~~~I do not own TMNT~~~

The turtles were growing up quickly, and I had recently begun their training. Their new masks were slightly larg on them and they had found themselves needing to tie them multiple times so they could not slip off. I had also started to walk them through the sewers so that they would learn them well. We would sometimes walk for hours just to circle back and come home. They were learning quickly, but it always seemed that Michelangelo had something better to do on these walks.

I was walking close behind Leonardo, and Donatello as they tried their hand at navigating us back to our home, while Raphael and Donatello strolled along behind. Michelangelo much further behind. I flinched when I could only here one set of feet padding along behind me, so I stopped and turned. Michelangelo was squatting down and staring into a pool that had formed underneath a road drain. He had a stick and he was pocking at something. Raphael turned too and ran after him. "Hey, Mikey! What'd'ya find?"

"A gold fish!" At this, Leonardo and Donatello ran too see as well.

When I stepped up behind them, I saw there was a small plastic bag floating in the street water. The form of a fish was visible inside the dirtied bag, but however it had fallen into the sewer, the bag had popped and the dirtied water was now seeping into the fish still wrapped inside.

Raphael frowned and snatched the stick from Michelangelo. "I think it's dead." He pocked the front of the fish and it began thrashing around violently.

Leonardo took the stick away from Raphael and threw it. "You're the one that's gonna kill it!"

Donatello reached into the shallow pool and pulled on the plastic bag. When the fish was unwrapped and floating tiredly through the water, he turned to Michelangelo. "Cup your hands." Michelangelo did this, and Donatello lined the middle of his hands with the plastic bag, making a small bowl. Raphael reached in a grabbed the fish and placed it in the makeshift bowl while Leonardo cupped some water inside. The fish wasn't moving much and was missing an eye.

I was greeted by four pleading stares. "Can we keep it, Master Splinter?" Leonardo pouted slightly.

I looked down at the fish again. It did not appear to be in any shape, but perhaps if the turtles cared for it, it would last. "Yes, let's hurry home and find it some proper water to swim in."

The four turtles ran ahead of me, Michelangelo at a slower pace so that he wouldn't drop their new pet.

When we were back home, I rummaged through the kitchen until I found a thick, clear vase. I filled it with water, and helped Michelangelo put the fish inside. I then sat it on the kitchen table for them to see.

Raphael stared at the while scales of the fish with confusion. "Has it not been out in the sun enough, or somethin'?"

Donatello rolled his eyes, "No! It's a Comet Goldfish. It's supposed to be white."

Leonardo leaned forward to see around Raphael. "Then why's it called a 'gold' fish?"

"Because it's still closely related to goldfish. It's just a different kind."

Michelangelo leaned forward to see past Leonardo. "Why do koala's have two thumbs?" The other three stared back at him in silence. Michelangelo crossed his arms on the table and leaned his chin on them. "Everyone else was asking questions about animals…"

I chuckled at them and then pointed towards the cabinet. "Donatello, why don't you find a cracker or two we can give to the fish."

As Donatello scurried off, Leonardo perked up and bounced some, "We should name it!"

Raphael smiled, "Yeah! Somethin' cool, like Spike!"

Leonardo turned up his nose. "But it's a fish! Naming it 'Spike' wouldn't make sense. What about Bubbles?"

Donatello ran up and began breaking the crackers he had found. "I like the name 'Maximus'."

Raphael frowned. "No, that's nerdy!"

I shook my head at their bickering. "You will all have to agree on a name."

Michelangelo shrugged. "Jerry?"

All four stared around at each other and smiled, "Yeah!"

I went into the living room and turned on the TV while the four stood on their toes watching the fish eat the bits of cracker. I smiled at the screen, glad that they had something besides hurting themselves or each other to occupy them. I jumped and muted the TV suddenly when the signal flickered and a loud screeching echoed from the speakers. I went over and stared down to the tangled mess of wires. "Donatello! Come fix the TV again!"

Jerry had been doing fine for the past week. He reached a point where he would actually swim and splash around, acting as though he had never been sick. I was proud of my boys for doing so well with cleaning the vase and feeding him. I truly believed we'd have Jerry for a good amount of time. But just as the goldfish had reached his peak in health, it ended.

I sat up in bed quickly. It was much to quiet. Even when all of the turtles were asleep, Donatello's snoring would ring through our home. But there was no sound now. I stood and put on my kimono before walking out into the kitchen. All four turtles were gathered around the fish vase. Raphael pulled out one of the chairs from the table and stood on it so he could stare down into the water.

"What is the matter?" I asked coming up behind Michelangelo and staring into the bowl as well.

Donatello turned to me with watery hazel eyes. "Jerry isn't moving, Master Splinter."

Raphael pulled the bowl towards himself and poked the fish that was now floating belly up in the water. He looked at me with confusion. "What's wrong with 'im?"

I took the bowl and looked into myself. It was obvious what had happened to him, and I was heartbroken to have to explain it to my sons. "I believe he's dead, Raphael."

His oversized, red mask crinkled as he pouted. "But we didn' even shoot or stab 'im!"

I picked Raphael up and stood him beside his brothers. "You do not have to 'shoot or stab' something for it to die."

Donatello wiped his nose on his wrist. "Was it because he was sick?"

I took the vase and took Jerry out of it. I wrapped him in some paper towels and then emptied the water from the vase. "It may have been. Or it could be that he was just old and it was time."

Michelangelo sputtered a bit through his tears before shouting out. "But you're old! Does that mean you're going to die?"

I turned quickly to the four who all gazed up at me with tear streaked faces. I forced myself not to laugh. "No, Michelangelo. I won't die for a very long time."

They all sighed with relief and then Leonardo looked up to the counter where Jerry lay in the paper towels. "So are we gonna bury him?"

Michelangelo shook his head. "I think we should put him back where I found him."

I carried the clump of paper towels with me as I walked the four out into the sewer. "I think that's a wonderful idea."

After we had released the fish into the dirtied water and said our good-byes, we began our journey back home. Leonardo seemed troubled, so I put a paw on his shoulder. "What is on you mind, Leonardo?"

He struggled to explain his thoughts. "Is… Is dying…Bad?"

At this, I paused. I kneeled down to his height and waited for the other three to gather around before speaking. "No, Leonardo. Dying is not a bad thing. It is just part of life. It must happen."

Raphael was now confused as well. "But on cop shows, they punish guys for making people die."

I sighed and thought over what to say. "Killing people is different. It is wrong to kill someone out of anger or just because you want to." I stared around to them. Their masks hung in awkward ways, but I knew they would grow into them quickly. "You will learn this lesson again when you are older. There may come a time when you must hurt or kill someone, but it will not be to kill. It will be to protect others. Or each other."

Leonardo smiled a bit to Raphael first and then to me. "Is that why you are training us, Master Splinter?"

I grinned and tightened his sagging mask some. "Yes, my son. That is exactly why."