Rene – For once the site was to blame for the repeated paragraph, not me ;) Yeah, rats and mice have lots of offspring… but then again a turtle can lay three clutches of eggs, sometimes with up to one-hundred in each clutch! Currently I'm trying to ignore a horrible plot-bunny where Venus has three hundred children, for the obvious reason that no decent plot would come out of it -.-!

Chibiroseangel, Auri1 and governmentcontractor – I'm glad that you're accepting Venus. On the show she tends to be a bit more annoying and naïve than what I portray her to be. I know that Venus has this stigma attached to her, and I'm just glad that readers like yourselves can look past that and enjoy the story as a whole :D I know some people who won't even read a story if Venus' name is in the description o.0!

Chapter Six: Wrath.

Be convinced that to be happy means to be free and that to be free means to be brave. Therefore do not take lightly the perils of war. – Thucydides.

"Yo Don!" Casey unconventionally greeted from the top of the ladder that led into the subway station lair. Curious, Donatello emerged from his room. An awkward, shuffling noise was heard before the turtle spotted Casey slowly descending down the metal rungs. His movements were uncoordinated and Don questioned for moment as to whether the man was seriously injured, but upon closer inspection the reptile found out that Casey was trying to climb down while carrying a full-length mirror at the same time. It didn't take long for Casey to almost lose his balance and his grip on the sleek, reflective object, but he managed to hold onto the ladder with a spare hand. "Uh, I could use some help here," Casey requested when he discovered he was rather stuck.

With a little grin, Don ran over to help. With steady hands, the turtle gratefully pried the mirror out of Casey's precarious one-handed grip so that he could climb down the rest of the way safely. "Hope that's what you were looking for," Casey wondered as he jumped off the last few rungs.

"It's perfect," Don said as he admired the large mirror. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble," Don frowned with worry, knowing how awkward it would have been to carry the large object through the sewers.

"Nah, as long as it helps Leo," Casey shrugged, even though he was slightly annoyed with the difficulty of the task he had been bestowed. Hearing all the commotion resounding in the living room, Raphael emerged from his train carriage to see what all the fuss was about. He quickly regretted his actions. "Hey Raph! How'd the brain transplant go?" Casey playfully teased as soon as he saw his long-time reptilian friend. Raphael, however, felt uncomfortable around the human, completely sick to the stomach knowing that he had slept with his girlfriend. He quickly became nervous and cautious, simply wondering if Casey knew the truth.

"Um, yeah," Raph stammered, though by the time he voiced a response he had already forgotten what the original question was. Casey was taken aback for a moment, rather surprised at Raph's weird answer, but he figured that the turtle was simply depressed about Leonardo's condition. Donatello thought otherwise, immediately sensing that something was wrong.

"Haven't seen you in a while," Casey commented. "I was beginning to think you were avoiding me!" he joked, glad to see his old buddy again.

"Yeah… avoiding," Raphael tried to chuckle at the idea, though Don could still see that he was nervous.

"Well, I can't stay around for long. So I hope Leo does alright with the mirror," Casey mentioned while he referred to the conversation he had with Donatello over the phone. Casey looked at his watch as a signal that he was pressed for time. He hated being in the sewers anyway.

"Why not?" Don was curious about his reason to leave. None of them had seen Casey in a while, and Donatello desperately wanted someone else apart from his immediate family to speak to. However Casey really wasn't the chatting type. The man had first heard about Leo's condition from April, and he made a phone call explaining his condolences towards the mutant family as soon as he had a spare minute. When he asked if there was anything he could to do to help, Donatello brought up the idea of bringing a mirror. Casey still didn't understand why the mirror was needed, but Don assured him that it was important, so he brought the spare, disowned object from his garage along anyway. Although the turtle and the human had spoken with saddened feelings about Leo, the whole exchange only lasted a total of ten minutes. It was true that even in the most terrible of tragedies, Casey was still a man of few words. Just like Raph.

"I've already promised April that I'd help her move furniture tonight. She just wants to rearrange a few things in the antique store. I've gotta do a few things at home first though," Casey informed them. Raphael's whole body froze when he heard Casey say something unexpected.

