Raph's eyes were wide as he looked around the tree. Everything was lightened up, the orange flames licking the wood, burning it down. Everyone was screaming around of him, trying their hardest to get to safety.
"Raph!" He could hear Casey yell. He whipped his head around, his eyes still wide with fear as he stared at his human friend. "We have to get out of here, NOW!" Casey said and signed for him to come towards him.
Raph shook his head hysterically, he had to get Mikey. He wasn't anywhere to be seen, he had to save his baby brother, he couldn't fail him again. He looked around, trying to see a flash of orange between all the frogs who were finding safer ground, but he found none.
"Raph!" April yelled, and got ready to jump off the blue frog, who was now beneath her and Casey, but Raph stopped her. He had to save Mikey, it was his fault he got thrown into the tree, and he would save him.
"No, I ain't going without Mikey!" He yelled, He could the heat approaching him, and he knew if he wanted to rescue Mikey, he had to be fast. Raph's comment stopped April and Casey, fear spreading along their eyes too.
"Mikey's missing?!" April cried out and really jumped from the unconscious frog. She ran towards the edge, looking down. She could see all the frogs, watching the burning tree. She could see flashes of purple and blue, but nowhere she could see orange.
"April" A voice yelled, Raph. A hand was placed on her shoulder and pulled her up. "Go!" Raph said firmly, narrowing her eyes. April sighed but nodded quickly, taking the hand of her shoulder and running back to Casey, jumping on Attila's back again.
"Be careful Raph please" April pleaded as Casey began to lower the platform. Raph gritted his teeth and stared at the approaching flames, Mikey had to be in there, somewhere. He pushed away the thoughts and began to look for a way through the flames, he knew it was a big risk, but he was willing to do it for his little brother.
"Mikey! Are ya there?" Raph screamed towards the flames. There was a short silence and Raph was just ready to shout again when a weak cough came from the flames, followed by a wheezing sound, that sounded a lot like his baby brother.
"Hold on Bro!" Raph screamed as fear ripped through him. His baby bro, in the middle of the fire. And he was coughing, which was never a good sign. The flames were spreading more and more and Raph knew he had to be quick.
He gritted his teeth and made his decision within seconds. And without thinking he jumped right through the flames. He could feel them brushing against his body, licking against his arms but the speed made sure the flames couldn't get a hold of him.
He could smell the slight burns appearing on his flesh but he ignored them, until he was out of the flames. He immediately recognized it as the empty space in the tree, were Rasputin was the whole time. And right now a small turtle was in his place.
He was curled up in a ball. Tears streaming down his face as coughs racked through his body. The fire hadn't reached this part yet but the smoke had, and it was affecting the orange banded turtle quickly. Raph's stomach twisted as he ran towards his baby brother, kneeling next to him.
"Mikey" He said firmly but couldn't contain a shiver. Mikey immediately whipped his head around and burst into more tears, from joy this time. But before he could say anything Raph had opened his mouth already. "No time, we gotta get outta here" He said firmly.
Mikey coughed weakly but nodded, allowing Raph to pick him up. Raph growled when he saw the swollen ankle of his little brother and the bruise forming on his plastron, when Mikey saved his sorry butt.
"Hold your breath" Raph insisted as he did the same. Luckily Mikey obeyed and shut his mouth, denying any oxygen, or in their case smoke, to enter his lungs. Raph could feel his heart beating when he looked at the flames again, they were bigger, higher and more heat was coming from them.
There was no way through. He turned around, the heat connecting with his shell, and he began to run. The only way that was still free, along the tree. Mikey moaned in his hold, coughing despite trying to suppress it.
"Hold on little bro" Raph tried to encourage him. The small burn wounds that were already on his body were only starting to worsen when he dashed through the fire again but he ignored it, it was his choice to go through them, and he didn't regret them, he had to save Mikey.
Raph came to abrupt stop when he reached an opening in the tree, it was use for the lift but the thing was, the lift was all the way down. Raph whipped his head around, wide eyes when he saw the flames coming near him.
He switched on his feet slightly, debating what to do, but there was no other way than to go down. He was trapped by the flames, that were only nearing him, every second more. He brought Mikey closer to his plastron.
"Hold on to me" He commended and awkwardly brought Mikey to his back. Mikey wrapped his arms around Raph's neck, wincing as his sore plastron was pressed against Raph's hard shell but he ignored it. Raph hated putting pressure on Mikey's plastron, but it was the only way.
"Hold on" He said again and then jumped, grabbing the cable, connecting with the lift, tightly. He roared through his teeth as his palms began to protest, burning as he slit down. But feeling the weight pressing down on his shell he knew he couldn't give up, not now.
There was a loud explosion from up the tree before his feet connected with the cold grass beneath him. He fell to the ground, panting and trying to catch his breath. Coughing up the smoke he had inhaled. Mikey fell from his shell, rolling over to his own shell.
"T-thanks for saving me Raph" Mikey panted as he struggled on his feet. His skin was in some places a light shade of red but was mostly covered with black ashes. His plastron was already starting to bruise and his ankle was swollen, and apart from a few scrapes and cuts he was okay.
