Michelangelo was bored. They had been stuck in the Nexus for two whole weeks and, to be honest, the place is dull after the tournament is done. Fortunately the healers are going to check on Raph later after lunch and if they get the all clear then they will go home.
Mona was already with the healers. When they were working on her arm they had found some abnormalities with her mutation. The human and lizard DNA were in conflict with each other somehow and the healers wanted to try and correct it as much as possible before they headed home.
They were in full gear and had just finished their morning katas and had begun weapons practice. Mikey spun his nunchakus trying out a new technique, more for showmanship that practical use in battle. He had been working on it for months. He had just about got it when he lost control. His nunchakus went flying and right into Donatello. There was a loud thwack when the weapon hit the smallest turtle in the carapace.
“Michelangelo,” Splinter’s voice had an air of displeasure to it.
“Sorry,” Mikey said as he walked over to collect his weapon off the floor.
Raph walked up and shoved him hard, “What was that, pea brain. You could have hurt him.”
Leo placed a hand on Raph’s shoulder, “It was an accident.”
Raph slapped him away, “Fuck off.”
“Raphael!” Splinter warned. “Kneel.” Raph lingered facing Leo for a moment before kneeling down in front of Splinter. “Something is troubling you, my son.”
Raph heaved a deep breath, “It’s the Daimyo.”
“What of him?” Splinter prompted.
“What right does he have to tell me whether or not I can go home?”
Splinter sighed, “He is only looking out for the greater good.”
“I have no intention of harming the greater good,” Raph grumbled.
“Then we will be able to go home today,” Splinter replied then looked up to the others. “Now continue with your weapons practice.”
Raphael stayed kneeling on the floor. “I don’t want him to remove my soul again,” his voice shook, and a pang of sorrow filled Michelangelo’s belly. Raphael shook his head, “I can’t go through that again. What if they don’t like what they see? What if they rip it from me?” His whole body shook and his voice was breaking. “I don’t want to die,” he managed to choke out.
The hard sensei melted into the loving father and fell to his knees to wrap his arms around his son. “That will not happen,” Splinter soothed.
Mikey could tell that Raph was fighting the urge to breakdown and cry. Raph’s voice was scarcely above a whisper, “Can we please just go home?”
“We cannot open a portal unless the Daimyo permits it,” Splinter explained. Pulling away from Raph Splinter cupped his face with both hands. “Have faith, everything will be alright.” He then looked up to the others, “That will be all for today. Get your things ready. We will be going home today.”
Raphael stood first and helped Splinter to his feet before collecting his sai from the floor. Mikey grabbed his few things from the dojo and headed out the door to his room to pack.
Leo followed and was gathering his own things taking more care in the way he packed than Mikey, who just crammed everything into his bag. After a while Mikey glared at Leo, “You didn’t have to come to my rescue, Leo. I can handle Raph just fine.”
“Sorry, Mikey,” was Leo’s mumbled response.
“Whatever,” Mikey muttered as he stood to get more of his things from the other side of the room.
Leo clenched his jaw grinding his teeth while he forcefully packed his things. He watched Mikey return to his bag and cram some spare masks in it. “How long are you going to stay mad?” Leo finally blurted.
“I don’t know,” Mikey answered without looking up.
“It’s been almost a week.”
That caused Mikey to turn and glare at Leo. “Maybe I’ll stay mad one week for every time you fucked Usagi!” He was yelling by the end.
Leo stood, “You said that you were fine with an open relationship,” he was practically yelling too.
“I meant within our group.”
“Really?” Leo shot back. “What about Mona?”
“She’s part of the group now,” Mikey countered.
“What about Leatherhead?” Leo growled crossing his arms over his plastron. “Is he part of the group too? Can I have a list.”
Taken aback, Mikey stammered, “You… were gone…!” Mikey felt the tears welding up in his eyes blurring his vision. “And, we… we weren’t what we are now.”
