"Mission T.M.N.T"

Chapter 5

"Another morning."

Ravage looked at his refection in the mirror.

The turtle looking back at him with golden cat-like slits, emerald skin and slightly sticking out canines, looked unmistakably miserable in his 'Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters' uniform that he got after his older brother Pietro.

Somehow the young mutant managed to squeeze his enormous shell into the t-shirt obviously meant for skinny young normal boys and not clearly overgrown ten-year-old reptile mutants.

The trousers posed less of a problem since his dad was forced to hire (AKA kidnap and threaten) a tailor, because no pair they had were made with a turtle shell in mind.

Growling he began tugging at his red tie again. The blasted thing was out to choke him he was sure of it! He sighted when all it did was make it even more unbearable and allowed his clawed hand to fall to his side.

Well… Ravage though, glaring at the piece of cloth tied around his neck. At least it's not pink like Wanda's. He shuddered remembering the nearly neon color of his sisters uniform, knowing that it could have just as well been his this year, since Pietro was very adamant on not passing his down to his younger brother. He was just lucky his shell was too large for it to fit and Quicksilver had no choice but to give him the old uniform.

Though that clearly didn't win Ravage any points with his older brother. The silver haired teen has been giving him dirty looks ever since the transaction was made, and it wasn't like before their relationship was all stars and rainbows.

Pietro had a grudge against his adopted sibling ever since the incident in the lake, the fact that Magneto named Ravage his successor as leader of Genosia when the turtle turned ten a few months ago only solidified the elder twin's hatred for him.

A quiet knock to the door broke the mutant's train of thought.

"Ravi?" A young female voice asked from the other side. "You in there, baby bro?"

Ravage smiled.

At least he has Vanda on his side.

Pietro's twin couldn't be a better older sister if she tried. Sick of being her big brother's sidekick, she always wanted to have someone she could be a role model AND a motherly figure to.

That very dream came true that faithful day Ravage was found, dandling from Sabretooth's finger.

From that moment on Vanda never let him out of her sight.

She looked after him when he was first found, taught him how to speak, played video games with him even though she was absolutely terrible at them, comforted him when the eldest sibling decided to bully him, and never took Pietro's side when he and Ravage were arguing.

Though his arrival destroyed her and Quicksilver's relationship, the young turtle mutant couldn't help but be a bit selfish and secretly rejoice at having his sister all to himself most of the time.

"Yes, sis!" He called back. "I'm trying to stop this murder weapon on my neck from claiming another victim!" After a minute of tugging at the unresponsive tie he called out again. "I think, I'm losing, sis…and losing badly!"

A soft laugh could be heard behind the wooden barrier.

"Aww…poor Ravi." Vanda cooed. "Do you want me to come and save you from the treacherous torture devise?"

"Well…" He sent another glare the tie's way. "If you wouldn't mind..." The mutant then walked up to the door and unlocked it, allowing the teenage girl with long dark brown hair and bright green eyes inside.

Vanda smiled down at him and placed her hands on her hips. She's about two heads taller than him right now but, at the rate he's been growing lately, this is going to change quite soon.

"Now…" She started. "Show me this inferior cloth that is trying to strangle my dear little brother." Vanda demanded mock-threateningly, glaring at the red tie on Ravage's neck. "So that I may put it back in its place."

The turtle mutant grinned and poked at the thing in question.

"Here it is, Vee." He stated grinning. Only with her he can be the ten year old he's supposed to be. Around others…he has to be his father's son through and through.

"So it is." The elder sister agreed, nodding her head. "Well then…allow me to fix it."

A ray of red magic came from between her fingers, going slowly up the young turtle's broad plastron and finally reaching the heart of the problem. Gently, as if the cloth was moved around by wind alone, the tie was placed comfortably against Ravage's green neck.

"There." Vanda said, satisfied with her work. "All better."

"That's, Vee." Ravage grinned up at her. "You're a life saver."

"Don't mention it, lil'bro." She winked and rubbed the top of his head. "Are you nervous about today? It's your first day of school, after all…Nobody would blame you if you got cold feet, you know."

