Heroes in the Half-Shell

Chapter 9 - "They're Ninjas."

Disclaimer: I do not repeat DO NOT own TMNT and crew in any way cause they belong to Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird (Only knows as the Greatest Guys on Earth!). Other characters like a certain OC that happen in these fanfic rightfully belongs to me and only ME!

Announcement from the writer: Hey guys! This is the second chapter that I had to rewrite today. Must be some kind of record. Anyway, sorry for the rant in the last chapter. Seeing that shipping on a romantic kind is not my cup of tea with a bit of nausea on the side. But if you guys support it, support away.

So, it looks like we are nearly half-way there, people! Once this story is done, I will move onto the sequel which I might finish this year…no wait. Definitely next year. Sorry. I still have my idea for some stories that takes place between the first and second movie (and maybe beyond…). Anyway, while that it happening, there are still more stories to told. I do wish I have the time to do so. Anyone got a device that freezes time? Or maybe the power to freeze time.

Anyway, moving on. Let's see what happens now that both April and Sally know more about the Turtles!

(Channel 6 News, Manhattan, NY - 7:50am)

The sun has just rise up from the horizon to greet a new day. The sky still brings a nice navy blue in the air before it flows into a baby blue later on. Clouds have also covered the sky but it did promise to shed a little sunshine as predicated in the weather forecast.

Today was a nice and warm Friday in which tomorrow will allow nearly every single man, women and children to enjoy a well-deserved sleep-in after a busy 5-day schedule. People are either getting up to seize the day or taking a massive rest as some might have chosen this day to do nothing and avoid the workload.

Too bad it couldn't happen to the youthful teen and her adult roommate.

For the third time of the week, April O'Neil and Sally Hope are once again at the news station at an early time.

After what they have been through and what they have discovered last night, there was no way that they can possibly get any sleep at all. Sally did doze off for a few winks but April pressed onwards. Once the tired reporter has got what she needs for to bring into work, she wakes up her tired roommate. Both of them didn't have the decency to take the time to have a shower or get change. But Sally did squeeze in the time to change from her blue shorts to her denim short overalls. As the guardian, April did promise that Sally would give school a miss in exchange to help her and to come down to the station. They also called Vern ahead of time to give them a lift to the station.

While April was setting up the spare room for her massive story about the Vigilante (now Vigilantes), Sally took on the request to get a couple cups of coffee as a boost for their day. The girls (thanks to April) didn't have time to stop now to grab a bite to eat. That is why Sally not only brought back coffee but a few donuts and an apple from the staff kitchen and why she wasn't in the mood when April woke her up. A girl like Sally is not herself when she doesn't get her beauty sleep and fill. She also had to use April's keycard to gain access as she was only an intern and that kind of staff are not permitted into that section.

After taking off her signature yellow jacket and placed on a table, the overworked journalist has managed to use the printer at work to print off about ten A4 photo sized of each of the turtle 15 years ago including another research of her own. It wasn't just the docks that the same symbol that was sprayed on but in several locations throughout the city. This has been happening for a few months before April, along with Sally, knew about it. The reporter did manage to research the particular symbol and found out what it stands for. That same symbol is printed on paper and it is posted in the middle of the crowded whiteboard.

During the early hours, April managed to transfer the old tapes to her computer thanks to modern technology. That way, if she loses the original copy, she will always have a back-up digital on her laptop. The same device was placed on the table with one of the videos ready to hit play as well as the same box where she found all her resources in on one of the chairs.

Grabbing a few more photos and with a marker in her hand, April walks over to the large whiteboard that has almost flooded with many photos. Some even has little sticky notes stuck to it. In each of the locations on the A4 picture, only a section with the symbol was magnified to show more proof that the Vigilante or the Vigilantes are real. There were plenty more photos that April could posted on the whiteboard but it was brought over to the another one just located onto her left. Another whiteboard was also located but to her right end of the room.

It was a photo of the unconscious Foot members that were present in the subway brawl. All chained up and lined up like it was the Last Supper. There is the photo of the actual thing to compare the similarities. The name LEONARDO (one of the turtles' names) was also written on that board with a few more writing.

Sally finally returns with the food, coffee and an energy drink for both of them (the can of Monster was for the group-up) in tow to see her friend writing the words CRIME SCENE in purple high above her. The words KANJI and JAPAN were also written as well but in boxes instead. She also sees arrows pointing from one printed photo to another and the symbol was boarded around with different kinds of colour markers.

