The Zodia Choronicles, Book One: Shadow's Beginning

by Sonoria Nighthope

Zodia Blackwing, a government experiment, doesn't know her own multiversal abilities- What happens when she escapes the family she was assigned to, only to find herself falling into a completely different world?- one she knows all too well... Will she become friends with the energetic and wild brothers? Or will they be too suspicious to help her find a way home?

1. Chapter 1

Zodia Blackwing, a government experiment, doesn't know her own multiversal abilities- all she knows is what the mysterious mafioso had told her: She was created with the dna of four different starseeds, and embedded with multiversal energy. She was drawn to study the metaphysical and various occult practices and had a vast knowledge and understanding of the nature of energy, and a deep perspective of existence that resulted from her own contemplation. What happens when she escapes the family she was assigned to, only to find herself falling into a completely different world?- one she knows all too well... Will she become friends with the energetic and wild brothers? Or will they be too suspicious to help her find a way home? And what happens when she comes face to face with the purple clad turtle she related with the most? Find out in the first installment of The Zodia Choronicles!

Zodia Blackwing woke up with a yawn, stretching as she sits up in the bed. She rolls over to grab her glasses from the small nightstand before slowly getting up with a weary groan. She didn't want to get up- Zodia would have preferred to stay asleep, where her life wasn't filled with needless pain and solitude... but she didn't have a choice if she wanted to avoid her adopted mother's wrath.

With a sigh, she got up and dressed in her school uniform before quickly brushing her long, dark hair and grabbing her satchel. Zodia rushed along, heading downstairs to wait for the schoolbus. As soon as she stepped out into the living room, she heard her mother's irritated voice snapping at her from the couch, "You'd better fucking hurry up, girl- the bus won't wait forever!"

Zodia sighed in defeat- this occurred every morning, and she knew it didn't matter what she said next- her adoptive mother would still find a reason to give her a verbal lashing. She replies in a weary tone, resisting the urge to roll her eyes, "I know, mom- but I'm early, it won't b-"

Her mother's expression grew angry as she shouted at Zodia, "Don't you take that tone with me, little girl! And you'd better stop that damn back talking, or your ass is grass! You can't fucking listen, you know that?! That's what your problem is, Zodia! You need to clean out your fucking ears and learn to pay attention when I'm talking to you, girl! You'd better wipe that damn glare off your face, too, before I give you something to be mad about! Now get your ass outside and wait for the damn bus- we'll discuss your consequences when you get home, young lady!... damn brat"

Zodia flinched at the shrill sound of her mother's voice as she was shouted at. She knew better than to speak up or walk away- that would only make it worse, and she didn't want to find herself under extra punishment, so she waited until the end before muttering, "Yes, ma'am" and quickly darting outside to find the schoolbus pulling up to her driveway. Relieved, she ran to board it immediately without glancing back. Moving to the back of the bus, she took a seat further back from the other students, keeping to herself as always. It was just easier that way...

Lost in thought, Zodia stared through the window as the bus made its journey to pick up the remainder of the students. She was only 15, so she couldn't leave on her own. but she couldn't take another day of torment from her step mother while her father watched in silence. Zodia didn't have any friends- any time she did make a new friend, her parents drove them away with their drama, so she didn't have anyone to rely on for help... and she didn't have anyone she could trust, either. Before she knew it, the bus was pulling up in front of the school entrance.

Walking through the halls by herself, Zodia headed to her locker as she glanced longingly at the groups of students hanging around and chatting as they waited for the bell to signal the start of classes. How lucky they were to have normal lives, she thought to herself as she opened her locker to grab her textbooks for the first class of the day. Everything was moving along as normal, with Zodia sitting quietly at the back of each class, her nose buried in a library book. That is, until fifth period, when the history teacher, Mrs. Rumesy, introduced a new student...

Zodia looked up from the library book she'd been distracting herself with, confusion written across her face- a new student this late in the school day? Something smelled very fishy... Her chocolate doe eyes scan over the boy as the teacher introduces him. He was tall and incredibly good looking with striking green eyes below messy blonde hair. The boy looked directly at Zodia, his cocky smirk widening as if he knew her as their gazes met. This caused a quizzical look to fill her gentle features- was she imagining things? She couldn't focus throughout the remainder of the class, eager to question the boy whose name turned out to be Zach. She found herself glancing across the room at him occassionally, noticing that he seemed to be subtly watching her from the corner of his eye as he sketched something in his notebook, neither of them paying Mrs. Rumesy any attention.

Finally, the bell rang to signal the end of fifth period, and she began to quickly gather her things so she could catch up to Zach before their next class- there were many questions she needed to ask him. Why did he join the class so late in the day? Why did he seem to know her? And most importantly: what was up with his energy? When he had first entered the classroom, the entire atmosphere changed- as if he had somehow filled the room with electricity, and looking at him, Zodia could sense that he was someone dangerous. His energy had felt heavy and dark on the surface, charged with electricity and intimidation with mischeif mixed in, but there was allot more below it that she couldn't quite make out- she had never felt anything like it before and it piqued her curiosity.

As she moved to rise from her desk, she bumped into someone. Looking up to see who it was, surprise flickered across her girlish features as she saw that it was Zach and it appeared that he had approached her. That was different- nobody really approached her unless they needed help with something.

