FicWad

Chapter Nineteen: What a Croc!

The elevator to the lair hit bottom and Harry opened the door, stepping out. He sure hoped his family was still awake at this time, as this news was most urgent and Harry needed to tell them about how he was volunteered for the Triwizard Tournament. The door opened and Harry walked into the lair.

Raph was punching at his punching bag, Mikey was sitting on the floor reading a comic book, and Don was welding something in his lab. Finally, Harry saw Master Splinter and Leo watching the news. Harry slowly walked over, hearing what the newscaster was saying as he moved across the lair.

"We urge all the citizens to be careful, as there is increased gang activity on the streets," said newscaster. "As the violence on our city streets rise, we must wonder when will trouble be knocking on your door?"

"With me, the trouble already knocked, I just dread it coming to visit again," said Harry.

"Harry!" yelled the Turtles happily rushing over to greet their human brother.

"My son, I sense this is not a casual family visit and you have some unfortunate news to tell us," said Splinter in a grim tone of voice.

"Jeez, way to kill the mood, Master Splinter," said Mikey before Raph smacked Mikey across the back of the head. "Owww, Raph."

"I didn't hit you that hard, so quit your whining Mikey," said Raph. "Anyway, what's the four one one on what's been going on? You look like you are being forced to do something that you rather not do."

"I look that way because that's exactly what has happened," said Harry. "I believe I told you about the Triwizard Tournament over our many two way mirror communications."

"That's the Tournament you said you wouldn't compete in if someone paid you," said Leo.

"Well, someone entered me in the Tournament," said Harry gravely.

"Who?" asked Raph, putting his hands on his Sais.

"The thing is I'm not quite sure," said Harry. "There seems to be two possibilities I'm considering beyond all else. The first would be Dumbledore, but the more I think about it, he seemed rather surprised and no one could be that good of an actor."

"Indeed, this appears to be a more sinister plot," said Splinter. "Dumbledore doesn't seem to be one to put his manipulations out in the middle of a spectacle, he appears to be a more behind the scenes type of person, masking his true nature from the rest of the world and making sure to leave no traces available for anything he may do. He looks like a hero to the majority of the world with the exception of a select few who have been fortunate enough to stumble upon his manipulations."

"Then, the other suspect is someone working for Voldemort but I can't figure out exactly who," said Harry. "It would have to be someone extremely powerful and crafty to confuse that Goblet, which makes me think it wouldn't be a student."

"Be vigilant Harry, but do not dwell on this matter too much," said Splinter. "I sense that this person may reveal who they are but the fact whether it will be too late or not remains to be seen."

"The Goblet was supposed to be a foolproof way to prevent something like this from happening but yet it happened," said Harry desperately.

"Nothing in life is foolproof," voiced Leo darkly.

"Leonardo is correct," said Splinter. "Unforeseen circumstances can tend to alter events into something they are not supposed to be."

Splinter rose to his feet, leaning on his walking stick.

"There is nothing more we can accomplish by speculation, until we have more information," said Splinter in a final tone of voice. "Now, I have a very important matter to meditate upon."

Splinter walked off to his room, as Don walked over to what he was working on before Harry arrived. Curiously, Harry followed him, along with Mikey to see what Don was working on.

"An underwater access way, if I'm not mistaken," said Harry, looking at the pool of water that leads down into the sewer.

"Yes, Harry, when I get this finished, I will be able to use the latest vehicle I have created the designs for, the Shell Sub," explained Don, pointing to the plans for a submarine. "Once, I get both the underwater access way complete and build the Shell Sub, I'll be able to access the ocean by way of the sewer."

"Thrilling," said Mikey. "Very exciting."

"So, Mikey, since you think it's so exciting, why don't you make yourself useful by putting this pipe down there to brace the underwater access way?" asked don before handing Mikey a piece of pipe and putting a helmet on him with a lifeline and a tube hooked up to the oxygen tank. Don finished it up by handing Mikey a blowtorch. "Here, weld this to the passageway to keep the access way standing."

"Wait, wait, wait, I'm supposed to swim through cold scummy sewer water while I could be sitting in a nice warm, slightly scummy lair," said Mikey.

