Withered Away

The Aches

Mikey woke up, his hands still in pain, shaky, and glowing with slight orange. The veins in his hands bolded by the mystical power going through his blood, and from when he saved Leo out of the prison dimension. He tried to get up, but he was weak, he was withered, tired, drained from the inside out. Raph knocks on his door, "Heya, bud, you up yet?" he asked, Mikey let's out a sharp wince of pain sitting up in bed, "I'm up," he answered, standing up. He got his wrist braces on and started for the door, and he fell with a 'Thunk' before he could grasp the door handle, Leo heard this since he was going to check up on Mikey next and got Raph. But Mikey quickly got up before Raph could see him on the ground, and walked out of his room before Raph got in, he stood in front of his door, "You ok, Mikey?" Raph asked, "I'm fine, I'm ok, no need to worry.." he said, his words were followed by a cough and a gasp of breath, Raph shrugged it off and thought Mikey just scrambled out of bed so he wouldn't have to be manually woken up.

Mikey sluggishly walked to the kitchen to make breakfast, he reached up to grab a pan, he nearly dropped it but was able to keep it from hitting the ground. When he was stirring the pancake batter, he made a mess on the counter, he can't stand the ache in his wrists, as he was pouring and mixing, he was somehow able to keep the clattering down, but when he tried to flip the pancakes using the technique he's always used.... He dropped the pan and the bowl of mix went flying, there was batter flung on to the walls, pancakes on the ceiling and floor, a pan on the metallic island counter, upside down, and tears soaking the young turtle's eyes. He can't cook, he hurts in the wrists too much to cook, and the balance he once had in his hands is gone, now all he had was a microwave to cook for him... But he won't give up. His brothers enter in to see Mikey wiping his eyes, and to a huge mess, "What happened in here?" Donnie said, astounded, "I- I tripped while making pancakes... Sorry for the mess.." the orange clad responds, "No, this is not about the mess, we're wondering if you're ok," Donnie says, walking over to his little brother, who was kneeling on the floor, weak and exhausted, tears falling from his face, "You want help, or can you do it on your own?" Leo asked, he and Donnie helping Mikey up, "I can do it on my own, and if I can't do it this next time, I'll ask for help, honest," he said, putting one shaky hand to his chest and raising the other to the height of his head, "Alright, and we'll help the best we can," Raph said, they walked out of the room.

Mikey tried to make pancakes again, he even had a hard time cleaning up the mess, he did everything the same he's always done it, and he kept making a mess and kept trying to flip, each time he tried to flip the pan again it fell, he eventually gave up, he couldn't take it anymore, the pain, the unbalance, it made him frustrated and upset, he cried, he dropped the pan in an attempted to flip it one last time... He failed, he lets out a cry of frustration and anger, he feels like a failure, what can he do without his cooking? He can't do it.. Raph and Donnie run in, Leo is a few seconds after them, "Hey, Mikey, everything ok?" Leo asked, Mikey shook his head, "I'm worthless.." he said, "No, no you are not, Angelo, you are worthy, not worthless," Donnie said, he walked up to Mikey again, "We can help you, if you want," Raph says, "Yeah... Please help.." he said, feeling small, "Ok, just go to the atrium and wait a minute, we're going to make you breakfast this time," Leo said, walking Mikey out to the atrium.

A few moments later, Mikey hears crashing and shouting from the kitchen, Donnie's head pops out of the doorway from the kitchen, he's got batter on his face, and a pancake on his head, "Breakfast is nearly done, just having- DON'T TURN THE STOVE ON HIGH HEAT!-- Technical-- LEO!- Difficulties.." he said, wiping off batter from his face, Mikey giggles at the pancake resting on Donnie's head, and that Donnie doesn't notice it.