A smirk widens on his face as he caught the surprise in Zodia's expression and he leaned closer, speaking in a teasing tone, "What's the matter, bella? Already got a crush?" His voice was smooth and deep, with an accent that sounded either hispanic or latino, and it made Zodia feel weak as a faint blush creeped up in her cheeks.

She quickly shook off her thoughts as she remembered that there were answers she needed to get from him. Clearing her throat, she shouldered her satchel, speaking in a casual tone, "I don't know you well enough for tha-"

Before she could finish, Zach grabbed her hand and pulled her to follow him, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest, "Come with me, bella- Let's talk somewhere quiet. There are some things you'd be interested in learning."

"Whoa- wait, what are you-" Zodia cried in surprise as Zach suddenly grabbed her hand and started pulling her along, ignoring her protests about being late for their next class.

Zach let out a hearty laugh that rumbled over the din of students passing through on their way to sixth period, flashing her a cocky grin with a raised eyebrow. His piercing green eyes glittered with amusement, "You're so innocent! That family really did their job, right!"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Zodia shot back in defense, attempting to pull her hand away, but his grip on her tightened. Zach was incredibly strong, Zodia noticed as he continued leading her, and he had smooth reflexes as well, weaving through the crowded hall with ease. She couldn't help secretly admiring the lean muscles beneath the uniform button up Zach was wearing, the rolled up sleeves accentuating his biceps.

"I'll explain when we get to the library- don't wanna be overheard," he replied in a cryptic tone, causing Zodia's confusion to grow- what did he mean her family 'did their job right', and just what did he know about her that she, herself, didn't know? These questions ate at her until Zach pushed open the swinging door to the school library, dragging her to an empty corner of the quiet room before letting go of her hand.

"Okay- now, explain." Zodia said firmly as she folded her arms across her waist with a serious expression, "Who are you? What did you mean about my family? And how the hell do you know me?"

"Chill, girl- calm down," Zach raised his hands in a truce motion, chuckling in amusement, "I'll tell you everything, just..." A smirk widens across his face, "Buckle up, bellissima- 'cause you're about to go on one hell of a rollercoaster. What I'm about to tell you ... will change your life forever."

Confusion filled Zodia's features as a hand moves to her hip, She raises a bewildered eyebrow, asking in an incredulous tone, "And what, pray tell, is that supposed to mean?"

"'Pray tell'? What- is it the 1940s or something?" Zach snorted, looking her over with that cocky smirk. He leaned his side against the bookcase, in front of Zodia, as he began talking in a more serious tone, "Listen up, though- you're gonna wanna know this ahead of time. 'S why dad had me come speak with you- you're the key to the future of our world."

"I'm what, now?" Zodia looked at Zach as if he'd grown a second head- what the hell did that mean?

Zach holds up a hand to stop her before she can ask anymore questions, speaking in a sarcastic tone, "Hold on, let me explain before you start freaking out."

"Okay- then explain," she motions for him to proceed as she leans back against the wall, crossing one leg over the other and folding her arms.

"You... are a government experiment," Zach pauses to let his words sink in before continuing, "Your energy, your dna, and your psychology was altered during your mother's pregnancy- you contain the dna of four types of starseed, with multiversal energy... and is also why you are neurodivergent. You were signed to an abusive family on purpose, to make sure you remain docile until they come to retrieve you. They are trying to break open the walls of reality- they want more power and control."

Zodia listened intently to what Zach was telling her, her expression unreadable as she took this all in. It didn't surprise her that the government had done something like this- she was a conspiracy theorist, after all, so she understood what he was saying- she just had a hard time believing that she was the big government experiment. Zodia dissociated, staring into space as she thought about all of the animes and stories she had seen where something like this occurred. She was reminded of how each time a character had been created to become a weopon, they ran away, only to later betray their loved ones in order to protect them... Her chocolate doe eyes met his striking emerald gaze as she stood up from the wall, "Why are you telling me all of this? How do you even know this stuff? And how do I know I can trust you?"

Zach nodded in approval, folding his arms as he met Zodia's gaze with a serious expression, "Good, you're asking the right questions... Name's Zach- I'm the son of a mafia boss who's in on the government plan. I can't give specifics- for both our safety, but... I don't intend to let them go through with it. They have enough power, and it's made them insatiable- I want to join forces."

Zodia studied his expression, making note of his energy as he spoke. There wasn't any deception to be found in his words, so after a moment she asks, "How do plan to stop them?"

"Meet me in front of the school tonight and I'll show you," Zach tells her in a cryptic tone, his hands moving to the back pockets of his Uniform slacks.

"Are you kidding me?! Do you know what my mum would do if she caught me sneaking out?!" Zodia cried defensively, running a hand through her hair as she whined, "Why can't I just skip colorguard or gymnastics instead?"

Zach gives her a look, speaking matter of factly, "Because it's a stealth mission- I can't give you the details until tonight, so meet me here at 8. See ya later, Zo" Without giving her a chance to protest, Zach walks away, leaving Zodia to process all of the information he had just dumped on her. Now she had a choice to make: sneak out and meet him as requested, or continue as if nothing had happened and wait to see if he was telling the truth.

