A wise man once said, "The more one learns, the less one knows". My sons and I have learned many things of late.

Whoa, dude.

Much of what we learned, we experienced through a remarkable window into the past, a history of an alien race known as the Utroms. In virtual reality, we witnessed as the Utroms transported their most dangerous criminal back to their home world to stand trial...

You will never hold me.

...only to crash land here on Earth, several hundred years ago.

This is Japan!

And in that past, we encountered one who resembled the Shredder. Perhaps an ancestor or merely a phantasm. But even a phantasm can be defeated. My sons and I escaped that dangerous illusion, only to return to... a reality that promised to be more deadly!

It can't be!

Shredder was the first to give the command. "Attack! Destroy them all!"

Stockman laughed and Honeycutt recoiled at the sight of his spider-bot body. "Oh dear, and I thought I was stuck with an unpleasant robot body." Stockman fireed lasers, hitting the Fugitoid and throwing him back against the Oracle Pods.

"My sons, attack!" shouted Splinter.

The turtles, Dante and Splinter charged the Foot Clan and began to battle. The Foot Elites ran straight for Mortu, but the Guardians arrived, their weapons drawn. "Protect Mr. Mortu!" They leaped in front of the Elites and began to fight. Splinter took on Hun, using his walking stick to sweep Hun's leg and while he lost his off balance, Splinter struck him hard enough to send him flying back against an organic pod hanging on the wall. Mortu defended himself against a Foot ninja, easily defeating him. And then he confronted Shredder, who said, "Mortu, I have anticipated this moment for nearly ten centuries."

"I'm surprised that with your genius, it took you a thousand years to find us," countered Mortu as they fought.

Leo realized something as he defended himself from some Foot soldiers with his katanas, "If those guys have been enemies for that long, then that means-"

Splinter whacked a Foot soldier with his walking stick as he came to the same conclusion as Leo, "This is the same Shredder from a thousand years ago!"

"But how can that be," Dante asked as he blocked a Foot Tech Ninja's attacks with his chakrams before slashing his chest with them. "Is he immortal or something?" Then, he was hit with a realization of his own. "No. There's only one way he could have lived this long. One way only."

Mortu jumped back before Shredder could stab him, but Hun came up behind Mortu and wrapped him in an arm lock. Shredder held up his clawed guntlet. "Finally." He was about to deliver a killing blow when a trio of Utroms, on their flight pads, opened fire. Hun was struck and dropped Mortu, who immediately ran. The Utroms focused their fire on Shredder, who used his gauntlets as shields. He leaped at them, catching two on his blades, and threw them to the floor. Two more Utroms came at him from opposite directions, but Shredder performed a split kick and knocked them away. One was struck so hard he was separated from his flight pad. He landed on the floor and then a Foot Elite lifted his axe to strike.

"No!" shouted the Utrom.

Just as the Elite brought the axe down, Leo did a forward flip, grabbed the Utrom and ran with him. The Elite sank his axe into the floor. Leo turned back and kicked the Elite. The Elite armed with the spear attacked, apparently trying to stab the Utrom, who Leo kept pulling out of the way of the spear. "Sorry about this," he said to the Utrom. "Donny, go long!" He threw the Utrom like a football. Donny darted forward and caught the Utrom and then placed him on his flying pad. The Utrom sighed in relief.

Meanwhile, Stockman approached Raph, Mikey, and Dante. "At last, it's time I finally had my revenge on you annoying mutations and this little welp."

"Stockman? I almost didn't recognize you," mocked Raph. "New hair cut?"

"You don't look so tough without that armor you had last time," said Dante. "I could step on you just like that!"

"Try it, plebeian!" Stockman activated a pair of stun lasers and zapped the two turtles and one boy. It flung them back against a wall and they landed hard on the floor. He fired again, and they threw themselves out of the way. Mortu and Shredder exchanged blows, and the Shredder hit Mortu hard enough to knock him out of his exo-suit. Shredder looks back to see Stockman and shouted, "Stockman, hold. You have more important business."

