A/N I've read so many stories like this so…ta-da!
Leonardo stared at one of the pictures on the altar in his dojo, his sapphire blue eyes staining his blue mask in wet tears as he sat on his knees on the mat.
On the alter, there were 3 pictures in 3 picture frames; 1 of Hamato Yoshi, Tang Shen and Miwa, 1 of the turtles' whole family when they were 6 years old, and the other of Michelangelo. Leo was staring at the last frame.
It had a picture, yes, but not just a simple photograph. It was one of the portrait paintings that their little brother did when he was about 10 years old. He did a portrait for each of his older brothers, even 1 for his rat sensei. It showed the unique personalities about their family; for Leo, it showed his courage, for Raph, it showed his strength, for Donnie, it showed his intelligence, and lastly, for Splinter, it showed his wisdom.
Mikey did 1 of himself too but he had commented that it showed but mere cuteness and nothing that too amazing yet he was wrong.
To his brothers, the picture showed not just his unmeasurable cuteness but also his enthusiasm and his positiveness on situations, even if it was the darkest. It showed how much he loves to stay happy even if they didn't want it. He was always happy. Always…
" Leonardo-san?" Usagi asked, making him turn suddenly towards the dojo door." Are you alright?"
Leo had almost forgotten that his dear friends from Feudal Japan, Miyamoto Usagi and Kintaro-Sama were in their dimension with Sumo Kuma and Akemi for Jei still lived and was out hunting for them so they had to go the turtles' dimension for help.
Anyway, the blue-masked turtle wiped the tears from his eyes and nodded but the rabbit ronin didn't take that for an answer as he entered the dojo and sat next to the young kappa.
" You do not seem to be alright, my friend," Usagi pointed out." What is the matter?"
Leo sighed." It's…Mikey,"
" Hmm, now that you mentioned it, Leonardo-san, may I ask you a question? Where is Michelangelo-san? I did not see him when we arrived,"
The ninja turtle sighed again and avoided eye contact. The ronin noticed this and became worried.
" Leonardo?"
Leo turned to him with tears at the sides of his eyes then he looked back up at the picture.
" Michelangelo's…dead."
Usagi's eyes widened." What had happened to him?"
The younger creature began to choke in his tears.
" It's a difficult tale to tell…"
" And I am listening, Leonardo, so please, tell me,"
Leo sighed for the 3rd time and began.
" Well, a couple of weeks ago…"
Leo's POV:
It was a peaceful night and me and my brothers went out for our regular night patrol. Things went as normal as things got with me leading them, Raph complaining over my leadership, Donnie telling Raph off, and Mikey nearby, playing around and teasing Raph.
Everything was peaceful since we had no enemies to fight anymore but we still had to make sure the city was alright.
Anyway, we stopped on a roof to look around for any robbers or any other danger.
" Again?!" Raph whined." You kept on telling us that for the past 6 rooftops, Leo!"
" Knock it off, Raph!" Donnie scolded." If Leo's been telling us to look around for the past 6 rooftops then you've been complaining for about 12! You complain 2x as much as Leo stops!"
" Says you! You kept on telling me off billions of times!"
" You need to be told off! You wouldn't shut your mouth!"
The two continued to argued so I groaned and told Mikey to look at one end of the roof so I could look at the other. In a few minutes, our brothers finally stopped and helped us with crime-spotting. After a while, we were about to leave when we heard other creatures hop on the same roof. We turned to see both a male and a female in lab coats, glasses and belts filled with weapons like guns and knives.
Scientists. People who would do anything to dissect or kill us from inside just to know what we are.
" I can't believe it!" the man cried out happily." Mutants are alive! I knew it!"
" We need to capture it!" the woman shouted." And study them to share to the world!"
That was something we couldn't let them do. I needed to keep me and my brothers a secret so that we could be safe.
Donnie's eyes widened as soon as he heard what the two said and looked at us frightfully. Raph gave a nod then took out his sais as our genius brother took out his bow staff and attacked the two humans but they already saw it coming and kicked my younger brothers to the other side of the roof.
" DONNIE! RAPH!" I yelled, running to them with Mikey.
As we tried to make sure they were still alright, I spotted Donnie's mind erasing machine called the Mind Gone or the MG so I grabbed it and ran towards the scientists again.
" No one hurts my brothers!" I cried out as I pointed the MG at them.
I fired it at the woman and it shot a huge sonic boom towards her and she screamed as she went flying backwards.
