Turtlefreak121: Howdy - this is a One-Shot and sort of an 'exert' from my series, The Future Saga. Hirosaka is the adopted baby brother of the turtles and is currently five years old in this story.

Thank you for choosing Turtlefreak121 as your authoress and 'Hiro's Friend' for your readable story! I hope you enjoy!

Hiro's Friend

By Turtlefreak121

Disclaimer: I don't own the TMNT. Hiro's mine.

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It had been a long night for the turtles. The Foot had been relentless - as always. Ever since Saki won his election as Governor of New York, it had been near impossible to not run into the hordes of soldiers. The likes of Karai or Hun had not been seen since the ambush that had nearly taken their adopted brother's life nearly three years ago - they both served close to the Shredder in disguise. Still, that hadn't made the Foot any less dangerous.

This particular night had turned up three attempted ambushes, a near beheading of Michelangelo, and Raph almost loosing the eye Karai had left him. Luckily, as the night hours depleted - so did the number of Foot operatives. Almost relieved by this, Leo decided that they should stay out a little longer before turning to the sewers so that they were sure no one was following them.

As a speck of purple and red began to show in horizon, Leo looked to his left and his right - no one but his brothers and himself.

"Alright..." the blue-clad leader stated quietly. “I think it's safe to head home..."

The other three turtles grunted in reply - this would be the fourth time this week they would show up at daybreak.

Almost dragging but still keeping the stealthy watch that had been branded into their instincts by training, the four turtles leaped into the alley below and Don removed the manhole cover. He didn't even bother to bend down and instead used his bo staff.

The turtles jumped into the passage to their subterranean home with Raph pulling the manhole after them seeing as how he was last.

Slowly, the four made their way down the sewers with dragging feet. Their destination was as clear as day in their minds. For the past three years they had lived with LeatherHead after their old home was invaded. But LH had proven more than once to be a helpful asset to them - especially considering they now had a five-year-old on their hands and Splinter was growing a little old for turtle ranging.

They punched in the code to allow them access into the hidden lair.

"What's our timing today, Don?" Mikey dared to ask as he stretched into a long yawn.

The purple-clad turtle pulled out his shell cell and flipped it open. The screen flashed his answer. "Five thirty..." he groaned before rubbing his eyes.

"You're joking..." Raph grumbled.

"Five hours? That's not that bad..." Mikey stated with yet another yawn.

"No, Mikey... It's five thirty a.m.!" Donny explained.

"What? But we left at eight last night!" Mikey complained.

"We got held up..." Leo grunted as they stood in the center of the lair to say their partings before going to their rooms.

"Ya think?" Raph snorted.

Before anyone could say anything else, a small 'bolt' flew across the floor and straight into Raph's left leg before latching onto it with a tight squeeze. The gray mask and emerald colored skin told the turtles one thing - this was their baby brother, Hirosaka.

"Hey, there, short-stuff!" Raph said with a smirk before kneeling down and sleepily giving the small turtle a hug.

"You guys were gone all night!" Hiro exclaimed before running over and hugging the rest of his brothers.

As he hugged Leo, the oldest turtle gave Hiro a glare. "Hirosaka - what are you doing up, still?" he asked sternly. "I bet Master Splinter and LeatherHead are still in bed, aren't they?"

The little turtle rapidly nodded his head. "Yup! But that's kay - Faux kept me company!" he exclaimed.

The turtles looked at each other in surprise.

"Who's Faux, Hiro?" Don asked kindly.

Smiling, the little turtle decided to tell them. "Faux is my bestest friend beyond best friend ever and he's the coolest kid cause he's nice and funny - but he says his family gets mad at hims lots cause he's a bit of trouble! But that's 'kay - Faux is nice to me!"

The older turtles looked at each other. At once, it seemed their hearts started racing. Could Hiro possibly mean someone - someone human - had found them? That couldn't be right! It couldn't be!

"Umm...where did you meet Faux, Hiro?" Leo asked skeptically.

"The sewers!" Hiro exclaimed. "I know I'm not supposes to be out there, but Faux said he was gonna come in anyway!"

Raph swallowed. "Where's dis 'Faux', now, Hiro?" he asked.

"He lefts!" Hiro yawned before walking away. "He always goes away when you guys come home..."

