Turtles In The Roaring 20s

Chapter 11: A Misunderstanding

Before Raphael could take a moment to process, there were reporters, paparazzi, and fans crowding him. He noticed that some of the reporters are regulars for The Dojo, always spilling gossip and rumors about his family and his father's club. If news spread in the papers that he was at a club like Galactic Girls, his father will know for sure and his reputation would be destroyed!

Casey and Slash stayed close to their friend as the cameras began to flash, making sure no one got a good shot of Raph. Other reporters began attacking the famous turtle with questions.

"Why are you here at this risqué club tonight, Mr. Hamato?!"

"When will your sister be returning to the stage?!"

"There have been speculations that your family is going bankrupt, care to comment?!"

"Are the recent rumors of your father's association with The Foot Mafia true?!"

Casey and Slash began pushing a few prying reporters and ecstatic fans out of the way, giving Raphael a split second to try and make it through the crowd. In a quick moment of panic, Slash and Casey turn to their friend and yell, "RAPH! RUN!"

And that's what he did.

Thanks to Casey and Slash, Raphael was able to squeeze past the reporters. In a desperate panic, he ran through the crowd and into the alleyway next to the side of the building to escape. Casey and Slash stayed behind, trying to stop the excited crowd from following their friend. Unfortunately, they were only able to give Raphael a few short seconds of a head start before the reporters shoved the two friends out of their way and began their chase.

In the alleyway, Raph saw an entrance into a building and without thinking, quickly went inside. As he entered he found himself in a long hallway filled with clothing racks with sparkly costumes and instrument cases, similar to the backstage hall at The Dojo.

"He went in there!" Raph heard a keen eyed reporter shout out in the alley, calling to his colleagues to join him.

Raphael knew had to hide and fast! He quickly examined his surroundings and spotted another door not too far down the hall. It must be the closet, so without hesitation, Raph ran down the hall and rushed into the room and closed the door quickly behind him and locked it. Leaning close to the door, he heard the reporters entering through the alleyway entrance of the building where he came in. He stayed quiet, listening to the reporters storming the halls on a man hunt, looking for him.

"It's gonna be awhile before they give up looking for me," Raphael thought to himself as he leaned on the door, trying to catch his breath from the tiring chase, "I just need to lay low for-"

"AHHH!" a voice suddenly screams.

Raph, panicky, turned around and was shocked to see a tall lizard girl in the closet with him. She was wrapped in a silky white and blue robe, as she clenched tightly onto the fabric to cover herself up.

"She looks familiar..."

"What the hell are you doing in my room?!" the lizard woman angrily asks, looking at him with her furious yellow eyes.

Raph's eyes quickly looked around the room, finally examining his hiding place. It was a small room with brick walls, definitely tinier than any bedroom or dressing room he has had in the past. Raphael has had bathrooms bigger than this! On one side of the room was a small vanity table filled with makeup, with a rundown lounge sofa on the other, along with a changing diverter in the back and a big clothing rack of glossy show dresses and costumes bedazzled in jewels, sequins, and feathers. That's when Raphael finally put the pieces together. He's not in some storage closet. He's in the dressing room for Mona Lisa, the burlesque dancer he saw perform tonight!