If you're ever wondering what I listen to while writing. I literally had this on repeat while writing this whole chapter. If you don't know Death Note it's gonna be a really weird song (¬_¬)

The next few days weren't abnormal for all the brothers, but they did notice one thing. Mikey would mess up a lot more than usual. In the kitchen he'd make mistakes that just weren't like him, and in battles he would also be zoned out and his concentration would be zero.

And his brothers? They were getting pretty annoyed by it and they showed it. But when one of them did ask why Mikey was so spaced out lately Mikey would always laugh and say something like: 'Sorry dude! Just have my mind set on other things!'. But when they would ask what, he had already gone home. They'd probably have noticed the change in Mikey's behavior if it wasn't for their own annoyance with the situation.

Mikey however was busy with something entirely different. Every day he would lock himself in his room for a while when no one would notice and meditate. He decided not to really meditate in training with the others, scared that another thing like before would happen.

Every time he'd go to what he thought and what was his inner mind he'd find nothing new there except the unseeable walls, the ceiling where light came through even though it just looked like an open white space, and of course the orb. The one thing that did change.

He would always go up to it and hold it, noticing how it had changed over the days. The black speck seemed to have grown a bit every time he came back. It wasn't just a speck anymore either. Around a quarter, maybe more was taken over already and it scared him. The light everywhere else would still be flowing around and waving in little glowing streams of light. The dark part would do that too but it just wasn't the same.

It was like every time he put his hand on it or even as much as looked at it he'd get filled with sadness and pain and he didn't like it. He had no idea what to do though. He couldn't really stop it, nor did he know what this thing even was and what it was doing in his mind. Asking someone wasn't really an option either since his brothers were always angry with him lately, and since he'd messed up so much in training he was actually too scared to ask his sensei. Still, he had to find out someway.

And he better do it quickly.

~~~*~~~

"Ugh finally we've been walking forever!" Raph grunted out as they entered the layer. They had just come back from another patrol and another battle with the kraang that didn't go as smoothly as normal.

"Now wouldn't it be nice if someone didn't let one escape so that we had to run to the edge of town to get him!" Raph said a bit louder trying to let Mikey know it got on his nerves.

"Raph!" Leo warned him. But then turned around to face Mikey. "But seriously Mikey you've been way more distracted then usual lately what's going-" Leo stopped when he saw Mikey wasn't standing with them.

"He already walked to his room Leo." Donnie informed him. Leo sighed, it was like Mikey always ran off right before he tried to talk to him about it. He walked over to the couch in the pit and plopped down onto it. Donnie sat down on the one next to it and went to do some research on his laptop. Raph started punching the punching bag next to the pit. Leo took a deep breath before breaking the silence.

"Guys... Seriously though, I can't be the only one that noticed Mikey is more unfocused lately, right?" He asked still looking to the ceiling. Raph stopped punching for a bit to speak up.

"If by unfocused you mean messing up on every single chance he gets? Then yeah, we've noticed Leo." Raph said mockingly. Leo sighed once again while Donnie shot a glance at them before deciding to not add something to the conversation yet and continuing typing.

Of course he had noticed Mikey's sudden chance in behavior. Donnie noticed Mikey was absentminded and he was concerned. Rather than scold Mikey for not focusing like Leo would, Donnie would like to find the reason why his little brother was so distracted. He believed you should always find the root of a problem first, otherwise it'll just come back again. Yet, he was gonna hear what the others have to say before giving his own look on the situation and ideas.

"I'm starting to wonder in which way he's benefiting the team right now..." Leo said thinking through the past week. Raph grunted and gave a hard punch to the punching bag making it swing wildly.

"If you asked me he'd already be off this team! I mean come on, he's only messing up lately!" Raph exclaimed irritated. Leo thought silently for a bit while Donnie disagreed in his thoughts not wanting to start an argument with his hotheaded brother.

"You know what Raph... You're right." Leo said frowning but also sounding a bit down. "Mikey has been messing up too much lately. It's even becoming a risk for us. Until he can learn to focus again and be on a team he isn't going topside with us." Leo said sounding more certain than he actually was. He knew Mikey wouldn't like it, but as the leader he had to make this decision.

Donnie really didn't agree with his brothers on this one. Whatever it was that Mikey was distracted with, just throwing him out the team would be like a stab in the back for him. Mikey didn't always mess up, lots of times yes, but if you don't give him more chances he'll never learn. He decided he should give his own opinion on the matter.

"Come on guys, kicking him off the team is a bit harsh isn't it? Don't you think we should see what he's so distracted about and-"

"I'm sorry Donnie but it's not your decision." Leo cut him off sounding serious but continued a bit more understanding. "I know it's harsh, but I just want him to learn his actions have consequences. It isn't for forever, just until he's learned about his actions alright?" Leo told him. Donnie sighed and nodded still a bit skeptical, but he knew he couldn't change Leo's decision. Leo nodded back.

"It's decided then, until Mikey learned his lesson, he isn't part of this team anymore." Leo said and they all went back doing their own thing. They didn't know... They didn't know that someone was just done with his meditation and had heard almost everything that had been said.

And that person didn't know... That the moment he heard what they had decided, somewhere inside of him a darkness spread consuming way more than it had before.

Let the chaos begin... *Evil laugh* No but really, this chapter might seem filler but I needed this to happen before everything could go crumbling down for Mikey.

Tell me what you think, I really appreciate it!

(MY SPRING VACATION IS OVER TOMORROW IMMA CRY NOW (T ^ T)

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