Chapter 24: A Promise to Spike.

I'm back!!! I live XD

Boi that was a longer break then I intended hah, what is it, 6 months? Oof...

I've been rewriting all my chapters again and it has been a ride!

I'm glad that I remember most of all I wrote, but a small part of me fears that the chapters won't be as good as they were. But! I'm determined to give u guys the best that I can!

Also! I have a question for all, I've been thinking about starting a drabble series for this fic. While I've been rewriting I've kept coming up with ideas I wish I had included, or thought of little things here and there that I would of liked to wrote about? Like maybe Irma meeting Donnie? Beadford and Daiki fluff? Some of the drabbles would be for fun, others would hold some importance, but wouldn't massively impact the story, more like explain things perhaps? I could also write any ideas you guys want/ have wanted to see form this fic!

Please let me know if this is something you guys would like! X3

Now to the reviews:

Miraaaa: Thank you for your opinion! 3 I think if i still go agead and do another fic, I'm leaning more towards the Foster story!

ScribeofHeroes: Thank you for your review it means alot!

I really wanted Shen to be this more important person in Miwa's life, other then the 'dead parent', She's definitely angry at her mother for being so trusting when their were bad signs about Saki.

Also! The Hamatos were definitely slacking off once they fought the technodrone, as Splinter said, they became cocky in their abilities, and started training less to relax and celebrate for a while. But eventually that all caught up to them. I'm not sure if the events would of played out the same if they had focused on training, who knows? It is a good thought though!

And I get what you mean about April partly blaming herself for lying to her father, and I do intend to explore on it in a later chapter! Our boy Donnie in this fic just has this nasty tendency to automatically blame himself for anything bad that happens in his life, more on that later too!

But thank you for your review, and I look forward to the next one! 3

This is based on the 2k12 series.

WARNING: 'Dyslexic writer lol'.


Chapter 24

With the sun finally behind the towering mountains in the distance, casting the valley into a calming, yet darkening night, the woman and her son were almost at the end of their journey.

Taking long but graceful strides up the steep hill, the japanese woman glanced back over her shoulder and passed her silky hair to the five year old boy trudging playfully along with his boat behind her, she cast a smile his way, which he saw and quickly returned.

He tucked his boat securely under his arm, and with a mischievous gleam in his eyes, raced to get ahead of his mother. She chuckled and began to quicken her own pace to join his fun, but just slow enough that she would let him win.

He ran as fast as he could, being extra cautious of his prized boat, until he finally got in front of her with a giddy laugh.

By now, there was only a short bit of road ahead of them, and the boy could practically see his home from here. He turned to check his mother was still with him, but noticed she had taken a slight left turn towards the treeline and quickly ran back down after her.

The woman was mindful and stepped back as an old couple got up from the floor beside the trees and moved passed, before then coming forwards herself and sitting in a seiza position on a polished stone in front of the trees.

With the lake, the mountains, and the densely packed forest surrounding their little village on all sides, there was no room for a large shrine to worship and pray. So the people of the village put together a smaller shintō shrine. A shelf shrine, protected amongst the trees. And it had stood untouched by nature and worshipped by hundreds for many years. Even before the boy's grandfather was born! And that was a while ago.

His mother called it a Kamidana. But the boy just liked to call it the Chibi Shrine.

The villagers covered the shrine with handwritten ofuda, a paper like talisman to ward off evil spirits. And gohei, a stick with cloth zigzags on either side, a offering made to a god for protection.

And looking to either side of the offering dish in the center, there were two creatures craved from stone, who stood to protect the shrine.

The boy would always shrink back slightly under the stone creatures hard gaze. He thought they looked scary, like strange dogs, with the heads of lions. But his mother would always reassure him that the Komainu, and all Yokai in general, were not to be feared.

His mother placed her books from work to one side and pulled out her bag to reveal a small untouched bento box.

Her little boy giggled behind her as she began to pull out all sorts of vegetables from the box, from carrots to cucumbers she placed them all down into the polished tray as an offering.

Glancing over his mother's shoulder, the boy watched as she placed her hands together in pray, clapping twice and whispering quietly for protection over her family, her home and her son.

Since he was younger, the child had known that his mother was quite a superstitious woman, in fact, everyone in the village knew it! She would do weird things that the boy couldn't explain, some things that even the town's people thought were strange.

She always said to never leave your laundry out at night, because it would bring lingering spirits to their home, she always told her son to sleep facing the south, to ward off an early death.

And one of the weirdest ones, if the weather man ever predicted a thunderstorm, she would always tell the boy to wear longer t-shirts to hide his belly button, otherwise the thunder god would take it away! That was definitely the boy's favourite one, and he laughed everytime she would say it.

She was also convinced that Yokai lived all around them in the forest, and the mountains, and the lake, and maybe even hidden within their town! Hence she would always offer food for them at the shrine, and pray that they protect the things she cared for in exchange.

This was not uncommon in the town, as many people here also prayed to the Yokai for good fortune and such, but not all of them could claim to have actually met one!

In fact, the little boy could remember the tale his mother told him. That in a time where she was in great need of guidance and support, a Yokai came to her in her old family home. It warned her of a danger soon to come, and urged her to leave.

She never told anyone any specific details about the so called danger, and what had actually happened. All she did say, was that the Yokai was right, and if she had stayed, she would of perished.

The boy remembered how amazing his mother made the story of her encounter sound, and would grin and gasp as she told the tale. The whole time, her husband would be chuckling quietly and shaking his head.

His father loved his mother with all of his heart. But he always said that the spirits are just made up stories to keep children from disobeying their parents.

His father was a man of science, and believed that if there was no proof, it never happened. He always made sure to have every detail of something, before making a final decision. As he always said, 'It's important to be accurate.'

Yet even with his own beliefs, his father never stopped his mother from her spiritual endeavours. And never stopped her when she showed her son how to respect the spirits.

But even as the woman prayed now, peering over her shoulder to her son glancing back, she knew that her child was very much like his father. He had a hard time grasping that the spiritual world around them was real, and that was ok.

Even she didn't always believe in the spirits,

until that fateful night...

She resigned a understanding sigh, and got to her feet. Taking her books with one hand and brushing her skirt with the other as she turnt to her son.

"Shall we?" The woman tilted her head in the direction of home, and smiled warmly as her excited child grinned widely back.

"Hai!"

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Donatello's mahogany eyes flew open in alarm, and with a startled yelp, he launched himself backwards against his chair, jerking his hand away from his desk.

He scowled down at his finger with a hiss of pain, rubbing it gently with his other hand.

He had been so preoccupied by his latest test of retro-mutagen that he hadn't noticed a certain small intruder enter the lab.

So as he pulled his goggles up to his head, Donatello couldn't help but let out a loud sigh, as yet again Raphael had let his pet run free-range into the lab. Perched directly next to his hand on the desk was said beady eyed tortoise, looking up at him with a prominent glare.

Donnie huffed to himself and eyed Raph's pet, "Did you just bite my finger?" He snapped accusingly, still holding tightly to said injury.

And as if to answer his question, the smaller turtle seemed almost pleased with himself as he chirped back in response, before slowly crawling to the other side of the desk.

At this time, Metalhead walked past the desk with a vial which had been cooling in the fridge, and hurried his pace once he saw the smaller turtle snap at him. He took a stand behind Donnie and made a series of scared bleeps to his creator.

"I know." Donnie agreed, giving his bot a reassuring pat on the head. "He scares me too."

The terror terrapin marched his way over to a discarded plate with a few bits of pizza crust, and lunged for the leftovers. Ravaging the remains of a once perfectly good crust in mere seconds.

Donatello watched on disturbed, and glad that he'd actually stuck to Mikey's eating schedule today. Otherwise his dinner would of been mercilessly devoured by the tortoise.

A knocking at the lab's door caught the attention of all three occupants in the room. And once Donnie had given the all clear, Raphael appeared at the sliding doors, and made his way in. "Hey Don, you ain't seen Spike anywhere, have ya?" His slight brooklyn accent resonated around the quiet room, while he scanned the floor carefully.

The brunet sighed quietly to himself, "Yeah, he's in here. Again." He murmured the last part, making sure to keep his irritation in check, so not too anger the short fused turtle.

He appreciated all the help he would receive from his new found family, but even he had to admit to himself that every now and then, he just wanted to be alone in a quiet working space. Hence Mikey's absence from the lab.

Meaning any shouting matches were to be avoided. If at all possible.

Emerald eyes followed as Donnie pointed to the small turtle on the desk, now currently ripping up a spare journal with his beak. Raph chuffed proudly and moved over to his best friend, crouching beside the desk to gently pat him on the head. "Hey little buddy. What ya been up too, huh?"

"Maybe you should keep a better eye on him?" Donnie suggested, taking a vial from Metalhead and swirling the contents around. Even the robot gave a firm nod to Raphael in agreement. "The lab isn't exactly a safe place for him, with all my experiments and such?"

"What? No way." Raph blurted out, clearly taking offence to the idea. "Spike's his own turtle. I'm not gunna stop him if he wants to go somewhere!"

Donnie rolled his mahogany eyes at the mutant and his constant belief that Spike had rational thoughts, before spinning back round in his chair to continue working.

Scoffing back loudly, Raph gently placed his beloved friend on his shoulder, and began leaving the nerd to his science experiments. Only to have a thought come to mind.

"Oh, you haven't seen any of my modern ninja magazines around, have ya?" Raph asked with a raised brow, remembering how he searched his magazine collection under his bed this morning, only to find that a few of them had disappeared.

"Yeah actually," Donnie waved over to another desk, not taking his eye off his test for even a second. "Mikey bought a couple of them in when he was helping me yesterday."

Now it was Raphael's turn to roll his eyes, knowing fully well that Mikey was the first person he should of suspected. But as he came over to said desk, and scanned over his magazines, his face twisted into one of pure unkept rage.

He snatched his magazines up and practically charged across the lab, screaming his unfortunate brothers name in the process. Until he reached the sliding doors and slammed them shut after himself, leaving them shaking on their hinges.

Donnie pulled down his goggles with a sigh, knowing a shouting match was soon to commence. "So much for quiet." He said. Though really, he expected the peace wouldn't last long.

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Ringing echos of excited whooping, accompanied by retro arcade music flowed through the lair, as the Hamato teenagers took a well deserved night in to themselves.

They returned a few hours ago from their nightly patrol, and with the streets of New York as calm as they can get, the leader called it a night, and the teens retired to their own means for the rest of the evening.

Donatello had requested a quiet work night, wanting a peaceful evening in the lab where he could try and focus on the retro-mutagen, and asked for a few hours of alone time because of this.

