~ INTRODUCTION ~
Even though Venus is once more taking a back seat temporarily to her male counterparts, I had fun with this chapter. I found it pretty easy slipping into the personality of Raphael and emphasizing his conflict, both internal and external. And the scene that played out in this chapter was inspired by a scene of a nearly identical nature from a TV show I watched. Bonus points go to anyone who can guess the series, the episode, and the scene it came from. I felt it a brilliant way to settle a conflict between the two brothers. Anyway, this is likely to be the last time Venus is not featured. Once she appears again, it's for keeps. Just remember, this is going to be a long story. And I fleshed out the plot well in advance so this one will take some time to complete. I hope you enjoy this one as well as the others.


Chapter III: Conflict

Raphael was training in an obstacle course using the simulated environment to hone his agility and acrobatic moves while attacking strategically placed targets. He seemed to be enjoying this room and all of its features. There were some heavily padded dummies that were placed around the course for him to practice his weapons on. He ran at a wall, used his momentum to run up it and backflip off it. A lot was going through his mind and he wanted to take out that aggression. He had fought against many enemies and triumphed against foes that had superior strength and even speed. His experience made those victories possible. All that seemed meaningless when he thought about how Venus totally overpowered him. He thought he could've beaten her, but she displayed abilities he had never seen before. Among them were shadow manipulation and clinging to walls like freaking Spider-Man! Raphael had a grasp on the chi energy that flowed through all life-forms, but he never learned how to manipulate it. He wanted to find a way to counter a chi user. And his best bet was intense focus and speed. He started wailing on one of the dummies with hard punches and roundhouse kicks. He demonstrated his moves with expert skill.

He saw the doors open out of the corner of his eyes, but continued his training. Leonardo stood there a moment, felt like perhaps maybe Raphael was venting in here, and decided to turn around and leave.

"Where are you going?" Raphael suddenly asked.

"Splinter told us about what happened. I came here to train with you, but you look like you want to be alone," Leonardo said.

"Not at all." Raphael said as he finally stopped what he was doing.

"In fact, I wouldn't mind a sparring partner," Raphael offered.

Leonardo eyed Raphael suspiciously. It wasn't like him to welcome company when he was training intensively. And given the recent circumstances, there was no question that this was one of those cases. Still...

"Are you game?" Raphael asked, noticing Leonardo's hesitation.

Leonardo walked in. "Anytime."

Raphael made his way to the small arena in the corner of the room, followed by Leonardo. When they were in position, they bowed to each other.

"Which fighting method do you prefer?" Leonardo asked.

Raphael puts his fists up. "Hand to hand combat."

Leonardo puts his fists up and assumed a defensive posture. Leonardo threw a jab, but Raphael deflected it.

"Nice forearm block," Leonardo said.

Raphael swung next, but Leonardo also deflected it. "Nice backfist. Show me a combo attack."

Raphael launched a series of punches aimed at Leonardo's midsection, but Leonardo's speed was enough to block each hit and counter with a takedown.

"You need to be faster with those combinations," Leonardo said as Raphael got up, clearly pissed.

"You're improving though," Leonardo said.

Raphael resumed his attack stance and started with a leg sweep, which Leonardo blocked; blocked a forearm strike from Leonardo, and hit him with a hard right to the jaw.

"You need to keep that left up, Leo." Raphael said in a mocking tone.

Leonardo brushed his hand over his mouth and pulled it away to see a bit of blood on it. That was a cheap shot if he ever saw one. But he wasn't going to back down now. He went at Raphael with another series of lefts and rights at different angles, but Raphael parried them all, landed a jab to Leonardo's midsection.

"You're improving though." Raphael said, clearly trying to push Leonardo's buttons.

Leonardo struggled to control his anger as he went into a full combination of punches and kicks. But Raphael blocked them, caught Leonardo by his wrist, and used a takedown maneuver to pin him to the floor stomach first.

"You see, you were looking at my hands and feet. But you should've been looking in my eyes!" Raphael said threateningly.

He let go as Leonardo got up. He knew what was going on here and he didn't like it one bit.

"Alright Raphael," Leonardo said with determination.

"Leonardo," Raphael retorted.

Leonardo performed a thrusting kick at two levels, but Raphael dodged them. He then upped his speed as he threw a faster series of jabs and seized his opening and twisted Raphael's arm, and leg-swept him off his feet, pushing him down on the floor on his back. He pushed down on him hard enough to pin his head to the floor.

"Tell me something!" Leonardo said angrily.
 
"What?!" Raphael asked.

"Why are you being this selfish!?" Leonardo asked.

Raphael swung his legs around Leonardo's head and used his own momentum to throw Leonardo off him. Both quickly sprung to their feet.

"What the hell are you talking about?!" Raphael asked defensively.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! It's Venus! You meet her first, in battle no less, and you think you are solely entitled to her?!" Leonardo said.

"What, are you jealous?" Raphael retorted.

"No! You're being selfish! Have you ever considered that she may not be into you?!" Leonardo asked, knowing that he was appearing jealous in spite of the fact.