Raph was supporting his body with his underarms, gritting his teeth as he looked at his hands, the way down wasn't enough to brake the skin, but his hands were now covered with some blisters and were red and throbbing.
"Anytime little bro, ya rescued me first remember?" Raph said and flashed a grin, but that immediately dissolved when he looked at his little brother, he was struggling on his feet, which failed every time due to his ankle.
"Let me take a look at it" Raph said and pushed Mikey down, ignoring the burning feeling it caused himself. Mikey sighed and allowed himself to be pushed down, extended his leg so Raph could look at it. Raph sat down himself and carefully took the ankle.
"Mikey" He started as he carefully began to feel the ankle, earning a hiss from Mikey. "Look am sorry for hurtin' ya back in ta farmhouse…." Raph continued and bit his lip slightly, he had never been good with words.
"All forgiven, it's good, I shouldn't have yelled in the first place " Mikey cut in, shrugging slightly. Raph frowned slightly when he saw Mikey smiling, it wasn't convincing, far from it, and he could see the hurt Mikey was desperately trying to conceal, but he wouldn't bring it up now, first they had to get back to the farmhouse.
"I don't think it's broken" Raph stated after a few more touches and lowered his ankle to the ground. "Do ya think ya can limp?" Raph asked as he stood up, holding out a hand for his little brother. Mikey snickered and grabbed Raph's hand, standing up.
Raph threw Mikey's right arm around his shoulder and steadied him. How much he wanted to carry Mikey towards the farmhouse, he couldn't. He could hear his own breath wheezing and rasping. The burn wounds throbbing on his flesh. And his palms burning, already hurting from simply holding Mikey's hand.
"Raph, I'm sorry for running away, and causing all of this" Mikey whispered when he started limping, heavily leaning on his older brother. Raph snorted and wrapped his arm around Mikey's shell, and under his left armpit.
"That was pretty stupid yes" Raph huffed but Mikey immediately detected the laugh in Raph's voice and snickered slightly. "But don't ever to that again, I love you bro" The last sentence came out in a whisper, he normally wouldn't say something like that but he had no regrets as Mikey leaned his head against him.
"I love you too bro" Mikey sighed, continuing to limp. They followed the tree, so they would eventually re-unite with the rest of the family, and the frogs. Raph could hear Mikey panting near him, and wheezing like he was, he had to be fast.
Mikey mostly wasn't in any danger or something but he would rather be safe than sorry. "Raph" Mikey rasped next to him, Raph was immediately alarmed but relaxed when he saw the figures Mikey was pointing at.
A grin spread among Raph's face but left as he saw the depressed looks on Donnie's and Leo's faces. And even the frogs seemed to be sorry for some reason. They had their back towards them, some staring at the burning tree, others at the ground.
"Why the depressed looks?" Raph called out as he continued to drag Mikey along. Donnie and Leo immediately shot up and started crying when they saw Raph and Mikey. Running towards them. And even the frogs seemed relieved.
"Oh shell, I thought you guys didn't make it!" Leo cried and wrapped his arms around both turtles, Donnie joining them soon, being careful with his sore arm. "Don't ever scare me like that" Leo whispered and pulled out of the hug.
"Don't worry, we won't" Mikey chuckled and he playfully pushed his older brother away with his fee hand, while the other one was still wrapped around Raph's neck.
"Michelangelo" Napoleon said as he walked over to his friend. "You, are one brave warrior" He grinned and held up his hand for a high five. Mikey grinned too and pressed his hand against Napoleon's hand.
"The second best warrior remember?" He joked but frowned after looking at the tree. "So, were are you going now?" Mikey asked concerned. His new friend just lost his home and probably had nowhere to go but Napoleon wasn't worrying.
"Don't worry, we have like 20 thousand cousins in Louisiana." Napoleon shrugged as he reached for his pocket. "Here, I caught you some delicious flies" He said and offered Mikey the flies. Mikey flashed a grin and put the flies in his belt, and at the same time looking for the pizza he carried along.
"Here you go Napoleon" Mikey offered and smiled as his mutant friend eagerly ate the pizza. "Well I guess I won't see you again" Mikey said as Napoleon finished the pizza. He could feel Raph pulling his closer to him, to comfort him, but he kept staring at Napoleon.
"Don't worry Michelangelo, we will always be friends" Napoleon exclaimed and held up his hand again. Mikey chuckled and shook his head slightly.
"I guess we will" Mikey chuckled and gave another high five before Napoleon turned towards the rest of the frogs. He looked towards Mikey, and his family, again and began to wave, a smile on his face. Mikey grinned and began to wave too.
"Bye Michelangelo, Booyerkasta!" Napoleon said and ran behind the rest of the frogs, who were already walking away. Mikey chuckled at the sight of his friend running behind the rest of the mutant frogs and sighed.
"It's Booyakasha" He grinned as Napoleon continued to walk off. Leo walked over to his left side, wrapping his own arm underneath Mikey's armpit, taking him over from Raph.
Raph groaned slightly, as he rubbed his palms slightly. Leo was now carrying Mikey, so he wouldn't have to limp the whole way home. The freckled turtle had his head turned away, ignoring Raph. And only seeing the distant look in his brother's eyes, he knew they had a lot to talk about once they got home.