Raphael made for the kitchen as soon as they returned, before going to his bedroom with some snacks and lettuce, mostly likely to relax and rewind with Spike in their room.

And Miwa had decided to catch up on some crime shows April recommended for her, and took a place in the pit, whilst Leonardo took the task of keeping Michelangelo happy, and busy, by playing arcade games. Which did it's work of keeping the youngest turtle away from the lab.

A few hours had gone by, and the teens were occupying themselves still.

Miwa had made a few trips between each episode, and even managed to catch a glimpse of Spike slowly crawling from Raph's room into the lab on her way to the kitchen, but shrugged it off, and went about her snack hunt. On her way out, she noticed Raphael leaving his room, and also entering the lab, probably going after the tortoise.

She settled back down onto the couch with some potato chips, and resumed her current episode.

Across from her, it was Mikey's go on the arcade game, and he was doing far better then he thought he would. By level forty, he was sure he'd bit the dust, but the freckled turtle persevered, making it all the way to eighty-two! His new all time best.

Even Leo, who was watching the whole time over his shoulder, was impressed with how far he'd made it.

With a few hits here, and a jolt of the controller stick there, Mikey had finished the level in a breeze, and started the next level with smug confidence. "Oh, yeah! Level eighty-three, dude!" Tiny eight-bit pixel spaceships attacked his own in numerous hordes, but with his button mashing skills, they were easily defeated. "I'ma flip it!" He said, and wiped out yet another horde.

It was then, that the music changed, and the screen flashed a red and yellow skull. The final boss.

Mikey gasps out, beginning to panic, "No, no, no, no, no, no, no! It's Skullorax!" Before frantically slamming all the buttons and combos he knew.

"Eye beam! Use the eye beam!" Leo piped up swiftly beside him, he'd let his brother get this far without intervening, but had to step in to try and help.

"I'm scared, man. What am I gonna do?" Mikey cried, grasping the stick and mashing the buttons harder, but it was all for nothing, as Skullorax unleashed his final move, and obliterated Mikey's ship. Presenting the shocked turtle with the dreaded, 'You Died' screen.

He sunk to his knees, and draped himself lifelessly over the console, "Oh no! I was so close, Leo. So close!"

"You did well, my son." Leo said, lying a sympathetic hand on his brother's shoulder, "Now watch a real Sensei at work!" Without any warning, he tossed Mikey aside and cracked his neck, already onto a new game once the orange-clad turtle had gotten back up.

"Hah! A real Sensei, huh?" Miwa remarked snarkily from her seat, pausing the TV and brushing her fringe out of her face. Her hair, now newly dyed with April's help, was entirely bleach blonde on the underside, which made for a striking look with the rest of her shoulder lengeth raven black hair.

Miwa had loved it, and even her brothers had commented how 'badass' and 'deadly' she looked now. The only person who held any reservations about it, was her very traditional father. But he put on a brave face, remaining strong as he watched pitifully while his baby girl bleached her beautiful silk-like raven hair.

He admitted that it did make her look so much more mature, and her mother's strong cheek bones and features really seemed to shine through more then ever now. So he kept quiet. But silently made a pledge that he would not allow his other human child to dye his hair.

"I call next game!" Miwa declared smugly.

"Your on!" Leo called back. Earning a 'Ohhhh!' From his brother beside him.

"MIKEY!!" The deafening yell shock the lair, and the teens cringed as the temperamental turtle stormed out of the lab with Spike on his shoulder, and towards his brother with a stare that wouldn't let up.

"What'd he do now?" Miwa sighed, rolling her eyes and making her way over to Mikey as she spoke.

"I'll tell you what!" Raph stated with a furious growl. "He got pizza stains all over my collection of Modern Ninja magazine. They're ruined!"

Mikey scoffed at the comment, "Dude, those things are, like, twenty years old. They're not exactly modern."

"They're vintage!" Raph retorted back, shoving it in his brother's face. "It took me six years to collect 'em! Six years!"

Swiping the magazine, Mikey let out a calm, 'Psshh!' "Chillax, bro. I'll clean it for ya." He then started to lick the stains right off the cover.

Beginning to seethe with frustration, Raphael set Spike down on a nearby crate, and snatched the magazine back. Rolling it up, and swatting his younger brother round the head. The little tortoise seemed to be smiling at that.

"Ow!!" Mikey cried, and scurried to hide behind Miwa.

"You mess up everything, Mikey." Raph snapped, and pointed accusingly at his brother.

But Miwa was quick to whack his hand away, "Chill out, Raph. He didn't mean it." She warned him coolly.

"Yeah, It's just stuff, Raph. Meager possessions." Leo said half-mindedly, still concentrating on the game rather then Raphael's tantrum. "What does it matter-"

Annoyed that his siblings always made his problems seem irrelevant, he kicked the arcade machine so hard, that it unplugged itself from the wall. "What about your precious comic-book collection, huh?" Raph growled at Leo, "You always stick up for Mikey. Try seeing my point of view for once!"

Leo huffed, not in the mood for Raph's rants, but wanting to wrap it up so they could go on with their night fight free. "I get it. I just think, like Master Splinter says, 'Material possessions are fleeting'."

Raph groaned as Splinter Jr recited their father for the millionth time, "All right, enough! I'm tired of you four. You're always messing up, and I got to pay for it!" Without leaving room for discussion, Raphael threw his ruined magazine down and stomped away to the training dummy, intent on punching something in the face.

He was so caught up in his anger that he forgot about Spike sitting on the crate. Though the tortoise didn't mind too much, as he threw salty glares towards the other siblings.

Leo sighed and went back to plug the arcade machine in, whilst Miwa shook her head at the hot tempered turtle and lead Mikey to the pit. "Come on, Mike. I think there's still some pizza left."

Meanwhile, back in the lab, Donnie sighed for the umpteenth time that night, long accepting that his peaceful night, just wasn't in the cards.

Metalhead clanked his way over to the desk his creator was sat at, carrying a beaker filled with a bubbling pink liquid over from the burner.

"Can it get any louder out there?" Asked Donnie, annoyed. He took the beaker from his robot with a grateful smile before holding it steadily over the vial of test mutagen on his desk. He had to be extra cautious with this liquid, as too much, could lead to a smoky end. "I'm never gonna find a retro-mutagen at this rate."

Metalhead played a series of agreeing bleeps, before noticing that Donatello was tipping the beaker too much, clearly distracted by his own thoughts.

The robot let out a alerting beep, and began shaking his head frantically, pointing at the beaker and taking clumsy but quick steps forwards trying to stop his creator.

Donnie dropped his hand ever so slightly, sending the pink liquid downwards, "Who can concentrate with Raph exploding all the time?"

As the pink substance dripped quickly into the vial of mutagen, the entire beaker on the desk lite up and began fizzing.

"Uh oh..." Donnie's eyes went wide under his goggles, and he took a quick step backwards.

Even Metalhead slowly backed himself away from the desk and took refugee in a cupboard nearby, closing the door with a bleep, that sounded alot like whimpering...

Whooshing straight out of the lab, firework like explosions started shooting all over the lair. The four teens stopped what they were doing to watch the light show happening in their home.

"What the-!" Leo yelped in surprise as they fizzled around him before blasting a bag beside him to ash.

Seeing the destruction they'll do if touched, Raph yelled out, "Hit the deck!" And the teens wasted no time in dodging and ducking the incoming explosions.

They whizzed around, destroying everything in their path, bags, skateboards, soda cans, even a Antonio's box left unattended in the pit, "My pizza!" Mikey cried only to get immediately chased down by another firework. "Whoa! We're under attack!"

One of these fireworks, happened to zip straight passed Raphael, and head towards the defenseless tortoise sat on the crates.

"Spike! No!" Crying out in horror, Raphael threw himself forwards, grabbing hold of Spike and rolling to safety as the crates exploded beside them. The loud noise spooked the tortoise into his shell, and Raph held him close to his chest until the fireworks eventually ceased.

Raph waited for his friend to feel calm and watched with a grateful sigh as he stuck his head back out of his shell. "Aw. Hey, there, little guy."

"You okay, Spike? You're all good." He asked worriedly, petting the small carapace and earning a little grunt in return. "Old Raph won't let anything happen to you."

"Wow..." Appearing in his labs doorway, Donnie came out to check everyone was alright. His hair stood up slightly, and his face was black with soot, except for around his eyes where his goggles had been. Metalhead could also be seen slowly crawling out of the lab, before bleeping out and collapsing beside his creator. Donnie let out a cough and scanned over the room. "I did not see that one coming. Everyone okay?"

In full fury mode, Raph placed Spike safely on his shoulder and charged forwards up the lab stairs. "What are you, crazy!? No, we're not okay!"

"What happened here?"

The five teens looked to the dojo, where their Sensei was making his way towards them, his face full of concern as he takes in his children. Most likely assessing them for injuries.

"I'll tell you what happened, Master Splinter!" Raphael snapped accusingly, shoving a finger into his human brothers chest. "Donnie almost blew us up! And worse, he almost blew up Spike!'

Apologetically, Donnie rubbed the back of his neck and looked around at the damage done. "Raph, dude, I'm really sorry-"

"Sorry doesn't cut it!" He growled, shoving passed his younger brother, who quickly reached down and pulled Metalhead out of the way, and entered the lab.

Returning a few seconds later, Raphael descended the stairs with a canister of mutagen in his hands. "Until the mad scientist gets his act together, I'm holding this for safekeeping!"

Upset with his brother's decision, Donnie lay the deactivated Metalhead to one side and shook his head, following after the stocky turtle. "No, Raph, be reasonable!" He called, "Man, that's was last canister of mutagen-" But the bedroom door slammed closed moments later, letting Donnie know that he wasn't seeing that mutagen for a while.

The family watched on with mixed emotions, even Splinter showed some concern towards his hot headed son's behaviour, but knew it was from a place of worry for his friend.

"I really didn't mean it." Donnie murmured to himself, feeling guilty for the trouble he caused.

"It's fine, D." Assured Miwa, squeezing his shoulder, "He just gets high rate about that tortoise of his."

"Yes. Do not worry, Donatello." Splinter said calmly, "We shall all help you clean up." The three teens nodded in agreement with their father, and made their way to the bathroom to grab the cleaning supplies.

"Michelangelo, could you let Raphael know that his assistance is needed?" Splinter inquired with his youngest turtle son, not missing the sound of him gulping with fear...

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In his bedroom, Raphael placed Spike down on his cushion, before leaving the mutagen beside him on his drum.

"The others are just holding me back. We should be out there fighting crime, tracking mutagen." Raph said, dropping himself heavily onto his bed. "But all they want to do is play stupid games! You get it, don't you, Spike? Sometimes I wish I was on my own, doing things my way. I'm tired of this team!"