"Um… I guess I'll see you there then," Raph said rather slowly, not sure how the man would react.

"What do you mean?" Casey asked.

"Well April asked me to help out at the antique store as well," Raphael cautiously explained. He raised his right hand and rubbed the back of his neck. Reading his body language, Don could easily tell that Raph found the situation rather awkward.

"…So April invited you along?" Casey was curious though secretly annoyed. He honestly thought that it would have been just him and April. Although he enjoyed the turtles' company, he still wanted to spend some quality time with the woman that he liked. In the same way, Raphael had also thought that he'd be able to spend the night alone with April. Yet it was clear that she had invited both of them along, without letting other one know.

"I guess so," Raph shrugged and pretended like it was no big deal. Casey acted the same way.

"Well… I'll see you at seven then," Casey confirmed, though his voice contained a hint of disappointment.

"Yeah, see ya," the turtle mumbled his goodbye. Don and Raph watched as Casey slowly ascended the ladder once again.

"Is anything wrong, Raph?" Don asked, rather worried.

"Nah, it's cool," Raphael brushed his brother's comment off.

"Is everything alright between you and Casey?" Don blatantly pushed for more information.

"Yes! Everything's fine!" Raphael said it with more force than he had intended. Don frowned, knowing the exact opposite to what the turtle had said was true. Something was wrong, and it was clear that Raph didn't want to talk about it. Being smart, Don dropped the topic and watched as Raphael slowly meandered back into his room.

Casting a sigh, Don tightly gripped the sides of the mirror with his two hands and made his way back over to his train carriage. "Hey Leo. Look what I got you," Don said. Leo opened his eyes and lifted his head off the pillow so he could get a better look from the bed.

"What's that for?" Leo was confused.

"I'm going to try and get you back up and walking today. So you'll need a way to see yourself, so you can tell if you're leaning one way or the other," Don informed him while he propped the mirror against the wall so it stood opposite the injured turtle. Leonardo seemed to sigh with relief; he was finally able to move forward in his life. "You won't need this anymore," Don said as he removed the IV drip from Leo's numb hand. After checking a few other things like the bandages and stitches, Don briskly cleared the floor of rubbish, particularly the area around the bed. "You ready for this?" Don asked, once he felt everything was prepared.

Leonardo nodded. "Ready as I'll ever be."

"Okay," Don said as he gathered his thoughts. He hadn't rehabilitated someone before and he had only got the general gist of the procedures from websites and medical-based reality television programs. "Okay," Don repeated. "I want you to try and sit up by yourself," he ordered, attempting to sound professional. Without complaint, Leonardo tried. The turtle aimed to sit up quickly, though Leo hadn't anticipated the heaviness of his arm. The limb caused his shoulders to twist unexpectedly, and he quickly lost his balance as the dead weight dragged him back down to the mattress. "You okay?" Don asked as he reached out to help his brother.

"Yeah I'm fine," Leo muttered, annoyed at how he couldn't perform such a simple task.

"Don't rush yourself. You need to take time to get used to things," Don advised. Caring and capable hands wrapped around Leo's shoulders as Don faithfully pulled his downhearted brother into a sitting position. Dispirited, Leo slowly raised his eyes from off the floor so he could look himself squarely in the mirror that Casey had brought. Immediately he could tell that he was not sitting up straight, even though he felt he was stable. "You're leaning to your right too much," Don stated the obvious. "You'll just have to consciously lean the other way more, even though it might feel odd or awkward," once again Don tried to calmly instruct his brother, without making him feel belittled.

Yet Leonardo did what he was told, as he was completely determined on getting better. Don couldn't help but smile at his attitude knowing that the more a patient wanted to get well, the less time they would spend in rehabilitation. "Wanna try and walk now?" Don inquired when Leo seemed to feel comfortable in a sitting position. After a nod of agreement, Donatello guided his brother forward and tried to get him to stand. Immediately Leo hissed and rapidly sat back down on the bed. "What's wrong?" Don was worried.

"My knee," Leo groaned as he rubbed it with his working hand. "It's still sore."

