They fall out of their bed into the cold, unforgiving concrete of a New York alleyway. They look all over the place frantically, confused, until they meet the eyes of a newly-mutated Splinter.
He shies away, and they know immediately why they were placed there. Even if it wasn't the reason for it, they knew they had to help him as much as they could without doing harm. It took them a lot to speak first, as it always did, but they would smile warmly at him, turning towards him with crisscrossed legs.
"Hey. Would you like some help with those four?" They glance at the turtle tots in his arms. He clutches the chirping, clicking, and squirming turtles closer.
"Who are you? Why are you offering your help?" He narrows his eyes. "You do not know me, do you? Who sent you after me?" They pause, their smile wavering for a moment, taking a deep breath and shaking their head before continuing with another warm smile.
"I haven't ever really had a real name, so... just call me Pink for now. I'm... an oracle of sorts." It wasn't entirely a lie, but the full truth could come later. "I do know you, but nobody sent me after you. I just want to make sure your children's future is at least somewhat better than what I have seen."
He hesitates, looking the teen human over for any lie, any indication that they were mystic as they said. They had short, side-parted hair, bike shorts, no shoes, glasses, and a ripped-up, black Calvin Klein shirt(who was that?) over a lime-green tank tank top. There seemed to be nothing to support their claim.
He studies their face, seemingly genuine- they could still be good at lying, so he would test them. "If that's true... what's my name?"
Pink huffs a nervous laugh. "Which one? You have like, three. These four," they gesture at the chirping turtles in his arms, "know you as Splinter. And dad, obviously, but that could apply to many people, so whatever. Your most recent name was Lou Jitsu, and your first name was... I think Yoshi Hamato? Hamato Yoshi, sorry- I forgot about the order switching thing, sorry." They rub at the back of their neck, smiling awkwardly with another breathy laugh.
It was... certainly something, but not enough for Lou. His mouth forms to a thin line. "Right. Then... how did I end up with these four?" he asks, holding up the three turtles in his arms. Wait, three?
Pink makes an odd noise, reaching quickly for the escaping box turtle. "Going up..." they coo, pulling him closer. He reorients himself in their palm, and Pink can't help but smile at the little one's innocent confusion. Lou feels his hair stand on end, but the fear dampens when Pink only reaches to delicately scratch at the top of the turtle's head.
"Hey, little guy," they coo softly, visibly melting as he chirps and leans into it. They shake their head, turning back to the new father in front of them. "Sorry. They were...
...made artificially by a goat yokai who aimed to make soldiers to defeat a prophesied evil. He got the enemy wrong, and... he won't realize that, not for a long while. But he was successful in creating the turtle-teens to stop this threat." They smile warmly, still looking down at the bundle of cuteness still squirming in their palm. Lou doesn't respond, processing their words with an indescribable but subtle emotion.
The box turtle attempts to climb onto Pink's wrist, which causes them to clasp him in between their hands with a cat-like noise. He chirps and clicks in annoyance. "I know, but you can't, you'll fall off." He attempts again, and they click twice, which he finally understands, sitting back in their palm.
They smile again, giggling as they go to gently pet the top of his head, which he chirps happily at. "I can't stay mad at you, you little cutie..." Lou's eyes widen as he notices the human behind them a moment too late.
Pink clutches the box turtle close as a human yanks them to their feet. "Get away from this poor girl, you foul man!" Pink yanks themselves out of the woman's grip, turning towards her.
"That's my dad, woman!" they snap, thinking of the lie quickly. The woman only seems offended.
"Then he should be turned into the police! No drug addict should be taking care of a teen girl." Pink scoffs, scrunching their nose and baring their unstraightened teeth.
"He got fucked over by capitalism, dumb bitch! Now go before I bite your head off in self-defense!" The woman scoffs, only backing off and leaving once Pink growls at her. Pink huffs, Lou's eyes widening at how easily they went to defend him and his new children.
He pauses, thinking before turning back to Pink with a question. "Pink." They turn back to him. "If... my children really grow into teens, where is it that we live?" Pink hesitates, trying to think of how to say it.