Midway through his rant, Mikey knocked, and opened the door ever so slightly, like he was about to enter a bears den. Which he would of preferred at this point. "Uh, dude? You still mad?"

"What do you want, Mikey?" Raph groaned sourly.

Taking in a gulp, Mikey stated his orders, "Master Splinter wants us to help clean up-"

Raphael shot up from his bed in seconds, "No way! Not a chance! Donnie can clean up his own explosion!" He scowled.

Mikey shrugged and tried slinking away, "Hey, if you want to tell Sensei you're not helping out, that's all you, dude."

"Fine." Said Raph, walking to the door and knocking Mikey out of his room. "I will!" He slammed the door closed behind him with enough force that it shock the room. The drumkit wobbled also, dropping the canister onto the floor, and spilling the green liquid all over.

Spike's eyes went wide at the appetising surprise, and he began making a slow journey over to the substance...

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Back in the living room, the teens and their father were hard at work cleaning up their home.

Donnie and Miwa were picking up the bigger pieces of rubbish and exploded items, whilst Leo mopped and Splinter brushed.

Coming from the bedroom area, Raph shot round the corner in a clearly offended mood. "Sensei, this is completely unfair! Donnie made this mess. How come I have to help?" Donatello looked away at that, and forced himself to focus on cleaning.

"Allow me to make a suggestion, Raphael." Said Splinter calmly, as he made his way over to his stressed out son.

"Suggest what! Sensei?" Raphael interjected loudly, "I'm sick of suggestions! What could you possibly suggest-"

Splinter had merely raised his hand and pinched the soft skin above his son's plastron, but it was enough to make Raph gasp and drop to the floor in sudden pain, twitching as his nerves struggle to come back to him.

"Perhaps you should sit and meditate for a while." Splinter suggested firmly, as he went to help his son sit up on the couch, before leaving him to finish cleaning.

Miwa and Mikey erupted into laugher at Raph's misfortune, and even Leo and Donnie had to stop themselves from joining in.

And with the lair being filled with loud sounds, no one, not even the ever observant Splinter, heard the low growls and animal like grunts of pain and agony, as an unfortunate tortoise tried drinking the glowing liquid on the floor...

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Raphael sat back now, fully recovering from temporary paralysis, but still refusing to work even after all the death glares from his older siblings.

Once they had finally done, Splinter wished his children an early nights sleep, and retired to his room to meditate. The four teens that did help out cleaning, took up seats around the pit to relax for a bit beforehand though.

Although, some were more annoyed then others.

"Thanks for the help, Raph." Miwa said with all the sarcasm she could muster, while throwing a wet cloth she'd been using at his head.

"Miwa, it's fine. Really." Donnie reassured her quietly, not wanting a third shouting match for this evening.

Raphael lobbed the cloth back at his sister with a growl, "Why the shell should I have to clean up after him, after he almost killed Spike!"

"It was an accident, Raph!" Leo chimed up, "He didn't purposely intend to hurt anyone!"

"Well he almost did!" Raph shot back.

"And we helped him clean, because that's what family does, Raph." Miwa added, "We help each other out!"

"Please, he's not even part of this family!"

Before he could stop himself, the words had spat out of his mouth like venom, striking Donnie deeply.

"Raph! Dude! What the heck!" His siblings shot up defensively, now truly fed up with his attitude.

"I..." Raphael had let his temper get the better of him again, and almost instantly regretted it, especially when his eyes shot around the room at his enraged sister and brothers, and more so, when he saw the hurt in Donatello's. "Donnie I didn't mean-"

Grabbing his cleaning supplies and swiping quickly at his eyes, the youngest teen turned and retreated to his safe place. "I'm going to clean the lab."

"Don-" Raph called, but was met with the harsh slam of the laboratory doors. He looked back to see his siblings shaking their heads, and sending glares his way.

"Way to go, Raph. Now the only person here who likes you, is your pet tortoise." Miwa remarked bitterly.

"I said I didn't mean it!" Raphael growled one last time, before storming off in the direction of his room. Not missing the hushed whispers about him on his way out.

"It's always me, right?" He stressed to himself as he reached his room. Driving his foot straight into the door to open it. "I've got the bad attitude. I'm the bad guy?!" He slammed his door closed behind him, and fumbled around for the light switch with a sigh. "They just don't get it."

However the light switch didn't seem to be working, or more, the actual light itself seemed to be broken. But as Raph groaned, he heard a voice behind him...

"They never have."

Shooting round in shock, Raph stanced himself ready for an intruder, only as he turnt, he gasped at the shattered canister, and the liquid mutagen that lit up the middle of the room. "What?"

"They never understood you, not like me."

A giant lumbering creature crawled it's way out of the darkness of the room, coming into the glow of the leftover mutagen.

And there in the light, it began to stand on it's hind legs. Growing taller and wider, until Raph's short stature was practically shallowed by it's shadow alone.

Raph's emerald eyes shrunk to the size of pins as he recognised the newly mutated turtle in front of him. Even beyond his many changes, Raphael knew who stood before him. "Wha…. It can't be."

The tortoise mutant stood high above him by many feet, probably almost as tall as Leatherhead was, with giant claws on massively sized hands and feet, and small spikes protruding out of his arms and shoulders. His once smooth and rounded shell was a jaggered mess of pointed carapace pieces, and his bottom jaw was no better, hiding his upper lip entirely behind a spiked and hardened beak.

Two green eyes, only a few shades lighter then Raph's own, placed the smaller turtle in their sight.

In full dismay, Raphael stuttered out the name the creature went by, not truly believing his own words as he said it. "Spike...?"

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Miwa punched at the training dummy, releasing some of her anger onto it. "Raph's got some nerve sometimes I swear. When something doesn't go his way he just has to make it everyone else's problem!"

Leo couldn't agree more, but didn't exactly want to take sides, "You know how he is Sis. Raph just has to work on his insanely bad temper. And it probably didn't help that Donnie almost blew Spike up too-"

"Really?" Miwa stopped the swinging dummy, and faced her brother coldly, "Your blaming him aswell?"

"I'm not blaming anyone!" Leo quickly defended.

"Maybe we should switch him to decaffeinated pizza?" Mikey suggested from his place on the lab steps. He had been waiting for the doors to unlock so he could run in and give his brother a hug.

However, when the door did open up, they slid apart and scared Mikey half to death, especially since Donnie came running out urgently. "Hey guys! The mutagen tracker just picked up a new canister. It's close!"

Leo sigh gratefully at the distraction, "Then let's gear up. I'll grab Raph."

Mikey let out a huge sigh, as if he had been holding his breath, waiting for Leo to send him into Raph's cave once again. "Better you than me!"

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Back inside Raphael's room, the red-clad turtle was having a hard time wrapping his head around everything.

"I can't believe this is happening." He explained quietly, quickly turning to the large mutant in the corner, and though Spike was now sat down, he still towered over Raph significantly. "I mean, this is amazing!"

Raphael stopped his excitement at a sudden thought, "Wait. What am I gonna tell the others?"

That was when the harsh voice spoke again, void of any humour. "Tell 'em you got a new partner, one who knows the true meaning of being a warrior." Spike smirked as he saw Raph's eyes widen, knowing his brother was heavily considering.

"A new partner?" Raph repeated to himself as two heavy hands dropped greatly onto his shoulders, making him bend at the knees only slightly under the vast weight.

"You and me." Spike confirmed, "No joking around, no goofing off like your brother's and sister. We'll be the ultimate ninja team!"

"Well..." Raph thought aloud, "that would be awesome!"

A dark grin came to Spike as he pulled his brother closer, "We'll crush our opponents! We'll fight evil together, nonstop!"

Beaming back at his life-long friend, Raph pumped a fist outward in victory, "That's what I'm talking about! You totally get it! You always did!-"

"Hey, Raph?"

Leonardo's voice at the door had Raph tripping over himself in shock, as he stumbled to the door, unsure of what to say to his brother.

But he also missed the way Spike's eyes seemed to zone in completely to the door, with an dark expression, clearly aimed to the turtle behind the door.

"Uh, man... Uh, all right, quiet. Just sit tight." Raph whispered back to Spike, before leaning against the door. "Yeah?"

"Got a mutagen mission. Need you on deck." Leo answered back.

Raphael opened the door just slightly, so that only he was visible to the leader, and put on a annoyed face to fool Leo. "Right, uh, I'll catch up in a minute. Go on without me."

Leo scoffed at his brother's attitude, and snatched the handle from Raph's grasp. "Fine, 'cause we're not waiting." He announced before slamming the door in his younger brother's face.

Hearing a quiet tsking behind him, Raph turned to see Spike scanning over a photograph on his wall of Raph and his four siblings, posing happily for the camera on Christmas day.

The gruff voice chuffed in disgust, "You don't need 'em, Raphael. We can find that mutagen on our own."

Raph cheered up almost instantly, and punched Spike playfully on the arm. "Heck, yeah! But if we're gonna do this, you'll need to gear up." Walking over to a giant metal locker in the corner of his room, he pulled open the doors with a grin, revealing a hefty collection of weapons, ranging in size, shape and variety. "Take your pick."

Spike took one look over the arsenal, and was immediately drawn to the black, spiked mace stashed in the back. Taking hold of the handle, he grinned widely, feeling the weighty weapon in his clawed hands. He then went ahead scavenging the room, until he came across an old black rock bank t-shirt Raph had found a few years ago. And promptly tore away pieces of the dark fabric to make a mask, belt, elbow and knee straps out of it.

With Spike now geared up ready to go, the two turtles made their way to the surface, being careful not to alert Splinter when they left.

Stopping in an alleyway to admire the giant mutants handy work. Raphael beamed proudly, "Wow! You look awesome, Spike!"

Grunting out a laugh, the larger mutant moved over to a car parked nearby, "Never liked the name Spike." He said distastefully, ripping off the metal 'S' hood ornament off the bonnet of the car, before attaching it to the center of his belt. "Call me,Slash."

Raph's smile dipped for a second, but seeing 'Slash' turn back to him grinning he put back on a happy face for his best friend.

He was glad that Slash was becoming more confident in his new self, but at the same time, he couldn't help but feel a little hurt by it all. Because slowly, it seemed all traces of Spike were being replaced.

As Slash swung his mace around the alley, testing out his new form and weapon as one, Raphael began to remember the day he had found the small tortoise. As if it were only yesterday...

He was about six at the time, and had ran out into the sewers to be alone for a while. Leo and Miwa had been teasing him about his anger problems yet again in training, and not wanting to take it anymore, Raph blew up in a blind fit of rage, and shoved the person closest to him with all his strength.

