Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Sho is not young, he isn't really old either. No, pushing to the age of 96 Sho is ancient. He looks it, and he can feel it. Time and stress of being the Hamato Clan patriarch had not been kind to him. Years of constant hiding and consistent loss would wear anyone down. Sho’s unique ninpo allowed him to always feel and map out where his family members were in the world; he knows the joy when a new member is born or adopted into the clan and the sorrow when one leaves. These days Sho mostly feels the latter from his ninpo. The Hamato Clan was shrinking, drastically. Ever since Hamato Atsuko (his daughter and Yoshi's mother) joined the ancestors there began to be a steady decrease in the lives of the Hamato Clan. Too fast to be coincidence, Yoshi being one of them.

Sho remembers that loss clearly. He was watching the morning news and shows when suddenly a picture of Yoshi popped up and an announcement was made, about the disappearance of Kung Fu action Star Lou Jitsu. Soon after his disappearance Sho’s grandson was proclaimed dead and the cause was presumed to be foul play. In a panic Sho had called up his ninpo and frantically searched the Americas, but no matter how hard he looked he could not find him, Yoshi was gone. That feeling of loss has stayed fresh and tender, even after 10 long years.

Yoshi’s sudden disappearance from his senses had racked Sho with sorrow and regret that strengthened him in continuing his vigil, trying to protect and support his remaining family members when and where he could. Sho tried to send out warnings and cautions to the clan and small funds for members to move to different locations; however the majority of them were like him, old and tired. There was only so long that they could run and hide before they were discovered and lost.

Sho believes it's the Foot clan. “Ruthless savages,” he mutters. Sho cursed them every day, worried that the Foot’s century long patience game was starting to win now that they were becoming more aggressive in taking down the Hamatos. He knows what they’re after, Hamato essence, using it to power their mystic devices used to gather the Kuroi Yōroi. It is a futile attempt, Sho knows this, killing a Hamato only adds to the power of the ancestors! However, that knowledge doesn't take the sting of losing precious family members away. Or eases the worry of who will continue to stand guard if no Hamato is left standing.

So imagine Sho’s joy and surprise when suddenly in the middle of his evening meditation and clan check up, Sho feels and sees Yoshi’s soul pop up! He is alive! And to add more to that joy Sho can also see and feel four new tiny and lively souls with Yoshi! There are new Hamatos! There is hope!

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful morning in a small country town. Birds and bugs cheerfully going about their business in a small Tsuboniwa garden. Sho meditated in the peaceful scenery and appeared outwardly just as peaceful, but internally he was struggling.

“Come one. Come on.” Sho pushed himself further into his search for Yoshi’s ninpo, his soul, attempting to make a connection for a mind meld. However, no matter how hard he called, there was only silence. He still didn’t stop, he couldn’t! “Come on…. Come on, where are you Yoshi….” Sho opened his eyes with a sigh and activated his nimpo to check the Hamato map again, yep, there was Yoshi and his little Hamato’s lights, camped in the New York City area. So why? Why can’t he reach them? Sho can see them moving around in the city so why isn’t he talking to him? Is Yoshi still mad at him?

Suddenly there was a hand on his shoulder, he looked up to see his first cousin Michio, a tall thin and elderly man with sharp cheekbones and long silvery hair tied up in a knot “Sho, take a break. Persistently trying to pester Yoshi won’t make him reach out anytime soon. That boy is stubborn and disrespectful. What if he is just ignoring you?”

“If Yoshi is ignoring my mind meld link then I will simply travel to New York to find him.”

Michio laughs, “Seriously?! Sho, you’re too old to travel! You’d never even make it out of Japan.”

“H-hey!” Sho sputters, “I’m not that old! I can still do the seven deadly vipers move!”

That only puts Michio into another fit of giggles, Sho just sits there pouting.

“Hahahaha. but seriously, Sho, I don’t understand why you’re wasting your time. Come on, it's been a month!” Sho just sighs in response. Michio more tenderly continues, “Why do you want to help? I'm happy that Yoshi isn’t dead *cough* and no longer seems to be in the limelight *cough.* But Yoshi did abandon the clan. He disrespected you and our ways. Leaving you, the clan patriarch alone to protect us, and essentially ending the main bloodline of the family. So why reach out? He’ll just bring more dishonour again.”

Sho sighs again, but he is quick to answer Michio's question, “Because I miss my grandson Michio.” Sho takes a moment to ground himself before continuing. “Yes, Yoshi did cut off all contact with me and the clan but he never stopped caring for us. During his time in stardom I would receive monthly letters with money enclosed. The letters never had a sender's address but I know it was from him! He also started a dojo so that the less fortunate could learn to defend themselves, which is the core of the Hamato way.” Sho turns to look at an astonished Michio, “I want to thank him for that Michio. I also can not shake the feeling that Yoshi needs help! Plus we have new additions to the main family bloodline now! There's so few of us left. I want to meet my great great grandkids!”

A moment of silence passes between the two. Then, tenderly Michio puts his hand on Sho’s knee, “Just don’t overwork yourself Sho.”

For the rest of the week Sho stays with Michio, and his cousin’s visiting daughter Aoi and her son Koji. Sho wishes safety to his extended family reminding them to be cautious of their enemies before peacefully and happily heading back to his home city. Barely a week after Sho’s visit he feels a distinct shattering loss from his ninpo. He activates his power and immediately checks the Hamato map, Michio and his family’s lights are gone. Later the news would release a story about a devastating car “accident” that happened on the countryside.

The next days were ones of urgency and distress. Sho is reaching out left and right to the remaining Hamatos, telling them about the loss of Michio, Aoi, and Toji. He then sent out whatever funds he could, counselling the clan members to either move or hide. Sho is trying with new desperation to reach Yoshi but he still can’t make a connection! He needs to know if he is safe, and if he would be willing, let him pass on the Hamato heirlooms to him! Sho is in the middle of another failed mind meld when two more lights, Hamato Hisomi and Chikara, disappear from the map. The pair lived in the city just next to Sho’s. He was being hunted, he needed to move!

It finally happens. Sho was near the end of frantically packing when his back seized and he fell to the floor.

“Come on! Seriously!?” he shouts to no one in particular, he tries to get up but his back pops again forcing him to lay back down and breathe through the pain. It is in that moment, stuck on the ground in pain and frustrated, that Sho feels a tingle. This is one that he is familiar with, a ninja mind meld tingle. Someone was trying to talk to him.

He examines the feeling further, he can tell that it is a Hamoto but not one he knows as the ninpo energy feels twisted, splintered, mutated. But it is still a Hamato so he answers.

“Grandpa?” It's Yoshi!

“Yoshi!” He doesn't hesitate to enter the astral plane to complete the connection. The moment the connection is made Sho sees Yoshi’s essence, he looks young and in his Lou Jutsi outfit, this surprises Sho at first but then he feels the exhaustion and worry coming off of Yoshi in waves.

“Grandpa! I don't have a lot of time right now but I need help.”