Donatello stood and rubbed his chin as he tried to come up with a solution. "I'll be right back," he promised. Leonardo continued to sit upright as he waiting for Don to return, not daring to lie back down again. He was only gone for a few minutes. Leo watched as Don re-entered, this time holding a familiar object. It was one of Splinter's canes. The old rat had two walking sticks; one concealed a hidden blade while the other was simply your average wooden staff, which was the one Donatello had brought. "He said you could borrow this," Don said as he graciously handed Leo the cane. In a way, Leonardo felt honoured to hold one of his Master's most cherished possessions, yet that feeling of uselessness seemed to swell up from the bottom of his soul once again. Despite the age difference, Splinter had chosen to keep the weapon, while Leo had been reduced to an old man. Being handed the simple walking stick only reminded Leo of the torturous notion that he could no longer fight.

With the aid of the cane and Don's helping hand, Leo managed to stand. Using the mirror that was transported into the sewers by his friend, he was able to adjust his weight distribution accordingly. It was a long and often painstaking process, but with his strong determination, by the end of the 'lesson' Leo could walk by himself with the use of the cane. Donatello sat back in his computer chair and watched as Leo hobbled around his room, completely exhilarated by the movement of his own body. Looking at his older brother, Don knew that the simple things in life such as health, family and love shouldn't be taken for granted and that each in itself was capable of lifting the hearts of men. Though he could do it most of his life, Leonardo was happier by the fact that he was walking more than ever before. It was clear to Don that Leo's long road to recovery only proved the old saying true; only after we lose something we learn and appreciate how important it was in the first place.

A true smile of happiness and pure delight lighted up Leo's face. It was one more step towards independence again. "I think you'll be able to sleep in your own bed tonight," Don commented, rather relieved himself that he could have his privacy back.

"Thank you Don," Leo credited with a warm smile. It was the first time in days that he had the luxury to see that the future was not so bleak after all. "Where's Venus? I want to surprise her," Leo said with an almost childlike sense of excitement, as though he was a teenager again who wanted to show off his new fighting skills in front of the girl he liked. Donatello had rarely ever seen the turtle so grateful and happy, and in a way Don thought that maybe the worst case scenario brought out the best in him. Yet he sighed when he knew that the next bit of information was going to wash away that glint of joy again.

"She left," Don said. Leo looked at him as if he hadn't heard Don correctly.

"Left where?"

"She moved out." Leonardo fell silent after hearing Don's words. A mixture of emotions crept out and swamped his body, but the main problem he had was with the fact that he didn't know her reasons for leaving. Venus, along with Don, had stayed with him during his time of darkness, and now that she had gone, Leo suddenly felt deserted. Hearing the news, Leo's personal victory didn't feel as special or as important any more.


He was early, and that's what he wanted. It was a cold night. The wind tunneled and tore down through the streets, being strengthened by the concrete buildings that were so predominant in the city landscape. Clouds billowed and buckled as they threatened to rain, but Raphael had no fear since he had confidence in the nightly weather report that said it would remain dry. Yet that still didn't mean that a thunderstorm couldn't brew overhead.

"Hi April," Raphael greeted as he opened the door to her antique shop. The lady smiled, though it faded when she realised what time it was.

"You're fifteen minutes early," April stated, somewhat surprised. The guys were usually either on time or late due to their busy lives…

"I had to talk to you before Casey got here," Raph said. He wasn't entirely sure, but for a split second he thought he saw hesitation rise up through April's small build.

"What about?" April said after she cleared her throat. She pretended to look preoccupied by grabbing a nearby broom and sweeping the floor. It was easy to tell that things were getting awkward.

"Well… for starters, why'd you invite Casey? I thought it'd just be… well I dunno… you and me," Raphael stated, starting to feel insecure about his relationship with the human.

"Well I have some heavy things to move, and it would just be easier if I had two guys to help me," April answered logically.

"You could have told me," Raph felt betrayed.

"Well I'm sorry that you felt otherwise. I just wanted to get the job done," April defended her decision. The love that used to be in her gaze was no longer there. Unlike the turtle, she found the whole experience with Raph rather uncomfortable and unnerving. While she had succeeded in getting the love and attention she needed at the time, no warmth emanated from the reptile's shell or skin. His plastron was hard, not soft like a human's skin, and while overall she didn't mind the whole experience, it was the little differences that alerted her to the fact that what she had done was simply not right.