What he didn't realise until the anger left him, was that Mikey was beside him. He had knocked his little brother straight into the tree in the dojo, leaving a huge bump on his head.

Mikey cried so loudly, and Miwa and Leo just yelled none stop at him! And Splinter... he looked Raph's way and gave him a disappointed shake of the head, 'We have talked about this time and again, Raphael!' He said before rushing to Mikey's side. 'Wait in your room, I will speak with you after.'

He hadn't meant to push Mikey so hard. He didn't mean to push Mikey at all! But the others just wouldn't give him a break!

So whilst Splinter was seeing to Mikey's injury, and Miwa and Leo were busy nagging at each other for pushing Raph over the edge, he left, but not to his room. And soon found himself alone, wandering through the sewers with only his thoughts.

Yet, while he was walking in the tunnels, he came across a tied up plastic bag floating in the flowing water. With very faint sounds of quiet chirping coming from inside.

He wasted no time in fishing the bag out with a stick, and ripping off the handle. Only to find that inside, was a tiny tortoise. His smooth but slightly spikey shell was dirty, and he was shaking from the cold water which leaked into the bag. He was clearly abandoned by his previous owners.

Little Raphael couldn't understand for the life of him why someone would throw him away like this, until he reached into the bag himself and got bit by the feisty tortoise, who backed away making a angry chuff at the large turtle.

Then Raph understood why he was abandoned. Maybe more then anyone could...

His family had thrown him away, because he was angry...

And though Raphael's own family had not gotten rid of him, it was always a fear the child kept quite.

Sympathetically, Raph smiled at the tiny tortoise as he gently got it out of the bag, and held it's tiny shell close to his own one. He didn't mind that he bit his hand every now and then, it wasn't that hard anyway. Plus, he thought it gave the little guy some character, just like him!

He chuckled warmly, and held the tortoise close to his nose, nuzzling it as he said, 'Don't worry, little buddy. I'll protect you. I promise.'

"Raphael?"

"Huh?" Raph snapped back to the present as Slash lay a hand massive on his shoulder.

"Want to lead the way, brother?" Slash asked the red-clad turtle, knowing how much he always wanted to lead.

Grinning gratefully, Raphael punched Slash's arm, "Heck yeah!" And wasted no time in scaling the fire escape nearby. Just far enough away not to hear Slash's dark growl from below...

Thinking of the photograph back in his best friend's room, which now lay with slashes and tears through it, Slash's mouth turned downwards in a horrid snarl. "If Raphael's gonna be free, we may need to lose some dead weight."

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Tearing across the rooftops of New York, without the worry of his brother's and sister messing around, Raphael sprinted onwards with a victory call.

"Yes, this is so cool!" He hollered to the ginormous mutant who kept closely behind, "Just you and me, Raph and Slash, the crime-fighting duo!"

"Yep." Came Slash's response as he charged his way across the buildings. "We'll right the wrongs of the world and wipe out whoever stands in our way."

Raph smirked, before coming to a quick realisation. "Hold on." He said, gripping the sides of a water tanker to stop himself. "How are we gonna find that mutagen without Donnie's tracker?"

Slash let out a deep laugh, "I got a nose for the stuff. I can smell it a mile away." He took a whiff of the nights cool air before grinning. "Come on, follow me."

Without a moments hesitation, Slash made his move with Raphael close on his tail, until the two came to a stop at the streets opening.

Down below, a pizza delivery boy had just finished his recent drop off when he noticed the mutagen canister on the street, he began attaching it to his motorbike, after mistaking it for an energy drink.

Two pairs of eyes watched him from above with smug expressions.

"All right, I got this, Slash." Raph said not believing just how easy this was all going. He pulled out a rope and grappling hook from his belt and began to swing them in the air. "Wait here."

Whirling his hook in the air, the stocky turtle launched his rope straight across the road to the streetlight in front of him. And once he felt the hook was secured, he swung down from the rooftop, unaware that his new partner had stepped back into the shadows, vanishing completely.

As Raph came soaring through the air towards the canister with an outstretched hand, he unfortunately didn't notice his older brother doing the exact same thing from the opposite buildings.

The delivery bike sped off with the canister in tow before either of them could grab it, meaning the two turtles only had mere seconds to register the other coming closer, until they crashed head first in the street, before dropping down painfully to the concrete.

Up above on the rooftop Leonardo just dove off of, Miwa and Donnie stood by the edge cringing at the impact, as Mikey rolled in hysterics at the scene.

"We'll, we found Raph." Scoffed Miwa as she peered down, replying to a comment Mikey made seconds ago about Raph's whereabouts.

"Yeah..." Donnie murmured, watching as the mutagen disappeared down the street. He groaned as he heard the unmistakable sound of a full blown argument break out below, cutting their chances of getting back on track in half. "Are they gonna argue all night?"

Miwa only had to glance to her brother and downwards again for him to get the idea. "Yep." She still said anyway.

The svelte teen groaned, and leaned over the ledge, "Hey! The mutagens getting away!" But his yell went unheard by the two bickering turtles, leading him to growl and move away from the edge, annoyed.

Mikey on the other hand was having the time of his life making fun of Raph, and placed his elbows on the roofs brim. "Dudes! I can totally see Raph's forehead veins bulging from here!" His comment made both Miwa and Donnie roll their eyes as he continued talking.

Suddenly, a heavy thud landed behind Donatello, causing him to quickly pivot on the spot and glance behind him.

The shadows caused by a nearby billboard lay darkly on the rooftop, and could easily conceal something within them.

With Mikey's talking taking away his ability to hear something coming, Donnie took a tentative step forwards, reaching for his bō staff as he did.

But before he could grab hold of the wooden weapon, a ginormous hand wrapped entirely around his torso and pinned his arms to his sides.

He went to shout for the others attention, only for another hand to come round and clamp his mouth shut. Before both hands then started to pull him closer to a huge and spiked plastron, dragging him into the darkness.

Focusing all his strength to one of his arms, he managed to slip his hand free, and shot it towards his staff once more. But as soon as he grabbed hold, the scaly green arm from around his waist snatched his own arm in it's powerful hold. And with a forcefully clench, Donnie felt his arm bend and practically break under the intense pressure of the other hand.

He muffled out a yell, and struggled desperately in an effortlessly attempt to free himself from the strangers grasp, all while his air slowly escaped him, and a hoarse quiet laughter from above began to fill his dulling senses. He watched in vain as the others remained unaware to his predicament until everything for him, eventually went black...

A moment too late, Miwa felt a unsettling feeling run up her neck, a sense telling her that something was terribly wrong. Which made her spin swiftly round on the spot with her tantō in hand.

Yet as she turnt, she quickly became away that one of their team members was now nowhere to be found. And that someone else had been behind them only seconds ago.

"Mikey," She started hesitantly, scanning every inch of the rooftop for a sign of a silent struggle.

Not taking his eyes off the others, as Leo sprinted away down the street and Raph kicked in a trash can before leaving to the opposite building, he half-mindedly answered. "Yeah?"

"Where's Donnie."

Her question was not something he had expected, causing him to flip over off his plastron to glance behind him. "He's right-" But he now became aware that they were a ninja down, and started to get the same feeling of dread that Miwa was. "There..."

Knowing something bad had happened, Miwa decided she needed to take action, especially since Leonardo had just left them to go after the mutagen.

"Mikey, let's move!" She ordered at once, taking off in Raph's direction.

Feeling the fear sink in, Mikey whimpered out, "Where are you going?"

To which, his sister turned with a dangerous look, making him even more scared. But not for himself... "We're going to find our brother."

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As the delivery driver disappeared down the street, Leo and Raph started getting up from their heap on the floor. Brushing themselves off from the impact.

But as soon as Leonardo was up, he was back down in a matter of seconds, as Raph forcefully shoved him.

"What are you doing!? I had him!" Raph accused him, jabbing his finger into his plastron as soon as he was back up.

Leo swiped his finger away, and met his glare with one of his own. "Your late, Raph."

Raph growled through his teeth in frustration, "What are you talking about? You know what? Get out of my way!"

"Where are you going?" Leo scoffed out.

"Back to Slash!" Raph barked, "We're going to get that mutagen without any of you guys goofing around and causing us distractions!"

"Slash?" Leo repeated in confusion, but he shook his head, thinking Raph was just having one of his moments again. And right now, there were more important matters to take care of then indulging in Raph's childish argument. "You know what Raph, fine." Leo gave in, irritation clear in his voice. "I'm going after the mutagen myself. I don't need your help."

Fists shaking in frustration Raph growled lowly at his retreating brother, "Fine! You sure you can handle a pizza delivery boy on your own?" He swirled round and drop kicked a trash can unfortunately in his way, before charging his way up the escape ladder muttering as he went.

However, once he had arrived at the rooftop he became aware that his new partner was nowhere to be found.

"Slash?" He called aloud, but hearing no immediate reply, he became increasingly confused. "Hey, where'd you go, man?"

A hefty thud landed behind him, and Raph spun round to see Slash towering over him. Raphael seemed to notice the way Slash clunched his fist tighter, but not the fact that he was holding the torn hood of Donnie's uniform within it.

"What happened to you?" Said Raph, looking over the shifty larger mutant sceptically. Only for a shout from behind to pull his attention away.

"Raph!" Mikey and Miwa came sprinting over to them from the fire escape. However, as they approached, Miwa skidded swiftly to a stop, peering up at the hulking spiked turtle beside her red-clad brother.

Mikey on the other hand, stopped right beside the new mutant, somehow not aware of the eight foot tall menacing looking turtle.

Frantic baby blue eyes looked up at Raph as he panted heavily through exhaustion and fear. "Raph! Donnie's disappeared! He was right behind us when-"

"Who the heck is that!?" Miwa yelled harshly, reaching forwards and pulling Mikey back slightly by the wrist.

"Holy chalupa! Another turtle!?" Mikey yelped in fright, having to tip his head completely to even look at the mutant.

Raph put his hands up quickly to calm his siblings, "Wait, wait. It's Spike." He explained carefully, "I mean, 'Slash' now. He got into the mutagen." Mikey and Miwa's jaws fell open, and the two struggled to comprehend the news.

"That's Spike!?" Miwa all but blurted out, "Your tiny, adorable pet, turned into THAT?" She gestured to the tortoise, and didn't miss the low growl that came from within him. She eyed him carefully before her amber eyes glanced towards his fist, and the all too familiar hood he had tried to scrunch up.

Her blood ran cold as she recognised her little brother's hood, and she instinctively reached a hand out in front of Mikey, backing slowly away.

"Dudes, this is too much to process!" Mikey said, beginning to freak out completely.