"Never! My revenge comes first."

"I SAID HOLD!" Stockman's eyepiece zapped him, making him scream. Shredder ordered, "Implement phase three now!"

"Yes, Master," said Stockman as he skittered away. "The device will soon be under your control."

"The device," Mortu asked as Donny put him back in his exo-suit. Then his eyes widened when he realized, "The transmat. We must stop that cyborg before—"

Hun and a pair of Foot Elites blocked the exit. Shredder laughed, "You will go nowhere!"

Leo leaped down and kicked the Shredder. He flew back and hit an organically filled pod, immediately becoming stuck in the goo that's inside. Mortu ran to a control panel and began to frantically type commands. Power shot through the cables attached to the organic pod, and the goo expands to cover Shredder's body. Hun and an Elite Guard ran over and began pulling at the organic material, while the turtles and Dante take on the Foot Ninjas and the Foot Elites. Mortu, the Utroms, the Fugitoid and the Guardians fled the room.

"We'll assist you as soon as the transmat is secure," said Mortu.

The Shredder managed to free himself and shouted at Hun and the Foot Elites, "After the Utrom now!" They ran toward the door, but the turtles, Dante and Splinter blocked their way.

"You'll have to go through us first," growled Raph.

"You're not worth wasting my time," Shredder growled back. He turned to the control panel and punched in commands. A substance ran down from the ceiling and covered exit door, and then the pods hanging from the walls burst and spilled their goop into the room. An escape tube extended into the room, and Shredder along with his minions fled into it. The tube retracted into the wall, which sealed behind it.

The room began to flood, and the turtles, Dante and Splinter began pounding on the walls, trying to get out. Donny tried various commands on the control panel. "It's no good. I can't work these controls."

Leo sliced the wall with his katanas, but they immediately healed themselves. "I keep slicing at the wall, but it just heals itself. It's like the room's alive."

That gave Donny an idea. "Wait, that's it. This is a techno-organic chamber. We need to think a little less techno and a little more organic. " He slammed his bo staff into the wall and it made a noise.

Dante was creeped out. "D-Did the wall just groan?"

"Yes! The walls have techno-organic nerve endings. They can feel. Just follow my rhythm." Donny beat the wall again. "If we can agitate the nerve endings just so..." Everyone pounded the wall until the room began to shake. "She's gonna blow!" The goop erupted, shooting a geyser up to the ceiling, punching through, and taking the turtles, Dante and Splinter with it.

"Okay, that was nasty," said Mikey.

Outside, the National Guard troops had set up barricades around the TCRI building and were keeping people away. The general was on the phone. "Look, Mr. Mayor, I don't care what kind of media fiasco you think this is. My orders are to get into that building to investigate those flashes of light." He ordered his troops, "All units, move in."

National Guardsmen stormed the building. Inside, they were met by android security sentries, who shot lasers at them. An injured Guardsmen was pulled out of the building by one of his team. The Guardsmen fired on the sentries with shoulder-fired missiles.

Inside the Battle Shell, April grew impatient. "We can't sit around anymore. We need to know what's going on in there." She changed into a yellow jumpsuit with a number 9 pin on the right breast, white boots and a matching belt. "The authorities won't talk to us, but they might talk to a TV news reporter. How do I look," she asked as she posed with a microphone.

"Uh, great, if you're removing toxic waste." April whacked Casey on the head with the microphone. "Ow!"

"You're no help. Can you at least be my cameraman?"

"Do I have a choice?"

Back inside, Mortu, the Guardians, and the Utroms reached the transmat chamber. Mortu said, "Guardians, be ready for anything." Two grenades were thrown in and exploded, throwing the Guardians back and creating a cloud of smoke. Shredder entered the chamber. Utroms begin firing on him, but their lasers bounced off of his armor. Mortu said, "Stay back. I will not let you destroy the transmat." He tried to attack the Shredder, who punched him hard enough to send him flying back.

