A/N: Wow! 11 reviews for that last chapter (last I counted, anyway)... you guys make me so happy! Thank you all so much for taking the time to read (and in some cases review) my story! So here's my review responses...
Stormy1x2 - I'm glad you're liking the angry Mikey. It's kinda fun to write about him like this... yet sad and hard at the same time because it's so OoC for him... but I'm really glad you're enjoying it.
Emily - Don't worry, I will!
KleeZeeNex - Whew. For a moment I thought I might have to tie you down to your bed and make you watch the ep. ;-) And... Mikey just might end up doing something he regrets... I guess you'll have to find out!
memyselfandi89 - Yes, you're right. I am that cruel. Thanks for the plot bunnies... hopefully I didn't leaving you hanging for horribly too long!
katielgk - Don't worry... the voice will disappear... eventually... maybe... ;)
Eridani23 - Sorry, sorry! Here's something to appease you! (hands out next chapter) Hope it was fast enough!
Trixie-Twizzler - Glad you like it! Yes, the ... poor... hunter is facing a pretty mad opponent in this turtle...
Kirby-Chan263 - I say that all the time too! I'm always torturing my favorite characters - hence all this stuff with Mikey! ;)
narutosfangurl - Well, here's me hoping that I'm throwing a few more curveballs... and thanks for the virtual cookies - they were delicious!
Gohanzgirl - Aww... thanks. I'm glad you think I'm still doing a good job. And yes, Mikey is cranky - very cranky...
hyourin.tenshi - Yes, building a barricade is probably a good idea...
And thanks again to all of you who read the story! I appreciate y'all so much! I hope I got this out fast enough for you. Just a heads up... I think there's only gonna be one more part after this... BUT... I do have another sequel lined up... (yes, it's the plot bunny that just won't die!) So if you're interested in reading it, let me know! And now on with the story! Enjoy!
"How the devil are you still alive?" the hunter sputtered. "Much less walking around?" Raph remained motionless, partly from shock, partly from exhaustion, and partly because the hunter was still threatening to bring the sai down into his hand.
Mikey smirked. "Don't let the pretty faces fool you," he growled as Don started to stir behind him. Raph couldn't help but smirk at the often-used phrase, and mouthed the rest of it with Mikey. "We're tougher than we look." Then Mikey's smirk disappeared, replaced by hard anger and determination. "Now drop the sai and back away from my brother. Last warning."
The hunter smirked. "You don't scare me," he sneered, swinging the sai downwards.
"Wrong answer." Don's bo suddenly came whistling through the air, colliding with the man's metal hand. The sai missed Raph's hand by mere inches and clanged on the railing. Raph reached out with a hand and managed to grab one of the points as it started falling. He looked back up and saw Mikey launch himself at the hunter. "Raph, go help Don and Leo!" Mikey ordered as he sent the man flying backwards.
"But-"
"Please, Raph," Mikey said in a softer voice, turning back to face his brother. "I'll be fine. But they need you now." He whirled as he heard the hunter growl and charge at him.
Raph watched for a moment as Mikey leapt up and over the hunter, then spun around on the ground, catching the man in the legs with his foot. The hunter stumbled forward, falling to his knees. Mikey made eye contact with his brother again. Raph nodded and managed to pull himself up and over the rail. Mikey turned back to face the hunter, trying to lure him off the walkway and towards the tunnel on the other side.
Raph grabbed Don's bo, then scooped up his other sai and stuck them both in his belt as he ran for his other brothers. Don had managed to slide off of Leo and was trying to get to his feet. "Easy there, bro," Raph said, kneeling down next to them. "You took quite a hit."
"I'll be fine - it's Leo I'm worried about," Don replied weakly, rubbing his head. "What's going on?"
"Mikey woke up," Raph replied simply as he tried to roll Leo over onto his side. "He must've grabbed one of your throwin' stars and your bo," he added, handing his bo to Don. Don turned and stared wide-eyed at his younger brother, who had successfully gotten the man off the walkway. "Hey, help me out here, would ya?"
