Categories > Cartoons > Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Those Nights
0 reviewsSet in the breif moments when the guys are in the sewers of the Republic Central, planning how to get their brother back. Mikey can't help but thinking back to those nights when he and Don really b...
0Unrated
Despite all his efforts to remain focused, Michelangelo couldn't stop his thoughts wandering. The Triceratons had come back, after the Fugitoid, Professor Honeycutt. They'd rounded up a bunch of the unsuspecting New Yorkers in the park, April and Casey included. Of course the guys had to go after them ... but they hadn't foreseen losing one of their own in the process. It was ... odd. The journey to D'Hoonnib seemed like it had been years ago. Their accidental discover of the Utroms and their teleporter; the unpleasant feeling of being ripped apart and flung across the universe; arriving in the middle of a chase between the Professor and some Federation soldiers; almost suffocating in a Triceraton Space Cruiser; the imprisonment, Raphael's fight, and almost ending up as monster chow in the Arena; and not to mention nearly being blown to shreds as they escaped ... none of those things had crossed his mind in months. But now, sitting here in the sewer system of the Republic Central, those memories came rushing back ...
... Along with others.
Mikey couldn't help but think back to the first night he and his brother had really begun to bond: the night of their first encounter with the Shredder. It was a normal night, in reference to Raphael and Leonardo getting into a scrap again. This time, however, it had been worse. Leo had tossed his brother off the roof, which could have easily killed him. The two had made amends, of course, but after hearing Master Splinter's story of what the Foot really were, Raph had a hard time ignoring the fact Leo had almost become one of them. Mikey had woken from his nap to the pair yelling at each other, before they went off to face the Shredder. Raph was accusing Leo of being a traitor, and Leo of Raph being irrationally hotheaded.
Mike didn't really know why, but it really bothered him when his brothers fought. Sure, some sibling rivalry was natural, but Leo and Raph always seemed to take it too far. That night, they could have easily lost a brother, possibly two (one to death, one to grief and guilt). Though he never spoke his concerns, Donatello seemed to know his thoughts. He'd come by to check on Mikey, to make sure his brother was ready. He'd found him sitting on the floor by his bed, looking utterly depressed. Listening to the audible argument between his other brothers, it hadn't been hard to guess what was troubling Mike. So Donny had plopped down beside him, and the two sat together in silence - until a choice word from Raph echoed around the room. For some reason, both Mikey and Don had found this hilarious, and cracked up. They laughed and laughed, which was much better than going mad from trying to solve their problems.
After the original battle with the Shredder, the two brothers met in Mikey's room that night. The only light they had in the room was from the TV. Neither of them had really been paying attention to it, however. That night, they'd mostly talked; talked about how Leo and Raph fighting bothered them, and about random things, too. After that night, Mikey and Don seemed to spend most nights in someone's room, with either the radio or television on. Always after a brotherly fight, they'd take their minds off it by rambling on about inconsequential, trivial events throughout the day. Through all the hard times in his life, those nights kept Mike alive.
Sometimes they went driving.
It was only after a particularly hard day that Mikey and Don would climb into the Battle Shell and drive, drive until they forgot all their troubles. One of those nights was a few months after the final battle with Shredder, during Leonardo's angry phase. It was the night Leo had lost control when sparring with Master Splinter, and injured him - a minor wound, of course, but it was still a blow to all of them. Without even needing to talk with each other, Mike and Don had met at the Battle Shell that night, and just drove. They drove so far that they ended up leaving the city limits - no one noticed, naturally. When they'd come back, the two spent the night in Don's room, watching some old sci-fi movie. It was as if the upsetting events of the day had never happened. The next day, Leo was sent away.
Once, Raphael had caught them. They had fallen asleep on the floor in Mikey's room, with the radio blaring - to drown out another one of Leo and Raph's many tussles. Raph got a kick out of it, making fun of them for the next few days. "What, you guys can't stand a healthy scrap between brothers?" "Are you two so afraid of the dark you need to sleep together?" "What is wrong with you guys?"
That last comment had really ticked Mike off. There was nothing wrong with them. Those nights belonged to them; it was their way of dealing with all the problems in their lives. It just wasn't what Raphael would find ideal - bonding time, instead of fighting. There was nothing wrong with them.
Sitting in the sewers, only faintly aware of Traximus, Leo and Raph strategizing, Mikey recalled all of those nights. Staying up late with the room lit by the TV light, listening to the radio play ... neither of them wanted to leave their sanctuary and go back to another fight. Those nights kept them alive.
