Cowabunga!

Rating: PG

Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.

Warnings: Beware the cry of Cowabunga! (and a couple of deliberate spelling mistakes, they are only seven in this after all.) Unbetaed.

Summary: 2k12 Mikey centric chibi turtle fic. Do you ever wonder why I shout Booyakasha? It's a deep, dark secret and if my bros ever found out the truth, I just know they would use the knowledge for evil! For the TMNT Contests group on Deviant Art - November theme – Sleep. Please R&R. ConCrit welcomed.

AN: Because Mikey has been known to display some weird arse abilities from time to time!

Cowabunga!

Dunno if any of you ever wonder why I stopped yelling cowabunga for my battle cry and yell booyakasha instead but I know my bros definitely do. It's a deep, dark secret that they can never find out about! If they were to ever discover the real reason, I know they would use the knowledge for evil. I'm sure of it! It all began when we were around seven or eight years old.

- . - . -

Michelangelo sat spellbound in front of the television, eyes wide, mouth agape in pure astoundment. “That was epic!” he cried out the moment the credits finished rolling. His mind was a-rush with the many and various images he had just seen of humans running around the brightly lit stage, clucking and flapping arms like chickens, saying crazy phrases, running up to random people and kissing them noisily on the forehead and falling asleep at the click of the fingers or the utterance of a single word. Mikey sat there staring at the T.V. completely lost in thought for several minutes. He wanted so bad to try it for himself! Somehow, he just knew he could do it but first, he was going to need a shiny medallion like the guy on the television had had.

There was only one problem. Where on earth, or in the sewers, was he going to get one?

Mikey sat there, continuing to consider the problem when he suddenly realised. His eyes lit up in excitement and he jumped loudly to his feet, stumbling briefly in his over enthusiasm. “Master Splinter!” Michelangelo called at the top of his voice as he raced through the lair, looking around wildly as he searched for his father. “Master Splinter!”

Donatello glanced up from the heavy book he was enthralled with as his younger brother barrelled by. “Master Splinter's in the dojo with Leo, Mikey.”

“Thanks Donnie!” Michelangelo called gratefully as he turned so quickly on the spot that it was more of a jump and twist in mid-air than a turn and tore off towards the dojo. When he got there, he burst in so fast and so full of excitement that he forgot to bow like he had been taught to do from the beginning.

“Eh hem!” Master Splinter cleared his throat in a light reprimand.

Michelangelo grinned sheepishly, “Sorry!” and back-peddled quickly, stopping at the threshold and bowing as respectfully as an exuberant seven year old could before re-entering the training room, somewhat more sedately than the first time. His eyes widened with dismay as he realised that Splinter was giving Leonardo a private lesson with the bokken and that it looked like they had only just begun not long ago. Michelangelo gazed fitfully around the dojo before walking to the wall by the corner and settling down, knowing that he would never get anywhere if he interrupted the lesson.

Trying his very best to be patient, which wasn't easy for him at the best of times, Michelangelo watched Master Splinter instruct Leonardo, bouncing and quivering where he sat in eager anticipation, waiting for his sensei to finally finish up and acknowledge him. Finally, after an interminable amount of time which felt like days to the young turtle, the lesson was over and Master Splinter was standing in front of him, an amused glint shining in his amber eyes.

“Did you want your private nunchaku lesson today, my son?” Splinter asked, knowing full well that whatever Michelangelo was so excited about, that was not it.

“Uh uh, Master Splinter.” Michelangelo shook his head as he quickly bounced to his feet, looking up at his father.

“Oh, I see. Then you wanted to meditate with me today, did you?”

Michelangelo's eyes went wide with horror, “Noooo....” He shook his head again, emphatically this time.

“Ah, perhaps then, you wished to work on your kata?” Master Splinter asked, allowing the teasing tone to fill his voice.

“Master Splinter!” Mikey whined.

Splinter chuckled at his rambunctious son's expense. “Then what is it you so badly wish to see me about, my son?” He smiled indulgently down at Michelangelo.

