18Chapter 21-Mission Complete and Healing Time
The journey back to Emerald City was a tiring and painful one; with two injured turtles, Raph and Donnie had to walk a slow and steady pace since Leo was struggling to walk with severe burns on his left shoulder and chest whilst Mikey was discovered to have developed a fever not long after the turtles started their walk back, which was worrying Raph the most since he could feel the heat radiating from the orange-banded turtle's skin in his hold.
As a result of this, it took the turtle brothers and Klunk around four hours for them to finally reach the gates of Emerald City and the sun was almost fully set by the time they returned.
When they looked ahead of them, they were surprised to see not only Leatherhead there, but also the Great Wizard standing next to him, both of them wearing smiles of relief on their faces as soon as they saw the group alive and returning to them. However, their relief turned to concern once they saw Mikey unconscious in Raph's arms as soon as the group got closer to the gate.
"My friends…are you alright? Is Michelangelo…?" Leatherhead spoke first in a worried tone as he looked from the three older turtles to Mikey who still hadn't stirred from his slumber.
"Leatherhead, calm yourself…they are all tired and wounded, but they will all be fine after some medical attention and rest…" The Great Wizard said firmly but gently to the worried large reptile before he assessed Mikey's condition and looked over at the older turtles as well. It was then that his eyes widened when he spotted the Kuro Kabuto in Donnie's hands.
"That is…" He said in awe before he heard Donnie speak with a tired smile.
"Great Wizard, the Warlord Shredder is gone and we have returned with the Kuro Kabuto as promised…"
The Great Wizard smiled warmly at the turtle scarecrow before he spoke to the group.
"You have all done well in defeating the Warlord and retrieving the Kuro Kabuto before returning here alive…"
"Well, we had a little help…from Celestia, the Dragon of Light…" Leo then said with a sad smile.
The Great Wizard let out a small gasp in surprise after hearing that the late Dragon of Light was there with the turtles and had helped them during their battle with the Warlord Shredder. He then noticed that the gem in the Medallion of Light, which still hung around Mikey's neck, was gone.
"What happened to Celestia's gemstone?" He questioned curiously.
"After the battle ended with the Warlord's defeat, Celestia felt that she was now free and at peace…and decided that it was time for her to depart into the afterlife…taking the gemstone with her in the process…" Leo answered tiredly before he swayed slightly, which was noticed by Donnie before he helped steady the lion-cloaked turtle.
"Hmm…I see…" The Great Wizard said whilst stroking his beard before he noticed how worn out the turtles looked and spoke again. "You will tell me more about what happened after you have all rested and recovered from your adventure…"
"I was just about ta say da same thing, Great Wizard…! Mike's not doin' so hot here and Leo looks like he's about ta collapse on us!" Raph said in agreement whilst looking back and forth from Mikey to Leo with a concerned look on his face. The Great Wizard nodded to Raph's words and then turned to Leatherhead before he spoke.
"Leatherhead, gather your healing and ailment medicines as well as bandages from your shop, and bring them to me in my home immediately!"
"Yes, Great Wizard!" Leatherhead said without hesitation and quickly made his way back to his shop to gather the much needed medical items that would help heal the turtles. After watching him leave, the Great Wizard turned back to the turtles.
"Come, let us head inside so that you can all rest and recover from your ordeal…" He said in a gentle tone.
"Thank you, Great Wizard…" Donnie replied tiredly but gratefully since, despite not being as badly hurt as Leo and Mikey, his high adrenaline from the whole adventure was starting to wear off and was becoming tired. He, Leo and Raph then followed the Great Wizard back to his home now that he and his brothers were in safe hands once more.
/
Later in the evening…
The turtle brothers were all settled in their comfortable makeshift beds after the Great Wizard treated their wounds using Leatherhead's medicines combined with his healing magic. Klunk stayed by his master Mikey's side throughout the healing process and was now laid next to him as he slept peacefully since his fever was reduced to nearly breaking. From his bed, Leo stared tiredly at the sleeping orange-banded turtle with a concerned look on his face as he was worried that the young turtle's condition might change for the worst since he was still very weak from their intense battle with the Warlord Shredder.
"Leo? Ya doin' ok over there?" Raph asked after noticing the blue-banded turtle's behaviour first.
"Huh? O-Oh, err…yeah…sorry, it's just…I can't help but feel worried about Mikey…" Leo answered tiredly and sadly after snapping out of his thoughts and composing himself.
