[Rue has left a beautiful wrapped package behind, complete with a disembodied lute playing that will play anytime Raph touches the box. It's basically one of those annoying musical cards that only play when you open them, just more ~magical~.
But inside that package is exactly the clothes that Raph has asked for, two pairs of very fun and trendy Athleisure sets. And beneath that is a varsity jacket that will fit just so around his spikes, in red and with his name across the back, that will match the same ones given to his brothers and Peter and Casey.
[There's no time to waste. Regardless of Raph's notification settings on his Relic, this text will arrive with a loud alarm sound that won't silence until Raphael opens and reads it.]
Come downstairs to Casey's apartment NOW. Leo's very hurt.
[Somewhere somehow there is a knock on Raphael's bedroom door in his apartment. Waiting there is a wrapped package with a note that just says SLEEP BETTER with Raph's sleep retainer inside.]
[Bro it's CHRISTMAS. That means big package for Raph delivered to his doorstep (along with Donnie's but they're separate). Inside Raph's package is: boxing gloves and a handmade stuffed bear.]
[Whether they exchange gifts at the party or Peter leaves it on Raph's doorstep. The oldest of the turtle brothers will receive a carefully wrapped box.
Within is a little Stuffed friend. Peter made the stuffed round cat big enough for Raph to squeeze it comfortably.
The stitching is shaky in certain places, but grows stronger as Peter figured out what he was doing.]
[Raph's gift wrap is glittering gold stars on a pink background, with a gold bow the size of his head.
Inside, on the very top of everything, is a personalized invitation for Raph to come back to Rue and Hob's cottage that evening for a Christmas Jammies Slumber Party with the rest of the family, which is advertised as being an evening of hot cocoa, cuddling, holiday movies all while cozy in pajamas and blankets.
So of course, beneath the invitation, is a pair of Christmas-themed footie pajamas in Raph's size. Later in the evening, when he sees the other members of their family opening their gifts, he'll realize that every son (and Hob) have been gifted the same matching pajamas for the party.
And under that, is a hoodie in the shape and color of Blastoise, complete with little cat-like ears on the hood and a pointed blue tail peeking out the back.
After that, there is a card:]
My dearest, most incredible Raphael, Happy holidays to the most gentle and tenderhearted young man I know. I hope you know how deeply proud I am to know you and how much you've touched my life in these last five months we've spent together. It has felt like a dream forming this silly little family we've all created together. It is the single happiest thing to ever happen in all of my thousands of years of living. We are still learning about one another and how we may coexist together circling all of these wild younger boys at once. But my darling, I want to be very transparent with you: One day I hope you may see me as a parental figure to you. Not as a replacement, just an addition to the already wonderful father you have. Nothing would make me prouder than to call you my son. But know I love you either way, even if you never arrive to such a place. My adoration of you is unconditional. Make mistakes, take chances, be silly, be imperfect, trust yourself, and always follow your beautiful heart. Here's to the first year of many together. I love you endlessly. Affectionately yours, Rue
[Raph will find a fondly wrapped present for him from Hob on Christmas morning, whether by his side when he wakes after the slumber party at Rue's or delivered to his doorstep.]
If they can't teach you, you show them! [ Expose the seedy underbelly of, checks notes, mostly a society of people who didn't choose to be here just trying to get by while insane stuff happens. Hmm.
No, no, he's standing firm. The only reason it isn't clear what needs exposing is that there hasn't been a very talented and fearless cub reporter on the job. This place should be so lucky. ]
Yeah? I got here when it was summer, so it wasn't too crazy for me. [ Minimally crazy, all things considered. ] If it helps, I think these only started showin' up like. Yesterday.
[Some time in early Feb Raph will come home to find a cute black and white goat plushie sitting on the threshold of his bedroom with a little red scarf wrapped round its neck and a note attached that just has a smiley face on it]
[ If Raph had a nickel for every time he got a gift from an unknown sender with a vaguely ominous note in this place......
This does not stop him from keeping the world's cutest goat plushie, of course. He doesn't care if there's a bomb in this thing. It's his now and he's gonna name it Domino and it gets to live on his bed in comfort. 10/10. ]
[ Nailed it, no notes, Mind Raph would've told him if there were notes (Mind Raph is in the Family Guy death pose for enrichment).
Peter's probably exploring his identity and thinking about if he wants to help fight crimes with them back in New York. The parenting forums always say it's important to be supportive. ]
The day Raph has a fluffy animal pawing at the glass of his window to be let in and he doesn't make a beeline for it is the day all hope is lost. Sure, odds are this is someone's pet on the wrong floor or something and he's probably gonna scare it off on accident. But... what if... that doesn't happen this time.