“IwannamakeashinymedallionliketheonetheguyonT.V.had!” Michelangelo enthusiastically cried out, bouncing animatedly as he spoke before taking a huge breath.

Splinter blinked as he processed and translated what his youngest son said. “I see. Now, why is it you need to ask me about this?” Splinter asked curiously.

“Well... I need cardboard, sizzas, foil, string,” Michelangelo began hopefully, putting on his patented puppy dog eyes and looking directly into his father's inquisitive gaze. “And maybe some glitter? If we have any?”

“Hmm,” Splinter contemplated, running his hand slowly down the length of his beard as he thought. “I do believe we have a little glitter remaining, however, there is not much.”

Mikey increased the cuteness intensity within his eyes and face.

Splinter chuckled once more, knowing full well that Michelangelo was doing that deliberately. The little one had learned early on the power he held with but a look and how to take full advantage of that ability. “Then come, I shall help you gather what you need and supervise while you use the scissors.”

- . - . -

Sometime later, Michelangelo proudly held up his project, a dazzling foil and glitter covered, shiny medallion hanging from a necklace made of raggedy string. He was really pleased with how it turned out; how it caught the light, sparkling brightly and catching the eye. He was almost ready. All he needed now was a willing volunteer.

Michelangelo closed his eyes briefly, considering which brother to ask. Mikey then looked around the room, eyes lighting up as he caught sight of Donatello. He grinned with delight, Donnie would do almost anything for him! Michelangelo began to walk over to his immediate older brother only to stop in dismay as he realised Donatello was still reading that 'encyclopspedia' and was completely engrossed in the tome. He groaned, no way would Donnie agree to play right this minute.

He stared around the lair again, considering his options. Leo! He would play, Michelangelo just knew it! A few minutes later, Mikey found him and moaned, vexed . Leonardo was planted firmly in front of the television and 'Space Heroes' was just starting. His oldest brother was unlikely to even acknowledge anyone, bar Master Splinter, when that show was on let alone agree to play...

'That leaves Raph,' Michelangelo thought. It was hard to tell if that brother would agree or not. Raphael was starting to become a little standoffish when it came to games with his brothers. Michelangelo's eyes brightened, if he offered Raphael a turn or to later play whatever Raph wanted, then he was sure he could get Raph to agree and if that failed, Mikey could just annoy him into agreement. He grinned in delight at the thought and went to find his second oldest brother.

“Heya Raph!” Michelangelo gleefully cried when he found his brother sitting, playing alone with cars in their room.

Raphael glanced up before returning his attention to the autobot vehicle in front of him.

Michelangelo skipped to a stop just in front of his brother and crouched down to Raphael's eye level. “I got a new game to play! Wanna play with me?” Mikey asked hopefully.

Raphael glanced from his toy to Michelangelo and back before shrugging, “'kay, I'm bored anyway. What's the game?”

“Yes!” Michelangelo crowed excitedly, “It's called 'hypnosis' and I try to put you under my spell. I'll go first and show you how it's done. You can try on me after!”

Raphael eyed Michelangelo warily. “Sounds kinda dumb.”

“No, it's not! It's awesome and you already said you'd play!” Mikey pouted, turning on the puppy dog eyes for the second time that day.

Groaning, Raphael relented, “Alright...”

Michelangelo beamed ecstatically, pulling out his brand new, shiny medallion. He held it up in front of Raph, making it twist and spin on the end of its string to catch the light. “You gotta watch the medallion and listen to my voice!”

“Do I really have to?” Raphael made the question sound less appealing than having teeth pulled.

Michelangelo nodded, “Yep! You said you would, remember?”

Raphael sighed but did as Michelangelo bid, watching the sparkling cardboard circle and listening to the youngest turtle drone on.

“Listen to my voice, watch the pretty sparkles.” Mikey intoned, “You are feeling sleepy, very sleepy.”

Raphael felt his eyelids grow heavy. God, he was bored already! “Where'd you get the idea for this dumb game anyway?”

