Dark

Three-year-old Michelangelo sat in front of the TV watching his favorite television show. It was his turn to pick the channel so none of his brothers could complain that it was a show about talking construction vehicles. He looked behind him to see his three older brothers sitting uninterested on the sofa behind him, with the exception of one who appeared more angry than uninterested. Mikey smiled as he moved to lay on his plastron kicking his feet in the air and resting his head in his hands.

"Mikey, move your feet." Raphael complained with his arms crossed unable to form a more complex sentence.

"You don't like this show, Raphie." Mikey smiled as he intentionally pointed his toes at the ceiling.

Before Raphael could retaliate, the lair went dark. Every single one of the few light sources in the lair simultaneously blew. The four boys let out a surprised scream as their surroundings disappeared right before their eyes.

"What's going on?" Michelangelo asked trying to locate his brothers.

"I think the power is out." Donatello replied trying to see in the dark room.

Mikey crawled over to the sofa behind him, "Where are you guys?"

"We are right her Mikey." Leonardo reached out to find Michelangelo. He moved his hand around until he felt a shell in his hands, "Mikey, is that you?"

"Yeah." Michelangelo moved into Leonardo and crawled up on the couch with his brothers.

Confused, the four small turtles huddled together and waited for their father to find them. They were told if they were ever lost or stuck to stay where they were, it was the safest thing to do.

While they awaited their father, small whimpers were heard in the group of turtles sitting patiently on the floor.

"What's wrong, Mikey?" Leonardo asked sensing that it was the youngest of the brother that was crying.

"I'm afraid of the dark." Michelangelo sobbed as he searched for one of his brothers to console him.

"It's okay, Mikey. There's nothing to be afraid of." Donatello grabbed his little brother in his arms and explained the logic of darkness to Mikey. "Everything is exactly the same in the dark as it is when there's light."

"But monsters like the dark better because no one can see them." Mikey whined resting his head against Donnie's shoulder.

"There's no such thing as monsters, Mikey." Leo comforted his brother and placed a loving hand on his carapace.

"Of course monsters exist, Leo. They live in the closets and under the beds and in the dark." Raph teased to scare Mikey even more. Mikey began to cry even more. He nuzzled himself deep into the crook of Donnie's neck and sobbed louder than he had been.

"Stop it Raph, Mikey is already afraid." Donnie rocked Mikey to calm him down some. He hushed him and smiled lovingly, "Mikey, Raph is only kidding. Monsters don't exist. I promise."

Mikey wiped the tears out of his eyes and looked up at Donnie, "Are you sure?"

"100% sure" Donnie hugged his brother. He could tell that Mikey was still not relieved of his fear, "Look, Mikey, see that over there." He pointed to a plant they had sitting in the corner, "What does it look like to you?"

Mikey tried to see, "It looks like a monster with lots of tentacles, Donnie you said monsters weren't real!" He began to freak out and move on top of Donnie.

"No, Mikey, it's not a monster." Donnie stood up and grabbed Mikey's wrist, "Come with me." He pulled Mikey over to the corner. Michelangelo cried the whole distance.

"Donnie, stop. You're making it worse." Leo ran over to his two brothers and tried to comfort the youngest, however, Donnie refused to let Leo near.

"Trust me, Leo. I'm gonna show Mikey the dark is nothing to be afraid of." He pushed Leo away and pulled Mikey closer to himself.

Leo, now extremely agitated, returned back to the center of the living room where Raph was enjoying Mikey's tears, "Fine, Donnie. Scare Mikey out of his shell, Master Splinter will love to hear all about this." He crossed his arms and turned his head away.

"You just have to trust me Leo. I know exactly what to do." He turned his attention away from Leo and back towards Mikey. "Okay, Mikey, touch it."

"I wanna stay with Leo now." Mikey struggled to get around Donnie who was blocking all of his escape attempts.

"Please Mikey, just trust me. Nothing bad is gonna happen to you." Mikey noticed the sincerity in Donnie's face.

