Summary: "No choice? I could have chosen to ignore him. I could have chosen to let his words wash over me, like a river over stone. But no, it was I who turned his words into weapons. That was the choice I made. What choice will you make?" An in-depth re-telling of the first season of the 2012 TMNT animated series.

Disclaimer: I do not own. All rights belong to their respective owners.

Author's Notes: I was thinking to myself the other day, how small bits of information are left out of the TV series, and when it's all stacked up, there can be a sizeable plot hole. What sparked Master Splinter to buy the turtles when they were little? What happened during and after the Mutagen transformation? With so many small things missing I decided I wanted to write about it, and to fill in the missing pieces of information myself.

So yes, in a sense, I am re-writing the first season of the 2012 TMNT TV series, however I'm NOT writing word for word. There will be new twists and new information added, whilst keeping it as close to the original as possible.

Each chapter, in a sense, will be the next 'episode' of the series. So, be warned, this will contain spoilers for the first season.

-Premonition-

noun; a feeling of anticipation of or anxiety over a future event.

Prologue

Location: Small, run-down pet store, New York City

Date: September 29th, 1997

Time: 1:07pm

The old Ninjutsu master didn't know what prompted him to leave his small home early that fateful morning. Perhaps it had been the heaviness he had been carrying in his heart for so many years, or perhaps he finally admitted to himself that, after awaking each morning to nothing but fading memories and a few portraits framed in the hall, Hamato Yoshi, was lonely. Whatever the reason, he continued to make his way down the busy, bustling streets of New York City, striding with a purpose of which he did not yet know.

It was a warm day, one of the warmest the city had had in months. Yoshi looked around at all the flashing signs and decretive window displays that caught his eye wherever he turned his head. With a sigh, he knew that an expensive meal, a fancy new suit, or even a brand-new tea kittle, could bot fill the aching hole that was inside of him. However, the day was young and Yoshi wasn't ready to return to his empty home and painful memories. So he continued down the streets, choosing to adventure into the little side streets and alleyways that flowed like capillaries through the city.

He wasn't sure what pulled him down one of the side streets; curiosity, maybe? He felt his feet stop in front of a small, brown building that looked rather drab, a stark contrast to the over-the-top lavish buildings that graced the main streets. The paint was starting to peel and there were no flashing signs or expensive window displays to showcase what the store had to offer. Instead, in bright, cheery writing, a sign across the small door simply read: Pet Shop. Intrigued, Master Splinter opened the door and entered the small shop.

As soon as he entered he was greeted with a cacophony of sounds, smells, and sights. The sound of many animals; birds, cats, and dogs all singing their chorus, the smell of innocence and warm milk, and the sight of many eager faces greeted Yoshi upon entering the shop. The old man couldn't help but smile. How different it was in this small shop, than the outside world of New York. So full of life and innocence!

Yoshi walked slowly past each cage, making sure to give each creature a friendly smile and a warm pat. He passed by bouncing puppies of all shapes and sizes: Labradors, German Shepherds, poodles, and spaniels! And the cats! So many furry, sleepy creatures that were of every shade; white, orange, tuxedo, silver and gold! There were small birds and large birds of every colour of the rainbow. Tropical fish swum in lazy circles and small fluffy rabbits huddled together on their warm beds of straw. Yoshi marvelled at every one of them, and felt his cheeks spread in a warm smile.

Yoshi stopped near the end of the store. He was suddenly unsure of what to do. Yes, he felt a deep longing for company, and all the beautiful creatures in the store warmed his heart, but would they ever replace all those he had lost? With a sigh, Yoshi knew the loved ones he had lost could never be replaced. Despondent, and starting to head back towards the door, Yoshi felt something shift in the air, a small pull that made him pause. Decades of Ninjutsu training had taught Yoshi to always listen to his heart, mind, and spirit. Turning in the direction of the pull, Yoshi slowly walked further towards the back of the shop, where it was quieter, and darker.

Along the back wall of the shop, Yoshi saw many clear glass tanks that held heat lamps suspended above them. Curious, Yoshi moved forward and peered into each tank. The first tank held a sleek, black carpet python, slim and slender and basking in the artificial heat. The next contained a small group of salamanders, staring up at Yoshi with their peculiar faces. Yoshi paused at the third tank. Looking down, he saw four, small; baby turtles, lazily chewing at lettuce leaves. Yoshi peered at the four small creatures and felt that same pull. There was something about these four, small creatures that Yoshi couldn't put his finger on. The baby turtles seemed to sense his presence and all stopped chewing on their leaves to look up at Yoshi with small dark eyes.

"We had these shipped to us last month," a voice spoke from beside Yoshi, and he turned to see a short, round man with a balding head and a nametag that read STEVE. "Cute little things," Steve continued, keeping his eyes on the turtles. "But nobody seems interested. Everyone wants 'fun' and 'exciting' and 'exotic' pets these days. And turtles, well, compared to the other animals I sell, are rather boring to most."

"I am not most," Yoshi spoke slowly, looking up at the owner of the store.

Steve glanced at Yoshi and seemed to nod in agreement. "They're only about eight weeks old, and what a miracle they are! All four of these little turtles are males, and all of them are brothers."

"Brothers?"

"Yeah, which is pretty special considering these four were found alone a few miles from here. Something must have happened to their mother and their other siblings."

"Interesting," Yoshi mused.

Steve shrugged. "Yeah, I felt pretty bad for the little guys. I hoped that someone would come and adopt them, all of them together, to start a new life. After being through so much together, I kind of feel bad if I ever split them apart."

"I understand," Yoshi nodded in agreement. He knew all to well the pain of being separated from his own kin.

"Maybe you could take them," Steve said hesitantly, a hopeful glint in his pale grey eyes. "They're only $10.00 for the lot, and require little care. Hell, I'll even throw in a cage and supplies for an extra $10.00. They live longer than your average dog and cat, won't grow too big and only need to be feed once a day. Real easy."

Splinter frowned down at the four small creatures still staring at him with their little dark eyes. The pull became stronger, and Yoshi closed his eyes in recognition.

"I will take them."

Author's Notes: I would love to hear what you thought, so please be kind enough to leave a review, to let me know your thoughts.

I tried to keep this chapter as realistic as possible in regards to the season. The date at the top of the page is the date on the 2012 TMNT website that the turtles came into contact with the Mutagen.

If you have any questions or worries, please feel free to ask in a review or send me a private message.

~Cat