A/N Don't own the turtles.
Just so's ya know, for this story to work, Raph didn't put his Nightwatcher helmet on that display thing with the other helmets, and no one but Leo knows that he was the Nightwatcher...
And I'm sorry if Casey- or any of the others are OOC - because I've never written Casey before, and all I have for reference for him is the First TMNT movie, and the Fourth TMNT movie... And I've only seen 6 episodes of the cartoon since I was about... say, 6? And the movie, so those are all I have for reference to how the characters behave toward each other- and, of course, fan fiction is my main resource! So, I hope ya enjoy- and yeah... there is on OC in this- The Gambler... but I hope he isn't too Gary-Stu or anything- let me know if he is, and I'll try to change it!
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Jack Of All Trades
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Chapter One - Back in Session
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In a city where vigilante's seemed to be the norm- where it seemed that every third person you ran into was a mask-wearing, weapon wielding crime fighter, few stood above the rest.
The mysterious Nightwatcher, for example- who had made his debut suddenly, violently putting a dent in crime-spree's allover the city, before just as suddenly, and just as violently vanishing.
But there had been one, waiting, more in the shadows than the Nightwatcher himself, to make their name known.
And, in a matter of weeks after the Nightwatchers' complete disappearance, a new name hit the front pages.
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Michelangelo shifted uncomfortably beside his hot-tempered brother, he could feel the anger pouring off his brother.
"Who th' hell is this chump, anyways? Godfather Death?" Raphael growled.
"Well, only a few newspapers are calling him that." Michelangelo said meekly, uncharacteristically quiet. "Others are calling him Ace, and The Gambler..." Michelangelo trailed off. Raphael flicked the channel, to a different news channel.
One that had almost seemed to favor, and near idolize the Nightwatcher.
"The Gambler has struck again- leaving nothing but his calling card- the Jack Of Spades. This time, The Gambler struck deep in the heart of Nightwatchers territory- and the question on everyone's lips right now is- Where is Nightwatcher? There has been much argument about this new star in town- as to whether The Gambler forced The Nightwatcher out of town-"
Raphael slammed a fist on the side of the sofa. "Dude, you know, The Nightwatcher was awesome, I so totally agree- but, bro, he ain't been around for months-"
"Shut up, Mikey!" Raphael snarled. Michelangelo snapped his mouth closed loudly, his survival instinct making an unusual appearance.
"So, Nightwatcher, wherever your are, if you're watching this- where are you?"
Then they went to sports coverage. Raphael leapt to his feet angrily.
"...Raph?" Michelangelo asked. "Where ya going?"
"Out." Raphael snapped.
Michelangelo raised his eye ridges, before turning back to the TV. Raphael stared hard at his youngest brother for a long moment. "I want him to come back too, bro." Michelangelo muttered, before changing this channel. "He'd show this Gambler guy a trick or too!"
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30 minutes later, Raphael was tearing through New York's streets, searching the shadows, waiting for the Gambler to show his face.
He dropped onto the fire escape by Casey's window, metal clanging, and tapped on the window. He smirked a little when Casey jumped and nearly dropped his beer. "...Raph?" Casey gaped, opening the window. "What the hell... what're ya doing?"
"What'sit look like I'm doin', bonehead? Meet me on the roof." Raphael retorted flatly, before swinging up and away, sticking to the shadows.
He stood in an alcove as he waited for Casey to get his shit together and haul ass up here.
He didn't have to wait long. "Raph- what the... what're you doing?" Casey asked a few minutes later, baseball bat hanging down by his legs, mask up on his head.
"Night school's in session, Casey." Raphael grunted. "You up for it?"
Casey smiled mutely, and pulled his hockey mask down over his face. "Class's in, bro."
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"So, what made ya bring the Nightwatcher out of retirement?" Casey asked as they moved over the city roofs. Tonight- was starting slow, but sometimes the slower they started, the busier they got.