"Exactly," said Don.

"Okay, just making sure," said Mikey before jumping into the water and drenching both Harry and Don in the sewer water from the impact of hitting the water.

"Chucklehead," said Don, while shaking his head at his brother's antics.

Mikey swam through the sewer water, with fresh air being pumped in from the tube connected to his helmet. He swam underneath the access way from the sewer before setting the pipe level and beginning to weld the pipe to the other part of the access way to steady it.

Mikey's concentration was broken when a quick flash swam by him. He looked up to see a giant crocodile swimming around the area. The turtle gave a small gasp which attracted the attention of the croc. The beast promptly went after Mikey. Mikey cowered behind the access way, attempting to fade into the surroundings and hoping against all hope the croc would leave.

The croc swam over the access way, taking a swipe towards Mikey through it while snarling at the turtle. Mikey whimpered in horror as the croc growled before rearing his jaw up and snapping the tube that provided the air with his massive jaws.

Mikey's teeth chattered as the crocodile went after him but Mikey managed to swim away as the croc hit the wall. The helmet filled up with sewer water as Mikey tried desperately to hold his breath but it was difficult to do, attempting to escape this massive croc.

In the lair, Don spied the lifeline that was connecting with Mikey jerking and pulling.

"What's that stooge doing now?" asked Don before seeing the bubbles coming up from the pool and beginning to feel anxious. "My guess is he's drowning."

Don ran over quickly, before beginning to crank on the lifeline, bringing Mikey up from his doom.

The crocodile made a move towards Mikey, attempting to swipe at him but Don pulled him up just in time. The croc snarled before swimming off, its prey being pulled out of reach.

Mikey was yanked out of the pool before rolling over to the side and collapsing on the edge, gasping for breath as he pulled the helmet up.

"What happened?" asked Don.

"Get the others, you're not going to believe this," said Mikey as Don ran off to get Leo, Raph, and Harry.

A couple of minutes ago, the other three Turtles and Harry were standing around to hear what happened to Mikey.

"It was a seven foot tall giant crocodile, I kid you not, he was all..." started Mikey before imitating a croc snarling. "Then I was all like..."

Mikey imitated himself whimpering as Leo, Raph, Don and Harry looked at him shaking their heads.

"After that, he was all like..." declare Mikey before switching after growling like a croc. "That I was all like..."

Mikey acted like his teeth chattering.

"Cuckoo," said Don

"Crazy," said Raph.

"Mental," said Harry shaking his head.

"Hold up, it could be a possibility, Raph remember that large albino croc we fought in the sewers when we were younger," said Leo, referring to an incident when they were young and they barely escaped with their lives. "Mikey's mystery croc could very well exist."

"He does exist!" yelled Mikey incredulously. "And he was all like..."

Mikey began growling like a croc again before Raph smacked Mikey across the back of the head.

"Bro, you are a few ribs short of a barbecue," commented Raph. "Should have seen it coming years ago."

"It's down there and I'm going to prove it," said Mikey stubbornly. "I'm going back down there..."

"Wait, Mikey before you go, take this scuba device," said Don, handing it to Mikey. "It is a portable radio and camera, we should be able to see and hear your mystery croc, should it very well exist."

Mikey put on the scuba device before turning to the others.

"Stay tuned mates as Mikey TV takes you on a croc hunt," said Mikey in a fake Australian accent before leaping into the water, once again drenching the others as he went in.

"Goofball," grumbled Raph, shaking his fist in the air.

Mikey swam through the sewer water, looking for any sign of the humorous croc he encountered. After a few minutes of intense searching, he found the reptile swimming in the water a short way from where they met. The croc swam a short way with Mikey in pursuit at a safe distance before resurfacing at a very familiar area. The croc walked through the tunnel, followed by Mikey.

"Well, what do you know, big, dark, and scaly is living in our old lair," said Mikey, referring to the place they lived until a few weeks before Harry's first year at Hogwarts, went Baxter Stockman's mousers chewed up the lair, forcing them all to fleet.