“T.V. and it's not dumb, the human doing it was so awesome.” Somehow Michelangelo managed to keep the droning sound in his voice but it was hard! However, he really wanted to try this so badly and the guy on television had spoken like this when working his magic! “You are now feeling really, really, really sleepy.”

“Yeah... I am... because this is... so boring... an' stupid...” Raphael yawned and blinked blearily.

'It's working!' Michelangelo thought, trying not to bounce in his elation. “Sleeeeeeepy, you want to sleep...” With a thrill running down his shell, he watched as Raphael's eyes finally slid closed. Michelangelo couldn't help but tremble in triumph. He tried to suppress a giggle, remembering the guy on T.V. remaining calm and quiet the entire time.

The mischievous turtle blinked. What to make Raph do... Maybe he could make him say 'Michelangelo is the greatest!' but then he remembered the human saying you couldn't make someone do something that they didn't want to do if it was against their nature... Then he smiled, he had the best idea! “Raph, every time you hear the word... 'cowabunga' you'll fall asleep for... one hour! Do you understand?”

Raphael nodded slowly, seeming as if he was already asleep, “Yes...”

“Sweet!” Michelangelo cried out in delight, startling Raphael out of his trance.

Blinking rapidly, Raphael stared perplexed at Michelangelo, trying to clear the fog in his mind as Mikey chattered excitedly. “It worked, it really, really worked! I made you fall asleep Raph!”

Raphael felt annoyance surge through him, “No, you didn't! I... I was just bored to death by you, that's all!” he snapped irritably.

Michelangelo laughed, “Suuure you were! You wanna try on me now?”

“No! This game is dumb! Just leave me alone!”

“Aww...” Michelangelo pouted.

- . - . -

A couple of days later, the four young turtles were sparring under Master Splinter's watchful eye when Michelangelo yelled “Cowabunga!” as he tried a jump kick on Donatello.

A moment later, a thud resounded throughout the dojo and Leonardo cried out, panicked, “Raph?”

Everyone stopped what they were doing and turned to see what made Leonardo sound so freaked out, only to see Raphael laid out in a heap on the tatami mats before him.

Master Splinter's eyes widened with horror as he realised one of his worst fears. His sons were quite advanced for their ages but there was no way any of them should yet have the strength and power to knock another brother out so easily, they were only seven! Therefore, something had to be wrong with Raphael. “My son!” Splinter inhaled desperately as he ran towards the prone Raphael.

Leonardo backed away in fear, “I... I didn't touch him, Master Splinter! We were apart and he just... I really didn't touch him!”

Splinter spared a very brief glance for his eldest son, for a moment wondering if Leonardo was telling the truth before dismissing the thought as ludicrous. Leonardo may not always be one hundred percent honest; he might hide secrets about his brothers from time to time but he always owned up to the things he did when pressed.

The ninja master checked over Raphael with extreme concern but as far as he could tell, the young turtle seemed to only be sleeping. There was no sign of any obvious injury. The problem that plagued him however, was that he could not seem to rouse Raphael. “Practice is cancelled. Go keep yourselves busy but stay quiet while I tend to your brother.”

“Hai Sensei!” Leonardo and Donatello obediently chorused. Michelangelo however, simply stood, staring in open fear at Raphael.

“Will... will Raph be okay, Master Splinter?” Michelangelo whimpered in a small voice as he fiddled nervously with his hands.

Splinter shook his head worriedly as he picked the young turtle up. “I do not know, Michelangelo. He appears to be merely asleep but he will not wake...” Then Splinter suddenly realised what he had been asked and by whom. “Go keep yourself busy, Michelangelo. Your brother shall be fine.”

“... Hai Sensei...” Michelangelo murmured miserably and slowly shuffled from the dojo and out into the pit where he found Leonardo and Donatello arguing.

“I'm telling you Donnie, I didn't touch him!” Leonardo insisted desperately.

“You must have, Leo! Why else would Raph have just collapsed like that?” Donatello's disbelieving voice was terrified.

