The Red Shadow (TMNT)

Old Enemy, Old Friend

When Addy and Raph arrived at the lair they found Splinter pacing back and forth. Sensei was never nervous so Raph knew this was no joke.


"What's going on, Sensei??" Raph questioned.


"My nightmare has become a reality." "I never thought I would have to face Saki again in this lifetime." Sensei said with his eyebrows narrowing in thought.


"Well, we'll just have to go teach those punks to mess with us," Raph said punching his hands together.


"No my son, this fight is my burden. You must stay down here with your brothers while I fight the Foot," Splinter said.


"Haha, good one Sensei," Raph laughed loudly; but it will be a hot day in Antarctica before I would ever consider letting you do this alone."


Splinter just kept looking at Raph with all seriousness; sighed and then lowered his head.


Leo walked in and looked at Raph and then to Splinter and then back to Raph.


"Raph, Master Splinter believes what he is doing is the right path; we must accept it," he said.


"WHAT!?" "So you're going to just let our father die while you sit around and do nothing; I don't think so Leo. I never really got you back after your absence and I'll be damned if I lose another member of my family over some lousy excuse to not fight!" "I'll never stop fighting for what I love and you can't stop me!" Raph was practically yelling by now and it was kind of scaring Addy.


Raph looked to Addy and could feel the awkwardness building in the room and he wanted to touch her but he was too frustrated. He threw up his arms and stormed into the dojo to do some push-ups.


Addy joined him about 5 minutes later and just sat down until Raph noticed her. He sighed, stopped working out and sat next to her.


"How you doin' Addy?" He asked gently.


She brushed back her hair and looked him in the eyes. "I'm okay, Raph." "Look, I know what it's like to lose someone, so it didn't throw me for too big of a loop, but there are some things that are out of our control." "My parents abandoned me, and that is worse than physically losing them because they chose to leave; their lives weren't taken away from them. You have to be grateful and thankful for the family that you have because I can see how much they care about you and about each other, and before you I never understood that type of devotion to family except for my one sister. I always felt I was giving too much of myself to everyone; that I was too loyal, and no one returned the favor; until you."


Raphs face went completely soft. He didn't know what to say because Addy had given him too much to think on and he just sat there blankly.


"It's okay, she laughed, "you don't have to say anything yet," and she opened her arms to signal that she was still there for him and would fight with him to protect his (and her new) family.


After a brief hug, Raph got up and extended his hand to help her up.


"Still up for some training little missy," he winked. "I need the distraction anyway to take my mind off Splinter."


"Oh yeah, I could totally kick your butt!" She said lightly punching his arm.


They both laughed hysterically at the joke and then Raph walked into an adjacent room to grab his spare pair of sais.


"This was my first pair; I was only 5 when Sensei let me first use them."


They were smaller than his current sais; about 12 inches versus 18.


"Looks like my babies found a new owner," he grinned, and handed them over to Addy while bowing.


"Really, I get to keep them??" She shrieked. "Wow!" "Thank you!"


"Hey, but you can only have them on one condition."


He looked serious so she returned the look.


"You have to promise to kick a lot of butts with them!" He smirked, and she just smiled back.


"I'll try to keep that promise," she winked. "By a lot of butts you mean yours, right?" She burst out laughing and Raph just said "Ahhh, that burns!" And that made Addy laugh even more.




"Alright, let's begin," he said composing himself in a fighting stance. Addy was trying to copy his movements.


"Just watch me and copy what I do." He said.


He positioned his sais between his fingers and struck the air straight with his right hand while his left hand was at a 90 degree angle, and Addy copied him perfectly.


They continued their training until Addy finally got comfortable enough to do a mock fight.


"I'm ready," she announced with confidence.


They stood about 6 feet apart and bowed to each other and then they began. Slowly at first, but then Addy was gaining confidence.


"Hey this isn't so bad," she said.


"Don't get cocky," he winked.


"Oh you're the king of cockiness," she stated matter of factly and blocked his incoming blow.


"Woah hoah, gotcha!" She laughed with half a breath.


He came down hard on her with both sais and they just stood there with their weapons locked for what seemed like forever until he decided to let Addy beat him. He fell backwards and Addy got on top of him and stuck her sai in the carpet right by his head.


"Pinned ya," she giggled.


"Yeah yeah, good job. Lemme up!" He pleaded and pushed against her.


"Nope; what's the magic word?" She got closer to his face; her hand still on her embedded sai.


"Pizza?" He questioned.


"Nope! Try again!" She said.


"You're awesome?" He winked and pointed both of his index fingers at her.


"Ha! That's true, but no." With every wrong answer she inched closer to his face.


"Hmmm," Raph thought longer this time and Addy was giggling at this game.


"How about...I love you?" He said with a straight face and took her face in his palms.


Addy's laughing ceased and she too had a straight face. She backed away from his face, let go of her sai and got off of him; rolling into a sitting position.


"Haha, I guess that was it!" He laughed.


"Yeah, you got it," she said with a halfway enthusiasm; trying to laugh it off like it didn't bother her.


"Hey, what's wrong, did you not like that?" He asked and placed his hand on her leg.


"No...it's just, memories, unpleasant ones." She murmured with her head lowered.


Raph lifted up her chin and could see emotion running all throughout her eyes. All types of emotions; fear, love, excitement, anger, but the most dominant emotion...abandonment and disappointment.


"Addy this is your family now." "Whatever pea-brain neglected you in your past is now gone, remember that." "It's just you and me against the world now," he said smiling at her.


"Thanks," she choked, "that helps."


"Hey I'm starving. Why don't we go see what the guys are up to?" He asked.


"Yeah, I would like that. Now I'm the one who needs a distraction!" She laughed and the one tear that was forming finally found its way down her cheek.


Raph helped her up and they went into the common room only to find a surprise...