A/N: My interpretation of the prequel to the 2012 TMNT series and thus all references made will be consistent with the 2012 universe. This fic will attempt to explore what happens after the infamous mutation going into Splinter's early life with the turtles. Enjoy! As always, I don't own TMNT. I only own my imagination inspired by TMNT.
Chapter 1: Enter the Rat
"Aaaaahhhh!" The pain was unbearable – excruciating! The green goo felt as if it was trying to burn holes through his skin as it ran down his arm and face. The moment he set eyes on them, his gut told him that these two suited men were up to no good but nothing prepared him for the threat to come. He had caught them plotting something though he could not hear their words, but it was enough for them to warrant a death sentence for Hamato Yoshi.
From the minute the suited strangers engaged him, the world up had been moved at a whirlwind pace of punches and kicks as he fought for his life all the while shielding a bowl of four baby turtles. However, as soon as his foot connected with the little canister in one man's hand, the world slowed to a crawl. Yoshi's eyes widened as he watched the canister flip through the air. Instinctually, he turned his back and shielded his face with one hand while the other still clung firmly to the small bowl. The canister crashed against him splashing the mysterious glowing green ooze all over him. His skin seared with an intolerable burn – a pain he had not felt in almost a year when his house was burnt to the ground. The flames had licked at his skin during his escape. The feeling was the closest to a hell on Earth as one could experience.
Agonizing screams echoed through the alley. Yoshi's entire body racked in violent spasms. The bowl in his hand crashed to the ground, littering the pavement with shattered glass. Distracted by the immense pain, Yoshi lost track of his new pets, even forgetting their existence.
His knees buckled and he slammed to the ground, landing on all fours. From the corner of his eyes he stared as his five-fingered human hands transformed: one digit suddenly retracted leaving only four, hair grew at an accelerated rate, and claws replaced his finger nails. Yoshi felt his face elongate into a snout and whiskers tickled the sides of his nostrils. His spine tingled from the base of his head and shot through his back, ending in his tailbone, which felt as though someone had grabbed the bone and was trying to rip it out of his rectum. While the mutation of his body lasted a mere couple of minutes, it felt as though the torture would never end. It was as if he was feeling every revision of his body during the deconstructing and rewriting of his DNA. He gasped for breath but it felt as if someone was sitting on his chest, compressing his lungs below his ribs. Yoshi trailed his eyes upward to the suited men whom emotionlessly observed the scene in front of them. They were neither mortified nor interested, neither dismayed nor elated by the end result. They just stared.
As soon as the pain subsided to a manageable level, Yoshi's ninja senses took over. He leaped at one man, shoving his head against the wall. The second man pulled a gun out from under his jacket. At this point, animalistic instinct took over; Yoshi turned his back and flicked the gun away with a whip of his….tail? He pushed that detail to the back of his mind to be addressed later. Instead he opted to follow up with a firm roundhouse kick to the man's ribs, earning him a satisfying crack. Yoshi smirked at his effort but the man still stood.
How can this be possible? Does he not register pain?
Yoshi's brain began exploring what possible drug was strong enough to induce this level of pain-free intoxication all the while allowing him to maintain his wits in a fight. A growl reverberated through his throat yet the man stood undeterred. Then suddenly a van pulled up and screeched to a halt. The man glanced at his unconscious partner before making his hasty retreat to the van. As soon as he slid the side door closed, the van sped away.
Exhaustion overtook Yoshi's body as he fell down to his knees. It wasn't the battle that fatigued him; the transformation took its toll on his body. Shreds of clothing still clung to his body but his height and musculature seemed to have increased and had burst through the threading. Only the freshly grown coat of coarse fur protected his nearly nude body from the cold asphalt.
What a concept. Am I still naked if fur is nature's clothing?
He peered down in between his legs to a puddle of water. The reflection staring back was unrecognizable. He was no longer a 20-something year old Japanese man. Instead a brown furred rat stared back. The only recognizable feature left was his chocolate brown eyes. A hand groped the features to be sure his eyes were not deceiving him. His long trembling fingers traced the black stripes that graced his cheeks. As his new reality sank in, tears welled in his eyes and soft sobs escaped his throat.