“I dunno... maybe he didn't sleep last night?” Leonardo suggested weakly.

Michelangelo watched the altercation half heartedly. He had this horrible feeling that what happened was somehow his fault but he didn't know why or how. He wasn't even near Raphael when it happened.

“Raph was snoring and muttering all night! He kept me awake half the night with it!”

Michelangelo passed his two arguing older brothers, walked to the beanbag and curled up miserably on it as he waited for Master Splinter to bring news about Raphael.

- . - . -

Exactly an hour after Raphael collapsed mysteriously asleep in the dojo, he woke up, much to the combined relief of Splinter and his brothers. Donatello was the one who noticed that it had been exactly an hour to the minute and it seemed odd enough to the young genius that he mentioned it to his brothers. Somehow, hearing that struck a chord within Michelangelo, though he didn't realise why. At least, not until the second time it happened.

The four brothers had been given permission to watch a movie before bed; one they had been clamouring to see since it was advertised a week ago and they were excited. Michelangelo and Raphael usually fought over the beanbag, even though the seat was big enough to accommodate both turtles as Donatello often pointed out, and tonight was no exception.

“Dibs on the beanbag!” Michelangelo yelled as he raced Raphael to the pit.

“No way, poop-head! It's mine!” Raphael retorted rudely, pushing Mikey roughly out of his way as he ran for the cherished bag.

“Hey! No fair!” Michelangelo complained, stumbling briefly to the side before putting on a burst of his infamous speed and agility to somersault ahead of his rough brother into the pit below, “Cowabunga!” He cried at the top of his voice, scrambling for the prized seat. He turned triumphant eyes towards his older brother, only to see him crumple to the ground, fast asleep.

“Master Splinter!” Leonardo yelled frantically.

Splinter came running at the panic sounding in his eldest's voice, “Leonardo, what is wrong, my son?”

“It's Raph! He just... fell asleep again!”

All three turtles gravitated towards Raphael, fear running deep in their veins. Splinter felt a terror he had not felt for many years. His son collapsing unexplained once was bad enough but twice? In one day? Something had to be seriously wrong with him but being that they were all mutants, outcasts from society, he could not get the help he so desperately needed for one of his precious children.

“Watch your movie, my sons, I shall take care of Raphael.” Splinter said softly as he gently picked his fallen son off the ground. He looked up, seeing Michelangelo, Donatello and Leonardo's collective terror at their brother's obvious illness and smiled kindly, doing his best to comfort and reassure them. “It is alright. Your brother shall be fine. He appears to only be sleeping. Again...”

The three young turtles did as Splinter told them and sat in front of the television but not one paid it any attention until an hour later when Splinter returned with the good news that Raphael was awake once more. At Splinter's behest, however, Raphael was confined to his bed.

“That was exactly an hour again!” Donatello whispered in awe to Leo and Mikey. “That's so weird!”

The three brothers then left the T.V to go join and check on their pouting brother, Michelangelo trailing behind, thoughts a-whirl; remembering back to when he and Raph had played 'hypnotist'. He vaguely recalled yelling 'cowabunga' just prior to Raphael falling to the ground asleep. 'It really did work!' he thought, beginning to get excited. He was so relieved that nothing was actually wrong with his brother but he knew he couldn't tell anyone what really happened. He was so going to have to test this out though, to be sure.

But he would have to be careful, he couldn't cause his brothers and father to worry yet again.

- . - . -

A couple of hours later, after the four brothers were made to go to bed, Leonardo and Donatello were fast asleep. Michelangelo and Raphael still wide awake, the latter because he wasn't tired due to all the extra sleep that had been unintentionally forced upon him. Michelangelo yawned and sat up in bed, staring at his fidgety brother, “Are you okay, Raph?”

“Yeah...” Raphael said quietly, wrapping his small arms around himself in frustration. “I'm just not tired and I really wanted to see that movie! It's so unfair!”

