Epilogue-Our Turtle of Light

Three days had passed since their return back to the temple, and the three older turtle brothers were still waiting anxiously for their baby brother to wake up from his healing slumber in their room whilst they thought back on the events that had transpired after their return.

They remembered their return back like it was yesterday, and Faragi was right when he said about how the Tribunal Masters would react to them coming back empty-handed because they were not happy one bit when they discovered that the acolytes came back without the Shredder's artefact.

/

Flashback…

"What is the meaning of this!? Have you all forgotten that the whole world is at stake from the threat at hand!?" Master Chikara-Shisho roared with rage towards the acolytes.

"We do, and we would do anything to stop the threat from occurring, but there was no way that we would just carry on in the mission with a team member who is seriously wounded and close to dying!" Leo said in defense for Mikey, who was on the stretcher behind the group and still fighting for his life.

"Fools! Your compassion for others will only slow you down and make you less focused on the mission at hand," Master Juto-Shisho said without any emotion coming from his voice.

"That is right, you should have left Michelangelo to his death because you would have had a higher chance of completing the mission without him slowing you down. Besides, did you not say that he was a useless ninja who would only bring disaster to you all?" Chikara said spitefully without any remorse for what Mikey had to go through to protect his friends and family.

This made the group, especially the turtles and Master Splinter, very angry and they stood their ground whilst Raph took a couple of steps before he spoke in a venomous tone.

"Don't you DARE say dat about Mikey! You didn't see what he had ta do ta protect us from an army of demons and a giant shadow beast!"

"Yeah, he transformed into his dragon spirit avatar and battled against Dark Fang, the dark beast of the Twilight Realm!" Donnie said to back up Raph's argument before he heard the Tribunal Masters gasp in shock.

"Dark Fang!?" Master Kon-Shisho said with wide eyes.

"Impossible! No-one has ever battled Dark Fang and came back alive!" Chikara denied, her heart racing at a fast pace due to the shock of what she had just heard.

"No, but Mikey did! And if it hadn't been for Mikey's bravery and his love for his family, we would have all been killed by those monsters!" Leo said before turning his head to look at his ailing little brother on the ground with a concerned look on his face.

The Tribunal Masters looked at each other before Juto spoke. "Dark Fang was a powerful beast and he was known to be one of the Shredder's greatest minions. If he was there when you attempted to go and retrieve the artefact, then it was possible that he was trying to either get to it first or protect it from you."

"Yes, but now that he has been defeated, they will be nothing standing in your way in retrieving the artefact one more time! We would like to congratulate Michelangelo for his role in this once he is well again," Kon said in agreement.

The acolytes, Master Splinter and the Ancient One looked at each other with wide eyes before they all looked at Mikey when they heard him groan weakly again from the discomfort and pain. Donnie knelt down and placed a hand on his brother's forehead before turning his head back towards the Tribunal Masters with a panicked look on his face.

"He's getting worse! Please help him!" Donnie said with worry.

"Take him back to your chambers, we will gather the necessary healing herbs you need and bring them to you! Hurry now, we sense that he is fading fast!" Chikara commanded firmly before she watched as the group headed towards their living chambers, with Adam and Raph carrying the stretcher with Mikey on it and going on ahead of them.

End of Flashback…

/

After they had finished their walk down Memory Lane, the turtles went back to watching over a still sleeping Mikey, who was now thankfully on the mend; it was shortly after the acolytes settled Mikey into his bed when the Tribunal Masters brought them the healing herbs and bandages they needed to fully treat his wounds and burning fever.

When Donnie checked Mikey's temperature with his hand again, he looked at his older brothers with a smile and a sigh of relief.

"His fever's finally broken…He's going to be ok now, guys!" He said as joyful tears began to appear in his eyes, but they didn't fall.

"That's great to hear, Donnie. Now he just needs to wake up from his healing sleep," Leo said with relief in his voice whilst he looked at Mikey with a sad smile.

"Yeah, cos I'm getting tired of waitin' fa him ta open his eyes again," Raph said in agreement with slight frustration but worry in his tone of voice before he placed his hand in one of Mikey's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Do not worry, my sons, Michelangelo will awaken when he is ready. I will go and make some tea to help calm our minds," Master Splinter said before he got up from his sitting place and left the room to get the much-needed tea for him and his sons.

After seeing him leave, Leo and his brothers turned back to look at their baby brother to watch over him again before he spoke.

"We've definitely been doubting our little brother too much, haven't we?" He saw his brothers look at him and then at each other before Donnie spoke next.

"You're right, Leo; we all made Mikey feel like he wasn't important or useful to us as a brother or a ninja…"

"Yeah, and I just made it worse fa him by making everyone turn against him days ago. I should be da one in bed sick and wounded, not Mikey!" Raph hissed in frustration and regret for his part in making Mikey feel so down lately.

