Chapter 18: Brocking the Baby
One evening, Ash and Brock were practicing hand-to-hand combat in the training room after their lessons from Splinter. Michelangelo entered the room with a phone on hand. "Ash, Brock," he called. "I'm on the phone with the pizzeria. Did you want anything?" Not taking a break, Ash and Brock continued to spar.
"We just ate!" replied Brock as he blocked a punch from Ash. "So we're good!"
"Alright!" understood Michelangelo before putting the phone to his ear. "Yeah, just four pies with smoked herring and hot fudge…" Donatello came to the training room as Michelangelo left.
"Ash, Brock," he called. "I have something to show you." Ash and Brock stopped training and turned to Donatello.
"What is it?" asked Ash. They entered the living room where Raphael and Leonardo were watching a monster movie. Donatello retreated to the back of the TV and hooked a device to it. Raphael became upset.
"Hey!" he snapped. "We're watching Brain-Dead Rutabagas from Beneath the Sea!"
"I'm sorry that I'm interrupting your program, but I've got this inter-dimensional tuner to work and I want to give it a try." Ash and Brock came in to view what Donatello was doing.
"Oh, could you find a way to reach the Pokémon World and get May and Max?" requested Brock.
"I haven't found a way that far yet," Donatello doubted. "But I did want to show you something." After hooking up the device, the TV showed a city under attack.
"Not another Alien TV show!" complained Leonardo.
"Yeah, I've seen plenty of amoeba soap opera to last a lifetime!" added Raphael.
"It's a view of Dimension X," Donatello explained. "We hadn't heard anything from the Neutrinos for some time." Ash, Brock and Pikachu blinked to the name.
"The Neutrinos?" repeated Ash.
"They're a race of aliens that reside in Dimension X," Leonardo started. "They've been fighting Krang and his army of Rock Soldiers led by General Traag." That's when Donatello saw some large buildings and gasped.
"That can't be good," he gulped. "According to the buildings, we're getting a signal from the Neutrinos' capitol of Zoss." The screen switched to a humanoid couple with pointy ears.
"This is Zenter calling!" the raven-haired man with hair protruding out like a bladed horn and wearing a lilac jumpsuit pleaded. The signal fluctuated. "…Under attack!"
"Please help!" the beehive blond woman wearing a pink dress added, "Traag!" The signal cut out.
"That was Zenter and his babe, Gizzla!" noted Michelangelo. "They're the king and queen of the Neutrinos!"
"Gizzla said 'Traag' before the link was cut," Ash recalled.
"And that's General Traag!" pointed out Leonardo. "He and the Rock Soldiers are loyal to Krang and Shredder."
"Right, and they can't be far behind if Zenter and Gizzla are calling for help," Brock concluded. In the Technodrome, Traag was making contact with Krang.
"General Traag calling Lord Krang!" he reported. Krang, Shredder, Team Rocket, Bebop and Rocksteady were in the same room.
"What's the status of the conquest of the Neutrinos?" asked Krang.
"The situation has turned on us! In fact, we're pinned down!" A water balloon smashed and splashed Traag with a glob of slime, some of it getting into Traag's mouth.
"Pinned!? You're letting those things get the upper hand!?"
"Yes… and what's worse, they taste terrible!" Using the riding robot, Krang smashed his fists onto the control panel.
"Traag, you must capture the Capitol building, or the Neutrinos will only get stronger!"
"Easier said than done. Their defenses are solid!" More slime balloons splashed Traag.
"I know your Rock Soldiers are literally spineless," Jessie mocked. "But this is ridiculous!"
"Speak for yourself, woman," Shredder growled. "Still, your soldiers could use a hand."
"But it would be easier if you take Bebop and Rocksteady with you to Zoss and capture their leaders as a show of force!" argued Krang. "When that happens, the Neutrinos will surrender!" Meowth came to Shredder with an idea.
"How about I come along?" he offered. Shredder seemed taken aback.
"You!?" he gawked. "What could you do as a walking furball!? You're not a mutant like those two morons!"
"Who says I need ta be when I have da woids ta sweet-talk dese Neutrinos?" replied Meowth. "Not ta mention, I need ta stretch my body. I've been cooped up in dis steel ball since dose twoips broke in." Shredder mulled to the thought while Krang pondered Meowth's wish.
"Persuasion…" he muttered. "That ain't a bad idea!"
