In the Arms of the Enemy (Raph x OC)

Chapter 4

Esme's POV

I paced back and forth in my room, trying to hype myself up. After seeing the turtles' interactions I had decided that I was going to try to forge a good relationship with Karai.

I looked at myself in the mirror and nodded my head.

"You can do this," I said. I took a deep breath and finally went to my bedroom door. I opened it up, stepped into the hallway, and marched right up to her door and before I could second guess myself I knocked.

"Coming," I heard her call, her footsteps getting closer to the door before it finally opened. A look of surprise spread across her face. She clearly wasn't expecting me. I opened my mouth but at first nothing came out. No, you've come this far! You've got this!

"Karai, I would like to become closer to you. So would you please join me for dinner or bowling or some other activity some time?" I said, clenching my hands tightly in front of me as I awaited her response. If I thought she looked surprised before, that was nothing compared to how she looked now.

"Why?" She finally responded. I had expected some type of response like this. When I was younger I had made some attempts to get closer, but she immediately shut those down. After a while I just stopped trying. Reaching out to her like this after it had been so long since my last attempt probably took her off guard.

"Listen, I know we haven't been close. Like, ever. But I've always wanted us to be, so that's why I want to try to...," I trailed off noticing how her confused expression had suddenly changed into one of anger.

"Ever since father brought you home you've been his favorite! I had training before you even came here yet somehow you excelled so much faster than me." She inhaled, a look of disgust on her face. "How could you, a girl whose own parents didn't even want her, come here and steal his affection so easily! So quickly," She murmured the last part, her voice cracking as the words came out.

Her outburst took me completely off guard. It was no secret that I was going to be the one taking over the Foot Clan. I had always thought that that was what made Karai so bitter towards me, but I never even considered how she felt as Shredder's actual daughter getting upstaged by me. The outsider.

It went deeper than her being jealous of his decision, she was jealous of the 'affection' he gave me. Which, considering it was Shredder we were talking about, wasn't much, but I think that's why it stung that much more.

"I know what it's like to feel unwanted and I know you might not ever be able to forgive me but I need you to know that if I could choose, the position would be yours in a heartbeat. I really want us to be sisters, actually, it's all I've ever wanted. But if you want me to leave you alone I will," I responded, my eyes focused on my shoes. I was met with silence.

"Goodnight Karai," I said, beginning to head back towards my room. A hand grabbed my wrist.

"That's not..." she started, "that's not what I want." I looked up at her, a whirlwind of emotions on her face. She pulled her hand back quickly, gripping onto the sleeves of her shirt.

"I don't think I'm ready to try to go out and do things like friends, but I'll try to not be so hostile towards you, ok?" she said, her whole demeanor changing. I definitely didn't see this coming.

"Ok." She nodded her head.

"Ok. Goodnight Esme." 

"Goodnight," I said, before retreating back to my room.

As soon as the door shut behind me, I did a celebratory dance (silently of course), extremely happy with how tonight's events had played out. After a few moments of this I knew just a quiet dance wouldn't be enough to expel the excited energy I had suddenly gained.