"Raph, it's ok… We all played a part in this, but we are now learning to correct the mistakes we made on our brother in the past by focusing on making it up to him in the present," Leo said kindly to his red-banded brother as he placed a calming hand on his shoulder.

"And we are doing that now by supporting Mikey in his recovery," Donnie said with a warm smile to support what Leo had just said.

Raph looked at Leo and then at Donnie before giving them a smile of his own after realising that things would be ok now and they would be there to support and appreciate Mikey more from now on.

"Ya right…thanks, bros…" He said before he gasped as he felt a firm twitch coming from Mikey's hand which he was holding.

"Mikey…?" He looked at Mikey to see his eyes twitch, meaning that he was trying really hard to open them.

Leo and Donnie followed Raph's lead and saw for themselves that Mikey was starting to come around.

"Mikey, can you hear me?" Leo said softly but loud enough for Mikey to hear, and he was given a groan as a response, so Leo placed his hand in Mikey's other hand for support.

"It's ok, Mikey, open your eyes…" Donnie said in a gentle tone before placing a hand on Mikey's forehead for comfort.

A moment later, Mikey's eyes slowly began to open and his head moved slightly from side to side as he groaned again during the process.

"That's it, bro…You can do it…" Raph said softly before giving his brother's hand another squeeze.

Soon, Mikey's eyes were fully opened before they narrowed a bit to try and get his vision to become clear again before he smiled weakly after seeing his three older brothers looking down at him.

"H-Hey, b-bros…" Mikey said with a raspy, tired voice due to the lack of use and dehydration.

"Mikey!" His brothers cheered with tears of happiness in their eyes as they watched their little brother wake up fully for the first time after so long since they came back.

"How are you feeling, little brother?" Leo then said with a watery smile.

"T-Tired…and t-thirsty…" Mikey answered before he felt his head being slightly lifted up by Leo and a bowl full of water was placed in front of his lips, thanks to Raph.

"Here, bro, drink some water," Raph said before he watched Mikey open his mouth and accepted the water bowl.

"Drink it slowly, Mikey," Donnie told him before he watched Mikey start to drink it with his eyes closed as he enjoyed the cool and wet liquid that started to quench the extreme thirst that he was experiencing.

After a few gulps of water, Mikey exhaled in relief after his thirst was quenched before he felt his head being lowered back down onto his pillow and his body being tucked in more with his blanket by Leo.

"Are you in any pain at all?" Donnie asked Mikey with a hint of concern in his voice.

"A little…sore…and I don't feel…hot anymore…" Mikey managed to say after he realised that he wasn't as boiling hot as he was back then, before catching his breath due to his exhaustion.

"That's because your fever just broke not long ago, and your wounds are healing nicely thanks to the healing herbs that the Tribunal Masters gave us," Donnie explained whilst he patted his brother's head softly.

"I'm glad you're doing ok now, bro…" Raph said as he looked at his baby brother with a warm smile whilst stroking his hand with his thumb.

Mikey smiled at his red-banded brother. "Thanks, bro…I'm glad…you're all ok too."

"Well, it's thanks to you and your dragon avatar that we all made it back to the boat in one piece, but you had us all worried when you lost consciousness as your health worsened…" Donnie said with a sigh.

"Yeah, and you've been asleep for three days straight after you passed out on us on the boat…" Leo said before he saw Mikey's eyes widen even more when he heard this.

"Seriously…!?" He said in a surprised tone before seeing his blue-banded brother nod with a sad smile. "Oh, shell…I-I'm so sorry, dudes…I tried…to be strong…but I guess…I wasn't…" Mikey's eyes began to water after he said this.

"Hey, hey…that's not true! You stayed strong through it all, Mikey…None of us thought that you were weak!" Leo said in a firm but comforting tone whilst he wiped away the tears from Mikey's eyes with his thumb.

"That's right, bro! You have proven to us that you are a great ninja and an amazing little brother! We're the one who should be apologising to you for doubting you and making you feel like you can't do anything right for us…" Donnie said firmly with a hint of guilt because of the way he and his older brothers treated Mikey in the past.

"Yeah, Mike! Look, ya may be a pain in da shell at times, but we will always love ya cos your light helps ta brighten up our day even when we're feeling down, and you were awesome during dat fight against Dark Fang when ya became a dragon ya self ta beat him," Raph said with a smirk and his brothers nodded in agreement.

Mikey was stunned; he didn't expect to hear such positive things about him from his brothers, especially Raph who rarely says stuff like this. It seems that Master Yoshi was right about his role and purpose after all…

Speaking of which, he snapped out of his thoughts after he remembered Master Yoshi's message given to him and his family and looked at his brothers before giving them all a smile as he spoke.

"Thanks, bros…By the way, where's…Master Splinter?"

