Frost
私は過去の甘さを味わうことができる
This fiction is dedicated to all of my reviewers.
(Especially you devoted ones......^^)
Mikell, you're right....I forgot to mention their diets.....
Gomen Nasai.
I had to do a lot of research on babies on the internet...learned quite a bit.
Be a fanfiction-learn something. Pleasant, or not.
Quote:
"On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him."
Chapter Seven: Eucalyptus: Protection
Pale wax slowly slid down the candlestick, occasionally hardening before reaching the bottom into hardened tears.
As Number One continued to quietly gaze at Splinter's shoulder with unfocused eyes, Splinter turned to face the makeshift sling he had
constructed from cloth and rubber....
...and the container.
That started it all.
Much to Splinter's surprise....
...newborn turtles did not have any teeth.
Actually, since they were....what they were......did that mean they would get teeth in the future? It seemed so, by studying their gums. Very much
alike to that of a human.
Oh, dear.
Did this mean Splinter was going to have to be here when the turtles went through....the procedure of.... teething?
.....unpleasant.
But that was a crossroad that could wait until they came to it.
And already, what was happening now was that all four of them proved to be.....colics.
Splinter shuddered at the thought of the unpleasant word. He had asked a pharmacist what uncolsable sobbing meant.....
"Colic usually affects babies in the first few weeks of their lives but generally goes after about four months. Crying can be intense and furious and
it may last for several hours a day over a few weeks. Although crying can occur at any time, it usually gets worse in the late afternoon and
evening, and can affect your baby's sleep. It is unknown what causes Colic, though specialists suggest a pain in the chest cavity or stomach."
Oh, no....
No wonder they seemed so miserable at times. Poor turtles. He supposed, since Turtle One had his knees drawn tightly to his stomach as Splinter
approached....that would explain.
He was too afraid to try and give them any medication yet-there wasn't any created for colic anyway.....
Splinter rocked once again, back and forth. The turtle seemed at peace, but he did not close his eyes. He wondered vaguely how long it would
take before they fully mastered it.
It had been revealed that each turtle was a boy. And they all shared the same markings on their shells, so it was a safe bet they were all related,
at the very least. Siblings, perhaps?
Splinter managed to reach for his teacup on the table nearby, once again, rocking back and forth, taking quiet sips.
The Rat's appetite had grown now that he was.....this. Food-and much more of it, now-had to be procurred.
And NOW there were four little souls that had to feed....
...at least they didn't eat much yet. They could only stomach so much. Splinter was careful not to give them anything that could potentially cause
them to throw up.
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It made Splinter feel awful, having to use his Master's belongings and items. His insides churned with hot guilt and shame.
It felt WRONG, taking his Master's possesions like so.
Splinter had blinked.
The odd burning in his eyes was coming back, more and more frequently.....
But he had no choice.
If it was just a matter of keeping the mutated rat alive...it might have been a little different.
...but there were...people who depended on the rat more then ninety percent.
Pretty much an even 100.
So, after using food that had still been in his Master's home, Splinter used currency on the human streets, wrapped in a blue robe with a hood.
He found, that drinking water-sewer water was just bad news, but fresh, collected rainwater wasn't really too bad-actually made him a lot more
full when he drank a large amount before consuming.
Useful fact to know....
As of right now, the turtles had a very limited diet. They mostly drank milk, seeing as their digestive systems still couldn't handle much.
....he thought numbers Two and Three preferred water. Occasionally, on the rare occasions that the turtles ate, it was either shredded lettuce,
rice, or applesauce.
At least plenty of spare change had fallen into the sewers. Rats often collected shiny things worth of interest-the things he had collected were on
a nearby table-and,very thankfully- he still could understand the rat's tounge.
Rats would sometimes whisper to him about hidden storages of shiny objects-it was incredible just how many PENNIES were lost a year!
Let alone over three or so years....
Hopefully, it would do for now. If he had to become a thief....
....it would be quite a striking blow at his honor....but, if it was for-
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"Grrrmmmmm," commented Turtle Number One.
Splinter jerked a bit out of his reverie, blinking once as the turtle squirmed a bit in the rat's arms.
"Grrrmmmmm," he commented again, as if worried Splinter had not been listening.