"I... know what it looks like, but not exactly where it is. But you're right, we should go as soon as we can." They uncover the box turtle in their hand, turning so Lou can see him. "I can carry this one and L- this one." They crouch in front of Lou, pointing to the red-eared slider and holding their hand out. Lou barely hesitates before nodding and letting Pink grab the noisy turtle from his arms.
The softshell notices him gone and clicks incessantly, the slider doing the same as Pink realizes their connection has been since mutation. They comfortingly churr to the best of their ability, hoping that by sounds and gestures, they will get across their point to the new mutants.
"You're not being abandoned, you'll be able to see him the entire time. It's okay, you're still together." *Chrrp, chrrr-rr...*
They click a couple more times before getting the point, at which point Pink goes to stand up, shuffling the turtles to the same arm and offering a hand to Lou. He accepts, keeping the snapper and softshell close as he begins to follow the kind human through the alleyway.
They look through the alleyways, out into the streets- they grab a conveniently-placed ladder, turning and looking out onto the oddly-barren streets of New York. They go once they realize the coast is clear, heading to the nearest sewer grate. Lou cringes, following them.
"A sewer?..." Pink nods, lifting it with surprising ease.
"Yes- you would've gone this route, anyway," they explain, setting the ladder to go down it with their free hand. "And even if we're not close to the lair, it's still better to travel underground where no one can see us." They take a deep breath, nervously and slowly turning to head down the ladder first as Lou keeps a lookout for any people or cars.
He follows in silence, letting Pink take the remaining turtles from his arms temporarily so he can close the grate behind them. The snapping turtle tries waddling down the tunnel, but Pink spots him.
"Hey-*Chrrrp-click!*" He turns his head, and Pink points to him, then flaps a free hand towards themselves. "You, stay close. *Clickclick, chrrrp.*" He comes back, leaving Lou confused as he walks over.
"How do you keep doing that?" he asks, taking the softshell in his arms. He moves to the snapper, but Pink lightly stops him.
"If he wants to walk alongside us, let him- it's not hurting him as long we keep him from going too far," they say softly, keeping an eye on the curious older turtle as they grab the ladder. They walk along for a few moments, then Pink hums.
"For your question, you kinda need a mama tone," they start, keeping their gaze on the snapper as they speak. "It's kinda universal across species. It's a mix of that, and speaking their language. Clicks usually mean "hey, pay attention," or "there's something bothering me," so it's got more of a negative connotation. Chirps and churrs have a more positive connotation, so I've been using them interchangeably so the boys know there's no immediate danger." Splinter nods along, a bit surprised at how calm this kid appears to be.
...They travel along in relative silence together, occasionally interrupted with soft clicks from Pink when the oldest turtle strays too far.
"So... you know our future." Pink glances at Splinter. "What... what are they named?" Pink smiles.
"I didn't want to interfere with your process," they answer softly. "What do you wanna name them?" Splinter hums, thinking for a moment.
"...you started with an L for this one earlier." He points to the red-eared slider in Pink's arms, and they nod. He pauses, thinking. "...Leonardo, then." Pink smiles, humming and nodding for him to continue.
"...hm. Donatello, Michelangelo, and Raphael," Splinter decides, pointing to the softshell, box turtle, and snapper in turn. Pink hums.
"Actually, you swapped them."
"I'm joking, sorry," they admit with a laugh. "You also name them after colors, if I remember correctly- they end up colorcoded at least, and you've definitely called them by said colors before. You- hey! *Click-ick!*" Raphael turns his head, staying close. "Hold his hand please- he's been going too far too often." Splinter holds out his hand, and they all pause so Raph gets situated, holding onto his father's hand. They continue as before.
"As I was saying, Leo's color is blue, Mikey's orange, Donnie's purple, and Raph's red. That's... actually why I named myself Pink," they admit, looking away. "I thought I might as well try to fit in in some way. Since... I don't know. I think I'm gonna have to stay with you guys, that's all." Splinter blinks in surprise.
"What?" Pink raises an eyebrow.
"What do you mean, "what?" I've been walking around with you guys in the sewers looking for your future lair. Why is it so surprising that I'm staying with you guys?" He shakes his head.
"No no no, I cannot take you in. You must have a family somewhere that cares for you, right?" Pink continues to look away.
"I mean... I did, but you saw the portal I fell out of. I can't go back home anymore."
"But then... how are you taking all of this do easily?" Pink shrugs.
