Once upon a time, there were an old rat and his 4 adopted mutant turtle sons. They lived in a cozy house, near to a forest but far far away from the city and from the people. It wasn't a mansion, nor a fancy big house, but it was an average one. A few damage here and there, but the building is still standing. Everything were fine. Splinter teached them how to chop a wood properly, and how to get food what nature offers them. They lived happily. Until tourists wandered into the woods. They took with them some picnic baskets, with delicious food and drink. A lot of them didn't ate all of the food so they just dropped it, but the turtles took it and ate it. It was so good, so delicious. They wanted more. Soon they started to eat candies, pizzas, all the good food that can be only found in a city. They ate less natural food and they ate more human made food. And they became more hungrier at time.
Months later, their food stock slowly became empty. Splinter can't feed them all the time and he need to eat too. It was a very hard decision for him, but in order to survive, he needed to get rid of his sons. Yes, this would be the best. Anyway, It's their fault. He warned them to not eat those junk food. But they ever listen to their father? No. He will leave them deep in the woods. Sounds like a plan. Who knows, maybe they will find a way to survive. After all, Splinter taught them a few tricks.
"Alright my sons, tomorrow at dawn, we will walk a bit deep into the woods. There are a lot of places we didn't discovered yet."
"Sounds good to me." Said Mikey while he ate some chips at the same time.
Splinter deeply sighed. "I already told you to not eat that junk food."
"But father, how can I call this a junk food if It's so delicious?"
I'll leave them in the forest. No regrets. Thought this to himself.
"Father," Leo looked at his father with a little suspicious look, "what we will do other than walking around?"
Splinter rubbed his chin. "We will collect some mushrooms, and fruits of course."
"I see."
"Rest now my sons. Remember, tomorrow at dawn." All four of them nodded and they went into their room.
It's 9 p.m. Donatello, as usual, went out into the bathroom to drink a glass of water. It's like a ritual now. He can't sleep good without a cold water. After he drank it, he saw his father with some lighted up candles next to him. He knelt down in front of the family portrait and he started to....pray? Donny watched him from a distance where his father can't spot him, and suddenly he heard some words, then sentences.
"God. Please forgive my action what I will do tomorrow. If they keep eating like this, then none of us will survive. You have to understand me. I must leave them alone deep in the forest." Donny quickly put his hand in front of his mouth before he let out a loud gasp. How could he do that to them? Thought this to himself. He quietly went to his brothers. Good thing they sleep in the same room, so Don doesn't have to go from room to room.
"Guys! Guys, wake up!" He whispered as loud as he can. He even pushed them gently to wake them up for sure.
Mikey let out a big yawn and rubbed his eyes. "What is it dude?"
"Guys, you never gonna believe this. Our father wants to get rid of us."
Raphael frowned. "Don't be crazy, brother. I think you just had a nightmare, that's all."
"It wasn't a dream! I saw him and he prayed to God to forgive him after what he will do with us!"
Leonardo put his hands on both of Donny's shoulder to calm him down. "Hey, hey, take a deep breath and calm down. What he will do with us?"
Donny took a deep breath like Leo said and exhaled calmly now. "He will leave us deep in the woods all alone because we eat too much and we will die by starving to death."
Mikey rubbed the back of his head and he was ashamed. "Dude, I think this is our fault."
Raph interrupted. "Even if It's our fault, he shouldn't act like this. We need to find a better solution together."
"Agreed." Leo nodded.
"So how should we do? We just walk to father and start talking with him?" Mikey asked.
"No. You know how determined in his decisions in desperate situations." Leo answered.
Mikey sighed "Yeah, I know."
"We will find an answer tomorrow. But we need to leave some signs to get back home whenever we feel lost."
Raph crossed his arms. "And what we will use as a sign?"
"We could use some bread crumbs." Said Donny.
"Sounds stupid."
"Sounds good to me." Mikey agreed with Don's plan.
Leo placed his hands on his hips. "Alright my brothers. Go to sleep. Tomorrow we will find a solution." And they went into their bed to sleep.
And so the next day has come. Before they left the house with their father, Donny grabbed a bread and he put inside his bag secretly. As they walked deeper into the woods, Donny dropped some bread crumbs so they won't get lost.
