Chapter 10-A Brotherly Talk
The morning sun shined warmly through the window of the Wizard's bedroom as it rose slowly up to the clear blue sky.
Leo was the first turtle to awaken and he sat up and stretched his arms as he yawned. A minute later, he saw Raph wake up and do the same stretches as he did and Donnie and Klunk followed suit another minute after.
"Good morning, you two," Leo said with a warm smile before he stroked Klunk when he came over to him.
"Mornin'…" "Morning, Leo…" Raph and Donnie replied back tiredly before they and Leo turned to look at Mikey who was still asleep, but they noticed that something was slightly different when they looked at his face.
"Hey, he's smilin'…" Raph pointed out first with a smirk on his face.
"Yeah…This must mean that he's doing ok, now…Right?" Leo said with slight relief and anxiety in his voice before he watched Donnie place a hand on Mikey's forehead to check his temperature.
"You're right, Leo…Mikey's fever is gone…" Donnie said with a relieved smile on his face.
"Well dat's good ta hear…now he just needs ta wake up," Raph said in a slightly impatient tone due to not wanting to wait too long for Mikey to wake up.
A moment after saying that, a groaning sound was heard from the sleeping orange-masked turtle who was also slightly turning his head back and forth as his eyes were beginning to twitch.
"Mikey?" Leo and Donnie called out softly before they watched as Mikey's eyes slowly began to open.
"Dat's it, bro…rise and shine…" Raph cheered softly whilst he held one of Mikey's hands for support.
Soon, Mikey's eyes were fully opened and his vision cleared to allow him to see his brothers and companions looking down at him with relieved smiles on their faces. "H-Hey, bros…" He said tiredly with a small smile on his face.
"Hey, sleepyhead…how are you feeling?" Donnie replied as he gently stroked Mikey's head with his thumb.
"Tired…and why does my body feel…so heavy…?" Mikey answered as he tried to move his body a bit before he felt Leo's hand on his chest which stopped him from moving.
"Easy, Mikey…you suffered from exhaustion again, but it was more severe this time when you collapsed and became unresponsive after you used the Medallion of Light to protect the whole of Emerald City from the Warlord Shredder's huge fireball attack…" Leo explained with a sad smile with the others nodding in agreement to what he said.
"Oh…W-Where are we now?" Mikey asked after sensing that he was somewhere else.
"We're all in the Great Wizard's room," Donnie answered before he watched as Mikey gasped and his eyes widened and then continued speaking. "The Elite Ninja Guard carried you in here under the Wizard's request and he healed you by using the spiritual medicines made by Leatherhead, and you've been asleep ever since…"
"T-The Great Wizard!?" Mikey said in shock and awe after he heard what Donnie just said.
"Yeah, he was da one who saved ya sorry butt from almost dying from exhaustion…! How many times do we have ta tell ya not ta do dat again, bro!?" Raph said firmly to Mikey as his voice got louder due to feeling angry inside because he felt that his warning was never taken on board.
This caused Mikey and the others to gasp and look at Raph in shock when he heard the words of anger come out of the tin turtle. "I-I'm sorry…I-" He tried to explain himself but Raph wouldn't let him.
"Don't even think about apologizin' ta us cos we all know, including me, dat you're just gonna put your life on da line again and again without even thinkin' about da consequences! How could you be so stupid!? Are ya tryin' ta prove somethin' ta us!?"
"Raph, calm down! Mikey just woke up and you're scolding him without giving him the chance to explain his reasons for his actions!" Leo said firmly but calmly whilst bravely placing a hand on Raph's shoulder, causing the tin turtle to growl as he turned to look at the lion-cloaked turtle.
"Mikey, what are you…?" Leo and Raph turned to Donnie after he called out Mikey's name before their eyes softened at the sight; Mikey's his eyes were wide and tears began to develop whilst he tried to sit himself up with Donnie's assistance despite his body was shaking slightly. He also kept his head low to avoid eye contact with his brothers as he started to talk in a quiet tone.
"Y-You're right…"
The older turtles looked at each other before Raph spoke in the same tone but this time with a hint of confusion. "Huh? What da ya mean 'I'm right'?"
"I…I-" Mikey tried to answer but he covered his face with his hand as he suddenly began to sob in Donnie's hold.
"Hey, hey…it's ok, Mikey…take your time. No-one will pressure you, ok?" Donnie said soothingly to his little brother whilst rubbing his shell-covered back before giving Raph a sharp look, warning him to not interrupt him as he tried to explain his actions.
"Sniff…I-I didn't mean to cause more worry or trouble for you guys…I was trying to be there for you guys cos…I'm just sick of being told by my brothers, especially Raph, back home that I'm useless and that I don't do enough to help them more…"
"Especially Raph? What happened between you and your Raph back at your home in New York?" Leo questioned softly as he looked from Mikey to Raph, whose angry face softened after hearing the first part of Mikey's explanation.
"W-Well, I was on bed rest for over a week due to a bad throat infection, which needed to be fixed through surgery, and during that time Raph thought that…I would have been better off as my brothers' sidekick or mascot because… I was useless and hardly helpful to them due to being ill for a whole week…that's why when I met you guys and needed my help…, I wanted to try and be there for you guys more so that I can be a better brother and ninja… for my family…" Mikey finished his explanation whilst he tried but failed to stop the tears from falling down his cheeks.
