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Through His Eyes
Chapter 2
The looks Sensei kept sending towards my bros and I made my insides twist. I gots to admit that I was feeling a little bad about blowing up, but this was Mikey right? Mikey nevah stayed mad for long! Soon he'd come out of that room of his and crack a joke, I would get him a pizza with his favorite toppings (yuck!), and everything would be fine. Right? Man, who am I kidding? I made my baby brother cry. Damn!
Donnie went over and tenderly picked up Mikey's sketchbook and paused. With a look of shock on his face he began thumbing through the book. With a look of curiosity on his face Leo went over to look at what had Donnie's full attention.
"My God!" Donnie whispered while Leo looked over his shoulder with wide, sad eyes.
Donnie looked up at me with tears in his eyes and held the sketchbook out to me with trembling hands. Curious I took the book from him and opened ta the first page and saw a beautiful picture of Sensei. Sensei's love and honor was shining perfectly from his art twin's eyes as if alive. Each page contained other works of love and perfection. This was the only word ta describe the pictures for they were of all of us rendered with such care and emotion. I turned ta the last picture and saw…myself. Mikey had drawn me with my sais and I was staring out defiantly from the picture. The picture was entitled, "My Protector, My Brother."
"Oh God!" I choked.
Sensei took the sketchbook out of my numb hands. He too looked at Mikey's artwork. The look he sent my way froze me in place. The look said ta me 'he believes you his protector and you have failed him.' I began pounding on Mikey's door even harder than before. I had to get ta him! Now.
"Open the door Mikey!" I pleaded, "I am so sorry! Please open the door."
We nevah heard one peep out of Mikey the rest of the day. Each of my bros and myself tried ta get Mikey ta open the door. Mikey wouldn't even answer Sensei when he tried ta get him ta open the door. I sat down outside his door to wait. I wouldn't budge until Mikey came out. I had ta talk ta him and apologize. Hours went by and the door didn't open. I sat in half-lotus beside the door waiting ta be allowed ta enter. It was late in the evening by this point. Leo and Donnie had gone ta their rooms afta I promised ta get them as soon as Mikey emerged. Sensei's voice startled me out of listening for movement on the otha side of Mikey's door.
"What is it you want from your brother my son?" he said.
"I don't understand what you mean Sensei." I said turning towards him and feeling confused, "I know I want him ta come out so I can apologize. Is that what you mean?"
"No my son. What is it you want Michelangelo to be? Within the last year you have been coming down very hard on your brother. Certainly Michelangelo can be very…enthusiastic, but he has always considered other's feelings and has the best intentions at heart. Even his pranks are childish harmlessness meant only to make other's laugh."
"But that's just it Sensei." I said, "Mikey's head is always in the clouds. His childish behavior is going ta get him hurt badly or worse. He's got ta wise up before he makes a mistake that leads ta things I don't want to think about. Not ta mention…does he know how to push my buttons!"
And how is that different from the way you 'push buttons' that belong to Leonardo?" Sensei said with a chuckle, "All I am saying is what I am seeing and hearing from you proves that Michelangelo is correct."
"What do you mean?" I said to Sensei.
"You are his brother and his protector;" he said, " it is up to you how you choose to use these roles. To help shape Michelangelo or to push him away. Good night my son."
Stunned I watched Sensei place Mikey's sketchbook in my lap and enter his room. Sitting outside of my bro's room I began ta look at Mikey's art again. With each page I remembered back ta when we was little. Mikey always choosing me for his partner ta spar or play games. Mikey saving me the last piece of pizza which is a miracle onto itself. Mikey helping me prank Leo even though he hated ta get into trouble with Sensei. Mikey crawling under my bed ta find my lost sai when I was eleven. Mikey looking up ta me. Mikey telling me that I was his favorite brother. Mikey's eyes when I tossed his sketchbook.
Sighing sadly, I leaned my head against the wall looking up at the lair's ceiling. I had not been the brother Mikey deserved for a long time. I nevah meant ta hurt him and I swore to myself that I would make it up ta him. That is, if he will evah open the door. I tapped lightly on Mikey's door.
"We need ta talk Mikey," I softly spoke through the door, "I'll be here to talk to you when you are ready. I'm not going anywhere. Not evah."
I leaned back against the wall beside Mikey's door to wait no mattah how long he stayed in his room. Another hour crawled by and I was beginning to get sleepy. I swear I only closed my eyes for a second, but something felt wrong and I startled awake looking around for danger. There wasn't any, but Mikey's door was open. Sensing movement, my eyes snapped to the entrance to the lair seeing Mikey's orange bandanna tails disappearing ninja silent through the door.
Not thinking, I stood up and just as silently gave chase. Where was Mikey going?