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 just enjoy.

"Usagi!"

Leonardo gaped down at his new friend. Donatello had stopped midsentence and now stood gaping down at the sight before them too. The rabbit lay collapsed across the table. His eyes were closed, and he wasn't moving.

Leo fell to his knees beside him. His voice came out much softer now. "Usagi?"

"Murder! Murder! We aren't free of assassination attempts! Someone has tried to kill the Ronin who saved our Daimyo!"

The turtle glanced up at the female server staring down at the Ronin hands clutched at the sides of her head and her bottom lip bitten by small, white, top teeth. He really hoped she was wrong. Another voice some ways down the table was not encouraging either. "Maybe they already have killed him …"

Leonardo's heart contracted and seemed to stop pumping. He knelt over the rabbit and shook him by the shoulders. "Usagi!"

Donnie knelt down on the other side and pressed his fingers to the side of the Ronin's neck. "Well, he's definitely unconscious, but he has a pulse."

Leo's head snapped up. "How strong?"

"A pretty good one considering his other symptoms."

"What were you going to sa …"

"Let me through! Let me through!"

Leonardo looked up to see the rhino with the broken horn wearing a kimono with Samurai swords strapped to his side plowing through a crowd toward them. Donatello looked up from his examination and turned a scowl upon the bounty hunter. "Do you know what he's eaten or drunk since 'we' saw him last?"

Leo watched the bounty hunter freeze. "He … had a few drinks with me."

"And me."

Leo looked up into the guilt-stricken face of Traximus standing a few paces away. His eyes widened. He opened his mouth to ask about this bit of news, but Donnie beat him to it. His genius brother's voice rose to new levels. "You. Let. Him. Drink?!"

The rhino crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. "He's had more than that with me many times before. He holds his liquor well for someone his size."

Leonardo turned to watch Donnie. His brother's eyes were slits. His teeth were grit together. His ugly gaze was fixed on the rhino.

Leo's heart squeezed even tighter. "Donnie, why is that bad?"

Donatello screamed at Gennesuke. "He sustained a concussion less than eight hours ago!"

The Daimyo straightened where he stood just behind an also standing and staring Splinter. They had both been watching over Leo's shoulder. Their host's voice went soft. "What?"

Somehow, Leo found he hurt for the Daimyo. The man had just lost his only son, and a faithful servant, and now might lose a guest who'd just saved his life. Leo was confused by his sympathy, though, because beneath it lay a vast, empty, blurry plain, where his own feelings should have been.

He and all his brothers had suffered through lectures on concussions from Splinter or Donnie sometimes both. Living dangerously in sewers made of metal made that inevitable. Though Splinter only occasionally indulged in a glass of Sake, and told them they had to wait until they were "adult" mutant ninja turtles to try it themselves, they'd still heard mentioned in the long list of "don'ts" following blows to their heads followed by blackouts or dizziness "don't consume alcohol."

Leo's own terror spiked through the blurry, empty void. His blood was freezing, muscles stiffening, breath shortening. He looked down at the limp form of the rabbit in front of him. Usagi should KNOW better! "Are … are you sure, Don?"

Donnie snapped in the way he only did when he was absolutely terrified and knew beyond doubt, he had a right to be. "Of course, I'm sure! He went flying through a silk screen and landed on the floor! I rushed out to check on him and he was out cold! He stayed that way for maybe a minute! I couldn't really track the time! He woke up a little while after that and seemed fine, but since he was 'out cold,' he is "not fine" now and shouldn't have been drinking! He shouldn't have had alcohol for at least 24 hours!"

Donnie's tirade was cut short by a few sharp taps sounding behind Leo's shell. The turtle-team leader turned to see the Daimyo leaning on his War Staff. The leader's face was fierce above it. His shout carried through the hall. "Healers!"

Figures in white robes, they'd seen treating the injured guards and defeated warriors earlier, ran up. They Bowed to the Daimyo but stopped nearer the limp form of Usagi. Their master's voice rang over them. "Take Miyamoto Usagi to a private chamber and get the Master healer to him. Before he arrives, see to him yourselves!"

Splinter turned and bowed to their host. "Excuse, me, my old friend, but may we go with him?"

