A Hot-head's Struggle

I Wish To Be Different...

"Raph, you need to control your temper! You almost hurt Mikey!" Leo scolded Raph, who looked down.

"I know..." Raph muttered. "Great, just great...stupid temper!" He thought to himself as Donnie started talking.

"Leo's right Raph, just because Mikey accidentally destroyed your favorite comic doesn't give you that right to try and hurt him!"

Mikey had tripped over his comic book and ripped it, and Raph had gotten so mad that he tried to hit him...thankfully Leo stopped him.

"I know...I don't know what got into me." He mumbled as he sighed. He's always had anger issues, ever since he was little, and they only got worse.

Mikey, who had been hiding behind Donnie, stepped up. "I'm sorry for ripping your comic, but you didn't have to try and hit me..."

Raph looked at his little brother. "I know, I'm sorry Mikey." He said as Mikey smiled a little. "It's okay..."

Master Splinter, who had been listening, walked in. "My son...why don't you go meditate for a while? It might help with your anger."

Raph nodded. "Hai sensei, maybe you're right." Donnie and Leo glared at him as he walked to the dojo.

Once he was inside, he closed the door and got into meditation position before closing his eyes. "I wish I had been different...I wish I wasn't so angry all the time..."

A sudden feeling of calmness overtook him as he felt himself completely relaxing...then, he felt a presence beside him.

"Think before you speak, Rapheal...you may find that what you want is not what you truly want..." A warm, feminine voice spoke.

Raph jumped as he opened his eyes. "W-Who said that?" He asked as he looked around. He couldn't see anyone.

Suddenly, a ghostly figure of a woman  appeared in front of him. "Do not be afraid, Rapheal...I am here to help you." She said in a kind voice.

Raph looked at her in shock. "W-Who are you? Are you a ghost? Look, I'm sorry for what I did, don't haunt me!"

The woman chuckled under her breath. "Do not worry Rapheal, I am not here to haunt you, I came from the spirit world to help you."

Raph calmed down a little as he stood up. "Oh...okay." A sudden thought came to him. "Who are you anyway and how do you know my name?"

She smiled as her brown eyes twinkled. "I am Tang Shen, I guess you can call me a distant relative..."

Raph nodded. "Oh cool...not to be rude but...why are you here? I don't need help..." He said uncertainly.

She only smiled as she came near him. "You wished that you had been different, that you were not so angry all the time, and I am here to show you what would happen if that was true."

Raph still wasn't convinced. "And how are you going to do that?" He asked as he crossed his arms impatiently.

She didn't answer, she instead took hold of his arm and in an instant, they were gone. Raph held on to her tight as they soared through the air.

After a while, they stopped and landed on the ground. Raph groaned as he held his spinning head. He never did like heights.

"Easy, Rapheal..." Tang Shen said as she steadied him. "Now, come...we are in the past, 15 years ago to be exact."

Raph holds his spinning head. "15 years ago? I was only a baby then..." He said as they walked.

Tang Shen suddenly stopped. Raph did too and saw a younger version of Master Splinter, pushing a cart with four baby turtles.