"Raph. Something isn't right." Miwa warned her brother, her wariness of the whole situation was at a high. "We should go-"

"Raphael." The larger creature interrupted calmly, but in a very hostile tone. He stepped in front of Miwa and Mikey to be the only thing Raph could see. "You said it yourself. We don't need these clowns. We got to hunt that mutagen down, now."

Hearing this, Michelangelo sprung himself forwards out of Miwa's grasp, and directly in front of Slash, pleading to his big brother with watery eyes. "But what about Donnie? We have to find him!"

Raphael's usually hard expression softened, and he glanced between his siblings and Slash with a conflicted frown. But this decision was not a hard one to make.

With a sigh to the tortoise, he said, "Sorry, Slash. My family comes first, no matter what." At this, Mikey smiled warmly back and clasped hands with his brother.

However, looming just behind him, betrayed mutagen green eyes locked dangerously onto the smallest mutant. Slash's fist tightened into a hard ball as he lifted it into the air with a darkening growl. "How about I make the choice a little easier for ya?"

In what felt like only seconds, the large tortoise had smashed his fist down on top of Mikey's shell. Sending the youngest turtle straight into the concrete roof.

Screaming his name, his siblings could only watch on in horror as Slash continued his assault. Battering their brother around without a hint of remorse in his cold green eyes, sending the smaller turtle ricocheting all around the roof as if he weight nothing.

"Spike!" Raphael yelled as he charged right into the deranged mutants plastron, knocking him a few feet away from Mikey's unconscious body. "What are you doing!?"

Miwa skidded to her youngest brother and quickly felt for a pulse. She let out a quick sigh of relief, before lifting him onto her back, knowing she had to get him as far away from this psychotic beast as possible.

"I don't want to fight you, Raphael." Slash tried to reason calmly. His mouth curved in a eerie grin as he took a few steps forwards. "Just go. Leave me to my work."

"Your work?" Raph repeated in shock, he backed up slowly towards Miwa while sneakily reaching his hand into his belt pocket. Using his finger to roll out a small smoke bomb and hide it in the palm of his hand.

One last time, He tried to reason with his closest friend, "That mutagen warped your brain, Spike. This isn't you."

A deep grunt of disapproval was his answer back, as the giant tortoise brought out his mace. Ready to do some real damage. "Told you, the name's Slash."

That seemed to be the only confirmation needed for Raphael.

Narrowing his hurt eyes, he wasted no time as the mutant began to charge them. He got up, and sprinted forwards to meet him halfway. He ducked as Slash swung for him, before pushing himself upwards and punching the tortoise straight in jaw. Exploding the smoke bomb in his palm as he did.

A thundering roar broke out, as Slash fought the stinging in his eyes and nose, cutting off his senses.

When the smoke lifted, Raphael, Miwa and Michelangelo had vanished into the night. Leaving Slash alone to yell out a growl of anger.

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Only a few rooftops away, Miwa and Raph kept on running with Mikey held between them. The baby blue eyes of the youngest turtle were dazed over as he slowly woke up from his unconscious sleep, and he wheezed quietly when his siblings jumped over rooftops.

Luckily Michelangelo had no major injuries, apart from the air being knocked out of him, and an incredibly large bruise forming on his plastron.

One of the many plus points of being a mutant, was the enhanced healing and durability that came with it. But his older sister and brother still continued to take caution as not to jostle his bruised body about.

They wandered aimlessly for a few more minutes, just trying to put some distance between themselves and the blood thirsty monster following, before Mikey suddenly gasped. His siblings immediately stopped, thinking they had harmed him by accident, but the energetic turtle sprang out of their hold and broke into an all out run across the building.

"You wouldn't of thought he'd been unconscious almost five minutes ago." Miwa remarked in amazement as her and Raphael quickly raced to catch up.

"There... he is!" Mikey yelled with a wheeze back to them, pointing to a roof shed a few feet away. "Donnie!" He cried as he bound his way towards Donatello's sprawled out body, resting uncomfortable against the shed.

Miwa and Raph quickened their pace as they saw their human brother come into view, with his wooden bō staff laying beside him split in two. They crouched down with Mikey beside him with worry etched on their faces.

"Donnie?" Mikey grasped his shoulders and shook him gently, which earned him a displeased groan from his unconscious brother telling him to stop. But the orange-clad turtle just took him not waking up as a sign to continue shaking him.

Miwa took up the job of scanning over the area, as Raphael got closer to Donnie to assess him. Neither of the two of them missing the three large claw marks bent into the sheds metal walls beside Donnie's head.

Raph noticed the obvious bruise on the humans head, and the many cuts that littered his pale face, as well as the fact that his hood was torn off. Now knowing that Slash probably had it when they last fought, having claimed it as some sick prize.

"Is he good?" Miwa asked Raph from her watch position, she observed closely as Raph bent down for a better view of Donnie's arm. Carefully examining it.

Not many would know this, but before Donatello came into their lives, Raphael volunteered himself as the first-aid giver on missions, and probably had the most knowledge on the matter.

He wasn't a doctor by any means, but he knew how to deal with the basics. The more intense injuries were treated as best as he could get them, before they moved the wounded person back to the lair for Splinter's aid.

"He's definitely got a concussion." Raph said with a hand to Donnie's forehead. A no brainer really, seeing the huge bump under his fringe. But it wasn't something of immediate concern. The biggest problem Raphael saw was definitely the red, bruised and twisted looking arm. He noticed Miwa looking at it with a deeply concerned expression, and reassured her, "I think it's just sprained...he should be good in a week or so."

As if hearing them talk about him, Donatello began to stir in his sleep. He opened his eyes only to immediately clutch his head in one hand with a hiss of pain. "What... hit me? It was like Raph, only bigger and meaner." His accented tone came out with a slight slur, and his huge pupils, that weren't truly looking at one person, were all tell tale signs of the concussion Raph had predicted. But even with all that, "Angrier, but not quite as ugly..." He still had his sarcasm.

Miwa sighed, and rubbed his arm gently, while Mikey practically threw himself onto Donnie's other side, causing a pained gasp from his human brother.

Happy his brother was still in one piece, Raph also let out an exhale. But he know knew just how bad he'd let things get.

Frowning, Raph answered Donnie's unanswered question. "It was Spike. He got into the mutagen. I was gonna tell you guys, but-"

"Spike?" Donnie interrupted him in shock, before narrowing his eyes at the irony of it all. "Way to keep that mutagen safe, Raph."

Raphael sighed guiltily and moved to grab under Donnie's good arm, tugging him to his feet. The human let out a hiss, and clutched his head quickly with his free hand.

"Careful. You've got a concussion." Raph warned him, propping his arm more under his brother. He then beckoned Miwa forwards to help, and noticed Donnie's confused expression.

"How'd you know?" Donatello slured out, his answer back however, was a head shake.

"Later, right now, we got to find some cover." Raph said in a hurried tone, knowing Slash was closing in every second they stood idly by. Miwa stepped forwards and held Donnie's wounded side to better support him.

And taking it slowly, the ninjas started to move out, hoping to find their other brother before Slash did. What they were greatly unaware off, was that the creature they planned to get away from, was currently stalking them...

They travelled a few miles away before Miwa decided they had gone far enough that Slash was a ways away. She helped Raphael lower Donnie to the ground, and ordered him to tend to his arm. While she and Mikey scouted the area for any signs of the tortoise. And hopefully Leo...

Miwa was putting on a brave face, and everyone could tell. She was worried about Leonardo currently being missing and not picking up his calls, she needed to find him before that thing did. But she also needed to take charge of the team. With one badly injured brother, another still getting over being recently pummeled, and the other looking just as lost as she felt, she was torn between what her next move should be.

At this moment, Donnie tried to push Raph back when he crouched in front of him, shaking his head gently in protest, "I can't... make it. I'm too weak... You guys have to go find Leo without me-"

Before he could fight anymore, Raphael grabbed his shoulder in a firm but careful hold, "No Hamato left behind, that's our rule!" He reminded him with a prominent smile. But Donatello didn't return one back, as his mouth pulled into a hurt frown.

"I thought I wasn't part of this family..." The younger teen mumbled dejectedly, dipping his head down too not meet Raphael's eyes.

Raph's smile dropped with regret heavy on his mind, and he continued his work. "I'm...I'm gonna tie off your sprained arm. It might hurt, okay?"

"Mikey, watch our backs while Raph helps Don." Miwa ordered to her orange-clad brother. "I think we should-"

"Miwa, do you think you could find Leo?" Raphael suddenly interjected, causing the girl to stare. "Hopefully Slash hasn't gotten to him already."

She abruptly shook her head at the idiotic idea, annoyed that her brother even suggested it. "I can't leave you three by yourselves!"

"Don't worry, Sis. We got each others backs while you go!" Mikey tried to reassure her, knowing that she was the best person for the task. "And besides, your the best at tracking. If anyone can find Leo it's you?"

Reluctantly, she glanced back to Raph, "You sure?" And with his nod of certainty back, she gave in. "Ok. I'm on it." The eldest teen confirmed. Taking one last look at her little brother's before taking off across the rooftops.

"I'll head out too, Cap!" Mikey saluted his remaining siblings, "Take care of our wounded man!" He bounded away over the fire escape to check over the area.

"Final, some peace." Raph remarked with a sigh, not missing Donnie's slightly grin too. "Now. Bite down on this." Without so much as a warning, he shoved the wrapped hilt of his sai into Donnie's mouth.

Catching him off guard, Donnie muffled out a gag at the taste, and glared at Raph. "Tastes like leather and sweat!"

Raphael shook his head with a smirk and began pulling off some of his arm wraps to create a makeshift sling for the battered arm. Ignoring Donnie's continuous complaints against the taste as he went about his business.

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It didn't take long for Miwa to track down Leonardo, and she couldn't help but let out a held breath of relief seeing him in an alleyway below.

But the impending danger of their attacker was still in the air, and she feared for her other little brother's currently awaiting her to retrieve the blue banded leader.

Time was of the essence and she could afford no distractions.

Which is why, when she witnessed Leonardo tip out the contents of a trash can, then cut out the bottom, she furrowed her brows in pure confusion. Only to start becoming concerned when he jump in it, and pulled the lid on top.

"What...?" She murmured to herself with a hysterical chuckle, completely focused on the ridiculous scene before her.

The living trash can was slowly making it's way out of the alleyway and across the street, dropping down everytime anything so much as moved around him.

Rolling her amber eyes, Miwa pulled out her phone and dialed her leader in the trash.

A flashing light of turquoise and the sudden ringtone coming from his belt forced Leo to drop his can again to look for his phone, only to dread immediately when he saw his big sisters name calling.

It was bad enough that this plan of his was one of the most humiliating things he had ever lowered himself too, but now he had a horrifying suspicion that his sister was watching him...