Placing the perishable contents on the spare table, Sally, letting out a big yawn, watches the only adult continue to hold more pictures up with the help of magnets. Seeing the Turtles last night was something hard to believe. Anybody can make this up if they were real or not. But the teen can't help but feel precarious about all this. The problem is that no-one will believe April or her when either one of them will tell the tale. If they did reveal the news to the public, they would be laughed in mockery. But that is not the worst part. April can get fired from all this and Sally will lose her internship because of this. Also, she couldn't help think about the warning that one of them gave to the girls if they did say a word to anyone.

These reptiles - Ninja Turtles - will find them if words do get out.

But she simply can't tell her friend to give up. Sally did saw the Turtles with her own eyes. And even if she didn't see the symbol the first time around, she was first one to believe April when no-one else did. Pushing down all the insecurities inside of her, Sally is ready for April at every step of the way.

As she takes a seat in the unoccupied seat, she bites down on her donut and takes a slip on her beverage, to see more words were put up:

- LOCATIONS - 10? There might be more places than the ones on the whiteboard.

- PHOTOS. Some from her camera. Others from Sally's or the net.

- OTHER ARTICLES. There have been a few articles for a while that has them involved with the…mutants.

- CONNECTING ELEMENT IS KANJI SYMBOL. Something that has to do with the symbol that April brought up on the board.

April now grabs a green marker and marks a box around "KANJI SYMBOL". Right now, she has her whole speech ready. She cannot wait to show her boss the actually proof of the story that she wasn't quite ready from yesterday.

"O'Neil!"

Speaking off…

Just a while ago, she was called by April to tell her the big news. Hating to leave from her busy post, Thompson hopes that her trip to see the young reporter was worth it. She has the same pants with a long blue top on and resting on her nose were her reading glasses.

The CEO walks in through the door to see the youngest members of her company in the small room. At the sight of her boss, April stops her drawing and drops the marker onto the table. "All right, what was so important I had to get here?"

Being up this early for a grumpy old lady was not a good sign to both the girls as she has a huge TV station to run on a daily basis. April will have to keep it short as she is a busy lady. But this was the only time that was perfect to get some lonely time with Thompson. And what better way to use that time wisely was to tell…her story.

"Okay. Are you ready?"

Thompson nodded. "Yeah." Well, so was April.

The young woman rustles through her long auburn locks, trying to shake the fatigue out of her system. Or was she just trying to fix up her hairstyle? It wouldn't kill April to take a 2-min shower to freshen up but after what she and Sal have gone through, there wasn't time for it. Or for food. Not for Sally. She can skip shower for one day but never when it comes for food. She takes a slip of her coffee as she watches the two women in the room.

"Okay." April starts her first statement as she clears her throat. "You know how I saw the Vigilante?"

Thompson nodded. "Yeah." At first, she was intrigued of it at first but with no real proof, it was hard to accept it.

April adds on. "But I had no photos or evidence to show you, so I just sounded crazy." When the word crazy comes out of her mouth, April does these little finger motion to perfectly describe that one word. Sally does a little cheeky smirk when she saw that.

Once again, Thompson nods but in more of a believable way. "Yes." The woman doesn't have to remind her on how she acted yesterday morning. She remembers that meeting very well that she only came up to the top floor with only one photo, a story that is not neither fantastic or tangible and nothing more.

Well, unlike yesterday morning, April did bring her fantastic story with loads of tangible proof. And a lot more.

"Okay. But I saw him again—Well, I didn't see him again, we saw them, because there's four," she responded as she holds one finger up before adding three more, making her statement and adding her friend into the mix. She does it again in her next sentence. "There's not just one, there's four. And we were standing as close to them as you are to me right now."

Almost like before, Thompson is now more than eager to know these Vigilantes. If April says that they are real, then she was now leaning towards that direction. Very intrigued, she needs to know more. "What'd they look like?" Do they have a cape on or are they wearing masks or were they just someone with a familiar face and a big heart like Sacks? Or were they covered from head-to-toe like the Foot?

April lets out a big exhale before pointing to her boss. "I'll show you." Her answer was not located on the main whiteboard but on the secondary one. Walking over to it and points the same two fingers from before, April holds it against the chosen photo. Just posted behind her was a blurry still-image of the actual fight that took place last night in the subway (from jher camera) and another sticky note with the words Trachemys scripta elegans - Red eared slider. Below them are the words written on blue are STOCKMAN, O'NEIL, HOPE and SACKS. These last names were very crucial to the company behind the Vigilantes. But right beside the sticky note is what April is currently has her fingers on.

A close-up photo of one of her pet turtles.

