Mystic Resonance

Let's Get Ready to Rumble! (Part 2)

I stomped through the long hallway. The nagging feeling of turning back lingered in my chest. I chose to ignore it. I can't fucking believe that mothafuckin' dipshit said I was showboating! That lil' ungrateful prick said I was showboating! I know I'm awesome in my skin, but I never asked for gratitude! I know I'm a dick and an ass, but I used my skills to survive! You know what! Fuck Leo! He can fall off a cliff for all I care!

I stopped. The exit was in my line of sight. I leaned against the wall. I didn't have it in me to leave. One part of me was still angry with Leo; angry that Leo didn't want me to save him and go along with the whole Primetime charade. The other part was worried he would die the moment he steps on the ring. Fake or not, a little turtle is fighting against rhinos and lions. It's not going to end well. Leo needs all the luck he can get.

"Merrill!" I saw Donnie and Mikey running to me. I forced my expression to neutral; I didn't want them to think I was upset – which I'm clearly NOT! Donnie was the turtle who called. "We need you –"

"To talk some sense into our brother!" Mikey finished.

"You took the words right out of my mouth, Angelo", Donnie ground his teeth. Angelo?

"Angelo? As in Michelangelo? As in one of four Renaissance Masters?" I asked.

Mikey became ecstatic as he took my hand and excitedly shook it. "That's me! Michelangelo Hamato! The baby brother of our family! Possibly your future brother-in-law!" I removed his grip with a slap. Hamato... that name almost rings a bell...

I looked at the soft shell. "And you must be Donatello."

"Charmed I'm sure", he said, offhandedly, "and to set the record, I encourage you to date my brother despite having a bad reputation."

"Uh... thank you?" I didn't know what Donnie was implying. "So, Big Red is Raphael and Leo's Leonardo. I thought Leo was short for Leonard or something."

"Intelligent to a fault! I can respect that."

Mikey went too close to comfort. His face, though his height is shorter than Leo's, was three inches away from mine. "You need to talk to Leo!" his hands gripping my shoulders, "he's going to be killed! You're the only one he can listen to!" The box turtle was so desperate, he started to vigorously shake me. I grabbed his hand and released me.

"You guys came at the last moment", I told them, trying hard not to sound hurt, "he said he doesn't need me. I told him I didn't care... I was just fulfilling what we want."

"So, you intended to stand by and do nothing?" Don asked with his arms folded over his plastron.

"That was the plan." My original plan was to get as far away from here as possible.

"But you gotta do something!" Mike encouraged, "Are you going to let your budding romance die out before it fully blossoms?"

"Romance? Budding?" I asked with my head titled, "Two things: what shit you're smoking and where can I get some?"

Donatello held his brother back. "What my dear brother was insinuating is that you want to do nothing and watch your friend – our brother – get humiliated and get beaten in public?" hearing him say it aloud does sound terrible, even sound like a jackass.

"Merrill!" a booming voice reach us. Raphael ran to us.

"Before you say anything, no, I didn't convince Leo to play wrestler to tick you off", I said to the overly buff turtle.

"What, no! I wanted to see if you were okay." He was worried? I thought he hated my guts. "don't get the wrong idea! I still don't like you!" there it is.