A/N: This was for RachelErica's contest on DeviantART. Hope you enjoy!
Cars honked. People yelled. Life spoke to everyone. It was all really just noise, but it was an amalgam of hundreds and thousands of different, unique beings interacting with one another. Very few knew each other, and even fewer cared, for this was the Big Apple. New York City, New York. By anyone's account, it was the biggest city in America, the city where anything could happen. Where dreams came true.
One dream though, would never blossom. The one, single man that held onto that dream was in a city of millions, but that didn't mean anything. He walked down the same streets as everyone else, he spoke like everyone else, and he acted like everyone else, but he was different. An immigrant from Japan, he brought with him the traditions of his ancestors, a heritage from thousands of years. He was a master of ninjutsu, and although that once made him proud, it was now like a heavy weight that none could remove.
Years of training, a lifetime poured into him, and when it mattered most, he failed. He lost the only ones he had left, the people he cared for the most in the entire world, to a man he once called friend. His wife and daughter had been stripped from him, and they could only return to him in his dreams.
That's why he came to New York. To fulfill his dream. He was not running, he was not hiding from the man aptly named The Shredder. He left for his own purposes, turning his back on a country that he loved. He left his homeland in hopes that this new one might give him what he needed.
He had known that those hopes were too high. His wife had perished in his arms, the home that they had built around them crumbling in a blazing inferno. He remembered the cries of his young daughter as he searched for her, unable to find his precious child. Her tormented screams echoed in his mind, and that was something he would never be able to push out. He loved each one of them, his woman and his girl, the two ladies of his life, and now they were forever lost to him.
So here he was now, alone on the streets of a city he did not know, wandering around for no apparent reason. Something had called for him out here, a cry unlike the ones of his beloved Tang Shen and Miwa. It was a cry of want, of need, much like his own, but one that only he could fulfill. Shen had always told him to follow his heart, that it would lead him to where he needed to go. And so follow he did, first to New York, and now to a small building now the street.
He almost walked passed it. He almost did, but as he went to continue on his unknown journey, he heard it. The cry was loudest this time, and made him freeze in his steps. It appeared that no one else heard it, but it did not matter. His gaze fell upon a sign, and it was then that he knew. Shen was speaking to him, guiding him. There was something here that was important, something that was going to change his life for forever.
And then he saw the sign. 'Turtles 4 Sale' was sprawled out in large letters, why had he not noticed it before? Shen had led him to turtles. Turtles were a sign of support, of a well deserved happiness. With turtles, one had good luck, and those were all things he needed. With a smile on his face, he entered the small shop, the quiet bell above the door ringing. Everything outside was shut out, and there was an odd quietness and peaceful sense about the place. It was something seemingly so insignificant in a city that affected the world, and yet this one place stood out to him. It truly was a sign.
"Hello sir," A teenager behind the counter waved at him. Her bright and cheery face warmed the man's heart, and he knew he was at the right place. "How may I help you today?"
Gesturing to the sign, he smiled. "Uh...turtles?"
"Right-io! Follow me," Walking to an aisle in the toward the back, the man found it odd that he was following one so young, one that was going to lead him to something wonderful. There was so much life in her, she reminded him of his Shen. She was the type of woman that he had longed for Miwa to become. "Alright," She gestured to several tanks, all with small, tiny, infant turtles. "How many do you want?"
Scrunching his eyebrows, he contemplated. "I am not sure. This just...came to me."
"Oh, I see," The girl's eyes sparkled, and she nodded enthusiastically. "A first time pet owner perhaps?"
"Hai," The traditional Japanese way to say yes escaped his lips, and his shoulders dropped. He knew nothing about caring for animals, he had barely been able to take care of Miwa. And even in that he failed her...
It was then that his eye caught a small, huddled up group. In a cage filled with so many others, four stood out on their own. As he watched them, he couldn't help but recognize the brotherly bond that already encompassed them. They played together, ate together, fought together, but they were together. The represented what he was lacking, what he needed. A family.
"What about those?" Pointing to them, he chuckled lightly as one of them seemed to bounce around with the others, clearly more hyperactive than any other turtle he had seen. It's tiny eyes rose up at him, and for a second, their eyes actually locked. He could picture a large grin on the little one's face, much like his Miwa.