"He left not long ago to get some tea for us. He should be-"

"I am here now, my sons," Master Splinter had cut Leo off as he entered back into their room with the Ancient One whilst carrying a tray full of cups and a steaming teapot, and they both smiled in relief when they saw Mikey awake and looking at them with tired eyes. Master Splinter set the tray down on the table not far from where his sons were gathered and headed towards Mikey.

"Michelangelo…thank goodness you are awake. How are you, my son?" He said with tears developing in his eyes as he placed a comforting hand on his son's head.

"I'm ok, master… there's something…I need to tell you…to all of you actually," Mikey said as he looked from Master Splinter to his brothers.

"What is it, my son?" Master Splinter asked as he leaned in a little closer to listen to Mikey properly, with his sons doing the same.

"I have a message…to give you all…especially you, master…" Mikey answered.

"A message…? From who, Mikey?" Leo asked with a raised eyebrow, thinking about who would ask his little brother to complete such a task.

"…From Master Yoshi…" Mikey answered his blue-banded brother before developing a warm smile on his face.

Everyone gasped and their eyes widened after hearing that name. Master Splinter couldn't believe his ears; his youngest son was visited by his late Master Yoshi during his healing slumber and was given a request by him to pass on a message to him and his family. Master Splinter was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Donnie speak.

"What did he say, Mikey?"

"He said…there is a serious threat upon us…and we need to be fully prepared for it…" Mikey said with a serious look on his face before he softened and looked at his father as he continued. "And master…he wanted to say 'hello' to you…and to let you know…that he is fine…" Mikey answered tiredly before he worked to catch his breath from talking too long.

Master Splinter looked at Mikey in awe after he heard the personal message that his late Master passed on to his son to give to him before he let his tears fall and then leaned in closer to nuzzle his nose onto his son's head.

"Thank you so much, my son…for passing my late Master's message onto us…" He choked up as he worked hard to maintain his composure despite his tears continuously falling from his eyes like a waterfall.

"Yes, thank you, Michelangelo…It is good to hear that Master Yoshi's spirit is still going strong and watching over us," the Ancient One said in agreement.

"Yeah, thanks, little brother…" Leo said before he placed a gentle hand on Mikey's uninjured shoulder whilst his other brothers nodded with a 'thank you' towards their little brother.

"No worries…guys…" Mikey said with a tired smile before he stifled a yawn and his eyes began to droop heavily.

"Looks like someone needs some more sleep," Donnie said gently with a chuckle.

"B-But…I just…woke up…a-and…the Tribunal…" Mikey said anxiously before he was cut off by Leo.

"Calm down, Mikey…we're not going anywhere until you're fully recovered, and the Tribunal Masters have agreed with us too by allowing you to rest for as long as you need as a way of thanking you for giving us a better chance in retrieving the artefact without any more problems."

Mikey didn't know what to say after he heard what Leo said about the Tribunal Masters' decision to let him rest instead of training straight after waking up before he heard his other brothers speak.

"Yeah I know, hard ta believe, right?" Raph said with a smirk.

"It's thanks to Faragi and the other acolytes for the Masters' decision; they refused to do any training until they were reassured that you were given more time to recover from your wounds," Donnie explained with a proud smile.

"Wow…tell them…I said thanks…for me…please…?" Mikey asked his brothers before he yawned again.

"We will, Mikey, and we'll let them know that you're now doing ok," Leo said softly before he gave his brother a gentle hug.

"Ya did good, bro... I'll see ya when ya wake up later, ok?" Raph said before he gave Mikey's hand one more squeeze and then tucked him in with the blanket once more.

"We love you, Mikey…sleep well," Donnie said softly before he leaned in closer to place a kiss on his forehead.

"I am so proud of you, my son; you have shown us great strength and bravery, and your spirit's light has shined even brighter than ever before," Master Splinter said proudly before he gave his son a kiss on his cheek. "Now, rest…"

"Thanks, guys…love you too…" Mikey whispered before his eyes closed fully and fell asleep instantly, still wearing a small smile on his face.

Everyone smiled warmly and proudly at the sleeping turtle and, one-by-one, they placed a gentle hand on his chest before Leo spoke first.

"Thank you for saving us, Mikey…"

"And for being there for us when you're needed most…" Donnie said next.

"And fa bringing happiness and fun into our lives…" Raph said afterward.

"Indeed…you truly are our turtle of light…" Master Splinter said proudly.

A moment later, they slowly removed their hands from Mikey's chest and the Ancient One passed each of them a cup full of herbal tea before Leo raised his cup to begin a quiet toast since Mikey was sleeping peacefully.

"Here's to Mikey; our brother, ninja, and also...our dragon of light!"

"Cheers!" Everyone said quietly in unison with their cups in the air before they began to drink their tea whilst watching their brother with proud smiles on their faces.

The End.