AN: And here we have Raphael's POV! I'm gonna enjoy writing this one, lol. Like I said in the last chapter, this is the same situation but from the view of a different turtle. Okay? Okay!

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POV 2: Raphael

Sigh... another boring day in the lair, at least that's what I thought at the time. Ever since we creamed those livin' statue things a few weeks ago, I had been cravin' for more! Our greatest enemies were already defeated and the only piece o' action me and the guys had seen were some lousy foot ninja still skulkin' around the back alleys of New York. This morning was like any other morning in the lair, but that's what was botherin' me.

My adrenaline was pumpin' as soon as I woke up. No sign of the others, which meant they were already up and at'em. I rolled outta my hamock and stretched until my muscles popped, ready to start the day off with a bang. Unfortunately, that's not what I was gonna get.

Here I go, trudging down stairs and all I see are a couple o' bums. One in the kitchen eatin' like there's no tomorrow, and one being his usual nerdy self. Man, how can these guys be so lazy after sleepin' for a good 8 hours?

I make my way towards the main den and see Leo doin' some solo training with his katanas. Hmph. I never saw what was so great about those 'tings. If you really wanna get a solid blow in on an opponent, close combat weaponry are where it's at! Take for example, my sai. Those babies never fail me.

I can tell Leo is getting' kinda tired practicing all by himself, so I decided to step in. It was time to spice things up a bit.

"Yo, Leo! Need a sparring partner?" I jump the over-ledge railing and land on my feet with a smirk. The guy looks at me with little surprise on his face. I'm usually the one who challenges him after all.

"Well, look who finally got up. You sure you're ready for this? I've been doing warm-ups all morning."

"Yeah, yeah. No problem! I got this." With that said, Leo shrugs and responds...

"It's your funeral."

"Heh! That's my line bub." I show off by twirling my sai around and keepin' them at the ready.

"Younger siblings first." Leo teased.

This always got me a little steamed. As usual, I was up first. Our weapons clashed several times before we backed off and started circling each other. My older brother, looking as poised as ever, took a battle ready stance. His smug face is what got my gears turning. I hated it when he acted this way!

Once more, I got into fighting range and unleashed my full fury upon his measly swords. If I could break'em once, I could break'em again.

Although Leo didn't seem to be givin' me that chance again. Every attack I threw at him was either blocked or counter struck by his own weapons. As this continuous pattern went on, I could feel my blood start to boil. If I didn't land at least one good jab on the guy, I think I might've gone crazy!

Suddenly, Leo decided to be cute and did some fancy smancy flips over my head and around the back. I was so focused on plowing forward that I didn't have time to react. He hit me in the back of the shell with the butt of his katana causing me to fall flat on my knees.

"It's good that you're focusing your attacks, but you can't apply that focus only to what's in front of you. A ninja has to be aware on all sides of his perimeter, otherwise you'll end up like you just did."

I didn't let him continue with his lecture as I immediately whirled around and began attacking again. All the while, every single move I made, Leo just had to tell me what I was doing wrong. It was really starting to tick me off. If I wanted advice, I'd ask for it, though it'd most likely be from Master Splinter instead of my older brother.

"Keep your head up. Don't let your guard down. Watch that footing!" He kept rambling on and on and on until I couldn't take it anymore! With one swift kick, I sent the turtle flying across the room. Unfortunately, he managed to land on his feet, gracefully I might add. I don't know how he freakin' does it, but there it is!

"Would you stop lecturing me already and just fight? It's like you can't throw a punch without opening your big mouth!"

"What's your problem? Get up on the wrong side of the shell this morning?" He relaxed his pose a bit and gave me the stink eye.

"Shut it, Leo! You ain't my mom so quit actin' like it."

"All I'm doing is sharing what I know with you. If you let this temper of yours get out of hand then you won't ever progress."

"Geez, even after all that's happened you still act like you're the better turtle, eh?"

"I didn't say that, Raph." Yeah, my shell he didn't.

"Tch! You don't hafta' say it. Your attitude is what does the talkin'. Every time we spar together you gotta lecture me in between punches on what I'm doin' wrong or somethin', as if you're Mr. Perfect over here!" It was all too true.

"I'm just trying to help. There's no reason I can't do that, is there?" This was also true, but I wasn't really listening at the time.

