Chapter 27: April's Shower


Pikachu lied on the couch with a grin on his face. "Being on a farm before, and all the milk they make," Ash spoke from what Pikachu watched. "They leave little margarine for error." Pikachu snickered to the joke Ash said as he did his stand-up at the House of Ha-Ha. That's when his ears perked before waking up. He looked as April appeared, still crying about her firing.

("April?") he called. April slumped on the couch. Pikachu became worried as Leonardo entered.

"Hey, April!" he welcomed. "Ready to-" He stopped at hearing April sobbing. He saw April with her face in her hands. The other Turtles and Trainers came into the living room and saw a sad sight.

"That doesn't look good," Raphael gulped.

"Yeah, I bet something happened at Channel 6," Brock assumed. Pete entered and heard Brock's guess.

"She was fired," he confirmed. Aside from the crying April, everyone turned to Pete with shock to the news. Pikachu was trying to comfort April the best he could.

"What's the buzz, cuz?" wondered Michelangelo.

"April was ordered to go with Vernon to the botanical gardens and the invasion of gypsy moths," Pete answered. "She defied orders and came after the comedian caper." The information made Donatello shake his head.

"If you ask us, we kept her safe while Bax- I mean Barney Stockman used the Gag-a-magnifier." Pete shook his head.

"It didn't matter," he shrugged. "She disobeyed orders and got the boot."

"And what about you?" questioned Brock.

"Mr. Thompson ordered me to cover a million-dollar referendum in side scoreboards for Madison Square Garden," Pete explained. "He knows of my fanaticism in sports and being inside a famous sports venue…" He shook his softly clutched head. "Though, Raphael's jokes had me rolling on the floor."

"I thought you would be one with your sense of humor," Raphael snickered. "Have you thought about stand-up at the House of Ha-Ha?" Ash cleared his throat.

"Stay on topic," he warned. "I'm worried about April." Michelangelo wasn't as worried about April as the rest were.

"Don't sweat it, dudes," he offered. "Knowing how popular she is, I'm sure major news outlets will bring her in! I'm talking about nationwide from Miami to LA that people will see April." The idea made everyone turn to Michelangelo with curious looks, including April as she stopped sobbing. He pointed to Pete. "Just imagine her in some of your state's cities like Milwaukee, Green Bay, Madison…"

"Why would I want to be on the national stage after what Mr. Thompson did to me!?" she cried. Pikachu continued to help April as much as he could. "It wouldn't surprise me if he's calling those outlets right now about how terrible of a newswoman I am!" Ash didn't believe Burne's reasoning for firing April.

"All for following your instincts?" he realized as he palmed April's shoulder. "April, give it some time to pass. I'm certain that Burne will regret removing you for doing the right thing." April gently brushed off Ash's hand off of her shoulder.

"I wish it was that easy," she murmured. Pete palmed Ash on the shoulder.

"Let's give her some space," he suggested. "She's going through a difficult time." Like April, Ash brushed Pete's hand off of his shoulder.

"What we can do is talk some sense into Burne by talking to people on the streets," he replied. "If they learn of April's firing, they'll fire back at Burne for it."

"No, Ash…" refused Pete. "Causing a riot is the last thing that needs to happen." He walked out of the Lair.

"This is for the adults to deal with," Brock reminded. Ash mulled, willing to help April. As he reached a ladder to escape the sewers, Pete dug into his pocket and pulled the tiny box out. He opened it to see a gold ring with a diamond on top.

"What do I do now?" he asked himself. He closed the box and his eyes, hoping for answers. Ash and Pikachu soon arrived at Channel 6. They saw Irma at the reception's desk with the older woman from before.

"Irma!" he called out. Irma and the older woman turned to Ash and Pikachu.

"Ash?" replied Irma. "Pikachu?" The Mouse Pokémon leaped onto the desk where the older woman observed him.

"This is the first time I've petted a mouse and it didn't give me the willies," she mentioned as she petted Pikachu.

"Right, you were a dog person growing up, right, Muriel?" believed Irma. Muriel just smiled as Irma turned to Ash. "Let me guess… April's firing?"

