"Get away from my brothers!" Michelangelo shouted, steering the Grass Kicker straight into Creep Weed's body. The giant plant screamed out in pain, smashing the automobile right after Mikey narrowly escaped it. The orange masked turtle sighed with relief as he watched the plant monster continue to tear the Grass Kicker apart, completely oblivious to the fact that Mikey was no longer in it.
"Mikey! Are you okay?" Raph asked, running up to his younger brother. Mikey nodded.
"I'm good, bro." Though, there was a small pit forming in the younger turtle's stomach. Leo had just been dragged off by that monster, and it was only he and Raph left. Could they really defeat this thing? Oh, how Mikey wished he could turn back time. Then, none of this would have happened. A sudden roar, and a shadow looming over the pair caught their attention. "Okay… maybe not so good…" Mikey whimpered, pulling out his kusarigama and stepping back, next to Raphael. Creep Weed screeched, raising a vine and slamming down towards the two turtles. The brothers dodged to the side, Mikey going left, Raph going right. Mikey rolled around, prepared to see Creep Weed coming after him again, but was shocked to see the monstrous plant attacking his older brother. "Raph!" Mikey yelped, running forward. He had to save his brothers! They had to save the city! Raphael grunted as he dodged many spikes popping up from the ground, pinning himself to a wall.
"Ha! Not so- oh no…" the emerald eyed turtle stared down at his breathing unit as air escaped through a hole in it, caused by Creep Weed's spikes. Raph tried to push away the sudden drowsiness that came over him. He couldn't go down, not when his brothers needed him. Leo was already out for the count, and he couldn't just leave Mikey to deal with this monster.
"RAPH!" Mikey called out, and Raphael wearily looked over at his brother, before he collapsed to the ground in a heap, sleep taking over. "Raph! No!" Mikey froze in his tracks, staring at his brother's sleeping form, then at the monster in front of him. No… they couldn't lose to this thing. They couldn't fail. He couldn't fail his brothers. Fear and anxiety coursed through the freckle faced mutant's body, but Mikey knew he couldn't just give up. He had to fight. He could do this… Mikey took a breath and sliced his kusarigama at Creep Weed, cutting the plant's viney arms. "All right, Creep Weed." he sneered. Creep Weed snarled, turning to face Mikey, now distracted from Raph's fallen form. "Yeah, that's right! I named you 'Creep Weed'! You like that?" Mikey smirked as Creep Weed seemed to become furious. Good. that meant it would be easier to defeat the thing. As Master Splinter said once, 'Anger is self destructive'. Creep Weed roared, coming closer to the orange masked terrapin. Mikey stepped back slowly. "No, huh? Well, too bad!" Creep Weed screeched, charging towards Mikey. "You want me? Come and get me!" Mikey dodged to the side as Creep Weed attacked, then sliced at the monstrous plant, cutting every vine that flew towards him. Creep Weed hissed in pain, then roared yet again. Mikey narrowed his eyes determinedly and charged forward, ducking under the plant's vines, and cutting his blade across its body. Creep Weed hissed, falling to the ground. Mikey gulped, attempting to catch his breath. He turned, staring at the monster. He did it? He did it… he actually did it! He defeated Creep Weed! "Aw yeah! Booyaka- AHH!" Mikey yelped as vines wrapped around his body, and he was dragged off of the ground. The turtle flailed his legs, desperately trying to escape, but to no avail. Creep Weed pulled Michelangelo close, roaring in his face. Mikey screamed, trying to move his arm that had his kusarigama. If only he could move it. He could easily escape if he could just move his arm. "LET ME GO! LEAVE MY BROTHERS ALONE!" Creep Weed only hissed in what sounded like a happy, yet sinister tone, and his viney claws began to illuminate. Mikey's eyes widened. What was it doing?! Suddenly, the turtle's body began to burn, and he screamed out again, this time in pain. It felt like his body was being ripped apart, burned, then chewed up by this monster. Mikey felt his body getting heavier, like it was lead. What was going on? What was this thing doing to him? Then, it hit him. The creep had sucked the mutagen out of Raph the first time they encountered it. Is that what was happening? Mikey was getting the mutagen sucked out of him? This was bad! He had to escape! "LET GO!" Mikey yelled, trying to move his body, but it was just too hard. He felt so weak. He felt so small. He felt like nothing…
Wait…
What was happening again?
Where was he?
Something felt very wrong… but what?
Well… his body didn't feel heavy anymore….
Was that good?
He felt… better….
He felt…. Powerful….
It felt…
Hungry….