Anxiety ate at Zodia for the remainder of the last period and all through colorguard practice. Worrying about the potential consequences of sneaking out to see what mission Zach was talking about had made her clumsy during gymnastics training as well, causing to lose her balance when her form was usaully perfect. Finally, she made it home, tuning out her mother's insistent screeching.

Zodia immediately headed upstairs to her room and tried to focus on her homework, only to groan in frustration when she couldn't concentrate. Thoughts of Zach filled her mind- what was this "stealth mission" he was talking about, and could she even really trust him? She was going back and forth in a war with herself about whether or not she would go. Suddenly, her mother's irritated tone could be heard shouting at her that dinner was ready.

Zodia ate her dinner quickly, too anxious to stay around her parents for longer than necessary. When she was finished, she rushed back to her room and started changing clothes. She dressed in her signature outfit: a black tank top that hugged her torso with an irregullarly shaped skirt that was blue with golden "Ohm" symbols on it, a ourple pouch hanging from her hip that held a variety of crystals, complete with a few layers of black petticoats that made her skirt fluffy and fishnets adorning her legs that led down to velvet black pumps. She finished the look with red lipstick and placed her black rimmed glasses on her nose. Her black hair was chin length on the right side, while the left hung past her shoulder in a high ponytail.

She grabbed her phone and satchel before heading to leave her parents' house to meet up with Zach. As she closed the back door behind her, Zodia noticed that the doorknob was higher than usual- wait, that's not right... the doorknob wasn't rising- she was falling! As she glanced around in panic, she froze in awe at what she saw. There was a glowing white portal above her- she must have fallen through! Surrounding her were colorful nebuli and stars, planets drifting by, and sudennly, Zodia felt the air rush from her lungs and her eyes widen in terror- she was in the cosmos, there was no air here!

Before she had time to process this, she felt an excruciating sensation throughout her body. It felt as though every cell in her body was burning with an ethereal fire and her vision grew blurry. She couldn't breathe, couldn't scream... she wondered if she was dying as her body continued falling through the cosmos. As she begins to lose consciousness, Zodia thought she was imagining the voices of her favorite cartoon ninjas. Wouldn't it be nice to be isekai'd? This thought drifted through her mind as Zodia floated in unconsciousness.

"Whoa! What the shell?" Zodia heard a voice shout from in the darkness of unconsciousness. It sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it... wait, she was still alive?

"It's a girl, bro! A girl just fell out of a portal!" This voice was a bit squeakier, but also very familiar- Who was that?

"Is she alive?" A deeper voice asked, sounding concerned. The sound of a door slamming open could be heard before another voice spoke.

"Could you guys keep it do- oh my sweet mother of science! Is that a girl- where did she come from?" 'Sweet mother of science'? That voice tickled a memory in her still unconscious mind- it almost sounded like Donnatello from Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles! Ohhhh Zodia thought she must be dreaming- but she needed to wake up soon for school... "mum is already going to scream at me- don't wanna make it worse," she thought within the thick blanket of unconsciousness, "I wonder if Zach will be there.." Zach... who's that?

Zodia's eyes snap open as it all comes back to her- Zach, the experiment, sneaking out, the portal... She grabs her head, groaning in pain as it begins to throb. Zodia tried to sit up, but a green hand with only three fingers stopped her and she heard that nerdy voice say, "Whoa- hey, hold on, don't move . You took quite a fall- I'm going to check for injuries, okay?"

Zodia looked up to see who the familiar voice belonged to and froze in shock, her eyes widening as her jaw drops open in a stunned expression. The three fingered hand led up to a shell that seemed to be wearing some kind of tech armor. As her eyes fell on the figure's face, a gasp escaped from Zodia's lips at the familiar purple mask.

"Hey, Leo, why's she looking at Donnie like that? She looks like she's seen a ghost." The squeaky voice whispered. Zodia slowly glanced toward where she'd heard it from, her eyes widening even more at the sight of the three very familiar green ninjas.

"Oh, I dunno, Mikey- maybe because we're mutant turtles?" The turtle wearing the blue mask replies sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, guys," Donnie spoke up as he raised the specialized goggles from his eyes after having run a scan over her.

"Nah that can't be it- We're waaay adorable-" Mikey started as he folded his arms, until Leo cut him off, touching his plastron smugly before turning serious, "I'm adorable- but that doesn't change the fact that we're-"

"Uhh...guys?" Donnie tried again, sounding nervous, but Leo and Mikey were arguing over why she was freaked out. Mikey was insisting that it couldn't be because they were mutants, while Leo was insisting that it was.

"Guys!" Donnie shouted to get their attention, and everyone turned to look at him.

"What?" Mikey, Leo, and Raph said in unision as they turned.

"She's not completely human," Donnie tells them, meeting their gazes with a stunned expression.

There was a pause as his brothers processed this information before breaking out into hysterics.

"Ohmigosh! Is she one of the evil mutants?!" Mikey held his cheeks in horror.

Leo unsheathed his katanas, "Who do work for- Draxel, Big Mama, have you come to take vengence for the Shredder!?"

