My Best Friend

Author Ishi Tatsu

Chapter 18

I looked at my brother Leonardo in sad frustration. "Okay Leo take the cursor up to the favorites window," I instructed and as I watched the spinning bo cursor move up a harsh choking sound had us both dashing into the other room computer forgotten.

We froze at the door. The figure of a man that flickered like a bad movie reel had his fingers around our brother's neck. A single leap took us within striking range but the phantom faded leaving Raph to collapse to the ground. Leo stood guard while I knelt down for Raph. His neck looked swollen but after a few coughs his breathing seemed uninhibited.

"Help me get him back on the bed," I instructed. Slow and careful, of agitating his ribs and arm, we managed Raph comfortably back up. I took a moment to pull a pen light from the head of the bed and shine it in each eye then checked the rest of his vitals. All good, "He'll be fine," I was glad to say.

A soft moan from the next bed had Leo and I looking over. "Isn't he suppose to sleep for another couple of hours?" the oldest asked concerned.

"You know Michelangelo and his sedatives," I said and pulled out another syringe from the prepared drawer. Taking in my brother's look I explained, "Just encase it's not him."

Michelangelo's head rolled a bit and clear blue eyes looked around then at us with innocent bewilderment. "Donnie? Leo?" his voice was a little harsh and he cleared his throat, "What happened to my room?"

"Actually," I said trying franticly to think of the most reassuring words. But as I paused he tugged on his hand then his leg and concern flooded his tired gaze.

"It wasn't a dream was it?" Mikey's blue eyes pleaded to be told differently and welled up with tears.

"No it wasn't," Leo said falling back to his leader tone of voice. That -more then anything made this madness all the more real for Mikey and me.

Mikey's eyes blinked rapidly, "It wasn't me, you know that right? I would never... "

I placed my hand on his head, "Shh.. we know you wouldn't hurt us on purpose. Raph explained. He also told us why," I couldn't help the anger that welled up in my voice at Master Splinter for not trusting us, for not telling us how different our brothers were. What angered me even more so was how Leo and I were never taught what to do if a situation like this should ever arise. Michelangelo stiffened under my touch and turned away. I smiled encouragingly and turned his face back toward me, "You're my little brother. I will always love you."

"So will I and we will always stand with you," Leo added as he took one of Mikey's hands. "Even if you add squid and tapioca to your pizza," he said with a grin.

"Yea well," Mikey countered, but his new smile faded and blue eyes closed in concentration, "Well what ever you did last time you better do again."

"Have you tried mediation Michelangelo," Leo asked griping our brother's hand tighter.

Mikey started fighting for breath as he said, "Man why is everything training with you?"

Suddenly inspiration struck, "Just do it but I want you to imagine a wall around you like a bubble that those creeps simply bounce off of and focus your chi into it. Keep that bubble in between you and them."

I could see that advanced imagination at work as the lines of strain on the familiar face smooth. His breathing measured out and slowed to meditative rates we all knew and that boyish smile came back. "Man Donnie," Michelangelo said with a grateful sigh, "You are a genius and with your sidekick Leo you can't be stopped."

Leo shook his head and smiled for a moment then looked at me, "Can we release him?"

"Yea," I said checking his pulse and respirations, "but you've got to tell us immediately if that bubble starts to weaken."

"Absolutely," Mikey said and I nodded to Leo and went back to check Raph.

The emerald skin of his neck was still swollen but almost back to normal temperature which was a relief. Patting his cheek lightly I was rewarded with a light swat at my hands. "Hey," I said softly to the slowly opening eyes, "How are you feeling?" He grunted and flinched. "Leo get a glass of water please?" I asked and then noticed Mikey. A simple motion of my head and Mikey retrieved some pillows and I started to help the other injured turtle sit up and saw him tense when his eyes caught Mikey. "Relax," I said and explained what happened while he was out.

When I was done Michelangelo looked teary eyed again and said, "I'm sorry Raphie, I.." Raph cut him off buy grabbing him with his good hand and yanking him down for a one arm hug.

"Now do you believe that no one blames you?" Leo said.

Mikey collapsed in relieved tears and clung to Raph who rolled his eyes playfully. After a few moments sobs became hiccups and I handed Mikey a tissue. He blew his nose loudly and handed it back or tried to, I held up a trashcan into which he dropped it. "Here," Leo said passing the youngest brother the glass, "I'll get another one."

Michelangelo said thanks as Leo left again then he looked at Raph half under him. "Here open up," Mikey coxed, "Doctor Donnie said you need to drink." Raph tried to get his good arm back from around his brother and growled.

I couldn't conceal my grin so I turned around and appeared to work on something as I watched the seen in the reflection of a glass cabinet. Mikey at least didn't use baby talk but he did look pleadingly at Raph and said, "Come on open up, please?" Raph frowned but leaned forward allowing Mikey to help him drink. Raphael has always been kind of a softy to the baby of the family.

As Leo entered, the cozy seen dissolved with Raph reaching across the back of Michelangelo's shell and with a smooth grab, he spun and pushed the orange loving ninja causing him to stumble over to the oldest turtle. Leo looked over at Raph but handed Mikey the glass. The younger turtle drank it greedily, and with a gasp of satisfaction he said, "Thanks Leo." Then handed both glasses over.

"How are you feeling?" Leo asked.

"Great," Mikey announced enthusiastically.

Raph's voice was raspy, "You get a hold of Spangler?"

Suddenly Leonardo looked pensive, "Um, sorry but the .. laptop was.. damaged."

"Oh no..." I said to myself and went to the front room. The carnage was incredible. It lay face down, which the hinges were not designed for. The keyboard itself had come lose and stuck out halfway from beneath the body with lose wires like so much technological organs. I couldn't stop the whimper when I flipped it over and in fell into to halves connected by one cable in a macabre display. Well, I reasoned with myself. It was either the computer to Raph. Little thing didn't have a chance.

"Well I guess that is out of the question," Michelangelo said from behind me.

I stacked the pieces and handed him some to carry feeling a twinge in my hands again and not really caring, "I might be able to fix it but in the mean time we'll just use my lab computer." As we walked the short distance back I asked, "How's the bubble holding up?"

"Like a dream," he answered proudly, "After all perfect chi control is what everyone would expect from the Battle Nexus champion."

"Anyway," I said now addressing everyone and placing the shrapnel on a less cluttered work bench. "I have an idea on how to get rid of our unwanted house guests but I want to run it past you first. Since the chi bubble is working what if we try group meditation and we link our chi with Michelangelo's? We would have a better chance of forcing them out all together."

"But aren't some already out?" Leo asked, "Raph was attacked by that guy outside Mikey's body.

Mikey shook his head, "All present and accounted for," he said tapping his temple.

"I believe they can only do that after they draw enough energy in the first place," I explained. "When Michelangelo was unconscious the spirit was able to draw more energy and there fore manifest, but he used it up and had to return to the primary source."

Mikey looked at me blankly for a moment then said, "They are like batteries and I'm the charger? Ew."

I patted him on the shoulder, "Precisely, and I agree, it is pretty 'ew'."

"But they will fight for there energy source right?" Leo asked, "so what kind of resistance can we expect?"

"More of what has already happened so far I would say, but I don't know for sure," I admitted. "But it wouldn't last long once we disconnect them, since they won't be able to recharge. We just have to wait it out," I explained.

Everyone simply looked at me for a moment them Leonardo asked, "But what can go wrong?"

I looked at each of my brothers before saying, "They could simply stay where they are or because of the depth of connection required we might end up with one or more of us under the influence of the phantoms."

The silence after my statement was total.

To Be continued...