"You can't be serious," Jessie protested. "You'd rather have Meowth go and talk those rebels into throwing in the towel?"
"Of course," Krang pointed out. "But you two have failed me and are in need of a timeout! Let Meowth have a chance to work!"
"Seems simple enough," Shredder sighed. "Let's go! Cat, careful of my armor!" Meowth leaped onto Shredder's shoulder like Pikachu to Ash.
"Oh boy!" snorted Bebop. "Neutrino Capitol, here we come!" They left while Zenter and Gizzla saw the struggle outside.
"It's no use!" whined Gizzla. "General Traag must be jammin' the broadcast channel!" She turned to her husband while holding a baby in her arms, only wearing a diaper. "This isn't cool, Zenter! Our daughter doesn't need to be in this dance floor!"
"All reet, my sweet!" eased Zenter before an idea popped into his idea. "We'll send Tribble to the Turtles!" Gizzla liked the idea as Zenter activated a portal with the TV.
"Good… The Turtles are cool cats!" Zenter gathered a letter and a basket.
"I'll send along this note. I know they'll rock with Tribble!" After getting the baby in the basket, Zenter sent the baby through the portal.
"May the Turtles be with you, little Tribble!" Suddenly, Shredder. Meowth, Bebop and Rocksteady emerged from another portal.
"Shredder!" gasped Zenter. Shredder laughed, his size being twice of Zenter and Gizzla.
"Well, well…" he taunted. "If it isn't the former leaders of the Neutrinos!"
"How about we talk," Meowth sneered. Zenter and Gizzla were astonished but fearful of Shredder's Pokémon. Back at the Lair, Michelangelo returned with the same basket Zenter sent.
"Pizza!" he announced. Everyone gathered around the basket.
"Um, Michelangelo?" irked Ash. "What's with the basket? Don't pizzas come in pizza boxes?"
"Oh, don't be such a worrywart," Raphael teased. "Besides, the pizzeria might be just experimenting with new methods to deliver." Pikachu sniffed around the basket. He squeaked up to a problem.
"Something tells me that Pikachu isn't smelling pizza," Leonardo wondered. Brock opened the basket cautiously.
"I highly doubt Shredder would know about where we are and send us something deadly," he urged. When he opened it, Tribble emerged and giggled.
"Or something cute!" laughed Ash.
"That's a Neutrino baby!" realized Leonardo. "She must have come from Dimension X!" Ash picked Tribble up where Donatello found the note.
"This might explain what's going on," he thought.
DEAR NINJA TURTLES:
PLEASE KEEP AN EYE ON OUR TRIBBLE. WE'LL DIG YOU LATER.
ZENTER AND GIZZLA
Ash held Tribble as the others realized the situation. "So this diaper dudette must be their offspring!" awed Michelangelo.
"This is actually a treat," Ash giggled. "It's the first time I've held a baby in my arms, let alone a Neutrino kind. She's actually pretty cute." Tribble patted Ash's face playfully.
"Zenter and Gizzla wouldn't have sent her unless there was real trouble," Leonardo believed. Brock came over and hoisted Tribble up while Pikachu joined his shoulder to get a better look.
"It's probably a good thing I came by after all," he smiled. "Hold on, I might have something for you. At least it's not a dirty diaper to worry about." Tribble giggled as Ash crossed his arms while smiling.
"You know, I remember something about Neutrino babies," Donatello tried to recall. "What was it?" Out of nowhere, Pikachu flew into Ash and crashed, knocking the two to the floor.
"Pikachu, are you okay!?" asked Brock.
("I'm good!") squeaked Pikachu.
"Now I remember!" reacted Donatello while snapping his fingers. "Neutrino babies are born with telekinetic powers! They can move objects mentally!" Ash slowly rose and turned to Donatello.
"Now, you tell me?" he groaned.
"But they lose their powers over time as they grow up," Donatello added. Ash and Pikachu felt that they need all of the patience to let Tribble outgrow her telekinetic powers. Brock fed Tribble with a bottle of what looked like milk.
"There you go, Tribble," he smiled. "Drink every last drop." The rest looked on in awe.
"Wow, Brock!" giggled Leonardo. "How do you know how to take care of babies?"
"Easy," Brock started. "I have five little brothers and four little sisters back home." The Turtles gawked to the large family.
"NINE SIBLINGS!?" they shouted in shock.
