Chapter 4-Wise Words and Visions

Leo soon reached the shore of the island where the boat was docked and looked around for any signs of his brother. Then, he spotted his little brother near the boat, but what he saw broke his heart; Mikey was sitting with his knees brought up to his chest with his arms folded on top of them and his face was hidden from view in his folded arms, but the sounds of sobbing and hiccupping could be heard despite this.

Leo started to slowly approach his little brother so that he wouldn't frighten him and be mistaken as a monster, but years of ninja training have allowed their senses to detect even the smallest presence around them and Mikey swiftly lifted his head up to see who was there, but then calmed down slightly when he saw his big brother Leo before looking away to hide his embarrassed and sad face.

"Hey…It's alright, Mikey. I just wanted to talk to you and to make sure you're ok," Leo said softly as he slowly got closer to his little brother and sat down next to him.

"Why did you come after me, Leo? I'm just…holding you back in the mission… like I always do," Mikey said sadly without looking at his brother and was instead looking at the sea view as he spoke.

"Don't be silly, little brother, you have never held me or any of us back during missions," Leo said as he placed a comforting hand on his brother's shoulder.

"But… I keep making things worse and harder for you and everyone else. I'm trying so hard to be a better ninja…to be a better brother and son…But…I can't… I'll never..." Mikey said this before suddenly breaking down and hiding his face in his hands. "I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…!"

Leo immediately engulfed Mikey into a hug. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from his little brother when he started to berate himself because he was led to believe that the Mikey everyone knew now was not good enough for them. The feeling of guilt hit Leo hard when he realised that this all happened because no one thought twice about letting his little brother explain or defend himself when they were giving him the full blame of what happened earlier, and he'll bet that Raph will be feeling the same since he didn't confess his part in the incident sooner.

"Shhh…it's ok, little brother…it's ok…" Leo said softly whilst he gently rocked his brother back and forth and gently patted his brother's shell to try and calm him back down again.

A few minutes passed and the only sounds that Leo heard from Mikey were tearful sniffles and hiccups, meaning that he was starting to calm down. His little brother then looked up to wipe away his tears and turned his face to Leo who slightly loosened the hug so that he could see him properly.

"Why… would you comfort a screw-up like me? I don't deserve it…and you should be mad at me like the others…I almost got you killed back then…" Mikey asked his brother in a raspy voice due to the amount of crying he did.

Leo gave him a warm smile before he spoke. "Mikey, you're not a screw-up and you didn't put my life at risk. Even though what you did wasn't necessary for the mission at hand, you never intended to put us in harm's way on purpose. Also, the way you performed that move was really impressive, Mikey, you're doing really well in your training."

"B-But…Raph… a-and the others…think that-" Mikey said in a stammer before Leo cut him off.

"The things that Raph said to you were not his true words, Mikey; they were words filled with anger, that of which he couldn't control. Also, the others only said the things they said because they were confused and unsure of who to believe the most. Raph and Donnie still and always will love you, Mikey, they just want to make sure that you're safe and unharmed, and I would feel and do the same because that's what big brothers do."

Mikey looked at Leo in surprise and shock. He didn't expect one of his older brothers to say such kind words to him despite the circumstances of his actions and behaviour, but there was still something bothering him to a point where a heavy sensation was felt in his chest.

"Thanks, Leo. I would do anything to help you guys too, but the thing is...my role as both a ninja and a family member is not as important as yours, Raph's or Donnie's…" Mikey said as he looked down and avoided eye contact with his brother.

"What makes you think that?" Leo asked with a ridged eyebrow.

"Well, your role involves being the leader of the team and making sure that we're safe and there for each other as a family. Raph's role involves protecting us from harm's way and staying strong for us despite his unpredictable anger, and Donnie's role involves solving problems and keeping a level head which has always been an essential part of the team. You guys can function so well without me and the colours red and blue make purple. Me? I'm just a random colour and I hardly do anything useful or vital, but instead, I just get in the way and mess everything up…" Mikey said before more tears began to develop in his eyes, but they didn't fall yet.

"Oh, Mikey…that's not true. You are way more important than you might think." Leo said after he gently lifted his brother's chin up to look at him face-to-face.

"Really…? How…?" Mikey questioned him with a look of uncertainty.

"Well, for starters-"

"You are our family's light, my son."

Leo was cut off by another familiar voice echoing in the area around him, and both he and Mikey turned around to see their sensei and father with the Ancient One walking behind them from a portal that faded as soon as they appeared through it.

"Master Splinter, Ancient One, what are you doing here?" Leo asked with a surprised look on his face.