In the lair, the other Turtles and Harry were watching the croc from the camera hookup on Don's laptop.

"Okay, Mikey, I take it back, you're not insane, at least not totally," said Raph.

Mikey followed the croc into the lair, hiding behind a piece of wreckage. The croc walked over, putting on a white lab coat and a pair of eyeglasses before walking over to speak with a mysterious figure in the shadows.

"You were so right, my friend," said the croc. "The component was exactly where you told me it would be. I must tell you I have much experience in repairing these units, mere child's play in fact."

"Well, what do you know, it's just a big crocodile version of Don," said Mikey in a hushed voice.

The croc reached forward, adjusting something that Mikey couldn't quite see. The Turtle strained his neck, seeing an Utrom exosuit coming to life and rising up to its feet.

"There you go, it is complete, now with it, you can help me perform your end of the bargain, as per our agreement," said the croc. "Why don't you take it out for a spin, to see how it works?"

The exosuit walks off, in a direction that Mikey couldn't quite see.

"He's working an exosuit, can't quite make it out but it seems like he's talking to an Utrom," said Mikey.

"An Utrom?" exclaimed Leo, Raph, Don, and Harry causing an echo ringing through Mikey's ears from the two way radio.

"Ah!!" said Mikey in agony.

The croc turned around, spying Mikey and its eyes narrowing before snarling at Mikey.

"Eep, time to go," said Mikey, running frantically towards the exit.

"Stop!" yelled the croc, growling at Mikey, discarding his eye glasses, and giving chase as Mikey dived into the water. The croc dived in after Mikey.

Mikey swam deep into the water, frantically swiping dirt away from the bottom.

"You're on my old turf now scaly," said Mikey. "And if I'm not mistaken, there seems to be a sewer access cover right about here."

Mikey frantically searched for his exit as the croc swam towards him.

"Ah, found it," said Mikey, yanking the cover off before throwing it towards the croc, knocking him back and diving through the escape hole which was too small for the croc. The croc poked his head through, growling at Mikey as he swam out of reach.

Mikey surfaced a distance where he thought he lost the croc. He was breathing heavily having moved faster than any turtle in history ever, mutant or otherwise.

"Mikey, where are you?" asked Don from the other end of the two way radio.

"9th street run off, it got a little hairy back there with my reptile pal," panted Mikey. "But I'm okay..."

Mikey was cut off by the crocodile surfacing out of the water. out of the water. In the blink of an eye, it rushed Mikey. The impact of the croc’s attack propelled Mikey right into the wall.

"Hang on, Mikey," said Raph before rushing out of the lair, followed by Harry, Don, and Leo. Mikey was in trouble by the sounds of things and they had little time to waste.

The croc snarled at Mikey, stalking him.

"Nice crocodile, nice crocodile," said Mikey but the croc whipped his tail, causing Mikey to fly across the sewer again, smashing into another wall. "Bad croc, bad croc."

The croc swung towards Mikey but Mikey rolled out of the way, pulling his nunchucks out of his belt.

"Bad croc, don't make me have to use these," said Mikey before the croc rushed Mikey but Mikey ducked underneath the charge. "All right, you asked for it."

Mikey swung the nunchucks but the croc caught them before holding Mikey up, and snarling in his face.

"Look, I didn't really mean you any harm, this is a big misunderstanding," said Mikey desperately.

The croc was breathing heavily before setting down Mikey gently.

"I do apologize, there are times that I get a little carried away," said the croc. "I am Leatherhead and..."

Leatherhead was cut off by a Sai flying in the air that he had to duck. He turned his head to see the other three Turtles and Harry.

"Well, what do you know, a walking handbag with claws," said Raph before charging at Leatherhead but Leatherhead caught Raph and tossed him to the side.

"Guys, will you wait," cautioned Mikey but Don used his Bo staff to propel himself into the air, knocking Leatherhead back. Leatherhead growled before grabbing the Bo staff and flipping Don over. "Now listen here, if you just let me explain..."

Leo and Harry leapt over Mikey, knocking Leatherhead down into the water with a double kick, pinning the croc down before Leo rose his katana up into the air, preparing to deliver the finishing blow. Mikey leaped up, wrapping his nunchucks around the sword of Leo, and pulling his arm back.

"Will you listen to me? This has all been just a big misunderstanding," said Mikey before turning to Leatherhead. "Sorry, sometimes we get a little carried away too."

"You can get off of me," said Leatherhead to Leo and Harry. "I will not attack you."

"You heard the guy," prodded Mikey.

Leo and Harry backed off, allowing Leatherhead to get off.

"Alright Mikey, but if this croc bites your head off, I don't want to hear any complaining," said Leo. "Just what is going on here anyway?"

"Allow me to introduce myself, I am Leatherhead," said Leatherhead.

"Donatello," said Don

"Raphael," said Raph.

"Leonardo," said Leo.

"Harry," said Harry.

"And I'm Mikey," said Mikey.

"It is so drafty in these sewers, let us go to my temporary home where we can speak in relative comfort," said Leatherhead walking on as the Turtles and Harry followed him towards the old lair.

They arrived at the old lair, looking around.

"There's no place like home," said Raph fondly.

"My sentiments exactly," said Leatherhead.

Don looked around, with a certain familiar piece of equipment catching his attention. The brainy terrapin rushed over to get a closer look.

"Whoa, you're building a transmat," said Don, looking at a smaller version of the transmat that existed at the TCRI building before it was imploded.

"You are familiar with the transmat?" asked Leatherhead with interest, as the Turtles and Harry nodded. "Then you would be familiar with the Utroms."

"Indeed, we are very familiar with the Utroms," said Harry.

"Yeah, you could say the Utroms and us go way back," said Leo.

"The Utroms were my adopted family," said Leatherhead. "It is a long story."

The croc sighed before beginning to launch into his origin story.

"It began when I was little more than a hatchling, as for some cruel human reason I was flushed down a toilet and cast into the sewer," said Leatherhead. "Luckily before I perished, I was found by the Utroms who deemed me worth for observation. During the course of this observation, I became exposed to a mutagen that was a byproduct of their experiments. The mutagen caused both my physical and intellectual capacities to grow. Seeing as I became sentient, the Utroms adopted me. Everything went great for several years, we were a family. Until the human troops arrived at the TCRI building."

Leatherhead growled for a minute before shaking his head and coming himself down.

"They stormed the building, attempting to destroy my family, and they barely fled with their lives," said Leatherhead. "I was left behind, alone without anyone else but that will change when I finish this transmat device with the help of my friend."

The sound of footsteps was heard outside the old lair as the mysterious occupant in the exosuit had returned from his little trip.

"Ah, speaking of which, my friend has returned from his test run in his new exosuit," said Leatherhead looking pleased at the new arrival. "Gentlemen, let me introduce you to my good friend..."

Harry and the Turtles looked at the stomach area of the exosuit to see a very unpleasant arrival.

"Baxter Stockman!" yelled the Turtles and Harry in shock, seeing Stockman's head in a jar resting in the stomach cavity of the exosuit. The mad scientist grinned evilly at the Turtles and Harry and they all had a feeling this wasn't going to turn out well.

"Well, look what came crawling out of a storm drain," said Stockman in a low tone of voice.

"Hey, Stockman, love the new look," said Raph sarcastically.

"Yeah, what's the matter, the spider bot thing not cutting it with da ladies?" said Mikey in a mocking tone of voice.

"Har-de, har, har," said Stockman with a fake sarcastic laugh before turning to Leatherhead. "Leatherhead, remember the traitors I told you about, the one's that sabotaged the TCRI building."

The croc nodded in confirmation.

"It was these Turtles and Mr. Potter who caused the Utroms to flee," accused Stockman. "It was these Turtles and Mr. Potter who destroyed the Transmat. It was these Turtles and Mr. Potter who caused you to be left behind."

"Baxter Stockman telling lies, what has this world come to?" remarked Harry sarcastically while shaking his head from side to side.

"Them?" snarled Leatherhead.

"Yes, them, them," said Stockman willing the finger of the exosuit to point at the Turtles and Harry. "These teenage troublemakers are the one's responsible for the near destruction of the Utroms. It is because of them that I had you build our little you-know-what."

Stockman walked over, pulling a box from a work table on the lair.

"Out now, we can put it to good use," said Stockman dumping the contents of the box out. There was a metal circle type device along with two metal squares.

The three metal pieces shook to life, fusing together, forming Doctor Baxter Stockman's latest invention, the Turtlebot. This thing was a robotic version of a mutant turtle with a lightning bolt shape scar chiseled into its forehead.

"Don, what is that thing?" asked Harry.

"I'm not sure, but it doesn't look good," said Don grimly as the Turtlebot shot a jet of light out of its eyes, engulfing Don in the light.

The Turtlebot ran the ray of light up and down Don before using its hand to beckon the Turtle over.

"Allow me," said Don, leaping up into the air, Bo staff in hand but a solid object shaped like a Bo staff appeared in the Turtlebot's hands, blocking Don's shot. Another shot was blocked and before Don could launch himself over the Turtlebot with his Bo staff, the Turtlebot stepped backwards, spinning around the Bo, before kicking Don to the side.

Don slid to a stop right by a pile of rubble from when the mousers attacked. The Turtlebot turned, zapping Leo with the light, and doing the same thing it did with Don.

"My turn," said Leo, pulling his swords out but the Turtlebot's Bo staff disappeared and katanas flew into his hands, blocking Leo's attacks.

The Turtlebot spun around, knocking each katana out of Leo's hand with an expert blow. Leo attempted to leap up over the Turtlebot but the Turtlebot caught Leo by the ankles before spinning him around in the air and throwing him across the lair, right by Don.

Raph rushed towards the Turtlebot but the Turtlebot zapped Raph with a jet of light from its eyes as Raph flew in mid air, replacing the robotic turtle's katanas with a pair of Sais. The Sais blocked Raph's own weapons and Raph attempted to kick the Turtlebot but the Turtlebot leaped up over Raph, grabbing the turtle by tied part of his facemask. The Turtlebot flipped Raph over, causing him to fly into the wall. Then for an encore, the Turtlebot threw the Sais at Raph, pinning him to the walls by his wristbands. Raph slumped up by the wall, defeated.

Harry did a forward roll on the ground, double edged sword at the ready but the Turtlebot zapped Harry. Harry attacked but the Turtlebot blocked his swing with a materialized double edged sword of his own. Another swing and another block clanged off. Harry attempted to grab the Turtlebot by the arm but the Turtlebot flipped Harry over onto his back. An attempt to take the Turtlebot out from his back was stopped when the Turtlebot leaped over Harry before lifting him up and punching Harry in the ribs a few times before whacking him in the back with the flat end of the double edged sword. Harry flew with a thud, looking rather groggy. No matter what he tried, this robot seemed to be one or two moves ahead of what he was thinking.

Harry pulled himself up as Don and Leo pried the Sais that the Turtlebot created out of Raph's wristbands. Mikey prepared himself for battle but the Turtlebot zapped Mikey with the light again, running up and down Mikey's body. Mikey swung his nunchucks but a pair of nunchucks of its own materialized in the Turtlebot's hands, blocking Mikey's shot. Another shot is blocked and Mikey attempted to wrap his nunchucks around the Turtlebot's arm but the Turtlebot wraps its own pair around Mikey's before flipping him over to the ground.

"That thing seems to know exactly what we are going to do before we do," said Harry.

"It must have programmed itself with our fighting styles and its processors are working faster than our reflexes," said Don.

"So what do you we do?" asked Raph.

"Something unexpected," said Harry, bending down to pick up Mikey's nunchucks that just flew over and rushing over to engage the Turtlebot.

The Turtlebot had it's double edged sword that it expected Harry to use when he engaged the Turtlebot. Instead Harry began smashing the Turtlebot's head with one of Mikey's nunchucks, causing it's skull to be slightly damaged.

"Can I borrow these?" asked Raph, pulling Leo's katanas out of his sheaths and leaping into battle to join Harry.

Don bent down to pick up Raph's Sais while Leo picked up Don's Bo staff. Raph swung Leo's katana up, slicing one of the arms of the Turtlebot off.

"Master Splinter said we should train in every weapon form," said Leo leaping up using Don's Bo staff and kicking the Turtlebot back. "Now it's time to put in a little practice."

Don twirled one of the Sais in a Raph like manner but it flew out of his hand.

"Oops," said Don before deciding to simply throw the Sai. The Sai hit dead on through the Turtlebot's torso.

Harry swung the nunchucks; crushing one of the kneecaps as Mikey rose up, picking a pair of pipes lying on the ground up. Raph severed the other arm with Leo's katana and Mikey leaped up, swinging the pipes, decapitating the Turtlebot with a couple of well placed swings. The remains of the robot fell to the ground as the Turtles and Harry turned to a very agitated looking Stockman.

"Playtime's over, Stockman," said Raph, cracking his knuckles in anticipation.

Stockman walked over, picking up a large piece of wall that was still there from when the mousers chewed on the old lair.

"You're so damn right, I am done playing," said Stockman, using the exosuit's super strength to toss the wall at the Turtles and Harry who had to scatter to avoid being crushed.

Stockman walked over, punching both Leo and Don to the side. Raph attempted to leap at Stockman with a kick but Stockman grabbed Raph's foot and threw him to the ground. Stockman walked over to Harry and head butted him with the metal exosuit head before kicking Mikey back and pulling him up by the arm, preparing to finish him off.

"Oh that felt good," said Stockman. "I so relished that. I can't count how many times you meddlesome freaks robbed me of my triumph when I was working for the Shredder. But now I shall have my revenge..."

"You worked for the Shredder!" growled Leatherhead angrily. "He was the Utroms’ most hated enemy."

Leatherhead grabbed Stockman by the exosuit arm, holding him up in the air.

"You didn't intend to help me build the transmat, you used me!" snarled Leatherhead before throwing Stockman to the side.

Leatherhead advanced on Stockman but Stockman pulled himself up, the head in the middle of the exosuit sneering.

"Very well, then all you freaks can perish together," said Stockman, lifting up a propane tank and throwing it towards the five mutants and Harry. "Believe me; I'll be doing evolution a big favor."

The propane tank missed connecting Harry, Leatherhead, and the Turtles but also exploded on the impact from hitting the wall, causing what remained of the lair to begin to cave him. Stockman walked off, laughing like a mad man.

"Leatherhead, look out!" yelled Mikey, as the roof began to crumble.

Leatherhead raised his hands above his head and used his immense strength to stall the roof from caving in.

"Leave, why you still can!" said Leatherhead in anguish, his knees buckling under the pressure of the roof. "Save yourselves, I can't hold this much longer."

Harry, Don, Leo, and Raph escaped the lair but Mikey seemed a little reluctant.

"Leatherhead come with us, forget this old place," said Mikey.

"No, if I can't have the transmat, if I can't be with the Utroms, then life is meaningless," said Leatherhead.

"Mikey, come on, let's go," said Harry desperately from the other end of the sewer tunnel.

"Please leave," said Leatherhead.

"Michelangelo!" called Leo urgently.

"Move it," said Raph in an agitated tone of voice.

"But I..." said Mikey, seeing that the lair was about to give.

"Save yourself why you still can...my friend," said Leatherhead attempting to save Mikey from certain doom, as he had family out there, even though Leatherhead couldn't get to his.

Mikey ran out of the old lair and not a second too soon as roof caved in, right on top of Leatherhead. Mikey looked through the entryway at the wreckage.

"Poor Leatherhead," said Mikey sadly.

"To think, to be that alone," said Harry, sympathizing with the croc to an extent, as Harry once felt that life was meaningless during his time at the Dursleys.

"You know, times may be rough, and there may be times where we can't stand each other but at least we know we're not alone," said Don.

Harry nodded, he didn't know what kind of state of mind he would be in if he didn't have his friends and family. It would be a very lonely existence.

The Turtles and Harry headed home in a very solemn mood; after all, seeing the demise of another living being, especially one that was benevolent despite looking like a raging beast was always a negative experience to go through.