“Yoshi, where are you? Are you safe? How did you get ki… Ah!” Sho tries to sit up in urgency but his back cracks again causing him to break focus and lose connection. He curses his old bones! Yoshi needs help! Sho makes up his mind; He’s gotta be fast, the Foot is no doubt on his trail already, he has to start moving the heirlooms. However, that’ll require some help. It breaks him to admit but the Hamato family in Japan is compromised. Whatever assistance he gets, it can’t be Hamato.

It's a few hours before he could move off the floor, when he does he goes to his phone. He looks through the old contacts book next to the dial up for the name of his close friend, Professor Ryan Hobo. He hesitates for a moment, realising the traditions he’s about to break before he stills himself and calls the number.

The phone rings once, twice, “Moshi, moshi” answers a jovial voice

“Ryan, it’s Sho. I…”

“Sho?! My friend! What a delight it is to hear your voice” the jolliness in the man’s demeanour grows “How fairs thou? We haven't conversed in what feels like years! What brings you to call me at this time in the night?”

“Ryan, I-I need help.”

Chapter Text

Sho leans back into his seat with a sigh. That last week has been nothing but complicated and stressful for him. Ryan truly was a saving grace; he immediately agreed to help Sho with whatever he needed. Sho hadn’t told Ryan about his ninja life, so to exclude that part of his story he simply told the Professor that he was being evicted in a few days and needed a trusted friend to look after some of his belongings. Ryan agreed, of course, and thankfully didn’t ask any questions about the packages, instead he reassured Sho that he could trust him to watch and guard over the packages. Ryan then surprised Sho further by offering him a place to stay.

“I have a timeshare in the city of Gifu. I know for a fact that it’ll be empty for a few months. You can stay there until you can find a more permanent home again.” Sho was beyond grateful to Ryan, words could not describe how much of a relief that was! He now had a way to disappear.

First he mailed out the tea pot and the Hamato scrolls. Sho mailed out multiple packages using false addresses to create a cover for them to ensure that the artifacts traced safely. Of the two important items one was sent to Ryan's personal address and the other sent to his work address for safety. “Can’t have all your eggs in one basket,'' his mother would say. Now he just has to move.

His plan was simple: take 4 decoy routes before heading to Gifu. In his younger years Sho could’ve just hiked his way to the new hideout, however, Sho was long past his prime. So he decided to take public transportation. After Michio’s loss he didn’t trust driving alone, too many “accidents” could happen. He would take time in between the decoy routes to rest and make sure he wasn’t followed. Sho stayed in the crowds and would wear hats and jackets to disguise himself. He hated this feeling of constant anxiety and paranoia but there was nothing he could do except prepare for the worst, and take the next step. The first two false routes were long but went relatively smoothly allowing him to get some rest between stops. A mercy he was thankful for. However, it was in the middle of his third phony bus route where everything went wrong.

It was late and it was cold, the first snow storm having come early. Sho was on a small night express bus on a quiet highway between cities. Being a late bus meant that it had fewer passengers. Fewer passengers meant thinner cover. Sho knew this but ignored these facts, he was so close to escaping, to being able to finally get some good food and rest that he got on the bus hoping luck would be on his side for once. Sho had no such luck.

A few hours into the drive a smoke bomb was released, panic and pandamoniun insued. Immediately Sho drops to the ground, hearing something hit the chair behind him. Using his small size he crawls under the seats to the front of the bus. His lungs and eyes burning from the smoke but years of ninja training have taught him to be calm and logical in such attacks. He knows what to do on instinct. He makes it to the front quickly and shatters the windshield with a hidden kunai, allowing the smoke to quickly filter out and return both his and the driver’s visibility.

Sho has a brief moment to take in the three fully armed foot ninja before they move to rush him. He flips and weaves around them with a whistle, taking the fight into the middle of the bus, away from the people in the back and the driver in the front.

He is dodging and weaving pretty well for an old man but he can feel his strength fading fast and within the limited space of the bus there is only so long before his movements will become predictable. He needs to get out of there! But there was nothing he could do! For a moment pure panic sets into his bones, causing time to slow down around him as he watches the ninja in front pull out more kunai.

Then he felt it, the bus slowing down. The driver was slowing down! Thank the heavens! In the middle of that fight he sent up a prayer of thanks to heaven for sending him a competent driver and not a Hollywood drama one! Then with hope spurring him on he leapt forward to swipe the ninja’s kunai and throw it between them through the side window, shattering it. There was a brief pause as the ninja chuckled.

“You missed” you could hear the smirk in its voice. Sho just smiled then leapt through the window.

An Instant cold wind hits him as he tucks his body into a roll before landing in a snowbank. Adrenaline is the only thing that helps him continue to roll back to his feet allowing him to perform light as a feather jitsu across the scuffed snow and into a new hiding spot not far away. He waits and holds his breath. The bus stops just a little ways up the road allowing Sho to see the ninja leap out. Their larger size ment that they couldn’t immediately jump after him through the window. They easily found the spot where he landed but as to where he went they couldn’t locate his trail. Sho listens to them search frantically, hearing them curse his “Hamato cowardness,” for a few minutes before they walk farther away in search of him.

Sho waits silently in the cold, wet and dirty snowbank, watching the ninja retreat as emergency vehicles arrive to the scene. Sho moves. He arrives back at the bus’s location quickly enough and shakely sneaks his way into the trunk of one of the police cars, not caring where he’ll be going but hoping that after this he can finally get some rest and dry off.

*************

Four days after the attack Sho finally arrives in Gifu.

It has been a few days since Sho moved into Professor Ryan’s timeshare, a simple apartment in a quiet residence area where Sho wasted now time in catching up on much needed rest. He could literally hear his bones rattle every time he moved and on top of it all had caught a nasty cough. Not being able to properly dry off after sitting in the snow for so long was no doubt what caused it. If Sho thought he felt old before he definitely felt ancient now. Most days he would simply sit down and meditate. Trusting the Professor to keep careful watch over the heirlooms. About 6 days after arriving in Gifu, Yoshi reaches out again and Sho wastes no time answering him.

“Hello Gigi. Sorry that it's been so long,” Yoshi says as they sit sideways from each other in the astral plane, “I promise that I'm not ignoring you! I’m just trying to find a safe place to hide.”

Sho is immediately worried, “You're not being hunted by the Foot are you?!”

Yoshi laughs, but it is hollow. “No,” he sighs, “I’m not hiding from the Foot but from something just as sinister. Yokai. A spider and sheep yokai to be precise.”

Sho watches as Yoshi’s projection seems to literally deflate with a sigh, “Today I finally felt safe enough to reach out again.” Yoshi starts to shake and tense up again, and Sho can see his eyes become shining with unshed tears, “I need help. I don't know what you can do from Japan but I just need to know I’m not alone.”

Sho isn’t a very physically affectionate man but he can see that Yoshi needs comfort. A hug might be a bit much as he still feels that he and Yoshi stand on shaky ground, so instead he scoots closer to reach over and put a hand on his knee. Sho gives Yoshi a moment to calm down before he speaks again, “Yoshi, do you believe you are safe now?”

Yoshi leans forward and sighs, “I hope so, for everyone's sake.” Sho feels a rush of excitement run through him! “Everyone?” he asks. Finally! Sho didn’t want to bring up that he already knew about Yoshi’s children as trying to explain that would be awkward.