"It's true, guys," Ash snickered. "Brock's family really is that big, and he's the eldest of his brothers and sisters. Pikachu and I should know, we met them."
("And they all look alike,") Pikachu added.
"Yeah, I've helped my mom take care of each and everyone of the little guys and girls when they were Tribble's age, so Tribble should be a walk in the park."
"Wow, dude!" chuckled Michelangelo. "Your parents must be totally nutso about each other to have that many little dudes and dudettes!" Brock shyly laughed and started a minor sweat.
"Yeah, they pretty much are," he confirmed. "And they're definitely not afraid to show it." Back in the Technodrome, Zenter and Gizzla were held back, literally, by Foot Soldiers while Shredder and Meowth stood by a sitting Krang.
"Sure, it was a little rougher than necessary," he gloated. "But now, I rule over Zoss and the Neutrinos!" Zenter didn't see it the same way.
"The Neutrinos will never accept you as their Big Cheese, Krang!" he refused.
"Try not to be an idiot," Krang advised.
"After youse are dealt with," Meowth planned. "We have Zoss and the Neutrinos in our claws!" Shredder looked to the blades on his gauntlets before nodding.
"I'll give him a pass for that," he muttered.
"Wrong-oroony, kitty!" denied Gizzla. "We have a daughter." Shredder and Krang gawked to the news.
"Is dis true?" wondered Meowth.
"It's the first I've heard about any offspring," Krang shrugged.
"If this is true, the Neutrinos won't bend as long as their daughter's free," Shredder pointed.
"And we sent our Hip Chick to Earth," Zenter laughed. "Good luck finding her!"
"Oh, I will," Krang sneered as he brought out a hand-held device with horn-like antennae. "With this Spectral Analyzer, no Neutrino is safe." Shredder took the Analyzer from Krang.
"I'll take Bebop and Rocksteady to find that brat," he offered. "In return, I want a crack at the Neutrinos!" Back in the sewers, the Turtles stayed with Ash, Brock, Tribble and Pikachu as the Mouse Pokémon played with the streamer-strand of Tribble's blond hair.
"I have a feeling that April might have more to give Tribble than just formula," Donatello guessed.
"Maybe a helmet for when Tribble does that telekinetic thing," Ash wished. Suddenly, the forces met.
"Shredder!" alerted Leonardo. Shredder had one demand in mind.
"Hand over the baby, Turtles," he ordered.
"Why?" questioned Brock. "Do you wanna know if you're the baby's daddy?" Shredder ignored Brock.
"She is the heir to the Neutrino throne," he briefed. "And Krang wants to rule!" Aside from Brock, the Turtles brought out their weapons.
"That gives us more reason not to give the kid to you!" mocked Raphael.
"Besides, there's six of us and only three of you!" warned Michelangelo. The portal opened and Foot Soldiers emerged.
"You were saying?" mocked Shredder. Brock thought quickly.
"Ash, take Tribble," he whispered. "I'll take Pikachu." Ash quickly traded Pikachu for Tribble before Brock ran off. "You want her!? Follow me!" Shredder knew Bebop and Rocksteady had a better chance to catch Brock.
"After him!" he ordered his two mutants. "Get that baby!" Bebop and Rocksteady complied as they chased Brock. That's when Shredder checked the Analyzer and realized Brock didn't have Tribble. "What the-"
"Why don't we waive Shredder bye-bye?" he sneered as Tribble wove her fingers, causing them to glow. Without warning, Shredder's cape flew over his head and covered his eyes. He flailed as he bonked the Foot Soldiers down to which Tribble laughed. Shredder slashed the Foot Soldiers in the throat, decapitating the robots.
"It's a good thing they're robots," Raphael sighed. "Otherwise, the FCC wouldn't let this be aired on Saturday Morning programming." Out of nowhere, Bebop and Rocksteady were launched into Shredder before knocking him down from an explosion.
"Let's go while they're down!" urged Donatello. They soon escaped as Shredder got on his comm.
"Krang, explain yourself!" he growled. "That infant has powers!"
"Of course she does, you buffoon!" snapped Krang. "All Neutrinos have telekinetic powers as babies!"
"You knew!?" steamed Shredder. "And you didn't tell us!?"
"I didn't want you to worry," Krang eased. "Now, use the Spectral Analyzer and get that baby at once!" Shredder found the Analyzer, but it was damaged.