Leo snorted, “Usagi’s going to come to our home in three short months for Christmas.” Leo unfolded his arms and pointed at Mikey, “You are not going to make him feel uncomfortable with your petty jealousy!”
“Petty… jealousy…?” Mikey sobbed. “Do you even love me?” He asked then anger struck and he yelled, “Or, am I just you favorite fuck buddy?”
Leo’s jaw dropped, but before he could answer Mikey stormed out the door. No one was in the common room as he ran through it. He didn’t know where to go he just wanted air. He happened upon a garden somewhere in the middle of the Daimyo’s home. He found a bench, sat down and just let himself cry.
It wasn’t long before someone sat down next to him. He could tell right away that it was Donny and Mikey leaned over and placed his head on his brother’s shoulder. “Now I know how you felt when Raph brought Mona home.” He swallowed hard trying to fight back a new flood of tears, “I feel like the world has just dropped from under me. Why do we love them?”
“Leo loves you.” Donny soothed.
Mikey shook his head, “Then why is he being so mean about it?”
Kissing Mikey’s head Donny tried his best to sooth his big little brother. “Guilt has a way of making people defensive of their actions.” He handed Mikey a small cloth towel, “He’s torn right now. Usagi is his best friend and now he’s afraid of being forced to choose.”
“At least you know that Raph loves you,” Mikey said wiping his eyes.
“What makes you say that?”
Mikey sat up to look Donny in the eye, “When Raph’s soul was outside his body and he looked up at you, gold streaked across the darkness like lightning.”
“Really?” Donny blushed, “I didn’t see that.”
“Because you were too busy looking in his eyes.” Mikey snorted. “I almost want them to remove Leo’s soul again just so I can see for myself whether he loves me like that or not.”
“He does…he just….” Donny stammered.
“Do you think I’m being petty?” Mikey searched Donny’s eyes for his answer.
“No.” Donny simply answered.
“You’re my best friend, Donny.” Mikey said placing his head back on Donny’s shoulder, “I love you.”
Donny patted Mikey’s leg, “I love you too, Mikey.”
They sat in the garden for a while talking about nothing in particular, Donny even managed to draw a laugh or two out of Mikey.
Donny pulled is wrist band back to look at his watch, “We should get going, if we want to show Raph our support.”
Mikey nodded and the two made their way to the healers’ area. They got there only moments before the others. Mikey could see that Leo had been crying, but didn’t say anything. Mikey stood so that Splinter and Donny were between them. Mikey just didn’t want to be close to Leo right now.
The Daimyo and a healer entered the room with Mona Lisa who ran over to stand next to Donny. The healer indicated to the tatami on the floor.
Raph backed up, “No.”
The healer smiled holding up his hands, “I am not going to remove your soul.” He gestured back down to the floor, “Please.”
Raph hesitated but soon complied. He lay on the tatami as he did before and Mikey could see the tension in Raph’s body. The healer placed a hand on Raph’s plastron. Raph’s hand shot up grabbing the healer by the wrist.
The healer froze, “I’m not going to remove it,” he soothed. Raphael didn’t move, holding tight to the healer. “Just a few tendrils,” he explained.
“My healer is placing himself at great risk for you,” The Daimyo said. When Raph looked at him he continued, “If there is even a chance that you have been infected by the demon Shredder, then what he is about to do will open him up to the infection as well.”
“You said this was about my own personal darkness,” Raph said still holding the healer’s wrist.
“I did not want to alarm anyone.” The Daimyo explained. “The original Shredder was infected during his fight with the demon. The power of the man only furthered the power of the monster. The potential in you, Raphael, is great. I cannot run the risk of you being infected.”
“I didn’t see it in there,” Raph countered.
“At this point, your word is not enough.” The Daimyo stated.
“How is your healer going to be put at risk?” Raph asked.
“Because, I am going to search your soul with my own,” the healer offered. The healer placed his free hand on his own chest and tendrils of soul emerged. Raph let go and the healer did the same to him. Raph’s breathing was heavy as the healer’s soul reached out and grabbed his.