"I know, Leo… he put his own life at risk in order to protect ours and help us in our journey to get our wishes granted…he's been through so much…" Donnie said in agreement as he looked from Leo to Mikey with a concerned look on his face.
"Hey, enough of da doom and gloom…da Great Wizard said dat he'll be fine after some rest, so stop looking like da whole world's gonna end…cos Mike wouldn't want ya ta worry about him just cos he's still a lil' sick!" Raph said firmly with a stern look on his face since he was getting frustrated and tired of hearing negative thoughts about Mikey's condition.
Leo and Donnie looked over at Raph with surprised looks on their faces when they heard his words. It was then that they realised that Raph was right; Mikey might not be well now, but with more rest and TLC he would soon be back on his feet and be by their side for when they get their wishes granted. The two turtles then smiled before Leo spoke.
"You're right, Raph; we should be supporting Mikey through his recovery instead of thinking about the worst-case scenario…"
"I agree…We owe him for helping us get this far, so we should repay him by being there for him and helping him get better!" Donnie said with determination in his voice.
"Dat's da spirit, bros…!" Raph said happily with a smirk before he let out a yawn. "Speakin' of rest, I could do with some of dat myself…"
"Same here…goodnight, guys…" Donnie said in agreement after letting out a yawn himself before he laid his head down on his pillow and fell asleep seconds later.
"Goodnight…" Leo and Raph replied in unison before they too laid their heads down on their pillows and Raph was the next turtle to fall asleep seconds afterward. Before he closed his own eyes, Leo looked over at Mikey and spoke in a quiet tone.
"Goodnight, Mikey…Don't worry…we'll be here when you wake up…"
/
3 days later…
Leo, Raph, and Donnie were relaxing in the Great Wizard's room whilst drinking warm tea which the Great Wizard provided for them. Leo was starting to feel a lot better and in less pain, since his wounds were given proper medical treatment by the Great Wizard with the help of Leatherhead's herbal remedies, whilst Raph was treated for any dents or bruising that he had sustained during the mission. Donnie, on the other hand, did not have many serious injuries or ailments, except for the small slashes on his clothing and the exhaustion that he felt during and after the mission.
The three brothers were sitting close to the bed that had a sleeping Mikey laid on top of it with a warm blanket covering him up. They watched as the sleeping turtle's chest rose up and down at a slow but steady pace before Raph spoke up.
"Man, he's been out like a light fa a few days now…When is he gonna wake up and celebrate our victory with us?"
"Raph, he's been through a lot this past week…his body and mind still need time to heal…" Leo answered the tin turtle with a sigh.
"You're right, Leo…and the Great Wizard did say that his healing process would take some time to finish…even Leatherhead's remedies don't have the ability to accelerate Mikey's healing any faster…" Donnie said in agreement with Leo's words before he placed a hand on Mikey's forehead to check his temperature, which he had found to have returned to normal. "Hey, at least his fever is gone…!" He said with a smile.
Leo and Raph sighed in relief after hearing those words before they smiled back at him.
"That means…all he needs to do now is wake up…" Leo said as he gently held one of Mikey's hands with his own.
A moment after saying that, a small hum was heard from the sleeping turtle, surprising the older turtles and Klunk.
"Mikey?" Leo then called out softly to avoid disturbing Mikey, who was slightly moved his head back and forth whilst trying to wake himself up.
"Mmm…ugh…" Mikey groaned and winced in slight pain due to his wounds that were still healing. That was the first response that the three older turtles had received from Mikey since he fell asleep in Leo's arms three days ago.
"It's alright, Mikey…we're here…you're safe, now…" Donnie said soothingly as he held Mikey's other hand in his own.
"Yeah, so rise and shine, bro…!" Raph said with a smirk before he saw Klunk coming over to the group and meowed at his master.
Soon, Mikey's eyes slowly began to open and he squinted for a moment to adjust himself in the bright sunlight before his eyes were fully opened. The first he saw as soon as his vision became clear were his three older brothers and Klunk looking down at him with relieved smiles on their faces.
"G-Guys…" Mikey said in a raspy voice due to the lack of use whilst developing a small but warm smile on his face.
"Mikey!" The turtle brothers cheered before they leaned forward and gave him a gentle hug since his injuries were still tender and healing. After a moment, the three older turtles released Mikey from the hug and looked at him with tears of joy and their smiles still on their faces.
