A/N: Hello everyone Just wanted to say thank you for all the support I have been getting from everyone and thank you SleepingSeeker for helping me writing this chapter, I was struggling so bad for the past few days. So please enjoy and review!
Leo sat in the dojo of the Daimyo trying to meditate as well as he could. His father keeping his distance from all distraction trying to contact Michelangelo anyway possible. Leo sighed to himself before opening his eyes slightly. He wished he had his father's guidance to try and figure all this out but knew that his father was in his own personal turmoil and needed time to figure things out his own way. He tilted his head to the side. He couldn't help but feel guilt. Him, Raph, and Donnie all had a silent agreement long ago when they were just tots that as the older, stronger brothers, they would protect Mikey and his child-like attitude from any harm. Master Splinter has mentioned multiple times how Mikey is that light in the family. Whenever was going through one of his mental overloads with the information he consumed everyday, Mikey was there with a blanket and and warm glass of milk and always convinced Donnie to go to the living room with him and just sit and relax.
He took the time to offer his assistance to Raph whenever his anger got the best of him. He would spar with him and crack a few jokes with him to keep the hot head from overflowing. Leo couldn't help but to smile when he thought of the times when Leo would overwork himself with his training and his burdens and Mikey would be there confirming he would always been in his corner no matter what. Leo sighed when he thought of the few things Mikey does for the family. How he always cooks and brightens the room.
Leo clenched his fist that rested on his knelt leg when he thought of the multiple times Mikey has stepped in between his and Raphael's fights. How many punches and kicks he has taken from both of them. He was always the negotiator, trying to solve all the problems without any problems. Now, to think that piece of their family is out of reach squeezed Leo's heart. He got this strange, dark feeling in the depths of his soul. He knew if Mikey was in trouble we would contact Master Splinter right away but Leo couldn't shake the feeling. It's been two days, and nothing. This anticipation is going to eat at him until something happens.
Leo looked up to see Usagi walking in with a warm smile on his face.
"Hello Usagi." Leo said standing up.
"Hello Leonardo. Would you like to go on a walk with me? I think your brothers are outside, why don't we go join them?" He asked. Leo gave a small nod before following his young rabbit friend outside to the steps that led inside. His ears didn't deny him when he heard the sounds of laughter coming from his two young brothers. They made it out to the day light to see Donnie and Raph sitting on the steps snickering at each other.
"What joke did I miss?" Leo asked putting his hands on his hips. Raph and Donnie looked up at him as he took a seat on a few steps higher then them followed by Usagi.
"We were just talking about that one time Mikey got lost when we were going through the sewers." Donnie said.
"You gotta be more specific then that." Leo smirked.
"Ya know that one time, when his shell got stuck in one of tha pipes and it took all three of us just to get'm out." Raph said raising his glass of tea to his lips. Leo couldn't help but to chuckle to that. He remembered Mikey ran ahead because he knew he was so much faster then the rest and feel down one of the run outs. He fell in one of the pipes and had to get a lot of oil to pull him out. Leo felt a little guilty. Why were they talking about times with Mikey from the past? There are so much more to come and yet they think of the past.
"Leo remembers that oath Mikey made for himself when-" Donnie stopped. Leo thought for a moment and his memories flooded back to him. This wasn't a good memory. Leo watched as Raph grimaced slightly and Donnie ducked his head, regretting bringing it up in the first place.
Usagi looked at the three brothers in confusion.
"I did not know Michelangelo had a goal set." Usagi spoke up hoping to get a explanation. Leo knew it was up to him to tell Usagi.
"Back when were around ten, Mikey, He ran off like he usually did and one of the the old subway stations collapsed right on top of him. It didn't crush him but he was cut off and he was placed in a small corner in the dark. One thing about Mikey you need to know his that he has claustrophobia and he developed it when he was younger and when we were growing up we tried to help him with but he cried about being small areas, being in the dark, everything. Mikey cried a lot..." Leo trailed off thinking about the past, how scared Mikey was all the time. He was always filled with life and followed his brothers to do everything but was always scared. Maybe it was because he was so much smaller or weaker but that doesn't defeat the purpose of him crying.