April often liked to think of the turtles as being green-clothed humans, but after her night with Raph she knew that her thoughts were all part of a fantastic delusion. Not matter how much she tried to deny it in her mind, Raphael wasn't like her, or like any other man, and thus any relationship that would result would be extremely risky and unpredictable. She was too scared of the implications Raph's love brought, and like any other human, April wanted to make her life simpler, not more complicated. That night just reminded her of the fact that there was so much she didn't know about the creatures she had befriended, and how foreign they really were when compared to her own species.

As much as she didn't want to, deep down she regretted the adulterated time she spent with Raphael. There was no love behind her actions, only the feeling of wanting to spite Casey. She still had mixed feelings for Casey though, and she wondered if there was a future at all with him. Yet her answer to Raphael's question still remained true; while she could have moved most of the objects in the antique store with only the help of one, she decided on inviting both of them so she could avoid being left alone with either. But that didn't stop Raphael from changing things around.

"You haven't told Casey anything, have you?" Raph worried.

"No."

"…Do you still love him?" Raphael asked as the approached her, feeling rather uncertain of the relationship he had only just begun with April.

"He hasn't been told anything different," April murmured.

"Well… then what about us?" Raphael was desperate to find out what April's thoughts were on the matter. April sighed at the mess she had created. She was now dating two unstable men, one of which was going to get their heart broken.

"I, I don't want to talk about this before Casey arrives," April tried once again to avoid the conversation. Raphael took that as a bad answer.

"Then what was I? Some experimental fling!" The turtle quickly turned aggressive. All he wanted was the truth, but April knew that that would hurt him the most.

"Raph… It was a mistake. Okay! It was just sex, that's it," April muttered at first, then started to get irritated with all the questions. It was the last thing Raphael wanted to know. Throughout his entire life he had heard those words, and he loathed it every time. His mutation was a mistake. His attitude was a mistake. His very existence and role in a human world was a mistake. But the last thing he wanted was to add his happiest moment to his long list of 'mistakes'.

"Just sex? Is that all I am to you?" Raphael raised his voice. He couldn't comprehend how April could feel so differently to him. How could she be so blind as to want to stay with Casey? Yet that wasn't what bothered him. Raphael viewed that night as an important event in the history of his life, yet it shattered his heart to think that April could toss the words, touches and love aside and classify it as something horribly unspeakable. His dream was her nightmare.

April knew that she had to quickly do some damage control in order to try and calm the turtle down. "Raph, I was really hurting that night. I just really wanted to have someone close… I'm sorry," she apologised for her current feelings.

"I was hurting too, April," Raph admitted as he lowered his voice.

"But it's just not meant to be, Raph," April whispered. She looked around the room while she said her words, feeling completely hopeless in front of the male turtle.

"Why isn't it meant to be?"

"Because you used me, Raph!" April became frustrated again as the tears formed in her eyes threatened to fall. "I was just so confused that night… You took advantage of the situation," April claimed.

"What? If anything, you used me!"

"But you didn't have to do it, Raph!" April cried. Raphael stood in silence as the woman wiped away some of the tears that had started to tumble down her face. April didn't know what point she was trying to make. She wanted to blame Raphael for everything, but she knew that she influenced what happened as well. She simply didn't know what she wanted to do, as the though the problems twirling around in her mind were too many to handle all at once.

"So you regret it then?" Raphael's voice was thick and deep with seriousness.

"…Yes," April whispered her answer, rather ashamed.

"Well I sure don't," the turtle said strongly. He advanced towards her, getting even closer. "Do you have any idea how much it meant to me? How much I think about it?" April shook her head sadly to both questions. Raphael looked at the ground as he tried to compose himself. The last thing he wanted to do was to break out into angry tears. "You know… ever since I met you, I've thought about you every day. You know that? Every single day," Raph confessed, for once pouring out his heart. In a swift move he lurched forward and grabbed onto April's shoulders, holding her straight in front of him.

