TMNT: Secrets of the Sewers

Scars and Stars

Hisako hadn't known what to expect when she had been pulled from that dumpster. A good part of her had believed that she would never wake up again, or that she would have been discovered and recaptured from those she had escaped from. Never had she expected to be rescued from her fate, and definitely not by the five creatures who had dubbed themselves her caregivers.

For a good month, she remained weary of them, the seed of distrust too deep-rooted in her heart to allow even a small sliver of hope to breach it. She kept waiting for the other shoe to drop, for the tests, machines and torture to begin. But it never did. Instead, none of them even thought about touching her. Sure the purple one, Donatello as he called himself, would come and clean her wounds and change her bandages, but only after explaining what he planned to do and swearing up and down he would not purposely cause her harm. He even apologized profusely for even the smallest wince or whimper she let out.

It was all so jarring for Hisako, having grown use to being treated as little more than an object. For the first time in her life, what she wanted and her well being actually mattered. In fact, even though she could feel their curiosity, their desire to know more about her origin and her powers, nobody asked her. When she had questioned them about this lack of interrogations, the rat Splinter had just given her a calm smile.

"Your past and your powers are indeed intriguing to us." he had admitted. "But, it is clear you are not ready to discuss them. When you feel the time is right, we will be ready to listen, but until then, we will not push."

It was these kind words that gave Hisako the strength to finally start interacting with her caregivers. It had all started with Michelangelo, who had made it a habit of watching TV with her in the living room. Granted, she was still on the mattress they'd set up in the center, and he remained on the couch so wouldn't feel crowded. This time was different though. Hisako looked at the couch with a determined expression, gritting her teeth and preparing herself. She started crawling towards the couch, both her arms and her legs shaking from the strain the actions put on her. She made it to the couch cushions, but then found a small flaw in her plan.

She completely lacked the strength to pull herself onto the couch.

She was seconds from crying when a pair of hands came down, hooking underneath her armpits and pulling her onto the couch. She turned sharply to see Michelangelo smiling at her as he helped her get comfortable, even helping her re-wrap herself in her blanket. Once he finished, he returned to his spot, acting as if nothing happened. She snuggled into her blanket, then looked over at the orange turtle.

"Thank you Mik- Michel..." she tried.

"Mikey." the orange turtle interrupted. "You can call me Mikey."

Hisako looked over at Mikey, then back at the TV, the hint of a small smile playing on her face.

...

After this initial encounter with Mikey, Hisako found it easier to interact with her caregivers. She would find herself actually trying to contribute to their meal conversations, even if her voice was still too weak for her taste, and trying to move so she could watch the four turtles train. After awhile, it just became second nature for the turtles to pick her up and bring her to wherever they were so she could be part of whatever they were doing.

Even with this inclusion into the strange dynamic of the subterranean home, Hisako still felt a nagging sensation tugging at her chest. She found herself staring at the opening leading into the cozy little home, her desire for freedom still prominent in her mind. During one of moments, the turtles and Splinter all observed her, knowing all too well what that look meant.

"She must be thinking about the surface." Leo mused, giving Hisako a sideways glance.

"Considering the shell she's been through, I'm surprised she hasn't tried to make for the door." Raph remarked, crossing his arms.