Stronger

Chapter Eight

   The air was tense as everybody finished up their dinner of pizza and put everything away. Nobody said a word as they all spilled out into the sewers, with Mikey practically crawling from soreness, each thinking their own thoughts. Mikey wondered what they were as they crept along. Were they worried that they would see the man again? He knew that he was. He did not want to work for the man at all.

   Like, how come he did not pick Raph? He is strong. Or Leo? He is practical. He even turned down Donnie and he is super smart! Why did it have to be me? he wondered, following his family. And where the heck is Master Splinter?!

   He touched his Kusari-fundo hanging by his side. Since he had broken his first one earlier, he did not usually use it anymore, even though it was an amazing weapon. Now though, he wanted it close, just in case they would encounter any trouble. And plus, the little sun weight would hopefully cheer everything up.

   When they finally popped through onto the world, they felt the drum of the rain beating against them.

   "Well, I think this should be a quiet night," Donnie said. "Nobody would want to do anything on a rainy night."

   "Haven't you watched enough movies, Don?" Mikey asked. "During a rainy night is when everything goes on."

   "Yeah. In movies."

   "And movies are based on real life. Mostly," he added after a pause.

   Leo chuckled. "All right. Danger or no, we should still stretch our muscles in fresh air while we can."

   "Sounds like a dream," Raph muttered. "If I wanted a shower, I would've taken one at home."

   "Good thing we can still do that when we get back," he said optimistically, striding forward. "Let us move onward, twin and older and younger brother!"

   Donnie grumbled, "I am not your twin." Mikey giggled and skipped, matching his brother in blue's steps. As he skipped, he felt his muscles get a little less tight and they hurt a little less.

   "Where are we moving onward to?" he asked, climbing up a fire escape ladder.

   Leo shrugged and hung off, pretending to peer into the distance. "That's the adventure!"

   "Cool!" They all clambered to the top and looked around.

   "Well, at least the view is still clear," Don said, surveying the city with a squint. "Somewhat." He pulled down his goggles.

   "Next time, we're checking the weather forecast," Raph grumbled, shivering.

   Mikey felt the cold creep into his body too, so he started doing flips. "Doing this should warm us up," he told his brothers when they looked his way. "We don't exactly want to fall asleep here."

   "Ha, fall asleep in this rain?" Raph snorted. But he started sparring the air and Donnie began to jump around.

   "How about a race to the New York Central Park and back?" Leo proposed.

   Mikey froze midway through a landing and his position broke when he thumped to the floor. He groaned and sat up. "Are you serious?"

   "Leo . . . in this weather?" Donnie asked. "Are you sure?"

   The young leader shrugged. "Why not? As you said earlier, we might not have a busy time, so we might as well enjoy ourselves."

   "But it is still pretty light outside! I can see the people walking from two blocks away!"

   "You are also wearing your goggles," Mikey pointed out, standing up. A breath of wind rushed past them and he shivered, hopping from foot to foot.