This turtle is in full babying mode before he's even got the window fully opened. ]
Awwwww, what's wrong, little guy? You get stuck? You need big Raphie to take your family to school about lettin' you run around outside?
[ They will never recover. On his word as a hero. ]
[The morning after Leo's procedure, upon the first time [NAME] opens [HIS/HER/THEIR] relic, Donatello's voice rings out loud and obnoxiously clear.]
Salutations, friend-and-or-family-and-or-undefined-loved-one. If you are in receipt of this message, that means I didn't deactivate my CARPET BOMB: LOVE EDITION protocol last night which means I am probably in some kind of mystic coma.
I am fine. I'm not going to die, I'm not going to waste away, and eventually I'll wake up. I've run a lot of tests and diagnostics and, as everyone knows, I am perfect and so is my research. Thank you. I'm pretty sure it'll act almost like brumation; my metabolism should nearly shut down and my breaths will be more spaced out. My heartbeat might be, likewise, alarmingly slow. It's normal for most turtle species, it is expected, and it is safe.
You may perform mild stimuli tests while I'm out. I'm very curious. Record any tests please, I want to observe when I wake up.
Leo, if you have any questions about your arm, consult the manual. Casey Junior, if Leo seems like he doesn't understand something about his arm because he cannot or will not read the manual, please educate him based one what you read in the manual, I know you have, or will.
Raph, this is not your fault, also I didn't tell you because I didn't feel like it. I hope you didn't have to break Draxum's neck.
Draxum, if your neck isn't broken, thanks for the assist.
April, if Draxum's neck is broken then a) he deserved it, and b) sorry. Please keep an eye on my brothers, they are hopeless without me around. Tech troubleshooting manuals are on my Relic, the usual password for our shared stuff.
Rue, please make sure Leo doesn't have nerve pain before using any healing sing-song what's-it on Leo's surgical wounds. Also get the stitches out first. Unless your magic....eats those, or whatever, I don't know. Check with Casey, Draxum, or the manual for how to test for nerve pain.
Everyone else, relax. See you soon.
Or not soon, honestly I'm not sure. But see you, it'll be fine, do not be mean to me when I wake up. I would appreciate a light-sauce italian meatball sub when I come to.
voicemail; 12:02am, 3/1 (plays immediately after 12:01 message without prompting)
[ A thing about Raph is that he's, like. Only tangentially sort of aware of the fact that they even got new neighbors, and that awareness stems from April mentioning it, probably. Between keeping weird hours and stuff getting all wild during trials and whoever lives over there apparently being really chill, he hasn't really wound up making time to do a whole introductions thing.
And, well, he's kinda wary about his first impressions capacity given the whole giant spiky turtle situation. Can't look a gift horse in the mouth about people (person singular???? he has no idea) who haven't done a noise complaint yet, considering the household they share a wall with.
So go ahead and put "comes into building and there's someone he doesn't know in the hallway" on the list of things Raph was not really expecting today. Maybe he should've introduced himself... what if this is... an Interloper. ]
[ Meanwhile, Rin is just about to leave the house so she can do some exploring, but she's barely out of her apartment when suddenly, she has company in the hallway.
Very green, very big company. She has to crane her neck a little to look up at the stranger, and she can't help herself from swallowing a little.
But upon closer inspection, she sees that this stranger's chest appears to be some sort of carapace. Must be one of those turtle-people April told her about. So he's got to be nice, right? Even if he is a bit imposing.
[Since Donnie's awakening, Rue's been over to the apartment almost every single day, and when they visit, they bring all of the apartment residents adorable fruit for all of them to enjoy.]
[ This is what he gets for being somewhere with a door to kick, whatever that constitutes in the current community idk.
HIGH PITCHED NOISE OF FEAR I mean VERY BRAVE WARRIOR'S CRY--
Because it's family and not An Enemy doing this, Raph opts out of both fight and flight in favor of just like, trying to half-hide behind a regular table. ]
[ First things first, Raph is adding a lil ping for Rue. Like, everyone gets an invite but Rue gets a specific and official ping. It's very important that they are in the chat right now, specifically. ]
POINT OF ORDER: rue can you get to my place ASAP please? something's up with april and we want a set of eyes on her that knows magic stuff just in case there's a way to help
ISSUE 2: guys we might be looking at an emergency situation here, sound off for a team meeting. something's wrong with april and she thinks it's donnie related. have we heard from him and/or seen him running around like a blurry cryptid today at ALL? time is of the essence, search party pending, working on our approach, etc. and i mean i guess if any of you non-rues know anything about magic or weird curses or something now would be a good time to also sound off
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