Chapter 26: Disgrace

Mikey's POV

Okay, so maybe the smoke bomb wasn't the best idea. But hey, it does usually work! This time, though, all the scary mutants are definitely noticing that we didn't escape in the smoke. Oh good! Sensei's distracting them, forcing their attention on him and his kick-butt moves. I know he can't keep them off forever, though, and we definitely need an escape plan that's better than dragging Raph all the way home. Lucky for us, I have one more trick up my sleeve. Or in my belt, or whatever.

As Sensei is fighting with Tiger Claw and FishFace, Rahzar breaks away from the battle and comes after us again. Now's my chance! I set Raph down again, reach into my belt and snatch up the portable Kraang portal I swiped from Donnie's desk. The shiny metal glints in the different colored lights from the lab.

Leo, who's still holding Raph, notices what I have. "Mikey! Is that a portal?"

I nod proudly, lifting it up, ready to toss it into the air.

"Yes, Mikey! Get us home!" cries Raph, totally on board with this idea.

Rahzar is getting pretty close now, and I make sure he sees what I'm doing. Yep, he's got an oh-no-you-don't look on his face. I quickly press the button and fling the portal up into the air between us and our enemies. The shiny device hovers for a moment before shooting a glowing pink triangle down to the floor.

"Mikey!" Raph sounds completely annoyed now. "Why did you throw it way over there?!"

The portal definitely opened way closer to the evil dudes than to us. Better go quick! I hurriedly pick up Raph's legs again as I start to move quickly toward the portal, but Rahzar has already gotten in front of it, blocking our path again. FishFace is lying on the ground way off to the side and it looks like he's unconscious so I guess Master Splinter already took him down. Tiger Claw, though, has also ditched his fight with Sensei, and is nearly at the portal.

I see Sensei is about to come help us, but suddenly a huge vat of mutagen comes out of nowhere and crashes down right in front of him, spilling all over the floor and splashing up the walls. Splinter got out of the way just in time, of course, because he's got the best reflexes in the world, but now he's cut off from us by a giant puddle of green ooze. I glance up to see Stockman buzzing around like he's all happy or something. I guess he was the one who pushed the mutagen in front of Sensei.

Rahzar and Tiger Claw are now both right in front of the portal. Even though they're pretty beat up from having to fight Master Splinter, they're still plenty scary-looking as they come toward us, growling, and showing us their pointy teeth.

"Wait, Mikey, where does that portal lead?" asks Leo suddenly with a panicky voice. "It doesn't lead to the lair does it?"

I give him a sort of innocent questioning look with a little nod, and he goes into full on freak out mode.

"What?" shouts Raph. He's freaking out, too. "Mikey! You can't open a portal directly into the lair! You're leading our enemies right to it!"

I whip my head around and see the evil grins appearing on the freaky faces of Rahzar and Tiger Claw as they hear what Raph was shouting. The next instant they stop coming toward us and rush toward the portal instead.

"Stop them!" screams Leo.

I drop Raph again and run super quick to the portal. The freakazoids beat me to it, though, and with a couple über creepy sneers, they jump through it.

I hear Leo shouting, "NO!" behind me, but I pay no attention. Quick as a flash, I press the button on the portal, closing it up again.

"What are you doing?!" screams Raph from the floor. "You sent those two creeps into the lair? Donnie's there alone!"

Leo is beside me now, looking panic stricken, but I calmly pick up the portal device from where it fell clattering to the floor and look up at my bros with a big grin on my face.

"My sons!" cries Sensei joining us, too. He somehow got over the mutagen. He probably did some super awesome leaps or flips or something. Wish I'd seen that. And he's looking none the worse for having battled three of the scariest mutants in New York.

Before he can say anything else, though, I turn back to Leo, smiling even wider.

Leo looks at me in a confused way for a second, but then he starts to catch on. "That portal didn't actually lead to the lair, did it?"

I shake my head, still grinning. A few yards away I can see Raph relaxing, though he still looks slightly confused.

"You just wanted everyone to think it led to the lair," continues Leo, figuring out my plan as we make our way back to where Raph is sitting helplessly on the floor. I nod again as Sensei gently lifts Raph into his arms, whispering something to him that I don't hear. I'm surprised at how easily he carries him, like he's a little kid or something.

"So, where did you send them?" Raph grunts as he tries not to look completely embarrassed about being carried like a baby.

I grin a bit wider. I sent them to the furthest away place I could think of. I make an "X" sign with my fingers.

"X?" Leo asks, tilting his head at me. "Dimension X? You sent them to Dimension X?"

I nod happily.

Leo smiles proudly at me, and as we turn to leave the lab, Master Splinter gives me a nod of approval. "Well done, Michelangelo." I beam up at him, feeling all glowy inside from my father's praise. "Now let us get your brothers home."

I couldn't agree more!

