Chapter Text
Rebuilding one’s life from the ground up is a monumental task. There was a place out there however that came highly recommended for anyone seeking a new start; America. To the city of New York, a completely different place literally on the other side of the world. It was what she needed to do for herself. She barely had any other sort of choice on the matter.
Hamato Shen could stay in Japan no longer. Her livelihood was burned to the ground, her life somehow spared. She wanted to stay, give her husband the honors he deserves, but their tormentor lived still. He must have believed she had perished in the house as well, for it was she herself that he had even come for in the first place.
Not taking the risk that he’d be deranged enough to come back for her supposed corpse, Shen gathered whatever she safely could and ran away. The whole way she never looks back, only gives her dear Yoshi silent prayers. Deep down she knows he understands, and maybe one day she’ll be able to come back…
Obviously, the beginning is the roughest part of Shen’s journey. Arriving on a new shore with but a single pack of belongings and her name. For a moment she had debated on changing it, for what if she was tracked and followed? In the end she chose to go back to her maiden name, while it hurt to lose another piece of her late beloved, it was his clan name that held misfortune. She can only hope that any who dared be after her would think she would be a fool to keep using her own name. A simple solution to a complicated situation.
For now she looked for work. Starting with whatever temporary positions she would be given. Sending many late night thanks to her dear Yoshi for teaching her English or else she'd be struggling way more than she already was. From maid services, to volunteering at shelters, to working behind a register at whatever place needed an extra body, Shen made herself a living. Only when she had finally earned enough to get her own proper apartment did she move on to a new step in her life; properly settling in and making this place her home.
The very first thought that came to her was how lonely she was. She had yet to connect to any of the people around her, though that was in part to how she was not ready to bring people back into her life like that. What she did crave in her loneliness was something different; an animal, a pet.
Back when Shen and Yoshi’s relationship was young, she had rescued this little brown rat and nursed it back to health. While Yoshi was initially confused for her caring for an unconventional animal, he was swayed by her kindness. Splinter was a bright little rodent that the two came to care for until he passed of old age. Shen missed the wonder and love from a pet like him. So why not get another? She could afford one and animals that weren’t cats or dogs were easier to house in an apartment without complications. Though she supposes a rat in New York may not be as accepting. Maybe not a rat then…
“Yoshi did enjoy the koi and turtles at the dojo. Fish and reptiles can be quite the commitment though.” Shen wondered to herself before getting herself down a rabbit hole of information. Libraries visited, books referenced, and what little of the internet she understood scoured. When she felt well-informed and financially ready, Shen entered her local pet store.
There was no little bell chime or personably greeting as Shen entered the building. The glass and metal door almost slams shut behind her and due to her once being around a dojo, she does not flinch from it. Looking around Shen sees an older teen behind the register and a good variety of aisles for her to go through. Knowing exactly what she needs, Shen bypasses the dog and cat areas without second thought. She does take a moment to look at and watch the rabbits that are kept near the middle of the store.
She sighs in her heart at the sight, but in all her searching she couldn’t find a shelter or rescue to acquire the type of animal she was looking for. With as common as these types of stores were, she can only hope the animals inside were taken care of well.
“I am not here for you little ones. May you find good homes soon.” Shen gives a bow of her head to the fluffy creatures before turning back towards her goal. The back of the store where the aquatic animals lie. While not here for fish, the pet she was looking for should be near this section. A turtle. The store’s site had stated they carry good beginner turtles for home tanks and the species that stood out to Shen was the Reeves’ Turtle.
Though hope soon dwindled as when Shen looks upon the tank said turtle should be in is revealed to be empty. A bold sticker slapped over the info-panel stating ‘SOLD’. She can’t stop the pout that creeps onto her face. Guess she’d have to wait to grow her family. Perhaps when home she could rearrange the tank she had started to prep. Another turtle is bound to be at this store. Or maybe she can see about going to a farther out location? Though Shen was trying to avoid taking a vulnerable animal on public transport and stay within walking distance of her home.
“She got purchased yesterday.” A young lady enters the aisle, broom in hand. Ah, she must have been stewing in her thoughts for a while now.
“I see.” Shen releases the sigh she was holding back and continues to look longingly at the empty tank.
