"MIKEY! NO!"
No. No, this isn't happening! I think as I kick another maroon ninja away from me.
My heart pounds in my chest as I scream my brother's name just as he falls limp in that creature's grasp. Mikey doesn't even twitch but the creature, the Ultimate Protector, turns toward me. Even without a mouth, I can see the sneer on its face before it focuses on a few of the rogue Foot ninjas lunging at it. I hold my breath as it backhands 5 of the ninjas at once, sending them sprawling around the throne room floor. My lips thin and anger boils under my skin as the creature (a creature trying to kidnap MY baby brother!) cradles Mikey close to its chest.
Rage boils in my veins. Nobody but FAMILY is allowed to touch my baby brother in such a way. And that creature sure as shell ain't family.
My hands flex on the hilt of my katanas, the fabric and metal creaking in my grasp. 7 enemies that stand in the way of me reaching my baby brother. 7 enemies that will not live another day if they try to stop me. Sucking in a deep breath, I risk a glance at Karai. As if sensing my gaze, my once-enemy meets my gaze and nods once, shooting the creature and Mikey a brief glance.
Go. Your brother needs you, she says silently.
Without a second thought, I sprint forward, swords at the ready.
2 of the ninjas turn toward me but the hilt of both my swords hit their mark and both of them drop like lead balloons.
5 left.
Casey and April are to my left, dropping ninja after ninja. April easily flips a ninja into his comrade just as Casey smacks two in the chest with his baseball bats. My anger spikes as I spot the older male but I shove it aside as I focus ahead of me. Mikey needs me. I continue forward.
A snarl rips from me as a more prepared ninja intercepts my run, his own katana at the ready. I manage to block his incoming attack as he strikes down at me the moment I'm in range.
"Get out of my way, bakayarou," I snarl, snapping my leg out with a firm kick to the ninja's stomach.
4.
I don't wait for him to hit the floor before I'm moving again, eyes locking back on the Ultimate Protector's back. It might be called the 'Ultimate Protector' but my gut is telling me that nothing but harm will come to the littlest member of my family if I don't get him away from that thing NOW.
Ice-cold fear nearly stops me in my tracks when the creature suddenly crouches down and leaps. Raph roars as the creature sails through the air and the gleam of a sai whizzes past it just as the thing latches onto one of the holes that the treacherous Foot soldiers created.
My heart drops into my stomach as the creature roars, the sound vibrating off the walls and causing a few of the cracked windows to shatter around us.
The creature then kicks up, Mikey still limp in its grasp, breaking through the roof and it slides out into the darkness.
"NO!"
My neck prickles and I whip around, punching a ninja sneaking up behind me square in the face. A sickening CRACK rings out and he drops without a sound, his butterfly swords hanging limply in his hands.
2.
Turning, my chest heaves as I spot my two remaining brothers.
Raph is screaming profanities toward the ceiling while Donnie is frantically smacking every maroon ninja in sight, face pale and eyes narrowed into white slits. Anger, horror, fear, and guilt all smash into all at once causing me to nearly collapse to my knees.
Why wasn't I fast enough? I should have been there! My shoulders tense as the remaining 2 ninjas circle in on me. What does it matter that there are only 2 enemies near me, the most important one just escaped with MY LITTLE BROTHER!
A blur of black and grey races past me and strikes down the remaining two ninjas. Karai remains crouched as the two ninjas fall into a heap on the floor. Inhaling through my nose, I turn from her just as she starts to stand.
Don't panic. Think. You are a leader, ACT LIKE ONE!
My eyes snap over to my purple-cladded brother as he slams his bo down with a CRACK on his foe's head. I feel no remorse as the maroon ninja crumples.
"Donatello!" I bark as my legs propel me forward. I need answers. "Start tracking Mikey's Shell Cell. April rips the earpiece from Casey and the moment the device hits her ear, April starts spouting an explanation to Master Splinter about what's going on. Raph, I need you guarding our backs just in case more 'unwanted guests' show up. And you," I growl, grabbing the front of Casey's shirt, yanking him down until we are at eye level. "Casey Jones, are going to tell me every-fucking-thing that you and Mikey did when you left the lair yesterday with the PROMISE of ONLY grabbing food and returning straight home WITHOUT stirring up trouble. GOT IT?"
Casey stammers, face pale as April takes the earpiece from him and starts quietly talking to Master Splinter, her own face pale and I note tears forming in her eyes as she turns away. My gaze doesn't waver as I wait for the blackette, as Mikey likes to call our tall friend, to start talking. Terrified ice blue eyes stare back and the hint of tears start to form in the usually tough-guy New Yorker's eyes. I internally smirk at just how terrified the older male is of me.
He better be terrified, I think darkly as my fingers tighten on the fabric of Casey's shirt. He and Mikey broke their promise to me.
"Ya betta start talkin', Case," Raph snarls as he storms past us, white eyes narrowing into thin slits. "Leo may have the patience of a saint, but I DON'T."
Casey swallows thickly, his eyes flickering over to Raph as my brother stands guard before glancing back at me. My eyes narrow as Casey shakingly exhales, his shoulders slumping in defeat.