I hear Stockman buzzing around above our heads, but Sensei gives him one intense death glare, and he flies off the like coward he is.

In just a few minutes we are safely in the sewers, moving quickly toward home. Master Splinter is carrying Raph bridal style, but is still running pretty fast. Sometimes I forget how strong Sensei is. I mean, I know from experience that Raph is no light weight, but Splinter's carrying him like it's nothing, while Leo and I almost have a hard time keeping up with him. Once we are certain no one is following, we slow down to a more comfortable pace.

Nobody's talking, and I notice that Leo and Raph aren't looking at anybody, almost like they're embarrassed or something. I guess they're really upset about Raph not being able to walk, which makes sense, cause that totally sucks and I'll be super upset about it, too, when I stop to think about it long enough. But there's something else that's bothering them, I think.

"Sensei," Leo breaks the silence as we enter a particularly dark part of the sewer, so I can't see his face anymore, but I can hear how his voice sounds all small and timid. It's the voice he uses when he knows he's in trouble. Of course! That's what's bothering them. They totally disobeyed Master Splinter when they went out last night and they are going to be in so much trouble now!

Before Leo can apologize, or give an explanation, or whatever it was he was going to say, Sensei interrupts him.

"Leonardo, I am very disappointed in you." He's using his stern voice and I can feel Leo shrinking beside me. "When I told you to stay in the lair, did you not realize that it was for your own protection?"

"I did, Sensei, but -"

"But you thought that revenge was more important than your safety, or Raphael's? We knew that the enemy possessed a new and dangerous weapon, we had seen its devastating effects, and yet you deliberately put the two of you into harm's way. By seeking vengeance for the injuries inflicted on two of your brothers, you recklessly put your third brother into the very same danger, and caused him to endure an equally disabling injury!"

As we pass under a grate, the light from the city above shines on Leo for a moment and I can see that his head is hung in shame and he's barely lifting his feet as we walk. "I'm sorry, Sensei," he says, his voice a really tiny whisper.

I know it wasn't totally Leo's fault. I know that it was as much Raph's idea as Leo's, and I'm sure Sensei knows this, too, but Leo won't say that. He never tries to shift the blame onto someone else, and I'm pretty sure Splinter is picking on Leo because he's the leader, so he's supposed to shut down Raph's crazy ideas, not go along with them. Also, Raph's hurt, so Splinter's going to go easy on him.

Splinter glances sharply at Leo but doesn't offer any forgiveness or anything. After a moment he says, "There is no punishment I could give you that would be worse than the consequences you will have to bear from your disobedience tonight. Because of what you've done, Raphael's life is forever changed, and you will do everything in your power to ease that burden, do you understand?" Sensei's voice is still stern and angry, but I can tell that he's not mad. Not really. He's actually very sad. I can tell that he wishes he could just give them a few rounds of randori and ground them for a month and then let everything be back to normal. But it's not going to go back to normal. Not ever. And that's making him sad.

Leo is still looking at the wet ground, but he nods in response to Splinter and whispers, "Hai, Sensei."

This whole time Raph and I have just been watching Sensei and Leo, not daring to interrupt, but now I hear Raph shifting in Sensei's arms and he suddenly pipes up. "So, Leo, when were you planning on telling everyone about your injury?"

Wait, what? Leo's hurt, too? My eyes dart over Leo, but he looks fine to me. Master Splinter actually stops walking and turns around, looking directly at Leo. It's pretty light in this particular spot, and I can see that his expression isn't angry anymore. It's soft and concerned.

"Leonardo, have you been hurt as well, my son?"

Leo still won't look Sensei in the eyes, but he nods again and lifts up his hands for us to see. They are both wrapped tightly into fists. I had noticed this before, back in the lab, but though I thought it was a bit weird, I didn't think it mattered enough to mention it. But now I think about it, why are they all wrapped up like that? Are they bandaged or something?

Splinter looks down at Leo's hands, but he can't touch them because his arms are all full of Raph at the moment, so instead he asks, "What is wrong, Leonardo?"

Leo just sighs and looks away again, so Raph answers for him. "He can't move his hands, Sensei. He got that sparkly dust stuff all over them and now they're useless."

I stare in shock at Leo, who quickly hides his hands behind his shell as if they're shameful. I feel something heavy in the pit of my stomach as I suddenly realize that all four of us have now been hit with Stockman's evil fairy dust. If Raph can't walk and Leo can't do. . . well, anything that he needs his hands for, what the heck are we gonna do?

I'm seriously panicking now, but before I totally lose it, Sensei's calm voice breaks through my thoughts.

"Michelangelo, please remain calm. Your brothers are going to need your help. Raphael, call Donatello. He is anxiously awaiting our return and deserves to be informed of the situation as soon as possible."

With that, he turns and begins walking down the tunnel again, not even commenting on Leo's messed up hands at all. Leo seems surprised at this as well, and we both glance at each other before following in silence.