Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.
Creepy but gorgeous cover created by the awesome Sampsonknight over on Deviant Art.
Review Response to guests:
GuestGirl: Mikey was momentarily feeling his own finger on his own shell and I say his own because it's really his body, despite the fact that Doppelmike stole it and took it over; while Doppelmike's asleep, Mikey will play XD Sorry, these boys sleep alone unless there is good reason to otherwise (I only write brotherly - btw, not actually suggesting you thought otherwise, just covering myself because I have no idea XD)
– Snatched –
Ch 7
The next few weeks were the hardest of Mikey's life. His days were spent much the same, forced to watch life from a distance and unable to join in, never being acknowledged except by the one person responsible for taking everything from him.
To Doppelmike's delight and Mikey's disgust, Donnie presented him with the brand new, convertible weapons he'd asked for. Raph was ecstatic, believing that his little brother was finally taking the rigours of their life seriously but Leo was pissed, remembering the massacre of that awful night and Mikey couldn't blame him.
During those weeks, Mikey was actually able to convince Doppelmike to prank the others, though only once a week and only because it would draw too much attention if he did nothing. Doppelmike however became more interested when he realised it was great practise for his stealth and Mikey found himself completely mortified when Doppelmike even successfully pranked Master Splinter; something Mikey had never been able to manage himself.
With some well worded, sneaky questioning, Mikey managed to ask Doppelmike about some of the other worlds, pretending interest in the things the body snatcher had learnt in his stolen lives but really, the only thing he was truly interested in was Doppelmike's previous life. He surreptitiously found out why Doppelmike seemed to not notice his left side as much as he should; he'd just spent nearly fifty years in a body which lost sight in the left eye during a particularly bad fight, immediately prior to taking over. Mikey filed that information away straightaway, continuing to ask other questions so as to not draw attention to the fact he'd just discovered something potentially important.
Each day, Doppelmike woke up slightly more exhausted than the last and when he asked Mikey about it, Mikey feigned innocence. He suggested perhaps Doppelmike's conscious was beginning to bug him, that he'd been sure he'd overheard him having nightmares in the night. Doppelmike couldn't remember any such dreams so he went to Donnie for answers. After Donnie pronounced him perfectly healthy, he merely advised that Doppelmike go to bed a little earlier and that played beautifully into Mikey's hands, giving him more time to freely practise.
Nights when Doppelmike was sleeping was the only time he could even practise regaining control of his body and he grew better as the weeks went on. In fact, it was the reason for Doppelmike's tiredness. While the body snatcher slept, Mikey was active and after nearly two months, Mikey finally felt good about his night time control.
Mikey smiled gleefully and put the pen back perfectly in place on his desk before closing his journal. Doppelmike had never found the book, never even seemed to wonder if there was such a thing, since he had Mikey to directly ask things of, and that suited Mikey well. He'd just finished writing a full explanation of everything that had happened to him. Everything that had gone on over the last nearly three months, he'd spent writing about over the last few nights. He couldn't risk using any of the paper laying about his room in case Doppelmike noticed it missing or the indentations in the sheets underneath.
He took a slow, calming breath and quietly stood; Mikey understood noise meant taking a chance of waking the evil body snatcher within and he wasn't willing to risk all his hard work being for naught.
Silently, Mikey slipped out of his room, the room where by now nearly a quarter of his collection was missing and moved stealthily through the lair until he reached Leo's room a few doors away. Clutching his journal tightly enough in one hand that the blood rushed from his knuckles, Mikey reached out with the other and carefully turned the handle before sneaking inside.
Leo stirred and sat up, sleepily looking up at him, "Mik.."
Mikey quickly lifted a single finger to his lips, giving the universal shh gesture and Leo blinked at him in confusion. Mikey kept silently walking until he reached Leo's side, holding out the book and motioning him to take it.
Leo stared at the offering before finally taking it. "Mikey, what are..."
Mikey quickly covered Leo's mouth with one hand and repeated the quiet gesture before leaving and returning to bed, his heart pounding in both fear and excitement. Slowly he reluctantly relinquished control again, retreating back to the confines of his prison. If it came down to it, he knew he wasn't yet a match for Doppelmike. The thief had experience and darkest magic on his side and Mikey didn't even have two months on his. He'd lay low for now and continue working to improve; in the meantime, at least one person would know of his desperate plight.
If Leo even believed him.
-:-
Leo switched on his bedside lamp and stared in wonder at the book Mikey had pressed into his hands. He never knew his brother kept a journal and was confused. Not only had Mikey managed to keep a secret but the whole point of keeping a journal was to record ones innermost thoughts so why would he suddenly hand over such a private thing now?
He frowned, much of Mikey's behaviour in the last few months was odd; odd for Mikey that was. If he really thought about it, it all started the day Mikey had that accident while Master Splinter and himself were away.
Curiosity eating at him, Leo finally cracked open the book and flicked through the entries, all-the-while embarrassed at delving into such intimate thoughts; he quickly turned the page at one particularly revealing entry about a crush Mikey had on someone named Kala. Leo flipped through the pages, his attention catching at the night before the accident; that was the last entry until a few nights ago. The latest entry started different and with a shock, he realised it was addressed to him.
Leonardo,
First of all bro, I really to apologise. I need to explain what's been going on with me in the last few months but to do that, just by TELLING you what I'm about to tell you, I'm putting your life in incredible danger and believe me, I'm really sorry bro... but I just... I'm desperate Leo. I really can't keep doing this alone any more. I'm scared and I'm lonely and I just need SOMEONE to know the truth so please forgive me bro and PLEASE don't just dismiss me. At least read through the entire letter before you decide whether you believe me or not because I'm in so much trouble right now. More than at any other time in my whole life put together.
