Toddler Turtles

Part 6

Mikey's Goldfish.

"Last one to the end of this pipe is a rotten egg!" Cried Mikey, as he ran ahead of his brothers.

"Careful my son, this tunnel is slippery," Came the voice of their adoptive father Splinter, as all four young turtles ran ahead.

Leonardo and Raphael were trying to out do each other, as usual, though Raphael slipped and fell down. He quickly got up and started running again though.

"Splinter's the rotten egg!" Mikey cried, as all boys hit the wall, while their Sensei was still walking behind them.

"Splinter wasn't in the race, stupid!" Leonardo whacked his brother on the head.

"Owe, Splinter!"

"That is enough, Leonardo apologise immediately to your little brother! That is no way to treat him on his birthday."

"Sorry Michelangelo, Leonardo mumbled, as Don and Raph snickered at their older brother's punishment. Leonardo was the one who rarely got told off by Splinter.

"Now do you understand the rules for going up out of the sewer, my sons?"

"Yes, Sensei," came four voices.

"Raphael, are you going to storm off by yourself up there?" Splinter pointed a bony clawed finger up at the manhole.

"No, I got to stay with you."

"Thank you, now up us goes." All five climbed the manhole which opened up into an alley. All five mutant creatures were dressed up in cloaks, so that no one could see that the party was of four turtles and a rat. They all walked together along the street, staying near their Sensei, while they looked at the humans who walked past or looked in shop windows. Donetello had to be dragged away from the front of the computer shop and Leonardo couldn't help but looking at the antique store.

Raphael and Mikey on the other hand begged to be aloud into the toy store; Splinter gave in, since it was Mikey's birthday. Though he made if quiet clear that any of them do anything wrong they will be heading straight back home. The four turtles rarely had the chance to be in the human world and the chance to see all the toys that they had only seen on the TV; well you can imagine the interest of 7 year olds.

"How cool!" All four boys were fascinated by the various toys, and Splinter enjoyed watching his sons playing with the toys normal seven year old boys would play with. They pressed every button and tried all the interesting toys out.

"Splinter, how come we can't get each buys Mikey a present?" Donetello asked, as he fiddled with the magnetic game.

"Because I have already got Mikey's presents at home, which he will open when we have had our lunch."

"Thought you said I was going to get a present while we were out?" Mikey said, coming over.

"Yes I did."

"Then you must keep your promise to Mikey," Raphael said, as he bonked Leonardo on the head with an aqua noodle.

"Raphael?!"

"It didn't hurt him! See I do it to me too!"

Splinter gave him a stern look, and then he put the toy down.

"I will keep my promise, though I have a special present in mind for Mikey."

"What is it? Why don't you tell us?" Leonardo asked.

"Because it's a surprise."

"But it's Mike's surprise, not for us?" Donnie pointed out.

"I don't want one of you three to spoil it for your brother. Now how about we go get your lunch, then I will take you to your birthday present."

"Yeah!" Mikey cried.

Splinter knew the four boys would agree with that idea. All four of them had grown a fondness of pizza and every birthday it was their special treat to go and visit an actual pizza restaurant. Splinter knew it kept his boys happy.

After lunch, the four turtles followed Splinter through the streets until they reached a pet shop.

"Wonder if that's the shop we came from?" Leonardo said.

"It's too far away from where we fell into the sewer. For the boy to have carried us, don't you think he would have lived near the pet shop?"

"Splinter says the shop we came from is not there now."

"Mikey, how would Splinter know what the shop was? He was in the sewer?"

"Splinter knows everything, unlike you Raphie, you know nothing!"

"Michelangelo that is enough. Please stop. Come on, let us go inside," as Splinter lead the boys into the shop.

The shop assistant came running over, as the four boys eyed the puppies and kittens.

"How may I help you, Sir?"

"I would like to buy my son a birthday present. Michelangelo, come over here, please."

Mike ran over.

"Happy Birthday, how old is you?" The assistant asked.

Mikey held up his hands, and then realized that he had only six fingers. "Um... I'm seven. We just had pizza in a real pizza shop!"

"Wow, you're a lucky boy. And I see you have three brothers too, are they older or younger than you, my pet?"

"Mikey is the baby of the four boys," Splinter said.