"Uh, about the Analyzer…" he gulped. Krang used a tentacle to "palm" his face.
"It doesn't look too bad, but bring it back here for repairs!" he demanded. Shredder didn't want to go back, but the Analyzer was in bad shape. The Turtles gathered back with Pikachu and Tribble returned to their possession.
"I think Shredder will have to recover from that embarrassment," Leonardo teased.
"And that was some quick thinking in making them believe you had Tribble," Donatello praised. Tribble giggled some more.
"Still, we need to get the baby babe out of the sewer," Michelangelo pointed out.
"But it's too risky just to hand Tribble to some random stranger," Ash pointed out. Raphael had an idea.
"I think Baby and Daddy need a mommy," he plotted. Brock had a bad feeling to Raphael's plot.
"You can't be serious," he muttered. They reached the apartment complex and to an apartment.
"You can't be serious!" copied Irma. The Turtles and April gathered in Irma's apartment as April held Tribble.
"Think about it, Irma," April voiced. "Didn't you fall for Brock at first sight? It would be a good learning lesson for you to see if you and Brock are a perfect match." Irma mulled to her actions before at the station.
"And to think, I was going to secretly cook dinner for her when I found her home," Brock spoiled.
"Mondo romantic, Romeo," Michelangelo nudged. "Except, it's with an extra mouth." Raphael spotted something in another room.
"Irma, were you expecting to have a baby in the near future?" he pointed. Looking inside, Ash and Brock eyed a baby crib, changing table and a bulk of diapers.
"No, my family was," Irma corrected. "They gave me the furniture they used when I was Tribble's age." Brock felt confident to give the experiment a try.
"Let's see how it goes!" he encouraged. "We still need to grab a few things." Ash, April and the Turtles started to leave. After getting Tribble dressed with a t-shirt, they proceeded to a grocery store. Jessie watched the young couple and the baby.
"So, that's the troublesome twerpette Tin Can and his simpletons were having," she believed. As she chose to slowly pursue, a little girl darted into Jessie's path. She tripped the little girl and she cried. "You should watch where you're going, you little twerpette!" A grown man spun around and punched a hook into Jessie's exposed stomach.
"That's my daughter, you witch!" he snapped. Jessie fell, holding her injured stomach. April rolled up and found the couple.
"Irma!" she called. "Brock!" The two turned to April.
"What's wrong?" asked Brock.
"I'm in need of my backup cameraman," April addressed. "Vernon called in sick and Pete's at a doctor's appointment. I need you at the station." Brock nodded, thinking that it's an emergency. As they made their purchases, they saw Jessie starting to stand from the floor.
"Team Rocket?" gulped Brock. Knowing their aid to Krang, Brock assumed Jessie's intention. "So, it's not enough that you can't get Pikachu, but now you want to kidnap a defenseless baby!?" Jessie still reeled in pain.
"If it means getting us back home, then yes!" she blurted out. Everyone gathered around Jessie.
"I'm sure the NYPD will like to hear about this," April grinned. They escaped and soon arrived at Channel 6.
"I'm so sorry to pull you out of your day off, Irma," Burne apologized. "But circumstances happen… and what are you doing with that!?"
"We're just babysitting for someone," Irma briefed. Burne looked to the giggling Tribble.
"I think we have an idea to boost our ratings!" he sneered.
"Oh?" irked Brock. "What is it?"
"A baby contest!" replied Burne. "April, I can arrange a few calls to see about halls where we can do it, but I want you to explain to the viewers on the idea!" April nodded.
"Right on it, Chief!" agreed April. They soon got set with Irma operating the cameras. "This is April O'Neil with an announcement: Channel 6 will hold a baby contest. Location, date and time are pending, as well as special trophies for cutest baby available." As April continued with the broadcast, Brock soon gawked to Tribble disappearing. Quietly, he left the studio.
"Tribble!?" he called. "Tribble!" That's when he saw portraits floating and zooming at him. He ducked and dodged the portraits. "Now I know why I had that extra training with the Turtles." That's when he found Tribble pass the windows to the small ledge chasing a pigeon. He vaulted over the open window before nearly slipping off. He caught the ledge and looked to the side, watching Tribble crawl after the bird. "I hate to answer Tribble's parents if she falls!" Can Brock save the infant before she falls?
TO BE CONTINUED...