Season 3- Episode 13- A New Conflict

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Leo, Mikey and Raph ran after Karai as they traveled the sewer tunnels, letting her lead as they tried to manipulate the enemy, who was tracking them.

Karai couldn't keep the guilty frown from showing on her face, as Raph kept angrily mumbling. Leo and Mikey just kept shooting each other worried glances.

Karai stopped in her tracks as they arrived in a room that was at the end of one of the tunnels, causing the other three turtles to stop as well.

"I think that we are far enough from the lair." She declared with a concerned voice and a focused frown.

"Oh, really?" Raph asked cynically, as Leo shot him a glare.

Karai sighed sadly as she tried to ignore the guilt that bubbled up in her guts. She entered the room, Raph, Leo and Mikey following her inside.

They all looked around the dark room as they tried to take all that they were seeing in. It was empty, aside from some pipes that were connected from the floor and walls to the ceiling.

"That place is good. It will be easy to manipulate the fight to our benefit. Use the advantage of the room being small and the pipes that can come in Tigerclaw's way." Karai ordered with determination, as Leo and Mikey nodded in affirmation.

"Who told you to give us orders?" Raph basically growled, as Karai groaned in frustration. "Can we not do this now? When a giant tiger is after us?"

Raph opened his mouth to tell her 'Well why do you think that we are in this situation in the first place?', but closed his mouth when he realized that she was right. This was not the time to start arguing. "…Fine." He sighed, annoyed from having to hold himself back.

They all flinched as they could hear footsteps approaching the room.

"Hide." Leo ordered quietly, as they all ran to the shadows of the room.

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Meanwhile, Donnie was walking in circles anxiously, as April tended to Casey, sitting beside him, with the aid of Splinter.

"Calm down, my son. The problem is being taken care of." Splinter told Donnie gently, without looking at him as he was busy tending to Casey.

April frowned worriedly as Donnie stopped in his tracks.

"…How can you be so calm?" Donnie asked in a weak voice.

Splinter lifted his head and glanced back at Donnie.

"It's all because of me yet you accept me so easily! Why?" Donnie squeaked in guilt, as he frowned in self disappointment. His shoulders stiffened as he looked at his father with expectations. Expectations that he will be mad… Disappointed… Unloving… Deep inside, he kind of wanted his father to act like that towards him. Because if he doesn't, then it means that Donnie's mind is bullying itself for nothing. Besides, it will only make sense to him that his father would love him less than his brothers, if he will love him at all. And Donnie likes sense. He waited for his father to start hating him ever since he found out the truth. However, no matter how much he waited for it, it never came.

"I accept you because you are my son. Even if you are related to Saki, I still love you, and I'm still your father." Splinter said calmly, as Donnie searched his eyes for any negativity.

"But you-!"

"Wha…?"

Donnie was cut off, by none other than…

"Casey!" April yelped as Casey started to move his head groggily, his eyes unfocused.

Donnie ran to Casey's side and sat beside his father as he looked over at him.

"Casey! Are you okay?" Donnie yelped in worry as he grabbed his shoulder.

"Wha? I, I don't…" Casey mumbled quietly as he tried to take in the scene around him, moving his head and eyes from side to side in an uncontrolled manner.

"Jones?" Splinter asked worriedly.

"He has a concussion. That's for sure." Donnie mumbled with anxiety, as he looked at Casey's lying form.

Casey blinked at Donnie slowly, as he decided to try and say something.

"Woah. D! Y-your cat just b-beat me up. It w-was s-scary, man." He mumbled with a goofy and unconcentrated smile.

"My cat?" Donnie lifted his brow in confusion as Splinter and April looked at him with uncertainty.

"You know. Your dad's cat." Casey huffed drowsily.

If Casey wasn't so out of it now, he would notice the way Donnie flinched in terror from his statement. Splinter's eyes widened in worry as he looked at Donnie, while April glared at Casey.

"Casey!" She exclaimed in slight anger, silently scolding him.

"April- It's fine." Donnie said as he held his hand up, sighing. "It's not his fault. He's out of it. He basically called TigerClaw a cat." He rolled his eyes with a huff.

April and Splinter frowned in worry as they silently stared at Donnie as he was talking to Casey, trying to make sure that he's fine. But obviously, Donnie wasn't fine. He didn't need the fact that Shredder is his father to be thrown at his face right now. But he couldn't blame Casey either, given his situation.

Just as Splinter was about to refer to Donnie again, they heard footsteps hurrying towards the lair. They turned in the direction of the entrance as they readied themselves.

"Something is wrong. They came here too fast." April said with a frown, sensing trouble on the way.

"Do you think…" Donnie mumbled, his eyes widening as he could feel his heart pound like crazy. "It surely can't be…"

"The Foot?" Splinter questioned, his shoulders tensing as he understood what they were implying.

"Did they find us?!" Donnie exclaimed in anxiety as he could feel fear clawing at his mind, as if it was eating him from the inside.

Splinter and April stood up, their bodies moving in a tense manner into fighting positions, as Donnie stayed on the floor by Casey, freaked out.

"SENSEI!"

They could hear Raph yell from a distance.

April and Splinter broke out of their stances, confusion yet relief washing over them, as Donnie's shoulders slacked with a relaxed sigh.

Their eyes widened yet again, as Leo and Raph hurried into the lair, carrying…

"MICHELANGELO!" Splinter yelled with worry, running to his elder sons, as Leo and Raph carried an unconscious Michelangelo into the lair, looking as if he had been beaten badly.

April's hands flew to her mouth, covering it in shock with a gasp, as Donnie stayed frozen on the floor, with his mouth gaping like a fish.

"Father…" Leo whispered as he trembled in horror, his gaze distant.

"Leonardo! What is going on?!" Splinter asked in urgency, as he looked over Mikey.

"We tried to fight him, father." Leo whispered, gritting his teeth in sorrow.

"What?" Splinter gasped in a weak voice.

Then, Splinter looked behind him at Raph, who was walking over to him and put a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it as his expression was full of grief. Then, after a few quiet seconds, he said:

"They took her, Sensei. Karai is gone."

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And this is the end of this season! Please stay tuned!