“...She wasn’t the only turtle in the store. Even if it seems that way.” The employee creeps a bit closer to Shen. “They aren’t out on display because they are young, but we have four babies here. Would you like to see them?”
“Am I allowed?” Shen asks in return.
“I did ask, didn't I? Come on, follow me ma’am.” The girl gestures with her hand and starts to leave the aisle. Shen follows along. She watches as the employee puts away the broom in her hand and goes to a door labeled ‘Employee’s Only’.
“Wait right here and I’ll bring them out.” The girl smiles and enters through the door. In a manner of minutes, she’s back out with a decent sized tank in her arms. Shen immediately looks to the small creatures inside it. Four small turtles, each with a colored sticker placed on their shells. The one with a blue dot against the top of its shell seems to be watching her back. The purple and red dotted ones are huddled near a back corner with their eyes on the employee. Meanwhile, the littlest one with an orange sticker on its rear is walking around pushing against the enclosure’s dirt while it goes.
“These guys are actually the sons of the other turtle. What a surprise that was! The blue guy hatched first, purple and red hatched days after him, though purple was a few minutes earlier than red, and orange took so long to hatch we worried he wouldn’t for a while there. Any of them take your fancy?” The employee leads Shen over to a counter where she could place the tank down.
With the question in mind Shen continues to look on over the young ones. Her heart thumps as she thinks about separating these brothers. Sure, turtles don’t think about that kind of thing, but she couldn’t help the worry she felt in her gut though. She couldn’t break up a family. And so she makes an impulsive decision instead.
“Would it be possible to take them all by chance?”
“All four? That’s a lot to take on.” The employee looks at Shen worriedly.
“I can do it. Please?” Shen gives the girl a smile - the one she’s been told no one could ever resist. It does its job as the girl sighs and returns the smile.
“Alright. Do you have everything for turtle care at home or do you need to buy some supplies alongside them?”
“Luckily, I have a very large tank at home as I was expecting to spoil a single turtle, it can repurpose to a decent one for four. Especially as small as they are right now. Perhaps just a few more care supplies and whatever food you recommend.”
“Yes ma’am! You just hang out right here, I’ll go grab some things for you.” The employee darts off, leaving Shen with the baby turtles. She chuckles and meets the eyes of the blue stickered one.
“Hello little one.” She tells him. Blue chirps back at her, which seems to catch the attention of his siblings. Soon four little necks are outstretched and four pairs of eyes all meet hers.
“Yes, yes, hello to all of you.” More chirps erupt from the babies as Shen starts to chuckle.
By the time the employee returns with items in hand, Shen had continued on with her one-way conversation with the turtles and each one looked to be enraptured by her. All four had crawled up to the closest corner of their tank to Shen and were almost on top of one another as they listened to her.
“Oh, how cute! They really like you. Especially Purple, he’s usually super shy.” The employee tries to keep her voice low as she gets Shen’s attention. Despite her best efforts though, the babies notice that the girl was back and they start to scoot away.
“Let’s get them to their new home.” Shen smiles to the employee and she gets an enthusiastic nod in return. She is soon checked out and outside. A travel tank full of curious young turtles and a bag full of care supplies in hand.
While this was not how Shen expected her day to go, she couldn’t help but feel happier than she had in quite some time. Four is going to be a lot of work and responsibility, but Shen felt ready. Sure she’ll have to do some adjusting with her setup at home and start reworking her budget. It will all work out though, she could just feel it deep in her gut.
She takes a moment to look back down to her new pets. With their colored stickers all standing out, she has a sudden recollection. Sitting at home on one of her shelves is a book that she managed to save from her old home. While it was burned, she could still remember its contents fondly. A book of art, specifically of Italian artists. It was Yoshi’s favorite and he had even filled it with color-coded notes. Recalling which color was for which artist, she knows just what she’ll name her new reptile sons.
“Leonardo,” Shen hums and focuses on the blue-stickered turtle.
“Donatello,” She smiles when the purple-stickered turtle chirps back at her.
“Raphael,” The red-sticker turtle bobs his head as her gaze passes over him.
“And Michelangelo.” A laugh escapes her as the orange-sticker turtle starts tapping his feet against the dirt of their tank.
“I will raise you children well.” Shen whispers to all the little turtles before turning her head up to the cloudy sky above, “Well Yoshi, you always did say I’d make a good mother. Let’s see if I can live up to that.”