Michelangelo gave Raphael what he hoped was a reassuring smile, “It's okay, none of us really watched it anyway. We just... weren't able to 'focus' on it.” He explained, using the word that Splinter kept telling him he needed to do whenever he drifted off mentally in lessons.

Raphael grunted, “At least I wasn't the only one who missed out then... Still not tired though! I wanna get up and run around and do something!”

“Maybe... I can help?” Mikey looked sideways at Raph and then his other two brothers, making sure they were really asleep.

“Yeah? How?” Raphael asked hopefully, sitting up in bed to to give Michelangelo his full attention.

Michelangelo grinned mischievously, “Cowabunga, Raph!” he giggled. To his utter delight, Michelangelo watched as his brother fell back into bed, eyes closed and suddenly fast asleep. It was all Mikey could do to contain his excitement and not wake anyone else up by accident. He lay back, thinking of all the possibilities his little seven year old mind could come up with and eventually fell asleep, scheming.

- . - . -

Over the course of the next week, Michelangelo used his ability whenever he felt he could get away with it, not realising how it was distressing his brother who had no idea what was actually happening to him. Nor did he notice that the more he made Raphael sleep, the more argumentative he was becoming.

There was that argument over the T.V. Once the two were alone in the room, solved!

Then the day the two precocious turtles were fighting over a much desired toy. Settled!

Thrice, on three separate occasions when Raphael was calling Michelangelo mean names and no one was around to stick up for and help him. Dealt with!

There was one really close call where Michelangelo almost got caught. Raphael and he were fighting; rolling around on the floor, shoving, pushing and Michelangelo felt that Raph was taking things too far with the biting, that he was actually hurting him, so in frustration, Mikey screamed “Cowabunga!” resulting in much needed relief for the youngest turtle. However, Splinter heard the fear and pain in Michelangelo's voice and raced to his aid, only to become fearful for an entirely different reason the moment he saw Raphael out cold, laying on top of Michelangelo. For the rest of the day and the next, Splinter kept an extremely close eye on Raphael and forbade Michelangelo from doing anything fun. He just wasn't sure if Raphael had simply 'fallen asleep' again or if the freckled turtle had somehow managed to go too far in defending himself. Either way, they needed to be punished for fighting outside of the dojo and supervision.

Michelangelo spent his time thinking; partially upset that his power was almost discovered but mostly because he realised that settling arguments and fights with Raphael the way he had been was much less fun than it was when Raph was able to fight back. Making Raphael fall asleep so easily was beginning to get boring so he thought that maybe he should only use his ability if he really, really needed to.

- . - . -

Several days passed without incident and Splinter began to relax again when Raphael showed no further signs of illness. He allowed the four brothers to go play hide and seek in the sewers, as long as they stayed within the boundaries he had set up some time ago and they stayed in pairs.

It was Michelangelo and Raphael's turn to hide, with Leonardo and Donatello hunting for them. The two brothers reached the edge of the boundary without finding a good place to hide that hadn't been used a 'million' times before and they were fast running out of time before their calmer, more level headed siblings would begin the hunt.

“Come on, Mikey.” Raphael said, grabbing Michelangelo's wrist within his hand and dragging him beyond the border. “They'll never find us if we go a bit further.”

“Wh... what if we never find ourselves though?” Michelangelo asked, his eyes wide and fearful. “'sides, I don't wanna get into trouble again.”

Raphael snorted derisively, “Don' be such a scaredy turtle! No one'll even know 'cause they won't find us!”

Michelangelo turned apprehensive eyes behind him, even as Raphael continued to drag him further forward along the tunnel that neither had explored before. He bit his lower lip, “Raph... I don't like this. Can we go back now? Please?”

“We'll just go around the corner and stop there.” Raphael insisted, refusing to let go of Mikey's wrist.

Soon enough, the two chibi turtles rounded the corner and Raphael pointed upwards. “We'll hide there, we can get up from that ladder.”