Shredder, joined by Hun and the Foot Elites, said, "I do not intend to destroy it, Mortu. I will use it to send you to your doom. Perhaps I'll place you in the extreme heat of a supernova or the cold, endless vacuum of space." Professor Honeycutt tried to stop him, only to get attacked by Stockman. "And you're just the beginning. After I've disposed of you, I will use this device to conquer the home world of the Utroms and I'll destroy every last one of your kind, Mortu!"

"Not if we got anything to say about it," said Raph as he, his brothers, and father entered the chamber. "Remember us?"

Shredder growled, "Ah, I grow tired of you creatures and your constant interference. Elite Ninja, attack!" While the Foot Elites attacked, Shredder then turned to the cyborg and said, "Stockman, power up the transmat. Finish Mortu and his friends."

"Yes, Master."

"Oh, no, you don't!" Dante jumped over the Elite armed with a kyoketsu-shoge and tried to reach Stockman, only for the Elite to stop him with its chain. "Get off!" He yanked on the chain, pulling the Elite forward and punching him in the face. "We have to stop him!"

"You don't have to tell me twice," said Leo as he fought the Elite with the axe.

"And here I am fresh out of bug spray," said Mikey as he fought the Elite with the trident.

"Why don't we just get Shredder to ask him to stop," said Raph as he fought the Elite with the axe. "Stockman seems to listen to him."

As Donny fought the Elite with the dual sword, a lightbulb went off in his mind. "Hyah! That's it! Stockman's control chip must be voice activated." He kicked the Elite away and hopped over to Honeycutt. "Psst, Professor Honeycutt. Can your audio processor replicate any sound?"

"Of course."

"We need your best impersonation of the Shredder, now!"

The Fugitoid's voice beeped, then made a perfect impersonation of the Shredder. "Stockman, step away from the controls."

Stockman immediately stopped what he was doing. Shredder saw this and immediately said, "Stockman, don't listen to him. You obey only me!"

Honeycutt then said, "Don't listen to him. Override all voice command protocols."

Instantly, the eyepiece short circuited and shut down. And Stockman couldn't have been more happier. "I'm... I'm free! I obey no one now!" He leaped onto the Shredder's chest and shocked him, making him scream in pain. "Who's in charge now, 'Master'?"

"NO! NO!" Shredder stumbled back as Stockman continued to deliver shocks. Hun tried to come to his rescue, but Shredder flailed uncontrollably and knocked him away. "NOOOOOO!" The shocking stopped and Shredder toppled over.

"I'm free. Free of him at last!" Stockman laughed as he scuttled away.

"Oh, no, you don't," said Dante as he tried to grab him, only to get zapped, allowing Stockman to make his escape. Meanwhile, Hun and the Foot Elites came to their master's aid. "Shredder," said Hun as he picked him up.

"Do you think the Shredder is-" But Leo didn't finish his sentence.

"Dude, he survived having his head chopped off," said Dante. "If he can do that, he can survive anything. And I know why now."

"You do," asked Raph, surprised. "How?"

Before Dante could explain, Hun growled, "We'll be back, freaks."

"And we'll be ready for you," Dante growled back. "Count on it."

"You," snarled Hun. "How dare you! Dr. Nathalie programmed you to obey the Shredder! You and the other Foot Sleepers!"

"Tell Nathalie I no longer serve Shredder anymore, and I intend on freeing the other children under his control!"

"We'll see, brat."

A device fell from Shredder's hands as Hun and the Elites turned to leave. It bounced across the floor and when it stopped, a timer started a countdown from ten minutes. From beneath the device, long tendrils of glowing red lights spread out all around it and continued to spread into the chamber. Mikey and Donny approached it, only to jump back when Mortu shouted, "Do not touch it! It's an Utrom implosion device. The techno-organic virus it contains will destroy you. Already it has thoroughly infected the system. The entire building will implode in less than ten minutes." Everyone gasped.