The Daimyo nodded, looking down at the old rat, but apparently speaking to his servants he spoke again. "Allow Splinter and any member of his family …" The rhino stood straighter and opened his mouth, but before he could speak the Daimyo nodded to him too "and Gennesuke, to accompany Usagi and stay near him, as long as they do not hinder his treatment."

"May I also accompany him?"

The others looked to the now, even guiltier looking Triceraton in their midst. The Daimyo stared at him a moment and then nodded. The two healers bent over one the rabbit, but Leo lurched forward. "No, please!"

They stopped and stared at him. Leo let his hands hang in the air over his friend. "I … I'd like to help carry him," he looked back over his shoulder to the Daimyo. "If … if you don't mind. He did the same for me!"

The Daimyo nodded. The healers backed away. Leonardo moved in and picked up his friend. It was surprisingly easy. Usagi was much lighter than any of his brothers, maybe about the weight of Splinter. Leo looked up at the healers, "Lead the way."

. . .

The healer waved something in front of the rabbit's nose. It twitched. The eyes above it wrinkled and then shot open. The warrior flipped over onto his side and wretched. The healer picked up a nearby bowl and held it out. Leo flinched and grimaced as the rabbit brought something up out of his stomach. After that horrible sound ended, the healer guided his patient by the shoulder back down onto the cushioned bench he lay on. The healer's soft voice was oddly comforting. "That happens sometimes after blows to the head or drinking."

Usagi scrunched his eyes closed as lantern light fell over them. A hoarse voice whispered from his throat, "What happened?"

Leo opened his mouth to answer, but again, Donnie beat him to it. "Usagi!"

The rabbit's head snapped up and eyes swiveled to the sound. Leo also thought he saw him flinch. His brother went on mercilessly at his new friend. "How could you even think of drinking tonight? You had a concussion! You didn't wake up for several moments while I fought alone today."

The warrior looked down and squinted in silence a moment. Then his voice came out wavering, but a little stronger. "That 'was' … unwise of me." He raised his gaze up again to meet Donnie's furious one. "I think I had forgotten. I accompanied Gennesuke into the city and then to the inn, and I … got caught up in our earlier plans and simply forgot. I imagine the repercussion have been immense. I have made a spectacle of myself tonight, and just now did great injustice to the Daimyo's hosting."

"Such things happen," the rather jovial voice of the healer supplied. "I have treated the like many times before. My lord has known through long experience warriors can be rather intemperate. I think you are actually one of the more self-disciplined ones who have come here. Your current condition has as much to do with your sacrifice in defending my lord's and my own life as it has to do with your celebrating afterward." The healer then paused and met Usagi's gaze. "Just let this be a reminder to 'never' do it again." Usagi looked away at these kind words from the healer now wetting his brow with water scented with some calming oils Leo assumed wouldn't hurt his friend's eyes if they dripped into them.

Traximus' voice caused Usagi to look up again. "I must apologize too, my friend. I had no idea when I bought you a second drink you had been so injured."

Usagi now stared up at the ceiling. "I did not tell you, nor you, Gennesuke."

The rhino huffed causing Leonardo to look at him and see a face nearly as angry as his brother's. "I 'asked' you if you'd been hurt and needed a healer while we were enjoying our first cup of the strange drink."

Usagi moved his head just slightly to meet his friend's gaze scowling back. "I did not recall having shed a drop of blood, or breaking a bone, or spraining a joint, but …" The muscles of the rabbit's face relaxed and he looked back up to the ceiling. "I had forgotten about the blow to my head and waking up from a dark and dreamless sleep what seemed a short time later. I 'knew' I should not have drunk anything strong after such an injury. I simply forgot about the incident altogether. So much else had happened … it seemed unimportant ..."

"Unimportant!"

Leo's shout caused his new friend to jump slightly on his cushioned bench, Splinter and the healer turn hard gazes upon him, and his brothers to back up.

"Unimportant! Usagi you could have died!"

The rabbit stared at him a moment and then began to speak in a soft, soothing voice, "I hardly think so Leonardo. With the best healers in the Battle Nexus …"

All of Leo's brothers slapped their hands over their faces and Raphael added a "Here we go!"

What do you think will happen now?

God Bless

ScribeofHeroes