Mikey sighed and turned around to face the tall monster in front him. He gulped as he reached his hand out to touch it. As his hand came in contact with one of its arms, he retracted it and scrunched his eyes shut. After waiting several seconds for the monster to attack him and eat his face, he opened his eyes and touched it again, this time paying more attention to detail. He noticed how the arms had a soft feel and were fragile to the touch, and attached to them were thin limbs which led to a thicker and stronger frame, "This is a plant" Michelangelo announced after further inspecting the dirt and leaves he once thought was a monster.

"Right, now. Do you see that over there?" Donnie pointed to the other side of the room, "What do you think that is?"

"Another monster." Mikey cowered behind Donnie's shell in fear.

"No, Mikey. There's no such thing a monsters." Donnie took Mikey to the other side of the room, this time without any interruptions. "Touch this now."

Mikey more willingly surrendered his hand in search of an object. He felt something large. It had four legs on the floor and a plastic-like feel to it. Mikey found all different kinds of levers and buttons on the sides and a glass piece on the top. "The pinball machine." Mikey correctly identified.

Donnie continued to ask Mikey to identify objects around the living room. Mikey was able to identify the sofa by its soft plush feel, the TV by its glass screen, the punching bag by the stuffing spewing out of the tears, and Spike by his hard shell and four short legs among other things. However, Mikey had not one come in contact with a single monster on his adventure through the darkness.

"See, Mikey. I told you. There is nothing to be afraid of in the dark. Everything stays the same when the lights go off and monsters don't exist." Donnie smiled proudly and he embraced his little brother.

"Okay, Donnie, I believe you. Monsters don't exist." Mikey finally announced having overcome his fear of the dark.

"I hate to interrupt, but if monsters don't exist, then what's that?" Raph asked as he and Leo joined their brothers in the corner.

A tall dark shadow moved about the lair. The four young turtles were petrified with fear. "I don't know, but it's headed right for us." Donnie clung onto Leo for protection.

Mikey, feeling incredibly brave, proudly walked over to the shadow and extended his hand. He felt a soft fabric he was all too familiar with. Moving his hand around, he managed to find a long bare tail in his hands. He turned towards his brothers, "Daddy." He smiled as he was hoisted into the air by his father, "Monsters don't exist, Donnie." He snuggled himself into his father's chest.

"My sons, what is the matter here?" Splinter asked, holding Mikey in his arms, "Where are the lights?"

"The power went out, daddy." Raph sobbed, having almost wet himself in fear.

Splinter thought for a moment, as he remembered the power box located in the kitchen, "Follow, me, my sons, I know how to turn the light back on." He carried Mikey into the kitchen and set him down on the table. Splinter began flicking the switches in the large box on the wall. Donnie had always wondered what was in that box and why he wasn't allowed inside. Now he understood. The switches controlled all the power in the lair. After several failed attempts, Splinter found the master switch and flicked it on, restoring light to their home. "Now, who is hungry?" Splinter smiled able to see the relief in his sons' faces. The four young turtles answered eagerly awaiting to be fed.

After Splinter served the boys their dinner, he sat down with a bowl of rice and began to eat. "Michelangelo, I am very proud of you. It appears you have overcome your fear of the dark." He smiled at his youngest.

Mikey nodded, grinning ear to ear, "Donnie taught me that the dark is the same as the light, just darker."

Splinter chuckled a little, "Well done, Donatello."

"Thank you, daddy. Mikey was the bravest of us all back there. Raph was ready to wet his shell." Donnie lightly chuckled.

"I was not afraid." Raph retaliated.

"It does not matter, Raphael. What's important is that Michelangelo is no longer afraid of the dark." Splinter turned the conversation around to praise Mikey again.

"Yeah, but sensei?" Mikey asked, dropping his fork for the time being.

"Yes, Michelangelo."

"Does this mean you're gonna take my night light away? Because I don't think I'm ready for that just yet."

Splinter laughed, almost choking on his rice, "No, my son. I will not take away your night light."