"But when we found he was under the rubble we tried to get him out as soon as possible but, we decided maybe this was the best, help him face his fear.-"
"It was my stupid idea." Raph cut in. "I was so sick of Mikey crying about every little thing. So I said we should keep him in there until he stopped his sniveling all the damn time." Raph bit his lip as he looked away. He remembered how scared Mikey was, how he needed them and Raph was too much of an ass to help him. He sighed to himself, refusing to meet the neighboring gazes.
"But in the end, he did stop crying. We got him out, he was hyperventilating a little but no tears. He told us that night he would never cry again. Ever since then I have never seen him cry. Not even when he was in pain." Donnie admitted.
"Neither have I." Leo spoke up. Raph gave a quick nod in agreement. Usagi was actually quite shocked by this new discovery. Although it did make since. Considering Mikey's personality. He was taken from his thoughts when he heard Donnie spoke.
"Its actually funny Usagi, after that little period of time, he actually tried to be just like Raph but couldn't work up the nerve." Donnie gave a light laugh. Usagi smiled seeing this turtle's attempt. There was an aura surrounding Leo and Raph. Usagi took the invitation that Donnie was offering in conversation.
Leo looked over at Raph who was giving him an intent stare.
"You sense it too right?" Raph asked quietly so he wouldn't interrupt Donnie's and Usagi's conversation. Leo took a gulp. Raphael must have been talking about the dark feeling deep within him. The nervousness building in his stomach.
"Yes." He simply said. He was observing Raph carefully, watching the squinting of his eyes. His frown deepening. Leo waited for Raph to explain.
"That was what I and Donnie were talking about earlier. There's something wrong Leo. I think-I think its Mikey trying to contact us." Raph admitted. Leo cocked his head a little confused. If Mikey was trying to contact us he would use the spiritual guidance that Master splinter has always taught them to do.
"Look I know it sounds crazy but since were all connected in some way, maybe its Mikey's way of saying he's in trouble. I mean come on Leo. Ya really think Mikey would go this long without doing anythn' to reach us?" Raph asked sternly.
"Raph it's only been two days."
"Well it could be two months were he is. Maybe this time warp thing is messing with the mental connection and he's using that spiritual thing. I know were not suppose to Leo but I seriously think that's what Mikey is trying to do and I cant just sit back and keep waiting for the damn Daimyo to get back we need to do something. Now." Raph said bluntly.
"Raph I understand your concern but there is nothing we can do at this point. As much as I want to charge into action, we don't know where he is, how to get there, or how to help him at this point. All we can do right now is sit and wait and pray that Mikey is as strong as we take him for." Leo listened to the last part he said. When he really thought of it, Mikey was strong when he needed to be. Sure he was goofball and avoided all training when he could but that was just because he kept his inner child so close to himself.
Leo looked over to see Donnie watching the two bicker. Leo only sighed as he got up and walked up the stairs back into the main dojo to try and meditate as much as he could.
Mikey squeezed his eyes shut and curled his feet underneath the table he was sitting on. His hands tightening at the edge of the table as he opened his eyes to watch the slug nurse working on the bite mark on his arm. He didn't think that bite would hurt as bad as he thought it would. He's been bitten a lot harder but it was probably how large the dragons teeth were that really cause any of the pain. The slug lady looked up at him and put a light in his eyes to watch as his eyes dilated.
"Okay. You're good," she said in a croaky voice.
Mikey's eyes went wide. She barely even looked him over. Let alone helped heal any of his wounds. She merely wrapped the burn on his leg and bandaged some of his smaller cuts that could heal on their own. Mikey's mind was in complete turmoil. He couldn't do it. He couldn't go through another fight like that. No matter what - he just couldn't. He couldn't see another person suffer like that. He couldn't take anymore injury that was being inflicted upon him. His spirit wouldn't handle it. He had to come up with something.