"I sensed that one of my sons was in deep sorrow and low in spirit, so I asked the Ancient One to take me to him so that I could speak with him," Master Splinter explained as he looked over to Mikey, who lowered his head down in shame. "Michelangelo, it is alright, there is no need to be ashamed of how you are feeling right now…" he said to his youngest son before placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Master Splinter…what did you mean when you said that I'm 'the family's light'?" Mikey asked quietly before looking back up to find his sensei smiling warmly towards him.

"My son, I understand that you are troubled and feeling down due to how your role is being questioned by negative emotions around you, but have you ever thought about the positive side to your actions?" Master Splinter said.

Mikey tried to come up with an answer to that by thinking back to when his role and purpose has made a positive impact on the family and team, but he couldn't think of anything and just shook his head slowly with tears falling down his face. That's when Leo stepped in to answer that for him.

"You help us to spend more time together as a family by encouraging us to watch movies and play video games to give us a break from our serious and busy routines, as well as making sure that we are eating well by making us amazing meals with your great cooking skills, cos trust me; none of us can make a decent meal without blowing up the kitchen," Leo said before smiling even more after he made Mikey chuckle lightly to that last sentence. "You even help us feel less tense and nervous by making the missions more fun with your movie-like stunts and comments, which are amazing and funny to watch by the way, and they help to ensure that you are doing fine in fights. Your smile is also very contagious, Mikey, cos it helps us to feel positive instead of thinking about the negatives all the time. Master Splinter is right, little brother; you are our family's light which brightens even through the darkest of times."

Mikey was left in disbelief with widened eyes as he looked back and forth from his brother to his sensei, before giving Leo a hug, which he returned greatly before releasing him a moment later to say one more thing.

"We all make mistakes, Mikey, and that's ok because it's a way of helping us to improve ourselves as we grow in life. Look at me, for example; if I hadn't have met Oroku Saki, I wouldn't have exposed you all to the Foot clan and put you all in danger after finding out he was Master Yoshi's murderer and was known as the Shredder."

"But what difference would that have made, Leo? We all would have encountered him and the Foot one day eventually at some part in our lives, no matter what happens or who meets him first," Mikey said in denial.

Those words made everyone around Mikey look at him with surprised expressions on their faces before they smiled proudly at him before Leo spoke again.

"You're exactly right, Mikey; it wouldn't have made a difference if I didn't meet the Shredder back then, because we would still encounter him at some point in our lives, no matter what, because it could happen to anyone at any time. You see, little brother? You are smarter and braver than you let on, and the colour of our masks represent our strengths and personalities; your colour orange represents light, joy, and creativity, which is definitely you. We're really fortunate to have someone like you as a brother, a son, and a friend."

"I agree with Leonardo, my son; those are very wise words that you have said," Master Splinter said.

"Indeed they are," The Ancient One said in agreement.

Mikey didn't say anything due to feeling gobsmacked from what Leo just said, so he just gave his oldest brother a smile and another hug, which Leo happily returned, as Master Splinter and the Ancient One watched on with a smile.

A moment later, the Ancient One spoke up. "I believe that it is time for you to return to the others and at the task at hand."

Leo released Mikey and they both nodded, but just as they stood up from sitting on the ground, Mikey suddenly held his head with both hands and yelled in pain. "Argh!"

"Mikey, you ok!?" Leo said in concern as he held his brother upright, but Mikey didn't respond as he was visually surrounded by a white light before a familiar scene was shown in front of him;

The scene included his other two brothers and their friends walking in a forest, and then they were surrounded by a large group of dark demon-like creatures. Everyone prepares themselves with their weapons in hand before the creatures' charge towards them all at once.

The turtles and the other acolytes struggle to keep up with the numbers as they sustain serious injuries during the battle. Then a larger creature, which resembles a cross between a dragon and a wolf, appears and roars before it raises a sharp-clawed hand in the air, and the vision ends…

"NO!" Mikey shouted out as he opened his eyes and looked up to find a concerned Leo next to him with his arms around him and keeping him from collapsing, and Master Splinter and the Ancient One were standing on the other side of him with worried looks on their faces.

"Mikey? What's wrong?" Leo asked him worriedly.

"I-I…" Mikey struggled to say more about what he just saw as he continued to hold his head until the light-headed feeling went away, but he didn't have to because the Ancient One answered for him.

"I believe Michelangelo has just experienced a vision, also known as a premonition." This made Leo and Master Splinter gasp as their eyes widened.

"Michelangelo, what did you see?" Master Splinter asked Mikey in a serious but soft tone.

"My brothers and the others…in a forest…an ambush with those dark creature thingies…and then something dark and big…about to strike them down…" Mikey explained with fear and concern before looking up at his brother. "We have to hurry and get back to them, Leo. I don't know when my vision will come true but it looks like it could happen soon!"

"Alright, let's go!" Leo said before running ahead with Mikey, Master Splinter and the Ancient One following him from behind.