But whatever you believe, you can't tell anyone else. If HE knows or suspects anyone knows, he'll kill them, make it look like an accident or something and you especially can't tell Raph. If he knows, he'd never be able to hide it. He'd lose his temper in no time and give himself away.
Leo paused, canting his head as he turned the page. Mikey, as he often did, wasn't making much sense but he definitely had the impression his brother was frantic about something. He frowned and began reading again.
It all began that night nearly 3 months ago when Raphie and I were playing around and I slipped and hit my head.
Leo continued to read, his horror mounting at the secrets and explanations Michelangelo was spilling with the written word. In shocked disbelief, Leo learnt of the truth behind the 'tattoo' incident and that the only time he'd been able to actually interact with their family was during that shared family meditation more than two months ago. He also, to his abject fury, learnt about what really happened the night Donnie was hit with that dart and his blood began to boil with an anger surpassing Raph's on a bad day.
And I've been practising taking control while he's deep asleep. Finally felt like I had enough control to write this letter and get it to you. If you want to reply to me, there's a loose brick at shoulder height to the left of the kitchen door, hide it behind that so no one else can find it. I'm not sure when I can try this again but I definitely can't risk actually talking in case it wakes him up.
Please, whatever you do, even if you don't believe me, don't say anything about this to anyone else but PLEASE believe me, Leo. I need to know at least someone knows where I really am...
Leo stared down at the last of the hastily scrawled letters, his mind racing with thought. He wasn't quite sure if he believed the contents of the letter or not but it really did explain so much and he knew Mikey wasn't capable of the acts described within. It simply wasn't in his brother's nature.
He slowly closed the book and slid it under his mattress before getting out of bed to pad silently to Mikey's room. Leo opened the door wide, allowing the light from the corridor to spill inside and he gazed around. For the first time, Leo noticed some of Mikey's favourite, prized possessions were missing. None of that was actually mentioned in the letter but Leo was suddenly certain that this wasn't just some elaborate prank in bad taste. Mikey really was in trouble and he was the only one that even knew.
-:-
Doppelmike plodded into the kitchen, flopping heavily into his usual seat and laid his face onto the table, "Someone pass me the toothpicks?"
Raph reached over with them as Donnie asked, "What do you want toothpicks for when you haven't even eaten yet?"
"To pry my eyes open with," Doppelmike mumbled sleepily.
Donnie snatched the box away, placing them well away from his sleepy brother. "Well if you had more sleep like I told you to instead of staying up half the night rea..."
Leo quickly moved in between and cheerfully interrupted. "Would you like me to make breakfast this morning?"
Doppelmike shot up to a sitting position, eyes wide in sudden horror and instantly awake as both Donnie and he echoed.
"No!"
"Shell Leo, you tryin' to poison us or somethin'?" Raph asked, his voice equally horrified.
"Hey! I'm not that bad!" Leo protested.
"Sure ya ain't!"
"At least I don't burn the food like some brothers." Leo glared meaningfully at Raph as he spoke.
"Overcooked is better than undercooked," Donnie broke in wryly.
"More like unevenly cooked," Doppelmike muttered while Mikey just laughed within.
Leo sighed, "Well we can't all be Mikey in the kitchen. The rest of us have to learn some time."
"Speak for yourself, Leo," Donnie retorted. "My cooking is just fine, thank you very much."
At Mikey's prompting, Doppelmike spoke up, "If you like your food bland and boring, sure Donnie, yours is just great!"
"Philistine!" Donnie sniffed indignantly, however a small smile played on his face.
"How about just cereal this morning?" Leo suggested, pulling out the boxes with a quick smile Mikey's direction. A quick smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.
-:-
When the brothers headed into training that morning, Splinter announced plans for group meditation within the Astral Plain instead of the usual that day and Leo smiled, pleased that Splinter had taken his request seriously and agreed to it. There really wasn't much he could do for Mikey at this point but he wanted to at least let his brother know he was there for him as soon as possible, rather than have to wait all day and night.
Like the last time they'd had a session like this, Mikey was slow to appear, apparently once again due to raised shields around his mind that he'd had to work to dismantle. Leo scowled, knowing that was both the body snatcher's way of keeping anyone from sensing how wrong he felt and keeping Mikey imprisoned so that no one would sense a second mind within.
Leo just couldn't believe how long had passed without anyone noticing how wrong Doppelmike was. He should have noticed his brother was so off and he was having trouble forgiving himself for unintentionally abandoning his liveliest brother when he needed them so much. Leo sighed, it wasn't like he was the only one that didn't notice; their father was far more spiritually aware than he and even he didn't notice either.
Then again, Doppelmike was another version of Mikey, even if he had grown warped and twisted over the dozens of lifetimes.
Leo relaxed seeing Mikey finally appear in the astral landscape and bound over to them, displaying a life and energy he hadn't displayed in so long. Again, Leo couldn't understand how he'd never noticed but then he remembered, he had. He'd just put it down to the groundings Doppelmike had suffered under near the beginning, not to mention the head injury that actually started it all and then not realised that things hadn't quite gone back to normal.
Mikey was even more touchy feely than the last time, reminding Leo just how attention starved their brightest brother really was and when Mikey came near him, Leo grabbed him first. He wrapped his arms tightly around his brother and squeezed comfortingly, not letting go for minutes.
For a moment Mikey froze, surprised at the unusual behaviour from his most controlled brother but then the message hit and Mikey realised. They were in the Astral Plain right now because Leo believed him. This was Leo's way of replying to Mikey asap and Mikey relaxed, all but collapsing into the comforting hold.
One person knew.
He was no longer alone.
And suddenly Mikey knew he could get through this.
-:-
to be continued