Battle Nexus Lizards/Raph x Mona (ROTMNT fanfic)

1

Children were playfighting, men arm wrestling, while the women were placing bets for who would win. The air smelled of fried food, the music was mix tapes of the musicians trying to make it big on just demos. To anyone it would be a typical New York Street, except this was one filled with the Yokai of the hidden city.

"Aaahhh another day in the hidden city! I wonder what wacky shenanigans we're gonna get up to this time!" Mikey chirped; arms outstretched as his 'I heart the hidden city' shirt was extremely obvious to anyone looking.

"Mikey where did you even get that?" Donnie asked, hands on his hips.

"Bought it from a street vendor. He SAID he was a starving artist! Selling novelty shirts on the street hoping to make it big one day," Mikeys voice cracked, he wiped away a single tear.

Raph patted his youngest brother on the head reassuringly.
"I wouldn't be spending too much on novelty shirts Mike, Pop sent us on a very specific mission. And I QUOTE-"

"HOW did we run out of eggs so fast?! Have you been using them for some sort of weird new trend where you throw and catch eggs with a spoon in your mouth?! A dance everyone's trying?! A life hack?!"

Leo smiled sheepishly, pressing two index fingers together with a grin stretched as wide as the trouble he was in was deep.

"Hey in MY defense it wasn't an existing trend! I was gonna get everybody to do a dance involving catching eggs with a spoon and they'd see it as a new workout and therefore yes, a life hack!"

Mikey was quick to be supportive.
"I mean, if you had caught any eggs with that spoon in your mouth you could have totally set a trend!"

"Wasting resources should never be a trend. No one in this household has infinite money," Donnie said coldly and fiddling with his wrist device.

Raph was stern and broke the conversation.
"Enough banter you guys! Master Splinter said we gotta get our hands on some more eggs, and we can't have any-!"

She was beautiful.

"-distractions..."

Her red and green colors, with a body that could melt any who saw her, the sounds of her engine were like music.

"That's the most beautiful motorcycle I think I've ever seen-!"
Raph cooed, wiping a single tear from his eye.

Donnie interjected.
"She's...IT'S the ONLY motorcycle you've seen, you dork! Besides, the turtle tank already has T cycles!"

Raph frowned and hunched his shoulders and pouted.

"Well, well well! If it isn't the guys who swiped my nerd mobile!" A familiar New York-accented man hissed from behind the siblings.

"Repo Mantis, I should have known you'd be here!" Leo scowled, striking a pose with his sword in Repo Mantis unflinching face.

"Well...yeah. You're literally in the hidden city and I'm technically a Yokai. This is the market district, and I'm reselling stuff clunking up space in my junkyard, of course you should've known I'd be here."

Raph pushed Leo aside.
"How much for it?!"

The mantis smiled coyly, looking at his claws as if messing with fingernails he didn't have.
"For my usual customers a fair amount, but for you thieves, I don't trust you farther than I can throw you, but I'll tell you what? There's a battle nexus coming up with a HUGE payout, win it, and give me every cent of the winnings, and maybe I'll consider coughing it up for you,"

"A likely course of action coming from the man who once repo'd a birthday cake," Donnie said, not looking up from his phone.

"We may not have physical ears but I heard you say the word maybe Repo Mantis, we're not falling for it!" Leo said crossing his arms with a smile of confidence on his smug face.

Repo Mantis however planted his feet on the ground, unmoving as he locked eye contact with Raph.
"C'monnnn Red! You know you got whatever fight Big Mama will throw at ya, it's an easy win! D'ya really wanna pass up on the deal of a lifetime?"

Raph chewed his lip and was unsure in this moment. Yes, Repo Mantis would give him problems, but his brothers bested him before. But he didn't have their backing on the idea. Even so, he had full faith they'd help him even if they didn'twant to. Wasn't that kind of exploitative to go forth and do this without their go ahead if it involves them? Why would he think of such a thing?! That's not what being leader is, but that bike. That bike...

No Raph! You can't be putting this on your brothers! If you want the bike, it's gotta be a solo mission!

"Inner Raph? What are you doing here?! We had a whole season 2 finale and a movie!"

Comedy relief obviously! It wouldnt have suited the tone. Anyways. I say try for the bike but only you can do it. Leo needs to slowly get into becoming the next Leader anyways! So why don't you put him in charge of the egg run, and you go get that bike? When was the last time you did something for ourselves?

"I guess that makes sense. Alright, but you're comin with me!"

Repo Mantis tilted his head past Raph to face Leo.
"Does this guy always talk to the air?"

Leo sighed and shook his head.
"We all do but only when it's for comedy relief."

"Leo! How do you feel about taking over and getting the eggs without me while I go get Debra-I MEAN-my motorcycle-THE motorcycle!"
Raph's entire body was incredibly straightened.

"What?! But what happened to not getting distracted?" Barked an agitated Leo.

Raph rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, his cheeks nearly matched his bandana.

"I know-but-YOU'RE gonna become the leader of the team soon, and I'm the oldest and as I get older I gotta have hobbies outside of the home and...andtobefairtheeggthingwaskindayourefaultsoitonlymakessenseifyou'retheonetotakecareofit-!"

Raph gritted his teeth, smiling, yet sweating profusely.

Donnie finally looked up from his devices for once,
"Oh ho hoooo, Nardo! Looks like Raph's got a decent point there!" Mikey oo'd behind him like a chorus.

"Looks like you're the one with egg on your face now, Leonard!" Mikey chirped.

Usually, the puns and play on words were Leo's forte, and his disdain for being dethroned was written all over his face. Not to mention, they only ever called him Leonard when he was being teased.

"Fine! I will...be..."
Leo nearly gagged saying it, even after all he'd been through with the Kraang, it was still hard to say out loud, but much easier to actually do.
"I will be responsible for the egg situation."

"Yes!" Raph hissed with a fist in the air.

Donnie high fived Raph and then wiped his hand off on his plastron, after all he didn't know what Raph had touched today-but still-he earned that high five.

"Alright, Imma head to the battle Nexus, give Big Mama's champion some heck, and meet you guys back over here when it's over!" Raph began walking off before even finishing the conversation, too eager to get his prize.

Leo, begrudgingly trudged forwards in the opposite direction, brow furrowed.
"You have 2 hours and not a minute later before we come find you!"

Something in Leo's gut seemed to whisper to him, that it would not, in fact, be just two hours.