Donatello turned the wheel of the Stealth Cycle, the tires screeching across the road. He had to hurry. He had no idea whether his brothers were okay or not. Oh, if only Mikey's antidote hadn't taken so long to act. What if his brothers weren't okay? What if he was too late? No. He couldn't think like that. Everything would be okay. Everything would be-
"No…" Donnie gasped as his eyes landed on an overturned Shellraiser. Donnie frantically stopped the cycle and jumped out, running towards the vehicle. He sighed with relief once he confirmed that his brothers were not inside. But, if they weren't here, where were they? "Guys? Guys, where are you?" he called out, silence was his only answer. "Leo? Raph? Mikey? Its me! Come on, talk to me!" nothing. Donatello's breathing became erratic. They were okay, they had to be okay. His brothers were around here somewhere, he just had to find them. Donnie scanned the area, looking for any signs of his brothers. He squinted when something metal glinted under the moonlight. Donnie's eyes widened and he rushed forward, picking up the weapon. Mikey's kusarigama. Don held the weapon close, frantically looking around. "Mikey?! Michelangelo?!" Donnie spun around, desperately calling out for his brothers. This wasn't good. He had to find them. He had to. If anything happened to them, he would never forgive himself. A low hissing suddenly caught the purple masked turtle's attention. Donnie spun around, his eyes widening in complete and utter shock and fear. Standing in front of him was Michelangelo, except his wasn't Mikey. Mikey's arms were long and slender, almost like vines, and his hands were replaced with claws, resembling man-eating plants. His usually bright blue eyes were an eerie, glowing green, and purple drool oozed from his mouth. Donnie stumbled back, staring at what used to be his brother. Creep Weed… it merged with Mikey somehow. "M-Mikey… oh, shell… Mikey…" Donnie uttered, his breathing erratic. Mikey hissed again, and charged forward, his claws raised and open. Donnie yelped and dodged to the side,the claw missing him and crashing into the pavement. Mikey growled and charged again. Donnie unsheathed his bo staff and blocked Mikey's claws. "Mikey, stop! Snap out of it!" Mikey's claws grasped the staff and tossed it to the side, Donnie flying with it. He crashed into the wall, falling to the ground, groaning. How was he supposed to save his brother?
It was cold….
So cold…
Why….?
Why was this happening?
Why couldn't it remember anything?
It kept hearing a name…
It felt familiar…
Was it really what the moving food kept calling it…?
Was it a Mikey…?
No… it was not… food would say anything to try to live longer…
But… why did the food look so…
Familiar….
Why did it feel like it shouldn't kill it…?
Donnie grunted as he jumped away once again, narrowly avoiding Mikey's claws. Mikey growled and chased after him. Don felt like collapsing to the ground. Mikey had beaten him up pretty bad, he was surprised he could even move anymore. But, his bruises weren't what was hurting the most. Donnie couldn't help but feel like this was all his fault. Why did he even keep the Creep? Especially somewhere dangerous like the lab! What was he thinking? And he had the nerve to blame his poor baby brother, who was now in this condition because of Donnie's mistakes. Donnie yelped when he was suddenly tackled to the ground, Mikey's claws pinning him down. Donnie stared at his brother fearfully.
M-Mikey, p-please!" he pleaded. "Y-you have to snap out of it! I-it's me! D-Donnie!" Mikey hissed again, but Donatello could've sworn he saw a confused, almost conflicted look in his little brother's glowing eyes. But, it was gone as soon as it came. Mikey growled before tightening his claws on Donnie's arms. Donnie screamed, blood trickling down his arms. He had to get away, he had to escape! He had to save his brothers! He had to find a way! But, what could possibly help? Wait… of course! The retro mutagen he brought! It was in the stealth cycle! He just had to get to it. And he couldn't let anything stop him, especially if his brothers' lives were at stake. Donnie grit his teeth and used every bit of his strength to roll over, kicking Michelangelo off of him. Mikey grunted, slamming into a car, and Donnie quickly got to his feet and dashed towards the cycle, ignoring the extreme pain in his arms. He had to hurry, he had to get there before Mikey came after him again. Donatello finally made it to the stealth cycle and grabbed the retro mutagen blaster and spun around, just as Mikey was getting up from the ground. The purple masked turtle was ready to blast, when a terrifying thought crossed his mind. This retro mutagen was a weed killer… He made it specifically to destroy Creep Weed. But, if Mikey was a part of Creep Weed, what would happen to him? Could this stuff… kill him? Mikey screamed in anger, charging towards Donnie, who was frozen in place. What was he supposed to do? He couldn't kill his baby brother! But… what else could he do to save Mikey? He didn't have a choice… he had to take the chance, as much as he hated to. Donnie clamped his eyes shut, and pulled the trigger of the blaster, just as Mikey was in front of him.
It hurt…
It hurt so much…
But… it felt something besides pain…
It felt…
It felt…
Free…?
It smiled as it fell to the ground, it's surroundings darkening…
Raphael groaned, his eyes fluttering open. Shell, his head hurt so much. What had happened? The last thing he remembered was… oh shell! Raph jumped to his feet, frantically looking around.
