Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT
A/N: This is a cutesy story, and is also my first one featuring Mike as the main character. It's also my first featuring the TMNT as turtle tots. I hope that you enjoy it.
Pain.
Merciless, unending pain.
It grinds it's way deep into your soul, slowly eating away at your insides. I sit there, trying to bear it all, it is like a massive cross weighing me down. My knees tremble at the weight.
Sensei talks about pain sometimes. It is something that we, as future ninja are destined to come across, and when we do we are expected to deal with it or face potential death. He talks about these sometimes, about how we don't know how we'll do in a battle. We might become injured. And if we succomb to that injury, if we let it take over our thoughts, then we will be at our opponents mercy.
A tear squeezes out my eye and a knot forms in my throat. I clamp my jaw and sniff, trying to banish away the tears. Leo says that it's a sign of weakness. I cried the day before yesterday when I fell.
Raph called me a pussy.
I didn't know what it means but Raph sure got into trouble from Splinter because of it. I don't know why Splinter wouldn't tell us what it meant.
He told me that I should not let the pain get to my head like that. Because, he said, no matter how intense pain is temporary and I will get better. He said that pain is something to be triumphed over, something to challenge.
I kinda lost track of what he said about then, because Leo started playing video games.
The Silver Sentry never cries because of pain. He takes it like the hero he is and flies in to save the day!
Yet, I can't help it. The tear makes it past my bandana and rolls down my cheek. I sniff again.
I can hear Raph snickering at me. I squeeze my eyes shut, trying to block it out. He can be so mean sometimes!
There's Leo, telling me to just be patient, that the pain will go away soon. How can he be so calm! So focused! I just don't understand it! Then again, it's really easy for him to say those kind of things when he's sitting there, happy as a clam! He doesn't know everything!
I huff my breath and cross my arms. I can do anything he can do! I'm not just a baby! Why does everyone think that I'm a baby! I'm not!
Once again the pain attacks my stomach. I lean over and grasp it. A moan escapes my lips. The pain rolls upward to my heart and my limbs. I feel weak. Why do I feel weak! Does all pain do this to you! I can't stand it!
I bite my bottom lip to keep from sobbing as the knot in my throat gets bigger. Tighter. Now that hurts too! Who knew that holding in tears would hurt so much! They're just salty water, right?
But it is nothing compared to my other pain. The pain that is keeping me doubled over in agony right now. I clutch at my sides even tighter and let out a loose shiver. I don't know if I can make it...
Is this what a ninja deals with on a daily basis? How can they stand it! More importantly, how can they keep on fighting through such unbearable pain! I can hardly sit without toppling over!
Briefly I wonder if I can do it. Can I do all that Master Splinter says is required of a true ninja? Right now I sure don't think so. I really don't know if I'm up for the cut at all...
I wish Silver Sentry were here. He'd know what to do for sure! I've seen him do it! He crashes into walls and gets things dropped on him and gets shot at and yet he still comes at the bad guy, ready to kick some tail! He's on the TV and the chronicle of all superheroes, the comic books! If he can make it in comics, surely he can easily get through this!
The pain rolls up and around my insides once more. It's like there's a rat (not Master Splinter) running around in there, ripping and tearing...I see his beady little red eyes, his sharp, little glistening white teeth. His wormy tail, his scruffy fur, his sharp, pointy, curved little claws! He's going to eat me from the inside out!
eeek!
With a panicked start I hurriedly look down. Frantically I search around with my hands, looking for the entry point. Finding none I temporarily relax. Good. No rat. Maybe it was just my imagination.
I didn't know I could do that.
I glare at my brothers. They're just sitting around, talking, completely ignoring the unbearing agony that I'm in! Some brothers they are! This is worse than the time that Don hit his finger with a hammer, or the time after that, or the time after that...Worse than when Raph ran into the wall after missing an attack on Leo! And his nose was bleeding! It's worse than the time that Leo tried to operate the microwave for the first time and ended up burning his hand on the fork that he left in there! This is much much much worse! Yet, despite the fact that after I was done laughing at them I helped them out, they forgot! None of them is lifting a finger to help me!
Some brothers they are! Can't live with them, can easily live without them!
The pain inside me kicks at my inside squishy stuff again and I grimace. I don't know how much longer I can stand it!
Then I realize that it really is that simple. I can't stand it! Surely Master Splinter will understand! He always seems to be so patient when it comes to me!
Doubling over even tighter with another bout of pain I scream out for him. My Master, my father. I want my daddy!
"MASTER SPLINTER! PLEASE, I BEG OF YOU! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER! I'M GOING TO WITHER AWAY AND DIE, THEN YOU'LL MISS ME! PLEASE, PLEASE PLEASE! HELP ME TO END MY SUFFERING! MY INCREDIBLE PAIN! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANY LONGER! I CAN'T, I CAN'T! PLEASE HELP ME! PLEEEEEEEEEEEASE!"
Immediately my brothers raise up protest. Heartless fiends! Don't they care that I'm in agony here! And they call themselves my brothers!
"Michelangelo! Stop this yelling at once! I told you 11 times, I'll be there soon! You need to learn to pay more attention, my son..."
My heart sank. He didn't care either. I couldn't believe it. My lower lip started to tremble and tears formed in my eyes. My vision became blurry.
"Aw, cut it out! It's not that bad! Wuss."
I stick my tongue out at Raph and think. Where can I go? Somewhere where they'll care! Maybe they'll miss me when I'm gone, yeah, that's it! Maybe they'll miss me..."
My heart stops and my face splits with a smile as the plate full of steaming food is placed before me by Sensei. FOOD!
My pain troubles are over!
Immediately I start shoveling it in and close my eyes in rapture as the delicious food sooths my aching stomach. To think that it's been 3 whole hours since I've last eaten!
"Thank you Sensei!" I quipped happily between bites.
He smiles at me. "I told you son, that dinner would be ready in only about 5 minutes! I think that our next lesson will be on patience..."
A/N: Soooooooooo, what do you think? Not bad? Awful? Whatever? Please, do tell! I hope that I sufficiently surprised you at the ending, there! So remember, if you Read it, Review it!
Toodles!