"Oh..." The girl's voice dropped slightly. "Those?" A smile crossed her lips, and she sighed. "Those are my boys. See how they're different from the rest? And they actually acknowledge you, instead of running and hiding like the other ones," Reaching her hand down, she stroked one of their shells. "You have to be careful though. If they don't know you, they get very protective. Especially this one," Lifting one of them up up, she flipped him so that he could see it's plastron. "See this crack? A little kid came in here one day and grabbed him. This tough guy gave him a nice little bite, and he dropped him. I was worried for a little while, but he's as good as new," Placing him back with his brothers, the girl sighed.
"I will take them. All four," The man placed a hand on the girl's shoulder. "Do not worry, I will care for them as if they are my sons."
Nodding, the she carefully picked up every single one, placing them in a glass dish. As they walked back the cash register, she gazed down at them, and whispered goodbye. "To be honest, I...I named them."
"Oh?" The man hadn't even thought of names, Shen had named their daughter.
Giggling, she kept her eyes trained on them. "After the Renaissance masters. Leonardo, Raphael, Donatello, and Michelangelo," She stroked each one's shell as she spoke the words, as if recollecting fond times. "They deserve to be recognized just as much as the people they were named after, right? They're special. They're going to do great things..." Her eyes widened, and she gazed up at the man. "You probably think I'm insane."
"Not at all," Handing the American money over to her, he picked up the small dish. "Sometimes the most unlikeliest of things happen to the most unlikeliest of creatures. Who knows what life has in store for them?"
Nodding, the girl shook his hand. "It was nice to meet you Mr.-"
"Hamato Yoshi," The man known as Yoshi bowed, and she bowed back. As he left the store, the little jingle of the bell echoing in his ears, the roar of the city snapped him back to where he was.
Gazing down at the four creatures he now held in his hands, he sighed. What had he done? What had he gotten himself into? Pets would never replace his wife and daughter, his family. They were mere animals, and animals could not fill the empty void of his heart. They could help soothe the pain, yes, but replace his love? His own flesh and blood? Something like that could never happen, not even in one's wildest imaginations.
Yoshi continued walking back to his apartment, moving slower, taking his time. Much like the creatures he had, he needed patience. He needed to take in what was around him more slowly, to enjoy what he had now. Yes, Shen was definitely teaching him a lesson. She had always been good at that.
It was New York City, and he was already used to being jostled around, to be being completely ignored. He was used to the carelessness of others, of being a nobody in a world, a flood of nobodies. He was so caught up in his own thoughts, in his own mind, that he almost didn't care when the man bumped him. He had been bumped so many times, and this one was not truly any different. Except for the fact that when their shoulders collided, it felt like he had been rammed with an anvil. The man's body was a hard as metal, his eyes as cold as steel. For a city of millions, a world of billions, Yoshi had just run into the one single man that could make anyone's blood run cold.
One part of him told him to ignore the strange man. What did it matter if this person was off? He did not know him, he was a complete stranger. He was, in a way, no different than anyone else, just going about his daily life. But there was just something...bizarre about him. The way his eyelids were half dropped, the way not a single muscle appeared to move as he walked. It was as if the man himself were a robot, something from science fiction. And, what did it matter if he followed him just a little way down the block? He had nothing better to do, except get his turtles home. And that could indeed wait. The young man that still breathed inside of him, the curious juvenile still lived within him. It was something that Shen had adored, and yet teased him about. His interests in things never ceased, and although it often got him into more trouble than good, it always paid out in the end.
The moment the strange man rounded a dark alley though, flags flew through Yoshi's mind. Between buildings where were he heard gang members often met up...and although the person he stalked was well dressed, and did not appear to be a thug, one could never be too careful. He tensed himself up, ready for whatever was to come.
The voices he heard sounded foreign, even for his Japanese ears. They repeated themselves, leaving out words that all would deem necessary. The containers they held seemed to glow green, sloshing around like some kind of exotic drug. It was nothing he was familiar with, but whatever it was, he was sure it was illegal. Plenty of things like this happened in big cities, but it was his duty as an American citizen and an honorable Japanese ninja to do what he could. Which in this case, meant getting the police.