"Can you stop it," asked Donny.

"No. Unfortunately the virus was comprehensive. It spread too quickly."

"So Shredder found a way to stick it to us even in defeat," said Raph.

Below them, at the building's entry, the National Guard managed to destroy the security sentries, and the unit leader said, "Alpha Leader to General. All clear. Let's go!"

"Move out!" shouted a National Guardsman.

Back in the transmat room, the Council of Three said, "The human troops are making their way deeper into the building."

"What?! They don't know about the bomb," Dante exclaimed.

"We have to get them out before the place implodes," said Leo.

"The lower floors are completely sealed off," said Mortu. "There's no way to contact them."

"There must be someone on the outside we can contact."

Both Mikey and Raph got the same idea and grinned.

Outside, April and Casey walked past the barricades and approached the General. "General, April O'Neil, Channel 9 News." Then she saw that the 9 pin was upside-down. "Uh, Channel 6 News. What can you tell us about the situation inside?"

"Reporters? I said keep them back behind the barricades!"

A Guardsman pushed April and Casey back. "Sir, the people have a right to know! General!"

Suddenly, April and Casey heard a familiar voice in their earpieces. "April, Casey, it's me, Leo."

"Hello," Casey said.

"Hello? Leo? Oh my gosh! I can't believe I'm hearing your voice," said April with relief.

"Me neither. When did you get three-way calling?" April elbowed Casey's side. "Ow! What?"

"Hello! They're alive?"

"Oh. Right." Then he cheered, "Woo-hoo!"

"Listen, you have to get a message out to evacuate the building," said Leo. "It's gonna self-destruct in about six minutes."

April and Casey gasped when they heard that. They approached the general and April said, "General, my, uh, station manager just received an urgent message from a terrorist organization calling itself-" She paused, what to call it?

Thankfully, Casey came up with a name, "Goongala Cowabunga."

"They're gonna blow up the building. You have to get your men out of there and-"

"I thought I told you to keep those lunatics behind the barricades," the general snapped at the guardsman.

"But, General," April tried to say as she and Casey were forced out again.

The countdown on the bomb reached five and a half minutes. The Guardians and Utroms in their exo-suits ran into the chamber. A female Utrom reported, "Mr. Mortu, the transmat is powered up."

"Primary team, assemble on the platform. You're going home," said Mortu.

Two Utroms popped out of their exo-suits and crawled along the floor.

"I hate walking on my tentacles," complained one of them.

"Oh, shut up, Krang," snapped another one.

The two Utroms and Guardian Prime climbed onto the transmat pad and were transported off of Earth.

As the beam shot out of the top of the TCRI building, the spectators on the street were startled. The general, now believing April's story, asked her, "Uh, how much time did you say we have to evacuate?"

As National Guardsmen made their way through smoky corridors, one heard a sound and turned. For a second, he thought he saw the shadow of a crocodile walking on two legs. He was about to investigate when he got a command from the general. "Everyone, pull out. General's orders. Move it, move it, move it!"

The Council of Three entered the transmat chamber. "Mortu, we are the last. The others have been evacuated."

"Secondary team will accompany the Council."

The Council, revealed to be the three navigators, left their exo-suits by way of flight pads encased in spheres filled with liquid. They each floated into the waiting hands of a Guardian and were taken onto the transmat pad. "It is good to be going home," they said.

Mortu turned to the Fugitoid and said, "Professor Honeycutt, would you care to join us? We would gladly offer you asylum on our home world."

"Really, me? To live amongst an advanced, peaceful civilization where I can use my knowledge and skills for good? It's a dream come true." Honeycutt turned to the turtles and Dante. "But, my friends, I will miss you. I-I can't thank you enough."

"Take care of yourself, Professor," said Donny.

Honeycutt stepped onto the transmat.

"Mr. Mortu, thank you for everything," said Leo.

Mikey sniffled. "Man, I hate long goodbyes." He draped himself on Raph's shoulder and cried, much to his annoyance.