Don turned and crawled closer to Leo. He started rubbing the back of Leo's head at a pressure point to try and wake him up. "C'mon, Leo, you gotta wake up now, okay? Leo? Leonardo!" he urged, trying his hardest to keep the worry out of his voice.
After a few tense moments, Leo's eyes slid open slowly. "Oohh," he groaned, blinking a few times. He sat up slowly with Raph and Don's help. "Man, my head is killing me. What happened?" Raph and Don smiled in relief. Raph picked up Leo's katanas, which were lying on the ground a short distance away, and handed them to his brother as he explained what was happening.
Meanwhile, Mikey was having both an inward battle and an outward battle. You could pound him into the ground. Think of how satisfying that would be.
Mikey tensed as the hunter leapt at him, his metal leg stretched out to catch him in the side of the head. Mikey ducked slightly, then reached up and grabbed the man's foot. With a quick twist, the man suddenly flipped over and landed on the ground on his stomach. I think I'm doing just fine, thanks, he thought wryly.
He suddenly doubled over as the man caught him in the plastron with a metal fist. Yeah. Just fine, came the wry reply as he was sent stumbling backwards a few feet.
Mikey growled as the man charged at him yet again. He swung his own fist, catching the man right in his stomach. The man doubled over, the air rushing out of his lungs. Mikey glanced over in time to see Raph and Don helping Leo sit up. He smiled, relieved. See? They're okay. They're fine.
Suddenly a metal hand gripped his throat, squeezing hard. Mikey coughed and sputtered as the man lifted him off of the ground. Yeah, but apparently you won't be.
Raph snapped his head around in time to see the man suddenly grab Mikey by the neck. "Mikey! Hold on!" he exclaimed, standing. The others struggled to their feet. Mikey kicked at the man feebly.
"Now, freak - you will die!" the hunter shouted.
Mikey's eyes widened as a faint memory came back. He thought he had heard Drexen shout those very words, right before everything went completely black. Rage seemed to explode throughout his body. That is it! I have had it with this guy!
About time. The voice in his head seemed to laugh in triumph as the rage continued to flow through him. That's it! Then his eyes inexplicably slid shut, and his body went limp. The hunter started laughing triumphantly.
"No! Michelangelo!" Leo screamed, staring in horror as Mikey ceased struggling completely.
Suddenly Mikey felt something explode inside him. Now get him. His eyes snapped open to rest in a glare on the hunter. "What the devil?" the man exclaimed in shock.
"Oh, no," Raph whispered in horror, coming to a sudden halt. Don and Leo nearly ran into him, and they all gaped at the sight before them. Mikey's bandana tails were flapping as if in a high wind - but there wasn't even a faint breeze. His eyes seemed to glow with hatred. "Oh, no, no," Raph whispered again. "He - whatever was in him - it must've - it - he let it out!"
"Oh, shell," Don whispered.
Mikey suddenly lashed out, and his foot caught the man's chin. Stunned, the man let him go, and Mikey dropped to the ground with a thud. He spun around on his shell, and connected with the man's legs once more. This time he went down - hard. Mikey growled ferociously, picking the man up and tossing him into the sewer wall as if he were nothing more than a rag doll. The hunter slid to the ground limply. Electrical pulses appeared over his body, emerging from cracks in the robotic parts of his body. Mikey stalked over angrily, wrapping his own hand around the man's throat and forcing him against the wall.
The hunter opened his one eye blearily. "P-please," he sputtered. "Have m-mercy."
"Why?"
Raph, Leo, and Don gasped at the sound of his voice. It was deep and angry, much deeper and angrier than they had ever heard it before. Even harsher than it was in the fight against Drexen, Leo thought grimly.
Mikey cocked his head to the side as he stared at hunter. An evil smirk crept up on his lips. "Why should I have mercy? Why, when you tried to kill me, tried to kill them?" he asked, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at his brothers.
