Remember [Book 1]

27 - Raphael

Yeah, I left the team again. Yeah, it wasn't my first. Did I always return? Yes. Was I going back this time? Probably. But I didn't want to think about it now. Everyone had ganged up on me with the whole Naomi thing again. And with my anger already through the roof with our partial loss on Fishface and Dogpound, I was leaving.

Driving through the streets on a Go Cart, I drifted through the town. There wasn't many places for me to go. That was usually the main reason as to why I always returned. The streets were empty. Quiet. Boring. I grunted and continued to drive.

Suddenly my Cart jolted to the side a little. I looked over to who bumped into me. Another Cart drove a head of me. My eyes narrowed. Naomi. Out of all the mutants to follow me! Why her? Wasn't she mad at me or something? After all, she was injured because of me. Nonetheless, I slammed my foot on the gas pedal.

I easily passed her. Watching her as I passed, she had a look of amusement. So... She wasn't mad? I looked back at the road and turned a corner. She followed me. Was she out here for me? Or was she bored?

Either way, she was out here and so was I. Our little adventure topside soon turned into a little race as it had a few nights before. It was nice. Different from all of the missions, training, teamwork. It was fun.

Naomi soon drove back home. I had forgotten my argument with everyone and followed her. It was only when she parked the Cart where she found it did I remember my leaving of the team. I stopped my Cart before I parked it, staring at Naomi in shock. Did she do that just to calm me down?

Reluctantly I parked my Go Cart. My eyes were narrowed in suspicion. Naomi clambered out of hers with her crutch in hand. She seemed at ease. What was her end goal? Getting out of mine, I passed her on the way out. I headed to the kitchen where ramen was cooking.

Taking a seat, I felt everyone watching me. I looked at each of them with a small frown. "Take a picture, it'll last longer."

Mikey proceeded to pull his T-Phone out and take a picture. Mikito giggled. Naomi then entered the kitchen and sat a few seats down. She pulled out her own T-Phone but played I  it instead.

Leo got bowls out and placed them in front of us. I ate quietly. The room was tense but I'm pretty sure that was just me. The only non tense feeling I got was from Naomi who hummed while she ate. My head shook but I ignored it.

Finishing my meal, I left the kitchen and to my room. It was late. I was pretty sure Leo would have something planned early tomorrow. Entering my room, I picked Spike up. He garbled at me, making me smile. My body hit my bed and I set the smaller turtle down on the edge of my pillow.

It didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

The next day, I woke up to someone banging on my door. Grabbing my throwing pillow, I chucked it at the door. Whoever was at the door stopped after the cushion hit with a dull thump.

"Come on, Raph," Leo's voice said. "Patrol in ten."

I sat up and stretched. Spike rolled from the corner of the pillow in the middle where the indent from my head was still there. Chuckling, I patted the turtle. He garbled again and relaxed in the pillow. Getting up, I went to fetch my throwing pillow. I tossed it back onto the bed.

Before I opened my door, I yawned. This was going to be the same and usual night. Opening my door, Naomi and Mikito passed. Mikito was bouncing past Naomi with a laugh. The lizard still had her crutch. They both looked at me when the door swung open. Mikito grinned then stuck her tongue out. She skipped away. Naomi's tail flicked and she continued to follow the other turtle. I had to end the tension between us.

"Naomi," I stopped her in her tracks. She turned her shoulders a little to look at me better. Oh. That worked. Now what? "About the spar..."

Her head shook. I stopped speaking. It took her a while to speak, "Don't... Don't worry about it. I'll just know not to talk to you during our next spar." She gave a small smile. The same smile she had when she was on the Cart. "Besides, racing you through the streets of New York is fun. Wouldn't want to ruin that with a spar."

She then tilted her head to the left with the same smile and limped away. I noticed her tail flicking too and fro on the way to the main room. I breathed out. Maybe she wasn't as stubborn or rude as I originally thought. But smart, yes. Not Donatello smart, but common sense smart.

Following after her, Leo, Mikey, and Donnie were at the entrance while Mikito and Naomi went into the dojo to start a new day of training. Leo lead us boys out. Another patrol day.

Going out, Mikey came up to me and nudged me with his elbow. "So. You and Naomi, huh?"

Ahead, I noticed Leo's shoulders bunch up. I looked at Mikey and scoffed, "What are you talking about?"

"You left the team, bro!" Mikey looked disappointed. "Took your Go Cart--"

"Patrol Buggy," Donnie defended the title of his invention.

Mikey waved him off. "--and left. Naomi followed you and you came back with her. What happened?"

My shoulders shrugged. We reached our usual manhole cover to go to the surface. I saved my response until we were all in the roof. As I climbed up, I answered, "Nothing. Just a drive around the city."

"A race?" Mikey's eyes shined with excitement. "They're used for that, Donnie?"

"Wha-? No!" Donnie frowned. He then paused. "Well, I mean... Not all the time." He gave up with arguing.

Smirking, I passed the two. "She just distracted me long enough to where I simply followed her home. There's nothing going on between us." I paused. "Not like you and Mikito."

Mikey's freckled face turned bright red there. His gait even skipped a little. I smirked. Was this what the girls were up to? Gossiping about us? It wasn't usual for us to do this other than to pick on one another. Especially Donnie with April. We actually hadn't picked on him with that in a while. Not since the girls arrived. Maybe that said something...

Leo suddenly stopped oom the corner of a building. He was looking around. Actually patrolling. Like there was anything to see. The city was boring. Maybe I needed another Go Cart drive.

Donnie stepped up suddenly, "I see one giant fish and dog at nine o' clock."

"Where!" Mikey chirped as he pushed past me. He suddenly sighed. "Oh. It's only Dogpound and Fishface."

My attention was peaked. Peering over Mikey, I saw Shredder's henchmen sneaking around the side of building. Maybe patrol wouldn't be that boring.

"Wait guys," Leo started. "Something's not right."

I ignored the rest of the conversation from him. Obviously he was still mad over Naomi or something else. Perhaps he needed the go cart drive. I lead Mikey and Donnie down to the two mutants as Leo continued to talk.

Back to that interrupted butt kicking!