Disclaimer: Still don't own the TMNT gang just my own OC's such as they are.
Raphael brought up the rear as they made their way to the lair, only half listening to Donnie as the brainiac droned on. Though the night hadn't been that bad for him personally, any night he got to pulverize some puny pink aliens was a good one, he couldn't help but feel bad for the figure in front of him. Raph shuttered as the scene floated across his memory, just watching the way her body had convulsed in pain as it changed was a bit hard to shake off, he couldn't imagine what it must have felt like. Still within a few minutes she was up and ready to fight, the lady had some spunk.
Raph sighed as they neared the entrance to his subterranean home, it was pretty awful that this Mrs. VonHertz had been mutated, but there was little he could do to help the situation any further. He had done his part, beating up the Kraang that had tried to take her as a lab experiment, now it was up to the rest of his family to take it from here. With that thought in mind he passed his brother and Mrs. VonHertz to make his way towards the kitchen for a drink, punting brain slugs was thirsty work. Barely a step past them he happened to glance up into Leo's face and saw his blue mask creased with worry and fear followed by anger flash in his eyes. The T-phone he had been talking into lowered as his other hand shot out in a pleading gesture towards the two behind Raph where sound of a shell hitting concrete filled the red masked turtle's ears.
"No wait! Raph! Stop Her!"
It was a testament to Raphael's growing acceptance of Leonardo as their leader that he didn't question the order. His thirst forgotten he turned on the ball of one foot and raced after the mutant woman, ignoring his fallen brother he leaped over the turnstiles, planting one hand for the extra clearance and momentum. She was already racing along the subway tracts but not so far ahead that Raphael felt himself unable to overcome her. She was NOWHERE near Mikey's speed and untrained in the obstacles of tunnel running as evidenced by her occasional stumble as she tried to maintain her bipedal gait. The burly terrapin made a small hop to continue his pursuit along the top of a rail, it gave him smoother terrain and a slight height from with to launch himself, thought he guessed she would exhaust herself before he felt the need to make such a drastic measure. He was wrong. Ahead of him, echoing off the tunnels he heard the unmistakable sound of his bro in orange.
"... ease, you gotta wake up. Don't worry Nev you'll be fiAGGGAHHH!" Mikey skidded to a stop as he rounded the corner and saw both of them barreling his direction. He laughed nervously "ahaha… Hi Gwyn's mom. We were just on our way to see you." He shrugged abashedly and the movement caused the girl he cradled to moan in pain. If the situation was bad you could always count on Mikey to do something to make it worse.
From Raph's position he could actually see her hackles spike up and knew she was going to attack his idiotic little brother. Pouring on a last spurt of speed he lunged at her and managed to tackle her firmly around the waist and they both fell into puddle of moist sludge. Michelangelo snickered at the sight before a growl from the other turtle seemed to remind him that he was suppose to taking advantage of the distraction.
"Thanks Bro!" was all he heard before Mikey launched himself to the higher concrete platform that lined the sides of the tracks and raced away in the direction of home. Raph tried to adjust his hold on the mutant to wrestle her into a more secure position but it was proving extremely difficult despite his advanced skills. Every time he attempted to pin her she would twist, wiggle and snap her pointed teeth at any nearby appendage. So, for couple minutes they were nothing more than a rolling shifting ball of shell, mud, fur and fabric. The extended grapple would have normally been in the young terrapin's favor as he wore his opponent down but the terrain put him at a disadvantage. Though Raph didn't mind getting down and dirty, as they rolled in the mud the sludge made her clothes and fur slick and his hold became more and more tenuous till she managed to scramble out from underneath him. A departinging kick from her back leg, as she scurried away on all fours, connected solidly with his left shoulder and forced him to fall back hitting his shell heavily on a rail.
It wasn't a major blow but the vibrations left him winded for a few precious seconds, enough to know that he wouldn't catch up to her before she reached the lair again. Not willing to give into defeat he quickly got up and trotted towards the turnstiles, where he was in time to see his brother guarding the entrance of their home. Leo kept her attention on him with the threat of his blades while Raphael saw his sensei come up behind her and jab quickly towards the back of her neck. It must have been nothing short of beginner's luck that she dodged the precision blow, it had to be, because Splinter never missed and the shock of it as she rounded on the rat master was apparent on his face.