One thing Rictor failed to do was to allow Mikey to see the outline of the entire building he was in. Mikey thought about how the layout of all the cells were and the hallways. He also took note that there were no windows and it was much more cooler than room temperature; also for the fact that transportation was used to send people up so Mikey assumed they were underground. He had to make some type of distraction. Just a small one. He was gonna use some Donnie magic.
"Uh, is there any way I could maybe get a pain killer? One without sugar. I'll die if I get sugar," he lied. He looked at this slug to see she was very unimpressed with his lie. It looked she could care less what he did.
"I'll be back," she croaked out as she slithered out of the room.
Mikey moved fast, being careful with his leg. He moved around the small infirmary looking for anything he could use. Something that will help him out. He opened one of the cupboards to reveal a box full of sedatives and needles. One thing he took note of was that all of the guards walked in groups of two. Mikey took two of the clear colored substances and carefully slid them inside one of his elbow pads, making sure they didn't stick out. Mikey took a breath as he kept looking around to find some heavy duty gauze. He took some of that and put it in his belt and continued looking.
He needed something for a weapon. Small but deadly. Mikey couldn't help but think of Raph and sais when he would laugh at him about it, but now it's what he needed. There was a glass cabinet and Mikey got an idea. He grabbed some of the gauze and wrapped it tightly around his fist to where if you would touch his fist, it was nice and soft. Mikey made sure he was a foot or so away from the glass before crashing his fist into the flimsy glass. He watched as the reflecting creation shattered on the ground. Mikey picked up a piece small enough to hide but big enough to cause damage. His senses got back to him when he heard running feet. Quickly, he jumped back onto the table and sat there like nothing happened. Coming in were a couple of guards and the nurse who looked at the glass mess, then back up to Mikey who sat there with a cheeky smile.
"There was mouse, big one. Had no idea they liked Penicillin so much." He gave a weak laugh. The guards and nurses faces didn't change when the guards walked over to Mikey and roughly grabbed him by his arms and dragged him out of the infirmary.
The old lizard sat in the corner of his cell missing his new friend. It was so long since he had any contact with anyone for he lost his fight only a few days before Michelangelo showed up and his opponent pulled mercy to see him squirm. He had that monster's face burned into his memory. A large canine demon. This monster beat him so quick the lizards head spun. He remembered his laugh, his gargley laugh that was like venom to the ears. The lizard felt a shiver run up his spine. He sighed hoping his new friend will never have to face him.
He fell out of his head when he heard his cell door open. The guards threw Mikey inside. Mikey went down with a loud thud as quickly as it opened. The lizard looked over to his friend. He could see that Mikey had put up a struggle. He was impressed with the little terrapin. No doubt, he'd put up a good fight. With a groan Mikey got up on his hand and knees and looked up at his friend.
"What's up?" he asked with a weak smile before standing up and brushing himself off.
"You won your fight?" he asked.
Mikey froze at the question. He thought about the dragon, the fear that rolled off his body, the desperation in his eyes, the way his gaze made Mikey feel like he had just been stabbed a thousand times in the same spot in the heart. He gulped, never making eye contact with his friend looking at the door.
"Rictor doesn't like noise does he?" He asked refusing to answer his friend's question. The elder was a bit confused before answering.
"No I don't believe so. Why do you ask?"
Mikey took a breath. "I cant," he admitted.
The man tipped his head to the side confused by the sorrowful response.
"These fights, I can't do it anymore," he said as he turned to his friend. "I'm breaking out of here tonight, and I want you to come with me."
The elder was baffled by this sudden decision the youngster spoke about. The determination he saw in the blue eyes were blazing but he knew no matter how hard Michelangelo tried, he would get caught, and he would be punished. Of that there was little doubt.
