"Raphael! You put that down right now!" Michelangelo shouted as he dove after his younger brother; wrapping his arms around the squealing red-banded turtle and then rolling for a moment. Mikey landed on his carapace and tightened his embrace on Raph as the toddler tried to get away. He sat up and immediately took the Sai away from him. "This is a no-no!"
Raph's eye-ridges creased and he reached to reclaim his weapon. His lip trembled when Mikey wouldn't allow him to get it back. "It's mine!" His voice cracked; he stood on Mikey's lap as he tried grabbing the Sai again. Michelangelo held it up out of Raph's reach. Raph started to jump for it. "G-give it back!"
"You can't play with this!" Mikey said sternly. Raph collapsed back into Mikey's lap as big tears started to rush down his green cheeks. He sniffed a couple of times before starting to wail.
"Leonardo! Give that back!" Donatello shouted over the sobs. He rushed out of his lab; his arms outstretched as he chased Leo who laughed and clung onto the canister of mutagen tighter.
Mikey turned his head and stared at the scene as he rocked the still sobbing Raphael in his arms.
The whack of a sliding door stole Mikey's attention as he spun his head to watch Master Splinter walk out of the dojo; rubbing his temples. "What is all of this ruckus?!" He commanded.
Raph scrambled off of Mikey's lap and raced to the giant rat. He wrapped his arms around Splinter's legs and buried his face in the kimono. "M-Mikey sto-ole my t-t-toy!" His voice was muffled, but still auditable to Splinter's keen ears.
Splinter's fierce gaze immediately went onto Michelangelo who was just now standing up. He rose an eyebrow as Mikey dusted himself up and then held up the Sai limply by one of its points, letting it sway back and forth. "This, I'm pretty sure, Master Splinter, is no toy!" Mikey sent a quick glance towards Raph who still hadn't shown his face from the robes, before looking back at Splinter, "I did it in the outmost concern for him." He declared; crossing his arms.
Master Splinter sighed and bent down to Raph height. "Raphael." He said gently yet sternly. The young turtle peeked up at Splinter through his robs; still sniffing. "We have many other toys that you can play with."
"B-b-ut I want that toy!" He hiccupped; pointing to the Sai Mikey held.
"That is a weapon, not a toy." Splinter stated. "It will hurt you."
Raph blinked and sniffed again. "I want the weapon then."
Splinter shook his head and scooped Raphael into his arms. Raph buried his head in Splinter's shoulder as he tried to stop crying. "Where are Leonardo and Donatello?" He inquired.
Right on cue, the two said turtles walked out of the kitchen. Leo trailing glumly behind a triumphant looking Donatello who held the canister of mutagen. Donatello smiled happily at Splinter. His gaze fell onto Raph and his smile dropped. "What happened?"
Splinter bent back down as Leo raced towards him; scooping him up into his arms. "Donnie's a big meanie." Leo murmured as he placed his head on the opposite shoulder then Raph.
Their father chuckled at the look of shock and anger, before turning and taking the two turtles to his room.
"You can fix them… right Don?" Michelangelo asked; watching his father disappear into his room.
"I'm pretty sure I can. The ray caused the cellular structure to stop building." He stated. "Instead of building, they stopped and took a back track, so to speak. The destructor of their bodies must have been pretty painful… but it was quick." He paused. "I'm still looking over the scans I took, I'm-" He froze and glared at Mikey, "Are you even listening?!"
"That's great Donnie! Just let me know when you're done." Mikey said with a smile before skipping off to Splinter's room.
Donnie growled slightly before sighing and rolling his eyes and walking back to his lab.
Michelangelo gripped the doorframe as he watched his father and two brothers. Splinter hummed quietly as he rocked the two young turtles. Raphael's eyes were already shut; his thumb was stuck in his mouth as he rested comfortably in Splinter's arms. Leonardo's eyes fluttered as he stared at his father's face. Splinter watched them with gently eyes and then begun to sing.
"yuki ga furu
shizuka na lullaby utau awai yokogao
tojikomerareta
chiisana heya wa
ai to yoberu ki ga shite iru
kotoba mo iranakute
omoide ga yawaraide
yasuragi nante shiranai kedo
ichiban soko ni chikai basho de
nemuritai dake
anata no soba ni iru
yuki ga furu
shizuka na lullaby sotto yoru o uzumete
kanashii koto wa shiritakunai no
dakara zutto utatte ite"
(Translation)
"The snow falls
The little room that had locked away
Your fleeting profile
that sang a quiet lullaby
calls out to love, I think
I don't even need words
My memories are softened
I don't know things like peace, but
I just want to sleep in this place
closest to me
I'm by your side
The snow falls
A quiet lullaby softly buries the night
I don't want to know sad things
So I'll sing forever."
Splinter finished the song quietly as both turtles now were breathing evenly; sleeping. He gently laid them down on his futon; tucking them in with a white blanket. He stood up and turned around and smiled when he saw Michelangelo leaning heavily against the doorframe; a smile stretched across his face and his eyes closed. "Michelangelo." Splinter said; walking over and placing a hand on the orange-banded turtles shoulder.
Mikey jumped; his eyes shooting open and landing on Splinter who chuckled.
"Why don't you ever sing to me anymore?" Mikey asked as Splinter guided him out of the room.
Splinter gently slid the door closed and then turned back towards Michelangelo. "You never asked."