"Raph!" April yelped in surprised. Getting scared, she tried to struggle out of his grip, but his hold remained strong.

"Tell me you don't love me as much I do you! Tell me straight! Look me in the face and tell me!" Raphael shook her slightly as he forcefully tried to get to her to confess. The turtle could see the fear in her eyes… and then the guilt.

"…Raph, I…" she trailed off as she didn't want to finish her sentence. Scared that he was going to lose her, Raph made a bold move and pressed his lips against hers, hoping that through some magic she would look at him the same way she did the other night. April immediately tried to pull away, making it crystal clear that Raphael was no longer wanted.

"What's going on here?" Casey's enraged yet confused question boomed across the room. Raphael quickly let go of April, completely shocked by the man's sudden entrance. Both of them had the same question on their lips. How long had Casey been standing there at the door? Noticing the long silence, Casey assumed the worse. Making up his mind, the man quickly walked towards the turtle. "So this is how you repay a friend, huh? By sneaking off with his girl!" Casey lunged forward and gave Raph a giant push, making sure that he stood in-between the turtle and the woman. April immediately grabbed onto one of Casey's arms.

"Casey! It's not what it seems!" April begged the man to stop his furious rampage.

"Not what it seems?" Casey repeated her words with bewilderment. "Then tell me what on earth was that!" Casey threw his hands up in annoyance, quickly escaping April's hold. "I knew it! I knew it all along!" Casey claimed. April knew that there was no stopping him now, while Raphael prepared himself for the worse. "What kind of sick person are you?" Casey accused April.

"It wasn't like that! If you'd just let me explain-"

"-How long have you been sneakin' behind my back? How long?" The man angrily asked both of them, before furiously giving Raphael another aggressive push. The turtle didn't take the bait, not wanting to get into a fight. But Casey wasn't going to let him slide so easily since the silence following his rhetorical questions only made the two seem guilty. "How can you do this to me? Huh? How can you?" Casey continued to argue and furiously shove the turtle towards the door.

"Case, I…" Raphael was lost for words.

"How dare you!" It was obvious that Casey was past listening, not that he was ever going to heed either Raph's and April's explanation anyway. He pushed on Raph's shoulder again, and the turtle took another step back. "You low-life scum!" Casey name-called. When Raphael built up the nerve to look at his old friend in the face, all he could see in his narrowed blue eyes was bitter contempt, broken trust and unkept rage. Realising that he had almost been cornered in the alcove that led to the shop's exit, the turtle attempted to slip past Casey and run back over to April's side so he could defend his course of actions, but Casey was faster than that and pushed the turtle back even further. With longing and hurt eyes, Raphael stared at April, hoping that she would say something so that the argument could be quelled. But no words ever escaped from her mouth. "Don't look at her, you freak!" Casey yelled. In his enraged state of mind, he said the derogatory word without meaning or intent, but Raphael definitely took it personally.

"I am not a freak!" Raphael screamed, finally snapping and giving Casey a push of his own.

"Stop it! Stop it now!" April yelled, but it was futile. Raphael and Casey started to fight, throwing punches to the head, upper chest and gut. They brawled and tussled until Casey lost his balance and dragged the turtle to the ground along with him. Raph growled as Casey kicked and bucked underneath him, and with one swift movement, the turtle found himself on the bottom instead. April was quick and started drum her fists heavily against Casey's back, before pulling on the man's shoulders in an attempt to try and get the fighting to stop. Yet it didn't cease. It only got more serious and personal. Furious, Casey clutched onto Raph's throat and bashed the turtle's head against the hard floor.

"I love her! I love her!" Raphael pleaded, but that only angered Casey even more. April was Casey's girl first. The man continued to fight and didn't show any sign that he was going to let up anytime soon. April's eyes widened when she saw Raphael's right hand reach for his belt. There was a glint of silver. A sickening thud followed soon after. Then there was an eerie silence.

Casey gasped when he saw the single sai lodged into his belly. Feeling lightheaded, Casey moved and rolled off the turtle underneath. Raphael gave him a shocked look. He had stabbed him purely out of instinct. For years Raphael had been attacked by enemies of various sorts, but never by his own friend. Yet he had treated Casey the same way. His ninjitsu skills which he had donned throughout his childhood had finally given him the skill to dispatch an attacker without even thinking – it was just a natural reflex.