Timidly Yoshi says, “I think I'm a father now.”

That- was not the answer Sho had been expecting. “You think?” he asks, clearly confused

“It's complicated.” Yoshi turns his face away.

“Yoshi, how is it complicated? Either you are or you aren't.” Sho replied flatly, removing his hand from Yoshi’s knee to try to move to sit in front of him.

“Well things happened! It just is!” Yoshi snaps, still not looking at Sho.

“Yoshi, I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what happened.” Sho can feel Yoshi draw away and he realizes that if he wants his grandson to trust him he will probably have to be the first to open up. Taking a calming breath Sho prepares to activate his ninpo and show Yoshi the Hamato map when-

“It was the yokai.” Yoshi suddenly whispers, “He captured me and said something about using my DNA to turn innocent creatures, baby turtles, into his own personal army. I couldn’t let him do that! So I destroyed his lab and escaped with the four mutated turtles.” Yoshi pauses to catch his breath then continues. “At first I thought they were still mindless turtles, just with different looks. But they kept following me around and cuddling me so I started to care for them; But now some of them have started to walk and talk like toddlers! So, yeah. I think I have four turtle kids now.” Yoshi finishes and looks up at Sho with a tense smile.

A moment of silence passes before Sho speaks, “Are they cute baby kappa?”

Yoshi explodes with laughter! “What?!” he says between breaths.

“Are they cute? Do they carry the Hamato looks? Or the Lou Jitsu chaos energy? Details Yoshi!” he says while comically waving his hands in the air.

Yoshi laughs harder, smiling and relaxing back onto his hands. “Yes they’re adorable! My eyesight has recently gotten worse but I think they all have my eyes. Red, the biggest one, is teething I think, he chews everything! The middle ones, Blue and Purple, definitely have the most chaos energy, they’re so curious and crawl around everywhere together leaving nothing but disaster in their wake. Orange is the smallest and is a ball of sunshine! He can’t crawl very far yet so he rolls everywhere or clings to me like a koala to move around.”

Sho is laughing and smiling brightly. ‘They are definitely your children’ he thinks to himself, remembering how Yoshi would roll and cling to his mother all the time when he was younger.

Yoshi laughs too before he says, “you surprise me Gigi.” Sho raises a brow at him questioningly. “I thought that the first and only thing you'd want to know about my kids is if I was raising them the ‘Hamato way.’ Asking if I’d started training them or what not.”

“Well,” Sho says with a smile, “it is not everyday a man is given 4 grandkids overnight!” Yoshi chuckles, then he hunches over his knees looking to the side again and not at Sho. “ They might not fully be Hamato though. I love them like my own but I’m still trying to understand if they are biologically mine.”

Sho smiles “I can help with that,” then activates his ninpo. “There is a special way to tell when a new member of the clan is born.” He pulls up the map and magnifies it onto Yoshi's location,”Every Hamato has a light. Here is yours,” he says as he points to Yoshi’s green light surrounded by four uniquely coloured smaller lights, “and here are theirs. They are 100% Hamato.”

Chapter Text

Sho wakes up around 8am to the now unfortunately normal pain, heavy breathing and headache. He is still sick with a chest cold; he just can’t seem to shake it off. However, he will not let said cold take away the joy of his favorite pastime, learning about his grandkids! For the last week or so Yoshi had been calling nearly everyday at around 9am to both ask for advice and share stories about the turtles.

He moves from his room to the kitchen to sit at the heated table with a blanket wrapped around him to wait for Yoshi to call. Soon enough he feels Yoshi reach out to him and they meet in the astral plane again.

“Have I got a story for you today!” He is greeted by a grinning Yoshi who immediately proceeds to narrate his boys’ adventures.

“So then Orange toots on Red and he says the cutest tiniest ‘eww’ I’ve ever heard!..... And after he’s stared me down for a good minute, Blue starts to copy me!....... Red wouldn’t stop holding the teddy bear! He actually tried to bite me when I attempted to take it away….. I found a working light in the trash and it has Purple absolutely fascinated! He sits there for hours turning it off and on. Sometimes he’ll have Blue…. So I put dinner and things away right? Put everyone down for a nap in a little pile, or as I like to call it a turtle pile, anyway. I don’t know when I fell asleep but suddenly I woke up to hear giggling. So I go check on the boys and you know what I see! The room is covered in trash and leftover food! Blue is in the trash can, don’t ask me how, I swear that kid can teleport, dropping down different colored pieces of trash to Red and Purple just at the foot of the can who then hand the stuff off to Orange who was rolling around and using it to ‘paint’ everything he can reach! I didn’t know what to do so I just let them play in it while I filled up their pool so that they could take a bath when they were done.”

Sho and Yoshi sit talking and laughing for hours, with Sho even sharing some of his memories of Yoshi when he was the same age as the turtles. Sho has never seen his grandson so happy! Everyday he feels their imperfect relationship starting to heal a bit at a time. Because of this, after their laughter calmed down Sho felt confident enough to finally ask Yoshi a question, “Why colour names?“

Yoshi strugged, “Bad eyes now. I can't see individual little details anymore and I need a way to tell them apart so I gave them different colour themes. Besides, colour names aren’t that weird. I literally have a cousin named Aoi.”

Sho pauses for just a moment, before continuing with a smile, “okay but why the English words then? Aoi is so much nicer than ‘blue’.”

Yoshi laughs, “At this point in my life I’ve lived in America longer than I have in Japan. Japanese may be my first language but I’ve spoken english a lot longer so I just didn’t think to use the Japanese words.”

Sho hums in understanding “Okay so what about proper English names then?”

“Like?” Yoshi asks, looking at Sho curiously.

Sho looks upward thinking of the few English names he knows “like Kevin, or Peter.” then turning to Yoshi with one of his rare teasing smiles, “Or Raphael, Michelangelo, Leonardo, and Donatello?“

Yoshi laughs “Those are old painters’ names Gigi! Are You still obsessed with Renaissance art?!”

“Yes, so? They’re good names. They even have a nice ring when said together.” Sho takes the joke further, “Rapheal, stop eating the chairs! Leonardo put that down! Donatello get away from the electric outlet! Michelangelo, it's bedtime.”

“Okay, I will admit that those names do have a nice ring to them.”

As they continue to laugh and share more stories Sho suddenly feels his chest seize up, he momentarily struggles for breath and is thrown into a coughing fit. He leans over clutching his chest, his astral light flickers as he tries to hold back the coughs. He then feels hands on his shoulders and back, “Gigi?” He looks up into the concerned face of Yoshi.

“It’s okay.” he wheezes, “I’m okay. It’s just a cold I caught a while back.” Yoshi continues to rub his back as Sho tries to catch his breath. They sit like this until Sho can breathe normally again. With help from Yoshi Sho sits up and is suddenly hit by a wall of fatigue. He looks up at Yoshi still holding him and says in a horse voice, “I’m sorry to end this Yoshi but I think it would be a good idea for me to rest now.”

Yoshi looks concerned, “Grandpa are you…”

“There is no need to worry Yoshi” Sho tries to give him a reassuring smile.

