A/N: Okay, so I've worked up the nerve to write another fanfiction. This is my first attempt at a multi-chapter fiction, so let's see how this goes! Reviews are welcome. Constructive criticism is also welcome, but please no flames. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the TMNT characters used in this story.
Logic of the Soul: Chapter 1
The evening twilight kissed the horizon farewell as the night's velvet wings draped the sky in darkness. The city below was a constant buzz of movement: fun-loving friends painting the town red, hard-working citizens traveling to night shift jobs, and the shady activities of the more 'black-browed' individuals of the city.
Somewhere between the blackness of the night sky and the city lights below, three figures watched from the gray midtones of the rooftops. They were trained to be invisible amongst the darkness lacing the city, yet they lingered in the gray shadows. The veil of gray hid their mutated bodies from prying eyes yet allowed them to observe a world they would never truly be a part of. They lingered in this gray—this inbetween— saving the city countless times from unforeseen danger. They lingered just enough for witnesses to watch their ambiguous silhouettes melt into darkness; just enough for those fortunate few to know there were still heroes in this cold, cruel world. One of the terrapin figures leaned dangerously over the edge of the rooftop, his eyes narrowed at a scene unfolding below on the city streets.
Two women laughed, chatting excitedly as they waited in line for entry into an overcrowded night club. They were caught completely off guard as a teen rushed passed them grabbing one of their purses. Both women cursed the boy, pointed, and screamed for help, but the boy had already disappeared into the surrounding crowd of people.
The figure on the roof's ledge gripped his sai ready to leap into action.
"Wait, Raphael."
The figure growled at the sound of his name, "What the heck are we waiting for, Leo?" He demanded, glaring at his older brother, "Last time I checked, thievery was as good a reason as any to kick some shell."
"We're here to look for more canisters, not petty thieves. We can't afford to get into a tussle carrying these around," Leo said giving the sack over his shoulder a small pat. "And see? That officer has already caught him, justice is served and we didn't even need to get involved."
Raphael sighed in annoyance following his brother's haughty hand gesture to the police officer dragging the kid by his shirt collar toward the two ladies; he assumed the boy would be forced to apologize before forking over the purse. A good old fashion butt-kicking what have been more satisfying in his opinion. He was really hoping to get some action in tonight, but instead they spent all of 3 hours combing the city for mutagen canisters.
"Killjoy," Raph mumbled under his breath before stepping back from the ledge and walking past Leo, "So, we got, what, five cans of ooze? That should be enough for brainiac to work with, right?" He asked, impatiently nodding his head toward the sack on Leo's shoulder. If he wasn't going to get any action out here then at least he could pound on his dummy post back at the lair.
"Yeah, this should be good. Let's head back."
Bout time…Raph thought as he continued toward the other side of the roof.
"Hey, wait, where's Mikey?"
Raph's body tensed and then slumped with exasperation. His youngest brother had the attention span of gnat and was just as much of a nuisance as one. "Sorry, Leo, my goofball detection is a little off tonight..." he replied with mock innocence, before raising his voice in irritation, "How am I supposed to know? He was standing beside you just a minute ago!"
Leo gave Raph a sour expression and was probably going to retort with a domineering remark, until they both heard a familiar sound of glee.
"Yo, bros, check it out!"
Both Leo and Raph turned in unison at the sound of their youngest brother's voice. They stared wide-eyed at the sight before them.
"While you guys were being all broody staring off into the abyss, I got all these. Pretty cool, huh?"
Raph smirked; Leo, on the other hand, looked rather nonchalant….until he realized what Mikey had in his hands. Then he looked like he was having an ulcer.
"Wh-where did you get those, Mikey?" Leo said a hint of panic in his voice.
"Dude, it's no biggie. That guy's giving them away for free, see?" Mikey pointed at the night club just across the street from the one Leo and Raph were watching. "Some of them floated up here, so I snagged them. You missed all my snazzy ninja moves I used to catch them," Mikey concluded with a faux face of disappointment, "Leo, you would've been proud."
Though his expression remained stoic, humor danced across Raph's eyes as he looked from the night club, to Mikey, and then Leo. Maybe tonight wouldn't be a total bore after all.
Leo did a double take looking over the ledge at the night club, and then back to Mikey, "You are not taking those to the lair!"
"But, whhhhhhhy?" Mikey whined, stomping his foot.
