It was the midnight sky above New York City. For the first time, stars have shined upon the face of Earth. To all of New York, it is a new beginning since the Shredder's demise. And his faction of the Foot Clan disbanded.

Leonardo was vigilant at night as always, patroling around the city, fighting crime, saving people without being seen in the night. Even if his brothers and friends are by his side. Life became different than before.

Although, his brothers seemed to have their own things to do. Raphael was spending more time with Mona and the Mighty Mutanimals. Michaelangelo begins to make his own podcast on crime fighting facts on ScreenVid without revealing his identity. Donatello found some sort of mineral, and was trying to unlock its secrets behind it. Casey is trying out for the Hockey National Leagues. April is studying entrance exams for law to become a detective.

A year has passed since the defeat of the Shredder. Now the city is at peace. But for Leo, his job is far from over. Since his team were already taught what they needed to know. But he feels something is missing after being ranked Ninja Master by his own master.

Instead of fighting crime in the night. It was a parade going on in Chinatown. It is the year of the Dragon. Leo watches as the parade proceeds successfully. Participants performing the Dragon Dance, acrobats performing their moves, and drums heard from the streets. Fireworks spread into the sky.

Leo was amazed to see how the celebration goes in Chinese New Year. He wished his master would've seen this night.

"Amazing, isn't it?" Leo turned to see Karai hiding under a shadow near a doorway to the roof.

"Didn't think I see you here." Leo said. Karai had been in Japan for a few months to oversee the Foot Clan's work. The two sat down on the roof edge to watch the parade. It was a sight of joy to see kids laughing and cheering. But it was also a somber moment that time is passing.

"Well, I know where to find you." Karai chuckled.

"You always do." Leo grinned.

"You know, it's been a while since I come to see this. The first time is when I was 6. If only my parents can see this now." Karai can think of a moment she looked at the photo of her biological mother and father after finally getting the answers she sought after.

At thay moment, there is peace. But at the same time, neither can help but feel something might came up next.

"You know, do you think that the moment everything settles down, I can't help but feel something is amiss." Leo stated.

Karai hung her head down to see the parade continued. She even thought the exact same thing since the Shredder's demise. Some of the ninjas that were kidnapped to become Foot Ninjas left to either return to their families or build lives of their own with new identities. Others stayed cause they don't have any memories of the past other than to be trained as ninjas."Well, hopefully they can make something of themselves, even if they don't have a past." Leo adds. Then gives her a pack of Pizza Gyoza since stopping by at Murakami's.

"Pizza Gyoza?" Kaira thought at first it was strange that pizza flavor is now added to traditional dish nowawdays. But after tasting it since her last encounter with April, it was good.

"Why not?" Said Karai as the two share their halves. "I kinda heard Murakami is adding ravioli flavored gyoza soon for the specials." Leo said taking a bite of gyoza with a chopstick. Looking back the last time she went to Murakami's restaurant, Kaira regrets how she wrecked the place from the time she interrogates him for the location of the turtles. And the time she fought against April for a mission to eliminate her. But also causing a mess in the fight. Since then, Karai has been secretly compensating for the damages.

After all, the menu is great. And because of the rumors that ninjas were running around the place. It became more popular with the customers than usual.

"Heard that before." Karai said picking up one gyoza with her chopsticks. And bites it. The fireworks keep exploding into the sky, one that forms into a dragon.

"How are things going while I was gone?" Karai asked.

"Well, the usual. Stopping robberies, fighting Purple Dragons. Nothing new. Except, everyone is adapting into making their own lives. Especially Raph, Donnie and Mikey." Leo replied. But lowered his head in feeling empty inside.

"I guess for all of us, there is nothing left. I mean Master Splinter already taught us what we already knew." Leo said, taking another gyoza.

"I speak for all of us when I say there is nothing left. Except for one thing." Karai then takes out a paper from her pocket. A poster of Baxter Stockman. The scientist that they all tried to capture since he escaped from the last battle with Shredder. However, he was nowhere to be found. But sightings of robots and labs were found as soon as police raided his hideouts.Then comes the reports of machine robberies in scrao yards.

"Stockman. And it looks like he has something to do with those stolen machine components." Leo stated. Looking at the papers Karai showed him. "If you think finishing Shredder is the end. It's not." Karai adds.Both Leo and Karai had been searching for him for months now after a series of M.O.U.S.E.R related robberies. "There is something else I hadn't mentioned." Karai adds.

"What is it?" Leo asked, as something else had bothered Karai since she can remember all of her younger days.

-Japan, 7 Years Ago-

Karai wasn't the only one who was one of the high-ranked kunoichi in the Foot Clan. While it was led by Shredder at the time, he also trained a girl who is 2 years older than Karai.