Yoshi gives him a deadpan one in return. ”Grandpa,” he says with a warning tone. “You're old. Colds are always worse for old people. Do you need to go…”

“Yip yip!” Sho interrupts. “All I need is to lay down and rest. I may be old but I am strong. I’ll talk to you tomorrow Yoshi.” He quickly leaves the plane before Yoshi can continue arguing with him and immediately lets go of the second coughing fit he was holding back.

Once his second fit has ended Sho leans back with a sigh, contemplating. ‘The coughs are dry coughs so that is good right? And my fever the last time I checked wasn’t very high. Should probably check again though.’

Slowly he gets up aware that his coughing fit has brought on new aches and pains. He walks to the cupboard to grab the thermometer and checks his temperature again. The reading on the thermometer showed that his temperature hadn’t changed, he still had a fever, yes, but it's a low one. He knows that it would be wise to visit a hospital or clinic but he just can’t risk it with the Foot Clan still hunting him! So he decides to do the only thing he can, stay warm, hydrated and ignore his shortness of breath, aches, coughs, and growing nausea. He leaves to take a nap. But just a short one! New years is just around the corner which means that the town has set up an outdoor market. A market would be the perfect way to hide while out, Sho would not let something as simple as a cold stop him from doing some very important gift shopping.

Chapter Text

Sho opens up the Hamato Map. While talking with Yoshi, Sho had felt the sharp pain of loss from his nimpo. So as soon as the call ended he practically ripped the map into existence and his heart plumits. Three more lights, the only other lights outside of Japan are gone. There are only 4 lights, not including himself, left in Japan. Meaning in total there were only 10 remaining Hamato in the world. He is failing his family. He can’t even process what he is feeling as he lays down on the couch mourning the loss of so many good souls.

*knock knock knock*

Sho woke with a start off the couch. When did he fall asleep? Shoe shakes his head, immediately getting thrown into a coughing fit with the sudden movement. He struggles to hold in the coughs and listens.

*knock knock knock*

Sho gets up, sticking to the shadows and slowly making his way to the front door as the knocking continues. As he approaches the door he hears a voice calling out.

“Sho! Sho! Come on, you have to be here. Open up! Sho!”

It’s Ryan! Sho immediately opens the door to see a very distressed and winded looking Ryan. “Ryan! what…”

He pushes past Sho without a word, moving into the center of the house. Leaving a very confused Sho in the entryway. After a moment Sho closes the door and follows Ryan, he finds him sitting in the living room. He is hunched over at the table, knee bouncing, a worried expression plastered on his face and two packages next to him. Sho hesitantly gose to sit across from him. Ryan looks at Sho, opening and closing his mouth indecisively before looking back down at the ground.

Sho, confused about his friend's obvious discomfort, “Ryan what's wrong?”

Ryan, still not looking, responds, “What is this Sho?”

“Huh?”

“This” Ryan says in a dead voice, gesturing to Sho and the packages on the table. “All of this! Not too long after you called me I started having strange visitors come to my work asking about you. They kept asking me questions on how we met. How often we talked and if I had received anything from you recently.” Sho feels like ice just entered his body as he looks at his friend. Ryan still doesn’t spare him a glance and Sho starts to fear that his friend may have spilled his location. “Did they say who they were?”
“No. They also gave off very suspicious and maleficent auras so I didn’t disclose that you had sent me packages or where you lived. But it took a lot of convincing for them to finally leave me alone!” Sho sighs, causing Ryan to look up at him, allowing Sho to see the barely restrained fear in his friend's eyes. Ryan continues with a quiver to his unusually quiet and somber voice.

“However, even though they stopped coming to my workplace I wasn’t able to relax as I then started noticing them stalking me. I would see them everywhere! I’d go to have lunch and they would already be there in the restaurant. I’d walk down the street and we’d bump at the intersection. I’d be in the train station looking up and there they were watching me across the tracks then I would blink or something would pass by and they’d be gone! My nerves steadily increased into full on paranoia!” At this point Rayns fidgeting doesn't seem to be enough to release his energy so he gets up and starts pacing.

“Ryan.” Sho says quietly, “I’m so sorry. *cough* I…”

“But it doesn’t stop there Sho! My office at the school was broken into and ransacked! Everything was destroyed but nothing was left for the police to follow. All that started happening before I got the packages. So by the time they did arrive I didn’t feel safe guarding them so my instic said to keep them near but not with me I actually left them at a neighbors house for safekeeping. It’s a good thing I did too.”

Ryan has stopped pacing and returned to sit in front of Sho again. He was suddenly still and calm, looking at Sho with a hard expression. Sho felt nervous at his friend's sudden change.

“They came to my house, Sho.” cold dread filled Sho. “One night I returned home to see all my belongings were taken out and sorted into neat piles in the dining room. All the lights were off except for a single candle placed in front of them at the table. The light provided was barely enough to see the three intruders. They didn’t say a word but one stood up, just watching me. They wore black ninja suits with the one in the middle spotting a glowing foot mark over their mask. After a moment the one in the middle picked up the candle and held it out and over the table. In that moment of calm I took a breath and noticed the smell of gasoline. That seemed to be what they all were waiting for as the candle was suddenly dropped, my table and belongings went up in flames.” Sho sucked in a breath while Ryan just started chuckling, “Don’t worry. I think they just wanted to send a message as almost immediately after lighting the fire the other two pulled out fire extinguishers and used the spray as a sort of smoke screen to get away. Very dramatic. I think it was a way of saying they didn’t find what they wanted so they were showing mercy because I was ‘honest’ with them? I’m not sure I could just be letting my imagination get to me.” Ryan laughs again then tiredly sighs.

“That was about 2 weeks ago. I wanted to make sure that they truly had stopped messing with me before coming to confront you about everything. So! Now that I’m here, mind telling me why members from this foot ninja gang are targeting you?” He says, raising a brow at Sho and gesturing again to the packages.
“Uuuuuuuuuh, well. You see…” Sho starts to sweat ‘Quick Sho! Think of something!!”

**************
A little while later Sho and Ryan are sitting on the couch together drinking tea.

“So let me get this straight. The packages you sent me are priceless family heirlooms that for the past couple of years collectors have been harassing you in order to buy them?”

“Correct”

“And you think that one of those collectors is connected to the foot gang and that's why they are coming after you instead of some other black market hit men?”

“Yes- *cough cough*”

“But why the hyper fixation!? It seems like such a small thing compared to what rumors say gangs like this usually go after.”

“Well *cough* I think it's because of their superstitious tendencies. *cough cough* You see, my heirlooms,” he gestures to the teapot and scrolls laid out on the table while trying to hold back more coughs. “There is an old legend about how the scroll can lead a worthy and strong warrior to wisdom while the teapot has power locked within it. *cough* That could be why they are so hyper fixated on. *cough cough cough*” Sho can’t finish as a massive wet coughing fit overtakes him.

“Sho?” Ryan looks down at him with concern.

Sho just points to the tissue box indicating that he wanted Ryan to pass it to him, which he does quickly. Sho takes a tissue and continues to cough into it. When the fit is over Sho spits out a wad of phlegm before sighing and leaning back into the couch with a sigh.

