S.O.S. – Saver Our Species
Disclaimer: My hat goes off to the creators of the Ninja Turtles – life just wouldn't be the same without Leo, Don, Mike and Raph to keep me insane. Also Splinter's another cool character and sometimes doesn't get all the credit he deserves. Also would like to mention – this story is based on the 80's/90's cartoon series – so that's why April is a TV news reporter and there will be characters from that series such as the original Baxter Stockmen (before he was a fly – he became a fly in the 80's cartoon – for those too young to remember), Irma, Vernon and other characters that will indeed come up.
Basically in the tradition of the 80's cartoon.
Also, just so you know where this story originates from, here in Australia we have a lot of introduced species that have stuffed up our local ecosystems – such as the rabbit is a real problem in this country. So I kind of hope to address the issue of respecting our natural environments and not having humans try and run it their way when things don't go the way they want to. I think there's also some native species of turtles that are threatened by introduced turtles. I do know in my state (QLD) that to keep turtles as a pet you need a licence or something. I know it's tough – I want a pet turtle, but if it protects the local species then I can see why they have such a law. Read and enjoy. Italics are the TV.
S.O.S
Part 1
"Tonight on channel six news, protesters as local authorities plan to reduce the local turtle problem here in New York, more coming up…."
"What turtle problem?" Mikey looked to his Sensei.
"None of you have been seen lately have you? You have kept a low profile?" Splinter asked his four teenage sons.
"Not to my knowledge, Master Splinter", Leo said, as his brothers nodded.
"What does reduce mean?" Mikey turned to Donnie.
"Make less off. Basically in your terms, get rid of," Donnie explained, just as the report came back on.
"There have been reports of turtles over breeding here in New York,"
"Well that can't be us," Raph said dryly.
"Shh!" Leo, Don and Splinter hushed.
"After talks with the local scientist Baxter Stockman, who previously was involved in reducing the local rodent problem, has now come aboard with this new project. He tells me he has moved his plans to studying the local turtles and their behaviour patterns."
Mikey laughed, "Yeah, more like he's been getting his butt kicked by us."
"He failed with the rat problem, there's no way he can cure the turtle problem," Raph said to Mikey.
"Yeah, we turtles are far too clever," Mikey said.
"You clever, since when was Michealangelo and clever used in the same situation?" Raphael playfully teased his brother.
"Shhh!" Leonardo said.
Baxter Stockman came onto the TV and Mikey and Raph throw some of their chips at the screen, earning a stern warning from their Sensei.
"The problem lies within the pet shops. People buy a turtle or two thinking it would make a nice pet. Yes, turtles are simple creatures that don't require much attention."
Splinter simply chuckled to himself, "For a scientist he seems rather ill-informed or perhaps it's just the teenage mutant variety that requires a lot of attention."
"You see turtles are in fact rather dull and boring creatures," Baxter went on to say.
"Hey!" Mikey cried.
"Speak for your self ugly!" Raph cried at the screen.
"Well he obviously never met us, then. Oh sorry, he did meet us when we kicked his butt! Scientists are such dull and boring old farts! Oh except you Donnie, you're not old," Mikey said.
"So you saying he's still a dull fart?" Raph pointed out to Mikey.
"Swell, thanks I love you too bro," Donnie replied to that remark.
"I never said Donnie was a fart. He's not. Don't twist my words around Raphael."
"Shhhh!" Leo said to his brothers.
"So people get bored with their turtle and think that the best thing to do is flush it down into the sewers. The sewers are currently overloaded with these reptilian creatures, which then form gangs which move into Central Park before breeding some more, which adds to the problem."
"Yeah the sewer's overloaded hey guys? I mean I seem to bump into a fellow turtle all the time around the lair, heck I even see one when I look in the mirror each morning!" Raph pretended to be gob-smacked.
"Yeah, like this morning I saw this turtle sitting at the breakfast table eating rice bubbles, and then another one eating cornflakes," Mikey said.
"That would have been me and Donnie you saw," Raph replied.
"Then later I saw this other turtle meditating, he was big and had a blue bandana on. I see him around quiet a bit that dude practically lives here," Mikey joked along with Raph. They found entertaining themselves this way rather rewarding.
"Will you guys shut up?" Leo cried, "Sensei and I are trying to watch the news."
"Did he look suspiciously a lot like him?" Raph pointed to Leo.