"My friend please, I beg you to please reconsider," he said, standing up slowly to his friend.
"I need to. You have to understand there is something about this place that isn't right. I'm not fit for these types of fights. I can't take another round. If you won't come with me now, just know I'll be back for you." Mikey said before turning back to the cell door. Mikey took a deep breath. He was losing it in here. He had to leave now.
"So Rictor doesn't like loud? Well, he captured the wrong turtle." Mikey smirked. He started to bang against the cell door with the palm of his hand and was kicking it with his good leg.
"Hey Rictor can you hear me?! I'm starving in here!" he called out banging on the door some more. During his distraction, his friend pleaded for him to stop, to understand this was a terrible idea.
On the outside, Rictor was watching through one of the monitors that watched the cells. He growled to himself noticing the exaggerating noises the young terrapin was making. He watched closely and clenched his fist. No noise was aloud. The sounds, all of it banged in Rictor's head. Laughter, singing, yelling; all of it. It made Rictor's head pound. That's why there will never be a crowd for his fights.
Rictor turned his head to the side to crack it. He glued his eyes to the screen.
"Go get him," he commanded, and two guards went to the cell holding the loud turtle.
Mikey continued his loud banging and yelling, periodically looking back at his friend as he gave him a nervous look. He understood he was playing with fire right now, but he was willing to get burned if that means he was able to get out. The palms of his hands were getting red so he turned to the bed of his punches, pounding roughly against the door.
"Come on, Rictor, I know you can hear me! Don't tell me you're scared?" he taunted.
"My friend please stop!" The lizard's voice rose slightly. His eyes in complete shock unknowing how to approach this angry turtle. Suddenly, the door opened making Mikey jump back. He looked up to the guards standing there with the electrode handcuffs and their baton on their sides.
"Rictor will see you," one of them growled.
The lizard crept back to his corner, making sure he was out of the way. Mikey let out a huff of air and rolled his shoulders.
"Ya know, not that I wouldn't love to hear what crap is gonna come out of that guy's mouth but I got places to go and people to see," he said.
He jumped up and threw a round house kick at one of the guards and pushed him out of the cell. The other guard growled and charged toward Mikey but he was a tad faster. He jumped again, slipping one of the syringes out from his pad. Leaping onto the back of the guard, he jabbed the needle into his neck and depressed the plunger. The sedative flowed through his system taking its course. Mikey jumped back, hitting the stone wall quickly and watched as the dark monster fell to the floor with a thump.
Mikey stepped forward slightly before feeling something tight around his neck. He gagged and stiffened slightly realizing the other guard who was thrown out of the cell was back. He had wrapped the baton around Mikey's neck. The young turtle kicked out hysterically trying to get the guard off of him. He shook his arm, letting the other needle slide into his hand before roughly sticking it into the guard's leg.
With a yelp, the guard let go and Mikey crouched; kicking out, letting the guard hit the wall and slide down, unconscious. Mikey panted as he felt his neck. He winced. It felt raw from the metal rubbing against it. He stood up looking around to see what he had accomplished. He couldn't help but smile. He knew he wasn't weak, he knew he could do this. He was just as good as his brothers. Mikey looked at his friend and offered a hand. The elder shook his head at him.
"They will bring you back. They will punish you. My friend please, stay," he begged.
Mikey bit his lip. He knew if he got caught, he was never going to live it down, but that was a risk he was willing to take.
"I'll be back for you." Mikey told him before making sure he grabbed a baton and put it in his belt. He looked back at his friend with sadness in his eyes before looking away and shutting the door, leaving his friend with the unconscious guards.
Mikey took a deep breath before he walked down the corridor, keeping close to the wall, avoiding being in the light as much as possible. He looked around at all the other cells, how some were looking at him, watching him as he attempted his escape. He needed to find a way up. An elevator, a ladder, anything would work.