Raph flourished his sais, glaring at her, "Is this some kind of trick- playing hurt like that? I bet you're just waiting for us to take pity and when we least expe-"

"No!" Zodia cried in fear and hurt, sitting up and shaking her head quickly. That caused another wave of pain to crash through her skull as she had moved too fast after the traumatic experience between the portals, making her wince and groan in pain, "I promise- I'm not one of the bad guys, and I would never put you guys in danger!"

"You... say that like you know us..." Leo replies slowly, his eyes narrowing in suspicion.

Donnie sighs dramatically, rolling his eyes as he mutters, "Always jumping into action first..." He shakes his head before looking up at his brothers from where he was crouching next to Zodia, "Her dna doesn't match the data I have on any of the mutants we've come across- but ..." His voice took on a perplexed tone, "I've never seen anything like it before."

"What do you mean, Don?" Raph asked in suspicion- he didn't seem to trust her as he slowly stepped forward.

"By my calculations, it looks like her dna comes from five different species- some sort of mutated version of feline, reptile, avian, and fish- and her human dna... it's... I don't know how to describe it, but it isn't like that of average human girls" Donnie tells them, looking at the scan result on the specialized cuff he wore around his wrist, "I don't know what this is- I've never seen anything like it!"

"I- I do... I know why it's like that..." Zodia sat up carefully holding her head in one hand as she looked between the brothers. Leo was at the back, his katanas lowered, but his expression still suspicious. Raph was next to Donnie, glaring down at Zodia, and Mikey was watching the scene with a look of confused perplexity.

Donnie looked up from the screen on his wrist, "Then by all means- if you have an explanation for any of this, I would be most interested in hearing it."

Raph looked at Donnie incredulously, his tone filled with disbelief, "Donnie, are you crazy?! We can't trust her- we don't know anything about her!"

"I say we at least hear her out," Leo spoke up, moving closer. He was still suspicious, but seemed he was interested in hearing her explanation.

"Yeah! Who knows?- maybe she has cool powers, like us, or something!" Mikey agreed excitedly, bouncing over to join his brothers. They all look to Zodia, waiting to hear her story.

Zach's POV

Zach was waiting outside the highschool for Zodia- she was late! He glanced at his watch, putting away his pistol as he murmured, "Where is she? Something isn't right..."

"My sons," A wise sounding voice sounded behind them, carrying a familiar Japanese accent, "What is all this ruckus- I was watching my afternoo-" Master Splinter notices Zodia sitting on the floor before glancing around at the turtle's faces, "What's this? A new friend? Where did she come from?"

Everyone turned to look at Master Splinter, and Zodia tried to stand only for her head to start spinning again, causing her to grab her temple and groan in pain.

"Hey, I said 'don't move'!" Donnie grabbed her arm to make her stay sitting on the floor in the sewer lair, "You're still injured- you'll hurt yourself even more if you don't sit still."

"It's just a migraine," Zodia replied through gritted teeth, trying not to sound as if she were in pain, "I'm fine, Donnie- really..."

"No, you are not 'fine'," Donnie replies with a hint of irritation in his voice, "You fell from that portal unconscious- and if that's not bad enough, you hit the ground at a high velocity. You might have a concussion, and-" He froze as it registered in his mind that she knew his name, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, "How-"

"So you do know us!" Leo interjected, sounding both triumphant and angry.

"The question is: how?" Raph adds, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he stared down at Zodia.

"Now, now, my sons," Master Splinter raised his hands to stop them speaking as she stepped toward Zodia, his long rat tail sweeping along the floor behind him, "I'm sure there's a perfectly good explanation for this." He stops beside where Donnie was crouched next to Zodia, looking down at her with a small wise smile, "What is your name, little one?"

"Z-Zodia, sir" she answered somewhat nervously. Although this world's version of Master Splinter was often goofy, he was also known to be quite fearsome, and Zodia did not want Master Splinter to dislike her. There was a hint of vulnerability in her expression as she looked up at him.

"Zodia..." Splinter repeated, rubbing his long thin beard between his fingers, "What a pretty name. Where did you come from, Miss Zodia?"

Zodia opened her mouth to speak before she was interupted by Mikey who excitedly recalled the scene, bouncing around with stars in his eyes, "There was this really cool portal that just randomly opened- it had stars and colorful clouds and everything- and she fell out of it! She hit the ground hard, too- I'm surprised she's-"

Splinter raised a hand to stop him, "Thank you, Michaelangelo, but I was asking the girl." He gives Mikey a pointed look.

Mikey rubbed the back of his neck, letting out a sheepish chuckle, "My bad, Master Splinter.."

"Now, Miss Zodia," Splinter said as he turned back to Zodia, "How did you end up here?"

"But, Master Splinter, I just tol-" Mikey began in an exasperated tone, but Splinter cut off the orange-clad turtle, "Let the girl speak, my son."

"Yes, Mikey," Donnie spoke up in a condescending tone, "Let the girl speak-" His tone became more curious as he looked at Zodia with a curious expression, "and then she can tell us why her dna is so ... different from other humans- er, mutants? ... I'm not sure what you are, Zodia- no offense."

"I'm a starseed," she tells him blankly before tilting her head slightly, giving a small smile, "and, nonetaken- no worries."