Michelangelo flicked his eyes in the direction his brother pointed and nodded dumbly. Raphael gave him a boost up and he returned the favour, reaching down his hand and aiding his brother. Soon enough, the two were hidden on top of the piping in the tunnel's ceiling by the corner leading to the tunnel they had come from; Michelangelo's feelings of trepidation forgotten and giggling with Raphael over the fact that Leonardo and Donatello were never going to find them.

An hour or two passed by, Mikey and Raph managing to stay successfully hidden but they were beginning to get bored, the novelty of being undiscovered wearing off, when they could just barely hear their brothers' voices echoing through the passages, calling for them and saying they give up.

Raphael grinned wickedly at Michelangelo, “Told you they'd never find us!”

Mikey nodded eagerly, happy he had listened to Raph after all and that they had won their game.

They about-faced to return to the ladder and make their way back to the ground again but they froze in fear as they reached it.

There were strange, unfamiliar voices floating through the air from the opposite direction, approaching where they hid.

Michelangelo and Raphael looked at each other in concern before unspoken and as one, they turned and ran lightly across the pipes towards home. The voices soon faded, to Mikey's immense delight and he and Raph sighed breaths of relief. However, they decided it was better to keep to the tops of the pipes, rather than return the way they came. They had come too far for their impatient minds to even consider going all the way back again. Besides, there had to be a way back down to the ground again sooner or later.

Raphael suddenly stopped dead in front of Michelangelo. Mikey, surprised at the suddenness was unable to stop in time and bumped roughly into Raph. The two young ninja flailed desperately for a moment before being able to regain their precious balance.

“What'd you stop for, Raph?” Michelangelo asked in a small voice.

“The pipe just stops and goes into the wall...” Raphael answered, staring worriedly at the dismaying sight in front of him. “There's another pipe that comes out the wall just ahead though and a ladder to the ground a bit further along.”

Michelangelo peered around past Raphael's shell, seeing that Raph was right and that there was indeed a gap between the two pipes a bit over a meter in width. “What do we do?” he asked, anxiously.

Raphael thought quickly for a moment, looking down at the nearly three meter drop below them and biting his bottom lip. He straightened decisively, “We jump!”

“What if we fall?” Michelangelo stared down. He wasn't afraid of heights but he knew that a fall like that would really hurt.

Raphael faced Mikey, grinning with encouragement, “We can easily make a jump like that in our sleep!” he scoffed, “an' your the best jumper of us all, Mikey!”

Michelangelo grinned back, feeling better with his older brother's vote of confidence. “Let's do this then!” He reached up for a high three that Raphael gladly returned.

“Back up a bit, wait till I'm ahead before you follow.” Raphael instructed Michelangelo. “When I'm across, I'll stand by ready to catch you if you do fall,” he promised.

Michelangelo nodded and did as he was bid. He watched Raphael walk towards him a few steps before turning and taking a running leap across the gap, clearing it with ease.

Once Raph had moved a meter or so further along the pipe, he turned to face Michelangelo, “Easy! Okay, your turn,” he encouraged, holding out his arms.

Nodding again, Michelangelo steeled himself and took a deep breath. That small gap suddenly appeared as if a yawning chasm, stretching out impossibly before the small turtle. He stared for a moment more, then ran!

Michelangelo reached the end of the pipe and pushed off with his final step, throwing himself across the divide. “Cowabunga!” he cried reflexively.

He landed safely with a grin and proudly looked up to meet Raphael's gaze. In growing horror, Michelangelo realised what he had just said and watched helplessly as his brother's eyes slid closed; falling sound asleep before slowly tilting to the side and dropping off the edge of the pipe.

“RAPH!” Mikey screamed, desperately scrambling forward the few steps towards his abruptly sleeping brother. By some miracle, Michelangelo managed to grab Raphael's wrist, halting his fall and Michelangelo felt himself slipping from the pipe that he fiercely gripped with everything he had. He tried so hard to hold onto both Raph and the rounded pipeline but something was going to give and soon.