After a lot of minutes, Splinter stopped. He took a big breath and exhaled. "Alright my sons. Let's collect some food what nature giving us. Let's split up to discover more place and gather more food in less time." And he scratched an emblem on a tree with a chisel. "We will meet here after our search. Good luck, my sons."
"Good luck to you too, father" All four of them said the same time. And Splinter went away. Raph crossed his arms and grunted.
"Good luck to my a-"
"Whoa! Language, dude!" Mikey interrupted Raph before he started cursing.
"So he left us here all alone. What should we do now, genius?" He looked at Donny who were already sat down on a rock and started to think. He also panted to catch his breath. They never walked that far and long than before. Splinter sure wanted to make a "good" job.
"Okay, let me think. The problem was the lack of food. And also we four and our father live in the same house. So replenishing our food stock is very difficult."
Leo tried to continue Donny's words. "So that means we need to get more food. Or should I say we need to move our home closer to the city."
Raph interrupted in a sarcastic way. "I'm pretty sure humans will love us. Forget it Leo. We need another plan."
"And what? So far we don't have much chances to survive here in the forest."
Donny sighed deeply. "We are getting nowhere. Even If Leo's plan sounds good, we kinda need money to live in the city."
Raph looked at him. "And where do we find money. Heck, where we will live?"
"Perhaps in a house where nobody around, or we could live in the sewers? I don't know."
"The sewers. Yeah, right. My dream will finally come true to live in the sewers." Said Raph again sarcastically.
Leo stepped in between of them. "There's no time for arguement guys. We can't think clearly with an empty stomach." And after his sentence, Mikey's stomach growled.
"Leo's right dude. I'm hungry."
"Alright. Let's go back home then." Said Donny, and tried to find the bread crumb he dropped. But unfortunately, all of them disappeared. Donny looked left, then right, but no signs of bread crumbs. "I don't get it. I clearly remember I dropped some, right here!"
"Do you think Splinter picked them up?" Asked Mikey.
"No, I hid it with some few leaves to make them hardly visible." And right after that, a crow landed a bit far away from them, with a bread crumb between their beak. Donny sighed sadly. "Of course, the birds..."
Raph crossed his arms. "Smart move Don. Let's use some bread crumbs to lead the way back home, but guess what, you didn't expected the birds at all."
"No, I mean, I thought about that, but birds don't really flying in these woods. Especially crows."
Leo patted his shoulders. "I guess we aren't the only one who needs food after all. C'mon, let's try to find our home."
"So, that means, no food?" Mikey asked them before they start to walk back home. But all of them shook their head.
Several days later, they still wandered in the forest. It seems they are completly lost and they became more hungry. And acorns and nuts doesn't keep their stomach full. They needed to eat, else they will die.
"So hungry!" Mikey whined.
"Don't give up just yet, Mikey." Leo tried to put some spirit into him.
"I could eat a whole dinosaur, dudes. I even hallucinate about a big house made with candies and gingerbread."
Raph frowned. "That sounds pretty absurd."
Donny continued. "Wait a minute guys. I see it too."
Raph now looked to the same direction. "Me too. Great, I think we are so hungry that we hallicunate the same thing."
"But that's impossible." Donny tried to find some logical explanation for this, but no results. "How can a house built of food?"
Mikey pushed his brothers away from his way. "I don't care dudes, but I'm gonna eat some candies!" And he ran to the house.
Leo yells after Mikey. "Wait, this could be dangerous or something!" But he didn't listened. Dangerous or not, he needed food. Soon Raph and Donny followed him, and Leo too, because his stomach growled.
Mikey arrived at the house and he immediately started to eat the fence. "Dudes, this is literally candy!" He shouted happily. Raph and Donny joined to him after they checked if It was really edible. Leo also joined, but he started to eat the wall. And it was really weird for him, but then again, the wall made of gingerbread. It was so unrealistic, yet it was real. Like a dream came true. A very sweet dream. But suddenly a man rushed out from the house and yelled at them.
"Alright, who eating my house?!" The man looked strange for the turtles. He wore metallic parts on his shoulders, arms and legs. Even his mouth covered with some metal mask, and he had a fancy hat too. Also he wore black shoes, black pants and some sort of gray shirt and a purple cape. He looked like a super hero? In Mikey's language, probably yes. But what's with those little spikes on the metallic parts? Nevermind, they thought.