“... The legends could be why they want it so bad. I already wasn’t going to give the heirlooms away but the Foot coming to intervene in the affair has only strengthened my resolve to keep them safe.”

“Okay we’ll put a pin in that. Sho are you okay? This is a lot of excitement for a man of your years. Additionally, it sounds like you’re sick, like you need to go to the hospital sick.”

“I know but I can’t risk the foot finding me Ryan, it would be instant death. There are only 4 members of my family left here and all of us are old. I can’t have any of them look after these artifacts. If I do I know that they will not last long”

“Are there really so few of your family left? What about grandchildren?” Ryan says bewildered
“I’m the only one left with a living Grandchild. But I really don’t want to burden him with this whole situation. Yoshi and I just started talking again and I’m afraid he will draw himself away from me if I ask to put this responsibility on his shoulders. I’m just so scared of losing him again, Ryan.” Sho says with a trembling voice unshed tears shining in his eyes.

Ryan sighs, turning to look directly at Sho, “Sho you aren’t the first person to have family problems and you won’t be the last. If you and Yoshi are both reaching out to each other then that means he is okay to hear about family again. Does Yoshi even know about how much of your shared family you’ve lost?”

“.... no…”

“So start there. Tell him about your family's loss and share your fear with him. From what I remember Yoshi was a very caring child so I believe he’ll be open to listen to you Sho. Hiding these things from him is selfish. Yoshi deserves to know what has been happening to his family and what has been happening to you. ”

Sho was momentarily taken aback. He hadn’t thought about it that way! Ryan was right, he may not know where Yoshi stands on the traditions and ways of the family but that shouldn’t have stopped Sho from sharing family events and being open with him.

With a sigh, Sho nods at Ryan “You are right, Yoshi is a good man. I may not know if he wants to but he does deserve to know about it at least. ”

“Then he can choose for himself if he wants to help.” Ryan says with a smile

Sho smiles back at him, “Thank you Ryan. I really needed this.”

“Anytime my friend, any time!”

Sho and Ryan visit and talk for the rest of the day. Ryan at one point even went out to get tea and medicine but the majority of the time they had left was spent together. Relaxing and just enjoying eachothers company before Ryan departed in the evening. He had to get back to work and to make his cover story of “fixing a burst pipe at his time share” was believable and not draw too much attention to Sho’s hiding place. They hugged before parting Ryan making Sho promise to reach out to him if he needs any help and to take care of himself before leaving into the dark the cold winter night.

***********

He was up almost all night rehearsing what to say to Yoshi when his thoughts had turned to Ryan and his experience with the Foot. It seemed like the Foot had stopped looking for him, it was a terrifying thought to realize how mercilessly they had harassed Ryan. He could tell that they were still trying to lure him out of hiding. Gifu wouldn’t be safe for much longer. He needs to start looking for a more permanent place to live, he can’t stay at the time share forever. He knows that Japan isn’t safe but where else is he supposed to go? If he was able to reach out to the other 4 hamatos in the country would they be able to protect each other and hide longer? These thoughts then circled back to Yoshi and his children. ‘It is dangerous in Japan with the foot, yes.’ Sho thought to himself, ‘however they are also being hunted by yokai in New York, which can arguably be much more dangerous than the Foot. So if Yoshi was to come back to Japan we can protect and support each other. Heck! Yoshi could even come back as Lou Jitsu! With his money he could get a private plane and house in the country away from pring eyes! We could all live together and protect one another.’ Sho sighed with relief feeling at peace with that plan. It would also allow me to coddle and spoil my great grandchildren. These where Sho’s final thoughts before drifting off to sleep with a smile

The next morning Sho sits comfortably in his bedroom doing meditative breathing to calm his nerves, preparing to have this difficult discussion.

“Okay Sho. You got this.” he says as he waits for Yoshi.

He feels Yoshi reach out right on time however he isn’t greeted by his grandson's usual smile but instead a determined and slightly frustrated expression.

“Gigi, we need to talk.”

“What is wrong Yoshi?” Sho responds with concern.

Yoshi straightens further, “I want to know what's going on, because you are obviously sick and not getting help. Why are you alone when you seriously need help? Also why have you been the only one to answer my calls? I’ve been trying to reach out to others but you’ve been the only one to answer me! Aoi and I weren't close but she was never one to give me a cold shoulder. I know not everyone is proud of me but like come on! You can’t be the only one interested in my kids.” Yoshi looks back at Sho, “Grandpa have you even told anyone about us? I am just worried and a little hurt.”

Sho is taken aback. He had no idea Yoshi had been trying and wanting to reconnect with the rest of the family. There was no gentle way to say this. Sho instead activates his ninpo to show Yoshi the map.
“Our family is dying, Yoshi. These lights show every living Hamato in the world. The Foot has been hunting us down to extinction. You and the children are the only ones left overseas.” He lets Yoshi take a moment to look at the map. Then as if the universe wanted to make a point, 3 lights flicker off the map. Sho lets tears fall as Yoshi immediately pulls him into a tight embrace.

“I was on the run and attacked by the Foot clan. I got stuck in a snowbank and couldn't dry off quickly. So it developed into this. I can’t get help because I don’t know where the Foot is and if they’re still on the hunt.”

Yoshi just holds him closer. “I’m so sorry Gigi. What can I do?”

“Right now, I’m just trying to find a new place to live. Yoshi, I want you to come home.”

Sho can feel his grandson tense around him so he continues with his explanation.

“Since you have citizenship it is easy to meet up and hide here. That way we can protect each other. You can even come back as Lou Jitsu! Then you can get a private plane to hide the turtles on and the foot wouldn’t bother following you because they don’t know about your connection to the Hamatos.”

Yoshi is quiet but still tense, “But I can’t go back. why don’t you just come to me?”

“It would be safer for you to come back to Japan than for me to expose myself at an airport and lead the Foot to you in NYC.”

Yoshi pulls away. “I can’t. It wouldn’t be safe.”

“Yoshi, Grandson, you’ve said so yourself that you're literally being hunted by yokai. Yokai! I’d argue that those things are a lot worse than the Foot.”

Yoshi snorts, “Sure gramps. S’not like the Foot worship of a demon of mass destruction or anything.”

“And who do you think is keeping that threat at bay!”

Sho and Yoshi are sitting across from each other, both tense.

“Listen to me Yoshi! If you came back as Lou you could keep your children safe!”

“You are being hunted!”

“So are you!”

“I’m a ninja warrior, remember. You are the one that made sure of that AND I was a battle Nexus champion for nearly a decade! I can take care of it.” Yoshi stands “I don’t need you Sho.” he says as he turns his back.

Sho in panic, grabs his grandson's hand. “But I can’t!” Yoshi, surprised, turns back to his grandpa, shocked to see a steady stream of tears running down his face. “I can’t lose you again Yoshi. I already worry about you, Red, Blue, Purple and Orange daily. I worry that I’ll wake up one day with your lights gone!” Sho lets go of Yoshi to wipe his eyes.

“I can’t.” he whispers

Sho looks up with pleading eyes, “Please Yoshi. As Lou Jutsu you could-” but he is cut off when he sees Yoshi who, although remains standing, has an expression that has changed from anger to one of forlorn.