"Before I say anythin'," Casey mutters, wetting his lips nervously. "Just know dis ain't Mikey's fault, 'kay? He wanted ta just go straight ta da pizza place afta grabbin' da food at Osaki's. It was meh idea ta check stuff out. Mike was only along fer da ride. He told meh not ta but I didn't listen."
My temper flares and I exhale roughly through my nose. The one time, THE ONE TIME, Mikey actually tries to follow my orders and he has to do it while out with Casey. The man who can nearly out stubborn RAPH.
"I don't care WHOSE fault it is," 'lie' "Just tell me what HAPPENED," I demand, teeth grinding. He's your friend. He's family. One does not simply stab a family member. No matter how stupid and irresponsible they are. And Mikey would be very upset. My eyes narrow.
Sensing that his life just might be in a small amount of danger, Casey quickly starts talking. He tells us about how on the way to Antonio's, he and Mikey heard a noise in an alleyway, Mikey telling him it wasn't a good idea, Casey brushing him off because something might be in danger. Then Mikey found Foot Clan shuriken and what they thought were Foot soldiers but were actually the rogue Foot soldiers that Karai mentioned.
Casey's face is red as he forces himself to breathe for a moment.
"And dat's when tall, dark, and ugly appeared! Dat thing was carrying dis orb and it just started ta fling ninjas left and right!" Casey exclaims, arms waving around the best he can in his hunched-over position. "And den it just BAM! Backhands Mikey fer no reason, sending da poor kid inta da side of da dumpster, bruisin' da kid's ribs and his back."
My breath catches in my throat and the air grows still. Mikey was hurt and didn't TELL US?! My heart pounds as my anger builds on top of itself. I can hear Donnie taking measured breaths and Raph is practically snarling behind me.
"But, somehow, I managed ta reach Mikey just as dat thing tried ta grab 'im," Casey continues, oblivious of the danger he is in right now. I remain still, needing the whole story before I can act.
"What happened after you reached Mikey?" I ask, voice low and flat. Casey shifts uncomfortably and his gaze dropping to the floor.
"We tried ta scram. But as we were headin' back ta meh bike, dat thing chucked a ninja at Mikey, knockin' him down, but dis ninja somehow managed ta take dat orb from da creature and he dropped it when he collided with Mike. And we all know how Mikey is with shiny stuff," Casey says lamely, shrugging his shoulders. "He stared at it, almost like in a trance or sometin', and den he reached out and touched it. But da moment he touched it, da orb started ta do some freaky shit and started floatin' in da air before slammin' inta Mikey's chest. Den Mike glowed fer a few secs and dat thing and da bad Foot just stared at 'im and I realized we really need ta go." Casey curls into himself. "We managed ta shake dem after a little while and Mike wanted ta grab da pizzas. So, we grabbed 'em and while we were waitin', I had Mikey promise not ta tell anyone what happened. He agreed and den we went back ta da lair." Casey finally meets my gaze and his eyes shine with unshed tears. "We had no idea dat thing was a tracker or anythin', if I had any idea, I wouldn't have had Mikey promise anytin', honest."
"And yet here we are," I answer coolly, fingers trembling as I fight not to rip Casey's shirt. "So, not only did the two of you not tell us about the encounter with the rogue Foot, but neither of you thought it important enough to inform us on Mikey's injuries?"
Casey winces, a contrite expression appearing on his face.
"I didn't think Mikey would hide dat. He said dey didn't hurt dat much."
The image of Mikey holding painkillers in his hand and the lump on the back of his head enters my mind. I growl and yank Casey closer until there are only a few centimeters between his nose and my beak.
"Michelangelo takes his promises very seriously," I hiss angrily. "If he believes that even a small piece of information might cause him to break his promise, he will refuse to admit it, even where injuries are involved."
It happened far more when we were younger and the four of us would do something we weren't supposed to do. Such as sneaking out of the lair or roughhousing. There were more than enough times that Mikey would end up hurt because of it but deny it when our father would confront him about it, even when the pain he was in was visible.
And, apparently, Mikey has gotten better at hiding such injuries, I think sourly, a lecture already forming in my mind for when my baby brother is safely back in the lair and properly checked over.
Casey hangs his head.
"I know it was stupid of us, Leo, but, well, I felt bad fer da kid, ya know?"
I tense just as Raph appears next to my elbow, teeth bared and eyes pure white. He yanks Casey from my grip, the front of Casey's shirt tearing from the speed of it. Raph isn't as short as I am compared to Casey but the blackette still has to tilt his head down to face his seething best friend.
"Whatter tryin' ta say, Casey Jones? Dat we can't take care of our own baby brotha?
Casey shakes his head as he tugs on Raph's wrists as my hot-headed brother nearly lifts him off the ground.
"No! I'm only sayin' dat I feel bad dat none of ya trust 'im enough ta let 'im have some fun, dat's all. If we woulda told ya about dis sooner, what do ya think woulda happened, hmm?" Casey snaps back, his temper flaring finally as he struggles in Raph's hold. "None of ya woulda let da kid out by 'imself again! And dat's not fair on 'im! Mike's more capable den da lot of ya seem ta think."