The older turtles looked at Mikey with wide eyes due to the shock and disbelief from what he had just said before their faces saddened. They couldn't believe that Mikey had put his own life at risk many times before for them because he wanted to prove to them and his brothers back home that he is useful and is a vital part of the team and family as well.
Raph, now feeling guilty for raising his voice at Mikey for just trying to protect him and the others slowly moved in front of Mikey and placed a hand under his chin to gently lift his watery face up to look at him before he spoke.
"Hey, ya ain't useless, Mike…none of us think dat and we know dat your bros back home don't really think dat either…Da reason why I was mad at ya earlier was cos I was scared dat there was a chance dat we'd lose ya, bro…"
"Wha…" Mikey breathed out in disbelief after he heard what Raph said before Donnie spoke next.
"He's right, Mikey; we owe you for helping us get this far to see the Great Wizard so that our wishes would be granted…"
"W-Well, why haven't you done that yet? You're in the Great Wizard's place, after all…" Mikey said miserably when he found out that they had yet to get their wishes fulfilled by the Great Wizard of Oz because he was holding them back, in his opinion anyway.
"And leave you behind? No way, Mikey…without you, I wouldn't be able to talk to the Wizard on my own at all…" Leo answered before he shivered with the thought of asking the Wizard to grant his wish alone without Mikey and the others.
"Yeah, and I might forget how to explain my wish to the Wizard since I don't have a brain like yours to remember it…" Donnie then said before he lightly tapped his straw-filled head, causing Mikey to laugh a little.
"And even though I don't have a heart, I would have felt heartbroken if ya weren't there ta help us get our wishes, bro…I'm sorry fa being harsh on ya earlier…" Raph said with a sad smile.
"No, you had every right to yell at me, Raph…I charged in to stop that fireball without thinking about what would happen afterwards…I should be apologizing to you, not the other way round…" Mikey said in denial since he felt responsible for causing his brothers to worry after his near-death experience.
"Dat's not true, bro; what ya did fa us just proved how caring and brave you are…" Raph countered back as he held Mikey's hand in his own and squeezed it gently.
"Raph's right, Mikey…and you even jumped in to save someone who was a stranger to you back then. That just shows us that you always make sure to hear both sides of the argument before you make a choice, no matter the risks…" Leo said in agreement as he pointed to himself when he spoke about the 'stranger' part in his explanation.
"Yeah, bro… and even though we're not your real brothers, we're all proud to say that you're the greatest brother and friend that anyone of us could ever hope to have…" Donnie said proudly before he gave Mikey a sideways hug.
Mikey was left stunned and gobsmacked at what the older turtles said to him as he looked at them with wide eyes. He then smiled with tears of happiness developing in his eyes before he opened his arms wide, signalling his brothers to have a group hug which they accepted with smiles on their faces.
"Ah, I see that Michelangelo has awakened and is well again…"
The turtles released each other after they were startled by a voice coming from behind them. When they turned around, they saw the Great Wizard standing in the doorway with one of the Elite Ninja Guard members carrying a tray, which had five cups and a pot of what seemed to be warm tea as well as a bowl of fruit and a saucer of milk for Klunk.
"Good morning, young ones…" The Wizard said softly with a warm smile as he got closer to the group.
"Good morning, Great Wizard," The three older turtles replied whilst Mikey just sat and looked at the Wizard with wide eyes and a slightly open mouth.
"Err…G-Good morning, sir…" He said nervously after he snapped out of his shock from meeting the Great Wizard for the first time since he was unconscious when the group first met him.
"It is good to see that you are awake, Michelangelo…How are you feeling?" The Great Wizard asked as he poured the tea into the four cups and handed the turtles a cup each.
"Erm…I feel better than I was before…I was told that you were the one who healed me. Thank you, sir…" Mikey answered and then bowed his head slightly when he said his thanks to the Great Wizard before he took a sip of his tea.
"Your welcome, Michelangelo, it is my job as the ruler of Oz to help those in need…Also, there is no need to be so formal; you may call me Great Wizard…" The Wizard said whilst still wearing his warm smile.
"Oh, right…sorry, sir- I mean, Great Wizard…" Mikey said in embarrassment whilst the other turtles giggled and looked at him with amused smiles when he stuttered his words.
After being given some time to finish their tea and fruit, the Great Wizard put his serious face on and began to speak. "Michelangelo, I have been notified that you are not from this world, correct?" Mikey nodded before he continued.
"I have also been told that you are wearing the Medallion of Light around your neck, and you have also used its power to protect those around you as well. Is this also true?"
"Y-Yes, Great Wizard…Glinda the Good Witch of the North used her magic to transfer it from Karai the Bad Witch of the East to me out of nowhere, and she told me to protect it with my life. The Medallion also activates on its own whenever I try to protect my friends and I can't control it or avoid using it, no matter how hard I try…It scares me cos it takes a lot of energy out of me afterwards…" Mikey explained before he lowered his head due to feeling ashamed that he used a powerful artefact without permission.
"I see…It seems that Glinda was wise to give you the task of protecting the Medallion of Light from the Warlord Shredder, despite the lack of knowledge on how to control its power…" The Great Wizard said as he stroked his beard in thought before he continued. "However, I believe that it is time for me to tell you the story of the Medallion of Light itself…"
The turtles' eyes went wide and decided to gather around the Wizard with Klunk sitting on Mikey's lap so that they could listen closely to the Wizard's story about the Medallion of Light in order to know more about it. Once they were settled, the Wizard began his story.