Disclaimer: I do not in any way own the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Though I wish I did. .
"Only Human"
Ch. 1
Night was falling on New York, and, the city was still bustling with life. The same could be said for the inhabitants of the sewers, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Michelangelo, Donatello, and Leonardo were busy getting on their surface clothes to go out for the night. After a long day of training, Master Splinter thought it okay for the brothers to take a break.
"Raphael, you coming along?" Michelangelo asked the other turtle who was sitting on the sofa, channel surfing. When he didn't get a response, the orange bandana clad turtle sighed and smacked Raphael on the back of the head. "Hey, are you listening to me??"
Donatello and Leonardo got ready for Raphael to blow up and hit Mikey back, but when he didn't they both arched a brow.
"Uwah…?" Raph mumbled, rubbing where Mikey hit him. "Oh, sorry, bro… I guess I spaced out there for a sec. You guys go on without me, I'm jus' gonna' watch some TV," he said, going back to channel surfing.
The three other brothers exchanged looks of confusion; Raphael turning down a chance to go up to the surface…? Lately Master Splinter had been strict about how many times they went up after that incident with the ice cream truck. And no matter what others said, they had nothing to do with what happened to that poodle.
"Okay, whatever you say, Raph…" Leo said, Mikey and Don walking out of the lair. "See you later." Hesitating for a second, Leonardo followed after the others. Raph isn't acting himself… Maybe I should have stayed with him.
A couple of hours had passed and Raphael was sitting on the couch, twirling his Sai, when suddenly his Turtle Com went off, startling him. He accidentally lost control of the weapon, sending it spiraling off somewhere. He flinched slightly when he heard a cat yowl. "Sorry, Klunk!" he called after the feline. He shook his head and reached for his Turtle Com only to find it missing. "God damn it, where the hell is it??" He got up and began to rummage around, the Com beeping all the while. "Okay, okay, shut up already!" he growled. After what seemed like an hour of searching, he found the Turtle Com under one of the couch cushions and answered it. "Yeah, what's up?"
It was April and she looked badly beaten up. "Raphael, I've been captured by Shredder!" She cried.
"Wh-what?? Where are you?!" He cried, clutching the Turtle Com tightly. "Have you tried contacting the others??"
"I tried, but they're not picking up! I'm being held at the old abandoned warehouse on Main Street!"
Raphael sighed, sweat dropping. Great guys, just great, the one night you don't have your Turtle Coms on… "Don't worry, April, I'm on my way!"
"Please hurry…" April's image blipped off the screen.
Raphael stared at the communicator. It sounds like a trap… He went to contact the others, but all he got was static. He put it away, a look of concern on his face. He thought of telling Master Splinter but then thought against it. He didn't want to bother his sensei while he was meditating. "Looks like I'll have to go this mission alone," he said aloud to himself. Without any more hesitation, he retrieved his Sai from the wall and headed out the lair up to the surface.
"That was an excellent performance Ms. O'Neil," Shredder said, grinning under his mask at the news reporter.
April glared at the other and snapped, "Yeah, yeah. Just give me back my camera and let me go! I did my part, now you have to do yours!"
"Of course Ms. O'Neil. I know how much your job means to you," He said, snapping his fingers, a Foot soldier coming forth with April's camera.
"Shut up… I only agreed to this because I knew your plan would never work!" She took her camera back, scowling at the male. "And when Raphael gets here with the other turtles, oh will you be sorry."
"Foot soldiers make sure Ms. O'Neil makes her way home. And… make sure to reward her for her services."
Shedder stared down at April, causing a shiver to go up her spine. "You won't win, Shredder… just you wait," she said, as she was lead away by two Foot soldiers.
"Of course Ms. O'Neil… whatever you say."
Raphael stood outside of the warehouse alone. He would have gone to get the others, but this was a situation of life and death and he didn't have time. Using his ninja stealth, he quietly snuck inside. Looking around the darkness he thought; where is everyone? Surely I should have run in to one or two Foot soldiers by now. This doesn't seem right.
Before he had time to react, his Sais were suddenly knocked out of his hands and the lights turned on to reveal he was surrounded by Foot ninja… and Shedder.
"Shedder, where's April, you scum?!" He shouted up at the other, hands clenched in to fists.
The male began to laugh. "She's not here. You have fallen right in to my trap, turtle! And you're alone, how much more stupid can you get??"
Raphael growled as Shedder continued to laugh. He ran to attack the other, when suddenly he was hit in the back of his neck, rendering him unconscious. The last thing he remembered seeing were the Foot ninjas closing in on him and Shedder still laughing.
Leo… Mikey… Donnie…Master Splinter…what have I gotten myself in to…?