If the name seems familiar, then y'all probably recognize this from my comic found on DA. I had planned for quite
some time to get this into words and here it be!

Enjoy ;)


Chapter 1

The lair was dark but with the sounds of dragons growling, orcs yelling and the undeniable sound of Raphael's cursing echoing throughout the brick halls, it was far from quiet. Leo had finished his solo practice training in the weapons room and, as curiosity usually does for a sixteen year old, he came out to see what all the ruckus was about.

"You know, if you use the fire arrows on the ice dragon…"

Raph cut his little brother off short, "Shut-up Mike I got this," his voice was harsh, but Leo could hear the tale-tale tone of sarcasm that Raph always had when he wasn't serious.

As he predicted, Raph and Mikey were sitting on the couch, video games blaring. Apart from the quips from Mikey every now and then, it seemed like Raph was the only one playing, which was incredibly odd. Mikey was "king of video games" and always had to be playing if someone else was regardless of the game. But, as he predicted, when Leo got closer, he noticed that the only turtle with a controller in his hands was Raph. Mikey was lounging on an armrest like he was watching one of Master Splinter's soap operas, bored and barely interested.

"Now this is something you don't see every day," Leo said to himself.

Leo meandered over and plopped down on the back of the couch, "So Raph, you finally win a bet and get dibs?" he asked.

Raph's eyes were focused hard on the game, arms out in front of him as if moving them around would help his dying effort, "Nope…crap…Mike just said…nonono…he didn't feel like…gah…playin'."

"Really?" Leo turned to the youngest, confused.

Mikey didn't react much, "Like he said, I didn't feel like playin' right now. Is that a crime?"

"In your case? Possibly. Are you sure you're okay?"

"Nah, I'm cool," he gave an almost real smile, Leo took note, "Besides, can't let Raph watch all the time, it's bad for his ego."

Though concern ebbed at his mind, Leo couldn't help but give a laugh, "Yeah, guess you're right."

"Oh, hardy har har very funny," Raph glared at them, the GAME OVER screen flashing in front of them.

As if on cue, motion sensors in the tunnels started going off. Motion detected, Brooklyn Tunnel 6, identity confirmed, turtle Donatello.

"Well look who finally got here," Raph said.

The false wall from the garage tunnel, or as Donatello called it "Brooklyn Tunnel 6", opened with a creak and the oh-so-common scent of bread and cheese.

"Hey guys," Donnie said with a quick wave from under four boxes of pizza, "Guess what I picked up from Geno's?"

"Hey Don," Leo said.

"Sup Donnie," Raph waved, "See ya been out driven' that new gizmo o' yours since it ain't delivery."

"No it's Digorno," Don said with a roll of his eyes, "I can't just let it sit around all day. Besides, I had to try out that new exhaust system I put in."

He walked up to the coffee table and set the pizzas down, taking a spot on one the pillows they had piled around it.

"I got two supremes and two meat lovers. And I went by Chin's for Master Splinter."

Raph instantly started opening boxes with greedy fingers, "Sweet, where's the meat lovers?"

Like Leo before him, Donnie took notice of Mikey's lack of interest in the pies, "Hey Mikey? Noticed you haven't jumped on these like a rabid hyena yet. You sick or something?"

Mikey just shrugged, "Not real hungry right now."

His brothers froze. Both Don and Leo's mouths dropped open and Raph nearly choked on his full mouth of pizza. Mikey just raised an eyebrow and ducked his head slightly.

"What?" he said, "Can't a guy not be hungry once in a while? Ya'll look like I just caught on fire."

If Leo wasn't worried before, he was more that worried now. Something wasn't right with Mikey and he could sense the same confusion coming from Don and Raph. He started speaking, but Raph was the first to come out of the moment of shock in pure Raph fashion.

He jammed his finger in Mikey's face, "Okay, now yer scarin' me!"

It seemed like Mikey was about to respond when their sensei's voice echoed behind them.

"Good evening my sons. I heard something about Chin's so I came out to see," he said, warm smile spread across his face.

"Sensei," they responded in unison.

They let him sit and begin eating, but it wasn't long before Splinter saw through the awkward silence.

"All of you seem distracted and uneasy in some way. Is everything alright?" he said, giving each a slow but authoritarian glance over his chopsticks full of noodles.

Raph was the first to chime in, "Mike's the one who's actin' funny. First he didn't wanna play his video games and now he don't want any pizza!"

Leo passed a glance over at Mikey. His brother's glare could have broken glass.

"Is this true Michelangelo?" Splinter asked.

Mikey leaned on his elbow with a curt snort, "Yeah. But I don't see what the big deal's about. It's not like I did anything wrong. They're actin' like I've gone completely crazy or sumthin'!"

Leo walked around the couch and took the spot across from Don. In as calm a voice as he could, he finally opened up about what, he assumed, was on everyone's mind, "It's not that we think you've gone crazy. It's just that you're not acting like your usual self."

"So…" Mikey's fists tightened as nerves were being hit.

Leo gambled, "Well…ever since our last run-in with The Foot, you've been becoming more distant, and it's starting to really worry…"

"WILL ALL OF YOU JUST DROP IT!" Mikey jumped up, screaming at them with an unnatural ice in his voice, "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME SO GET OFF MY SHELL ABOUT IT!"

"I'm goin' to bed. Alla you guys are givin' me a mondo headache," With his family still shocked from his sudden outburst, he turned and stomped to his room, door slamming behind him.