"Where is my DAUGHTER!" she screamed with rage as she lunged at the taller mutant, mouth wide and aimed at his master's throat. Raphael's heart stopped as he registered that both he and Leo were racing forward in an attempt to put themselves between the death blow and their father. In hindsight it was foolish fear to have, this was Master Splinter after all.
Faster than they could blink Splinter stepped to the side and then brought an elbow down between her shoulder blades while still twisting into the blow he brought his other arm around to wrap her neck in a choke hold, then pulling up and causing her back to arch to prevent from being being strangled, the distraction allowed him to capture both her wrists in his other hand.
He pulled the woman tight against the length of his body to keep her maneuvering room to a minimum. "You will be calm or I will make you so. Do you understand?"
She responded by curling up her lip and growling, Raph got a clear view of one sharp canine. He also saw Master Splinter barely flex the forearm around her neck, it was apparently enough to make her reconsider. Her face smoothed out and her body slightly relaxed in reluctant submission. It was rare that they got to see their sensei in action outside the dojo so Raph was having a hard time containing the child-like admiration he could feel bubbling up inside. No doubt that their dad was a badass, though he could never share that particular sentiment with his father. Still he couldn't suppress the smile of pride that crossed his face.
Though the woman seemed to have given up Master Splinter did not release his hold on her and marched her forcibly through their home, with a backwards glance to his two sons indicating that they should follow him. Raph and Leo looked at each other with questioning eyes but then just shrugged and obeyed their father's silent command. As they passed the door to the lab she resumed her struggle against Master Splinter's hold though this time with a more verbal component.
"I can smell her shampoo. I know she's in there. LET ME GO! She's MY child! I can smell..." Her angry demands turned quiet with pleading desperation and she went still "... blood. So much blood. Please, you have to take me to her."
Splinter slid his arm down to encircle her shoulders but didn't release her wrists and continued to lead her through the main area of the lair, heading in the direction of the bathroom. "I know. The odor will seem very strong to you, but you must trust me, it is but a small amount. In time you will learn to distinguish these things. She is safe and we will care for her. I promise, you will see her soon but first you must attend to yourself." They had reached the bathroom and like the brown noser he was, Leo stepped forward to open the door for them. Splinter and the mutated woman entered and stopped in front of the mirror, finally releasing her hands but placing his own in a comforting gesture on her shoulders.
Mrs. VonHertz touched one hand to the mirror and the other to her face. It was sad to watch the final realization of what she was sink into her eyes. She was a freak now, just like the rest of them. On top of that she looked pretty horrible at the moment. Her clothes were disheveled and ripped and her fur was coated in sewer muck and sticking out at odd angles. Not to mention the odor, Raph wasn't exactly a spring daisy at the moment either, but something about the wet fur just made it worse.
"The mother your daughter is seeking comfort from is not here. We will do all in our power to help but for now you must listen to me." Splinter conversed with her via the reflection overtop of the woman's head. "Take a moment to cleanse and calm yourself. Trust me," Raph saw his sensei smile and heard the humor enter his voice. "you do not want this mess to dry in your fur." With a pat on the shoulder he left her there staring at her reflection, striding over to where Leo and Raph waited outside the door. "Leonardo, you will come with me. Raphael you will attend to our guest's needs."
"Oh come on." The adrenaline was wearing off and Raph was exhausted, all the teen really wanted to do was relax, not play butler.
It was apparently the wrong moment for teenage backtalk because the rat-master turned on him with fury in his deep red eyes. "There is a wounded little girl in the lab, her mutated mother in the bathroom and no mutagen canisters retrieved, which was the entire point of your mission." Splinter paused and continued in a slow dangerous manner. "Would you care to take your brother's place in explaining to me how this all came about?"
Raphael swallowed "No Sensei."
"Very well then, keep her here until I come for you both." With that he walked away with Leonardo a step behind, shoulders drooping in defeat.
All that Raph could think was that maybe it was good not to be the leader somedays. That and he never did get his glass of water.
A/N: As always my greatest thanks to SunLux for her continued support, this one is for you, please forgive it's shortness. To all those who give this story a chance I thank you for your time and hope you have enjoyed the few minutes spent here. Reviews are welcome along with critiques. Those just wishing to chat... come here and let me love you!