"Casey!" April screamed which she saw the amount of blood that was seeping onto his shirt. The man clutched at his stomach and lay face up from the ground, taking short, shallow breaths. His eyes darted around the room in panic. He was dying.

Completely forgetting about the previous fight, Raphael and April immediately tried to stop the bleeding. "Oh shit! Case! I'm so sorry! I'm sorry!" Raph hurriedly blurted out his true feelings as he looked frantically over his friend's ghastly wound.

April covered her mouth to stop herself from screaming when she noticed Casey's wide, vacant blue eyes. He was already gone. His death was quick. "Casey!" Raphael shouted again as he went into denial. "Come back to me man! Come back to me!" The turtle lightly shook the corpse's face, but no life ever returned.

Both were shocked and remained silent for the next minute. Raphael felt like he was going to vomit, but he had a strong stomach and kept it down. He timidly touched the handle of his embedded sai. "Don't touch it!" April suddenly called out, causing Raph to jump at the abrupt sound of her voice. "Don't pull it out… Check his pulse," April's mind went into gear. Raphael didn't even move a muscle.

"…He's gone, April," Raphael whispered, his voice filled with remorse and despair. April bit her lip and started to pace around in a small circle while she tried to gather her thoughts.

"Get out," April said. "Get out!" she yelled.

"But April-"

"I said get out!" She screamed. Raphael stood up but didn't move from his position beside Casey. He looked on as April reached for the nearby telephone. She hesitated in dialing 911. What was she going to tell the authorities? She pressed in the emergency number and glared at Raphael when she put the phone to her ear. Her expression of hatred was enough to finally convince him that it was time to leave.

Knowing he was no longer wanted, Raphael left the building in shame. In one night he had lost his love, an ally, a friend, his honour, and a sai. The question that rebounded and throbbed around Raph's mind was, was it worth it? Was one evening worth years of friendship? A few nights ago he felt like he was on top of the world; as though nothing could touch or destroy the relationship he had built with April. Yet Raphael should have known better. Everything had a cause and effect. One must always have to deal with the problems associated with their actions. The bottom line was simple; Raph had sinned and the consequences were more than just.

Raphael made no effort to hurry home. He hadn't even been leader for a week, and he had already made the greatest mistake in his life. The turtles had lost a great ally that night. There would be no smiling or welcoming faces from his family. There would be no forgiveness. He didn't know what he would tell the others. How could he explain what he had done? Raphael also couldn't return to the antique shop. He knew he would never see April again. Even if he could, would she want to see him? He would always wonder what April's fate would be. What were the consequences for her actions? Raphael could only hope that leaving the murder weapon behind would be enough evidence to convince the investigators that April was not the culprit. He felt like turning himself in, but he knew that it would be impossible and that it would only raise more questions that would inevitably lead unfairly to his family. He was stuck and he didn't know what to do, nor where to go. How could he ever repay April for this?

It is often said that the number one motive for assault and murder was the jealousy and envy over a lover. In the end, Casey would not go down in history because of his lifestyle or accomplishments, but rather as another grim statistic.


Michelangelo frowned when he observed the thick masses of clouds brewing overhead. Tugging the trench coat tighter to his body, he suddenly grinned when he felt the rectangular case, hidden in the depths of his large pocket, hit against his thigh. He had left the lair so he could rent, or rather 'borrow' a movie. To do so he had to hurriedly slip in and out of the store in less than three seconds. At first the store employee yelled and carried on whenever the mysterious shadow whisked in, but now he had grown used to the intruder, knowing that for some strange reason the video was always returned on time.

Curious, Michelangelo reached into his pocket so he could see what movie he had blindly grabbed. 'Crap! Care Bears!' Mike thought when he read the title. He groaned, knowing he should have memorised the genre sections of the store better. He thought he was aiming for the action section, but it seemed his guess was wrong.