Clearing his throat to hide his building embarrassment, Leo answered quietly, remembering he was still trying to be stealthy, "Hello...?"

"Leo! What the heck are you doing in there?" Miwa inquired with a firm and ticked off tone.

"I- I'm trying to get the mutagen!" He answered back, trying to keeping some of his dignity as to why he was in a trash can.

"The muta-" The kunoichi began, but broke off with a heavy scoff, "Are you serious? We have a bigger problem at hand, leave it-"

"Shh! I've almost got it." Leo snapped at her, hanging up abruptly after.

Miwa cursed as the phone cut off, and leant over the ledge to stalk her immediate younger brother.

Resuming his plan without any interruptions, the trash can lifted once more and plodded along towards a vendor's stall on the other side of the street. There, he parked the can close to the edge of the table, and eyed his prize. The mutagen canister. Though it now had a lampshade on top of the lid, as the old Chinese man running the stall mistook it for a lavalamp.

Leo peeped through the lid, making sure the old man was turned away before reaching his hand out to try and snag the ooze. But fate was not on Leo's side today. He had to retract his arm back inside the can, as a little girl and her father stop just in front of him.

A quiet groan sounded from the trash as the little girl ran up and down the stall, taking in all the items, "Daddy, daddy, look at all the cool stuff!" As the girl continued talking a mile a minute, Leo felt more and more ridiculous sitting and waiting in the garbage, until the girl said, "Oh, Daddy, look at the neat lamp."

Sapphire eyes widen in fear and peer through the lid, Leo can only watch helplessly as the little girl grasps the mutagen canister in her arms, as her father hands the old man a five dollar bill.

"Oh no..." Leonardo's annoyed sigh whispered through the crack as the two humans walked away with their new 'lamp'.

"Oh for crying out loud-" Miwa moaned to herself, and leapt over the edge of the rooftop. Hopping down the fire escape in a few seconds she landed in the alley and took off after the kid.

She waited by a dumpster until the girl's father was distracted by another stall, before quietly letting out a 'psk!' to the girl.

"Hey kid, I'll give you ten dollars for that lamp?" Miwa inquired, showing off the bill proudly in her hands.

The little girl raised a brow at the strangely dressed woman, tipping her chin up defiantly. "Twenty."

Stunned by the level of sass this little girl had, Miwa smirked and fished out ten from her pocket. "Done." With that, the two exchanged their goods and parted ways.

Miwa tossed the canister smugly in her hand and entered an alleyway. She leant against the wall with a huff, and awaited her brother.

Defeated, and even more humiliated then he was two minutes ago, the trash can wobbled itself reluctantly into the alley, and stopped beside Miwa.

Rolling her eyes and giving the can a hard kick, she snapped impatiently, "Get out of there you idiot."

The lid rose up, and under it was a flushed cheeked turtle scratching his arm.

"Um. Maybe let's not tell the guys about this?" The agitated leader asked with shame, only to frown deeper as his sister snorted at his misfortune.

"Oh, I'm telling them." She stated, leaving no room for discussion. "But right now, we got a bigger problem."

The red left his face, and his lips parted in an annoyed groan. "Let me guess. Raph?"

"More like Raph's new partner." Miwa warned with a grim expression. Now, the leader was paying full attention...

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Scouring out every suspicious corner and shadow with eagle like precision, Mikey continued his patrol by descending down a nearby fire escape.

His baby blue eyes scouted the darkness carefully. He noted nothing out of the ordinary and started to ascend back up. Only to hear a quiet 'psk!' From the fire escape across from him.

His eyes shot across the space, and landed on a shadowy figure crouched down small.

"Mikey. Down here. I need your help." The voice was familiar, one he knew all too well. Mikey's tense shoulders relaxed, and he wasted no time in jumping down the fire escape to join his sibling.

"Leo!" Mikey breathed a sigh of relief and squinted into the dark, "Am I glad you're ok bro! We were worried that Slash had got to you-"

His widening eyes followed the shadow of his brother, as it grew, and grew in front of him. Becoming a shape he hoped he wouldn't run into again.

Slash emerged from the shadows, making the tiny turtle before him pale significantly. And his hoarse sounding laugh, mixed in with Leonardo's fading voice did nothing to help calm him. "Hah. Not yet."

A flash of green shot through the gloom and wrapped itself tightly around Michelangelo's throat. He only managed to shout a short scream before his airway was crushed shut, and he could only choke and gasp for air as the large fist holding him, tightened around his smaller neck.

He watched with fearful watery eyes as the mutant continued to laugh at his touture, and he begged that his shout was enough for his brothers, who were only a few roof away, to hear.

In the end, Slash's superior strength won out, and the last thing Mikey saw as his vision danced into nothingness, was the cruel smirk of the mutant as he towered over him and began to beat his fading body...

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Raphael worked quickly, but with the skill of a regular first-aid giver, ensuring Donnie's arm was safely tied up. The whole time, he felt the mahogany eyes beside him watching carefully, but not in a judgemental way.

Donatello sat propped up against the shed, and tapped his finger against his thigh awkwardly as the turtle went about the first-aid.

If Raph knew him well, which he did, he'd say that Donnie was almost unsure of what to do with himself as he was being treated, and Raph couldn't help but smirk.

He may of been the best at medicine and dealing with bad injuries, but as soon as Dr Donatello became the patient, it was a very different scene.

Finishing his work, Raph took a seat next to his brother and tilted his head towards the bandaged arm. "Is that to your liking, Doc?"

Lifting his arm and examining it, Donnie nodded his approval. "Yeah, it's good." He said slowly, trying not to slur his words. He found it hard to believe at first that Raphael of all people was good with first-aid, and what with the quiet between them, he thought he'd fill in the silence that lingered to get some answers. "Sooo, how'd a Meathead like you know I had a concussion?"

Raph hummed smugly at the question, "Well, someone had to play doctor before you got here."

"I figured it would of been Leo, or Miwa." Donnie admitted.

Raph nodded his understanding, "They know the basics. I just asked Splinter for more."

"Why?" Donnie asked with genuine intrigue.

The two were silent again as Raph turned his head away. And for a second, Donnie worried he had upset him, but hearing the heavy exhale as the turtle peered back calmed him.

"Incase anything ever happened to them." Raphael said, seeming to mull over the thought. He turned himself around again, and faced Donnie. "I'm the protector of the family, that's my job. Any time they got hurt, I would make sure I was the first one there."

Raphael fumbled with his words, opening and closing his mouth again, and Donnie knew this as a sign that he was trying his hardest to say something he'd never shared before.

So he stayed silent in understanding, and waited for the turtle to find his words.

"I- I needed to be, this...this strong brother that they could all rely on. Not because they needed that, but because I wanted to be that for them. You know?" Raph said, and watched nervously as Donnie scanned his eyes.

Donnie nodded back, "I get it. You want to be strong for your them-"

"For you as well. Your part of this family too, Genius." Raph corrected him.

"Am I?" Donnie asked quietly.

Eyes going wide, Raph shot up straight in shock. "Of course you are!" He all but yelled in Donnie's face. "You know I say stupid shit when I'm mad! I didn't mean that and you know it-" By now, he was gripping his brother's shoulders and shaking him with every word, as if he could try and shake those stupid thoughts out of Donnie's head.

But that made him realise, that Donnie had those thoughts in his head in the first place. "You don't really think that, do you?"

With his hair covering his face, Donatello found the pocket on his leg very interesting all of them sudden, and shrugged at Raph's question with a murmur, "Sometimes..."

"Don." Raph started and released his brother, but he didn't know what to say at this moment that could help. What he could tell Donnie that he would believe. Especially since he was one of the reasons those thoughts were there...

"Well. You are." Raph said, and sunk back down next to Donnie. The turtle twiddled with his fingers for a second, an unusual act for the normally confident mutant, before asking, "D-do you remember anything, from when you were in the infirmary?"

"Not really." Donnie said back, not minding the change of topic, but his eyes averted his gaze, "I think the fever kind of knocked my senses out for a while. Why?"