"Hey! Hey!" Mikey exclaimed before getting a hold of Hiro's right arm and pulling him back over to them. "Why does he leave when we come home?"

Hiro shrugged. "Jus does..."

"Does he stay somewhere in here, Hiro?" Don asked.

"I dunno... He jus comes and goes..."

"When does he come?" Leo asked, ignoring the aching pain telllin him to get to the nearest bed and pass out.

"When you guys leave..." Hiro stated with a yawn. "Why?"

The turtles looked at each other.

"Kid, it's probably best ya don't play with 'Faux' anymore..." Raph said slowly.

Hiro's eyes narrowed. "Why?" he demanded.

"We... We don't know what he might want..." Don added simply.

"Plus, you don't really know him yarself, do ya?" Mikey asked with a smirk.

Hiro's eyes narrowed further. "HE'S MY FRIEND!" the little turtle argued before storming off towards his room.

Standing up, Raph joined the concerned looks of his brothers. "What are we gonna do?" he asked.

"I don't like the feeling of this one bit!" Leo said with a frown and a shake of his head.

"What's this guy want with Hiro?" Mikey asked in a scared voice before glancing off to where their younger brother had run off to. He hoped that they hadn't upsetted Hiro too bad.

"I don't know - but whoever 'Faux' is - he has a pretty good hold on Hiro," Don said as he scratched his head. "I wonder how long this guy has been sneaking in and out of the surveillance system."

"I didn't like that Hiro said he already knew where the lair was..." Leo stated. "We have to catch this guy before something bad happens!"

The others nodded.

"But first, some sleep?" Mikey asked with another yawn.

Leo nodded. "Yeah, c'mon... I'll tell you my plan tomorrow."

&&&&&&

Splinter looked to his sons as they slowly headed towards the sewer door. "You leave again tonight, my sons?" he asked in concern. "Perhaps you four should rest..."

Excitedly, Hiro jumped up to a standing position on the couch and looked to his brothers hopefully. "YEAH!" he exclaimed. "We can watch movies all night!" He then jumped down and looked to his brothers. "Yeah?"

"Not tonight, Hiro..." Leo said with a smile to his brother. "You should play with LeatherHead a bit - we won't be long..."

Hirosaka's silver eyes rolled to the back of his head before dragging his feet towards the lab where LH and Don usually worked. "Whatever..." he grunted in disappointment.

Don shut the sewer door 'behind himself' before slipping into the shadows with his other three brothers.

"You sure we had to lie to him?" Mikey asked with a sad look to Hiro as he pestered the large croc 'cousin' of his.

"We have to make it as believable as possible, Mikey," Leo stated quietly as Hiro yawned and sat down in LeatherHead's path and unknowingly got in the large croc's way.

"You may need to move, my friend," LH said softly with a large grin to the youngling.

Hiro yawned again. "I'm bored..." he stated to LeatherHead - completely ignoring LH's request.

Sighing and side stepping the young turtle, LeatherHead continued.

"You could watch me, Hirosaka - but I know how that gets tiresome to you extremely quick..." LH attempted.

"Can I play with those?" Hiro asked as he pointed at the many bright colored chemicals in beakers and tubes on one of the desks.

LH gave a nervous laugh. "I would prefer if not..."

Hiro shrugged before forcing himself up. "Okay..." he said with a yawn before walking towards Master Splinter's room.

"The eagle's on the move..." Mikey said with a crack of a smile. The others glared at him. "What? I tried didn't I?"

"Masser Splinter?" Hiro called out into his Sensei's room.

"Come in, Hirosaka..." Splinter stated softly to his 'newest' son as he glanced around at all the different items in his room. "What is it that you wish to see me for, my son?" he asked as he turned around and smiled at the youngling.

"I'm bored, Sensay..." Hiro groaned. "Why bros go out again?"

"They have to do things just as you and I have to," Splinter said - half-way side stepping the answer of 'fighting the Foot' - Hirosaka hated the idea of people getting hurt. No matter who...

Hiro groaned. "Can't they take a break?" he growled.

Splinter smiled again. "Look forward to the summer when Shadow has no school and we may all go to her farm for a vacation, Hirosaka..."

Sighing, Hiro leaned against the small table in the center of his master's room. "But what to do now?" he begged.

"Perhaps there is something for you to play with among your toys?" Splinter said with raised brows.