Twirling my swords, I drag in a deep breath while counting slowly to 5 before releasing at the same pace. Sheathing my swords, I narrow my gaze at Casey.
"We have our reasons for not wanting Mikey going topside without us," I state, my voice far calmer than I am actually feeling. "And this is one of them."
"Mikey has the knack for finding trouble even when he isn't looking for it," Donnie says, his tone far too close to his 'doctor-mode' for my liking. He only reverts to that tone when he's trying not to panic.
Looks like it's time for a distraction. We don't need all of us to start panicking.
"Have you managed to track Mikey's Shell Cell?"
Donnie scowls at his cell and for a brief second, my stomach drops. Mikey's been known to forget his Shell Cell when we go on missions.
"Donnie?"
"It's the signal, Leo. It's scattering all over the place," Donnie says, an irritated growl emitting from my younger brother causing me to raise an eyebrow ridge in surprise. "I even made sure that Mikey grabbed his cell this time. But that creature…." Donnie shakes his head as he frantically types away on the small keyboard. "That creature has to be emitting some sort of frequency or radiation that's making the signal jump all around."
"Wait," April says, drawing our attention toward the redhead. Her hand is up while her left is pressing the earpiece closer to her head. Her eyes widen as she listens to something that Sensei is telling her over the earpiece.
"Sensei just said he watched the creature disappear," April says suddenly, shock lacing each word. "That a golden light engulfed them and they vanished only to reappear 7 rooftops away."
"Are ya tellin' me dat thing can TELEPORT?!" Raph shouts, shoving Casey away and rounding on April as she shrugs, hands raised defensively. Raph's chest heaves and his fists tremble next to his thigh. Part of me wishes that he'd closer so that I can lay a hand on his shoulder in hopes of comforting him. Raph, especially after what we went through with Winters and all of those monsters, takes it harder than anyone when one of us gets injured or, god-forbid, kidnapped.
"Raph," I say sternly. "Calm down. This isn't April's fault. And it sounds like that creature can't teleport very far. April," Raph growls but remains silent when I look over at the redhead. "Have Master Splinter follow that creature for as long as possible. Donnie keep that tracker going. I don't care that it shows multiple locations, it's still another avenue for us to use to follow that thing. Raph, when we head down to the BattleShell, I want you to get our gear ready. We can't underestimate that thing."
Squaring my shoulders, I ignore the expectant look of Casey and look over at Karai just as her Foot soldiers appear, chaining up the rogue ninjas. Sensing my stare, Karai stands and walks over to me.
"Was there anything more you wanted to discuss?"
Karai shakes her head, dark brown eyes landing on a discarded kunai before meeting my gaze.
"No. Go and save your brother, Leonardo. For I fear that you will not be the only ones going after the Kyūkyoku no purotekutā. And if Hun and Tiger Claw learn of Michelangelo holding the tracker inside of him, your brother will be in grave danger."
"What?!" Raph shouts as Donnie's head snaps up and I stare at Karai with wide eyes. Anger and fear claw at my stomach at Karai's solemn expression.
"Why is that, Karai? What would those two need with the tracker?"
"It's not the tracker they are after," Karai explains, her eyebrows pinching. "The Kyūkyoku no purotekutā uses that tracker to find the Kyūkyoku no buki. And only the Ultimate Weapon can absorb the tracker. It is so the Ultimate Protector will be able to locate them."
Inhaling sharply, I shoot my remaining brothers a look. Mikey? HE'S the Kyūkyoku no buki? Our little Mikey? With his gentle spirit and… I think I'm going to be sick. Karai mentioned that the Ultimate Weapon had to be someone of gentle spirit who always has the best intentions. I swallow a groan and resist the urge to smack my forehead. Why WOULDN'T that thing choose Mikey? He has the biggest heart, even the Daimyo saw it. And the Daimyo is beyond ancient.
"I'm startin' ta think that Mikey shouldn't be allowed outta da lair," Raph growls, hands flexing on his sais. "Dat kid only eva seems ta attract trouble."
Donnie smiles ruefully. "Well, his middle name IS 'trouble'."
My lips twitch but I refuse to smile. A warm hand lands on my shoulder. Karai doesn't smile but her eyes are understanding.
"Go, Leonardo. If my ninjas and I learn more, then I shall contact you. But for now, save your brother."
Don't have to tell me twice. Turning on my heel, I barely spare the rest of my family a glance. They will follow me.
"Let's go save our baby brother."
Punching the down button, my hands flex at my sides as the wait for the elevator drags on.
Hang on, Mikey. We're on our way.
0o.o0
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Hello everyone! Sorry for the wait! This chapter is going to be a little different mainly because I decided to do a quick POV of when Mikey gets kidnapped. I was on the fence about this, but then someone asked about the possibility in the comments and well, I just couldn't resist XD. Hope you all enjoy and thanks for all the great comments!
