Chapter 4: Bending The Rules

A/N: Hey, I'm back with another update. Now, I originally wrote Casey Jones into this chapter, but I figured that since Casey hasn't been introduced into the show yet that it wouldn't be a good idea to use him since I wouldn't be able to really tell his personality. So, instead I'm using Lucindra from the Mirage comics as I thought it would be something different and a little unique. I haven't actually read the comics, but I know enough about her background based on what certain authors have told me that I figured it would be okay to use her for this. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks to those who have read and reviewed so far. It really means a lot to me. I'm also going to give a shout out to any anonymous reviewers in my chapter stories since I can't respond to them the way I can with signed reviewers.

Guest: I hear you about the mystery thing. I really like reading them and think they're so good. I also love writing them, and I'm having a good time with this one. Thanks for reading.

Disclaimer: TMNT is owned by Nickelodeon. Lucindra is property of Mirage comics. I'm only borrowing her for the sake of this story.

Raphael leaped across the rooftops, happy to be out in the fresh air. It was so depressing in the Lair, and Raph didn't think he could take any more of that. They were all sad about today, but Raph knew the perfect way to cheer up. He didn't want to dwell on what might have happened to April.

"It's about time you got here," a voice said as Raph landed on another rooftop. A woman wearing a red shirt and jeans was standing there. She smiled as she surveyed Raph, and he knew she was happy to see him.

"Yeah, well, I couldn't just leave without telling anyone," Raph replied. He wasn't in the mood for a lecture. Raph had met Lucindra Monroe shortly after April disappeared. The red-clad Turtle had been keeping tabs on the Purple Dragons when he spotted a girl probably as old as him trying to fight them. Raph could tell that her fighting skills needed work, so he had joined the fray and tried to help her out. Lucindra hadn't been happy to see him at first and had been offended when he told her she wasn't a good fighter. But soon things changed, and Raph began helping her by teaching her some self-defense, and their friendship bloomed from there.

"So, how's Spike doin'?" Lucindra asked him. She was the only one apart from Raph's family and April who knew about Spike. When Raph first talked about his pet turtle, he thought that Lucindra would laugh at him about it, but she didn't. Instead, she thought it was cool and envied him for having a pet. She told him that she'd always wanted a dog, but they could never afford to get one.

"Pretty good," replied Raph. "I'm surprised he's still around." He wasn't sure how long a regular turtle's lifespan was, but he was glad that Spike was still with him.

"And how are your brothers?"

Raph sighed. "They're hangin' in there, I guess," he said. "We go through the motions because we have to, but it's always hard when this day comes around. We just can't accept that this is the end, you know? Don keeps tryin' to find out what happened to her even though he can't find any leads. Leo keeps blamin' himself for not takin' her home and Mikey's so lost without her. Splinter looks so dejected and has a picture of April next to the one of Teng Shen and Miwa. And me, I just wish I could get ahold of who did this to her and make them pay."

"I understand how you feel," Lucindra said. "I wish I could get ahold of the punks who killed my brother, but I don't know who did it. The thing is, I'll never know how it ended and who did it, and that's what hurts the most. Mom keeps tellin' me to move on, but it's too damn hard to do that. She smiled. "But I know somethin' that'll cheer us both up." She motioned with her hand, and Raph joined her near the alley where a group of Purple Dragons were harassing a young woman.

"They just don't know when to quit, do they?" Raph snarled as he unsheathed his sai. He got ready to jump down and enter the fray, but Lucindra held him back.

"Easy there, Killer," she said. "We have to be smart about this, remember?"

Raph looked at her when she said the nickname. Only one other person had called him that, and he remembered exactly how it happened.

22222

April stormed into the Lair and threw her backpack on the couch. "I can't believe him!" she snarled. "He lied, and I'm the one who's in trouble!"

"What happened, April?" Leo asked her.

"This kid kept making fun of me about my dad," she replied. "He kept saying that my dad dumped me for another woman, and I got so mad that I punched him in the face. But when I told the principal what he said, he lied and said that I hit him for no reason."

"So what did the principal say?" Don asked.

"He believed Brad and not me," she fumed. "I ended up getting detention for two weeks starting tomorrow." She crossed her arms over her chest. "It's just not fair!"

"Maybe I should pay this Brad kid a little visit," Raph offered as he twirled his sai.

"Easy there, Killer," April teased him. "I don't think that would help. He'd probably say it was me in a turtle costume or something. That's how awful he is."

"So, what should we do?" Mikey questioned.