A small smile appeared on the rat's face.
Turtle 2 had said the same thing a few hours ago....
The crate. That little smashed crate.
It was the only explanation for their metamorphosis.
Curiousity had burned at the rat's soul to the point that he was getting ready to go back, away from their little alcove.
After a day, it had gotten apparent that the burrow was a little small for the five of them, so the rat tracked down an isolated alcove he'd found in on a
day of exploring. It had four rooms....more then enough for them. It did not smell of human contact...if, there had ever had been any.
The fact that it was hidden behind delapidated brick and wood was a definite plus.
The turtles had been most reluctant to take a nap that day, so Splinter made himself a makeshift sling that could carry two turtles at once, while he held
onto the other two.
Splinter raced across old shortcuts, carefully leapt over canals, until....
Yes. Splinter, with some difficulty, managed to glance behind his back.
Turtles Three and One were dozing. Guess that theory worked....bit like a car.
Two and Four were in Splinter's arms, Two asleep, Four still looking inquisitively about him.
Well, at least he had stopped crying. Number Four had been stricken pretty badly by a spasm of colic this morning.....completely incolsable, for usually
such a bright hearted child....
Ah! Here was the canister!
Broken....and nothing in it now....but...
Splinter slowly put Number Four on his knee as he carefully sat, pulling the heavy canister to him as if he were holding grade A explosives.
Was this reversible? Would it wear off?
Splinter....actually hoped not. He had grown used to the body....
...even if it came with a trove of sorrowful memories.
Well, he would have to bring this back with them toni-
SPLASH!
And Turtle Four slipped off and splashed into the water.
Splinter's eyes practically bulged out of his sockets as he immediately dropped the canister and wrenched forward, seizing the boy's small wrist!
"NO! I-"
Splinter's cry awoke the other turtles....who began blinking, ready to sob....but rather bemused at the sight of their youngest brother, wet, and
spluttering. He seemed too shocked to wail.
"Little one! Daijobu desu ka?!"
Even as Splinter learned to use speech instead of squeaking, it was strictly Japanese, with only basic English sayings here and there.
Splinter clenched Turtle Four, careful not to shake him. (DO NOT. UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES. Shake a newborn wildly.)
"Gomen Nasai...gomen nasai....sorry....I am sorry..."
A small smile grew on turtle number four's lips.
Splinter stopped dead, staring at him.
The boy's eyelids drooped, and he closed them, murmuring to himself a bit.
The rat nearly had passed out....and the child...just...
"Grrrmmmmm," muttered Turtle Two, looking ready to fall asleep again.
Gathering the crate-and his wits, Splinter headed home, one thought on his mind:
Thank heavens his Master had kept aspirin.
Splinter just shook his head slowly in the darkness, eyes closed, a faint smile on his lips.
Splinter started. Darkness?
He had been sitting it for...how long? The candle had burned itself out, wisps of smoking following, giving the room a strog scent of beeswax.
Oh, no....
The kid was still awake! His eyes stayed open.... and the rat searched his mind for something to make them rest.
What was something people did to make infants sleep......?
Something occurred to him, and he initially forced the idea back down, dismissing it as ridiculous.
Seeing the child looking at him with those huge eyes, though, made Splinter change his opinion...(don't blame him folks...who can resist chibi
eyes?) and, slightly embarassed, began to hum a tune someone had hummed before him...
Moshi ima kanashimi afureru nara
Watashi ni motarete naite ii kara...
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It had not taken very long.
As Splinter gently sank the child down to the blanketed crate, he suddenly grabbed Splinter's finger in his tiny fist.
A small smile (that might have been the result of the colic....but it looked genuine) twitched on his face for a second as his hand slid from
Splinter's.
Splinter felt a grin come to him in the darkness, then quicly put a hand to his face.
Why was that burning....
Yep, he had allergies.
Watching the turtles for a minute, he carefully set another blanket on top of them.
Might as well look up that English word before he went to bed.
Splinter flicked through the onionskin pages, squinting.
Begonia....Begone.....Besieged....too far, go back.....
Ah! Here was the word he had been looking for!
be⋅lov⋅ed: –adjective 1. greatly loved; dear to the heart. –noun 2. a person who is greatly loved.