This is not what Thompson was expecting. They were not wearing a cape or a mask or anything. It was just a photo of a close up of a small reptile. "What?"

April knocks her two knuckles on the board a couple of times before dropping it to her side. "Like this."

Now it was Thompson turn to point her fingers but at the photo. She takes a step forward to get a better look despite wearing glasses. "Like turtles?

"Well,…" Sally comes up between them, with her mouth-full of the deep-fried breakfast. She only has her cup in her hand and her donut already devoured. "…they don't look like turtles." Okay, maybe they are wearing costumes just like any other heroes in fiction stories…But Sally wasn't done. "…because they are turtles." She takes another of her morning joe.

The young women hold her hand to speculate their height of these turtle that they saw last night. "They're over six feet tall and they speak English," the reporter added.

Baffled, the older woman looked at the photo and back to the girls. Turtles? Six-feet tall? English? Thompson has all got worked up…for four pet baby turtles. They're joking, right?

She was not getting through to her. Out of frustration, April starts to scratching her messy hair again, making more unbearable tangles in it. Note to self: pack a small hairbrush in her bag from now on to get rid of the itching feeling. Well, it wouldn't be a problem if she didn't skip on her daily routine.

Thompson's mouth was gapping. Was this some kind of joke? Four giant turtles…are living in their streets?

"Oh, my God,…" the stunned older women muttered before moving away from the board. She can't not believe that she had to leave her station to see…this!

Thinking that she is heading for the door, April stops her scratching and stops her boss. "We were awake all night, please look,…" she holds her hand out before rushing towards the main whiteboard, pointing out more on her theories. "…we were awake all night googling all the thwarted crimes over the past three months,…" She motions her hands around the board where the photos of alleyways, windows, and place where not much light could get through. All the places where the Foot have made their appearance at. April finally puts to the symbol before looking back at Thompson. "…and this symbol appeared at every single one. Look! Every single one of them."

Thompson's eyes have nearly bugged out of their sockets. This story was getting more far-fetched than the one that the journalist tried to pull off yesterday. But she remains on the spot; still listening to the story at her suffering.

While the 24-year-old speaks, Sally moves over to the cluttered table that is overflowed with paper, food, drinks and her friend's laptop. Looking back and forth at April and to Thompson, she can easily note the uneasy tension in the room than it was yesterday morning. The CEO would not understand the whole story because she has not seen the symbol many years ago just like April did. Maybe she was telling her whole story wrong? Either way, this was not going to end well.

But April didn't stop. She taps the photo on her left. "This one, look." And she then taps to the others, one-by-one. "Here, here, here, here, here." From her seat, Sally was too pointing at each place in a more comedic way. At the end of the trail, she goes right back to the lone black writing on printed paper before looking back at Thompson. "And it's an ancient Japanese symbol that means "family"."

If she was talking to her dad (if he was still alive) or Sally's dad (if he is around), they would be more intrigued with the story because they have been there. But there is also Eric Sacks. If he was available in his busy schedule…

Despite leaving her out, Sally was near the certain item that could make April's story more realistic. Grabbing her laptop, she hands it to her roommate. "Here, April."

This was taking a lot in for Thompson. She was a busy woman. And she didn't have time to get involved in such of a fake story that is not news-worthy. Thompson has directed her eyes to the ground while placing her hand on her forehead before lifting her head up. "I can't believe you brought me in in to do this?" she exclaimed. She's not the only one but Sally decided to drop it and stay on April's side. That means she too will be on Thompson's bad side.

Frantically, April folds her small Mac up and the computer was turned on. "It's here, it-i-its h-here," the young stuttered as she types in her password to log in. She hits the play button and the film starts rolling. In this video shows the turtles playing around in their small tank. April switches the laptop around so Thompson has front-row seats of the show but this particular show is something that Thompson would not pay money for it. The CEO darts her eyes in the office of where the ceiling and the wall meet, not seeing April and Sally from the corner of her vision.

"This is my father and her father's lab." Finally, the reluctant Thompson faces them. Maybe some actual video proof of these large, talking turtles would prove anything. April points to the picture of the turtle as the video was playing in the background. "This is the same lab where these things were born or-or-or created or mutated. Or, I don't know the terminology, but will you please just look at what I'm showing you and listen to me," she begged while agitatedly taps the screens of her own device but not enough to make a dent in it. "It's all connected. The Turtles are the Vigilantes and the Vigilantes are these turtles."