Leonardo stepped in front of him and bowed a bit down as a symbol of sorry. "My apologies that we ruined your house, but we were wandered for days long without any food, and we were so hungry." The man didn't quite looked at them until Leo apologized. Also the man couldn't see clearly without glassess, so he put his glassess on his nose and he saw four mutant turtles. Normally humans would freak out and run away or either attack them, but he just smiled bright.
"Of course, I understand." And he opened the door in front of them. "Come inside. I have more food to offer for you."
Donny asked him before they went inside. "Excuse me sir, but aren't you affraid of us? We are not humans as you see."
"Yup, we are turtles. But bigger than the ordinary ones." Mikey added it.
"Don't worry turtles." He said. "I've seen enough unnatural phenomenon in my life to question your existence. You all must be tired and hungry. Please, come in." Raphael shrugged. He seems nice so why not giving a shot. All of them went inside. The turtles sat down and the man gave them some food. But it wasn't candy or anything sweet, but meat with french fries and rice. And everything were swum in fat.
Donny scratched his head a bit. "I thought you can offer only candy."
The man laughed and answered with a little bit of sassy humour. "If I eat only candy then my blood sugar would be high."
Leo smiled at him. "Thank you." And they started to eat.
"And what is your name, sir?" Mikey asked while his mouth were full of food.
"Saki." He said. "Oroku Saki."
"Say Saki, why are you wearing things like this? The metallic part, and the cape. And especially those little spikes." Donny asked.
"I like dressing up like this. And about the spikes, it comes handy in many ways. For example climbing up on higher places in the forest."
Mikey interrupted them. "Or maybe you could shred some food into tiny pieces."
"I'm not really using my spikes for that."
"Oh hey, can I call you "The Shredder"? It sounds way better than Oroku Saki. No offense."
"None taken." And he rubbed his chin. "But now that you mentioned, it doesn't sound bad."
"Told you." Mikey said and he bit on the meat.
After the feast, every turtle's stomach were full. And they were tired as well after they walked a lot before they discovered this gingerbread house. Some of them even yawned.
"You must be tired." Shredder said. "Why don't you rest in the guestroom? I have enough bed and comfortable couch for you."
"Sounds good." Raph said it with a soft yawn. Saki showed them the guestroom where they could take a nap. And he didn't lied. There were at least 3 bed and 2 couch. So some of them will sleep on the couch. They didn't mind. Donny were the only one who took the couch as his sleeping bed. No wonder, most of the times he slept on a chair at home. He read a lot and mostly he ended up sleeping in a chair. So they finally falled asleep. Everything were normal. Until next day morning. The turtles woke up in a cage. They were seperated from each other.
"H-Hey! What's going on?" Raph yelled.
"Good morning turtles." Shredder said with a smile on his face. Which it was hard to tell if he is smiling because the mask hid his mouth. "I hope you find the cage cozy, because you will get locked for a few days."
"What's going on here?" Leo demanded an answer. And probably his brothers as well.
"You see, I built this gingerbread house as a trap for those people who are very curious or very hungry to come here. I play as a nice guy, but when they don't pay attention, I put them into a cage, then I fatten them up and when they fat enough, I will eat them." And he released a loud evilish laugh.
"That's sick, dude!" Mikey yelled and he were a bit nausea. A human eating humans? That's just wrong.
"Maybe, but I never thought I will ever meet mutated animals. I wonder what turtle soup tastes like." He grabbed a key and he opened Donny's cage. "You will be my slave. You will cook and clean. And If you do something stupid then I will kill your brothers." He threatened Donny which he is nodded. For now. He started to think about a plan, but for now he plays along.
Several days later, Donny just cooked like a machine and his brothers were force-fed so they will be fat in no time. Shredder always checked their fingers if they are getting fat. So far everything goes right what he planned. They needed more time to think about a plan. The next big meal came. The three turtle literally can't eat anymore, else they will explode in Mikey's language. Before Shredder decided to check them again, Donny "accidentally" pushed his glassess away, and it landed on the floor. The lens were broken.
"You idiot!" He yelled at Donny. "My glassess!"