"It'd be summtin' if dis 'Faux' character doesn't show up t'night..." Raph grunted as Hiro started in the opposite direction of his room and toys - the TV room.

Leo frowned. "Let's hope we get lucky..."

The four slipped through the shadows of their own home and watched as Hirosaka back flipped onto the couch and grabbed the remote from in between the cousins before turning the television on.

"That's where he hid it?" Raph growled only to get shushed by his other brothers.

Hiro looked over the couch for a minute and glanced back and forth for a moment before looking back at the television.

"Think he heard Faux?" Mikey asked.

"More like Raph..." Leo hissed as he glared at their red-clad brother.

Hiro flipped through the channels for a minute before stretching. His eyes lazily glanced at the screen before his head began to slowly slump to his shoulder in complete boredom. His finger clicked on the button and the television automatically changed from Cartoon Network to Nickelodeon. He waited for a minute and then remembered that he'd seen this episode of Spongebob.

Aggravated with the fact that there wasn't anything for him to watch on television, the youngling made his way to toy chest and pulled out the wooden building blocks Mikey had given him once for Christmas.

The youngling sat down and began stacking the blocks one on top of another.

"And you said he wouldn't like them!" Mikey smirked at Raph.

Then, Hiro began talking to himself.

"Yeah...my brothers left today. They went to play topsides without me! My best friend is Shadow - she goes to school now. She's blonde. Have I ever told you about Aunt April? She's nice. Uncle Casey is funny..."

The turtles looked at each other. What was going on?

Slowly, Don got it. The turtle's eyes widened and he looked to his brothers. "Guys!" he exclaimed.

Before he could continue, Splinter walked out of his room and made his way to the kitchen. His path include walking through the television room where he smiled softly at Hiro as he walked pass the youngling.

"Greetings, Hirosaka!" Splinter said softly. "How are you today?"

"Good, Masser Splinter!" Hiro exclaimed.

"And how is your friend Faux?" the rat asked.

The turtles' jaws dropped.

"He's the bestest best friend I've ever had, Sensay!" he exclaimed.

Now completely confused, the four turtles walked out of the shadows. This earned them a raised brow from Splinter before Hiro turned around. The young turtle scowled at them.

"You lied!" he snapped ferociously.

"Sensei, you knew about Faux?" Leo asked their master.

"Yes...he's a good...friend for Hirosaka..." Splinter stated as his eyes shifted to the youngling.

"But don't ya find it weird that he only comes around when Hiro's alone?" Raph asked in concern.

"Well...most...friends of this sort only do..." Splinter stated trying to avoid the exact wording while in front of Hiro.

"But--"

Don threw his hand up to stop Mikey from completing. "Master Splinter, can we speak to you in the kitchen," Don stated with a jerk of his head to the kitchen.

"Of course, my sons..." Splinter stated before leading his four oldest sons to the kitchen.

Once there, the three other turtles looked at Don expectantly.

"Faux is Hirosaka's imaginary friend, isn't he?" Don asked with a smirk.

"What?" all three turtles demanded at once.

Splinter chuckled and nodded. "With you always gone and Shadow at school now, Hirosaka very easily gets lonely. With 'Faux', Hirosaka has a friend that's always there for him when you four are gone. You four never had one because you always had each other as you grew up. For Hirosaka you four are so much older than him - this is his way of 'interacting' with someone his age..."

"I don't understand...you mean we've waited all night for someone who's not real?" Leo asked.

"Yes," Splinter laughed. "Faux is Hirosaka's mutant fox with a bow and arrow..." he looked to Mikey. “I believe a picture of him is hanging in your room, Michelangelo."

Mikey blinked. "I thought it was Robin Hood... Huh...I was wondering why he was wearing a jacket like Raph's..."

The old rat turned around and slowly began walking back out the kitchen. "Due to the circumstances I have seemed to have forgotten what I was coming for. I will return to my room, but keep in mind that from now on it would be in your best interests to leave and stay when you say you are - I believe you now have an angered five-year-old to deal with..."

The four turtles looked at each other and laughed at their silly mistake.

In the living room, Hiro put the building blocks up - a curious grin on his face. He hated those building blocks, but they filled their purpose. Perhaps he would keep this 'Faux' thing a little longer, after all...

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Turtlefreak121: (smirk) Hiro, you little devil! This is to anyone who's ever had an imaginary friend like me!