"Yeah, do you know if Mr. Thompson's available?" asked Ash. Irma didn't think Ash would be able to convince Burne.

"He's in a meeting," Muriel answered.

"But it's not like you're going to change his mind," Irma warned.

"I just want him to hear from my point of view," Ash briefed.

"Even if, there's no way Burne will listen to mere children," Irma assumed. Ash knew Irma wouldn't lie.

"Don't worry," he promised. "As long as he knows what I'm doing here, that's all I want." Suddenly, Burne emerged with a blond woman about April's height wearing a shoulder-less black dress and red stiletto high heels.

"Trust me, Tiffany," Burne promised. "You won't hear anymore stories of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and this feud with Shredder."

"Oh, I knew you'd find a way!" cooed Tiffany. "I was getting rather tired of them always appearing when they didn't need to be." She giggled while Ash and Pikachu scowled.

"Burne's girlfriend, Tiffany," Irma identified. "She's always getting cozy about Mr. Thompson." Burne turned to see Ash as Pikachu jumped onto Irma's shoulder.

"Ash, my boy!" he greeted. "I heard you've been getting popular with the kids around New York. What can I do for you?" Ash took a deep breath before facing Burne.

"I was wondering if you saw my late night performance from the House of Ha-Ha," he deflected.

"I did," Burne confirmed. "You weren't bad on there, though I kinda found it surprising that Mr. Bigelow would allow you to do an act considering your age. Still, that margarine joke buttered me up good." Tiffany laughed to Burne's joke.

"That was when the others were talking in shock about Ash's performance," Irma pointed out.

"Butter and margarine!" giggled Tiffany. "Good one!" Burne stepped up while Vernon entered from a far hallway.

"Anyway, knowing about your help with those pesky Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is a bit of a pain on our end," Burne scorned. "I'm hemorrhaging my insurance out of it to maintain peace in the city."

"If only you could sue Shredder and his mutant minions for damages they've inflicted," Ash offered. "After all, didn't they also endanger you?"

"Not that I want to question it," Burne somewhat agreed.

"But we protected April from the waves that caused laughing fits-"

"April!? That woman can't follow directions! There's more to the news than just the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Shredder!"

"That may be, but there was also that wave that rendered people unable to stand. I bet you were one as well."

"Are you implying that those Turtles spared April!?"

"I did! I warned her of the danger!"

"You!? You couldn't save a pizza, let alone a reporter!"

"And besides, what would your mother say to this!?" backed Tiffany.

"Considering that I got some of her traits," Ash admitted. "She wouldn't mind at all." Tiffany sneered to Ash's claim, making Burne nervous.

"Tiffany?" he gulped. "My little Tootsie Roll, what do you have in mind?" Tiffany reached Ash's back and wrapped her arms around him.

"I see him as a potential son for me to raise," she cooed. Muriel, Irma, Burne and Pikachu gawked to Tiffany's wish.

("Is she serious?") shuttered Pikachu.

"My son would be a wise child and be able to stay out of trouble," Tiffany said.

"Hey, I already have a mom," Ash protested. "And she's done a great job of raising me."

"From what I see, she's not doing that great of a job," Tiffany disagreed. "I might see ourselves as mother and son. Of course, we could do without that rodent over there." Ash's eyes lit up at the insult while Pikachu growled. In a snap, Ash slapped Tiffany in the face with an open palm. The slap sent Tiffany back to a shocked Burne as she fell onto her face. Irma, Muriel, Burne, Vernon and Pikachu gasped to Ash's slap as Tiffany turned to Ash, faces of anger on each other's faces. "YOU… LITTLE… BRAT! You do not slap your-"

"Never insult Pikachu!" he snarled. "Or my mom! Do you understand!?" Seeing the anger on Ash's face, Tiffany became rather fearful.

"How dare you hurt my Tiffany, you punk!" snapped Burne as Ash picked something off the ground from where Tiffany stood. It was a fake eyelash.