"I'm weird like that- I never really grieved like a normal person. Besides, I figured I was supposed to be here. Be it fate or some powerful being with an intention, I couldn't just do nothing if I knew what would happen to you all."
"...what... do you know, then?"
"...not... as much as you might think. My vision was given to me a long time ago, and I don't have it with me. But I do know the important things. Oh- like this place!" Pink exclaims, looking around what appears to be a normal sewer system to Splinter. They turn to him, smiling. "The lair should be close by! Follow me."
They head to the nearest place connecting the sides of the tunnels, quickly heading across with the turtles and ladder still clutched in their arms. Leonardo clicks at the distance from Donatello, and Pink pauses sheepishly to wait for Splinter with the remaining two turtles. Raphael clicks and chirps in mild distress.
"*Chrrrp,* I know, we'll rest in just a second- can you pick him up, please?" Splinter nods, crouching and adjusting so he can tiredly scoop up the clicking snapper. Pink continues to lead the way, making sure not to go too fast as they turn the corner and head straight down the tunnel.
Pink giggles, heading into a wide open space, leaving Splinter to blink as the sunlight filters through a grate in the ceiling. He looks around the space in awe- it's not too special, but it's large, and relatively clean.
Pink turns back to face him, smiling. "Welcome, movie star Lou Jitsu, to you and your kids' new lair!" They drop the ladder on the floor, going to sit on the ground with their legs crossed and let Michelangelo and Leonardo explore a small spot of the floor.
"It's not much right now, but it'll be amazing in the future." Splinter sits by them, setting down Raphael and Donatello, who immediately crawls over to happily reunite with his twin. Pink continues to smile at the small bundles of joy, but Splinter spots the tiredness in their eyes.
"Hey- Pink." They turn to him, their smile just barely faltering as he opens his arms to them. They pause, their face going to rest, then turning to a frown as tears well in their eyes. They scoot over, accepting the hug and letting themselves cry softly in Splinter's arms. There's a solemn look on his face, and he holds them closer, accepting that they're now also his to protect.
Leonardo starts to click after a few moments, and Pink turns back to the turtle tots, wiping at their eyes. "*Chrrp? Chrr-rrp?*" He continues clicking, and for once, Pink seems at a loss as to what's wrong. They turn to Raphael, clicking to get his attention.
"Raph. Can you tell me what he needs? Food, sleep?" They pat at their stomach, then turn their head to rest on their hands and close their eyes. They chirp questioningly, nodding to Leonardo. Raphael pauses, then chirps questioningly at Leonardo, who answers with clicks. Raphael pauses again, mimicking Pink and patting his stomach.
Pink huffs a laugh, the both of them surprised at that working. "Thank you, buddy," they coo softly, leaning in to press a kiss to his forehead, and he chirps happily.
"But how are we supposed to feed them?" Splinter asks, and Pink turns to him. "It's not like I can get a job with, well... this whole situation." Pink smiles as he gestures to his face, then they pause.
"I think... maybe to start out with, you might need to go to the surface and steal things for us. That sounds bad, but I'm serious- I'm the only one still human enough between us for a job, like you said."
"Implied, then. We need to keep my face clean so I can find something to do to ethically take care of the money situation."
"Ethically? How old are you?"
"Fifteen, but they won't know the difference if I say I'm eighteen. I'm pretty much full grown already, and I can excuse anything else as being baby-faced." Leonardo's clicks grow louder, and Pink's expression hardens a bit.
"Look, we can work out the details later. I can take care of the turtles for now, you need to go up there and grab something they can eat."
"Splints, do we really have any other options? We can't ask the humans for help. They'll just freak out. And if we go to the Hidden City, who knows who could find us. Just go grab some baby formula, water, and stuff to mix it with for right now. And grab anything else you think we'll need for tonight. Now go!"
Splinter pauses, then nods, standing up and grabbing the ladder before heading towards the tunnel they entered from. Pink sighs, comforting Donatello as he clicks distressedly at his father's absence.
It's gonna be okay... it's gotta be. It has to be. あなたわ ひとりじゃない. You're not alone, Yoshi. You're not alone, Pink one.
Carol O'Neil hums, flipping the page of her book. Kirby O'Neil is nearby, playing with their young daughter April within the kid-friendly library.