He remembered when they used to laugh. Now, planning exactly how they were going to get Donny back, Mike wished those nights would last. He wanted more of them. If he had known that the night a few days ago might have been his last, well ... It wasn't going to be the last, if he could help it.
When the rebels were finished with their plan of attack, they set off into the sewers. Mikey stayed at the back, his expression one of grim determination. He was getting his brother back. They would have more of those nights.
Remember when we'd
Stay up late and we'd talk all night
In the dark room lit by the TV light
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive
We'd listen to the radio play all night
Didn't want to go home to another fight
Through all the hard times in my life
Those night kept me alive
"Those Nights" by Skillet
... Along with others.
Mikey couldn't help but think back to the first night he and his brother had really begun to bond: the night of their first encounter with the Shredder. It was a normal night, in reference to Raphael and Leonardo getting into a scrap again. This time, however, it had been worse. Leo had tossed his brother off the roof, which could have easily killed him. The two had made amends, of course, but after hearing Master Splinter's story of what the Foot really were, Raph had a hard time ignoring the fact Leo had almost become one of them. Mikey had woken from his nap to the pair yelling at each other, before they went off to face the Shredder. Raph was accusing Leo of being a traitor, and Leo of Raph being irrationally hotheaded.
Mike didn't really know why, but it really bothered him when his brothers fought. Sure, some sibling rivalry was natural, but Leo and Raph always seemed to take it too far. That night, they could have easily lost a brother, possibly two (one to death, one to grief and guilt). Though he never spoke his concerns, Donatello seemed to know his thoughts. He'd come by to check on Mikey, to make sure his brother was ready. He'd found him sitting on the floor by his bed, looking utterly depressed. Listening to the audible argument between his other brothers, it hadn't been hard to guess what was troubling Mike. So Donny had plopped down beside him, and the two sat together in silence - until a choice word from Raph echoed around the room. For some reason, both Mikey and Don had found this hilarious, and cracked up. They laughed and laughed, which was much better than going mad from trying to solve their problems.
After the original battle with the Shredder, the two brothers met in Mikey's room that night. The only light they had in the room was from the TV. Neither of them had really been paying attention to it, however. That night, they'd mostly talked; talked about how Leo and Raph fighting bothered them, and about random things, too. After that night, Mikey and Don seemed to spend most nights in someone's room, with either the radio or television on. Always after a brotherly fight, they'd take their minds off it by rambling on about inconsequential, trivial events throughout the day. Through all the hard times in his life, those nights kept Mike alive.
Sometimes they went driving.
It was only after a particularly hard day that Mikey and Don would climb into the Battle Shell and drive, drive until they forgot all their troubles. One of those nights was a few months after the final battle with Shredder, during Leonardo's angry phase. It was the night Leo had lost control when sparring with Master Splinter, and injured him - a minor wound, of course, but it was still a blow to all of them. Without even needing to talk with each other, Mike and Don had met at the Battle Shell that night, and just drove. They drove so far that they ended up leaving the city limits - no one noticed, naturally. When they'd come back, the two spent the night in Don's room, watching some old sci-fi movie. It was as if the upsetting events of the day had never happened. The next day, Leo was sent away.
Once, Raphael had caught them. They had fallen asleep on the floor in Mikey's room, with the radio blaring - to drown out another one of Leo and Raph's many tussles. Raph got a kick out of it, making fun of them for the next few days. "What, you guys can't stand a healthy scrap between brothers?" "Are you two so afraid of the dark you need to sleep together?" "What is wrong with you guys?"
That last comment had really ticked Mike off. There was nothing wrong with them. Those nights belonged to them; it was their way of dealing with all the problems in their lives. It just wasn't what Raphael would find ideal - bonding time, instead of fighting. There was nothing wrong with them.
Sitting in the sewers, only faintly aware of Traximus, Leo and Raph strategizing, Mikey recalled all of those nights. Staying up late with the room lit by the TV light, listening to the radio play ... neither of them wanted to leave their sanctuary and go back to another fight. Those nights kept them alive.
He remembered when they used to laugh. Now, planning exactly how they were going to get Donny back, Mike wished those nights would last. He wanted more of them. If he had known that the night a few days ago might have been his last, well ... It wasn't going to be the last, if he could help it.
When the rebels were finished with their plan of attack, they set off into the sewers. Mikey stayed at the back, his expression one of grim determination. He was getting his brother back. They would have more of those nights.
Remember when we'd
Stay up late and we'd talk all night
In the dark room lit by the TV light
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive
We'd listen to the radio play all night
Didn't want to go home to another fight
Through all the hard times in my life
Those night kept me alive
"Those Nights" by Skillet
Sign up to rate and review this story