A small, green and white piece of paper caught his eye. Stuck underneath some rubbish, the corners flickered and rustled in the gutter as the wind gushed through the streets. Mike practically jumped on top of it when he realised it was money. He grunted when he found out that it was only a one-dollar note. 'Better than nothing,' he thought optimistically.

Mike stuffed the note into his pocket as he started to head back to the lair. Passing a variety shop, he stopped and stared at the fresh flowers on display. The last rose in stock was on sale for a mere one dollar. It was obvious that the shop was about to close and that it wanted to get rid of a few things in a hurry, hence the markdown in price. Although his instinct told him to save the note he had just found, his heart pressured him into buying the flower for Eve.

With a beautiful flower in hand and his mind filled with good intentions, Michelangelo eagerly jumped down the lair's ladder when he arrived home. He stopped short when he found Leonardo sitting at the dining table reading the newspaper. "Well look at you!" Mike was excited by his brother's apparent improvement.

"Hi Mikey," Leo greeted with a large grin on his face, pleased and overjoyed by the enthusiastic support he was receiving from his family.

"Hmm, something looks different… Did you get your shell waxed?" Mike played along, hoping to boost Leo's self-esteem.

"Don helped me to walk again," Leo informed him, rather proud of his accomplishment.

"That's excellent Leo," Mike said, this time more sincere. It was then when Leo noticed the single flower in Mike's hand.

"What's that for?"

"Oh! Have you seen Eve around?" Mike asked. Leo smiled as Mike's question answered his own.

"I think she's in Master Splinter's room," Leo informed him.

"Splinter's room? Is everything alright?" Mike wondered, knowing that the train carriage was usually reserved for important talks and lectures from the old rat.

"I don't know. I think so," Leo sounded unsure. Curious, Michelangelo approached Splinter's room. "Good luck!" Leo called out, wishing his brother the best when it came to impressing Eve with the flower in his hand. Mike grinned excitedly and gave Leo a thumbs up. He was glad to see the ex-leader in such high spirits, especially after the tragedy that had befallen him.

"Master? Master Splinter" Mike quietly knocked, not wanting to disturb any conversation that might be in progress. After only waiting a few short seconds, Mike slowly slid open the door. What he found shocked him beyond disbelief and challenged all preconceived notions.

It was the longest time that Michelangelo had stayed silent. Usually he would think up a witty remark in order to break the ice, but no thoughts came to mind this time. He was just extremely confused. Splinter stared at his adopted son with his dark brown eyes, which couldn't hide the look of shock and surprise. For the first time, no wise words or explanations could be expressed. There was nothing he could say to justify the scene Mike had witnessed. Although the turtle had many questions, ironically the long silence had answered them all. He glanced at Eve, then looked at Splinter, before stepping away from the train carriage.

"Is everything alright?" Leo asked from his seat at the table. He desperately wanted to know what had shocked Mike so much, yet he sighed in frustration at the distance he would have to limp in order to look for himself. Then again, deep down, Leonardo didn't really want to know what had happened. He feared that the expectations he had held for years about his mentor might change.

"Michelangelo…" Splinter said as he outstretched a warm, understanding hand towards the wary turtle. Mike viewed the gesture with disgust.

"Why?" Mike demanded as he took another step backwards. He looked at Eve as she timidly stood behind Splinter, though her face reflected his expression of confusion, as if she didn't know what was wrong.

"Eve and I… we belong together," Splinter started to explain. Michelangelo, however, didn't want to hear another word. After throwing the rose on the floor, he stalked off and disappeared into his room. Splinter sighed, knowing he had created a mess of things. His whiskers twitched out of curiosity when Mike emerged again only a few seconds later, this time holding his tonfas. The rat watched, almost with amusement, as Michelangelo stood in a prepared stance, holding his weapons up high so that he guarded his face.

"Fight me," Mike offered. It was a rather stupid request, and he knew it.

"…You're frightened," Splinter noticed as if trying to force Mike to rethink his demand. The turtle took in a deep breath and tried to consciously suppress the shaking of his muscles.