“I’m not Lou anymore, or even Yoshi. The turtles weren't the only thing that got mutated. I did too. I don’t know why this plane doesn't show it but I’m no longer human grandpa, I’m turning into a rat man. A tiny one, I’ve been shrinking and growing fur, my eyesight has worsened. I’m growing a tail! I can hide it in a sweater or robe but the illusion only works in the shadows. I can’t be seen in the normal world anymore.”

Sho just stares stunned and speechless.

“I live underground and only go up at night to get food and supplies. I can’t even access my old Lou Jitsu bank accounts because I’ve been gone for 10 years. I do have some Yokai money and use that to get baby ‘kappa’ essentials and advice on how to care for them. Because of that I’m stuck here. I want to go to you but I can’t Gigi.”

“Then I must come to you.”

Yoshi, shocked, turned back to look at Sho “but It’s dangerous!”

Sho shakes his head and starts to pace. “It’ll be hard and dangerous but not impossible. The Foot still won’t know about you when I get there. I can stage a death or something and live underground with you.”

“You would be giving up so much, Gigi. You could lose everything and we've never had the best relationship, why sacrifice it all?”

“Because we’re family. I will not leave you like this with so few Hamato left. family helps each other.” Sho pulls the map up again zooming in as far as he could go until the 4 young and lively precious lights floated around them, “and I wouldn’t be losing anything Grandson. I would be gaining everything.” He jumps up and pulls Yoshi into another hug with the lights of his great grandchildren floating around them bringing feelings of completion and peace as they both prepare for the coming future events.

Chapter Text

All was dark and empty. A strange sense of peace and rest until a whisper floated through the air.

“Yoshi….Yoshi.”

Yoshi stirs as he rises from a dreamless sleep into a strange dream; everything is floating in a blue mist save for a few stray colours of pale pink that float around like falling, it smells like cherry blossoms. Yoshi keeps his eyes relaxed as he looks around but he doesn't sit up, a light slowly walks into his line of sight

“Can you get up for me? Please?....... Yoshi.” the pale light asks. He recognizes that voice.

“Gigi?” Yoshi sits up slowly to get a better look at the light. yes it is his Grandpa, maybe a little dimmer then when he talks to him during their mind melds but still easily recognizable. He then realized that he was the same height as Sho and in his rat form. ‘What a strange dream!’ Yoshi thinks to himself as a small chuckle escapes him and he smiles at his Gigi. Before he can think about this dream setting Sho has come forward and rested both of his hands on either side of Yoshi’s face looking deep into his eyes.

“Yoshi,” he says with nothing but tenderness in his voice as he smooths the growing fur on Yoshi's face. “I…” he stops, and shakes his head as a sorrowful and heavy smile appears on his face.

He speaks but his voice has a strange urgency to it. “I’m sending a friend to you. His name is Professor Ryan Hobo, I’ll mentally send you a way to contact him. I’ve sent him everything I was going to bring to you. Including the sacred family heirlooms and weapons.” Sho lets go of Yoshi’s face and steps back, his light increasing as the family crest appears over his chest and the family map with 6 remaining lights appears behind him like a tapestry. “Hamato Yoshi, you are now the patriarch of the Hamato clan, a clan unique to the ninja way as we strive to always rise up and defend the homes and world that we live in. May the wisdom of our ancestors guide you and the heirlooms and gifts I send protect you and your children for generations to come.” Sho brings his hands together and bows as he does the light explodes around themes. Yoshi closes his eyes as he feels pure energy push through him, it doesn't hurt instead he feels rejuvenated, inspired and comforted.

When the rush calms and stills he opens his eyes to find that the dreamscape they were in has changed. Instead of misty swerling blues the colors and texture around them have melded and changed until gentle hues of green surround them; like light shining through bamboo, however the pink petals still fall and the smell of cherry blossoms increases.
“Yoshi, I love you. You and your boys, Never forget that.” Sho swallows loudly before continuing “I’m not doing well, Yoshi. I’m trying to get to you but I don’t think I’ll make it. It’ll be the biggest regret of my earthly life not being able to physically be there for you and the little ones Yoshi.” Tears are streaming down Sho’s face as his hands begin to shake he turns slightly to whip them away.

Yoshi takes in the sight before him, his own tears starting to stream down his face. It all felt too close to that day. He didn’t believe in omens but this was too much to be dreamed up by his mind. He looked at the flickering form of his grandpa. He closes the distance between them in a quick hug

“Gigi. Don't go”

Sho turns to return the hug whispering, “If I’m not there physically I will always be with you. You will not be alone. I will be with Atsuko and every past member of our clan to watch over you. We will not leave you alone, Yoshi. Anata wa hitorijanai.”

Sho pulls away and steps back, yoshi not ready to let go has his arms open out towards him but he couldn’t seem to move forward to follow his Gigi.

“I love you Yoshi”

Then just like that day he watches as Hamato Sho becomes one with the cherry blossoms and disappears.

************

*BANG!*

Yoshi wakes with a start. The fur on his face wet and his dream fastly fading “wha” he whispers trying to remember. However, only a few things remain clear in his mind, one of them being a 10 digit number sequence. He quickly writes it down, ‘you never know’ he thinks ‘maybe these will win me the lottery!’ he chuckles to himself when suddenly,

*BANG! CRASH! WAAAHHHH!!!*

Yoshi sighs as he rolls to stand up, recognizing those where ‘I’m stuck!’ cries and not the ‘I’m in pain!’ cries. He smiles as he walks into the living room to see what his four boys were up to. He can only smile more when he sees that Red had fallen backwards off the recliner and was now stuck in what remained of the coffee table, his three other brothers babbling to each other as they crawled around trying to free him. What made it all the more adorably hilarious was that Red couldn’t free himself because his hands were busy covering his eyes so that he didn’t need to see the long floppy eared bunny show playing on the old tv.

“Ah Little Red, did you have another fear flop?”

Upon hearing their Fathers voice the turtles all turn to him and start babbling trying to convey the urgency of the situation. Yoshi just smiles as he switches the channels and goes to help free Red. Who after he is freed gives the splintered coffee table a good kick and hiss before turning to cuddle into him, squeaking and chirping, telling Yoshi of the trial that he just endured.

“Hahahaha! Little Red you are a firecracker that is for sure. Hahahahaha!!!”

As he laughs and cuddles Red his other sons latch onto his legs, with Orange trying to climb up his tail. All obviously jealous about not getting attention too. He crouches down so that Orange can climb onto his back while Blue and Purple both take to perching on different shoulders, Red stays in his arms. ‘HI-YA!’ he thinks. ‘Between my shrinking and their growing I won’t be able to carry them like this much longer.’

“Yes, yes, boys, you were all very brave to help your brother too. How about we celebrate all of your bravery eh? Your Grandpa Gigi will be arriving today so we must make sure everyone is full and happy to receive him.”

He turns to their simple kitchen and giggles as his kids continue to babble on about their adventures.