"You're a what, now?" the turtles asked in unison. Mikey seemed to think it was cool sounding, bouncing up and down excitedly. Raph seemed suspicious- he still didn't trust her even though she didn't seem to pose a threat, and Leo looked more confused than anything.

"What's a starseed? Does that mean you're like a fairy from outer space?" Mikey gasps, squeezing his cheeks in starry eyed excitement, "Are you a space fairy? That's so COOL!"

"OF course she isn't a space fairy, Mikey!" Leo responds in a condescending tone, "That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard!"

"Okay, Okay- one thing at a time, please!" Donnie seemed a bit overwhelmed and Zodia couldn't help feeling a pang in her chest, knowing that she was the cause. Zodia was autistic, too, so she recognized the symptoms of overwhelm in Donnie right away and decided she needed to answer all their questions in an organized way.

Zodia took a deep breath to steady herself before beginning, "A starseed is a soul from one of the major stars in our galaxy, that was reincarnated on Earth to restore balance- they often have strong connections with one or all of the elements, as well as the other realms, like the astral, dream, and spirit realms. They usually grow up in abusive households, as the black sheep of the family- and our energies grow as a result. Most only have one type of starseed, maybe two within them... I have four: cat, bird, reptile, and fish. That's why it appears as though I have the dna of four different animal species- and they injected me with multiversal energy as well, before I was born, which altered my human dna."

There was a long silence as everyone processed the information she'd just given. Raph was the first to speak up in an incredulous tone, "You expect us to believe that crap?! How is that even possible- reincarnation? Of what, an animal from space?!"

Zodia shook her head, "Not an animal from space- more like a Yokai from space."

"Yokai...?" Leo repeated, cupping his chin in thought before exclaiming with bewilderment, "You mean there are mutants like us in space?"

"Not mutants, either- they were born that way," Zodia shook her head again as she replied, leaning forward to bring her knees to her chest. She wrapped her arms around her knees as she glanced at all of their expressions.

There was a collective "Ohhhh" before Donnie mused, scanning her through his goggles again, "Then why don't you have any animal features, I wonder?"

"I do- just not visibly," Zodia replies with a small smile, "I have cat-like reflexes, I'm fast on my feet and I like to stay warm- like a reptile, I can sing pretty well- like a bird, because my lungs are bigger than they should be- like a fish. I'm also missing a bone in my feet that reptiles don't have... and I have the mind of all four combined."

As she spoke, Donnie turned a knob on his goggles to scan her with x-ray vision and when she was done, he lifted them from his eyes, nodding as he stared at her with a surprised expression, "It's true- that's so... that's so fascinating! Do you mind if I take a few samples? I wanna run some tests! This is amazing!- wait! You mentioned multiversal energy?"

"Mhm" Zodia nods in response, giving an apologetic shrug, "I'm afraid I don't know much about multiversal energy, but I have a pretty deep understanding of the multiverse itself..."

"Okay- you've GOT to let me pick your brain sometime!" Donnie exclaimed with an excited grin that warmed Zodia's heart- she knew Donnie adored science and technology, and the multiverse was an uncharted territory within the realm of science.

"Okayyyy," Raph spoke next, his tone suspicious, "That still doesn't explain how you know us."

"Yeah," Leo stepped up beside Raph, also still wary of her.

"I know you because... I'm from a different world," Zodia tells them with a quiet sigh of resignation.

"Well that was kind of obvious when you fell from the sky like some kind of cosmic ragdoll," Leo replies sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he steps closer, "But if that's the case, then you shouldn't know us at all, so explain, starshine."

"Heh that was smooth," Zodia smirked, then pursed her lips in contemplation for a moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out before looking at Donnie and asking, "Before I get into that, can I get some ibuprofen or acetaminophen for this debilitating migraine that is tearing apart my skull? ... because I just know you guys are gonna freak."

Donnie gave her a quizzical look, then nodded before a metal arm brought out a bottle of pain killers from his battle shell as he asked in a cautious tone, "Why would be freak out? I'll admit: I am intrigued by this whole thing."

Zodia took the bottle that Donnie handed her and shook out two of the pills before handing it back as she mumbles a quiet "Thanks". After taking the pills, she leans back on her hands and tells them, "In the world I'm from... this world, you guys- it's all a cartoon."

Raph's mouth fell agape at hearing such absurd news, Leo froze for a moment before narrowing his eyes, Donnie seemed stunned to hear this claim, and Mikey gasped, his eyes widening with delight.

Leo was the first to speak this time, asking in a suspicious tone, "You're telling me.. that we're fictional characters in your world?"

"Pretty much," Zodia nodded, "And not just any cartoon characters- your cartoon is one of the longest running and most well known in my world, you're up there with Scooby-Doo."

Mikey squealed with delight, "We're FAMOUS?! Did you hear that, guys, we're famous!"

Raph buried his face in one hand muttering, "This day just keeps getting weirder and weirder..."

Leo steps forward, crossing his arms with a katana in each hand, "Then, prove it."

"Huh" Zodia was taken aback by that, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"Well, you're the one who claimed that we're cartoons in your world," Leo tells her seriously, "If you can prove it, we'll believe you."

