(This is my longest chapter ...sorry about that. But, I couldn't continue it ...any further others, it would have been too long. Anyway, HAPPY HOLIDAYS and MERRY CHRISTMAS)
Mikey would yawn widely. He would stretch his back and his arms as the time for meditation was over. Generally he took a nap during meditation, and normally had to be rouse by one of his brothers when it was over, but this time something felt off. He would look over at the group as Leo stood up, and once again, he would notice the oddity.
The number was off.
There was four where it should be five.
It should bother him, but he understood.
They all did.
Raph wasn't comfortable with this, and he kind of wish he had his excuse without the wounds to get out of it himself. He would stretch again as bones pop, and then he would stand up. A smirk came on his face as he thought about his brother in his room. It has been two days since he woke up, his injuries were for the most part gone. Yes, his skin was still a darker shade in a few places, and the bandages hadn't been remove yet, but, he was taking part in training now. He wasn't limping, and as far as anyone was concern he was pretty much back to normal.
That meant, he was no longer on bed rest, and neither was he out of prank limits for Mikey either.
He smiles as he gets up, and hurry from the room. His actions, he thought had been miss, but before he got halfway to his destination, a hand would grip his. Mikey would look back into darker blue eyes.
"I wouldn't do that, if I was you."
Mikey would look back and try to show confusion and innocences in his eyes as his eldest brother rolls his eyes at the puppy dog gesture.
"We are still trying to figure out things with him."
That would kill the mood completely as his facial expression changes to match his mood. Mikey would snatch his hand free of his older brother and round on him. The anger there wasn't characteristic of Mikey sparkle in his eyes. Not normally as violent, but just as volatile as his hot headed brother… Leo step back a few paces.
His younger brother's words came out almost as a snarl.
"IT's been two days, if he was a danger to us …it would have shown itself by now. If there was something wrong, we would know. No, this is just Raph, our brother. His eyes are different, but he is still just our brother, and I refuse to treat him any other way. That was after all Master Splinter's wishes."
The snap was sharp.
It should have stung, but Leo understood. Things were back to normal, if they avoided looking at his eyes …nothing had change. So, why treat it any other way?
"Fine, but go easy on him."
That bright smile was back, and Leo almost felt sorry for his red mask brother. Mikey probably had one heck of a prank in the making, five days was a long time to plan. He just thank his lucky stars it wasn't him, and went back towards the dojo. He had a few more katas he want to practice, and since he didn't know when Mikey was going to pull off his trick … he better take advantage of the peace and quiet while he could.
Though it would seem that life had other plans …for all of them.
Donnie would suddenly shout out.
"Hey …Hey, guys!"
His voice echoing around the lair as Mikey would stop at the top of the stairway, and Raph would be quick to come down it. The two almost collided, except, Raph chose that moment to duck to the left and brush past his brother, while Leo simply froze in the doorway of the dojo.
In Donnie's hand was a familiar device, and it was making noises that were hard to mistake for anything other than a confirmation.
"Another can of Mutagen is near by."
That declaration was quickly followed by all eyes turning to Raph, as the red mask turtle would only cross his arms.
"Don't even think about asking me to stay behind."
His voice was gruff and sincere.
"I don't see why they would."
Another voice would echo Raph's own, and this one would come from a source no one saw enter the room. Master Splinter stood a bit behind Leo. He must had heard Donatello and came out of the dojo. He looks over at the purple mask turtle to see if there was any complaints, but Donnie said nothing. Leonardo only shrugs
"Then let's get moving."
They would scatter to gather their weapons, and was gone almost as fast. The tracker was leading them above ground again, and this time ….it seem that it would be a solid lead as they found themselves quickly going from ground level to the roof.
Mikey was in the lead.
Normally, that would be Leo or even Donnie, but Mikey was running at full tilt this time. It was an eagerness that left two of his brother's confuse, but had the eldest sighing. Mikey wanted this over with so he could finish his prank, and if the orange mask brother wasn't just a few steps in front of him he would have put a stop to it. Rushing wasn't going to get this done any faster, and it was risky, but for the moment …according to Donnie they were far enough away that it didn't matter. When they got closer he would reign him in ….this was his thought. Raph suddenly had another …as he would put on a burst of speed as he shove into Leo hard. It would throw off his balance as he hits the ground with a skid. Though he wasn't through as his red mask brother pass him and seem to have plans of a similar fate for Mikey. He would slam hard into the back of his baby brother as he presses him flat even as he yells at the only one on his feet.
"Hit the ground."
Donnie didn't need any other prodding.
He dove as he slid to around Leo's waist only moments before something whiz by, and smash into the side of the building over his head. The explosion that follow had them skidding uncontrollably sideways as the force of the blast threaten to throw them from the top of the building. Leo's hand would grip Donnie's wrist as he pull him halfway underneath himself to try and protect him from raining debris that fell down afterwards, and to make sure he didn't end up a street pizza. The smoke thick from the ravage area as he sits up a bit once the world seems to stop shaking and the ear piercing noise settles into something that he can better understand.
"Look out!"
The words roaring as he looks forwards to see the smoke seemingly to part as another missile shot towards them. Though this one would be intercept in midair by a projectile that sent it screeching upwards and out of sight.
"Leo what are you doing? We got to get out of here!"
That was his hothead brother's voice, he had their orange mask brother in a similar state as he had their purple mask one. Relief colored Leo, they were all safe …or at least not dead, but, then he noticed something. Raph's eyes wasn't on him. It was forward into the distance as he grip his brother tightly, and didn't release.
Like, he could see something.
Something is wrong!
Leo searches for the danger in the area that his red mask brother was looking, but he couldn't pinpoint it.
The wind shifts then, and the thick black smoke made it more impossible to see than before. It was hopeless now, and Leo looks around himself expecting to be the last to leave. Yet, Raph was still at his side, and Donnie now on his feet hadn't left either. They were waiting, in a situation where generally that pause would have meant one of them would have been yelling at him to follow. A situation where, he could have counted on Raph to do what was best ….what they needed.
Yet….
"Let's go."
Leo finally gave the command.
He needed to give Raph a command to do something that should have been common sense. Their red mask brother would push his orange one ahead of him as they ran, the black smoke that made it impossible for them to see …also meant that they couldn't be attack again. Or at least that was his thought as suddenly he heard the whistling noise, his head would snap towards it, as he skids to a stop. He didn't know where it was coming from. He could be leading them towards it's area of impact, and Donnie would hit his back hard with his sudden stop. Mikey would stop just a few steps before he would have join the collision, but it wasn't enough to save him. Raph would add to the pile up and push them all hard into each other.
A single glance backwards.
Leo saw it in his eyes, and how his head was turned …..even before the orange flames blew the black away. Even before the scorching heat hit them from behind, and their world exploded into light and sound became so loud that it seem that he would never hear anything again. Before the ground shot up from underneath their feet …and he felt himself being lifted into the air.
Raph had seen it coming.
He knew.
Yet, he had done nothing to stop it.
Those were his final thoughts …as the explosion sent everything into darkness.
(Chapter 9 ….finished)