"Well, guess what? I don't need your stinkin' help, kapeesh? I can figure out things on my own so don't start tellin' me what to do!" We kept our distance from each other, but walking in circles around one another during our fights had become a habit.

"So this is how it's gonna be, just like last time? Demanding that I don't interfere with your life? Accusing me of controlling you like some puppeteer? I'm telling you right now Raph, that's NOT what I'm trying to do!"

"Yeah, well it sure seems like it to me! You're always talkin' about how we should act as a team and work 'as one body and mind' if we want to overcome our problems. But, you know, ever since you've returned from your little adventure as Tarzan, your ego has gotten bigger my the minute and I ain't likin' it!"

"Oh, my ego? When I came back you were off playing the hero as if you owned the city, as if the turtles never existed! Then you spout all this nonsense about being a one-man-show and contradict yourself by saying that YOU are more suited to be leader. Tell me: whose ego has grown over the past year?" Outta the corner of my eye I saw Don and Mikey staring at us, being the usual audience to our fights. Having spectators on the sidelines made me even more determined to shut Leo's trap.

"That's just it, big brother! You act like we've lost touch with everything that we've ever been taught, like we're hatchlings! You aren't our master Leo so don't go pretending you are!"

"One day I might be, Raphael!" Heh. Using my full name wasn't gonna scare me. It never did.

"Is that so?" Now here he goes talkin' about how he might be the master over us one day. It was almost enough to make me puke.

"If anything were to ever happen to Master Splinter then I would have to take his place. You should know that just as well as anybody."

Oh, do I?

"Ha! You'd like that, wouldn't you. To be the master of us? To pass on your 'infinite fountain of wisdom upon your humble disciples? To take Master Splinter's place?" I knew this was it. I knew had dealt a low blow, especially when it came to Leo. I knew I shouldn't have said what I said, but it was too late then.

In a low, rough voice, Leo asked me, "Just what are you implying?!"

With the same threatening aura, I replied, "I think you know exactly what I'm sayin', Leo."

And then, we were at it.

Leo snapped and came at me with a roar. I did the same of course, just as angry as he was. Our weapons were forgotten. We wanted to use brute strength to get our points across, to show who was more powerful; the better turtle. Leo's eyes were flickering with the embers of rage that I had carried with me throughout my entire life. I'm sure I didn't look any prettier at the time.

After struggling with my older brother in what seemed like a never-ending battle of dominance, I felt something tugging on my shoulder. I was in no mood to be dealing with anything outside of our fight, so I shoved whatever the shell was clingin' to me in the opposite direction and kept tryin' to pin Leo's leaner body to the floor.

I don't know how, but everything I was feeling, everything that occupied my violent thoughts in that moment just stopped. It's like my senses heightened at the sound of that ugly crack. My mind started screaming that something was wrong, and the white noise that was humming in my ears got louder once I heard the painful moan following the sound. Looks like the rest of my bros were experiencing the same sorta thing from what I could tell on their horror-stricken faces.

"Master Splinter? Master Splinter, are you alright?!"

Oh geez. This was gonna be bad.

Leo, being the good samaritan that he was, began to ask if the master was alright, but he was severely interrupted (much to my delight) when our guy Don here started showing a side of himself that I would've held in high regards if it weren't for the fact that it was just a tad bit scary.

"YOU BONEHEADS!!"

Isn't that word strictly reserved for Casey?

"How could you two be so ignorant?! Your fights have gotten to the point where there's no point at all! If you guys can't control yourselves enough to where you start hurting others around you, then there's really going to be a problem!"

Wow. What a card. Being schooled by my own little brother. Donny was such a softy when it came to... well, everything! Seeing him actin' like this reminded me too much of a certain sensei we all knew. Shell, if anyone could take Master Splinter's place it could most certainly could be this geekoid. And here I was callin' Leo the teacher's pet.

"Now either both of you calm the shell down, or I'm going to... to... Well, you won't like it!"

Just when I thought my lil' bro was startin' to look cool...

"Woooah... Like, Donny totally whipped you guys!" Mikey just couldn't stand bein' the fourth wheel for one second, could he.

Since the fight had calmed down a bit, I thought I'd try tamin' the storm between us bros.