"So what kind of pet were you thinking of getting him?"

"We want a small pet...."

"Hey Dad! There are rats here!" Raphael called. They turtles knew that the rule for up in the human world was to call Splinter Dad, for that is what humans call their father.

"Yeah Rats are his favourite animal! After turtles," Mikey told the lady.

The lady laughed, "So you were wanting a turtle?"

"No thank you. We already have turtles in our family and four of them are enough," Splinter replied, eyeing the four boys.

"Then a pet rat?"

"We got plenty of those near our house too," Donnie said, coming over to look at the rabbits.

"And Splinter is our favourite one!" Raphael cheered, all the boys coughed.

"Oh, um... yeah we named one of them Splinter, cos he's the nicest one," Raphael quickly added, realising the mistake.

"I was thinking more along the lines of a goldfish Mikey?"

"Cool! Do I get to choose it?"

"Yes, that's why I brought you here."

"Cool! Hey lady you got any orange fishes, I love orange."

"I have lots of orange fish for you to choose from, little man, come on over here." She took Mikey over to the fish tanks.

"Raph you are so stupid!" Leonardo whispered to his brother.

"Not my fault!"

"It's alright, leave him be. He hasn't done anything wrong."

"But he said your name!" Donnie whispered, joining the debate.

"He said Splinter is his favourite rat," Splinter stroked his goatee, "He never said that I was that favourite rat. But I know what you mean Raphie. Thank you." Splinter patted his shell.

"Hey everyone, this is my fish! I'm gona call him Frank."

"Frank, that's a stupid name," Raphael said.

"No it's not!"

"I think Frank is a wonderful name!" The assistant replied.

"It is your brother's fish and he may call it what he wishes," Splinter said as he moved over to the counter to pay the assistant.

"Maybe Frank could be short for Frankenstein?" Donetello said, looking at the fish.

"No! I hate that movie! He's called Frank, just Frank."

"Why Frank? It's so boring," Raphael said, "None of us have boring names."

"We're not pet fish. No one gives pets unusual names. Besides I can't call it after myself, it would be silly me saying my own name all the time."

"We were once pet turtles, remember. Besides Mikey, we already know you talk to yourself, so you saying your own name are not that unusual."

"I don't talk to myself, Donatello!"

"Yeah, Don, you forgot about Mummy his bear," Raphael teased his brother.

"Shut up! Shut up! Your horrid brothers!" Mikey stormed outside the shop and waited for Splinter.

"Good one, now you're in trouble." Leo warned.

"How am I in trouble, I didn't storm outside the shop. I'm still with your goodie goodie two shoes."

"Raphael! Go out and apologize to your brother right now!' Splinter grabbed Raphael's cloak and half dragged him out into the sidewalk. The other two followed.

"But it's true; Mikey does talk to his stupid bear."

"I have told you before to leave your brother alone! Now apologize".

Raphael reluctantly apologised.

"Now you can offer to carry the plants for the fish home," Splinter said.

"He's not a fish."

"What is it? A prana?"

"That is a fish Raphie!" Donnie giggled, until Splinter gave him a stern look.

"He's Frankie! Now call him by his name!"

"It's only a fish, Mikey," Leonardo said, rolling his eyes.

"Oh and your just a big fat ugly turtle!"

"Oh nasty!" Raphael nudged Donnie, as they both snickered. Rarely did Mikey take on Leo, especially in front of Splinter. Even better was the fact it was in the middle of the sidewalk.

"ENOUGH I said! Now no more talking till we reach the lair! Come!" Splinter ordered, as he noticed people watching his sons bickering. He did not want any attention drawn to them.

Once at the lair, Splinter offered to assist Mikey with fixing up the old fish tank for Frank. The other three quickly disappeared; they didn't want to spend their afternoon cleaning up a stinking fish tank.

"Go put the fish in some water in the bathroom, Michelangelo. He can swim around in there until the tank is ready. I don't like how they put fish in such a small bag."

"Yeah, come on Frankie. Mikey put you in some lovely water so you can have a swim. Then Mikey and Daddy will make you a nice home in the old fish tank. Yeah. You're my fish aren't you?"

Mikey placed the fish in some water and ran off to join Splinter in cleaning the little tank.