"Will we see each other again," asked Dante.

"It is unlikely, but I hope so," said Mortu.

"I has been an honor to know you and your race, Mortu-san," said Splinter.

"It is we who are honored, Master Splinter. Before we leave, a small token of our appreciation." Mortu extended his hand and a blue crystalline globe, sitting in a gold stand, appeared. Splinter took it from him and the gem attached to the stand lit up. Suddenly Splinter fiound himself watching Hamato Yoshi as he practiced his ninjitsu. He turned to Splinter, bowed and Splinter bowed back.

As Splinter found himself back in reality, Mortu said, "Your Master Yoshi was the most loyal Guardian that ever served the Utrom. He gave his life to protect us, but his spirit lives in our collective history." Splinter wiped the tears away as he placed the crystal in his pocket. "And now my friends you must leave this building while you still can," said Mortu as he exited his exo-suit. "Donatello, if you would do me the honor of powering up the transmat."

"Sweet! I'm all over it," said Donny.

Mortu climbed onto the transmat pad and Donatello started to work the controls. Two shuriken suddenly flew at the control panel and hit, sending sparks shooting out. Donny jumped back and the sparks punched holes through the empty exo-suits. Everyone turned and saw the culprit. Shredder, accompanied by the Foot Elites and Hun.

"Oh, for crying out loud," snapped Dante. "Why won't you just go away?!"

"As long as I live, you will not leave this place alive!" Shredder leaped at the turtles, Dante and Splinter and knocked them all out of his way. He stalked toward the transmat pad stairs. "Our thousand year struggle ends now!"

A Guardian drew his sword and Shredder started for him, but the turtles and Dante attacked, pushing him back. Then Splinter jumped down in front of Shredder and delivered a kick that knocked him off of the pad. The Guardian handed a Council member to another Guardian and started forward, but Donny stopped him and said, "No! Protect your masters. We'll handle the Shredder."

"Let me finish them," said Hun.

No! They are mine," Shredder growled. "You and the others track down Stockman. He is still of some use to me." Hun and the Elites left the chamber. Shredder turned to see Donatello at the controls. "No!" Before he could stop him, Donny managed to override the transmat's controls.

"We shall meet again," said the Guardian Prime.

"After ten centuries, I will not be denied my revenge," shouted the Shredder as he charged for the Utroms and Honeycutt, but he was too late; they were already gone. He stood still for a moment, then turned his attention to the turtles, Dante and Splinter with pure hate in his eyes. "You. You have been little more than thorns in my side, but now you have robbed me of my triumph, and for that you shall pay with your lives."

Splinter blocked his attack and said, "Shredder, there is no time! The building is about to implode! Even you could not survive!"

"Then we shall all perish together!" And with that, he kicked Splinter away, snapping his walking stick in half in the process.

Donny jumped at him, bringing his bō down on Shredder's head, but only succeeded in breaking the staff in two. He looks at it in surprise, allowing Shredder to kick him away.

The bomb's countdown nearly reached the one minute mark.

Shredder kicked Splinter again, then fended off Mikey when he struck him with his nunchucks. Dante threw his chakrams at the Shredder's stomach, and they bounced back into his hands. Raphael threw his sais, but Shredder caught them. Leo slashes the Shredder with his katanas, knocking him down and making him drop the sais.

"Thanks, bro," said Raph as he picked them up. He and Leo slashed at the Shredder's armor, causing sparks to fly.

"Guys, use your weapons to penetrate his armor," said Donny as he opened a panel and exposed some wiring. "I think we can stop him for good."

Leo handed one of his katanas to Splinter and they, Raph, Mikey, and Dante slashed the Shredder, forming holes in his armor and allowing them to stab him with their weapons. "You pathetic creatures cannot hurt me!"

"Don't be so sure," said Donny as he jammed two electric cables into the Shredder's body. With the weapons in him serving as an electric conductor, the power surging through him made him scream. Then, he stopped and fell onto his back. Everyone watched with caution. Then suddenly, his stomach opened up, revealing...