The women watch the old video where one of the so-called Vigilantes is a small creature, munching down on a slice of pizza that appeared on the scene at 00:06:34 on 07/18/1999 with the 8-year-old April voicing over as she feeds her pets.

"Pizza has cheese, tomato sauce, all your favourite stuff. Eat it. You guys need nutrition. Or not."

Pushing up her glasses before they fell off of her face and looks up to the girls before going back to the film, Thompson was almost had it with the misleading newbies. She has a huge company to run and she can't waste any more time with this. It's either April and Sally need to drop it or they will suffer the consequences.

Thompson then places her hand on display case before folding it back down. She has had enough of watching something that from the science channel. "I just want to be clear. You two are now telling that there are four,…" she hold out four fingers just like what April did before and then she holds out the same hand to at the imaginary height that April also pointed out, "…six foot talking turtles,…" she waves the other hand in a shape of an imaginary semi-circle, "…walking around New York City and no-one has seen them but you two?"

"That's what we are telling you," April confidently replied her answer. Sally nods in agreement.

Thompson pictures a light smile on her face. Some good humour in the morning would fill her up, not this phoney-bologna. She looks away as she chuckles. "I don't mean to laugh,…" she tilts her head back up, "…but is there anything else we should know about them?"

If Thompson wants a laugh, she might get a kick out of for what the one of them say next. But what either one of the girls is going to say is no laughing matter. They looked at each other. And then back to Thompson.

"They're ninjas."

Thompson's face went bleak. "I'm sorry,…what?

Still sitting from her chair, Sally added on from her friend's answer. "Yeah, and they do karate or something. And they have these ninja masks on and they carry these weapons around. And—"

"Okay," Thompson calmly snaps at them before pointing to the door, "You two, get out."

And when Thompson means get out, its means in her terms: you're fired.

That is why April's eyes are all red and her cheeks are streaked with tears. No longer wearing the tags around their necks, the only things that they can leave their former workplace was the same cardboard box that the girls brought in this morning, plus their own bags as well. April O'Neil has worked extremely hard to get the dream job that she always wanted. And now, thanks to the events from last night and the action just a few minutes ago, it was shot.

They both went through all this trouble to get the story of the century, only to be ridicule. Putting fake news on the show was not how Channel 6 works.

But neither the girls are lying. They are telling the truth. If the two of them saw the Turtles, then that should be enough for Thompson or anybody else to believe them. The Foot are real, so why can't these reptiles be real too? Their boss - former boss - finds it…unbelievable.

Sniffing her nose, April was the first to walk through the gloomy door of the depressing place and a step towards The Life of the Unemployment Gal of the Big Apple, which sounds like a nice title of a book based on the 24-year-old's life. Sally was right behind her. The teen wasn't depressed as her friend here was. But at least, her guardian can remind her that she can now be more focus on her studies so she can get a decent job when her final year of school concludes.

"O'Neil! Hope!"

The girls whipped their heads to their left. Still parked in the designated spot was their ride. Leaning up again the back door, Vern takes an interest at the expressions on the reporter and the teen's face, the small box in the former's hands and…the absent of the girls' lanyards. It could only mean one thing.

Pushing off his van, Vern, hands in his jean's pockets, casually walks over to the girls. Looking up at the building before turning his attention on them. "It could have been worse." He acted like it was nothing or more of a warning that Thompson gave them. Unfortunately, he doesn't know the whole story.

"We just got fired, Vern. How could it be worse?" Without a job, how was April going cope with the finance for both herself and her roommate? It would be possible for Sally to get an after-school job but with the amount of work at school and how far behind that she is lagging, it doesn't seem achievable.

"And would it kill her to write a recommendation letter for collage?" Not entirely in the mood, April shot her a look. Sally was making it a bit worse. She now regrets that comment. "Sorry."

"Maybe it's good. Maybe the two of you should take a little time, take care of yourselves," the concern friend of the girls advised them the next step. They both nodded. Maybe some time off would be a wise idea in the meantime before going back on the job hunt for the ex-reporter. "And hey,…if you guys need help with finances or anything like that, just let me know. I'll pitch in."

The teen does a sweet smirk. "Thanks, Vern." At least they have someone who is looking out for them.

"Come on, I'll give you girls a ride." Vern was just heading towards his car. That is when April has another idea. Thompson is not the only one who should know about the Turtles.

"Not unless you're going to the Eric Sacks estate," she said as she turns and walks in the other direction. Sally follows her in pursuit.

Vern quickly does a U-turn and tries to catch up to them. "April…"

"I'm not giving up this story."

"…Hey!" He quickly gets in front of O'Neil as he grabs hold of her left arm. "You gotta put that to bed."