"There's nothing we can do," Leo answered. "April will just have to take her punishment."

"Wait, you're just sayin' we should let the kid get away with it?" Raph asked his brother.

"We can't just go after a kid," Leo replied. "What he said was wrong, but it's not up to us to punish him. Besides, April shouldn't have hit him like that."

"Are you serious?" Raph yelled. "That kid insulted her. She had every right to fight back."

"Raphael, Leonardo is right," Splinter said. "A true ninja only uses physical attacks when they are attacked themselves." He turned to April and looked at her sternly. "You should learn to control your temper and not fight back in a physical manner when you are provoked. Raphael had to learn this lesson, and I believe you should learn it as well. Is that understood?"

"Hai, Sensei," she answered.

"Good," Splinter said. "Now, let us begin our next lesson."

22222

"Hey, Raph, you still with me, buddy?" Lucindra asked, waving her hand in front of Raph's face.

Raph snapped out of his memory. "Uh, yeah, I'm fine," he said. "I just spaced out for a second."

"Well, you'd better get your head in the game," Lucindra replied. "Now, let's go teach these goons a lesson."

Raph nodded, and he followed his friend to take care of business. The fight didn't last long, and during the skirmish, the woman they'd rescued chose to escape. After it was over, Lucindra suggested that they go to her apartment to celebrate. Raph agreed, and the two made their way to Lucindra's apartment.

"I'm so glad I'm on my own now," said Lucindra after she'd gone up to her apartment and had opened the window for Raph. "I wouldn't be able to do this if I still lived with my mom."

"Yeah, I hear you there," Raph replied. "Sometimes I wish I was on my own, too. Maybe if I was, it would be better for me. I love my brothers and dad, but there are times where I just feel so confined down there. If I could live up here, it would be great."

"But you have a good life, Raph," answered Lucindra. "At least you have a family who loves you. I don't have that anymore. My brother was killed by gang members, my dad walked out on us when I was three, and my mom became so absorbed in her drugs and alcohol that she never cared about what I did. So, when I had the chance, I moved out. Luckily I was able to find this apartment that's cheap enough for me. I really hate workin' at a restaurant, but I have to pay the bills somehow."

"I'm not sayin' I don't appreciate my family," Raph told her. "I just wish that there was more for me and for all of us, you know? Don could be a scientist and make money off of those gadgets of his, Mikey could be an artist or even a writer, Leo could teach martial arts to kids who are at risk, and I could probably open a shop that specializes in motorcycles or somethin'. It's just not fair that we have to live our whole lives underground away from the world."

"Yeah, that does suck when you think about it," said Lucindra. "I would hate to have to do that, too. But on the bright side, at least you guys have friends you can count on."

"I know that," replied Raph. He smiled at her, happy that he'd met her. His brothers knew about her, and they'd warned Raph to be careful, but there was nothing bad about Lucindra. She was just a troubled girl who had her fair share of baggage like so many others.

"You want a beer?" asked Lucindra.

"Sure." He knew that technically he wasn't old enough to drink by human standards, but it didn't matter. He would just have one and that would be it. Lucindra handed him a beer, and he pulled the tab and chugged it down. They watched TV and talked more about April and how horrible it was that she'd disappeared. Lucindra had been a classmate of hers and had talked to her a few times. Raph had promised to drink just one beer, but then he drank another and then another, deciding to stop at three beers. Then he decided it was time to go home because he didn't want Leo lecturing to him about staying out too late.

"That sucks you have to go, but I had fun, Raph," Lucindra told him. "Do you think we can hang out again?"

"Yeah, I'll call you and let you know when, Cindra," said Raph. "See you later." He left her apartment and headed home. It had been a good day, and he suddenly felt better about everything. Maybe fighting bad guys and drinking beer wasn't for everyone, but it was the best way Raph knew to combat the depression and the anger. Just as he was nearing home, his cell phone chimed indicating that he had a text message. He sighed in exasperation, figuring it was Leo ready to lecture him about being out late, but when he opened the text, it wasn't from Leo or any of his other brothers.

Hey, Raph, I hope you had a good time. I wonder what your pet turtle would say about this?—A.

Raph gasped as he read the text. There were only a few people who knew about Spike, and he knew that his brothers and Lucindra wouldn't text him about that.

"Holy shit," he whispered.

A/N: So, that's the end of that chapter. I'm having so much fun with this story, and I'm glad that I can get the chapters out quicker than I thought I would. Feel free to leave a review and have a shelltastic day.