Race. [TMNT 2012]

031. Responsibilities; Charlotte

"Attack me, turtle."

   I watch as Raphael lunges at Fishface. He flicks his sai around the mutant's neck and attempts to knock him off-balance. At the same time, he ducks under the fish mutant's arm to avoid a blow.

   Fishface does not react, however. With a dark smirk on his face, he turns on his heels and trips Raphael. The turtle falls flat on his face and his one of his sais slides across the floor. He glares up at the oversized purple fish through lime-green eyes, his mouth creased into anything but a joyful expression.

   I am in the Shredder's 'dojo', as everyone is calling it. I'm not sure what that is, but it seems to be some kind of ninja training area. The floor is covered in mats and the walls have interesting hieroglyphics on them. On one side of the room stands several punching bags all in a row. On the other side is a huge space for flips and kicks, which is where Fishface, Rahzar, Tiger Claw, Raphael, and I happen to be.

   I feel rather useless sitting with my legs crossed and out of harm's way. I have no experience in any kind of fighting, so I can't train with the ninjas. I almost can't bear to watch Raphael struggle against the other mutants, considering they are three times his size. But I also have no right interfering. So, I stay put.

   Fishface laughs mockingly. "I thought you would put up more of a challenge," he scoffs at a beaten Raphael. "I guess I was mistaken."

   Raphael lets out an angry growl. As quick as a rattlesnake, he launches himself at Fishface's legs and forces his opponent to the ground. He flips to his feet and lands smoothly, smirking triumphantly.

   Raphael tilts his head angelically as he looks down at Fishface. "You were saying?"

   "Nice attempt, turtle." Tiger Claw steps forward, his yellow eyes flickering wickedly. He unsheathes his black claws and holds them out defensively. "Now, let's see you go against a real ninja."

   Raphael looks a bit uncertain, but he is too proud to decline a challenge. He positions his remain sai in front of him and motions for the tiger mutant to attack.

   And Tiger Claw does just that. He charges at the turtle and swipes a huge paw at him at one side. While Raphael is distracted, he circles back behind the turtle curls a paw around his inner thigh. He lifts Raphael's leg out from under him and sends the turtle mutant stumbling away.

   But Raphael recovers quickly and spins around to face Tiger Claw again. "You're gonna have to do better than that, you sad excuse for a feline!" he snarls.

   It's Raphael's turn to strike. He thrusts his sai at Tiger Claw, his teeth barred into a snarl. He brings a foot down hard onto the tiger's toes.

   Tiger Claw yelps, but that's about it. The mutant whips out a small blade and clanks it against his opponent's sai. He takes advantage of Raphael's surprise and advances on the turtle one measly step at a time.

   They continue to assault each other for many minutes, until Raphael finally relents. He falls onto his side, exhausted and out-of-shape. Being on the run for so long with no practice time has certainly taken its toll on him.

   Tiger Claw laughs victoriously. "And I was just getting warmed up. Ah, well. I think I'll go have a large bowl of fat-free milk." He licks his cat-like lips at the thought and vanishes from the dojo.

   Fishface and Rahzar heads after him, snickering. "Don't forget that you fools have a patrol to report to in ten minutes," the skeletal dog mutant calls over his boney shoulder. Then he adds in a scornful way, "If you can stand up, that is." Then they're gone.

   Raphael sits up and grumbles angrily to himself. He throws his sai across the room and it sticks in one of the punching bags.

   I walk over to him hesitantly. "Hey," I say softly. "It'll be alright. It's just a practice session, anyway."

   The black-clad turtle doesn't seem to hear me.  "I can't hold in my anger anymore," he rages on in a louder voice. "I hate it here.  I hate everyone that lives here.  I just want to take all of their heads and-"

   "Whoa there, tough guy," I warn.  If there are cameras in the dojo, he definitely just blew our cover.  But no one immediately comes running to punish us, so I assume we're in the clear.

   Raphael seems to realize his mistake and he stands up to shake his irritation off.  His face shifts back to its normal guarded self; the kind we need to stay alive in a place like this.  "We need a plan," he says softly.  "I feel like we've accomplished nothing.  We need to at least check out the security tapes or something."

   "I agree," I say.  It's strange how close we've grown from the day we met.  After he unmutated me, I never thought I'd consider him an acquaintance.  But recent events, and with Lucy's persuasion, have proved me wrong.  I daresay that he is almost a friend.

   I stop myself.  Am I actually going to trust someone again?  Am I going to let myself get hooked into another close relationship, only to be betrayed just like my brother did to me?  Am I really that naïve?

   I find myself answering 'yes' to all of these questions.  Maybe I have been a bit too hasty about my brother.  And even if he did make a mistake, I still love him.  There's no reason I should give Raphael a chance as well.

   Besides, my heart has already let Raph in, and I'm not prepared to lock him out.

   "Well, let's go snoop through security!" Raphael says impatiently, startling me out of my thoughts as he heads for the door.

   I run in front of him to block his way out.  "We can't do that right now!" I protest.  "We have to go on patrol."

   "I don't care about some shell-brained patrol!" Raphael snaps.

   "Do you want to stay undercover?" I ask, slightly annoyed at his reckless behavior.  He is going to get us both killed.

   Raphael goes silent and glares green lightning bolts at me.  His muscles are ridged with tension, but he knows I'm right.

   "We're going on patrol," I insist as I try to control my anger.  "We have to, or we won't be able to stay on the inside."

   Raphael sniffs and storms out the door.  I follow him, my mind racing one hundred miles an hour.  That turtle certainly keeps me on the edge.

   But I kind of like it.