April just simply can't put it to bed. After what she and Sally have discovered, it would be impossible to do so. She can either burn it, bury it or drown it and it still won't go away.

"Would all of those other great reporters that sourced with, would they have "put it to bed"?" April fired back.

Vern shakes his head, placing his hands in his back pockets this time. "No. That's different."

"How is it different?" She looks down at her box before looking back at the oldest friend that she has. "They all started exactly where we are, right?"

Vern Fenwick has been in the company for many years now. A lot longer than O'Neil and Hope have. Before working with the youngest reporter in the station, he has worked with a number of rookies who rise up to the big leagues. He has been there.

Only a defeated sign comes out of him before he grabs the cardboard box out of April's grip. "I'm not driving the Channel 6 news van onto the Sacks estate." He pointed at his vehicle before walking towards the driver's seat. Vern has given in.

"Who asked you to do that?" Sally amusedly asked. She and April both walked to the other side of the van.

Vern didn't turn his head but he did answer the question to that known person. "Uh,…she did." He was only referring to the other known being with her. Then, he drags his attention to the other being with her. "And a "thanks" would have been nice."

"Maybe one day you're gonna be thanking us," April said. She was the first to open the door on her side and climbs into the van. Sally was right behind her. Once she has taken the seat, the teenager closes the up behind her and secure her seatbelt on. Vern opens his door and places the big box just behind the seats through the small assessable gap before taking his seat and shutting the door behind him.

"So, what do you guys want with Eric Sacks?" he wonders while putting his seatbelt on. He knows that the man who is helping the city is a big corporate tycoon. What does both April and Sally have with him? Maybe from that chat at the gala special last night.

"Both our dads both used to work for him," Sally replies. She knows from stories from her own dad that he and Mr. O'Neil were scientist, along with Sacks.

April finally puts her seatbelt on before getting comfortable spot even though she is sitting in a cramped seat. "He's the only person that's gonna be able to tell me whether or not I'm crazy," she added.

Despite being squished up, Sally does a nudge into April's shoulder, causing the adult to look at her. "Hey, you weren't alone last night, ok?"

"Crazy about what?" Vern asked the second time.

Sally gives him a scolding look. "So, Thompson ain't gonna be the only one laughing at us?"

Vern takes it as an offence. He is going to give the girls a lift, he is not going to make fun of them. "Oh, come on, girls. This is the Fenwick Express, it's a…" he waves his hands around in small circle, indicating the transportation that they have, "…judgment-free zone. A Cocoon of Safety."

The world has always been a judgemental stage for many years now. The girls give a sincere look. "Promise?"

"I'm insulted that you would suggested otherwise," Vern responded to April's word. His hand is on the wheel as he starts up the van. The engine fires up. Vern puts the stick into D, looks through the side mirrors, starts to move off the curb and into the busy intersection.

To get where the girls need to go, it would take them about a nice, smooth 40-minute ride with no traffic along the way. This gives them plenty of time to give a detail story to the older male in the group about last night's events from when they left the same van as the crowded street was in a state of panic. Other than the only teenager in the van, Vern was the closest friend April has at her workplace. Even if she is unemployed now.

Even though she wasn't there when it happened, Sally too was very curious to know the whole story. The whole Project Renaissance that the 15-year-old was sure that her father wants her to know.

And going to Eric's home in the snowy mountains would be the first step into the right direction.

April and Sally head out to the one person who might believe their story on the Ninja Turtles. But let's take a trip back to the Turtles in the next chapter of:

Heroes in the Half-Shell: The Ha'shi

Author's Notes: Another chapter down! AWESOME! I am on a ROLL HERE!

Anyway,…I forgot to mention in the last chapter about Sally's father. If she did appear in the movies, I was going to have either Bruce Willis or Elias Koteas (Original Live-Action Casey Jones!) to be her father. Both would be a perfect choice. If not, who else?

Quick question for you guys: if there was a third movie, what would it be about? Mine guess would be Turtles in Dimension X based on the IDW Publishing. That would be so cool.

As I am writing this, its time for another RotTMNT Movie run. Seriously, I have been watching the movie for…how many days again since…it was released so,…too many. (I think I have a problem.) But I am still planning my Rise fanfic. Still working on my OC at the moment to which I think you guys will love. That and my 2k3 version too which I have been putting off for SO many years. I am turning it into a more mature version cause I have read the Mirage Comics so I'll closely based on it.

Anywhoo, see ya!

Until we meet again,

The DragonLord2912