America was supposed to be a fresh new start for Hamato Yoshi - a way to escape his past and start anew. He had only been in this foreign land for a few months – only long enough to find two menial jobs with a combined income sufficient enough to pay the rent on his small loft. He was living off of the basics. Fortunately he was not one who spent much his time in front of the television so he lived without cable. Electricity was reserved to power the refrigerator and, every once in a while, the lamp to light his way during late night bathroom visits. Otherwise he was satisfied with sitting by candle light as he read or meditated before retiring for the night. However as he searched for his place in this new land he found his nights growing increasingly more lonely. He should have been able to go home to a loving wife and be able to kiss his infant daughter, or would she have been a toddler by now? His life had been complete in Japan with Tang Shen and little Miwa. Now they were only memories. One rivalry had been taken too far, changing his life forever. The scene still haunted him: his wife murdered in front of his eyes, his house set ablaze, and the frightened wails of his baby girl as she burned inside.
"Aaaaaahhhhh!"
Sobs turned to anger-filled cries. As his fist pounded the ground, a piece of glass lodged itself beneath his sink. Wincing, Yoshi quickly retracted his hand. He cradled his hand to inspect his injury. Blood trickled down his hand and clung to his fur. He pinched the exposed glass between his index finger and thumb and pulled the shard out, releasing a pained grunt. He stared at the bloodied, concaved piece and soon recognized it as part of the dish that had held his new companions. Yoshi shook his head at the irony. He had just happened to pass by the store and noticed the sale sign for the turtles. His spirit stirred and, as if a magnetic force had taken over, guided him through the pet shop's door. There they were – four baby turtles – and the price had been right! Perhaps they were on clearance to make way for a new display but it didn't matter – they were in Yoshi's budget! The spirits must have been smiling on him – such a blessing to be united with these beautiful creatures. Yet, just like everything else had in the past year, he too was robbed of the turtles. Yoshi snorted at himself.
"You have completely lost your humanity, and you're concerned over turtles."
The overgrown rat pushed himself to his feet, contemplating his next course of action. His instincts urged him to retreat to safety – his apartment. Could he sneak back undetected? Of course he could. He was a ninja! – a shadow warrior! The dark was his greatest ally. But did he have the same agility in his new form? He held out well enough in battle though he relied on pure adrenaline and brute force. Would he be able to rely on the same stealth tactics he had mastered as a human in this new, heavier form?
"Wa-wa-waaaa!"
Yoshi's rat ears perked up at the sound, first soft but drastically increased in volume.
What was a child doing in an ally?
Keeping to the shadows, he followed the sound toward a dumpster. Scattered around the dumpster were a few bags that had spilled over the overstuffed can. Yoshi pushed a few of the bags to the side, and his eyes widened at the sight. There he lay, faced down on the ground. Tears streamed down his green cheeks as his thumb frantically struggled to make contact with his mouth. Yoshi reached his hand out and stroked the bald head before moving to probe the round shell. One of his turtles except this turtle was no longer small enough to fit in the palm of his hand. Rather, the he had grown to the size of a human infant. Yoshi's ministrations seemed to ease the turtle as his wails softened to whimpers. Green eyelids parted to reveal blood-shot baby blue eyes. The sight broke Yoshi's heart.
"Come, little one," he whispered, scooping the turtle into his arms. Old paternal instincts took over as he cradled the turtle in the same manner he once had with his daughter though the turtle felt heavier than how he had remembered. "I should have protected you better. I could not even stand the excruciating pain the ooze had caused. What toll did it have on your little body?"
Soft gasps answered him. Yoshi released a heavy sigh.
"What shall we do now? Hm?"
Yawn!
"I do not blame you. It indeed has been the most exhausting night."
The turtle snuggled into Yoshi's warm furry chest and released another large yawn, stretching his mouth as wide as possible. A smile pulled the corners of Yoshi's mouth but quickly faded as his heart sunk. He twitched his ears around and closed his eyes to enhance his focus. Silence. No other distressed wails. Yoshi's heart sunk and wondered if the turtle's luck had run out.
"Little Kame," he whispered not wanting to disturb the now slumbering infant. "Where are your brothers?!"
A/N: Important reference that I used subtly in this chapter. In Japanese culture, the turtle is a symbol of longevity, good luck, support, and felicity. Some of these qualities came to fruition while others were in conflict with the current situation of Hamato Yoshi. Hope you enjoyed. Already got thoughts rolling for the second chapter!