After everyone had eaten they all went to take a bath together before Yoshi went about finishing up cleaning their lair. He wanted to make a good impression as well as be considerate to Gigi. He knew Gigi wasn’t feeling well so he wanted to make sure that when he arrived he could relax and enjoy being with family.

**************

He was late.

Chapter Text

Chapter 7: A Promise

Yoshi walked home dejected. Where could he be? That question circled around the forefront of his mind. It circled and encompassed his thoughts as he arrived home, as he tucked his children into bed, and it continued to plague him as he laid down to listen to the sounds of the “city that never sleeps” above him. Yoshi wakes up later in the evening (his new early morning now) and begins again with his daily routine.

“Maybe I had the wrong day?” he says as he feeds Red. So again they go up to the surface to wait and again, Sho is still a no show. “Maybe the plane stops for sundays?” he says to Purple on the way back home, he gives him a neutral face of displeasure in return making Yoshi chuckle. “You are right, funny one. Maybe he just slept in and missed his flight.” 

It’s the third night Yoshi has sat waiting. Tonight was tough though as Orange and Blue were both fussy because of boredom and there was only so much “horsie” he could play before his back cracked one too many times.

“All right! All right!” He says as he gathers everyone up again. “Where taking a break and going to go get a treat. So shhh shhh time” The tots nod their heads and shhh shhh back at him before disappearing into the blankets lining their old stroller. Yoshi peaks out of the ally before slipping onto the sidewalks.

From his internal clock it feels like it is 2 am, he’ll need to be careful as the night workers will start changing shifts with the early morning workers soon. As he walks swiftly through the streets to a local 24 hour convenience store. He pulls up his hood and scarf, does one more Shhh Shhh then enters. He grabs some simple chips and donuts before moving up to the cashier. As he places his items on the counter a colorful sign catches his eyes, ‘Lottery! Feeling lucky? Choose your numbers and win!’

“Excuse me? But how does one enter this Lottery?”

The Cashier tiredly hands over a sheet of particulares as Yoshi’s items are scanned. 

“So I just purchase a ticket and put numbers on it?”

“Um-hm.”

“Do you still have tickets left?”

“Yup.”

“...Can I purchase one?”

“Sure,” and then a paper was passed his way as the final food item was scanned.

Yoshi was grateful he had left those numbers in his pocket. One problem…. He can’t see the writing on the paper. Stupid rat vision. 

“Hehe it seems that I forgot my glasses. Could you help me?”

The paper is snatched from him with some exsaperated grumbling “name?” Filling out the particulares was relatively simple, its when he needs to choose his numbers that things go south. 

“Sir, you can only submit 4 numbers. What you’ve given me looks more like a phone number than lottery numbers.”

“Oh well, uh, you know what you can have the lottery entry I’ll just take the snacks.”

The cashier just rolls their eyes, “eh whatever.”

Yoshi leaves relatively quickly after that. As he glides through the shadows he stops suddenly, a phone booth having caught his eye.

“Chirp?” He looks down to see blue peaking out watching him inquisitively. “What could be the harm eh?” Blue just stuck out his tongue. Chuckling Yoshi tosses their snacks under the covers before moving to the phone box and dialing the number.

“Moshi moshi?” it is a sober and hesitant voice that answers

“Uhhhh, Hello, my name is Yoshi. I don’t…”

“Ah yes! Finally! I was getting worried you wouldn’t call Yoshi.”

“Worried? Wait what? Who is this?”

“I'm a friend of Sho. My name is Professor Ryan Hobo. Sho said that you would be calling. I’m so sorry. Yoshi…..Sho.” There is a choked cough on the other end.

Yoshi’s eyes start to sting. “Where is my Gigi?”

There is deep breath and a more controlled voice answers back “He was sick. He was doing okay until we got to the Tokyo airport. We had a small snack and then waited by our gate when he suddenly collapsed. The Doctors say it was a heart attack. They wanted to keep him over night but Sho insisted on leaving. We went to a small park for him to meditate at, so I could get him to rest! Then when he finished meditating he said you would be calling shortly and asked me to go to deliver the heirlooms. Then he closed his eyes and just disappeared!” 

Yoshi is stunned silent.

“I’m so sorry Yoshi. I… I still have his belongings. I promised Sho earlier that if he didn’t make it I would deliver them to you. Where…. ?

“Just send them to xxxxx, NY”

“But I said I would deliver them personally.”

“I’m unable to meet you in person but I can have an assistant pick them up at that location.” Yoshi said, dining his most official action star voice.

There is a brief pause before the professor speaks again, “Will you send someone you can trust?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I’ll get my flight set up as soon as I can. Is there a number where I can call you back?”

“No I don’t pass out my personal number but I’ll keep in touch with you daily until your flight arrives. Then I’ll send my assistant to meet you at xxxxx. Don’t worry I’ll let you know when the packages are in my care”

“Very well. I’ll await your next call. Until tomorrow Yoshi.”

“Yes until tomorrow. And thank you, for everything Ryan.”

_________

Days later Yoshi is staring at the boxes. He stares at the scrolls and old skully he had unwrapped from the one labeled “important’. He stares at his family's material possesions but there is no new family accompanying them. He just stares and lets the tears flow. Falling to the ground and cries himself to sleep.

He wakes up to Red and Blue cuddling him. Purple and orange are looking at the boxes. 

Yoshi lays there for a bit longer. He just feels very tired but he is grateful for the tots' company as watches them. Blue starts to mimic him lying down and makes faces at him. Red is crawling on his back and plays with his hair and ears. Orange uses a box as support doing baby squat jumps obviously trying to meet up with Purple who is perched on top of the box hitting, biting and studying it.

He watches them until Red starts to chew his shirt collar and Purple is giving him the “feed me” stare. Yoshi’s stomach growls

“Hehe. You are right Purple. I think it's time I get up and get you some food.”

Carefully he rolls over as not to squish Red and goes to the kitchen. Luckily he had some leftover turtle baby mush so breakfast was simply him needing to separate 4 portions and then wander back into the living area. Upon returning to the main area he finds all his babies huddled around one of the boxes; Red and Purple are at opposite corners trying to chew through while Orange and Blue jump and claw at the tap on top. 

Yoshi can’t help the smile that comes to his face, “Now, now my turtles. Don’t you want something yummier than that old box? Look! Baby mush! Your favorite!” he says with a flourish as he places the bowls on the ground. Almost immediately they all gathered around their bowls eating messily with their hands and emitting happy chirps and baby giggles. In no time at all they had finished their meal and were back to poking at the box again, obviously interested. Purple especially seemed curious about the package as he was the first to go back to messing with it; Blue follows close behind who is then followed by Red and Orange.

Yoshi watches them a little longer. “Well, I guess we’ll start with that one,” he says, pulling the box closer to himself. “Lets see what we got eh?”

  The box sits comfortably in his lap as Yoshi cuts the tape with his claws. Out of everything that could’ve been in the box, Yoshi was not expecting it to be food. The box was stuffed full of colourfully packaged treats and boxed dinners with a simple white envelope sitting on top with the words “If I don’t make it” written on the front. Yoshi grabs the letter and puts the box to the side, much to the happiness of his boys as they immediately start playing with the open box flaps. He smiles and then turns to open the note. 