Raphael exhaled deeply, "Well..."

~~~~~~~~~~~Flashback~~~~~~~~~~

Raphael's eyes flickered tiredly from left to right, and he struggled to keep his yawns from escaping. He'd only been sat in this uncomfortable plastic chair for an hour now, and he was already getting bored. And worse yet, he still had three more hours to go.

The reason for his lengthy boredom, lay in the form of an unconscious human teenager in the hospital cot beside him.

It was Raphael's shift to watch over Daiki, and whereas every other time it had been simply sitting and occupying yourself with a comic or food for four hours, this time was a little different.

Raph had walked into the infirmary to kick Mikey out, only to find his sensitive little brother crying into his father's arms.

The old rat stood up as he saw his second eldest son enter and escorted Michelangelo along with him to the door.

As Splinter stopped by him, he warned Raphael that the fever Daiki had contracted a few days ago, was getting worse, and to keep a close eye on the ill boy. He knew his son was well trained in medical situations, which made his worried mind calm quite a bit. Enough for him to focus on settling poor Mikey to bed.

Raphael sighed and reached over to the boy's pale forehead to retrieve the wash cloth, he wrung it out in clean warm water, before wiping away any sweat and reapplying it to his head.

Raph lent back on his chair let out a groan. With the only sounds in the room being the steady heart monitor and the labored breathing beside him, he felt like he was slowly losing his mind in the dingy and dull infirmary.

That was until, the breathing hitched for just a moment. Causing Raph to look up and see the humans eyelids fluttering open slowly.

Raph scooted his chair closer, to the point that he was practically above him, and observed the way the dazed mahogany eyes floated around the room, until they landed on him.

It was hard to tell if Daiki recognised the turtle above him, and if he did, he made no sign of it, he just seemed confused of his surroundings. "Koko wa doko? 'Where am I?'" Came the quiet but fearful voice from the teen, seeming almost frightened by something.

Raphael remembered what Splinter had said, about Daiki drifting in and out of consciousness, and decided that explaining the same thing over again was a waste of time.

He stood up, and grabbed the blanket from near Daiki's waist, and began to pull it up to his shoulders. "It don't matter. Just get some rest."

However, the human wasn't having it one bit, and shook his head defiantly as he grabbed hold of the blanket. "Īe, dekimasen! 'No, I can't!'" He struggled desperately to sit up, causing himself to hiss as he moved his battered chest, which only made Raph panic more.

The turtle gripped his shoulders as gently but firmly as possible, being careful of his wounds, to lay him back down against the cot.

The whole time Daiki tried to get up, repeating the same sentence over and over, Raphael was thinking to himself what a terrible patient this guy was.

And with one final push, Raph managed to get him down again, and sighed as he held him still. "And why exactly can't you, Brainiac?" He said in exasperation.

As he looked back to Daiki, the last thing he expected to find was fear written all over his face, and tears threatening to spill.

"Watashi wa kowaidesu. 'I'm scared.'" Came the whimpered reply of the human boy, "Kare wa watashi o mitsukete kurerudeshou... 'He'll find me...'"

Raphael let his grip slacken, and grumbled to himself. Not because he was annoyed at Daiki for being difficult, but at himself, for not being understanding.

The turtle grabbed hold of his chair and whipped it towards the cot, and took his time to re-wet the washcloth. But this time, he did everything in a gentler way, as if he were taking care of Spike.

"Don't worry. That big wuss-puss won't find yah here." Raphael assured him confidently and set the cloth back along his brow. "Your safe here. And I'll protect you." He said, pulling the blanket up to cover the boy.

"Yakusoku shimasu ka? 'You promise?'" Daiki asked, his eyelids already closing shut, as sleep pulled him back in.

Raph sent his mouth to a kind smile, and took hold of his shoulder carefully, "I promise."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"I don't remember that..." Donnie said regretfully, wishing greatly that he did. In fact, he didn't seem to have any recollection of the time he was in the infirmary.

"Yeah, well I do." Raph shrugged and fiddled with his wrist bandages, "And I meant every word of it. That tiger ain't ever gunna hurt yah again, I'll make sure of it."

Donnie smirked gratefully, and tried his best to show a serious face through his thumping headache, "Well, you'll have to get in line."

At that, Raph chuckled and throw his arm unexpectedly round Donnie's neck, pulling his human brother close enough that he could connect their foreheads.

It was a rare, and almost unseen display of emotion from Raph, that only those closest to him would ever see. Normally, Spike would be the one Raphael nuzzled up too when he felt a sudden urge to feel comforting. But every so often, his siblings would also be able to see this softer side of him too.

They stayed like that for a moment, before Raph let out a defeated sigh. "And yet, your sitting here hurt. And it's my fault. I'm supposed to protect you guys. And instead, I put you all in danger..."

"Maybe. But, you're here fixing it. And protecting us." Donnie said with all the reassurance he could muster, "We can always rely on you to be there when we need you." He smiled back.

A high pitch scream filled the air, but only for a short moment before it seemed to be cut off. But that was all it took to fill the two teens with a strong sense of dread.

"That's Mikey!" Raph blurted out in shock, shooting to his feet in seconds and facing the direction where his brother disappeared. He mentally cursed himself for getting sidetrack, or for even letting Mikey out of his sight in the first place. And knew that now, was a race of time.

Raphael went to help his brother up, only for his wrist to be caught by Donnie's good hand, "Raph, Go! I'll only slow you down!"

"But-" He started to fight back.

Yet Donatello stayed firm. "No, I'll catch up!"

Raph wanted to argue back. He couldn't leave Donnie here alone, what if Slash came back after he had gone? But he knew he couldn't afford to let Mikey wait in that monsters hands.

"Dammit!" With a loud growl of anger he nodded to Donnie and left the rooftop, racing to his orange-clad brother and praying he'd get to him on time.

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"Mikey!?" Swiftly running towards his younger brothers scream, Raph panted and scanned every inch of the buildings he was passing by, until he saw a sight that made his blood boil, and freeze all at the same time.

"MIKEY!" His little brother's unconscious body was dangling over the edge of the rooftop in front of him. His kusarigama was hooked into the concrete ledge and the chain was tied tightly around his body. So tight, that it bit into his light green skin, making the red marks underneath all the more obvious. And his beloved orange mask, was missing.

Without a moments hesitation, Raph was above him and pulling him to the roof. Mikey's body dropped with a sick thud to the floor, and the little mutant let out a groan as his brother ripped off the chains from battered body.

Raphael let out a deep sigh of relief, "Still breathing..." and began scanning for other unseen injuries. His arms and legs still bore the red chain marks, where the weight of his own body had tightened the restraints, he was littered with bruises, and his neck had a visible bruise where someone had grab him. And his head, had a massive purple bruise, covering about half of his scaly scalp.

Raphael's fists clenched shut in rage and he let out an explosive yell into the night, knowing his former pet would hear him. "Why! Why are you doing this?!"

He scowled as that haunting cackle cracked through the air, warning him of the danger lingering somewhere close..."The others hold you back, limit your potential. You don't need 'em...

"Just like you said!" The voice snapped behind him in an instant, and before he could react, a massive hand had sent him spinning into the concrete ledge.

Slash appeared out of the shadows like a true predator, now sporting his 'prizes' from Mikey and Donnie around his right arm. The orange mask and maroon hood were ripped and bloody, and looked bright compared to the mutants dark green scales.

Pushing himself onto his elbow with a grunt, Raphael shouts to the deranged turtle, "No! They're my family. I never wanted this!"

With a menacing laugh, Slash grabs hold of Michelangelo's foot, and drags the unconscious turtle to the edge once more, "There's no turning back now."

Slash's mouth curves into a evil smile, and he takes pleasure in holding poor Michelangelo over the edge, with the full intention of dropping him...

By the time Raphael manages to get himself to his feet, he gasps at the scene before him. He spun his sai out of his belt, and got ready for a fight he never wished for, and finally confronts the beast standing before him.

"Stop! I won't let you hurt him!" Raph yelled, demanding all of Slash's attention away from his wounded brother.

The bigger mutant merely scoffed in annoyance, dropping Mikey painfully down to the roof as Raph drew his weapons higher, "I'm not here to fight you."

"But I want to fight you!" Raph shot back with anger rising in his chest. "You're not Spike! You're some kind of warped monster, a deranged, hideous freak!"

Slash let out a roar, a loud, bellowing, and prehistoric sounding roar as he tore his way through the air and towards Raph. As he did, he flung his heavy mace around, and it unfortunately, connected with the red-clad turtle.

Raphael was sent backwards by the solid metal weapon, landing on his plastron with a grunt. He wiped at his bleeding lip, and dodged into a roll as Slash slammed down the mace against the concrete, over and over again. Like a sick game of whack a mole.

His sais flew upwards and caught the mace's handle just in time to avoid a serious head injury, but now he had a new problem, the increasing weight of both the mace, and the infuriated monster tortoise pushing down on it.

"We could make a good team, Raphael!" Slash snarled with no effort at all, pushing Raph backwards as he spoke "But you're a fool, just like your siblings!" He slid his mace out of the sais grasp, and swung it out at Raph again using the arm which displayed the fallen brother's mask and hood.

It made a sickening crack as it came into contact with Raph's plastron, and left him gasping for air. But the deranged mutant didn't stop because he was down. And swung the mace back down once more.

Across the rooftop, Mikey's vision was returning to him slowly, he groaned in pain at the thumping in his head. But he also managed to catch a glimpse of Slash and Raph fighting for a split moment, before the larger mutant grabbed hold of his brother and throw him to a lower rooftop.

As Michelangelo tried to push himself up, he became aware of Donnie hobbling over to him. The human crouched besides him, and checked his throat and arms over with a sympathetic glance back.

"S-slash is... back!" Mikey said with a hoarse and quiet yell. "R-raph's in trouble!"

Donnie looked up in shock at this, "Raph's fighting him?"

"N-not really fighting... More like getting s-stomped into green goo." Mikey admitted with a shared wince from his brother. He then grabbed hold of Donnie's good arm, and lead the human off towards their brother in need. "Come on!"

Over the rooftops, Raphael's luck was not improving in the slightest. He was losing, and badly.

Slash was so much stronger, and faster. And by himself, Raph knew didn't stand a winning chance... But he also knew he couldn't just lie down and accept defeat, Donnie and Mikey needed him.

So after yet another shell cracking hit to the chest, the emerald eyed turtle steeled his glare to the mutant tortoise, standing once more, ready to fight.

By now, Slash was getting cocky in his ability to continously pummel his old friend, gloating to himself as he swung his mace over his shoulder. "I spent years watching you train, learning your moves. I know everything you can do."

He lashed out again, intending for a solid strike to Raph's head. But what he didn't see coming, was the smaller turtle readjusting his sais, and dragging them down along the handle of the mace.

Once the spiked ball was caught between his own weapons, Raphael jumped into the air in a mere second, and landed a heavy kick straight into Slash's face. "Not everything."

Stumbling backwards, Slash growled and clutched his face, his weapon still in Raph's grasp as the emerald turtle landed back down with a smug expression.

But that overconfident grin was all it took to fully tick off the tortoise. Slash roared and swept Raphael's legs out from under him before he could even register that Slash had moved.

Slash caught his ankles and flung him around like a frisbee, before launching him into a brick wall.

Raph gasped out as pain shot up his carapace, but unfortunately Slash was not finished. He charged the smaller turtle, and with one momentous punch, he sent Raph straight through the wall, and to the rooftop many feet below.

Sprawled out flat amongst the bricks, and barely conscious, Raph was only just aware of the hulking mutant stalking his way.

Slash's claws seemed to extend with every step he took, until he was towering over the beaten turtle and readying his fists, to drive them straight into his plastron. Clenching his jaw, Raph watched as the beast growled, and brought his arms downwards onto him-

"NO!" Mikey cried and threw himself at Slash's right arm, gripping on with all his might.

"Get away from him!" Donnie joined in and clung to Slash's other arm.

Together, they tugged and pulled at the mutant, moving him just a few feet away from Raphael.

