Hey guys! Thank you for being SO patient with this upload! Summer can be crazy along with little inspiration or motivation to write. I've got several more chapters outline now and will hopefully get a couple more cranked out soon! Glad to be back!

Enjoy!

May 5, 2013

Shredder and Kraang Subprime walked together in silence as they inspected the progress of the new batch of mutagen. Without the O'Neil girl's blood, it was less stable, but it could still work in a pinch. All of the Kraang working within the lab deep within Shredder's lair stilled as alarms blared across all of the screens.

"A message from Kraang's glorious leader!" A Kraang pressed a button on one of the communications consoles so the alarms ceased, but replaced the red blinking screens with the large and grotesque face of their leader.

"Kraang Prime!" All of the Kraang began chanting. "Kraang! Kraang! Kraang! Kraang! Kraang! "

Shredder ground his teeth beneath the safety of his helmet. "Annoying insects," He muttered to himself.

"SILENCE!" Kraang Prime bellowed. "Kraang Command is still short of the mutagen needed to complete Phase 2 of Kraang's Master Plan. Since Kraang's forces on Earth have failed to capture April O'Neil," Kraang Prime briefly let the silence rest as they eyeballed Shredder. "Kraang Command has agreed to start Phase 1 of Kraang's Master Plan. Kraang will use Phase 1 to find April O'Neil to create a more stable mutagen to complete Phase 2. The invasion known as the Invasion of Earth begins NOW." Kraang Prime gestured with several tentacles. "Prepare for the arrival of the Technodrome!"

xXx

Back within the Turtle Lair, it was an ordinary day for the Hamatos. Raph, Leo, and Mikey were hanging out within the pit. Mikey and Leo were engrossed in a rerun of Space Heroes while Raph lounged on the sectional texting Mona Lisa, scrubbing Spike's shell.

April and Donnie, however, were holed up in the lab. This was their latest attempt at retromutagen.

Snakeweed had regenerated significantly since the boys had brought his heart home in a jar. The teens had been able to pacify him with the promise of curing him along with a steady diet of moths and cockroaches. He looked on as Donnie added a new element to the splotch of mutagen in the Petri dish. April sighed as it fizzled into nothing.

"Retromutagen Attempt #38: another failure." Donnie scribbled in his notebook.

The sound of Leo's raised voice brought them out of their scientific reverie. Leo never yelled during Space Heroes. Something was up. The two teens left the confines of the lab to see what was happening.

"Karai, calm down! What's going on?" Leo had his Tphone pressed to his ear. He held the device away from his ear as Karai was yelling loud enough for the entire room to hear.

"Turn on the news! NOW!"

"Alright, alright!" The boy gestured for Mikey to change the input on the TV. "We're flipping over there now. But I still don't understand why-"

"ALIENS IN NEW YORK." Everyone fell silent as Carlos Chiang O'Brian Gambe's face filled the screen. "That's right folks! The movies have proven true. Aliens are invading New York! Strange pink creatures in metal bodies have been seen emerging from portals all over the city. They have begun herding humans. For the reason, we go to Joan Grody live on the scene! Joan? What's going on down there?"

The screen flickered to show the journalist crouched behind an upturned car with multiple Kraang marching in the background.

"Thanks, Carlos." She whispered into her mike. "Things are certainly Grody to the Max today was these aliens appear to be herding the humans into collection points. We have seen several small pod-like contraptions hovering above these groups, but no sign of a larger ship…" Joan trailed off as her eyes widened as something behind the camera man. "DYLAN! Turn the camera around! Are you seeing this?" She hissed.

The camera panned to a massive portal in the sky. A large ship began to push its way through.

"The Technodrome has arrived!" A Kraang cheered nearby.

"Holy giant shippy-ship!" Mikey breathed. Everyone else in the lair stood in silence.

"It's starting, isn't it?" April looked to Donnie. He swallowed thickly, glancing at their hands as he interlocked their fingers.

"No matter what happens," He whispered. "I promise - you'll be coming back with us."

"LEO! You still there?" Karai's voice sounded faint against the sounds of human screams coming from the TV.

Leo blinked before putting the call on speaker. "Yeah. Yeah I'm still here. We'll prep to head out and deal with this."