As he continued to walk, he came across a group of guards as if waiting for him to appear. Mikey gulped and put his brain to work. "Why can't I be smart like Don?" he mumbled. He looked back and remembered the glass and gauze he had. Okay, he had an idea.
Mikey took a deep breath before using the piece of glass like a throwing star and quickly chucked it at one of the guards in the arm. He growled in pain and looked in the direction where Mikey was and all the guards charged. Mikey jumped up, grabbing the pipes from above and hid, watching as the guards ran where he originally was, going down the corridor. Mikey smirked at himself. Distraction was his middle name.
Mikey stayed above on the pipes, crawling till he made it to a ladder. Mikey felt overjoyed. He didn't think about how easy this was, he was just happy he was able to leave. Mikey hopped down and started up the ladder. This ladder was old and rusted. He shook it slightly, and dry flakes of rust rained down upon his head, as if it hadn't been used in years.
Mikey felt shaky, not in fear but in excitement. He felt so proud of himself to make it this far and to be able to go home and rub it in everyone's faces. He made it up to a large round opening. He used his good arm and pushed as hard as he could. It cracked open with a loud screech. He pushed harder till dust fell into his eyes. He coughed as he accidentally breathed in the swirling, thick dust. He dropped the opening for a moment until his throat was cleared. He opened it all the way and stepped outside.
Crawling out, he sucked the air into his tight chest. He gasped harshly and finally looked around. His breath was taken away. Frozen in place, it felt like the world was making him burn into the ground. He was on a dirt ground, looking around to see this place, this universe was expanded. He looked to see tubes connected to other parts of lands that looked similar to the arena he was placed in yesterday. Mikey finally stood up to look around, keeping hold of any oxygen he had and saw the sky, there was no sun, it was nothing more than a chilled feeling in this universe. He looked and saw the sunlight he felt before was fake. The sky, which he thought was blue, was actually purple mixed with black and shades of red. Everything, everything he predicted, hoped for, was a lie.
"Where am I?" He whispered.
His heart fell. He thought he could just go home. He wanted to leave and realized now he couldn't. Mikey was hypnotized. He was caught in mid-thought and didn't realize the guards were surrounding him. When Mikey looked, they all had rifles pointed at him. Mikey was in a complete haze. He was supposed to escape. He was supposed to go home. And now? He was gonna get captured again, and punished.
Mikey licked his cracked lips before raising his hands over his head, intertwining his fingers behind his head, turning to face the guards. One of them walked up behind him and kicked the back of his knee making Mikey yelp. Another came up and shoved the butt of the gun into Mike's plastron making him groan, bringing his hands back down to cover the area that was hit. He felt various punches and kicks till he was down on his side, covering his head so it couldn't get injured. These guys were forceful, using everything they had in him. He could feel various parts of his skin, swell, burn, and sting. When he finally felt the limbs leave around him, he took in a shaky breath before being forcefully pulled up and dragged back underground.
Rictor sat at a table, taking a drink of his coffee, waiting for the guards to bring in Michelangelo. He allowed Mikey to see what was on the outside of the cells only for him to realize there was nowhere for him to go. Mikey never had a chance at escaping. Rictor just wanted to drive home the point of the uselessness of trying to flee. He smirked to himself when he thought about what Mikey's face would look like, his body shaking with fear. He hummed and shut his eyes, leaning back slightly thinking of the small, scared turtle. How broken he could be. How he could make his own spirit filled with glee at the thought of making the turtle do whatever he pleased. Oh yes, he was going to have fun with little Michelangelo.
Suddenly, the door was crashed open with two of the guards holding a limp body between them. Michelangelo. Rictor watched as the turtle kept his head down and the blood dribbled from his mouth down to the floor. This was something that Rictor could get used to seeing. He stood up, stepping to the side of the table. He twirled his cup for a moment before looking at Mikey.
"Did you enjoy the view?" he asked.