"And don't even try to bluff us," Raph added in a firm tone as he mirrored Leo's stance, "We'll know if you're lying!" Leo nodded in agreement.

Zodia thought for a moment, trying to think of a way to honor this request for proof before realizing she still had her satchel- her sketchbook, that's it! She quickly pulled a small leatherbound sketchbook from the black knitted satchel she kept with her and flipping through it. After finding the sketch she was searching for, she turned it around to show them a sketch of the four brothers with April, Casey, and Master Splinter all eating pizza. Donnie was tapping on the screen around his wrist with Shelldon floating nearby, a smirk on his face, Raph was eating pizza while playing video games with Mikey, Leo was striking a pose with his katanas, Splinter was in his lounge chair watching a soap opera, and April and Casey were doing a 'cheers' motion with their pizza.

The turtles leaned down to look at the sketch, their eyes widening as they recognized themselves withing the drawing. Leo spoke in a stunned and somewhat awkward tone, "Well, that's... that's actually pretty conclusive proof..."

"Y-yeah..." Raph agree, equally as stunned as he sheathed his sais, "I can't deny that looks just like us..."

Mikey squealed in excitement, bouncing up and down on his feet with stars in his eyes, "Ohmigosh! You guys! We're famous! Can you believe it?!"

Donnie spoke slowly in a stunned tone, "This is unbelievable..." After a moment, he seems to realize something and looks at Zodia excitedly, "Do you know what this means? You just proved multiverse theory! Ooooo I can't wait to start experimenting with this- I already have so many theories!"

Master Splinter stepped forward to inspect the sketch, quietly rubbing his beard with a look of contemplation. He had been quietly listening throughout the conversation and now spoke back up, "Your skills in art are very impressive, Miss Zodia... but I would still like to know how it is you found yourself in our world."

Zodia took a deep breath, shifting to sit up straight and crossing her legs before beginning her tale. She started by explaining how she had been at school when a new student joined her class late in the school day, and the fact that this new student happened to be a masioso's son. Zach had been the one to tell her that her dna had been altered in the womb- that this was where her starseed dna and multiversal energy had come from. She told the turtles and Splinter how the government had planned to retrieve her in order to harness her energy for more power- to break open the walls of reality(this, she had figured out on her own- CERN, the strange happennings and sightings, it couldn't be a coincidence...).

Zodia told them how Zach had wanted to stop them as well, so she had snuck out during the night to meet up with him... and fell through a portal instead. She described her experience between the portals, musing that she couldn't breath due to being in space, and she was pretty sure the pain was her body's vibration changing to match their world's frequency. When she was done, the brothers had different reactions, while Splinter watched calmly with an unreadable expression.

Leo was the first to speak as he sheathed his katanas, his tone incredulous, "Wait, wait, wait- so... let me get this straight: you just met this- this mafia guy's son, and you sneak out in the middle of the night to meet up with him and stop the government? You don't even know if you can trust this guy- and you sneak out- did you at LEAST tell someone so they'd know if you went missing?- Did you have a safety plan at ALL?"

"My parents would have noticed immediately!" Zodia cried in defense, folding her arms across her waist, "They noticed everything..."

"Are you sure about that?" Leo raised a skeptical eyebrow, crossing his arms to mirror her pose.

"Yes," Zodia replied firmly with a nod, "There's no doubt- my parents were helicopter parents."

Donnie and Leo both winced, letting out a "eugh", while Raph made an "oof" sound, and Mikey tilted his head in confusion, "Does that mean your parents fly helicopters?"

Donnie face-palmed, looking exasperated as he tells Mikey, "No, Mikey, that's not what 'helicopter' parent means, it refers to parents who are strict and often won't let their children wander too far without them- these parents rarely give their children space or privacy, needing to be involved with every part of the child's life- and that explains why Zodia is so naive."

"Hey! I am not!" Zodia shouted in defense, then paused with an embarrased pout looking away, "Okay, fine- I was dumb for sneaking out... but we don't know if that would have changed me having wound up here!"

Donnie just gives her an unimpressed look before pinching his chin in thought, "That portal..." He looked at Zodia, scanning her with his specialized goggles once more, "You mentioned that you theorize the pain you felt between portal was somehow linked to vibration- could you elaborate more on that?"

Zodia nods in reply, her hands moving to fold in her lap as a small smile came to her red lips, "What is everything made of, Don- when you go down past electrons and all that, what is it that every tiny particle of existence does by nature, in order to exist?"

Donnie pondered the question for a moment. Zodia could see the wheels turning in his mind as he thought, and she knew he was enjoying this conversation due to his love of science and technology. Donnie began speaking in a contemplative tone as he got up and started pacing, "When you delve down to the very essence of matter, at the smallest scale, everything is made up of energy... which exists in two forms: potential energy and kinetic energy. On the fundamental level, all things are vibrating packets of energy, constantly interacting with eachother."

Zodia nodded in confirmation, folding her arms, "But this ties in with the spiritual, too- our souls vibrate as well, and energy is the base of every metaphysical and occult practice, and because everything in the worlds go together to create one big frequency, our spirits(not to be confused withour souls, as our spirits merges into our souls at the end of each life)- our spirits carry the vibrational signature of our worlds in our energy... what would it feel like to have the vibration of your spirit, your mind, your energy, and every cell in your body, altered all at once?"