"Yeah, there he is again! Hey Don can you explain why that turtle there keeps turning up in our lair?"
"He lives here Mikey. Now, let's hear the rest of the news," Donnie turned back to the TV.
Raph nudged Mikey, they both laughed at their joke on Leo.
"No the way to deal with this over population of turtles is to get rid of them. My team of experts are willing to put our lives on the line to save the people of New York by setting traps up in the sewers. Then we will move onto the problems in Central Park and eradicate the population there down to a manageable size."
"Eradicate don't sound too good, what's he mean? I get the turtle trap thingy…" Mikey said.
"What Don said, it means kill." Raph told his brother.
"My sons, if you will not be silent, you will have to leave the room," Splinter told his youngest two.
"Sorry," both turtles said.
Later that night, Leo was traipsing through the sewers, helping his friend April O'Neil back to the lair.
"So is what that report said true?" Leo asked her.
"Well, Baxter does have someone sponsoring him to erase the local turtle problems, even though I am not sure of whom, though I am wouldn't be too surprised if the Shredder was involved."
"I was surprised when Baxter mentioned the over population of turtles in the sewers, I mean I've only seen the four in my family down here. How can that be over population?"
"True, that's why the Shredder must be part of this one. I mean no one else knows there are four giant turtles running around the sewers somewhere."
"Hey April's here!" Mikey practically jumped up when he saw her enter.
"Hey guys!"
"Seen the numerous turtle plague on your way in?" Raph joked.
April chuckled, "No only you four and I don't know how you guys could start a plague."
"That's right, we're all boys," Donnie said.
"Yeah I'm yet to meet my female equivalent. I don't think I'll ever find my true love," Mikey sighed.
"Let's hope there isn't another Mikey out there!" Leo said, playfully teasing his baby brother.
"Hey! See I told you didn't I April, I don't get enough respect around here."
"Too earn respect; one must give it," Splinter said, as he entered the room, "Good evening Miss O'Neil."
"Hello Master Splinter, how are you tonight?"
Splinter and April had a little chat about her day, before Splinter brought up the topic that they had called her down here to discuss.
"Yes, the station is running round in circles about it. It seems to be the biggest news story. I would have been given that interview with Stockman, though because of my previous run-ins with him, my boss got Vernon to run that report. I've been assigned the job of turtle searching the sewers with Irma tomorrow morning, looking for sightings."
"Better practice Ninja Vanish," Mickey pulled a comic up and hide his face. April just laughed at his antics.
"Why don't you and Irma do some filming and then come down here for lunch?" Donne said, looking to Splinter for support.
"Yeah!" Mikey beamed at the idea of visitors.
"That would be a wonderful idea, if only the four of you promise to use your best table manners for our guests," Splinter said. April giggled, she had seen the turtles eating habits, and their best would still be considered rude in some circles.
"Oh Donnie will, he'll be wanting to impress his girlfriend Irma," Mikey teased the purple masked
"She's not my girlfriend!"
"We all know you fancy her. You want to kissy kissy with her," Mikey said, earning a hit on the head by Leo.
"What makes you say that?" Donnie blushed bright red.
"Cause we hear you talking to her on the phone," Raph said.
"Have you been calling Irma?" April asked, surprised.
"No she's always calling Donnie to go visit her," Leo informed April.
"She wants me to fix something; it's usually the hot water system."
"Yeah sure, we all know your kissy kissy."
"Yeah and we all know you never make any sense when you open your mouth," Raphael said to the turtle in orange.
"You're just jealous cos Donnie's got a girlfriend and you haven't," Mikey said.
"Michealangelo, please stop talking to your brother like that," Master Splinter.
"But it's true; Irma does ring up and want to speak to Donnie. She never wants to speak to me," Mikey said.
"Why, I think you're the jealous one. Mikey fancies Irma everyone!" Raph joined in the teasing game.
"Michealangelo, Raphael, go to your rooms now!" Master Splinter instructed.
"Man, this sucks," Raph said as he stomped to his room, as Mikey went to his.
"How about tomorrow, you and Irma come round here and we discuss what we're going to do with Stockman's latest adventure?" Leo suggested.
More to come next time…
Where Irma and Donnie start a project of their own….
And will one of the turtle traps in the sewers actually catch a turtle?
What else is in store?