"Excuse me, ma'am? I'm really, really sorry to interrupt your reading." Carol looks up from her book, meeting the gaze of a nervous, short-haired, glasses-wearing teen. She reads their employee tag, finding the name "Rose Splinterson," before looking back up. Why are they an employee here at the library?
"Yeah? What did you need, sweetheart?" Carol asks softly, putting a bookmark in her book and closing it in her lap. Rose sighs, looking around a bit.
"It's- I'm so sorry to bother you, ma'am."
"No- honey, you're fine. What's wrong?" Rose hesitates.
"It's just- I've got a situation, and it's gonna sound a bit crazy. Especially because you may or may not be one of the only ones I know of that could help..." Carol raises an eyebrow, reaching towards her bag.
"Well, it's not really crazy, but I've got-"
"Nonono, not that," they interrupt, now seemingly more nervous than ever. "Not that at all. I've- look, I've got some people that need help, and I can't help them alone." Carol's expression hardens.
"Dear, do you need me to call the cops?" she asks, her voice low.
"No- nonono! Just... it's hard to explain without proof of the problem's existence. Do... do you mind just taking a small walk with me to show you? I promise, we'll be right back in here with your husband and kid as soon as possible, it should only take a few minutes."
...Carol pauses. This feels like a scam, but at the same time... there's no indication that this person is lying. A mother always knows, after all. She nods, and Rose sighs in relief, letting her stand up from her chair and sling her bag over her shoulder.
"Thank you so much- I'm on break, this won't take long at all." Carol nods.
"Of course, baby. I just need to tell my husband-"
"Yes, of course, that's fine, I get it. Go ahead, I'll be at the entrance," Rose murmurs, quickly heading to the door. Carol knows she should be... more afraid than she is, but there's something telling her to continue on.
"Kirby, honey?" He looks up as she walks over. "Would you mind keeping your eyes on April for a minute? This sweet girl's asking me for help, and I just can't say no." He nods, smiling and playfully saluting.
"Yes, ma'am! You go on, I've got- wait, where's April?!" He looks around frantically, and Carol smirks, pointing to a giggling April disappearing into the bookshelves. Kirby yelps and heads after her, while Carol affectionately rolls her eyes before heading to the entrance of the building.
Rose is holding their arms, rubbing at them and hopping a bit on their feet. They spot Carol coming over, and they go to hold onto their bag's crossbody strap.
"Again- thank you so much for doing this for me, Mrs. O'Neil." Rose holds open the door for her, and she hesitates but steps out. They follow her, glancing at her before heading to the side of the building. Carol hesitates once more, every bone in her body telling her to turn back. But she continues on.
She gets closer, listening intently for anything dangerous and instead finding... chirps?
She turns the corner, meeting the eyes of a still-nervous Rose. They're standing near what appears to be a homeless man, holding four... odd-looking turtles, who he's quietly shushing.
"Oh... oh, baby..." Carol steps closer. What was she supposed to do? She couldn't take in a man, his daughter, and four turtles.
"This- this is... Yoshi," Rose murmurs, glancing down at the man who pulls back his hood to reveal animalistic ears. Carol's eyes widen. "And... we need help. You can already see, he's- y'know, not human. We found a place to live, we just need help with... almost everything else, really," they murmur.
"These four aren't normal turtles, either." The largest one looks between Rose and Mrs. O'Neil, chirping a question that Rose nods to. He wags his tail, waddling towards her and hugging her leg with another chirp. "They're... essentially the minds of human kids. Well- babies, and that one's kind of a toddler, but... still. I was hoping, maybe- since you're a mom, yourself... you would understand us and could help?"
...Carol looks up from the turtle tot at her feet, looking over the situation again. Why... why did they choose her, out of everyone? Why did this teen trust her in the first place?
She couldn't just leave them. She sighs, crouching down and gently resting her hand on the chirping snapper's head. "Of course I'll help you, baby. You are gonna have to explain a couple things, though." Rose chuckles softly.
I WAS gonna add another section, but this post is already insanely long in my book 😅
so... I made another AU lolololol(that isn't leo-focused for once! people have done this before, but ykyk lolol)
discoholicmusic
baratheonpilled
ellievsbear
