Chapter Three

Leo looked over the battle field with satisfaction, the war was turning their way. He smiled from behind their trench, thinking over their past victories. He and Donny had come up with a multitude of strategies and plans over the course of the game, all of them successful. They currently had at least fifteen confirmed kills. Looking towards 'Crimson FLAMES' base, he took joy in the carnage that cluttered their headquarters with white gore. Broken limbs and bodies could be seen among the rubble of what was left of their troops. Amongst the carnage, Mike and Raph stood, talking amongst themselves. However, this time, they each kept an eye open, Blue THUNDER would not be underestimated again. Leo grinned, he had the enemy on the watch. Now it was time for phase two of their invasion. He waited until he was able to make eye contact with Donny, of which was in the very edge of the clearing leading into the woods, and gave the signal…

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"Raph, aren't you hungry?" Mike asked, a frown on his face. Raph did not answer, but only swept his eyes over their remain troops. He remained still for quite some time. Quietly, his voice carried over the still chill of the air.

" Leo's winning…" he stated, almost a whisper in the air. To Raph, this game was not a game at all, but another test, and he was failing. If Leo won, it would open the door to more of Leo's bitching. Leo would automatically feel that with the victory came authority, something that Raph did not want and would have to avoid at all costs. Raph scanned over the battle field. His own men cluttered the ground around his feet. A stick of an arm here, another limb there. It was a true gore for the sight to see. He quickly counted his remaining men. They numbered at about seven or so, some of them were in better shape than others. Raph looked over the field to where he knew Leo and Don were hiding. Their trench was in shambles, but still stood. However, it was down just enough for Raph to see into the rut. The three soldiers still stood high. He seethed. He and Mike had made many ambushes, all of which ended the same way. They would be overwhelmed by Blue THUNDER'S defenses, and would end up making another hasty retreat. They never got close enough to put even a scratch on any of the snowman's heads, and it pissed Raph off considerably. However, Leo and Don rained carnage down on their own troops with what seemed like little effort. The last couple of times they didn't even work together. Don had been enough to take their men out and kept coming back, alone, and with a variety of ambushes. How could he beat the crap out of Leo if he couldn't get near him. He thought for a second before turning to Mike with a makeshift plan.

"Mike, we need to protect these troops as if our lives depended on it." Raph motioned towards their remaining men. "These are all the guys we've got left, and I'll be damned if they go down without a fight." Raph looked expectantly at Mike, waiting for his nod of approval, but it never came. Instead, Mike frowned and rubbed his belly.

"But I'm hungry Raph." Mike whined, rubbing his stomach once again. As if on cue, a loud gurgled rumble came from the empty tummy. Raph rolled his eyes.

"Your always hungry!" Mike look offended. Raph continued. "And besides, you said yourself that we can not eat until the war was over…" Raph shook his finger at his younger brother. Mikey huffed.

"Well, yeahhhh, but I didn't think it would take this long…" Mike was not happy, being so cold and so hungry, all at the same time! He didn't like this, not one bit. Sure it had been fun in the beginning, he loved a good snowball fight just as much as the next mutant turtle, but this was ridiculous. He looked at his watch, it read about four-thirty in the afternoon. His eyes widened.

'…ten hours…we've been out here for TEN HOURS!!!' Mike had initially thought that they would have been on their way back home by now, if not already home and watching TV. He also assumed that they would have been able to get some time in to actually play in the snow, not defend it. Mikey was a free spirit, he needed a little change once in a while, but Raph…Raph was determined to draw this thing out to the bitter end. Mike could tell just by observing his brother's actions in the game. Everything he did screamed business. Raph needed to win, no mater what it took. Mike sighed. He need to calm Raph down one way or another and maybe get him to have a little fun. He opened his mouth to speak, but didn't get a chance to for he was silenced by his brother. Raph brought his finger to his lips, and brought the other one to point to his ear, signaling, telling his brother to shut up and listen. Mikey did just that, and was surprised when he actually heard something.

'What is that?' He heard it again, a small rustling noise. Hesitantly, he looked at his brother. Raph had heard it too, his body went ridged at the sound. They both quieted down and listened even more, putting all of their training to good use. Raph looked at Mike, puzzled.

"What the hell is that?" He mouthed to his brother in orange. Mike shrugged his shoulders but looked up into the tree, indicating the direction he thought it was coming from. Raph, too, looked up into the trees as the barely audible noise continued. Mike still puzzled over the occurrence as Raph suddenly scoped up a lump of snow from the ground. Mike looked at him, confusion written all over his features.

"What are you doing?" he asked in a low whisper. Raph hushed him with a finger to his mouth and looked up at the trees again. Taking aim, he flung the snowball into the canopy. The crack of branches breaking could be heard as the projectile snowball hit it's intended target with a 'thump.' A yelp and a cry echoed throughout the clearing as Donatello lost his balance on the narrow branches and fell out of the tree onto the ground below. Donny moaned, looking up just in time to see the branches tumble down the tree after him. He covered his face with his arms just as gravity took it's course. Now covered in green thistles and twigs, he jumped to his feet, preparing himself for the escape of his life, but was grabbed by Raph before he could take two steps. The whole thing took about twenty seconds.

