Family is Forever

Newsworthy: Part 2

Aria's POV:

We all stare at the sight of Warren being split in half with looks of disgust & shock. Donnie puts his arm around me to ease my nerves. Raph turns to Leo in shock.

Raph: "Oh, what did you do?!"

Leo: "He was offending & attacking Ari! I panicked! I was just trying to help her!"

Donnie & I nod in confirmation as a thanks to Leo's actions, and to get him to stop biting his nails. He sends us both a grateful smile as Mikey speaks up.

Mikey: "Is he gonna be ok?"

Raph: "Is he gonna be okay?! He's in two pieces!"

Warren suddenly comes to with a pained look on his face. We all scream as we recoil in surprise.

Warren: "You fools! You've unleashed my ultimate power. Now I can-"

Mikey: "You can clone yourself?"

Warren grunts in pain as he answers Mikey's question.

Warren: "No, I regenerate. It's an amazing power, but it's incredibly painful."

Donnie approaches Warren with an intrigued look.

Donnie: "Fascinating. How long does the regeneration process take?"

I smile as I shake my head at Donnie's sudden change from annoyed by to interested in the worm. My boyfriend, ladies & gentlemen. The man who favors mind over muscle, not that he doesn't have quite a bit of both.

Warren: "Several days."

Mikey: "And you grow back with double the strength."

Warren: "No."

Raph: "But four times the size."

Warren: "If I don't grow back twice as strong, why would I grow back four times as big?"

Leo: "I don't understand you."

Raph: "Can we go get some pizza now? I'm hungry."

I notice Warren turn to me with a pleading look. I just smirk back before replying to Raph's request.

Me: "I could eat."

Mikey: "Are you sure he's gonna be ok, guys?"

As we all walk off, we hear Warren shout out a sarcastic answer to Mikey's question.

Warren: "I'm fine, you swamp-stinking, county-fair-prize losers."

Just for that, I pull out my kunais & throw them at Warren as a warning. As planned, they return to my hands before they can hit Warren. I'm annoyed, but not enough to cause harm without a viable reason.

{Time skip}

A rampaging hippo outside the Burgundy Center was reported on the police scanner. So, the five of us are now stood on the roof of the Burgundy Center, looking into the interior of the building.

On the way here, we ran into a bit of a problem. So this time, Mikey's the one in the hippo suit. I use my kunais to cut a hole through the glass ceiling, while Raph speaks up to confirm what we told them back at the lair.

Raph: "Now, you're sure the hippo is in there?"

Donnie: "Uh, yes, Aria & I picked it up on my police scanner. A 'Current Occupant' called it in."

Raph: "Fine. Now explain it to me again, why can't I wear the suit?"

We all groan as I answer Raph's question with an annoyed tone.

Me: "Raph, we've been over this."

Donnie: "You ruined that woman's 95th birthday."

Raph crosses his arms with a defensive look.

Raph: "She's fine."

Mikey: "I'll do you & the suit proud."

Raph: "Treat her with respect. And be careful."

Once I finish cutting the hole, Raph pushes Mikey through it. Once Mikey hits the ground, the rest of us jump to land on rafters above where he is. Leo & I aim a spotlight on Mikey as he starts to dance.

Leo: "What is he doing?"

Donnie: "Some mating dance he saw on Nature Planet."

Mikey: "Hippo, I'm right here."

Leo & I leap to stand a few feet away from Mikey as we each speak into a microphone. Meanwhile, Raph & Donnie survey the area from the shadows.

Leo: "Hippo man! Your biggest fan is here."

I don a 'game show host' voice as I continue from Leo's statement.

Me: "She loves magician's animals such as bunnies, doves, and in some cases, turtles."

Leo glances at me with a smirk before turning back to face the empty space of the building.

Leo: "She was hoping you brought some."

Mikey: "I hope he likes me."

Leo: "He will."

Me: "Of course he's gonna like you Mike-I mean, Michelle. You're adorable."

Suddenly, a voice speaks up out of nowhere.

Warren: "Breaking news."

The four of us jump to stand beside Mikey, Donnie with an arm out in front of me. We turn to hear applause from the chair of a nearby news desk.

Warren: "You may have beaten me before, but I'm a little tougher this time. You see, I've enhanced myself. I've really grown into my role as your greatest nemesis. I'm really pumped for our little tête-à-tête."

The chair turns to reveal Warren Stone. Only this time, he's twice his size and heavily muscled. Eh, I've seen better. A blue gem sits in the center of his chest, which explains his sudden change in appearance.

Raph: "Jumpin' Jack Flash! You're not a hippo, are you?"

Warren looks at us annoyed at the suggestion.

Warren: "No, I'm not a hippo. Do I look like a-"

Donnie leaps from side to side, using a tape measure to document Warren's size & height.

Donnie: "Hmm, maybe a baby hippo?"

Me: "Guys, he's not a hippo. He called us all out here on a false lead. There's no hippo."

Warren: "Yes, finally! Someone has the brains to figure out my diabolical scheme."

I turn to Warren with a menacing glare.

Me: "Watch it, Mr. Clean. I'm still not completely over your insulting my honor, or my family's capabilities in saving the city from whack-jobs like you."

Suddenly, an explosion goes off from behind the news desk, the blast causing Warren to be sliced in two once again. The smoke clears to reveal what we actually came for. A giant mutant hippo in a magician's suit.

Hypno-Potamus: "Ta-da! Hypno has arrived!"

TO BE CONTINUED