Midori: Chapter Thirteen
***
Raphael didn't come home until after the sun had set. He was tired, and his knuckles were sore. Forget Leo, he had his own ways of getting information. He heard the sounds of fighting and went to see what was going on. He saw Don and Midori, in full gear, facing off. At first he thought that Midori was attacking him, but Splinter was sitting off to the side watching them. Raphael soon realized that they were just practicing and relaxed a little. He tried to sneak past and into his room without being noticed.
"Please join us, Raphael," he heard Splinter say.
Raphael groaned and took off his coat and hat. He came over and stood beside Splinter with his arms crossed, looking as if that was the last place he wanted to be.
Don and Midori went through some simple moves, strikes, and blocks. Raph noticed her moves were rough, as if she was having a hard time following through. He snickered as she took a hit to the knee.
"Do you have something to share, Raphael?" Splinter asked without turning.
"Nope."
Splinter gestured for the two fighters to stop and they did. "Yes, sensei?" Don asked.
"Donatello, sit down. Raphael, get ready."
Don and Raph both looked surprised, but followed orders. Don walked over to the wall as Raphael walked towards Midori. Don stopped his brother halfway.
"Go easy, Raph, don't hurt her."
Raph snorted. "Like I would hit a girl."
"I mean it, Raph. She's still not totally recovered."
"Geez, all right, I'll go easy on her." Raph pulled his arm out of Don's grasp.
Midori struck the end of her bo against the ground. "I don't want you going easy on me."
Don blinked. "But..."
"I said I don't want you to go easy." She gripped her bo with a determined look. "I don't need to be babied."
Don looked to Splinter, who nodded. Don handed Raph the training bo and sat down next to Splinter with a worried look on his face. Raph would probably go rough on her, Raph never went easy on anybody, and he wasn't really fond of Midori to begin with.
Raph grinned as he circled Midori. He thought about just tossing the bo aside, he really didn't think he was going to need it. He started with just blocking her attacks, then effortlessly swept her feet out from under her. Don winced as Midori hit the ground.
Raph looked down at her. "I have no idea how you managed to beat us last time."
Don growled to himself as he stood up. "Lay off Raph." He held his hand out to help Midori up, but she refused.
"It was because we were all shell shocked that she even existed. And we were tired from fighting for so long." Raph looked down at her again. "This is just pathetic."
Midori got to her hands and knees, but instead of standing, she kicked, hitting Raph in the back of his knees. Raphael fell back, barely having enough time to react and throw his arms out to absorb some of the fall.
Midori stood, getting back up into a fighting position, this time without the bo. Raph sat up and looked at her. She had a determined, and maybe hurt, look in her eyes as she stared him down. Raph blinked, maybe she did know what she was doing, and maybe it was just her injuries holding her back.
"Never assume that because an enemy is down that they are defeated, Raphael. They simply have a different vantage point." Splinter clapped his hands. "I think that is enough for today. Your brothers will be back soon."
"Where'd they go anyway?" Raph asked as he got to his feet.
"To check up on something," Don told him. "If you'd been here, you would have known that."
Raph just snarled at him as he left the room. Splinter left too, leaving Don and Midori alone. Don put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Sorry about Raph, but he's, well, he's Raph."
"That's all right, I'm used to it." Midori looked at Don's hand on her shoulder. "It's the people being nice to me that I'm having trouble getting used to."
Don frowned, then smiled at her. "I think you'll enjoy people being nice a lot more."
Midori returned the smile. "Me too." Just then her stomach rumbled and she placed her hands over her belly as if that would silence it.
Don laughed. "Let's go grab a snack before Leo and Mike get back. I'm no Mikey, but I think I can come up with something edible."
"You think?"
Don gave her a lopsided grin. "It's an inside joke."
***
Mike swung his legs to and fro over the edge of the roof where he waited with Leo. He was starting to get bored. He didn't know why Leo had brought him along to check this place out. Don would have been a much better choice.
"Well?" Mike asked as Leo walked towards him.
"Nothing," Leo said, sitting next to Mike. "At least no Foot. Security is tight, so I guess they don't need us watching over them."
"Those other places had good security. You sure they'll hit this place?"
"Midori said so. She should know."
"I guess." Mike went back to being bored for a minute. "So, you really like her, huh?"
The question nearly caught Leo off guard, but he didn't let it show. "Who?" He knew very well who, but he didn't want to give Mike anything to hold against him.
"Midori, duh! How many hers do we know? You looked awfully cozy there in each others arms." Mike started making kissy noises at Leo.
"She fell asleep on me," Leo replied calmly, trying to let Mike's taunting go in one ear and out the other.
"So, like, she was on top?"
Leo suddenly turned and glared at his brother. Mike just smiled nervously, knowing that he was one step from crossing the line; after all, even Leo had limits.
"Let's go," Leo said roughly, turning sharply and walking across the roof.
Mike swung his legs over and whistled to himself as he followed his brother. He enjoyed teasing Leo, like he did with all his brothers, but since Leo so rarely did anything he could be teased about, Mike often went overboard whenever the opportunity struck. Still, Mike did know when to back off, even if he did feel that his brother was being just a bit too defensive about "nothing".
***
"They've left."
Taro nodded and the soldier slinked back off into the shadows to inform the others. They weren't here to take anything tonight, just to stake out the place, and see if there were any security measures not mentioned in the plans.
Taro stared off in the direction the Turtles had been spotted in. He thought about sending some soldiers to take care of them, or at least follow them, but it wasn't worth the trouble. He had decided that he was going to simply avoid them. To Taro, vengeance was a stupid, pointless game he refused to play, not when there was so much to lose.
Their appearance bothered him, though. It meant that they knew that the Foot were going to be here. Perhaps it was all a coincidence, but Taro couldn't believe that. They knew, they were tricky like that. Their instincts were sharp, as he'd observed with Midori. That girl had given him great insight into what these creatures were capable of, both physically and mentally, and he would not underestimate them the way his father had.
Taro narrowed his eyes and wondered how they had known to be here. Perhaps they had figured out a pattern to the robberies. Or perhaps, just perhaps, they were getting information from somewhere... or someone.
***