Ravage gasped in mock-shock, acting as if the suggestion alone offended him greatly.

"Cold Feet? As in Me? No! Of course not!" He waved his hands in front of him in denial. "I'm fine, really! Never better."

Vanda looked at him through narrowed eyelids, clearly she did not believe him.

"Are you sure?" She asked, her voice concerned. "I know dad placed a lot of pressure on you by naming you his soul heir to the throne and you have to live up to that title by acting tough to earn the respect of your future subjects, but…You know you don't have to pretend around me, Ravi." Her voice was sincere and soft as she spoke. "I won't tell father you got a little spooked at the concept of meeting other mutants."

Seeing the unspoken promise in her eyes, Ravage swallowed.

"Well…to be completely honest with you, Vee." He fiddled with his three large fingers. "I am a bit…nervous about today. I mean…what if they don't like me? What if I'm the only big turtle monster there and they start hating me for it?" It was enough that his older brother already rejected and hated him, he didn't need a whole school following in Pietro's footsteps. "What if Pietro spreads rumors about me and I get bullied?"

Vanda's eyes softened hearing the uncertainty in the young mutant's voice.

"Aww…don't worry, Ravi dear." She cooed giving her little sibling a hug. "Everyone is unique in that school, you'll definitely have to try hard to be noticed among all the other strange mutants. Especially with three other turtle mutants just like you, in the same class."

"Wait what?" The turtle looked up startled. Nobody ever told him there was more of his kind out there.

"Oh yes, didn't dad tell you?" Vanda smiled at the spark that shined in those beautiful amber slits. "Three students in your class bearing the names Benjamin Rogers, Eden Banner and Tony Stark Junior are also giant mutant turtles."

Ravage couldn't believe his ears.

"R-Really?" He asked unsure though his mouth was already stretching into a smile.

"Didn't think that was possible did you, Ravi?" Vanda grinned. "Turns out you're not so original after all."

"I-I guess so…" He stuttered, his brain trying to absorb the given information. "But wait, they all have different surnames…they're not brothers?"

"Apparently no." Vanda shrugged. "They have been found and raised respectfully by Earths Mightiest heroes."

Ravage sighted.

"A group which also happens to be one of dad's greatest adversaries." He whispered, sighting.

So much for befriending them, he supposed.

If any of those other turtles are going to grow up following their father's footsteps, like Ravage was groomed to, they were bound to meet on the battlefield one day.

Only not as friends, but as enemies.

A hand under his chin stopped that train of thought.

"Now, now Ravi, don't go worrying about the future just yet, you'll have plenty of time for that after dad's retirement." Vanda smiled at him. "For now, let father worry about his enemies and battles, and just try to have fun today, okay?"

He looked up at her with a small smile.

"Okay, sis."

Vanda then smiled and kissed his forehead.

"That's my boy." He rubbed his head again. "Now remember what Creed told you yesterday: In the school papers 'Ravage' is your codename, while your actual name is Redford Lehnsherr. Not many people know that's dad's actual surname so you shouldn't have any problems because of it."

Ravage rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah I remember, don't worry about it." He waved her concerns away before looking at her with a concerned look on his face. "Though…why Redford?"

"Because you like the color red, duh." Vanda laughed. "And dad really liked the sound of it, so it stayed."

Ravage rolled his eyes and was about to leave the bathroom, when he suddenly looked back at his sister after noticing that she isn't following him out.

"You…aren't going to drive me to school?"

Vanda threw a towel at him.

"I don't have school until two p.m. today, buster." She giggled. "I'm afraid you're going to have to take the bus."

Ravage's eyes widened in terror so much his slits nearly became circles.

"Aww shi-" He muttered before dashing downstairs in speeds no turtle, mutant or otherwise, should be able to achieve.

"Hey! Watch your language, brat!" Pietro called from the downstairs Livingroom.

A faint 'sorry' could be heard along with a loud shutting of the front door.

AN: Hey! Hey look! Chappy!