"So my hunch was right," said Dante. "The reason he's been able to live for a thousand years. Of course age doesn't affect him! The answer's been staring at us right in the face."

"The Shredder's...an Utrom?!" exclaimed Donny.

And it wasn't just any Utrom. He was red in color, had three prong-like extensions on his head and a lightning-shaped scar going down his left eye. Mikey screamed as he recognized him immediately. "Aaah! It's the prisoner dude! He's the one who...who..."

"Who escaped after causing Mortu's ship to crash on Earth a millennium ago," growled the red Utrom.

"I did wonder what happened to you after you stole that Utrom's exo-suit," snarled Dante. "You took the identity of the Shredder and started the Foot Clan. And I'm guessing you used many other names over the centuries as well."

"Very astute, boy."

"He ain't so tough now," growled Raph. "Let's just squish him."

In response, the Shredder jumped on Raph's face, and began to squeeze. Raph let out a muffled scream as he tried to get him off. "What did you say," Shredder asked with a laugh. "I can't seem to hear you!"

Eighteen seconds...

"Get him off," shouted Mikey as Leo and Donny tugged on the evil Utrom. "Or there's gonna be a tiny little Shredder alien busting out of Raph's chest!" Raph flicked him on the forehead. "Ow!"

The Shredder snapped his teeth at Leo, making him jump back. Then, Dante did something unexpected: he grabbed onto Raph's shoulders and bit down hard on the Shredder's face, making him bleed. The Shredder let out a scream as Dante managed to yank him off Raph's face and throw him aside. He spat out blood and muttered, "Ew. Utrom blood tastes like fish."

Ten seconds...

"Guys, quick. I've got the transmat recalibrated," Donny shouted.

"Let's hope wherever we're going, it's a lot better than the last place we went," said Leo as he, his brothers, and father stepped on the transmat as it activated.

Five seconds...

The Shredder lunged for them, but they had already disappeared.

Two...one...

The Shredder screamed as he was engulfed in a blinding light.

The implosion sent everyone outside running for cover. Casey pushed April behind the Battle Shell and both ducked until the flashing lights faded out. When they left their shelter, they saw that all that was left of the TCRI building was a huge hole in the ground, with water gushing into it from exposed pipes. "The guys," Casey said with dread. There was no way they could have survived...

Just then, a blue light shone above them, and the turtles, Splinter, and Dante appeared. They all screamed as they fell and crashed onto the Battle Shell's roof.

"Ouch," groaned Dante. "You didn't think to program it exactly where we would land, Donatello?!"

"Hey, we were in a rush and a bomb was about to go off," said Donny. "I was under a lot of pressure!"

"Guys, Master Splinter, you're alive!" exclaimed April.

The group hopped down from the Battle Shell and everyone cheered and there were hugs all around.

"Good to see ya," said Raph.

Leo noticed the yellow jumpsuit April was wearing. "So, what's with the get-up? You a news reporter?"

"Ha! In another lifetime maybe," she said.

"Speaking of get-ups," said Casey. "What's up with yours, Dante?"

Dante looked down at the prison suit, mentally slapping himself for forgetting he was still wearing it. "I was in space prison for a while," he said.

"Huh," April and Casey asked.

The sound of approaching sirens prompted Splinter to say, "I suggest we continue our reunion in a less conspicuous location."

Everyone hopped in and Donny started the engine. "So, do you think we've truly seen the last of the Shredder this time?" Leo asked.

"The Shredder? Don't tell me he was in there, too," asked April.

The turtles looked at each other, then said at once, "Boy, have we got a story to tell you!"

"And it's a long one," said Dante. "So, you're going to need some snacks."

While the police barricaded the hole that was once the TCRI building, Dr. Nathalie watched on from the shadows. For a while, she remained emotionless, then made a smirk as she chuckled.