TMNT: Eclipse
Summary: Raphael has to make a final choice for his family, and for the rest of the world.
Note to readers: I know I'm working on two other fic's but this couldn't leave my head after the idea came… Hope you enjoy my second story AU of TMNT…
Disclaimer: I don't own any TMNT… This is just a little fan fic I made for your enjoyment…
Started: June 14/2007
Rated: M for mature
Chapter one: Genesis
- Special thanks to Jeane and Tori for beta reading the chapter for me.
Story takes place after The Shredder Strikes Back
You all know what paradox is. A paradox is when you come face to face with Oroku Saki, the leader of The Foot Clan. I didn't know what to expect the first time I was summoned to him. My emotions ran high, and despite the last training session I had with Master Splinter, I thought deeply,wondering if this man would be able to teach me more, if that was what he was offering. Little did I know that my last answer to his offer would change the course of my family's life forever?
"Mikey, turn that off," Raph yelled angrily, hearing the televisions on in the other room. By this time, April and Casey had gone in together and bought them a couple of very large televisions.
"Sorry, Raph;" He said turning it off. He turned back around after setting the remote on the side table he added; "but I still can't believe it's been a year since Leo changed sides," Mikey said, still trying hard not to remember. They heard Don drop something in the other room apparently hearing the news as well.
"Splinter's allowed me to go topside, and has asked Don to go with me," Raph announced. The room went stone cold as if ice had been exposed under the ground.
Don couldn't believe what he was hearing. He rubbed his eyes. "You're joking, right?"
Raph smirked. "If I was, Splinter is silently grumbling in the dojo right now."
"Why is he grumbling? Normally, that's a bad sign." Don pointed out.
"He wants to meditate more and seeing that you keep going into the dojo, he's asked me to take you out," Raph said honestly.
Don laughed; "Maybe I should do more work in there just so I can go topside more often."
"Keep it up and he just might," Raph said as he slugged his brother on the shoulder in a friendly manner. "Come on, let's go. It's too stuffy in here," Raph told him as he started to run for the Battle Shell.
"All right, let's go," Don agreed and hurried off, grabbing his Bo.
The heat of the sewers had left Raphael up most of last night. It had now been a year since their family had split apart. He still remembered how it all came crashing down. Lately, Splinter had been teaching him how to control his anger, but Raph knew it wasn't helping. Too much had happened, and it was too late to change his emotions. Now that he was the leader of his other two brothers, he had to make sure everything was in good hands by morning. He usually took to the streets at night with Mikey to check up on April and Casey. Most of the time, April was already down in the sewers with them, helping Donny with the tech equipment for their new lair--when Leo had left, they had had to find a different home, knowing all too well that Leo would hunt them down one by one very fast if they didn't. Splinter still felt responsible for what had happened, but Raph tried to ease his troubled mind every day.
Shredder was now one of the most powerful threats to them. Raph felt like he had to look behind his back every five seconds he was out of the sewers, feeling as though his brother was watching, laughing at them for not going with him. None of them knew how to bring him back, and that was what Shredder had planned all along. He didn't want them to have a leader. If Shredder couldn't have them, then no one would. Raph grinned angrily, thinking so much that he kind of wished Mikey threw him a one line joke just to make him lighten up. That wasn't going to happen any time soon.
The rules had changed drastically since then, too. Raph now had to report to Splinter before going topside, and he had to inform his brothers as well. No one really spent fatherly time with their sensei anymore. He became a stronger sensei and less of a father. Raph still beat himself up in the ass for it. Every night there was training. Splinter made sure now that Raph knew all the moves he showed Leo with his Sai's and with katanas, and Raph had to train Don and Mikey after Splinter gave him instructions to do so.
Don had spent a lot of time around his computers and helping them feel more secure around their new home. He had also kept to himself more, and hardly ever went out with Raph and Mikey for fear of what might happen to him, knowing deep down that he wasn't the best at his fighting skills. He tried to have Raph talk with Splinter about having a more private training session, but Splinter refused to show interest on the matter. He missed the old times possibly more than anyone else. Mikey seemed to make more of a joy ride by keeping his hopes high and Raph upbeat instead of heavy hearted. Don didn't have a lot of enthusiasm to help Mikey with Raph. Casey was even hanging out with Don more since Raph's heart had hardened more and he didn't roughhouse with him anymore, leaving the roughhousing to Don when he needed to work out. Leo was like Don's second half and without him there, Don was in the dark of his deepest nightmares.