"Mikey! Leo!" he called out. "Where are you?"
"Raph…?" a voice groaned from an alley nearby.
"Leo!" Raph ran to his older brother, helping the leader in blue to his feet.
"Ugh… what happened? Where's Creep Weed…?" Leo asked, rubbing his temples. Raph frowned, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the area. Creep Weed was nowhere in sight.
"I dunno… Maybe Mikey… wait, where is Mikey? Mikey! Mike, can you hear me?" Silence. Leo joined his brother in calling for their orange masked brother, but both were greeted by more silence.
"Y-you don't think…?" Leo looked over at Raph, whose eyes widened. He shook his head vigorously.
"No, he's fine..." Raph answered, helping Leonardo out of the alley. "He's gotta be…"
"Yeah… I'm sure he's- Donnie?!" Leo's and Raph's eyes widened when they saw their purple masked brother in the middle of the street, cradling something in his arms. Raph's breath caught in his lungs.
"Mikey… MIKEY!" the eldest turtles ran to their younger brothers, eyes wide in shock and confusion.
"Donatello, what happened?!" Leo demanded, worry lacing his voice. Donnie was sobbing, holding Mikey close. "Donnie?!"
"I-I don't…! I-I…" Don choked out. "M-Mikey… h-he and C-Creep Weed… they m-merged…" Raph and Leo looked at each other in confusion and worry.
"Whaddya mean they 'merged'?!" Raph asked.
"I MEAN MIKEY WAS TURNED INTO A MONSTER!" Donnie shouted, tears spilling from his eyes. "I COULDN'T DO ANYTHING! I COULDN'T HELP HIM! ALL I DID WAS-Was…" the brown eyed turtle broke into sobs again, hugging their baby brother. "I-I hurt him… I-It's all my f-fault…" Leo gulped down the huge lump in his throat, pulling both of his youngest brothers close.
"N-no… I-it's mine… I shouldn't have gone down so easily… I-I left Raph and M-Mikey to defend t-themselves... " he sniffled. Raph stared at them, his eyes falling on Michelangelo's still form. No… this couldn't… Mikey couldn't be gone… Raph collapsed to his knees, next to Leo.
"I should have been stronger…" he whispered. "I should have… been better…" the three brothers were soon all sobbing, hugging their baby brother.
He heard something…
Was that… crying…?
Why were people crying his name…?
It made him want to cry, hearing his brothers cry…
Wait…
His brothers!
Donnie held Mikey tightly. How could he do this? He killed his baby brother! He was a monster! He was the worst brother ever! He was-
"B-broth...e-ers…" a small, pained whisper came from Donnie's arms. Donnie gasped, looking down at his younger brother, Leo and Raph doing the same.
"M-Mikey…?" Don whispered. Mikey's electric blue eyes slowly peeked open weakly.
"D-Don…? W-what…?" Mikey groaned.
"MIKEY!" All three older brothers cried joyfully, wrapping Michelangelo in a tight hug. Mikey blinked. What was going on? Why were they so happy to see him? He messed everything up!
"G-guys… c-can't… b-breathe…!" Mikey gasped, and his brothers let him go, crying and laughing.
"Don't do that ever again, ya shellhead!" Raph chuckled, patting Mikey's head.
"Do what…?" the orange masked turtle asked. His brothers stared at him. "Oh… that…" of course they were still mad at him. Sure, they were happy to see he was okay, but he still caused so much trouble. "Guys, I'm so sorry! I'm sorry I screwed everything up! I didn't mean to let the creep out, I didn't mean to make everything worse, but I'm super duper sorry!" his brothers stared at him with wide eyes, which made Mikey feel pretty weird and uncomfortable. "...Uhh… Aren't you gonna yell at me or something…?"
"Are you kidding me?!"
"Why on earth would we do that?!"
"Do you even know how scared we were for you?! We aren't going to yell at you!" Mikey blinked, electric blue eyes wide.
"You aren't…? Okay… I definitely missed something…" he said. Donnie chuckled, wiping his face.
"Y-yeah… But, Mikey… All that happened was never your fault. It was mine." Mikey furrowed his brows as Don continued. "I shouldn't have yelled at you earlier today, and I shouldn't have blamed you for the serum spilling on me. That was my fault too. And-"
"Dude, okay, I get it." Mikey laughed. "You don't have to keep apologizing. I forgive you, bro." Donnie smiled and hugged his little brother, Mikey hugged back.
"Hey, don't get all sappy without me, ya little twerps!" Raph chuckled, joining in on the hug.
"Okay, did Raph hit his head or something?" Mikey questioned, earning a playful noogie. Leo laughed, joining the group hug. The four brothers stayed there for a while, just sitting silently in each other's arms. Mikey smiled warmly. Honestly, he didn't regret the mistake he made. Because if he hadn't, this special moment that he'd always remember would have never happened.
THE END