"Fight me!" Mike demanded. This time his voice was more confident and forceful. He had grown up his whole life knowing that fighting solved most problems. Splinter usually offered guidance, but this time his Master was the source of the problem, especially when it came to where Eve's heart lay. Mike was confused and felt that only a battle for Eve could determine a solution to the problem, as though Splinter could regain honour or Mike would feel less betrayed if he lost to a fairer system, such as a duel. He knew that the chance winning was slim, but like Raph and Casey, he could not ignore the primitive instinct to battle for the respect and love of another.

"Michelangelo, this is not the correct course of action-"

"-Then what is?" Mike interrupted, still wary of the mutant he once admired. Leonardo watched the conversation from afar, not really knowing what was happening. All he knew was that his beloved and idolised Master must have done something terrible to cause such doubt in his brother.

Splinter hesitated answering Mike's question, as if his response would never satisfy the young turtle. Instead, he chose to make a statement. "Fighting won't make her love you either more or less. In the end it is Eve's decision," Splinter said.

"Don't lecture me!" Mike cried out and pleaded as he shifted uncomfortably in his stance. It was the first time he had ever gone against his ninjitsu master, and frankly he didn't know if he was doing the right thing. But his heart told him that he had been treated unfairly, so he followed his instinct and not the luring familiar words of 'wisdom' from his father. "I've listened to you all my life! And now there's this… Everything's been a lie!"

"Everything's not a lie, Michelangelo. I'm only saying the truth," Splinter tried to cut through the turtle's hazy reasoning.

"No you're not! This is a mistake! This is unfair!" Mike accused.

"Nothing is a mistake in life. Life is life, and you must make the most of it while you can," Splinter countered.

"Fight me!" Mike practically begged.

"But I've already won."

"Then at least give me the decency of a fight!" Mike pleaded. Tears started to streak down his cheeks as the feeling of hopelessness began to sink in.

"Michelangelo, there's no point," Splinter drilled his message across. Michelangelo lowered his guard and allowed the tears to fall freely down his face. He felt like a fool. A deep sense of regret lodged itself firmly into the turtle's mind. He had admired and trusted the mutant rat since the day he became a sentient being, and now the family bond they had shared was shattered. Splinter had gone behind his back and had claimed Eve for himself. His thoughts raced through the many lectures he had heard over the years, and although he once thought they were wise, he now believed them to be shallow, meaningless words about the importance of family, trust and love. It was the ultimate joke, but Mike didn't laugh. There was nothing he could do to change the outcome, since Splinter had even refused an honourable battle, making him feel utterly worthless, as though he didn't deserve Eve.

All of a sudden, pure anger surged up through Michelangelo's body. A million furious unanswerable questions pounded and spiraled around his mind, but only one seemed to repeat itself over and over, sticking out like a lone thorn on a rose. How could Splinter do this to him, his son? He had hoped that in some way, shape or form that his own love, respect and bond with his father meant something to Splinter. Yet it was clear that the rat had disregarded everything for the opportunity of having a woman.

Mike's muscles shook both from sheer fury and fear. He lurched forward to attack his father, but it wasn't over Eve, it was because of the disrespect that Splinter had shown him in the past couple of minutes. He wanted to prove his worth. He wanted to show him that he was no longer a little boy whose wills and wishes could be manipulated by a series half-truths. Splinter needed to be taught that he couldn't control everyone and everything in the lair anymore, or that it was right to do so in the first place. The attack wasn't just for himself either. It was also for his wrongful decisions about Venus, which led to Leo being injured and Raphael being promoted to leader. In the end, he just wanted to hit the old man for being so cruel.

But Mike missed. Leonardo continued to watch in silence as Splinter performed a combination of fluid, effective movements that caused Mike to fly backwards due to the force of the attacks. Painfully sliding to a stop, Michelangelo remained on the ground. He stayed there for a few minutes, too ashamed and angry to look up into his father's eyes. He was defeated.

To be continued…

Author's Note: In case you were wondering, I on purposely didn't want to describe what Mike saw. I tried to think of what Eve and Splinter could be doing, but in the end I realised that it simply doesn't matter. If they were doing something erm… squicky, or just kissing or hugging, Splinter still betrayed Mike's trust no matter what how much affection he was showing to Eve. So since the outcome would have been the same for any scenario, I just thought that I'd leave it up for interpretation.