Mikey, on the other hand, had grumbled and talked more in his sleep these nights than to his brothers. Don had to wake him most nights to assure him everything was fine. Mikey still enjoyed his video games and late night movies, but Splinter would never watch his late afternoon stories with Mikey, let alone enjoy his jokes. Mikey tried to talk to his sensei about what he missed when he did come out of his dojo, but he never seemed to acknowledge his son in the room--his gaze was always on Raph. Mikey took pride in his training with Raph just to prove to their sensei he was not a total joke. He still tried to find humor in everything to lighten the mood, but only at rare times did both his brothers laugh. Splinter remained unemotional at these nonsensical remarks and went back to his quiet dojo.
Deep inside, Mikey hated himself for not paying attention to his ninjutsu and started doing late night studying on it through the internet and books that April brought to him. Throughout the year, Mikey became second best at fighting and, seeing how Raph would not train Donny upon request, Mikey decided to take time out of going top side on the weekends and spared two to three hours or more with Donny. Surprisingly, Donny kicked Raph's ass a couple of times on some of the moves he mastered. Mikey could tell that Raph knew what was going on, but didn't want it to become a burden to Don if he could never fight. Mikey still wanted them to fight together, but if Raph would not allow private training for Don, then all their time would be wasted with him, and they would be lost to Leo and the Shredder.
Raph knew that they would have to face Leo some day, and he wished it would be sooner rather than later. Their new lair was a lot bigger than their old one. The hideaway was similar to their old home, but slightly different. It was the old catacombs underground from an old nineteenth-century subway station. The city had built over the top of it with a new bus station and it was forgotten. The space was also nice for training and running about. A bonus was the two extra doors leading topside instead of always taking the sewer pipes. This time, Mikey made sure he had the largest room. Raph took the basement for training and meditating. He had been doing that so much that Mikey and Don sometimes forgot he was downstairs.
Splinter had taken the highest room in one of the old stairwells, which was not so far away, but close enough to Raphael that Splinter would be able to call him if need be. With this much room, Donny had spent much time placing speakers in every room possible. The intercoms system was just what they needed along with walkie talkies that he included with the system. Seeing that they did not have their secret elevator that road to the top wear house, Don made sure they were able to elevate somewhere near both entryways. Video cameras were the first thing Don placed around the area, and made sure they had doubled the security system as well. Splinter was always speechless with that talent that rose deep within Don when it came to hardware and high tech equipment.
He greatly admired it, and how fast Don was at doing it. When he said he'd fix something, in the next few hours it was done and ready. Most of the time, one never knew what he'd have next, even after the new bike, new Battle Shell, and a new hover skateboard for Mikey. Raph loved his new bike. It was better than the red one he'd had before. He couldn't count how many times he had said thank you to Don for making it. Don also went all out in making sensei a new staff. Splinter gazed upon it in awe, watching all the tricks it could do. It could turn into a Bo staff for sparing or training. The new shell cells each had a new number. Don made two extra for Casey and April and told them to throw out their old ones. Neither of them hesitated a second and crushed them before they threw them away.
By the end of the year, the news of Oroku Saki had worked toward the city, and his second-in-command and daughter Karai had stepped on board with the Foot Clan. Each turtle wondered how well Leo was taking this, seeing that Leo was like a son to Oroku Saki.
Leo stood on top of Oroku Saki's building, looking over the city. It had been one year, and there was still no sign of his brothers lurking the city. He grinned, knowing that his master wanted the rest of the turtles, but that was going to be a lot harder now that knew Raphael was the leader. He still didn't understand why his master wanted the rest of his brothers when all he wanted to do was get rid of them. He was the strong one, and the oldest. Surely that was one reason why his master had picked him, as well as the fact that he was the leader of the four. His next goal was to get each one alone. He knew they worked together, and if they were apart from each other, it would be easier to get them and turn them over to Oroku Saki.
Hearing Karai jump next to him, he turned. "What are you looking for, Leo?" Karai asked. She knew he had been looking for his brothers, but after they had moved out of the old lair it, had been very hard, knowing full well that his old master had started training them in a whole new way because of him.
"You know fully well what I'm looking for, Karai. And I hope you do not interfere," He warned her, knowing that in the past she had been kind to them before Leo changed sides, and didn't want her messing up.
"You think that after you became one of us I'd betray you. Please, I was happy that you did. Now your brothers won't be able to stand a chance against you," Karai assured him.
Leo faced her; "We shall see," he said, and jumped to the next building.
End of Chapter one