Slash struggled against their grip for only a moment, before managing to grab hold of Mikey's arm, and use him to swat Donnie away, before also throwing Mikey down too.

Raphael gasped and hissed, fighting hard to get up and help his downed brother's, but luckily for him, he had even more backup nearby.

"DONNIE! MIKEY!"

Slash and Raph turned just in time for Leo to land a swinging kick onto the powerful mutant, knocking him back long enough for him and Miwa to drag Raph up from the floor.

"Took yah long enough." Raph said through the blooming pain in his legs, he stumbled momentarily, but found his footing quick enough thanks to his siblings support.

Miwa smiled, and throw her head towards the the blue-clad turtle, "Sorry, had to get Leo out of the trash." Raph's face dropped, and for a moment he thought he had misheard her.

But at Leo's blushing face, he grinned and shot his sister a look, "Your telling me everything when this is all done."

Leo groaned, and changed the subject of his future embarrassment quickly, "So, I see the 'New partner' didn't turn out all that great?"

Raph let out a heavy chuckle, "Long story-"

"Look out!" Miwa yelled in alarm all too late, as Slash reared up his mace and smashed it into the leader's carapace, sending him flying against a glass rooftop.

"Leo!" The two shouted, before turning to Slash yet again.

"Been looking forward to that for a long time." The dark hack of a chuckle came from the mammoth turtle. "Aswell as this!" Without warning he went for a second blow at the kunoichi.

However, Miwa was more aware of the mutant making another swing, and managed to push Raphael out of the way, and flip over the mace as it dragged along the concrete.

The spiked giant growled, and swung the mace round again, becoming more frantic in his attempts as Miwa flipped and dodged with ease.

But eventually, even she fell short of Slash's crazed attack. She flipped again, but as she landed, the tortoise threw his fist out from the opposite direction, and caught her on the side of her face.

She grunted in pain as she hit the floor, only for a massive foot to kick her in the gut straight across the rooftop, and land heavily on her side beside her brother's.

With Donnie and Mikey out for the count, and Leo and Miwa now also defeated, all of Raph's siblings lay in a beaten heap. With Slash looming over them with a power hungry smirk, gloating to himself at how easy it was to finally to knocked out the ninjas.

In fact, he felt a strong urge to fully finish the job, once and for all. He grasped the handle of his mace, and stalked towards the downed teens. With the full intention of ending Raphael's damned 'family' once and for all...

Heaving with exhausted breathes, and shoulders slouching from the many bruises and aches coursing through him, Raphael pulled himself up to his feet yet again, grunting and gritting his teeth as he did. With new found determination, all because of his pride for his families strength.

"Slash, you see? That's what real friends do. What family do!" He announced full of pride, Wiping at the crimson liquid in the corner of his mouth. "They stand up for each other. I'd rather be like my siblings than you any day."

"Was that a compliment?" Mikey asked with a chuckle, before quickly fainting back onto Donnie's lap.

Raphael spun his sai out, gripping the leather hard and letting out an animalistic growl. "And now? I'm gunna kick your shell!"

With a menacing and hostile snarl back, intent on showing Raphael who was really in control of this situation, Slash ploughed headlong at the smaller turtle.

Slash brought his mace up high as he ran, and with a yell slammed it downwards onto Raph.

But Raph was ready for the attack, and using both his sais, hooked the handle just as the spiked ball rested above his head. Raphael pushed back with everything he had, until he was able to land another kick to Slash's plastron, and send him stumbling backwards.

Raph chucked the mace over the rooftop and steadied his feet once again.

Yet, like a pissed off rhino, Slash was on him in mere seconds, meaning Raph had to jab out fast to fight off his deranged pet.

But Slash had taken hold of the sais in his fists, each time Raph had jabbed out at him, before retching them free from his grasp, kicking the temperamental turtle away so that he could throw the weapons off the roof.

Defenseless, battered and beaten, but not ready to give up, emerald eyes hardened on the other turtle, and Raph raised his fist up. "That's it. It's over."

Slash hacked out a laugh at his stubbornness. "A true warriors spirit," he praised. "We're the same, you and me."

"No! We're nothing alike!" Raphael narrowed his eyes at the approaching monster. "You're pure evil!"

"They're weak!" Came Slash's harsh interruption. "We're powerful. Our anger, makes us strong!"

At that, Raphael gasped as a thought entered his mind, or rather, a memory from earlier that day.

Slash let out one final growl and ran for him. But this time, Raph had a plan.

With a smirk, Raphael dodge to the side as Slash tried bashing his head in. And when the larger mutant brought his arm back up for another round, Raph was quick to slip underneath him.

"Meditate on this!" In one swift motion, Raphael pinched right under Slash's arm, hitting a pressure point, before spinning round to reclaim his brother's mask and hood, and roll across the roof to safety.

The larger tortoise gasped and snarled, writhing in pain before his body froze up completely. In his pain filled confusion, he took a step backwards, closer to the edge of the building, before another, and another.

Raph saw this and reacted almost immediately, "Spike!" All the fighting, and the pain of the night was entirely forgotten in that brief moment, as Raphael raced against time itself to try and save his best friend.

"Spike!" He cried aloud, but as he rushed forwards to try and grab Slash's outstretched hand, he missed... "NO!"

Raphael jumped to the edge, only to be forced to watch as his former pet, his life-long companion, and his best friend fell to his demise.

He looked away and clamped his eyes closed, wincing as he heard the sickening thud of his carapace making contact with the pavement.

Distraught pain flowed through him as he slid down the edge of the roof, he allowed himself a minute to mourn, before struggling back onto his unsteady feet.

"Raph!"

Before he could look up, Michelangelo had attached himself to his plastron and snuggled close. Raph sighed at the touch and rubbed circles on his shell, smiling gratefully as his other three siblings forced themselves to walk over to him. "You guys all right?"

"Yeah," Donnie nodded and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "Thanks to you.

Miwa on the other hand, slammed her fist against his other shoulder in good spirits. Earning a grunt of pain from her turtle brother. "Nice work, Hothead."

"What happened to Spike?" Mikey asked to his red-clad brother, but got more of a reaction from their leader who was still in the dark on the situation.

"That was Spike?!" Leo all but yelled in his little brother's face, racing quickly to the roofs edge to examine the mutant.

"Fill you in later, dude." Mikey sighed tiredly, as he and the others joined Leo.

However, to their utter confusion, when they looked below, the only thing left on the pavement was a massive crack where the spiked shell had made contact, as well as blood that seemed to of come from his head. The mutated tortoise had vanished completely...

"He's gone." Raph thought aloud, a part of him was thankful though, "He's still out there. Somewhere..."

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When the five teenagers arrived home, they were battered beyond recognition. Their bodies threatened to collapse and never get back up the minute they sat themselves down.

The only thing they wanted was to rest and have some peace and quiet. Which was not something they would receive...

Hobbling their way to the pit, they had only seconds to sit down and breathe out a sigh of relief, before their worried father all but ambushed them.

He fussed over every cut and bruise, and all the more serious injuries made him even more tense. In fact, he did not cease his constant worry until he had dragged all five teens into the infirmary.

Leonardo had informed him earlier that night of another mutagen canister their tracker had picked up, and told his father not to worry as it would be an hour long trip to the surface and back.

So when his children had not come home by the time Leonardo had stated, Splinter started to feel a sense of uneasy, but he knew his teens could get easily caught up in things, and decided to wait.

But the longer he waited, with his children still out, and no word still, his worries only worsened.

But what truly had him losing his calm composure, was the mutagen spillage he came upon glowing from his third oldests room. He was all but ready to storm out of the lair, when the teens practically stumbled their way back in.

Needless to say, against all their protests to rest, Splinter made sure all his children were treated and taken care of first, before even entertaining the idea of letting them out of his sight.

"Go up! Up! No, down, down!" Leo said to his little brother while he and Miwa watched Mikey play on the arcade machine. All three were covered with bandages. Leo's held the less amount which simply covered a few deeper cuts here and there, while Mikey had some on his plastron and around his bald head.

"Eye beam! Use the eye beam!" Miwa said shaking his arm violently. She was smirking as her brother improved his gaming, causing a slight pain in her bandaged cheek.

"Grab that power-up!" Leo chimed back in at the last second, but...

"Oh, come on!" Mikey cried as the game flashed a 'You Died!' Screen at him. He groaned in disappointment and flopped sulkily onto the arcade machine.

"Should of used the eye beam." Miwa tsked and shook her head. She patted his shell before sliding him off the console to have her go.

Just behind them in the pit, Raphael sat alone on the couch with a half eaten piece of lettuce in his hand. He sighed for what felt like the millionth time since they got back, a desolate feeling taking over his mind as he looked over the tiny bite mark in the leaf.

It was then that the infirmary doors opened to let out the last child who Splinter was tending too, needing just a little extra aid then the others.

"Hey, Raph." Donnie called, appearing behind his turtle brother with a proper sling and wrapped head.

"Splinter finally let you go, huh?" Raph smirked, earning him a chuckle from his human brother as he took a seat beside him. "How's the arm?"

"Still hurts. But I've had worse." Donnie smiled grimly, but truthfully. And Raph knew he was right about that... "I wanted to check how your doing actually?"

Eyes saddening with regret, Raph shook his head solemnly. "I messed up big time, Don. Because of me, Spike got mutated into some psychotic warped version of himself, and then tried to killed you guys in the process."

"But you also saved us?" Donnie reminded him, putting his hand on the turtle's shoulder. "And who knows? Maybe one day you can help him come to his senses?"

A cane tapping across the room caught both teens attentions, as they realised their teacher had come closer. Stopping just in front of them, clearly having listened in on them.

Raph looked away from his father's gaze, still feeling guilt over letting it happen in the first place. "He's still out there. Somewhere..."

Splinter watched his son's expression closely. He watched as multiple expressions passed by his emerald eyes, guilt, regret. Loneliness.

He knew his son's connection to the small terrapin was strong, and even he believed in Donatello's words, that one day, Raphael would be able to bring his friend back. But for now?

"Do you know what I do when I miss my loved ones from the past?" Splinter inquired to his third eldest, but he made sure to leave a gap, as to include both boys in his conversation.

Raph shook his glumly, "No."

His father smiled warmly, and held his hand outwards to his other children. "I focus on the friends and family I am surrounded by in the present."

Raph followed his hand to his three siblings joking around at the game, and chuckled to himself. He shot his father a thankful glance and dropped Spike's lettuce onto the couch. "Thanks, Master Splinter." He grinned, throwing an arm around Donnie and leading him to the arcade machine. "Come on, Genius."

Raph made his way over and stood beside Mikey, with Donnie still under arm, "Hey, what's a guy gotta do to get in your little competition, huh?"

Mikey beamed up at his big brother and stepped underneath his other arm to cosy up to his plastron. "Next game is all yours, dude." Normally Raph would of slapped his younger brother senseless for being so close, but today was an exception. He wanted his brother's and sister close. And he was ok with that.

"Sorry about Spike, Raph." Said Leo, placing a hand on Raph's shoulder, being mindful of Mikey's head.

"It's okay." Raph said with a sigh, pulling both his little brother's closer to nuzzle against their heads. "You guys aren't too bad to hang out with either."

Miwa smiled understandable to her brother. She didn't particularly like Slash for all he did to her brother's, but she knew Raph's mind well. She went over to the couch, leaving all four boys confused, and collected the discarded leaf. "He'll be alright, Raph. Hopefully that hit to the head did him some good?" She joked, passing the vegetable to her scaled brother.

Raphael took the lettuce in his hand and traced over it with his thumb. "Thanks Mi." He smiled, "I hope your right."

"I promise, Spike. I won't give up on yah."


That's it for this chapter!

Tbh, I quite like it, but idk what did you all think?

Hopefully the next chapter will be out next month! It will be a little shorter then this one, but still lengthy haha!

I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! If you did, please leave a review! I love to see people's thoughts and opinions on this fic!

Till next time! 3 \(•v•)/