Raphael didn't answer for a few seconds.
And Casey, being uncharacteristically quick on the up-take for once, answered his own question. "It's this Gambler dude, isn't it? He's been movin' in on yer old territory bit by bit for the last few weeks. I was wondering- if the Nightwatcher was gonna make a reappearance."
"Just an encore. Once this guy knows his place, that's it, for good. I promised I wouldn't start this again." Raphael said, eyes scanning the allies and rooftops and streets, for any sign of trouble.
"Well, bro- maybe it ain't... you know- such a bad thing, that this guy's come up to take your place, I mean, he's good. Real good. Not as good as you- but still... these streets need something." Casey responded.
Raphael turned his glare toward Casey, who shrugged.
"Jus' sayin."
A scream ripped into the night, and Raphael smiled. "That's our cue, Case."
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Raphael stopped dead, putting an arm out to stop Casey from either knocking into him, or going over the side of the building. Casey frowned, and searched for what had caught Raphael's attention.
Whatever trouble had gone on a few minutes ago, was well taken care of now. Police sirens echoed in the darkness- and Casey knew instinctively that the sirens weren't what had distracted Raphael.
Then he saw it- a dark figure just climbing from the fire escape and slinking into the shadows on the rooftop opposite them.
Casey didn't have time to speak, Raphael had backed up, and had cleared the gap between buildings in a matter of seconds.
Casey grimaced, and began to follow Raphael, a lot slower, and a lot more carefully. Partly, because he was merely human, and could not clear this distance like Raph had done.
But mostly because that oily shadow vanishing away could be none other than the Gambler, and it was Raph's vendetta.
Casey found himself hoping this Gambler guy was as good as newspapers claimed him to be, he had to be, really, if he was considered to be in the same league as Raph. He dreaded to think what Raph would do to the guy if he wasn't.
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The Gambler ran across the rooftops, and the Nightwatcher followed.
Raphael grimaced- whoever this Gambler was, he was fast. But not fast enough! Raphael's grimace turned into a cold smile as he began to close in on the fleeting back of the Gambler.
Suddenly, surprising the hell out of Raphael, the Gambler jerked to a stop, swinging around to face him, whipping a chain out from around his waist. He began to swing the chain by his side, bouncing on his feet, to keep his adrenaline and energy high.
Raphael stopped, staring at the Gambler- who was clad completely in black, black jeans, black trainers, and a black hoody that successfully hid his face in shadows.
"Nightwatcher." The Gambler gasped. The chain stopped twirling, limp at his side. Raphael started in surprise. "You're the Nightwatcher!" The Gambler repeated in surprise.
"Who'd you expect? The Tooth Fairy?" Raphael growled. The Gambler's body stiffened again, and he began to twirl the chain once more. "What the hell are you doing?" Raphael snarled. Wondering himself why he was so riled up about this. The city needed someone like the Nightwatcher- or maybe even... The Gambler.
Raphael shook his head, he had never been one to self-analyze, or look deep inside himself, and truth was- he didn't care why he was so angry that this guy had moved in on his turf- so he'd stopped fighting crime under the Nightwatcher alias- he hadn't stopped completely - there shouldn't be need for this guy to move in on his turf.
The Gambler seemed to shake his head in disbelief. "What does it look like I'm doing?! You left- the city needs someone!" The Gambler exploded, the chain twirling faster and faster, and Raphael dropped his own weapon into his hand gently. "Just because you threw in the towel- doesn't mean that crime did!"
Raphael stared in shock- those words were so similar to what he'd said about Leo. Crime didn't take a break, Leo. You did.
Raphael snarled something inarticulate, and lunged for the Gambler.
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A/N it occurred to me, in the last few lines, that I have NO IDEA what the Nightwatchers weapons are called, you know those chain-things? So if you could tell me, it'd be much appreciated! And the title is probably gonna change- so, I hoped ya enjoyed reading it! And any input would be great!