"That ... sounds like hell..." Raph breathed with an expression of shock as his arms move to his sides.

"Yeah, cosmic hell!" Leo scoffed with a look of disbelief.

Donnie's eyes widen as he put the pieces together, "Are you saying that the reason you experienced that pain was... some kind of frequency based mismatch between our worlds?"

"And my frequency adapted in order to survive, I'm pretty sure," Zodia nodded with a solemn expression, "Likely a result of the government experiment- because of my multiversal energy... "

"And you said they were going to use you to break through the walls of reality?" Leo asked as he took a step towards her.

"Obviously, I don't plan to let that happen, but I've gotta find a way back to stop them," Zodia nods in grim confirmation before shifting to sit on her knees.

"OOO! What about a portal?" Mikey grinned proudly, raising his hand as he bounced on his feet.

"For once, Mikey's onto something," Donnie admitted with a hint of surprise, "but building a portal is no small feat - it requires a complex mix of technology, energy, and an understanding of interdimensional mechanics... it's not something I can whip up on the spot..."

"But even if we built a portal," Leo chimed in, concerned, "There's no guaruntee it would send you back to your universe, it's too risky..."

"What if we used my- no, wait..." Zodia started then cut herself off, realizing her energy had changed to match this world. A thought came to her and she decided to voice it, pinching her chin, "What if we changed my energy back to match my world's- used that to help direct the portal?"

After a moment, Zodia shook her head with concern written in her expression, "No, that might put your world in danger- I can't do that... but I need to find a way back..."

"We'll find a way, but it might take a while..." Donnie placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "For now, just stick with us, okay?"

"Yeah- we'll keep ya safe!" Raph said, puffing out his chest as he crossed his arms over his plastron.

"So, don't worry about a thing, Starshine," Leo pointed a thumb at himself with a cocky grin, "Ol' Leo's gonna be watching over ya, too!"

"Yeah, Zo! We'll get you home AND we'll keep you safe while you're here!" Mikey bounced around cheerily.

"Do not worry, Miss Zodia," Master Splinter spoke up again, "My sons are very capable ninjas- you will be in perfectly good hands... now, I'm going back to my afternoon programs- Will Louissa say yes to Alejandro, or will she choose bad boy Patrick? I want to know!"

As Splinter walked away, the brothers and Zodia all glanced at each other, "So... what now?"

There was a long silence before Leo gave Donnie a smug grin, "I bet I can break your pizza box stack record, Donnie!"

"No way!" Donnie smirked proudly, crossing his arms as he puffed out his chest, "My record is 123 pizza boxes!" Zodia quarked an eyebrow, a memory of the cartoon trying to surface, but the thought was interrupted before it could come to her.

"We should be training- we gotta work on our teamwork skills," Raph said, folding his arms across his plastron with a serious expression, "Cuz somebody (not naming names, but LEO) refuses to listen to their team!"

"I don't need t-" Leo started before Zodia raised a hand with a curious and hopeful expression, "Could I train with you guys? I don't have any combat training, and I need to know how to fight if I'm gonna go up against my world's government..."

"Training you in ninjitsu isn't something we take lightly," Leo said after exchanging glances with his brothers, "It requires discipline, focus, and a committment to honor."

Raph nodded in agreement, unfolding his arms, "Are you sure you're up for the challenge? It's not only about learning how to fight- it's about mastering your mind and body, becoming one with the world around you."

Zodia rose to her feet with a determined look in her eyes. She met their gazes with certainty, "This isn't about me- I'll do whatever it takes to stop my world's government from breaching the walls of reality. I know it won't be easy, I know it's a committment-not a hobby, and I know it takes allot of work- both mental and physical, but I won't back down, so yes, I am up for the challenge. Will you please teach me ninjitsu?"

"She's got the right attitude, dudes," Mikey whispered to the others.

Raph nodded in agreement, his skepticism replaced with determination, "Alright, if you're serious about this, then we'll train you- starting now."

"Yes!" Zodia quitely celebrated as Leo groaned in annoyance, "Now, seriously, bro? Can't we just wait till tommorrow for training?"

"Consistency is key, my dear brother," Donnie replies to Leo with a hint of condescension as he leans toward him with a smug expression.

"Consistency can suck my-" Leo was interrupted by Mikey, "Yeah! Let's go kick some mutant butt!"

As everyone began to follow Raph out of the sewer lair, Raph turned to Zodia with a serious expression, "Stay close, Zo- You don't have any training yet, so we're gonna start with some exercizes. How are your reflexes and stamina?"

"I've got skills in acrobatics and dancing, thanks to being on the gymnastics, color guard, and dance team at my school," Zodia told him, touching her chin in thought as she followed beside Raph, the others behind the two, "So my reflexes and stamina are pretty good- my agility and flexibility as well as my speed, too."

Raph nodded as he took this in, "Good, so you're a step up from starting at square one- I think we can work with that, Right guys?" Raph turned to where his brothers had been following them and groaned in frustration as he realized they had snuck off, "Where the hell'd they go this time?!"