"There's no way we can make it back to the lair unseen with….with all of these!" Leo waved his hands in the general direction of Mikey's new possessions. "And don't you have enough junk in your room as it is?"
"You're sounding a little jealous there, big bro," Mikey said gallingly, "But I don't mind sharing, here!"
Leo's eyes widened as Mikey extended his hand, "Get those away from me!" Leo backpedaled waving the things away. Raph snickered from the sideline watching the free entertainment before him. "Why would you grab so many! You have like twenty of them!"
"They were just so big and colorful, I couldn't just grab one!"
"Here that, Fearless, he likes 'em big, do you like 'em big?" Raph could barely hide his amusement as Leo squirmed with embarrassment and a deep blush crossed his cheeks.
"Please, Leo?"
Leo cleared his throat, quickly finding his composure, "No! Master Splinter will kill me for letting you bring those things home!"
Puzzled, Mikey looked up at his possessions and then back at Leo. "Why would Master Splinter flip out over balloons?"
Leo and Raph stared at Mikey. Raph looked at Leo's shocked expression and then back at Mikey.
Surely the goofball knows that… Raph's train of thought stopped abruptly as he saw the genuine look of confusion on Mikey's face. He really doesn't know. Raph's smirk grew into a full blown grin.
"Balloons? You seriously think they're balloons?" Raph questioned, pointing at the floating items attached to strings in Mikey's hand. Master Splinter discussedthat particular topic with them a few years ago; their Sensei had not shown them what they looked like, but to be this clueless? Really? How could henot know?
Mikey looked questioningly at him, "Of course they're balloons, Raph, I'm not stupid you know."
"You sure about that?...You know, the part about not being stupid."
"Raph…" Leo gave him a warning glance. Raph responded by raising his eye ridges in a mockingly innocent way. "Mikey, those aren't—"
"Of course they are, Leo. If Mike says they're balloons, then heck, they're balloons." Raph said as he purposely interrupted Leo, trying his hardest to hold back his snickering.
"Anyway," Mikey started slowly giving Raph an awkward look before turning back to Leo, "Can I at least bring one back for Donnie?"
"Why on earth would you want to give one to Donnie?" Leo asked dubiously.
Mikey looked up shifting through his floating treasures until he pulled a yellow one from the bunch. "Well, I feel kinda bad that D's stuck in the lab while we're up here cruisin' the city."
"We were looking for mutagen canisters, not 'cruising' the city." Leo corrected.
"Anyway, he's been super stressed lately and I thought a balloon might cheer him up! Plus this one looks like a light bulb," he jiggled the yellow one in the air for emphasis, "it looks smart, he'll like it!" Leo read the marker print on the so-called balloon and his face withered.
"That's not the only thing it looks like."
Leo glared at Raph for the crude comment. "Mikey, I really don't think…" Mikey's enthusiasm visibly deflated at the start of Leo's dissent.
"C'mon, Leo. He just wants to make Donnie-boy happy," Raph said, heavily dropping his arm on Leo's shoulder as he leaned against him, "I think it'll make him happy, too, especially if he can share it with April."
"You're not helping," Leo muttered between clenched teeth as he forcefully pushed Raph's bulky arm off his shoulder.
"Not trying to." Raph said with a devious smile. He knew Leo had two options: Let Mikey bring home his beloved 'balloon,' or tell Mikey it wasn't a balloon. Judging from his annoyed and embarrassed expression, the fearless leader didn't look prepared to have that particular conversation with their youngest brother, so Raph was banking on the former.
Leo sighed. Ah, there it was, the inevitable break.
"Fine, whatever," Leo finally conceded throwing his arms up in the air in a frustrated surrender.
"Sweet!" Mikey exclaimed releasing the other cluster of 'balloons' into the starry sky and holding the yellow one in a death grip.
"If Sensei sees it, I'm telling him it's your fault." Leo said under his breath pointing at Raph as they waited for Mikey to tie the 'balloon' string around his belt.
"Loosen up, Fearless, before that stick in your shell breaks."
Ignoring the smart remark, Leo leaped to the next rooftop.
"C'mon, Balloon-boy!" Raph called over his shoulder before he tucked his body for a front flip and ran to catch up with Leo. He couldn't wait for this joke to unfold. It's not everyday he got an one-up on Mikey and he planned to take full advantage of it.
TBC
A/N: Thank you for taking the time to read the first chapter of this story, there will be more chapters to come! Please review!