"Oh no you don't!" Was Raph's exclamation as he grabbed Donny, and put his arm behind his back, hindering Donny from making any sudden escapes. With Donny apprehended, Mike grinned.

"Ha, HAA!!! WE'VE CAUGHT YOU!!! YOUR NOW OUR PRISONERRRR!!!! WHOOOOO!" Mike did a little dance around the bewildered Donatello and the grinning Raph. "PICKACHUUUU, WE CAUGHT YOU!!!" He screamed at the top of his lungs while pointing a finger at Donny, of whom couldn't look less thrilled. Mike then turned to the direction of the trench and cupped his hands over his mouth. "YOU HEAR THAT LEO, WE CAUGHT DONNAY!!!! NOW YOUR ASS WILL BE OURRRSSS!!!" He emphasized the last part, making his voice go deep. The words echoed through the field, coming back with serous demonic undertones. Raph blinked and Don stopped struggling. Both of them turned to looked at their brother clad in orange. Mike caught their gazes. "….I always wanted to do that, heh…" He smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his neck. Raph just threw another long stare at Mike before grabbing Don once again, of whom resumed his struggling. Mike blinked once before helping his brother in red apprehend their prisoner. This was great. With Donny out of the picture, Leo was all alone. They now had the upper hand in this war, and would take full advantage of it. Leo was goin' down.

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"Damnit!" Leo cursed loudly. He had seen the entire thing. The dreadful scene unfolded before him, beginning at Donny's ascend and discovery to Donny's painful descend and capture. He cursed himself, it was his plan, his idea. The initial plan was for Don to climb the tree, and to unmercifully reign down snowballs on 'Crimson FLAMES' until they gave up, or all of their snowmen were in rubble. It would have been a grand victory, but as fate would have it, it didn't work. Don was found out before he could even get completely up the tree, and was quickly captured, impeding their plans considerably. Now, without Don, he was on his own. That in itself didn't bother him too much, it was rather the fact that Raph still had Mike, outnumbering Leo two to one. He cursed again as he let himself fall back behind the trench. What would he do? He would have to strategize, he would have to plan. He would have to do something!…He stuck his head up above the trench again to watch Raph and Mike tie up Donny on a near by tree. Their methods he knew well. Splinter had taught them those same knots in their training. Ninjitsu wasn't just fighting, it was a way of life. Raph and Mike were now putting their training to good use…against him! Donny would never be able to escape those bonds alone. His brother would have to be rescued, but how? He continued watching his opposing brothers, they talked obliviously. He watched on as Raph and Mike high-fived again, celebrating their newest accomplishment. However, that changed when Mike frowned and rubbed his belly. Leo got an idea.

Maybe he didn't have to do anything after all…

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"Can't you wait, Mikey!!!" Raph was becoming angry. Here they were, the war turning their way, and all Mike could think about what his bottomless pit of a stomach.

"I'm sorry Raph," Mike still continued to hold his stomach. In turn. It continued to rumble. He just was too hungry. Donny piped up from his place against the tree.

"Hey, Raph, it's not his fault that he's hungry. We've been out here all day. Besides…I'm a little hungry myself." Don stated, his gaze going to his brother in orange. At the comment, Mike smiled at Don, obviously grateful for the defense.

"Thank's Don," Mike stated, throwing another grin at the turtle in purple. Raph huffed. What was the big deal, he was hungry too, but he didn't complain about it. He had more important things to do first, such as wipe Leo's snout in a pile of his own defeat. Only then could Raph give in to trivial things, such as eating, and getting warm. He shivered against the ice cold winds.

"Hey Raph," Don spoke up again, "where's your sweater?" At that Raph took to grinding his teeth. He was tired of the damn sweater interrogations. Why couldn't they just get off of his shell, frozen as it was?

"I lost it." He lied, watching the field for Leo. Donatello thought for a moment before something caught his eye.

"No, look Raph, it's right there on top of the picnic bas---"

"I said I lost it!" Raph clenched his teeth and snarled, turning fully around to glare daggers at Donny. Donny took the hint.

"OK! YOU LOST IT!!! Don stated, eyes widening at the display. Raph growled as he turned back around to continue his visual search for Leo. Don eyed his brother's back, a frown appearing on his face. "You didn't have to get all anal on me…" He muttered under his breath.

"What?" Raph half turned to stare at Don, no-nonsense written all over his face.

"Nothin' Raph." Don replied, blinking innocently. Raph rolled his eyes and turned back to the field. Mikey, who had witnessed the entire thing, snickered despite himself. He held his own hand over his mouth to damper his laughter, knowing the danger in laughing at Raph. Mike's demonstration earned another smile from Don. Obliviously, Raph scanned the field once again.