“I don’t like this,” Raphael said.
“I know it’s invasive, but I need to see the real you.” Closing his eyes the healer began, his steady breathing soon hitched causing the Daimyo to jump a bit in anticipation. “Oh,” the healer’s words were scarcely a whisper, “I see.”
“What?” The Daimyo demanded.
“There is no demon taint,” the healer said opening his eyes. “If you had told me sooner,” he said to Raph, “I could have helped you more.” Placing his hand on Raph’s plastron the healer smiled, “This will have to do, to get you started.”
The healer closed his eyes again and his hand began to glow. Raph’s breathing steadied and tears fell from his eyes, “Thank you.”
The healer pulled back and the tendrils of soul returned to their bodies. “You will seek help for the rest?” He asked Raph standing up and offering him his hand.
“Yes,” Raph answered accepting the help up. He looked up at the Daimyo, “Can we go home now?”
The Daimyo nodded, “Yes.”
Mikey walked up to Raph, “What did he do?”
“He helped me with confused emotion and guilt.” Raph answered. “I’ll talk about it more later. But, first let’s go home.”
They headed back to the rooms to get their things. Once there Leo followed Mikey back to their room. “Can we please talk about this?”
Mikey grabbed his bag off the floor and turned to Leo, “I don’t want anything to do with you right now,” he said pushing past Leo to get out the door.
“Please, Mikey.” Leo sobbed, “I’m sorry. I honestly thought you would be okay with it. When I told Usagi he was devastated. We never wanted to hurt you.”
Mikey stopped at the door, but didn’t turn. “The worst part is, you don’t believe that you did anything wrong. That it’s my fault for not being clearer.”
“If I had known, I never would have done it,” Leo tried to explain.
“We’re done,” Mikey said walking out the door.
“Done for now or done for good?” Leo asked, but Mikey didn’t answer.
Splinter again had Donatello preform the incantation to open the portal and they all stepped through to go home.
The farmhouse was cold. Casey and April had left do to the fact that April had doctor appointments she had to go to. Michelangelo looked outside to see a blanket of snow on the ground. Donatello had moved over to the fireplace to get a fire started. “I’ll call them to let them know we’re back,” Donny said lighting a match. Leo ran upstairs to retrieve some blankets and pillows and they all sat close to the fire to stay warm.
They hadn’t been there more than a few hours when there was a knock at the door. They waited. There was a second knock, “It’s Bishop,” came a voice from the other side of the door.
Leo jumped up and opened the door. “I came to take you back to New York,” Bishop stated entering the house. “I assume that there shouldn’t be much prep time needed, seeing how you just got here.”
“How did you…,” Leo started then he looked over at Mona, “Oh. Never mind,” he finished, closing the door.
The Turtles had their things gathered and were out the door quickly, “Whoa!” Mikey said stepping out in the snow and seeing an RV. “What’s that?”
“A gift,” Bishop stated. “So you don’t have to ride in that god awful trailer anymore.”
Michelangelo ran up and opened the door to the RV shouting, “Sweet!” as he did and went inside. It was a plush interior with a little kitchen, small living room/dining room, bathroom and a bedroom with a king size bed. “Wow!” Mikey jumped on the bed, “This is so comfy.”
“I will ride up front with Bishop,” Splinter stated heading for the front of the truck. All of the windows were tented so there was no worry what so ever of being seen on the road even in the front seat.
“Everyone settled?” Bishop asked turning the ignition. Leo shut the door and sat at the table as the RV pulled away from the house.
Mikey curled up in the bed, but could still see out to the others. Leo sat alone at the table while Raph Donny and Mona sat on the sofa chatting.
Mikey watched Leo who just sat there looking at nothing. He didn’t want to stay angry with Leo, but he was too angry and hurt to be around him right now. Every time they talked about it they ended up yelling at each other saying hurtful things.
Mikey just curled up and closed his eyes. He didn’t know what he was going to do.
