Darkness Rising

It had been a year and a half since that foot soldier gave Mikey the note and the scars in the ill lit alley. 2 on his left shoulder and 2 on his left cheek. He grabbed the note that night before his brothers could notice.

It had never left his thoughts. USELESS was all that was written. All in Donnie's handwriting. 'Why?' was all he could think. 'Did he really mean it? His own brother?'

After a failed mission, everything changed. Mikey followed his brothers into D's lab. Splinter wasn't back from Japan yet either. He couldn't believe what his brother had just said. "Donnie's hurt because of him. Mikey's weak, Leo and you know it!" Raphael's anger arose but Leo didn't deny Raph's comment as he and Leo watched over Donnie who'd gotten hurt because of the youngest turtle's latest mistake. "What did you just say?" Mikey asked confused and a hint of anger arising in his voice as he peeked through the slightly closed doors. With no reply from the hot-headed turtle. Mikey ran out of the lair with tears in his eyes. Leo turned to his brother, giving him an annoyed look before running after his youngest brother. "Mikey, wait!"