I can only remember when I was 10. Although we were taught that friendships are weak, and must be disregarded. I only have at least one friend. Before I met Shinigami.

Karai was sparring against the girl, who was her only friend besides Shinigami. She has brown hair and dark eyes. Karai performed upper jabs. Only for Kumiko, the girl who is sparring with Karai, to block her fists in defense.

Kumiko then removes her hands from her face and makes blows on Karai's shoulder with high kicks. Then uses her palms to blow on her.

But Karai rolls back to recover and not fall back from the circle drawn to create a sparring challenge. Her heel nearly off the ring. But she managed to keep being inside the circle.

"Kyah!" Kumiko leaps high towards Karai, slamming her fist to the floor, breaming it into a small hole. "Ha!" She yelled with a battle cry.

Karai then grabbed the back of her shirt collar of her uniform, and spun her around. And makes a kick on her back. Causing Kumiko to fall to the floor.

"Yame!" Shredder yelled. He then walked over to the two girls.

"Kumiko, I am disappointed in you. You used to be the advanced student. But now you are starting fall behind." Shredded possessing a menacing face. Kumiko sighs, knowing that he is not happy.

I wasn't the first student. Before me, Shredder had his first apprentice after he found her. Her name is Nagi Kumiko. We grew up together. She was the one who trained me. She became more like a sister to me.

Kumiko tried not to react. Instead, she bowed to both her master, and friend. "True, Master Shredder. But Karai is getting better than I realized. At this rate, she might have a future no one else can even imagine."Karai felt a smile formed on her face to hear such praise. The Shredder said nothing and nods in agreement. "Perhaps I should expect more from her." The Foot Clan leader then turned to her.

"You had already made me proud than I realized..." Karai looks up to her "father" as she expected him to say something. But he places a hand on her shoulder. "Daughter."

It was because of her, that the Shredder sees me as part of his clan. And it was because of Kumiko, that I became his right hand. But even friendships never last long in the Foot Clan.

-Osaka, 4 years later-

Karai, who was 14 at the time, was paired with Kumiko for their first mission, to retrieve the sword of Empress Jingu.

It was obtained by another ninja clan called the Aizaki Clan. A criminal ninja clan whose mastery of martial arts that rivals the Oroku Clan (the Foot Clan).

They mustered tontheir speed through the high grounds, until they reached the temple. "This is it, Kumiko. Everything we worked hard to gain. All for the Foot." Karai stated.

"That I agreed, sister." All their fellow ninja in their teenage years would refer to them as their brothers and sisters. Not by blood, but by bonds of friendship. But nothing will be the same after that night.

Two Aizaki ninjas were scouting around the trail of the garden area. Until they heard a rustling from the trees. One of them reached for the hilt of his sword. But then Karai kicked the first ninja by the face to knock him cold. She checked his pulse, and he's still breathing.

Next, Kumiko performed palm attacks to threw him to the ground. Also knocking him unconscious. Karain and Kumiko nodded to each other as they kept going. While avoiding getting caught, Karai and Kumiko reached the chamber room, where the sword is held.

"Awesome." Karai was about to head inside the chamber room. Until Kumiko stops her. "Hold on, Karai." She then takes out a small bottle of spray. As she sprays across the room, it reveals red lasers.

"Whoa."

"Well, be my guest. You said you wanted to give Master Shredder the sword, now's your chance." Kumiko remarked.

Karai sought this as a chance to prove her worth to the Foot Clan. To the one she used to call her father. "Cool." Karai said.

The young kunoichi takes a deep breathe, seeing the lasers before her, she knew this is the chance she thinks she must have. Using her agility and skill to avoid traps, but when she stepped on a floor panel, a spike ball swung at her. But Karai springs away and landed on a floor.

"Whew." She remembers which panels contain the traps. Until she reaches the glass container of the sword. "At this rate, it will put the Aizaki Clan to shame." Karai smirked.

Using a pen as a laser to create a hole on the glass. And to prevent it from breaking that might set the alarms, Karai used sticky gloves to hold onto the circular glass. Then reaches the sword and repleaced it with paper mache replica of the sword.

Then Karai carefully reaches back to the doorway and wipes the sweat from her forehead. "Whew, that was close."

"Good, the master will be pleased." Kumiko adds. Karai nodded as the two kunoichi fled away with the sword.

"That was easy–gah!" Karai yelped as she dodged a swipe of a sword above her. And that attcak came from Kumiko.

"Easy for me that is!" Kumiko snarled. As she sped at Karai and swings her sword. Karai uses her sword tp counter attack her and flips back. "Kumiko?! Why?! I thought we were friends!"

