All of these characters are from the episodes of the 2003 TMNT series in the storyline "The Big Brawl," which I do not own. But I don't get any money from this either! So, please don't sue and just enjoy.

Usagi looked over the table while staying at Leonardo's side. He did indeed behold what Leonardo had described. A long table with 14 places along its sides counting the ends stretched out in front of them.

At the head of the table sat the Daimyo raising his glass and smiling down the laden wood surface. At his right sat the nezumi Splinter. On the older warrior's right were two empty places followed by Donatello, Raphael, and Traximus. Usagi saw the Triceraton smiling at him. The expression seemed a bit smug. The Ronin still smiled back.

Usagi then turned his attention to study those who sat on the left side of the table. An extremely animated Michelangelo sat on the Daimyo's immediate left with a sullen looking Kluh next to him. A fierce warrior, who he knew wielded a spear, sat next to the warrior from Levram. Next to her, Gennosuke sat licking his lips before a full plate.

Usagi shook his head with a grin. After Gen were more warriors Usagi had thought of as threats to his own dream to be a Battle Nexus Champion. Somehow, all that seemed so far away.

He was startled when Leonardo's hand landed on his shoulder. He looked up to see the kame looking down at him with a wide grin. "Come on, the others are waiting for us."

Leonardo then started toward the empty places on the right side of the table. Usagi followed confused at the kame's actions, expressions, and words toward him. Had what he overheard earlier only been a dream, an illusion? Many strange things had happened today.

Leonardo stopped before the Daimyo and his father. He then bowed and took his seat. Usagi did the same.

The Daimyo raised a glass toward them and spoke in a loud voice. "Welcome, welcome to you both, heroes of the day, defenders of the Battle Nexus, the War Staff," he lowered both his glass and his voice as he finished, "and my life."

Usagi bowed his head and closed his eyes at this. "It was 'my' honor, Daimyo."

"Like Usagi said, it was my honor too." Leonardo added.

Something occurred to Usagi. Of course, they were still in the Daimyo's realm. Their host honored him. If they were to snub him now it would also be a slight against their host.

Usagi's heart, which had risen again, plummeted. However, he firmly abstained from reaching for the glass within his reach. He instead picked up the nearby chopsticks.

"Are you well, Usagi san?"

Usagi glanced up into the crinkling face of the Daimyo. His lips smiled. He tried to smooth out the lines of his own face as well beneath the concerned eyes of his host. "How could I not be, Daimyo? I am seated at your table. You greatly honor me."

The Daimyo leaned back, his own smile still in place, but his eyes remained on Usagi. The Samurai felt another stare upon him. He glanced up into the narrowed eyes and twisted mouth of Leonardo. The Yojimbo turned his gaze straight ahead. Perhaps if he avoided their stares, they'd look another direction.

"Michelangelo!"

Usagi flinched slightly. Then he concentrated on the scene before him. He saw the turtle in orange had stretched his arm and chest out across the table along with his chopsticks reaching toward a tray of dumplings. Currently, the turtle was frozen and staring at his father. Splinter was scowling at him.

The nezumi's voice lowered, yet sounded even more menacing. "If you 'must' keep taking advantage of the Daimyo's generosity in this way, you can at 'least' ask someone to pass the tray to you."

"Well, I ain't doing it."

Splinter looked down the table. Usagi's eyes followed, though, he tried to keep the rest of himself stiff and thus not enter this family quarrel. The kame in red was leaning back from the table his arms crossed in front of him. The last statement had come from him. The kame in purple beside him rolled his eyes, grabbed the tray, and passed it closer to Michelangelo who grinned and took it.

Splinter closed his eyes and shook his head briefly and gently. "Forgive my sons their manners, Daimyo. I fear in concentrating on their training in self-defense, I may have neglected their manners." He turned his hard stare upon the kame in red. Who glanced at him, unfolded his arms, and rested his hands on his knees while looking down.

The Daimyo's warm laughter wafted above them all. "I am not offended Splinter-san. Manners often differ across the multi-verse and I know you and your sons have had little occasion to practice those required for feasting in another's hall." Splinter smiled sadly back at the Daimyo.

Usagi's ears rose. They had? Why was that?

Usagi turned to look at Leonardo. The kame in blue's eyes had closed, and he seemed to be pinching the skin over his beak. Usagi realized his friend, or perhaps former friend, was uncomfortable. It was rude to stare. The Samurai lifted his chopsticks and began to eat instead.

After a moment, his chewing slowed. Something was not right. His stomach squeezed, and roiled, and … he felt sick. Usagi paused and studied his plate.

For a feast taking place in a palace overflowing with warriors from so many worlds, the food was very like that of his homeland. Everything looked, tasted, and smelled like what he usually ate, at least with the rich and powerful. He'd had the like many times before with no problems like these.

Usagi squinted and tilted his head. What was causing this? He'd taken from the same trays as everyone else around him. Usagi went over his latest actions. The drinks I had earlier!

Then Usagi frowned. He'd had them on an empty stomach, true, but … He didn't recall having a few drinks sometime before a meal affecting him like this before. The liquid had been from another world, but he recalled his sensei pointing it out and calling it a surprisingly mild vintage for its strong fragrance and taste and odd color, when he'd come to the Battle Nexus with him. But I did have two glasses of it, and it had been hours and hours since I'd last eaten then. When did I last eat before this meal? Usagi realized he couldn't remember. As he tried to think it through, his memories grew strangely muddy running together and refusing to separate and become clear.

Usagi squinted. Why was his vision blurring? He couldn't shake his head or do much else to clear either his thoughts or sight without drawing attention to himself. The Ronin didn't know how much time passed or who did what around him except eat. That he was "keenly" aware of. His stomach protested the knowledge as well as sounds and smells. The Samurai became desperate just to keep down what he'd already swallowed. He made his breathing slow, deep, and steady, concentrating only on that.

"Usagi?"

The Ronin looked to his left and up into the face of the kame with a blue mask. He knew his name. It just … wasn't coming to him at the moment. Oh, he hoped he wouldn't have occasion to need to know it soon.

The kame's voice sifted through his muddled mind. "Are you alright?"

Usagi tried to think of something to say. It was harder than he liked. Then the Daimyo stood up drawing the kame in the blue mask's attention. The rest of the table fell blessedly silent. The rabbit realized he had a pounding headache. Unfortunately, the Daimyo's voice didn't help.

"And now, guests, it is time for the Battle Nexus Champion to give a speech."

Usagi despite his muddled mind still clearly heard the kame next to him murmur under his breath. "Oh no …"

He thought he heard another sound down the table, but soon the kame in orange was talking, and talking, and talking loudly and animatedly. Finally, he stopped what seemed an eternity later. Usagi almost sighed. But then the Daimyo spoke again. "And now, let us drink a toast to our winner of this year's, Big Brawl!"

Usagi winced at that shout. Still, he stood with all the others and lifted his glass. Wait … Usagi's eyes snapped open and bulged. He was expected to drink what was in it. Oh no!

Usagi felt the world begin to shift slightly side to side around him. No. He, he just needed to keep standing a little longer … He could fake it! He could raise the glass to his lips, keep them pressed together, and then lower the glass and himself to sit again. He would be fine!

"Hey, Usagi ... I think maybe, you shouldn't …"

He tried to turn his body to look toward the sound of the voice addressing him. Then the shifting world swirled and seemed to shoot up. His head collided with something. Everything went dark …

What do you think now?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes