"Aof!" Feeling her fur is a bit heavy and shaking off the debris she must have collected, then places her nose to the ground in her search for calories. As an animal that was born with a good sense of smell, she mostly uses it for survival.

"Arf..arf!" She found a white takeout box that seemed to have what she was looking for, hence the tomato sauce leaking from the opening. She barked cheerfully and used her snout to open it, but unfortunately, she discovered that her supposed Italian supper was raided by none other than rats.

The mischievous rodents hissed at the mountain dog pup as she was disturbing their meal and let out a warning strike to scare her off.

There goes another meal of the day, she whimpered when her impatient stomach growled, making a sharp, painful feeling that was progressing as time passed without any food. Knowing the only solution to that problem was retreating to the cardboard box she was living in, to sleep off her increasing hunger.

At April's apartment, the two girls, April and Kimberly, were chilling in the living room while watching some crime documentaries that April had requested while they waited for their supper to arrive.

"Ugh! And this is why I'm staying single. If people are crazy enough to murder me in my sleep out of jealousy."

"Yeah...or we could buy more pepper spray!" Kim suggested as April chuckled, then heard a knock on the door.

"I'll get it. It's probably our takeout order," Kim gestured okay and continued watching the television when suddenly the broadcast network switched to early commercials.

"Oh crud, not this again!" Originally, she would get annoyed at these long, frustrating ads that interrupted her stories, but then an ad for puppy adoption appeared on the screen. The ad showed a few dog pounds in need of support for adoption, donations, and people willing to help with the man's dogs in their time of need.

One part of the video made her teary-eyed as they had the audacity to show a line of severely abused animals that were caused by past owners, particularly the ones who had an addiction to booze.

"Why is everything holy!..would anyone want to hurt an animal, or better yet a baby."

"Thanks Tony and sorry I couldn't tip you better." April said as she gave him a couple of dollars.

"I mean can you pay me back by going to the movies this Friday?"

"Oooh..I would but am taking care of a kid and you know how that goes." The eighteen-year-old groaned in disappointment as she gave him a guilty expression before closing the door.

"Why do I keep attracting people who are barely legal?" She shook her head, then heard sniffing coming from the living room and knew it was the water monitor.

"Am I guessing your girly hormones are acting up, kiddo?" Kim looked towards her and quickly wiped her face.

"Yeah... puberty sucks."

"I know it does because if you haven't guessed it, I myself was a victim." She giggled at her comment then opened her white container of steamed lo mein noodles, using her chopsticks to serve herself some.

"Anyways... is there something really bothering you?"

"Well, a question actually." April raised her brow, wondering what question she had in mind.

"A question?... about what?"

"I just want your opinion on something, like something that involves us taking care of it."

"Us taking care of?... like a plant?" She had no clue what the water monitor had in mind, but it's gotta be something that her teenage mind wants.

Close... it's alive, but it has a heartbeat and is very cute when it's a baby. April merely choked on her wontons and beat her chest to cough up the foreign object out of her lungs, contemplating what she had just heard.

Oh god!... are you... no no no, this can't be right. You aren't involved with anyone.

Que? Confused as to why her friend was getting worried with her statement, and frankly, she was feeling the same.

Wait a minute... Leo always makes it his mission to visit the apartment on multiple occasions and even closes the door... that sneaky ass turtle!

Uh... April, who are you calling? Kimberly asked, watching her quickly pick up her flip phone and dial a little too fast for anyone's liking.

Hey, mister Leonardo, are you enjoying your evening?

"Uhhh...good,why?" Leo said on the other line, about to tuck himself into his bed when his T-phone rang. It was the twenty-four-year-old woman who seemed to be irritated about something.

"Good, good... that must be nice for you, but I have a question for you."

"Make it quick, April... I'm trying to get some shut-eye."

"Sure, sure... but what the actual F*ck! Were you impregnating every mutant lizard girl you meet and expecting me to take care of it, mister!" Both teenage mutants' eyes grew bigger, and a loud, extensive yell of "WHAT!" exited their windpipes.

"April, how the shell did you come up with that conclusion? We're not even dating!"

APRIL!! Kimberly screamed her name, finally getting her attention after her unnecessary venting on Leo.

What?

I am not pregnant!..and I never had sex with Leo at all. Kim said honestly, and even Leo, on the other hand, was agreeing with her claim.

Oh…you two never..oh. Her face turned red with embarrassment, realizing she had gone overboard with the conversation at hand and feeling guilty for awakening the poor blue masked turtle to scold him for something he didn't do.

"Well..I will be hanging up now, so goodnight both of you."

"I think I may need to drink..yea a few shots." April said and did just that as the water monitor decided to take her meal to her room, to hide her still flustered face.

The next day, near the middle of the morning, Kim was in the shop behind the cash register, taking money from customers, as the customer purchased merchandise from April's shop.

"This antique doll would do wonderful for house decorations, Ms. Anderson."

"You sure? Personally, I think it's ugly but okay thanks, dear." The water monitor waved as the middle woman left the shop, then her boss approached.

"Wow! I guessed hiring you would cause a surplus in income hehe."

"Yea..I suppose," Kimberly said gloomily, which made April frown as she knew the reason behind it.

"Look Kimberly..I am very sorry about last night..uhh assuming you're..well pregnant."

"It's fine..it's something else."

"Like what?" Kim sighed and closed the book she was reading, then showed April the cover.