Slowly, Yoshi backed up. He silently hoped that they would neither see nor hear him, and his heart just kept beating faster and faster. As he turned to leave, a loud squeak shot all of his senses into high alert, and he saw a rat wiggling away from the bottom of his shoe. But now, the vermin had caught the attention of the small group, and they seemed to circle around him. All their faces were the same, in an eerily way, more so than what one could say would even be brothers. Twins, triplets, quadruplets, they were the exact same. Same expressions, same words. Identical in every way.
Yoshi hadn't even completely understood what they said at the time, something about him witnessing what was not to be seen. What he did comprehend however, was what they had in store for him. He was to be eliminated, taken out of the picture. Destroyed. After all the times he had wished to die, to be rejoined with his beloved, he had never thought he would go like this. Without honor or dignity, as if a lamb to the slaughterhouse. He clutched the glass container in his hands, and whispered to himself. He would not die today, or at least, he had no intentions to.
The men moved unsteadily, reaching and grabbing for him, swiping at him. Strange lasers flew by his head, but it was no battle for him to dodge them. In a single kick, he hit who or what the person he thought he had followed, and the substance he held splashed down. It hit the concrete, shattering, and the all men scattered. It was as if they were afraid of it like it was nuclear waste or something. And just as soon as they were there, they were gone. They did not stop or pause to stop him, and for a brief moment, he felt triumphant.
Then the pain hit him. It was worse than anything he had ever experienced, and that was saying something. He had spent his entire life, dedicated to studying ninjutsu, but no amount of training had prepared him for something like this. It was like when Shen had died in his arms, when he realized that Miwa was gone for eternity. It was like aching of his heart had been spread to everywhere, to his head, his chest, his arms and legs, everywhere. It burned, as if he had been lit on fire. Every muscle, every sinew of his form felt like someone was taking a knife to it, as if his tendons were tearing away. It wasn't until he heard the cracking of his own bones that he knew. Today was the day he was to see his Shen again, today was the day he was going to hold her in his arms. Today he was going to beg for forgiveness, and be able to release the burden he held.
Dropping to his knees, Yoshi clutched his head. It was throbbing as if it was going to explode, like a thousand needles were piercing his brain. He was ready to give up right then and there surrender to the drug that now rendered him useless. But just like the people who had held it in their grasp, the pain subsided, the aching stopped. He took a long breath in, finally at peace. Opening his eyes, he saw the light, and he couldn't help but smile.
Then everything returned to him. The city noise, the honking cars, the careless people. He was in New York, in one of the streets, and nobody cared. As he lifted him up off of the ground though, everything felt off. It wasn't until he looked at his hands that he wanted to scream. Whatever that stuff had been, it had scarred him. His hands were now malformed, and he was even missing fingers. As his eyes followed the path up his arms, he saw that they were covered in a nasty brown hair. He hesitated, touching it, but it was as if it was glued to him. He couldn't but blink, and as his eyes crossed, he saw extending from where his mouth was supposed to be, a snout. Gingerly he touched it, his fingers brushing against whiskers. He couldn't help but sneeze at that, but it didn't matter. Something was very wrong with him. Something that the mysterious drug had done...it had changed him. Mutated him into a hideous freak.
The first thought that crossed his mind was the police. But how was he to explain this to them? They would probably shoot him at first sight...no, no, first he had to collect his thoughts. Pull himself together. He had to get home...to his sanctuary. That was the best choice. Then...he wasn't sure. He just needed to get somewhere safe. Somewhere he could rest, somewhere away from people who would no doubt not understand. He had to be careful, to slip into the shadows. The sun was falling, and night would be here soon, making it ever easier.
Getting up, Yoshi stumbled towards a ladder. The roofs were his best bet, slipping over all the prying eyes. He was a freak, an oddity. He was now even more alone than he could have ever fathomed.
A cry startled him, followed by a hiccup. Turning, Yoshi's eyes widened as the sight before him confused him even more than he was before. Four creatures sat around each other, their skin green, and even weirder, something hard sticking off of their backs. As his vision cleared though, Yoshi could see very clearly that they were...or rather had been...turtles. His turtles. The animals he had purchased were now the size of infants, and were even crawling or scooting near each other. But they were just animals...he had bigger things to worry about right now. They did not matter, they were only mindless beasts...
