The sun was setting over the horizon of New York City, turning the colour of the sky from bright blue to blood red. Raph jumped onto the roof of a nearby apartment building and came to a complete stop. He stood there, watching the reddish-orange orb make its slow descent.
He pulled a discarded pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his belt. He put a cigarette between his teeth and lit it. He took a deep drag and then, exhaled the smoke. He coughed and spluttered.
He’d never smoked before but after finding them in an alleyway and feeling the way he did now, he just took them without hesitation. After all, it wasn’t like he could stroll into a store and ask for a pack.
As he took another drag from it - not coughing as much this time - he thought it funny that if Master Splinter caught him, he would be punished severely.
It’s the habit of the fool, sensei would say but Raph didn’t care. All he could think of was that goody two shoes, Leonardo.
That fucking golden boy. The fucking dutiful son.
He took another drag and replayed events in his head.
***
Leo sat on the floor of the lair meditating. His brothers and sensei were elsewhere so he decided to take advantage of the moment.
He was feeling good… that was until the silence was broken by the sound of crowds cheering. And commentators.
He tried to ignore it.
Then, he heard someone shouting. ‘Yeah!’
It could only be Raph, watching another UFC match on TV. He always turned the volume up loud for that. Leo opened his eyes and turned his head around.
‘Hey, Raph!’ he shouted. ‘Turn down the volume, will you?’
He seemed to ignore Leo’s request and continue cheering for his fighter, throwing his fists in the air.
Leo got up and marched furiously toward him. He snatched the remote from the table and pressed the power button.
‘Hey!’ Raph shouted. ‘I was watching that!’
Leo threw the remote onto the table. ‘Now you’re not!’
Raph sat forward and fixed Leo an angry stare. ‘What’s your goddamn problem, Leo!?’
Leo stared back, equally angry. ‘My goddamn problem,’ he fired back, ‘is having to listen to that shit loud!’
Raph sprang to his feet. ‘Well, I’m sorry,’ he said, sarcasm leaked from his words. ‘We can’t all be like the favourite!’
‘What!?’
Raph crossed his arms and turned his back to Leo. He went all quiet and sulked.
‘What the hell are you talking about, Raph!?’ Leo demanded.
Raph eventually answered. ‘You heard what I said! We all know that Splinter likes you better!’
Leo sighed angrily. ‘Not this crap again! I keep telling you that sensei values us equally!’
‘You’re always nailing the exercises! Always saying Master Splinter says this, Master Splinter says that. Pisses me off!’
Leo stepped forward. ‘Well, maybe if you guys concentrated more, I wouldn’t have to - ‘
That’s when Raph really lost it and with a tightly clenched fist, he spun around quickly and punched Leo hard. The impact sent him crashing to the floor.
Raph stood over him. ‘Shut the fuck up!’ he yelled.
It was then that Leo did something uncharacteristic, he saw red. He looked up, spat out blood, and jumped to his feet.
He drew his swords. ‘That’s it! I’ve had enough of your shit!’
Raph drew his sai and began spinning them. ‘Bring it, golden boy!’
They stared at each other with intense hatred. Raph lunged forward and Leo dodged, he ended up on the floor.
‘Hah!’ Leo taunted. ‘Is that the best you can do?’
Raph picked himself up and stared Leo down. He bared his teeth like an angry dog and charged again. Leo jumped over him and delivered a powerful kick to his back. He crashed down on the floor again.
‘I’m going to fuckin’ kill you!’ he yelled. He picked himself up and they both ran toward each other. Swords and sai clashed as they stared angrily at each other. ‘I fuckin’ hate you!’ Raph growled.
‘I fuckin’ hate you more!’ Leo fired back at him.
Soon, Don and Mikey came running into the room. They were shocked by what they saw. They’d seen this before but this time, but this was way more intense than usual.
‘We’ve got to stop them!’ Don said to Mikey. Mikey nodded.
They ran up to Raph and Leo.
‘Guys!’ Don shouted. ‘Stop it!’
Mikey and Don grabbed onto each brother tightly and tried desperately to separate them. Raph struggled furiously against Don’s grip.
‘Let me go!’ he shouted.
‘No!’ Don responded. ‘Not until you guys calm down!’
Leo struggled against Mikey. Splinter then walked into the room; his eyes widened when he saw the spectacle in front of him. He slammed his cane against the floor. ‘Tomaru!’
They all looked at him in surprise.
‘Sensei,’ Don said.
Splinter approached them. ‘I demand to know what is going on here!?’
Mikey and Don let go of Leo and Raph. Leo and Raph sheathed their weapons.
‘I don’t know, sensei,’ Don said. ‘Mikey and I came in here and found Leo and Raph about to kill each other.’
‘Michelangelo, Donatello,’ Splinter said. ‘Please leave. I shall deal with Leonardo and Raphael.’
‘Yes, Master Splinter,’ Don said obediently and he grabbed Mikey’s shoulder and they both hurried out of the room.
Splinter then turned his attention back to Leo and Raph. ‘What is going on here?!’ he demanded.
Leo pointed a finger. ‘Raph started it.’
‘No way!’ Raph fired back. ‘Leo started it!’
‘Silence! Both of you!’ Splinter said. ‘I do not care who started it. I never want to see that again!’
Splinter took a step back, inhaled deeply to calm himself, and looked at them sternly. He had known of a rivalry between his two sons but now, it’d really gotten out of hand.
‘This has to stop, my sons,’ he said, softening his tone a little. ‘The rivalry that you have with each other is out of control.’
They couldn’t meet Splinter’s eye line. Leo looked down, he was feeling guilt and shame. While Raph looked defiant and crossed his arms.
‘I’m sorry, Master Splinter,’ Leo apologised. Raph was disgusted by this, and mocked Leo.
‘Raphael!’ Splinter hollered.
Raphael then stormed out of the room. ‘Come back here,’ Splinter continued. ‘I am not finished!’
He ignored him. A silence followed and then, he turned his attention back to Leo.
‘I’m sorry, sensei,’ Leo said again. He hoped that Splinter would be lenient.
‘So you should be, Leonardo,’ Splinter said. ‘I would never have expected this of you.’
‘Master Splinter, I-’
Splinter raised a hand to silence him. ‘That is enough, my son,’ he said. ‘When your brother returns, I shall decide what your punishment will be. For now, go to your room and stay there.’
Leo didn’t argue. He bowed and quickly hurried out of the room.
Splinter relaxed a little and walked to the couch. He sat down, wondering how he would go about resolving this conflict.
***
The moon was now in the sky as well as all the stars. Street lights had now flickered into life. Buildings had now lit up.
Raph took the last drag from the cigarette, blew out the smoke, and flicked the butt away. As he looked out into the now lit-up streets of the city, he thought about what his next move should be.
He thought about staying the night with April and Casey, but he’d end up being asked questions that he was unwilling to answer. He thought about going back to the lair, but he couldn’t face Master Splinter at that moment.
Raph took out another cigarette and lit it up.
***