" NO!" the man shrieked then took out a gun as he glared at me with fiery eyes." YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, MUTANT FREAK!"
I shivered, pointing the GM at him but when I was about to fire, he grabbed his shoe and threw it at my hand. I dropped the device and held my injured hand in pain as I looked up at him in fear. He pulled on the trigger so I placed my hands in front of me to try to block.
" LEO!" my ear lobes could hear my little brother screaming my name.
Suddenly, I heard the gun shot and I knew the man shot the bullet but after he shot it, I also heard the guy scream and fall. I placed down my hands and my eyes widened to see Mikey in front of me with his arms up and one of his hands holding the GM.
" MIKEY!" I shouted when I saw his arms starting to fall.
I caught him as he fell. His eyes looked like he was in pain as I checked him over then I nearly lost my breath when I saw something that I knew caused him to fall.
A bullet.
Shot and buried deep into his plastron and right on top of where his heart was. The hole was filled and spilling out blood.
" MIKEY!" Donnie and Raph ran to us then sat next me, cradling our little brother too.
Mikey looked at them then smiled as he looked back at me.
" Leo, you're safe," he told us in a soft voice." That's great,"
" Don't worry, Mikey," I said." We'll get you back to the lair and heal you up! Promise!"
" Don't need to, dude,"
" No, Mikey!" Raph worriedly cried out, tears visible in his eyes." We'll save you! No bullet's gonna stop us and especially not a small one!"
" Aww! *coughs* Huge and tough Raphie actually cares about me. *coughs* *coughs*"
" Of course I do, Mikey! You're our little brother! We love you!"
" Wow, *coughs* I love you guys too. *coughs* *coughs* *coughs*"
I noticed him coughing a lot and also realized Donnie was checking the injury with a worried face so I turned to him.
" What's wrong, Donnie?" I asked him, my heart beating fast.
" T-The b-bullet…" he stuttered as he shivered."…i-it has p-poison…"
" WHAT?!" Raph overheard and his eyes filled with demand." WHAT DO YOU MEAN THERE'S POISON IN THE BULLET?!"
Don showed the hand on which he used to check Mikey's wound and we both gasped to see it covered in blood mixed with a black liquid.
Poison.
" D-Dudes…*coughs*"
We all turned to see our youngest brother coughing like crazy.
"…i-it's too late," he softly said as his blood started to come out from his mouth." *coughs and wheezes* T-Too late for m-me…*coughs* t-to live…*wheezes*
" No, no, no…" Raph started to really panic, tears flowing down his cheeks." NO, MIKEY! WE ALREADY LOST SENSEI! WE CAN'T LOSE YOU TOO!"
" I-I'm sorry…*coughs* *coughs* f-for being a total m-mess-up all the time…*coughs and wheezes*"
" No, Mikey, we're sorry," Donnie apologized as he cried too." I-I wish that I can heal you up but…but…the poison…it's too much…"
" Besides," I said." y-you aren't a mess-up. Y-You're the best little brother w-we could ever ask for,"
Mikey smiled and used the last of his strength to sit up and give us a great big hug. We hugged back but soon, our eyes widened to feel him weakening his hug.
" Goodbye…"
With that, we heard his last breath then his dead and soulless body laid heavily on us. We all started crying as we hugged him tightly.
That was the night we'd never ever forget. The night we lost our little brother…
Narrator's POV:
"…After we took out the bullet from his plastron, we buried him right next to our father's grave during his funeral," Leo finished." Our friends came to say goodbye and left but me, Raph and Donnie stayed by his grave for 3 weeks before deciding to head back home,"
Usagi sighed sadly, seeing his friend crying as the tale was told so he placed a hand on the kappa's shoulder, making the turtle turn to him with his mask stained in tears.
" I apologize for what happened to your brother, Leonardo," he said in a sympathetic voice.
Leo cried even harder so the rabbit pulled him into a hug, wrapping his arms around the turtle's waist as the said turtle wrapped his around the said rabbit's neck. One of the ronin's shoulder was wet because of the tears but he didn't care.
He wanted to give the young kappa warrior comfort he deserved.
" Hush now," he soothed, rubbing his friend's shell gently." It will be alright. Everything will be alright…"
Leo smiled, feeling the warmth of in the comfort that the rabbit gave him as he began to calm down.
He will miss his little brother but he knew that he couldn't do anything about it anymore. He couldn't turn back the clock that easily.
But at least he knew that there was someone there who understood his current situation. Someone who was there to help.
Someone whom he loved and who loved him back…