"You win, you win! L-let me g-go and I p-promise not to h-hunt you!" the hunter begged.
Mikey's eyes suddenly flared brighter. "No," he spat, cocking his fist back.
"Michelangelo, stop!" Leo shouted, taking off towards his brother again.
Mikey froze, his eyes going wide. The hatred suddenly seemed to fade. He started gasping for air, releasing the hunter and stumbling backwards, letting his arm fall limply to his side. "No," he gasped.
You fool! What do you think you're doing? We almost had him!
No, you almost had him! I won't kill anyone! I won't! Mikey groaned and fell to his knees, clenching his head. The hunter stared in wide-eyed shock as the other turtles knelt down around Mikey.
"You'd better get while the gettin's good," Raph growled, glaring sharply at the hunter. The hunter scrambled to his feet and took off. Raph focused his attention back on his brother. "Mikey?"
Mikey groaned again, clenching his head tightly. Why can't you just accept it? This is the true you! This is who you're destined to be! You are the Chosen One! You are meant to have this kind of power!
"Not like this," Mikey gasped. The others tensed, glancing up at each other. "It's not supposed to be like this."
"What do we do?" Don whispered, putting a hand on Mikey's shoulder. Leo and Raph looked just as lost as he did.
Mikey was too lost in thought to notice his brothers around him. How would you know? You just don't want to face facts.
I would know because it's who I am.
No, it isn't. I am who you are supposed to be. If you would open up your mind and realize that, you would become the most powerful warrior in the universe! No one could stand up to you! Every warrior would recognize your superiority!
A ninja is supposed to stay in the shadows, not step into the spotlight. That's what my sensei taught me. Besides, I am the Battle Nexus Champion! I don't need to prove myself to anyone!
What about to your brothers? Mikey suddenly froze. That's what I thought. They know you're weak. They don't want you - you almost got them killed. Again. How much longer before they are killed because of your foolishness?
You're wrong! They don't think that!
Oh, but they do. You are alone. You always will be alone. That is your destiny... to be above everyone. To stand at the top - alone.
"Guys," Mikey moaned. He forced his eyes open and stared up at them for a moment. Tears were forming in his eyes. "H-help," he croaked, before squeezing his eyes shut again and bowing his head.
They can't help you - no one can.
"It's okay, Mikey," Don said. "We're here for ya, bro."
"Don't listen to whatever that voice has ta say," Raph added. "You aren't worthless or a liability or any of that stuff. You're our brother. You're always gonna be our brother."
"Mikey, remember all that I've told you. We're a family - if one of us goes down, we all go down. We'll stick with you always. That's a promise. You don't need anything that this - this voice is offering you. You are a great fighter, bro," Leo finished firmly. He put both of his hands on Mikey's tense shoulders. Mikey didn't look up. "We aren't gonna leave you. Or let you leave. We face everything together."
Lies. It's all lies!
Mikey's face shifted into a look of determination. No, they are not! I've had it! I don't need you! Now get the shell out!
There was silence for a long moment. At long last, Mikey's shoulder's relaxed, and he took a few shuddering breaths. "Mikey?" Raph said hesitantly.
Mikey slowly brought his head up and looked at Leo with watery eyes. "Leo," he choked out, lunging forward to hug his brother. Leo hugged him back, letting his little brother bury his face into the crook of his neck, paying no mind to the wet tears that were splashing on his skin.
"It's okay, Mikey. It's gonna be alright," he whispered soothingly, tightening his hold on his brother's quivering body. He glanced up at Raph and Don. He could see signs of both relief and shrouded worry on their faces. He tried to fight the gnawing feeling in his gut that something still wasn't right. "Everything's going to be alright."
A/N: Don't forget, THIS IS NOT THE END! There is one more chapter left... and as a little teaser... let's say that the hunter hasn't completely left the building. Thanks so much for reading, and don't forget to drop me a review saying if you'd like to read another sequel or not... because if you don't, then I'll change the ending a little so it's not so... drop-offy... Thanks again!
moogsthewriter