The smallest one let out another cry, one that resembled Miwa's almost perfectly. He hiccuped again, tears pouring down his face. His wide blue eyes stared at Yoshi, piercing his soul more than the the pain had. Beside him, one of the other's bottom lip's were quivering. Again, it reminded him of his daughter. She had always been fussy when she had not gotten her way, always using her baby charm to get what she wanted. She would have made a great kunoichi.
The other two sat protectively by what were no doubt their brothers. One appeared to be trying to comfort the smaller ones, and the fourth was glaring at Yoshi. It was as if he was daring him to do the right thing...but what was? Taking care of himself? Or was it...something else? He had himself to care for now...something that he did not understand.
The smallest one lifted his hands up to Yoshi, and it was then that he made a decision. He could see it in their eyes, from light blue to dark, from green to brown, they had already made a connection to him. They recognized him already as their caretaker. Even if they were just animals...they were still children. Nyuyoji, babies. They were his, he had taken them in. He had said that he would treat them as his own. And that was a promise on his honor, and one that would keep.
Bending down, Yoshi reached for the one that was crying. The little one snuggled into his neck, his tears soaking into what was now his fur. "Michelangelo..." Yoshi whispered, somehow recognizing child who had once been a turtle. Gazing down, he smiled. "Donatello," Lifting up the one who seemed to search for some kind of recognition, the touch from him warmed Yoshi's heart. "Raphael," He knew the 'tough little guy' in an instant, and although hesitant at first, he welcomed Yoshi's embrace. "And Leonardo," Receiving the last one in his arms, Yoshi allowed himself tears to fall. "My sons..." Shen had given him the children they had both so longed for, in a way that no one would understand. They had many battles ahead of them, but he could see it. They all held a true ninja's spirit, he could feel it, sense it. He was their father now, their sensei. They were a family.
It was not he who had adopted them. In fact, he knew it was quite the opposite. They already had each other. But he had no one...they had given him what he needed. Even now, as he carried them all to his temporary home, he could feel them relaxing. If they had experienced the same pain that he had, and no doubt they had, it hurt him even more. No child deserved to go through that, especially not his.
As he eased himself into his open window, Yoshi couldn't help but shake his head. For once, his negligence was good. It had helped him. But now, as his sons slept in his bed, he couldn't help but wonder where they would stay. They were going to be shunned, all of them. That was something that he could not bear the thought of...especially not with the thought of Oroku Saki. If his enemy knew what had happened, knew that he now had children again, he would hunt them down. He would stalk them like prey, like animals. He would mount them on his walls...and that was something Yoshi could stand for. He had to hide them, he had to keep them safe. He had to go somewhere that no one would would think to look. A place that no one would think to look. A place right under their noses...
There was a time and place for everything, and the thought of where they should stay was not for now. As of the moment, Yoshi's body needed rest. He had four baby boys to take care of in the morning, and if he remembered correctly, they would need him in the middle of the night too.
A shrill cry echoed down into Yoshi's now sensitive ears. As he rested his hand...paw on young Michelangelo's head, he couldn't help but see both his wife and daughter in each and every one of them. He was given a chance of redemption, and although they would never replace Shen or Miwa, they now could help him let them go. His heart, where he once thought would never be open to another, had just spread for four more. Together, they would be a strong family. He would protect them to the end's of the earth, and he would train them so that they could protect themselves as well as each other. He would learn from his failures...he would be able to bring up four beings, four people who would change the world. He could feel it, they were special. They were going to do great things. And no, he was not insane. The unlikeliest of things had just happened to the unlikeliest of creatures, but it was good. And for that, he was thankful.
A/N: Well, I really liked writing this! I would, however, like it very much if you did review! If you want to see more oneshots like this from me, tell me! I love to hear from you guys! Also, I do give a critique, get a critique. If you give me a critique, I'll give you one :D (Just make sure to label it as said critique.) Thanks again! Means a lot to me! ;) I look forward to your reviews! Bye bye!