“Hello Grandson and Great-grandsons! I thought I would bring you a little taste of Japan. I’ve packed you all some packaged Taiyaki, Ramen, and Kinoko no Yama! And other classical favorites. Enjoy!  Also, Yoshi, because the winters are cold I’ve also included some instant soup and noodle packages. Hopefully they help. I love you”  

Yoshi, misty eyed, had just finished reading and went to look again at the box's contents, and turns just in time to see Purple in the box trying to swallow a whole rapped Taiyaki! 

“Oi! Purple, ucky ucky!” as he frantically pinches his cheeks to pop treat from his mouth.

“We don’t eat plastics,” he says while pointing to the packaging, “ucky!”

 He then opens the rapper and pops the fish looking pastry into Purple’s mouth.

“Ummy!” Purple says with a mouth full of Taiyaki.

Yoshi chuckles as he divvies out the snacks, then sits the tots down behind him using his tail as a kind of baby gate, he moves on to the next box.

This box was bigger than the first and slightly heavier. Upon opening the box Yoshi saw what appeared to be a robe and another letter. 

“I got colour coordinating outfits for the boys. I figured that it’ll be good protection from the cold and can double as discuises. Thus allowing you to take them outside more to help burn off their energy. Who knows, they could even make a few friends too. I bought outfits for ages 3-7, I know how fast kids grow and wanted to also make sure it fit over their shells. I also packed you a new robe!”

Sure enough underneath the burgundy robe were four neat color coordinated stacks of clothes. Sweaters , bandanas, pants, mini dress shirts, fluffy towels?! Yoshi stared in amazement. So many valuable resources and all of them brand new, he wouldn’t need to worry about biohazard safety and hygiene in clothes for a long time! This was truly a thoughtful and treasured gift. Gratefully he puts on his new warm robe and hands more treats to his babies before dropping a fluffy blanket over them, causing a chorus of churrs, happy babbles and chirps. Smiling, he turns back to the last five boxes, 4 small and one really big package. He grabs the next closest one, a semi long flat rectangular box. In it he found a package wrapped in orange paper with the big words of happy birthday/new years/christmas written on the front and another card on top which read; 

“For orange, paints and papers and a small essal! To let him create art you can keep.” ~ love Gigi

Yoshi’s eyes widen as he looks back at the remaining small packages. ‘Did Gigi really?” quickly he started opening each remaining package. In each one he found similar wrapped gifts with notes;

“For Purple, I found a How to Build Your Own Pet kit, a Make Your Own Candy kit and a Kinetic Snap kit. From what you told me the little guy likes to tinker so I got things that hopefully will allow him to play and build with things that aren’t electric.”

~ love Gigi

“For Blue! Here are some space themed hero and monster action figures as well as a red paper lantern. Blue seems to have an active and creative mind. Hopefully he has fun with these.”

~ love Gigi

“For Red, a helmet, a paper lantern and a few stuffies. You said Red is passionate yet caring. The helmet is to protect him from getting hurt or hurt others with his playing but the stuffies are for his caring side. They have little sound boxes in them to make them feel more alive. One also has a music box so that he can sleep more soundly.”

~ love Gigi

Yoshi can hardly believe it! Yoshi turned toward his turtles and gave each of them their respective gifts. Laughing as they each tore open their gifts with excitement and vigor; too young to understand what's going on and where the stuff came from, just happy to have new toys to play with.  Finally Yoshi turns to the last package. When he opens it he finds an old fashioned VHS player and a portable projector with 3 Lou Jitsu movies all wrapped with ribbon and the final card,

“For your free time. Till we meet again Yoshi, but take a nice long time before that meeting happens. Live, Laugh and enjoy life! You got this: Your family will always be with you.”

~ love your Gigi

Yoshi with quiet tears rereads the letter a few more times before looking up and back at his gifts with so many feelings of love and feelings of loss. ‘ Gigi, I wish that you could have been here. I wish I…’ He is pulled from his thoughts when he feels Orange crawl into his lap. He wiggles around to get comfortable before he takes interest in his new robe’s belt which he then proceeds to do what any baby does when finding a new thing, and starts chewing on it. 

“Hehe. And what have you found there eh Orange?”

“Bah, bah!” Orange says looking back up to Yoshi and holds out the belt end with both hands.

“I see, and do you like the bah bah?” Yoshi says with a smile

“Bah! Bah bah!” 

“Bah bah.”

“Bah abah ba ya ya ya ah!” Orange replies, flapping his arms and grinning brightly. 

“Bah ya de yada ya! Brrrrr” 

Orange starts laughing at this and Yoshi can’t take his son's cuteness any more! So he starts blowing raspberries on his plastron making Orange squeal with laughter. However, this little tickle fight doesn't last long before Yoshi hears a soft thump behind him. He turns around to find his other three sons have tipped over the treat box, all three standing frozen having been caught in their heist. 

“Oh I see. It was a setup! You’re trying to blind side your old man!” Yoshi says as he pulls the rest of his boys into a tickle attack. They all laugh, giggle and chirp before Yoshi lets them go back to playing with their toys. Yoshi turns to get them more treats, ‘I wish I could give you a gift too Sho.’ As he turns back with some newly opened snacks, Yoshi is suddenly hit with an idea! An idea regarding Sho’s love for the renaissance. Smiling, he starts calling out to his sons.

“Purple,” his soft-shelled son turns to look at him “Donatello, here is the Taiyaki that you like.” Donatello quickly takes the treat with a happy chirp.

“Blue, Leonardo. Here is a Burakku sandā for you.” Leonardo doesn't hesitate to start chopping on the chocolate bar.

Smiling, Yoshi turns to his biggest son who is looking at him curiously, “Red, Raphael. Here is a cheese flavored Umaibō! One of my favorites.” Raphael takes the stick in one hand (as he has a new teddie in his other hand) and slowly, without breaking eye contact with Yoshi takes the first bite, ‘3…2…1 .’ Yoshi thinks before Raphael is suddenly savagely devouring his savory treat.

“Hehe. I knew you’d like that one.” He turns and picks up his smallest son, “Orange. Michelangelo, this is a Kinoko no Yama.” Michelangelo happily takes the treat and starts eating it. With all his sons satisfied Yoshi turns to look at the ancestor scroll again, and gently opens one to look at the names of his mother and grandfather. In that moment he makes a promise to them.

 “Mommy, Gigi, I promise to always be there for my children. I promise you, they will have long lives knowing nothing but love. I can’t promise to be perfect. I’m aware that I’ve splintered a bit, but I’m not broken. I will teach them to trust in their family and to always be there for each other.”

Satisfied, he gently rolls the scroll back up and puts it away before he, smiling to his sons, joins them in their little games. Their home all throughout the day is filled with laughs, chirps and baby giggles. When evening comes around the little family can be found sleeping all snuggled together in a pile on the living room floor, wrapped up in their soft warm new clothes and surrounded by candy wrappers and colorful gift wrapping paper. Snoring, smiling and happy, all together as the ending credits of Lou Jitsu in Crouching Shrimp Hidden Tiger Prawn peacefully finishes. 

THE END 😀