When Mona Lisa Smiles

Aftermath

Mona Lisa squeezed Raphael's hand and pulled herself right up against his shell as the room shook with the force of the explosions. She was vaguely aware of his other arm wrapped around her waist as debris began to fall around them. Minutes seemed like hours as she sat there with her eyes tightly closed, too afraid of what she might find. 

Suddenly a voice began to pull her out of her stupor. "Mona? Mona are you okay? Mona Lisa open your eyes, come on, I know you can hear me. Listen: we're not dead! We're not dead Mona! Mona!" Raphael? We're—not dead? The lizard opened her eyes slowly, to find herself staring straight into two beautiful neon green ones only inches away.

"We're alive?"

"Bet your tail we are." Raph stated displaying his signature smirk. He grinned when two arms wrapped around his neck and pulled him into a giant hug.

Mona Lisa pulled out of the hug for a moment and smiled "I can't believe it."

Raphael smiled back at her, and then he realized how close they were. All I'd have to do is lean in a little closer and...No, no, bad Raph don't go there. The last thing you need right now is to a girl involved. Your life is dangerous enough as it is, bringing her into the picture would only make it worse. But she's so beautiful, so—perfect. Then his body took matters into its own hands and began to lean in closer. Raphael was surprised when Mona began to do the same. So close. They were so close that Raph could feel her warm breath on his lips.

"We're alive." She said one more time, with awe, as she stared into those beautiful, green eyes of his.

"Not for the time period that is known in Earth terms as long."

They both jumped up from behind the control mechanisms, fists clenched and ready to attack the Krang unit in front of them. 

Both Mona and Raph were covered in soot and dust from the explosion, masking their usual green color. Raph's bright red mask looked brown and his normally emerald green skin was covered in dark gray streaks and smudges.

The Krang bot turned and made a gesture to someone standing in the doorway. Krang bots began filing into the room, until they had created a circle surrounding Raphael and Mona Lisa who were trapped in the middle of the room where they stood back to back. When the soldiers stopped moving all motion in the room stopped and the Krang spoke again. "The ones who were prisoners will now be eliminated by Krang once and for all and become the prisoners who are destroyed."

Raph felt Mona's back pressed against his shell and thought Looks like it's the end of the line. Oddly enough, I don't mind. After all, I'll have Mona to keep me company. Besides, no way am I going down without a fight! He closed his eyes and tightened the grip on the Krang gun in his hands. And right when they thought it was all over... It couldn't be-

------------------------------------------------------------------

Raphael watched in surprise as the Krang in front of him were slashed into bits by a big green blur that was currently screaming, "GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!"

The first blur, who upon closer examination was wearing a blue bandana, was followed by two more blurs. A littler green one with an orange bandana and tall skinny one wearing a purple one. Raphael smiled wider than he ever had in his life. "Perfect timin' guys." He said loud enough for them to hear as they fought off the Krang.

"Raph."

He turned just in time to see his older brother slicing up a couple more Krang, but there were more coming up behind his back. Something shiny in Leo's belt caught Raph's eye. My sai! Yes! The red, currently brown-clad turtle ran towards his brother, using the older turtle's shell to propel himself into a backflip, not forgetting to grab his sai on the way. When he landed the sai-wielder spun his weapons before stabbing the two Krang bots in the head, making the little brains run off squealing. The blue-clad turtle turned around and made eye contact with his younger brother nodding his thanks. Raphael nodded back.