Todd adjusted Gretta on his remote, sitting next to a big friendly intelligent crocodile, in what was admittedly a surreal and cool moment. "There. That should let you speak." Todd said, as the remote dinged to let him know she was done.
Gretta opened her mouth gently, trying to say a few words, and at first nothing happened but a low growl. She looked at Todd, dismayed, and then tried again, concentrating on moving her tongue, and pulling the back of her throat. And then, gruffly, she said her name. "Grrrretta." And her single working eye went wide with shock. "Was... that me?" The crocodile whispered, voice husky and strong, but feminine. She looked at Todd in shock and he saw the corners of her mouth pull into a grin again.
"Excellent! It's all working like it should!" He said happily, patting his marvelous invention. "Just call me Doctor Doolittle!"
"What's a Doctor Doolittle?" Gretta looked at him in confusion.
"It's from a movie." Todd nodded, patting her back and seeing her confusion only deepen.
"A... what?" Gretta asked in exasperation. "What the hell's a movie?"
Todd waved his hands around like that would help. "Uh, like... moving pictures. Like moving photographs."
The crocodile just stared at him blankly.
"I guess you don't know that." Todd laughed at himself.
"Hey, you just gave me a brain. I've lived my whole fucking life in that godforsaken smelly cage. With a dickhead mate I don't even like. Just because we're two of the same species doesn't mean we like each other. Never even pays attention to me." Gretta growled for emphasis. There was a lot of hate in the crocodile.
"Sorry..." Todd rubbed her back reassuringly. "I didn't mean to offend."
Gretta looked to Todd quickly and cocked her head, speaking quickly. "No, no, you're okay. I meant what I chipped into the glass there. You're my friend. My only damn friend. And you don't understand what kind of loyalty I'll give you for that."
"Well, I'm honored, Gretta. Really." He patted her shoulders and watched her agitated stance soften as she laid down and relaxed. "Tell me about you. It sounds like you have some stuff to get out."
The crocodile looked down sadly and nodded. "Yeah. Okay. Me. Here's me. I remember being born, I remember being prodded, and put in a stupid petting zoo. And the first time some stupid kid went to touch me when I didn't want to be touched I snapped at a finger. So they threw me in that hole. And let me grow up in there. And fed me garbage cold meat. And stagnant water. And let me get fat. And old."
"I'm sorry, Gretta." Todd said genuinely.
"Well, no! Hold on, you try living your life being gawked at by a million different humans. All of them pointing at you, pounding on your glass, laughing when you get pissed off at them. And then that asshole who took my eye." She rumbled in amusement. "I took his arm." She looked at Todd slyly. "Never saw him again. He still around?"
"Uh, the lady there told me he died." Todd gulped.
"Good." Gretta growled. "But that's me. That's my life. It's been boring as hell. And thanks to you, maybe I won't have to wait to die in there. Which is what I've been doing anyway."
"I can see why you're grouchy." Todd sighed. "That's... I'd be mad at people if they did that to me."
"Grouchy." Gretta snorted. "I never understood the words, you know, just the inflection. But I knew they were talking about me. I've always felt like a worthless animal."
There was a moment of silence before Gretta sighed heavily, heaving her big reptilian body and crossing her front legs. "So what about you, monkey? What's your deal? Do you just go around making bitchy crocodiles smart, or what?"
Todd laughed. "It's my new hobby." He laughed as Gretta snorted a half-smile. "No, I'm kind of a weird human, I guess. I make stuff. Like the remote. And nobody ever takes me seriously. And nobody pays attention to me. Actually, you're the first thing I've messed with."
"Really?" Gretta raised her head up. "So, out of all the stuff you can do with that thing, I'm the first thing you did?"
Todd simply nodded. "Yeah. Do you like it?"
"Wow." The crocodile considered. "That... made me feel special. That's the second time you've done that today. Yeah, I love it!"
"I was afraid you'd want me to change you back, or be mad at me."
"I have six inch long teeth and a bite that can snap solid bone clean off, and you're worried I'll be mad at you?" Gretta peered up with a sarcastically raised eye ridge.
"Well, yeah." Todd chuckled.
"Good. Keep it that way." Gretta snickered. "But really, Todd, thank you. I guess I'm... like the first talking crocodile in the world, right?"
"You are." Todd smiled happily. "So maybe you're not worthless after all."
At this, the crocodile visibly brightened. "You're gonna make me like you more. But, okay, what now? Are we gonna stay in this utility room forever? Go smarten up my stupid mate, there? Or should you and I go run away together and eat some stupid monkeys?"
"Are you calling me a stupid monkey?" Todd mocked.
"No, other monkeys." Gretta grinned, which was only slightly unsettling.
"Well, what do you want to do?" Todd petted Gretta's head softly, hearing her rumble in appreciation. "It's your life now, your destiny. I'll do whatever I can to make it better."
"Really?" The crocodile rubbed her snout against Todd's face again. "You're so nice. I'm lucky. Welp, how about this, then?"