ahem
magic au
AX
I was like, uh, why you looking at me like that-
A: fire, flames, or excessive heat
X: a flash of anger
Ah, yes. Let the Raph angst ensue.
- - - - - - minific under cut, tw warning may include uhm Anger, fire, canon-compliant swearing, Japanese (which may or may not be accurate) written in romanji, feelings, hurt and comfort. You've been warned. Proceed. ------
Shredder had pushed Leo back, and Raph caught her.
“Foolish turtles…” Oroku Saki stood up from his throne, his chromium armour making mechanical hissing noises, revealing mechanical wings and a sharp whip-like tail.
“Woah!”
“ew.”
“what the sewer cakes…?”
Mikey, Raph, and Leo all exclaimed at the same time.
“Cool!” Donnie grinned excitedly, earning a glare from his siblings. He held his bō with both hands and laughed sheepishly at them.
“I’ll get him!” Mikey exclaimed, throwing seeds at Shredder, his markings glowed orange as the plants grew rapidly, becoming thorny tendrils that wrapped around Shredder. He struggled against them, Mikey focused on holding him and yelled at Donnie, “Donnie, do your thing!”
“wha- My powers could level the whole block! Oh wait!” Don clicked his fingers and his markings glowed purple, “Super strength!” he yelled while running at Shredder.
“Wait—” Leo started, interrupted by Donnie's yelp as Shredder broke free of the plants and caught Donnie mid-air. they’re thrown back and Raph feels his blood boil as anger flashed in his eyes, glaring at Shredder and spinning his sais in his hands. He doesn't notice the fire building up in his hands until he jumps up and descends on Shredder, flames rolling out of his sais and roaring through half of the penthouse as Raph roared with equal furiosity. In the same moment the glass around the building shatters, boiling water bursting out of the indoor water tank. The water pools at their feet as the flames fade and Raph and Shredder stumble away from each other. The armour is remarkably unscathed, even from Raph’s sais.
“Oh come on!” Donnie exclaims, getting up from where he had fallen earlier.
“We need to get out of here,” Leo said, pulling on Raph’s shoulder, snapping Raph out of his stupor.
Raph followed his siblings home on autopilot, his mind replaying and replaying and replaying the moment fire surged from his hands. His hands. Fire. The rage he felt actualised.
He hadn't even felt it.
Back home Raph just stood in the old subway entrance, scratching his fishnet gloves subconsciously.
“What happened, my children?”
Raph barely heard Splinter or his siblings as they explained what had occurred. Splinter dismissed Leo, Mikey, and Donnie and they went to nurse their wounds. Raph watched them go to the kitchen, jumping when Splinter’s hand rested on his shoulder. Raph looked up at him.
“What is on your mind?” Splinter asked softly.
“It—” Raph choked up, “it's just my powers!” He looked at Splinter and gesticulated, his palms up.
“hm?” Splinter hummed, encouraging Raph to continue.
“It's just, so…destructive. I want to think it's cool, I know how cool it is, I-” Raph stopped abruptly as his voice broke and his eyes misted, “ugh, what's wrong with me?!” he made a disgusted look and looked up, trying not to cry.
“Nothing is wrong with you Raphael,” Splinter said, “you are scared. That's normal, and important.” Splinter kneels to Raph's level. “You are so brave, my child.”
Raph sobbed and Splinter pulled him into a hug, letting Raph cry over his shoulder.
“And it's important to cry. Crying actually releases endorphins—”
“Did Donnie tell you that?” Raph said, cracking a smile despite the tears running down his face.
“Hm,” Splinter grumbled, and after a moment they parted and Raph wiped tears off his face, looking embarrassed at the ground.
“Remember what I told you when you were scared of the bugs, when you were younger?”
“Kore wa… uh” Raph scratched his head.
“Nanimo—” Splinter started, joined by Raph a moment later, “imi shinai.”
“But this isn't bugs. Or monsters under the bed. It's…” Raph gestured vaguely.
Splinter nodded, stroking his beard a few times before replying, “fear is an important reminder Raphael, your mind knows you're in danger, and you must tell your mind: ‘yes, I am in danger, but I am in control.’”
Raph sighed and nodded, “hai, sensei.”
Splinter stood up and rested his hand on Raph’s head momentarily.
“Now, go talk to your siblings.”
“But—”
“They know more about this magic than I do. Talk to them.”
Raph looked towards the kitchen, hearing Mikey’s excited cries. Raph smiled and wiped his tears, moving towards them.
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I wasn't going to include the last part with splinter but my brother said it was important. so you can blame him for that.