"Donny, I-"

"Don't 'Donny' me!"

So much for that tactic.

"If anything you should be apologizing to Master Splin..."

Leo and I both noticed the mass of gray that was slowly rising behind Don's back. The genius turns around to see what we've diverted our attention to.

"...ter?"

He actually survived that?

"Goodness! I haven't felt this way in years." Another string of cracking sounds emitted from his back as he stretched. Was he really okay?

"Uhh, sensei? Are you okay?" You read my mind, brainiac.

"Ah yes. I'm fine Donatello. Thank you for your concern." Master Splinter hardly had a scratch on him. "I have been having some back problems for a while now, but it seems that those worries are all in the past."

"Your back? You mean... you're feeling better after what's happened?" Donny looked the most nervous outta all us turtles. Leo was a close second. I had to admit, since this whole incident was my fault, there was a fair amount of sweat dripping from my brow too.

"In a sense, yes my son. Although the method by which my pain was relieved was unexpected, it got the job done." Somethin' told me that this was all a part of his plan... "Now then, I shall finish the task that Donatello here has begun."

Before Leo and I could even blink, Master Splinter's cane was on us like a bee sting.

"Ah!" We let out a sharp yell. I could already feel a welt formin' on my big green dome of a head.

"When I ask you to cease in your bickering I expect to be heeded!" This is where the shame sets in. Man, I hate feelin' guilty about things I've done!

"I had thought your attitudes would have changed after our recent battle against Winter's four warriors, but I see that there is still much training to do when it comes to quelling these blustering emotions." As if my pride wasn't damaged enough, he had to remind us of that fight. The one where I caused Leo to get captured by those good-for-nothin' jerks who worked for Winters. I remember how blind I felt while trying to catch up to'em. Blind with anger.

I was snapped out of my memories when said older brother spoke. "We're sorry Master Splinter." He was taking the heat for both of us. Sometimes I wondered how I got a guy like him for a sibling. This was meant to be a compliment if ya didn't know.

But I wasn't about to let him look like the only responsible one.

"Guess we haven't chilled out from the last time we fought."

"Well, my sons, you will be doing plenty of 'chilling out' in the dojo this morning with me. Come. Say your sorry to one another as well as your brother."

Ah, here it comes. Apologies. This was the hardest part for me to accept. I'm not a very forgiving person as most people know. But... something about how Leo said, "Sorry, Raph.", gave me the courage to do the same.

"Yeah. Me too." Not to mention we'd most likely get hit a third time with Master Splinter's walking stick if we didn't make ends meet now.

After payin' the same respects to Donny, Mikey decided it'd be a good time to make a smart-aleck remark about how he'd like to see us get clobbered again sometime. I followed through with a line said more than once to this particular trouble makin' turtle:

"Don't push it, Mikey." This seemed to quiet him down significantly.

"Now. Shall we, my sons?" Master Splinter let Leo and me enter the dojo first. I had a feeling we'd be in there for quite a while. Alone with Leo after a big fight was never my cup o' joe, ya know what I mean? But, eventually, Master Splinter was able to calm our nerves with a few simple meditation exercises. Maybe this is what I needed at the time. A couple hours of complete silence didn't hurt every once in a while, despite my butt crampin' up.

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Later, I was relaxin' on the water tower of one of the apartment buildings near our home when Leo decided to join me. He sat right next to me and hadn't said a word yet. This was a run of the mill thing for us. After one of our big show downs, we'd hang out in the same spot and just be brothers. It's our way of spendin' "quality time" together, ya know what I'm sayin'?

"Hey there hothead." I chuckled seeing that this guy still had the nerve to joke around with me.

"'Sup fearless leader?"

In that single moment, we forgot about the whole thing. From then on, it was small talk, bumping each other in the shoulders, and everything a couple o' turtles like us do.

Yup. Just another boring day.

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AN: Raphael can be such a good-hearted guy sometimes. His POV was just as fun to write as Donny's. :)

Next chapter: Michelangelo

Boy, this'll be a trip. XD Won't be much of a dramatic POV, that's for sure! I've ordered the chapters in a certain pattern where you have one of the onlookers of the fight first, then one of the fighters, then another onlooker, and last will be the other fighter. This should make things a little less consistent with the writing. See you next chapter!