“Wake up, Raph! Please, wake up!” Mikey pleaded, sobbing hysterically as he slowly continued to lose his grip on the only thing keeping them from splattering to the ground. “I promise I'll never say cowabunga again, just, please, please, please, just wake up!” but there was no response from the unconscious turtle.

“LEO! DONNIE!” Michelangelo howled in fear, “Help!”

“You gotta wake up, Raph! Please!” Mikey wailed as his tenuous hold on the pipe failed and he felt himself and his comatose brother plummet.

Michelangelo squeezed his eyes closed in terror as he came to a sudden stop. The landing was hard and he hurt but it was nowhere near as hard as he had imagined it would be. Whimpering in fear at what he would see, Michelangelo tentatively opened his eyes again, staring down into the pained face of Donatello. He blinked as he breathed raggedly and looked rapidly around for Raphael, who was laying, still out cold, atop of their oldest brother.

“Are.. are you okay, Mikey?” Leonardo grunted in a stricken, pain filled tone.

Michelangelo nodded immediately, tearfully, unable to find his voice to respond just yet.

“Great,” Donatello spoke, his voice strained, “Any chance you can please get off me then?”

Mikey scrambled backwards, the tears now flowing uncontrollably down his face.

Donnie hauled himself painfully to his hands and knees, crawling over to help Leonardo with Raph. Michelangelo watched guiltily with blurred, water filled eyes. “Is... is he...”

Leonardo and Donatello laid Raphael on the ground beside them gently. “He looks okay...” Donnie spoke, unsure. “I'm going to go get Master Splinter though, to be certain but don't move him, just in case.” With that, Donatello gingerly got to his feet and ran, limping slightly, back to the lair for their father.

Hiccuping, Michelangelo crawled slowly to his brothers, staring at Raphael the whole time and unable to look Leonardo in the eyes.

“What happened, Mikey?” Leo asked gently as he lightly brushed his finger over Raph's forehead.

Michelangelo was silent for a few seconds while he tried to find his voice again. “... We were hiding up there and,” Mikey sniffed back his tears, distraught with self recrimination, “... he...he fell asleep...”

- . - . -

Now

“Booyakasha!” Joyously, I leapt to the next building, launching myself high into the air and showing off a really sweet triple somersault. I landed with a flourish and turned to face my bros, grin full glow on my face for all to see.

I couldn't help but giggle as Leo and Donnie shook their heads in mock exasperation and Raph rolled his eyes when they landed on the rooftop beside me.

“Really, Mikey, do you have to keep yelling that stupid word all the time? It's even worse than that crap you used to yell when we were kids.” Raph said caustically.

“Yes, yes I do! It's fun to say and it makes me feel full of life and energy.” I teased Raph mockingly. 'Besides,' I snickered to myself, 'as an added bonus, it annoys you, Raph.'

“I rather think you are full of enough energy as it is.” Leonardo said dryly.

“Are you sure that's all he's full of?” Raph asked sarcastically, sauntering around to the other side of me. “What was that stupid word you used to yell again anyway? I don't remember.”

'Just as well,' I thought to myself. “Heh heh, I um... don't remember either, bro. You know me!” I laughed. “Doesn't matter anyway, I like booyakasha.” I taunted, shouting the word in Raph's face. I snickered, my hot-headed brother looked like he was getting ready to blow.

Donnie stepped closer, a thoughtful expression on his face as he dug deep into his memories. “Actually, I believe I recall what Mikey used to say. It was...”

My eyes widened in sudden panic, of course Donnie remembered, he always remembers! I rushed forward, grabbing hold of Donnie's left biceps and yelling in his face, covering his mouth with my other hand. “NO! D, don't!”

“... cowabunga.” Donnie finished, irritably wrenching his head out of my reach and blinking at me in surprise.

I cringed and waited for what felt like an eternity as time seemed to slow to a crawl. Dreading what I would see, I gingerly let go of Donnie's arm and reluctantly began to about-face to where Raph stood directly behind me. I only managed to get halfway around when...

Thud!

“Raph!” Two voices chorused loudly in panic.

Time to run.

Owari!