"Besides, my mom never wore anything that was fake," he revealed. Tiffany felt her face around the cheek that was smacked hard. The left eyelid had a void where the fake eyelash was. She upset Ash and felt that Burne would be upset at her. She ran out of the lobby as fast as her high heels could take her.

"Tiffany, wait!" pleaded Burne. He tripped and fell onto his hands and knees.

"Chief is down," Irma sighed.

("Trainers don't hit others,") Pikachu squeaked. ("I see why.") Burne got to his feet, but Ash stood in front.

"I don't know how you'll fare without April," he warned. "But I doubt your ratings won't be staying up for long." With Pikachu back on his shoulder, Ash walked out with Burne cringing at how he was humiliated. They returned to the Lair. Days passed. Shredder and his goons, including Team Rocket, attacked repeatedly while the Turtles and Trainers repelled each attack. April watched on, knowing how much her friends cared about her. At her apartment, the Turtles, Ash and Pikachu watched April sit on the couch. She wore a blue t-shirt and shorts.

"I've got enough money for rent this month," she informed. "But who knows what I'm gonna do after that. Do I stay in the sewers with you guys like Splinter did after his exile?"

"Don't let what happened with Channel 6 get you beat up," Michelangelo eased. "Burne's just some beach bum that needs to know his boundaries."

"By the way," Leonardo voiced. "Did other news outlets call you?"

"Some like a spot in Washington, DC," April replied. "But Washington doesn't sit well for me. I prefer the action on the streets, I don't feel like I should be a political corespondent. I also got some in Tallahassee, Atlanta, Phoenix, Green Bay…"

"Los Angeles?" guessed Raphael.

"Actually, San Francisco," April corrected. "I said that I'd get back to them if I made a choice."

"But if Tallahassee has called up," Donatello spoke as April picked Pikachu up as she sat on the sofa. "This could give you a chance to be with our friends down in the Everglades." April recalled hearing about the friends the Turtles knew.

"Oh, you mean the Punk Frogs?" she guessed. "Yeah, I guess they may be of help."

"Of course, if we find a way back to the Pokémon World," Ash offered. "There are places that would accept reporters like you in Goldenrod and Saffron Cities." April shook her head.

"Let's take things one at a time," she reasoned.

"Why?" shrugged Raphael. "You don't think Burne's gonna come knocking to bring you back, right?" On cue, there was a knock on the door.

"April!?" sounded Burne. "Are you in!?" Everyone seemed surprised to hear Burne.

"As you were saying…" murmured Leonardo. April opened the door to see Burne.

"Mr. Thompson?" noticed April.

"April, please come back!" pleaded Burne as he was on his knees. "My ratings are a disaster! Vernon could only do some stories, but when it comes to Shredder's menacing attacks, he doesn't want to do them! People have been complaining at how the coverage has been absent and that the network's seeking losses in revenue!" Ash and the Turtles listened in.

"Why should I come back after what I did for your station?"

"You're the one who can get into the action better than anyone in the network, and I woefully underestimated the work you put in! Please, April! I'll do anything!" April's eyebrow rose.

"Anything?"

"Anything, even pay your apartment rent for the rest of your tenure!" To April, it was an offer she couldn't refute.

"Let's not go that far. Instead, I'll take control of any story that comes my way, only for you to take it if there's no other action going on. Second, I want a wage increase to expand what to cover. Third, a corner office. Last, I'll need a three-week vacation available." Burne stood up and nodded.

"You got it, April! How soon can you come back?"

"Will the day after tomorrow work?"

"Of course! Glad to have you back, April!" This seemed like things were getting back to normal. A couple of days later, the Turtles and Trainers gathered around the TV in the Lair.

"This is April O'Neil," April announced on TV. "Today's top story is the completion of the plans for Madison Square Garden's referendum, now coming down to a vote that will be held on this upcoming Tuesday."

"I guess things are back to normal," Brock giggled.

"And at least we can be recognized as often as possible," Leonardo added. As April did her broadcast, Pete smiled behind the camera. He felt everything was right as rain. Vernon pouted, losing his anchorman spot.

"There goes my bonus again…" he muttered as he sulked away. What could come next to the heroes?


TO BE CONTINUED...