Mystic Resonance

It's Not Taking If It's Borrowing

Raph and Mike were hit.

I knew leaving them alone would end badly!

I should've found them the moment Merrill untie me. Instead, I stayed behind and let Merrill look through Dad's things like he was on a treasure hunt. And he certainly found something.

Dad had Misa Hamato's diary!

It was hiding within some old scrolls that were in his bookshelves.

Dad doesn't talk about himself a lot, especially before raising us... but... THIS WAS FUCKING HUGE!!!!

How could he have Misa's journal? That book could have the answers we're looking for! To see a glimpse into the past! Maybe a way to finally get her and her lover together?

And my dad... my dad kept it and hid it like it's no frickin' deal!

Who was my dad?

Was he a collector?

An archaeologist?

A professor in Ancient Japanese history?

Like who was he?

I can't worry about this now. Questions later.

Merrill and managed to quarantine my brothers. I put Mikey away while Merrill was with Raph. I had to help my boyfriend with my older brother since he's... heavier. Merrill kept grumbling how fat he is, and I tried not to laugh.

I'm glad I made it this far. Last year and a few years before, I was normally the first one to be hit by Splinter. I guess I can thank my newfound powers and a little bit of luck.

Maybe a bit from Merrill, too.

After taking care of my brothers, we went searching for Dad again only to see a stage in the center with a low table.

Oh, right...

Stage Five: Karaoke Love Songs.

This stage wasn't always bad. Dad tends to sing offkey whenever he's sick. But in reality, he's a good singer. I remembered he sang to me a few times whenever I couldn't sleep. After years of listening to him sing, I tuned him out.

My boyfriend, however, wanted to kill himself.

I glanced over. We sat together on the floor. My elbows rested on the table as I laid my head on one palm of my hand. Merrill had his head on the table and groaned miserably.

He wanted to either shoot himself or find a bridge to throw his own body off. Whichever seems more convenient.

'I would rather deal with Ninja Splints. Can we go back to that phase?'

It's not that bad.

'You're used to his voice! He's singing "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" off key and missing some lyrics! I'm close enough to whack him with a bat!'

I rolled my eyes. It's not like you never misread the lyrics.

'If I don't know the music, sure. But almost everyone knows that song! I know that song, and it's an 80s song! At least I get more excitement fighting him than listening to this travesty!'

If you don't like Stage 5, you're not gonna like what's next.

'It couldn't be any worse than having my ears bleed. How long is he singing?'

The longest he sang... three hours.

'...This is going to be a long day... This better be worth the suffering.'

You wanted to stay!

'Yeah. Yeah. Wake me up when he starts acting differently.' No sooner after he said that my boyfriend had fallen asleep than he had.