"Friends?!" Kumiko chuckled as she stared down at Karai. "Don't make me laugh! I never thought of you as a friend! You are nothing but a thorn of my side!"

Kumiko then jumps on one of the pillars of the temple and charges at Karai. But Karai dodged by rolling from her and recovered by her own feet. Kumiko spins around as Karai deflects with her sword.

Kumiko unintentionally swipes her blade, where a candle stick is sitting on a lantern and lit in fire. Burning the fabric of a textile art with a symbol of a orchid.

"For many years, I have been the Master's right hand! The clan would've been mine in the future. He promised me!" She then kicks Karai towards the wall as the flames keep burning up. "Until you showed up! And bested me in every test!"

Karai uses her hands to parried her punches and kicks. Then she acrobatically performs a spiral kick, causing Kumiko to tumble back. Karai then throws her shuriken at Kumiko.The flames began to surround the walls. Karai knew Kumiko was far aggressive in combat, but she never thought that she had hated her for a very long time. She thought of her as a sister before she revealed her true colors.

"Kumiko, we need to get out of here!" Karai warned her. But it was in vain when Kumiko only cares about finishing her former best friend.

But then the floors began to crack. As it got weaker by every movement in combat. Karai and Kumiko had fallen after it shattered into pieces. "Ahh!" They both screamed until they used their swords to pierce onto the walls to hold onto.

A wood piece fell from the ceiling, and the light reveals a basement underneath them. As it also lit in flames. Slowly, the flames grow bigger. Karai turned to see Kumiko's sword about to slip.

Karai lets go and try to help Kumiko up. Even if she turned on her, she is still her sister. "Kumiko! quick!" Karai called. Reaching her hand to her friend. Because of her belief in honor.

Kumiko turned to Karai. But she swings her one foot in response to get Karai to fall into the pit of flames. But Karai blocks her kick. "Kumiko, now is not the–!" Karai was cit off when Kumiko pulls.out her sword to slash at Karai, but Karai jumps away.

Kumiko falls back. Looking at Karai with dismay and hate. Karai stared at her in shock that her friend is about to fall to her death. "Kumiko!"

Later, Karai returns to the Foot HQ, alone. Dismay is covered in her expression. Failing to save her friend. While her mission is complete, Karai cannot understand Kumiko's purpose of trying to get rid of her.

Karai approaches Shredder. Sitting in some throne room. Staring at her so-called "father" before her. She knelt to him and presented to him the sword to be part of his collection.

"The mission is complete, Father. But at the cost. Kumiko turned on us." Karai informed him. Shredder doesn't seem surprised as he knew it would happen.

He apprached her, with a seriois look, and takes the sword. "Kumiko is no longer useful to me now." Karai seemed shock hearing this. Even if Kumiko was his star student. He only sees her as a pawn. And as his daughter, Karai was superior in his eyes.

"You have done well, daughter. If you continue down this path, you will be the future of our clan." Shredder said to her. Kumiko used to think of Shredder like a father to her. Yet, for some reason her words might have connected her to him.

This memory would haunt her for the rest of her life.

-New York City, Present-

Leonardo never heard anything like this before. The festival continues, but neither him, or Karai are paying attention to the parade. He sympatically looks at her as she looked down.

Friendships severed when it comes with being a ninja, or other circumstances. "After all of this. It would keep replaying in my head for as long as I live."

For some reason, it is also similar for when Leonardo's master would fought against Oroku Saki/Shredder. As if history repeats itself.

"What happened wasn't your fault. She betrayed you first." Leonardo assured her. Trying to help her not to recall too many horrible events that occurred.

"I still feel like it was. Her last words, I cannot help but feel there was a connection between her and Shredder." Karai theorized.

"You sure?" Leo asked.

"There could've been the reason. why she wanted the Foot Clan."

Leo and Karai unintentionally places their hands close. But when they intertwined, they pulled back. "Gah!" Leo gasped. Blushing at what they just did.

"Sorry." Karai said, surprised that her hand touched his.

"No, no! It's my fault."

"No it isn't!" But then Leo got a call from Donnie after their awkward exchange. He decided to pick up. "Yeah, Donnie?" He asked.

"Leo, you got to meet me at the lair, it's urgent!" Leo hung up the call and he and Karai head to the lair.

Author's note: Nagi Kumiko becomes the new antagonist to the TMNT 2012 series. And she has a mysterious connection to the Foot Clan. This fanfic takes place after the series ended. We will see how things went in Earth-16 where it takes place after the events of YJ Season 1. And there will be an S1 Redux, which I will be currently writing on.

One more thing, ScreenVid is a reference to YouTube.