"It's so good to see you awake again, Mikey…" Donnie said first as he wiped away his tears with his hands.
"Yeah! We were worried dat ya wouldn't wake up again, bro…!" Raph said with a sad smile before he heard Leo hum in agreement.
"You've been asleep fa three days straight, you know..." The lion-cloaked turtle confirmed.
"R-Really...!? I-I'm sorry, dudes…I-I was just so tired…I didn't mean to worry you…" Mikey replied tiredly and shakily after hearing that he was out cold for so long.
"Hey, hey…don't apologise, Mikey…! You fought hard with a brave and loving heart…you saved our lives and the whole world of Oz…and that can really tire you out…" Leo pointed out softly as he gently wiped away the now falling tears from Mikey's face.
"That's right, Mikey; we don't blame you for worrying us…we're just glad you're doing ok now…" Donnie said as he gave Mikey's hand a firm but gentle squeeze.
"Yeah…it's all over now…we can finally get our wishes granted without any more problems from dat tin head freak…!" Raph said with a smirk. Mikey's eyes widened slightly after hearing this before he spoke.
"W-What? You…you mean you haven't had your wishes granted yet!?"
"Of course not, Mikey…!" Donnie answered immediately in surprise after hearing those words from Mikey.
"Yeah, bro…! Why would we go and do dat without ya!?" Raph said firmly but softly.
"C-Cos the mission's over…the Warlord's dead…and we're back in Emerald City…" Mikey answered shakily before felt Leo's hand touch his shoulder as he spoke.
"That may be true, Mikey, but we couldn't just walk into the Great Wizard's home and ask him to grant our wishes straight away, especially when we were all exhausted and injured from the final battle with the Warlord…Also, we would never leave you behind and only get our own wishes granted as soon as we were well again…not after everything you've done for us…"
Raph and Donnie nodded in agreement before Mikey's eyes widened even more after hearing that. Here he was lying in his bed and still recovering from his injuries, and the Oz version of his older brothers had stayed by his side until he woke up instead of getting their wishes granted as soon as they were healed. This made Mikey smile and look down with tears of happiness and joy developing in his eyes before he spoke.
"I-I…don't know what to say…T-Thank you…"
"Hey…we're brothers; it's our job to be there for you when you're down, not leave you behind…" Donnie said softly as he gently wiped Mikey's tears away from his face.
"Yeah, and we should be da ones thanking you fa bein' there fa us and savin' da whole land of Oz from dat monster, Warlord Shredder…" Raph said in agreement as he rubbed Mikey's head affectionately.
"The people of my village and Usagi can finally rest in peace, now that the evil Warlord has been vanquished forever… and, for that, we're truly grateful to have met and fought alongside an amazing friend and brother like you, Mikey…" Leo said with relief in his heart before he leaned forward to give Mikey a gentle hug, which the young turtle greatly accepted by nuzzling Leo's shoulder since his body was still aching from the final battle.
A moment later, Leo heard Mikey let out a small yawn in his hold, so he released him from the hug and looked at him with a warm smile before he spoke.
"I think you need some more sleep, little brother…"
"Wha…? B-But I've been asleep for three days already…! I can't be tired still…" Mikey said with wide eyes despite trying to keep them open.
"We know, Mikey, but you've been through a lot and your body is still in the process of healing…" Donnie said before he helped Leo in tucking Mikey in with his blanket.
"Yeah…don't worry, bro; everything's alright now, and we'll take care of ya whilst ya gettin' better…" Raph said in agreement with a smirk as he placed a comforting hand on Mikey's shoulder.
Mikey developed a small smile as he looked at each of his brothers with sleepy eyes before he felt Klunk, who wanted to stay with his master whilst he recovers, climb on top of the bed and curl up next to his head before he fell asleep seconds later. Mikey then felt Leo's hand rubbing his head to try and soothe him to sleep, which was working because he was starting to struggle in keeping his eyes open for much longer.
"Sleep now, Mikey…we'll be here for when you wake up again…" Leo said softly whilst wearing a warm smile on his face.
"M'kay…Love you, bros…" Mikey said sleepily before he closed his eyes and fell asleep instantly whilst still wearing his small smile.
"Love you too, Mikey…" The three older brothers replied quietly before they all took a seat next to Mikey's bed after deciding to stay by his side and watch over him as he continued on with his healing slumber.