"I'm sorry, it was an accident." Yeah, sure. Thought this to himself.
"Bah, nevermind. I don't need glassess. I can tell without it if your brothers are fat enough." Donny quickly gave them a bone what left from the meal to fool Shredder that they not getting any fatter. "Give me your finger!" He demanded to Leo, who offered the bone instead of his finger. Shredder grabbed it and he were confused. "What the hell? You are not getting fat at all. What about the others?" He grabbed their fingers too, but they offered bones as well. That was a nice trick. But it didn't last long. Shredder couldn't wait any longer. Fat or not, he will eat them no matter what. "Enough!" He yelled. "Tonight, I dine on turtle soup!" And he put fire under the oven. "You!" He pointed at Donny. "You will be the first one!" Time was ticking. Suddenly, Donny had an idea. Not sure if this is going to work, but he gave it a shot. "C'mon, go into the oven, or else I will kill your brothers!" He yelled at him.
"Excuse me, but I don't know how to do it." Donny pretended to be a bit slow-witted.
"What do you mean you don't know how to do it?! Just jump into the oven!" He yelled even louder. Mikey couldn't help himself but he started to giggle. This plan could work, thought Leo this to himself.
"Saki, we are turtles. Slow animals with slow brain functions. Can you please demonstrate how to do it right?" Donny asked.
Shredder facepalmed himself. "Bah, fine!" And he walked in front of the oven. "All you need to do is to lean a bit forward, and-" And before he could continue his sentence, Donny shoved him into the oven and he closed the door, then locked it up.
"Oh, now I get it~" Donny said with a smile on his face. "Thanks for the demonstration."
"Nice one, Donny!" Raph were full of joy, just like the others. Don searched for the keys but he didn't found them. Suddenly he found a trap door under the table where they ate for the first time. He opened up and he not just found the keys for the cages, but a lot of money as well. Donny couldn't believe their own eyes. But first, rescuing his brothers. He unlocked the locks of the cages and his brothers were free at last. They hugged the hero, Donatello, who not just saved them, but tricked a crazy, twisted man as well.
"Alright guys, let's get out of here." Leo said.
"Wait." Donny grabbed Leo's hand. "Before we leave, check this out." He went back to the trap door and he showed the money.
"That's a lot of cash!" Mikey exclaimed.
"We shouldn't take it. That's stealing." Leo said.
Raph crossed his arms. "Yeah, stealing from an evil man who ate people and almost ate us all. C'mon Leo, this is our chance to finally solve the problems."
Leo scratched his chin. "You know what guys? Let's take this money with us."
"Now we're talking." Said Mikey who already grabbed a bag and took the money inside. And they left the gingerbread house.
"You know dudes," Mikey started the conversation while they walked away. "I kinda feel bad about Shredder."
"He deserved it." Raph answered. "He was a bad guy after all."
"Alright guys," Leo put his hands on his hips. "let's try to go back home." And they wandered inside the forest. But after an hour they saw their father, Splinter walking around, tears in his eyes. He looked like he was searching for something, or someone.
"Father!" All of them cried out and ran to him. Splinter looked at them and he smiled bright to see his sons once again. He opened his arms and hugged them firmly. But after the group hug, the turtles crossed their arms and looked mad at him.
"You know, it was not cool to leave us deep in the forest." Donny said.
"Yeah. We almost died." Mikey added.
"I'm sorry my sons." Splinter fought to holding back his tears. "There were no other options left." He felt ashamed, but it seems he telling them the truth. The tears on his eyes isn't a lie. Besides, the turtles could read from his expression. The regret.
"Forget it. Look what we have." Said happily Mikey and he showed him the bag with full of money.
Splinter gasped. "Where did you get this?"
"It's a long story." Raph said.
And so they explained to their father what happened to them, how they survived at the gingerbread house and how they got the bag of money. Donny also explained Splinter where they could live, the possibilities and other sort of things. So all of them nodded to the Idea that they will live in the city. Well, under the city. In the sewers. They found a place where no people wandering there at all and they spent the money to buy some furnitures for themselves. And they still had some money to order some pizza when they are hungry.
And deep in the woods, there can be heard a very loud and strong voice echoing in the forest. "Curse you turtles! I will get you someday!"
And they lived happily ever after.
The End