"Oh..so you've been reading books about dogs…how fascinating."

"It's more of a manual on taking care of puppies, actually. I have been studying it for the past week and saving some money from delivering your merchandise to customers, so..." She blushed and nervously tapped the cover. "So I was hoping if you are okay with me having a puppy, please?"

"Uhh... well, first, how much have you been saving?"

"About... uh, five hundred forty dollars and five cents, plus my minimum wage excluded from tax reduction... nine hundred fourteen dollars and twenty-nine cents." She includes an impressive humming from April that she managed to collect so much, then turned her head for a moment to ponder.

"Please say yes... I work so hard to earn this money, I literally bike half a mile to a few houses during my lunch break." Her body tenses up when April lets out a deep sigh before glancing at her.

"Since you are willing to sacrifice yourself by getting the money and learning how to take care of it, it shows me how responsible you are."

"So is that a yes?"

"Unfortunately, I have to say... no. The reason behind it is that I don't know if I am allowed to have pets... I am sorry." She could tell very well that the water monitor didn't like that response, as she now held a disappointed expression, as if her spirit was shattered into pieces.

"Oh... okay... I-I understand, but at least I took a shot." She tried to hold back her disappointment to not make April feel worse, as she completely understood that her parents had other reasons why they didn't give her a pet, except they couldn't care less about her feelings.

"Is this a bad time to ask where your bathrooms are?" A woman customer said as she held her bursting daughter's hand.

"Oh, sorry, and yes, just follow me. I promise to make it up to you later, okay, sweetie?" April smiled when her younger friend nodded and friendly patted her shoulder before guiding the mother to the bathrooms.

"I wish... I never asked." She allowed herself to shed a few teardrops that landed on the book before continuing her shift, focusing herself to show a fake smiling self around the customs.

Hours passed, and the shop couldn't be more quiet from the busy as the two women slave over. Not a typical day April would think as her business grew but could do better.

"Phew!...a long day for me." She glanced around the empty store, noticing that the shelves carried fewer items than they once did, and the cash register was full of money. She looked to the water monitor, who had come over to the coat closet for her black cloak. This time, she would head down to the lair. She frowned, as the teenager still had that look of disappointment from her request for a pet.

"Damn April...you ruin a teenage girl's dream, just like your mother." She winced at the mere thought of being like her mother, who always disregarded her interests in everything she liked. Yet, she was only twenty-four and an entrepreneur.

"I'm going out, April. I'll be back later."

"Wait, Kimberly...before you go, I need to say something." Kim raised an eyebrow and stood in front of her.

"Before you go train with the green knuckleheads, I want you to take anything you like from my store."

"Really?"

"It's on the house."

Kim smiled and walked around the store, looking for anything that interested her. The shop had pretty much everything you would want in a conventional store except a huge stock of kid toys, sewing fabrics, and art tools for any young Leonardo da Vinic.

What to pick? Everything here is cool but doesn't fit my standards." She hummed in thought when she noticed a box, lingering in the corner, that caught her attention.

"Uh? What is this?" She walked over to it and picked it. "Mhm doesn't have any specific address here, may need to talk with April." With that, she carried it to the red-haired woman.

"Mhmm... I don't remember ordering anything, oh well."

"What do you think it is?" Kim asked, watching April bring out a box cutter then stab a hole into the tapping.

"Well, let's find out." She groaned and slid it down to open the cardboard container like a surgeon creating an incision on their patient. Opening to a pile of peanuts, the water monitor gasped when seeing it.

"Mmm... looks like some medical equipment that someone must have ordered, but got switched up by the UPS."

"Cool!" She shattered her claws into the large package before bringing out a packed lithium stethoscope, then opened the box easily using her nails.

"Well, the good thing about being a lizard monstrosity, you can open stuff quickly." Both girls chuckled at the joke, then saw the black rubber medical equipment in Kim's palms. Without thinking she placed it around her neck, earning an impressive whistling from April.

"Ooooh looks like someone is interested in becoming a med student, huh?

Haha..close but I prefer working with animals." Kim replied, placing the medical instrument around her neck, feeling goosebumps over her body as it rested perfectly on her shoulder, like she hoped it would.

"That's even better, we need more vets like you who clearly enjoy being around them." Her comment made Kimberly blush then frowned.

"Thank you but it's not realistic. Am a mutant teen that can't show herself to a world that would hate, or use me for scientific research without my concerns. How can I be a vet if the world wouldn't allow it. April frowned even more after hearing that and what made it more damning when Kim took off the scope, like she was giving up on a dream that she believes can come true with some effort.

You know what I call bullshit, girl!

Whoa! What with you dropping the B word? Kim chuckled as April rested an arm on her shoulder.

Sorry, but I get very... I mean very!... passionate when it comes to young people... especially a future strong woman feeling uncertain about their big dreams, and you, my dear, can achieve it.

How exactly?

Well, that depends on that big, beautiful brain of yours to come up with. I saw how intelligent you can be, especially a few days ago when you were bor-- I mean, teaching me about reptilian facts. She chuckled nervously at the last part, then grabbed the stethoscope from its spot to place it around Kim's neck again.

"There... see, it fits better with you. Why can't you see it?" Kim smiled, understanding what she meant, and frankly, she was right.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Thanks, April."

"No problem, kiddo. Now go off and enjoy life how you wanted to be, and remember to be safe." Her friend nodded her head before collecting the rest of the medical instruments into her backpack and then left the shop.