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Ch 3 And Now the Bad News.
Leo smiled sadly at Donnie as he listened to the tale unfold. "Look Don," Leo began as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "I really do appreciate what you did and that you guys were thinking of me as well as Master Splinter when you were trying to find a way to help him but…." Leo lowered his eyes sadly. "What you did was totally wrong." He shook his head. "Like you told the others, Master Splinter is old and his body is dying." Leo let out a sigh. "We need to be able to let him go and if that happens while I'm not here then you guys need to be able to handle it."
Donnie nodded as Leo continued to lecture. "You're right Leo." He agreed. "But you got to understand that we weren't expecting for this to happen." He waved his hand around the lair and both turtles looked around, wondering where the other two turtles and Master Splinter currently were.
After a few seconds Leo nodded his head at him. "I understand that Donnie," He told him. "So tell me what went wrong?"
Donnie let out a sigh and rubbed his temples. He reached into his belt and pulled out a small empty vial. "After I gave Master Splinter his tea, he went back to sleep and the guys and I decided to go to bed." Leo watched as Don lowered his head in shame as the memory came back to him. "I was so tired and so worried over Sensei that I must have forgotten to put the herb away." He shook his head. "Master Splinter must have awoken sometime during the night and felt better enough to get out of bed and make some more tea because when we came downstairs the next morning…." Donnie took a deep breath. "Sensei was downstairs in the dojo working out, looking and acting at least ten years younger and this vial…" Donnie handed it over to Leo. "…was completely empty."
Leo's eyes widen as he realized what Donnie was telling him. "You mean Master Splinter put this entire herb in his tea?" He questioned in disbelief.
Donnie nodded. "That was almost two weeks ago." He told him. "And every day Master Splinter seems to be getting younger and younger as well as reverting in maturity."
"Will it stop eventually?" Leo questioned.
"I'm not sure," Donnie admitted. "I've attempted to call the Fugitoid several times since then but he must still be exploring Wakai mountain range because so far he has yet to respond." Donnie sighed in despair. "And without more of the herb I can't continue my research to see if I can reverse the process."
Leo watched as Donnie looked down at the floor in frustration. "I just can't believe I was stupid enough to leave the herb right where Master Splinter could get to it." He muttered angrily.
"You were tired Don," Leo said in an attempt to try and soothe his despairing brother. "And I'm sure if you hadn't been so concerned over everything that was going on…."
"Ahem," The two turtles looked up at the sound of footsteps slowly and hesitantly coming toward them. They watched in curiosity as Mikey walked towards the couch, looking at Donnie with a very guilty look. "It…um….wasn't your fault Donnie." He said timidly while rubbing the back of his head.
Donnie and Leo watched in bewilderment as Mikey's gaze shifted away from his slightly older brother. "I…uhhh…kinda had something to do with it." He shrank slightly away as Donnie stood up and narrowed his eyes in anger.
"What do you mean 'you had something to do with it' Mikey?" He demanded as he poked his brother in the chest. "What did YOU do?"
Mikey rubbed his chest where his brother had just poked him as his face turned a bright red in embarrassment. "I couldn't sleep that night." He started. "I was just so worried for him and scared that something bad would happen overnight that I came down stairs to check on him." The two older turtle's eyes softened as the youngest eyes began to fill with tears. "I didn't want him to be alone if…." He took a shuddering breath and wiped his eyes. "….If he….well…you know." He gave them a pleading look. "So when I walked into the dojo and found him awake and meditating I became excited about how much better he was looking and offered him some tea...which he was more than happy to accept, of course." Once again, Mikey looked away shamefully as he continued his story, "So I went to the kitchen to make his tea but instead of giving him his regular tea I decided to give him some more of the stuff the Fugitoid gave you only this time…." He took a deep breath and looked up at Donnie with a very guilty expression. "I dumped the rest of the herb into his cup."
"MIKEY!" Donnie looked at him flabbergasted. "How could you…why would you?" Donnie stammered as he began to pace the living area. "We don't know what that much of the herb could do him!" He stopped and looked up the stairs. "Look at what's happening to him now!" He turned back toward Mikey. "He's becoming younger and more juvenile with every passing day and I don't know when or if it may even stop." He glared angrily at him. "And all this time you let me think it was MY fault!" He screamed.
Mikey started sobbing hard into his hands. Leo walked over and put his arms around his brother and Mikey leaned into Leo's shoulder. "I'm sorry!" He wailed. "I just don't want him to leave us." He cried. "I don't want to lose any of you." He whimpered. "We're all we have and I'm so afraid of being alone." He pulled back and looked up Leo. "I'm afraid of any of us being alone." He whispered.
Leo ran his hand over his brother's shell in an attempt to soothe him. "It's okay Mikey." Leo told him. "We'll figure this out." He looked back at Donnie who, after taking a calming breath, nodded at him.
"Yeah Mikey," Donnie said with a small smile. "I'm sure everything will be alright." He turned away and started toward the lab when a loud voice once again sounded throughout the lair.
"Masta Splinta!" Raph yelled out. "Come out already, I'm tired of playin' dis game!"
Leo looked at Donnie when he saw the purple turtle turn back to them in concern. "Go do whatever it is you were going to do Don," He said waving his hand at him. "I'll handle this." He maneuvered Mikey to the couch and walked over to Raph.
"I never thought I would hate Ninja Tag." Raph groused as he angrily made his way over to the couch.
Leo looked around the lair, trying to think of a place his Sensei could be hiding, after a few minutes he took a deep breath and called out. "Okay Master Splinter!" He yelled. "You won the game, come on out!"
As Leo continued to look around the lair and call for his Sensei, a puff of purple smoke lit up next to him causing him to flinch in surprise and in an instant, Splinter was standing next to him, glaring up at him with a very disapproving look.
"I am surprised by you all." Splinter stated looking around at the three turtles. "A ninja never gives up and never allows his prey to take him by surprise." He looked around the lair with narrowing eyes. "Where is Donatello!" He demanded angrily. "You all need more training and we will practice till you have bettered yourselves at the art of being a ninja!"
"Aw Sensei," Mikey looked at him with tired eyes. "It's late and we've been up since 5:00am playing your ninja tag game and we're tired."
Splinter glared angrily at his youngest son. "I don't care how tired you are!" He yelled causing Mikey to shrink into the couch. "Do you think the Shredder would care how tired you are if you met him on one of your patrols!" He stared from one turtle to the other with a scowl on his face. "You will get your brother and all of you will meet me in the dojo and practice till you can call yourselves true ninjas!"
"But Master Splinter…." Leo began but was quickly silenced.
"Michelangelo….get Donatello and get into the dojo!" He turned toward his other two. "Leonardo and Raphael, the dojo…..NOW!"