" His eyes grew shocked, his pupils small. "She's absolutely sure!?" He started to look nervous as he allowed Mikey to continue talking, "If that's true...then none of us are safe...yea...keep me updated...bye." As he hung up the phone he slowly lowered his hands to his side and blankly stared out at the city.
"They're out there...right now...and they want my family...they want our blood..."
Raphs face suddenly scowled as he put out his cigarette and clenched his sais in his hands,
"They'll have to get the The Night Watcher if they even wanna lay a finger on 'em."
The wind passed him again and it silenced the world around him until he growled and screamed,
"COME AND GET ME YOU BURN FREAKS! NIGHT WATCHERS GOT ALL OF YOU ON HIS SHIT LIST! COME AND GET SOME, I DARE YOU!"
And with that he leapt off into the darkness.
Authors notes: So I was super confused as to why I wasn't recieving updates on this chapter, and was super sad about it thinking "Aw, no one liked it...it must have been bad." But then I realized I hadn't even posted it! XD Sorry it's a few days late.
Go to my tumblr or deviant art for updates (links on my profile) Release dates are also listed on my deviant art in the journals section!
See all of you in two weeks! (A little less) And for those of you who also read "Once Upon A While Ago" I'll see you Friday!