About an hour later, the tank was almost ready to go, by this stage Donatello had been rounded up to fix up an air filter for the tank and Leonardo and Raphael were wrestling in their room.

"Hang on, I got to pee." Raph said, as Leo pinned him to the ground.

"Yeah right! You just using that to trick me."

"No I really do have to go. You want me to pee on the carpet?"

"Alright," Leonardo hopped off his brother, so he could go to the bathroom.

"There we go; it's all ready for Frankie to move in!" Mikey beamed, as the tank was fully set up. There was a sound through the pipes, as someone flushed the toilet.

Mikey's eyes grow wild and scared.

"Who just used the toilet?"

"Why?" Splinter asked, trying to work out what was troubling his son.

"FRANKIE!!!!" Mikey ran through the lair and stormed into the bathroom, knocking Raphael to the ground.

"NO! You didn't! NO!!!" Mikey cried, staring at the toilet, he was in tears.

By now everyone in the house hold was at the door, watching the scene of Raphael on the floor and Mikey staring at the toilet bowl.

"You, I hate YOU!" Mikey screamed as he began to attack Raphael. Raphael had no idea what was going on, looked at his father for help.

"Michelangelo that is enough. What is going on? I think you need to explain to your brother why you have began to attack him".

"Because he's a murder!"

"Am not!"

"You are! I hate you stinking murder!"

"I am not! Splinter!"

"How can Raph murder someone, he was with me the whole time, except for now when he went to the toilet," Leonardo stated.

"Mikey? You didn't put the fish in the .... You did!" Donnie exclaimed.

Mikey broke down into a fit of tears besides Raphael.

"You silly turtle, why the hell did you put it in the toilet?!" Leonardo exclaimed in response.

Splinter walked past the older two and began to comfort Mikey.

"Sp... Sp... Splinter said to put him in the bathroom...." Mikey sobbed.

"I didn't mean the toilet my son. I meant the basin."

"I didn't know. I though the toilet was good cos it already had water in it."

"That's not Raph's fault if you put it in the toilet."

"Didn't you even look?" Mikey accused his brother.

"Excuse me, but I didn't know I had to look in the stupid water for a dumb fish!"

"DON't You call Frankie dumb!" Mikey began to attack Raphael again, though Splinter grabbed him and carried him out of the room and into Mikey's room.

Splinter held his youngest son and began to sooth him and rocked him in his arms, as Mikey cried for the loss of his pet fish.

Less than ten minutes later, Raphael shyly crept into the room and up to Mikey in Splinter's arms.

"I'm sorry Mikey; I didn't know he was there. I didn't mean to flush him down the toilet. I'm really sorry. Please forgive me. I'll do anything for you."

"Go away! I hate you! You're not my brother anymore!" As Mikey turned back to cry into Splinter's fur.

"It is alright my son. You have done the noble thing by admitting your wrong, even though you did not realise there was any fish in the toilet."

"I'm sorry Sensei. I never knew the fish was there. Honest I didn't Mikey."

"Yes, Mikey, perhaps you should have warned everyone about the fish in the toilet. Though I do not know how well Frank would have been with all the chemicals within that toilet. I think it is best to say Frank had a good few hours with you as his owner."

"I never go flushing anyone's birthday present down the bog!"

"Come Michelangelo, please except your brother's mistake. I will go out and buy you another fish if you want."

"I don't want another fish! Would you go buy a new turtles if one of us died?"

"Come, we still have your birthday cake. I am sure Raphael won't flush that down the toilet."

"No, I don't want any. I want to stay here."

"Fair enough, I will save your cake for later. You have a rest. Come Raphael let us leave your brother for now."

"I really didn't know it was there, Splinter!" Raph said, as they closed the door.

"It was not your fault, entirely. Mikey should never have put the fish in the toilet in the first place. Though he is young and it was just a sad mistake. Now let us be kind to your brother for the next few days, for it was a sad occasion for him. Even though he only knew the fish for under two hours."

For almost two weeks, Mikey refused to speak to Raphael or forgive him, instead giving Raph the look that he was the biggest sinner on earth. Mikey eventually got over the fish and Raphael learnt to be more observant of his surroundings. Years later it became family legend, the day Raphael flushed Mike's fish down the bog.