A/N: And here's chapter 4. As a bit of a brief background, the Traveler is another AU that managed to work his way into Phael's world because he can travel between dimensions. He somehow foiled one of Phael's plans, which is the reason behind this chapter. I don't know much about the Traveler, he's not my character, but I think that's enough information to understand what's going on this chapter.

Disclaimer: Me no own. You no sue. :D

Chapter 4 – The Traveler

Foot Tower was unusually quiet. The students scurried as silently as they could to and from classes, trying not to irritate the Elites. The Elites, in turn, were doing their best not to irritate the High Elites, who were standing guard outside of the only room not covered in silence. Because, if the High Elites were irritated, they could anger the already very upset Master, and no one wanted that. So Foot Tower stayed quiet. All except for Phael.

There was a constant stream of crashes and curses coming from Phael's room. It had started the day before and hadn't stopped for more than a moment since. Everyone knew why he was upset, but that didn't make his anger any less terrifying or hard to bear.

When complete silence enveloped Foot Tower near dusk of that day, no one breathed a sigh of relief. Silence was even more frightening than noise because silence meant that their Master was now coldly contemplating the situation.

For his part, Phael was just as confused as he was angry. He kept trying to figure out how that other turtle could have disrupted his plans. The plans that he had laid so perfectly had failed because of some freak who called himself "the Traveler".

At a knock on the door, Phael grunted to let the visitor know to come in. Michael stayed quiet as he entered and closed the door behind him, not wanting to set off the ticking time bomb seated on the most comfortable chair in the room. After a few moments, Michael spoke. "You sent for me?"

Another grunt was his only answer. Michael sighed. "Well, what did you want to talk to me about?"

"The Traveler." Phael's voice was low and filled with hatred and anger.

With a nod, Michael stood a little straighter. "And what would you like done about this 'Traveler', sir?" He didn't dare call Phael by his name like he usually did. Anger was radiating in waves from Phael's direction, and Michael was not a stupid man.

Phael stood and faced away from his most loyal follower, clasping his hands behind his back. "I want you to track him down… and kill any family or friends around him."

"Sir," Michael started, frowning a bit. "Don't you think that's a bit much? Shouldn't we just get him and bring him back–" He was cut off by a loud growl from Phael.

"No! Nothing is enough for this bastard!" Phael turned and Michael took an involuntary step back at the mad gleam that had entered Phael's eyes, his characteristic grinning spreading slowly across his face. He spoke in a low, deadly voice. "I intend to make that piece of shit suffer for what he did to me. No one foils my plans and gets away with it. NO ONE!" With that last shout, he hurled his chair across the room, where it smashed into bits against the wall and lay in a cluttered heap on the ground.

Michael decided to try once more for reason. "Please, Raphael, reconsider. This is ridiculous. There's no point in mak–"

"YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND, YOU FOOL!" Phael was bearing down upon Michael, not much differently than he had two years before when Michael had questioned his killing his own children. For the second time in his life, Michael found himself being hoisted up by the front of his shirt and shaken.

"I failed!!! Don't you understand?! Every time I fail, it proves him RIGHT! I never want him to be right, dammit!"

Suddenly, Michael knew that they weren't talking about the Traveler anymore. He studied Phael calmly from his position in the air then spoke quietly. "Very well. I will do the best I can to follow your orders."

Breathing irregularly, Phael lowered Michael to the ground then sat on the edge of his bed. After regaining his composure completely, Michael laid a hand on Phael's shoulder lightly. Phael flinched and pulled away. "Don't touch me," he growled.

With a sigh, Michael turned away and headed towards the door. Right before opening it, he glanced back. "You are not what you're father said you are, Raphael. You will never become that as long as you do not let yourself." Then he turned the knob and slipped out the door quietly, closing it once more behind him.

Phael stayed sitting on the bed for a long time, taking deep breaths to calm himself and let his mind work through everything. He kept telling himself that Michael was right: that he was not what his father had said. Yet, he couldn't shake a sneaking thought…

If he wasn't what his father had said, why did he feel so much like he was?