"Not alone you're not. Raph, call Mona Lisa. We need to get all of the Hamato Clan's allies to Big Mama's office. She's got a plan."

xXx

Mayor Bloomberg had a problem. Every phone in his office was ringing incessantly with no one to answer - because no one had any answers. He had seen many of the alien invasion movies that took place in New York, but never considered that fiction could become reality. As far as the man had researched, there were no protocols for how to go about this kind of situation. So Mike Bloomberg sat at his desk with his head in his hands as his city screamed in the dying rays of the sunset.

There was a knock at the door before a head popped though.

"S-sir?" A nervous aid stuttered.

"Not now, kid." Bloomberg gestured to the turmoil outside his window. "Can't you see that War of the Worlds is on our doorstep?"

"That's just it, sir…" The aid opened the door wider. "There's a woman here who says she can help!"

"And she hasn't got all day!" The door burst open as the woman - did she have purple skin? - pushed her way into the room past the sputtering aid.

Bloomberg leapt to his feet as several people also began to fill his office. "Now see here! You can't just-" He stilled as this force of a woman smushed her finger to his lips.

"Mayor Bloomberg, I am Big Mama - Mayor in my own right of a mystic Hidden City far below your streets and subways. My constituents and I would rather not have these nasty Kraang come hunt us mutants and Yokai after they finish with humanity." Big Mama removed her finger, lightly rubbing it along the edge of her sleeve. "From one mayor to another, I extend my forces to aid in repelling this invasion."

"Mutants? Yokai?" Bloomberg felt lightheaded. He collapsed into his chair as the people who had followed Big Mama into the room were enveloped in spirals of light. There now stood before him four humanoid turtles, a rat man, a giant scowling tiger, and an equally giant lizard woman with the two teenage girls standing in the front of the group. "What in blazes…" He whispered.

Big Mama elegantly took a seat in the chair nearest the mayor's desk. She gestured to the eclectic group standing behind her. "These are some of the best warriors the Hidden City has to offer, along with the majority of my own Hidden City Police Department. I offer their services, as they have experience in dealing with these invaders."

Bloomberg leaned forward, his elbows propped on his desk. "How do I know that you won't side with these alien freaks or take the city for yourselves once they're gone?" His eyes darted to the lizard woman in the back as she lifted her lip into a snarl. The turtle wearing the red mask gently grasped her hand. Big Mama regained his attention by tapping the desk.

"I will remain here with you to best direct our forces to take down the Kraang along with answering any questions you may have." She leaned forward, smirking. "Besides… at this point, what do you have to lose?"

"Fine!" Bloomberg pointed at the aid. "You! Get these 'warriors' to 1PP DISCREETLY so they can be a part of the coordinating effort. I'll call Ray Kelly and tell him to expect you."

The non-humans touched their various brooches and transformed once more into humans. All except one.

"Papa?" April noticed that Splinter had moved further into the room and had not reactivated his cloaking brooch. "Are you not coming with us?"

"Not this time, Dear One. I believe my path in this battle is the path of diplomacy." He placed a clawed hand on her shoulder. "I trust in my children and their companions to neutralize this threat. The best thing I can do is my part in helping begin relations with the humans, maybe even convince them of the true threat of the Shredder."

April sighed, placing her hand on top of her father's. "I'd much rather you be with us kicking butt, but I can see your point."

Splinter rested his forehead against hers. "I do not ask you, the boys, or Karai to promise me that you will come back. All I ask is that you do your best to return to me, Dear One."

"We'll be back, Papa." April gripped his arm before moving towards the door. "Just… keep yourself safe too."

He nodded once. "Go now, April. Save the world." The man closed his eyes as one of his beloved children ran headlong into danger. Splinter took a steading breath before turning to face the new challenge before him.

"Wait-" Bloomberg pointed at April's retreating figure as Splinter settled into the chair next to Big Mama. "She's your daughter? How… how is that possible?"

"That is a long story, Mr. Mayor. For now, how can we best help you?"

Bloomberg scrubbed a hand across his weary face. "Right now, I need to call my police commissioner and tell him to expect your people. And then," He leaned forward. "I need you to tell me everything."