"Oh you just can't stand the fact that I have more fun than you, and all you do is play monk with all that strict code-of- honor bullshit!" Raphael grilled.

Raphael went for a lower shot to Leonardo's midsection, but he deflected it and connected with a palm thrust right at Raphael's face, causing him to stagger back.

Raphael tried a forearm shot, but Leonardo blocked it and countered with one of his own that connected. He then followed with a quick thrust kick, making Raphael stagger back again.

"Now you're just talking out of your ass! You see I have no problems having fun as you put it!" Leonardo said, clearly pissed.

Leonardo landed a roundhouse kick to the side of Raphael's head before he could recover from that last hit, this one knocking him off his feet to the floor. A trickle of blood streamed down the side of Raphael's face where he was hit.

"You think the world owes you for your lonely existence? Well I got news for you pal, you aren't the only mutant turtle in this world!" Leonardo said.

Leonardo began to walk out. "Nice sparring with you."

He was entering the hallway when: "LEO!!"

Leonardo turned around to Raphael diving at him, tackling him to the floor. Raphael backfisted Leonardo before he could recover. Michelangelo and Donatello were just finishing their breakfast when they heard the ruckus. Raphael got up and saw them approaching. He wasn't done yet.

"Stay out of this you two!" Raphael said as he turned around to a fist to the face. Leonardo swung at him again, but Raphael blocked it and grabbed him by the waist and twisted his body to propel Leonardo over him to the floor again. Both got up and went into a grapple, trying to overpower the other. Raphael slid his arms between Leonardo's and got an uppercut in, karate chopped him in the abs, wrapped his arms around one of Leonardo's shoulders and his head, and flipped him over to the floor on his back. Raphael got up while Leonardo laid there momentarily stunned.

"What the heck kind of move was that?" Leonardo asked.

"It's a move I picked up from watching wrestling," Raphael indulged.

Leonardo silently nodded in understanding as he got back to his feet. Both again assumed attack postures when...

"ENOUGH!" called the loud and angry voice of I Chung. They were surprised that it wasn't Splinter snapping at them. Nevertheless, he too was standing at the end of the hall, clearly not happy with what he was seeing.

"There are things I will not tolerate in my home! While I don't mind sparring between two guests working out in the training hall, to let it get out of control like this is unacceptable! This is not the type of behavior I would've expected from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles I've heard many great things about!" I Chung yelled.

He took a moment to calm himself down. "Look. I don't know what issues you have between each other, but you better settle them right now!"

Rapahel and Leonardo looked at each other. Both looked pretty beaten up.

I Chung was suddenly in their faces. "SETTLE IT! OR GET OUT!!"

Both were feeling pretty small right now. I Chung's words seemed to make them realize just how petty they were acting. And having never had this kind of fierce scolding from Splinter had them at full attention.

"There's no problem," Raphael said.

"It's settled sir," Leonardo confirmed.

I Chung glared at them a couple more seconds, then finally walked away. Raphael and Leonardo stood there, still reeling from I Chung's sudden fierceness. Michelangelo and Donatello saw Splinter walk towards them and knew they should be somewhere else.

"I think I'll go in and train. Coming Donatello?" Michelangelo asked.

"I'm right behind you," Donatello said as they quietly disappeared behind the doors.

It was just Raphael, Leonardo, and Splinter now. Splinter walked up to them.

"Master Splinter, I..." Leonardo began to say.

"Just relax. I'm not going to start yelling. It's really not my style. Besides, I think I Chung did enough of that. I just wanted to say that I might have expected this from Raphael. But from you, Leonardo? It's not like you to let yourself lose control like this," Splinter calmly reprimanded.

Both turtles had looks of exhaustion now; from both the sparring and the verbal assault I Chung had given them.

Splinter looked them over, as if trying to probe their thoughts. And it seemed like he could when his expression changed.

"This is about Venus, isn't it?" Splinter asked.

Before either tried to anything, Splinter put up a hand to stop them. "Look, I know you better than you think. I know that you both desire her. She's a female mutant turtle and, as such, she is the key to real happiness, right? But... even if she is interested in love, you must consider who she'll be in love with. I was afraid that knowledge of her existence might drive a wedge between you. I almost didn't go through with bringing you here. But you're both young adults now and hardly teens anymore. Please you two. I know it's possible for you to both pursue Venus. Just understand that whomever she desires to be with, the other must accept her choice. Remember this, a man doesn't choose a woman, the woman always chooses the man. Please don't let desire drive you apart."

Raphael and Leonardo looked at each other again. At last, there was no look of resentment in their eyes. Raphael offered his hand. "May the best turtle score."

Leonardo let out a small chuckle at his comment, then took Raphael's hand and shook it. "Yes."

Splinter held his face in his hand as he sighed. "I swear you two are reprehensible. Alright, you two better get something for those cuts. If you feel up to it, I want you to go back in the training hall to work out. We have a big evening tonight."

To Be Continued...