Mikey didn't respond, but kept his head down. Rictor looked up at the extra guard behind Mikey and nodded his head at him. The guard disappeared for a few moments before returning with a bag. The guard walked past Mikey and the other two guards and gave the bag to Rictor. He placed it on the table before he started digging in it.
"Mikey, do you miss your brothers?" he asked, pulling out a weapon.
Mikey lifted his head, he was tired. He hasn't slept in the past two days because of the fight and the visit to the infirmary and also getting a total beating from the guards, he was beyond exhausted. But, his eyes went wide when he saw Rictor pull out a Sai. Rictor was twisting it in his hand, playing with the tip for a while until he turned to face Mikey again.
"So, do you?" he asked again. Mikey played around with the blood in his mouth.
"What's the point? I know those aren't from them," Mikey croaked out.
Rictor stared at him for a moment and smiled. "You're right Michelangelo, these aren't really your brother's, but, do you know whose weapon this is Mikey?" He pointed the Sai towards Mikey, letting the small amount of light to shine off of it. "You tell me whose weapon this is, and I let you go back to your cell," he sneered.
Mikey was shocked. He was really gonna ask him a stupid question like that and let him go. He smirked and closed his eyes.
"Those are Leo's," Mikey's eyes shot open. Wait...that wasn't right. He looked up at Rictor who chuckled.
"Sorry, wrong answer." He waved the Sai towards the guards. "Take him to the room." Mikey's breath was coming in large gasps.
"What did you do to me?" He said bluntly, still in shock. He stood up, his body on autopilot trying to fight back.
"What did you do to me!?" He yelled, his eyes filled with so much fear. How could he forget the type of weapons they had. He was confused. He felt the guards pulling his body backwards away from Rictor. Rictor's smirk only widen, watching Mike's panic on full blast. Mikey looked behind him to see he was going towards a dark room, a small, oxygen-less, room.
"No . . ." Mikey whispered. He was pulling against the guards.
"N-No don't!" he cried.
He began to kick frantically, ignoring the protest of his muscles. His chest began to feel tight. His heart hammered against his rib cage, fluttering like a wild bird trapped in a box. He was scared. He couldn't go in there. He twisted and turned and yelled in terror. His voice cracked.
His body was flung into the dark, small room. Mikey spun around, trying to reach the door before it shut, but was too slow. He began to bang on the door, slamming his clammy palms against it, already hyperventilating.
"Let me out! Let me out!" he yelled. He looked around and could not see anything. He was able to reach each end of the room by just stretching out his arms. His fingertips brushed the smooth surface and he recoiled as if he were burned. The walls were too close. Too close!
"I can't, I can't!" Mikey whispered harshly. He turned back to the black door. His eyes wild with mad panic. "Please. Please let me out!" he screamed, the sweat dripping from his face.
A part of his mind was commanding him to be silent, to be calm and still, but he couldn't obey that withering command. The panic was racing through him and devouring his ability to think coherently. Mikey pinched his eyes shut, hoping to block out the sense of the walls collapsing in on him. Hoping to make himself believe that he was safe and in an open space. Mikey's mind clutched feebly at the teachings of his father when meditating. He needed to calm down. He needed to breathe. He dragged in a broken breath, then he pursed his lips and tried to blow out his exhale, but it hitched in his throat and he choked. His shaking hands clutched either side of his head as he fell heavily to the floor. He began to rock back and forth, shaking his head from side to side.
"N-No. N-No. N-N-No," he repeated over and over. His chest felt the constricting fright like a snake coiling and tightening around him. His breath was coming in panting gasps as he gulped at the air as though it were being drained from the room.
He couldn't keep it in, he couldn't hold back. He let out an agonized scream. It echoed through the hallways.
Rictor stood in front of the door, with the Sai next to his face. He slowly moved it so his long tongue wrapped around the tip of the blade; listening to the anguished sound of Mikey's screams with tingling pleasure