' What is Leo planning?' Raph was becoming impatient with all of this waiting around. He was planning on Leo coming to his comrade's rescue, of which would he his demise, a large and humiliating defeat. But Leo was late for his own funeral, being no where to be seen. Raph grinded his teeth in anticipation, silently cursing his brother. Raph was never one to sit and wait, his short patience just couldn't tolerate it.

Fine! If Leo didn't want to show up for his own funeral, then they would just have to bring the funeral to him.

"Earth to Raph….come in Raphael…" Mike's voice shattered Raph's thoughts, angering him even more. He snarled.

"WHAT!!?" Raph spun to face his two brothers, startling them with the sudden movement. Mike blinked wide eyes before answering.

"What are we gonna do with Donny?" He asked, his voice came out small and squeaky. Raph couldn't take much more of this.

"I don't care what you do with Donny, we have got work to do!" Don looked offended, as Mike puzzled over the reply. Mike, himself, was getting a little bit agitated over the current events. Throughout the entire game, all Raph had done was yell at him and watch for Leo, a cycle that Mike in particular did not care for. They were suppose to be having fun. They were suppose to be working together. However, they were doing anything but. Raphael usually acted on his own anyways, Mike had only come on their ambushes to back Raph up as he ran head first into battle, as usual. Besides, Mike was freezing and he knew Don was too. He couldn't understand how Raph could go without a sweater, rainbow or no rainbow. Over all, the whole situation had Mike peeved. He made eye contact with Donny, conforming what he was about to do.

"MIKE, WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING!!?" Raph watched on in enraged disbelief as Mike undid Donatello's bonds. Mike responded indifferently.

"I'm freeing Donny."

Raph blinked. "WELL I CAN SEE THAT!" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "I MEAN WHY ARE YOU FREEING HIM!?" Raph was just about at the end of his rope. So was Mike.

"SO WE CAN GO EAT, THAT'S WHY!" Mike stood up, physically challenging his brother by stepping towards him. Raph stared him down. Mikey was not phased. "RAPH, I'M COLD. I'M HUNGRY--"

"MIKEY, YOU CAN'T LEAVE!!!?" Raph exclaimed, he knew what was going on. Mike quieted, glaring daggers at his brother before grabbing Donatello's arm and storming off towards the picnic basket. Don fumbled to his feet at Mike force and stumbled after his brother clad in orange. He still was puzzled over what he had to do with this. Was he Mike's prisoner now? Meanwhile, Raph froze, stunned, truly speechless. Mike never stood up to him, as he did now. That only lasted for a second however, as Raph stormed after Mike. He caught up to his brother in about two steps before grabbing him and turning him around.

"If you leave you can't come back…" Raph warned, his gaze serous. Mike seemed to contemplate what was just said, but only for a second. He suddenly ripped his arm from Raph's grasp, angered at the interference, and set Raph with a serous gaze of his own.

"Then so be it." Was his response. He resumed his march towards supplement with a stumbling Donny still in his grasp. "So if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go eat my sandwiches and DRINK MY DAMN HOT CO-CO!!!!" The birds flew from the tress once again. "… so good day!" Michelangelo turned to walk off. Raph still protested, realizing that he would be left alone.

"But Mikey---"

" ISAIDGOODDAY!!!" Mike screamed, rushing off while dragging a reluctant Donatello, of which was still in his grasp. It was not until they were about ten paces away from the basket did Donatello catch on to what was going on. He blinked, and stood on his own, stopping in his tracks. Mike stopped also when he didn't feel Donny's dead weight in his grasp anymore. Don blinked.

"….You have hot Co-Co?" He asked the angry Michelangelo. Mikey turned around, an unsure look.

"Yeah…" He stated. Donatello grinned.

"WELL THEN WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SO, COME ON!!!" Don broke out into a mad dash for the picnic basket. Mike was startled at the sudden movement, but then grinned, following his' brother's foot steps. Raph seethed, watching his two brothers fish out the thermos from the large picnic basket.

"Traitors!" He muttered to the empty air. If they wanted to stuff their faces that was fine with him. 'He was holding me back anyways…' He scowled, watching them pour the Hot chocolate into their Styrofoam cups. It's steam visibly traveled into the cool air as Donatello and Michelangelo indulged in it's chocolaty goodness….It did look tempting…

'NO!' his mind screamed. 'Victory is at hand! It can't be thrown away now!' He tore his gaze away from his younger brothers, of which were enjoying their hot co-co immensely. He would not give into temptation, He had to finish the war. Planning….Planning is what he was suppose to be doing, not wasting time. He pulled his coat closer as a wind induced chill went though his body. Damn the cold! Damn it to hell! Now that he was all alone, he knew Leo would attack. He also knew that he would be ready.

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R and R