A/N: If you haven't seen the movie, this is a spoiler alert. This story lines up with the movie! Also, feel free to comment questions- I would love to do a q&a section one day!

(anouncer voice) And now back to our regularly scheduled programming...

Zach's POV

"I know, dad, but I've searched everywhere!" Zach growled in frustration as he paced his father's lavish study, "It's like she just ... vanished into thin air- even her energy signature is missing!"

The mafioso's fist slammed into his desk, an expression of anger on his stern features, "Well, look harder, son! She was the only successful experiment- we need her to complete the new world order."

Zach sighed in resignation, running a hand through his messy blonde hair, "I'll see what I can do- there weren't any cameras around the area she might have disappeared in, and no one's seen her since that evening. Her parents reported that she had gone to her room after dinner and that was the last time anyone saw her."

His father's expression became pensive, "I fear the power has awakened early- likely a result of making her aware of its existence..."

"What are we going to do?" Zach froze as he looked at his father.

The mafioso smirked darkly, his dark emerald eyes sparkling with excitement, "We're going to broaden our search."

"You don't mean...?" Zach's chiseled features twisted with horror as he shook his head, "No... no, we can't! It's still a prototype- what if it malfunctions?! Who knows what would happen?!"

"A risk well worth taking, son," his father replied in a low tone, "Now, leave- there's a phone call I need to make. You go speak with our agents at CERN."

Zodia's POV

Raphael groaned in frustration as he realized he would have to search for his brothers, "Stay close, Zo- don't want you getting lost."

Zodia nodded as she followed Raph up to the rooftop of the building next to him. She was a bit awkward with her footing at first, but once her mind was able to see the correlation between the skills she had and what was essentially strategic parkour, she found she was able to keep up, "Any idea where they could have gone?"

"There's no telling with those three- they never want to train," Raph called to her as they jumped across an alley, Zodia landing awkwardly.

Zodia's mind raced through possibilities as they continued searching the city. There was no sign of Mikey, Donnie, or Leo... until Zodia heard shouting in the distance and she gasped, tapping Raph's spiked shoulder and pointing at some tiny figures walking along the cables of a bridge in the distance, "I think that's them!"

Raphael's expression held a hint of annoyance as he grumbled, "Should've known they'd be there- c'mon, Zo, let's go get 'em, so we can get started training!" With that, he took off across the rooftops in the direction of his brothers' cheering voices. As Zodia followed behind him, she got a nagging feeling of dejavu in the back of her mind, as though something big were about to happen, but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember which episode this had occurred in...

As she and Raph landed on the rooftop in front of his brothers, Raph folded his arms with a stern expression, "Where were you guys? Me and Zo been looking all over for you!"

"Hey, Raph- guess who just broke the record!" Leo spoke in a smug tone, proudly pointing at himself as he stepped toward them from the pizza boxes scattered around him.

Raph's face shifted to an expression of amazement as he gasps, "You did?! How many-" He cut himself off with a frustrated growl, "Stop distracting Raph!- we were supposed to be training!"

"Uh tut-tut-tut-tut- hold that thought!" Leonardo turns to his purple clad brother with a smug tone and cocky expression, "Donnie?"

"Donnie?" Mikey joins in expectantly and excitedly.

Donnie rolled his eyes, replying in a sarcastic and begrudging tone, "You, sir, have bested me... Mazel."

Leo and Mikey both clear their throats expectantly, smug and proud grins on each of their faces as Donnie turns away with a hidden pout, begrudgingly raising a hand to pump the air and sarcastically cheering, "Leo, Leo, Leo"

Mikey and Leo join in with Donnie as they celebrate. Raph's eye twitched in annoyance before he snaps at his brother, "Stop it! Leo, we have work to do, and you dragged them out here for this?!"

"Training, record breaking- the choice was clear," Leo responds nonchalantly as he hands a slice of pizza to Mikey, shoving one in Donnie's face.

"Ugh! Leo," Raph replies in frustration, throwing his hands up, "When are you gonna grow up and start acting like a hero?"

"And there it is gentlemen," Leo, Donnie, and Mikey all touch their pizza slices together in a 'cheers' motion before taking a bite.

"Hey, wait- what?" Raph was taken aback, realizing this was a response to something he said and looked at them in confusion, "What was that?"

Zodia had been quietly trying to remember which episode this had happened in, but she was snapped out of it when she heard the brothers snickering at Raph and looked up to see them eating pizza and poking fun at their brother.

"A little game I invented," Leo replies with a cocky grin, waving his pizza in Raph's face, "Everytime you say the word 'hero', we take a bite of pizza."

"I don't say heroes that often!" the spiked turtle cried in defense, to which his brothers all 'mhmm'ed and took another bite of pizza.

"LEO!" Raph growled in annoyance, his fists at his side, "So what if I say he- that word allot? It's a good word, and we need to be that word!"

"Relax, Raph- we've got this hero thing wired," Leo casually told his brother as he rose from the ground, "Our ninjocity is off the charts," he used a katana to create a portal, catching a slice of pizza that fell from it, "We've got some kickin mystic weapons, and do I need to remind you who has four shells and beat the Shredder?"

"Yeah, but there are villains stronger than the Shredder out there..." Zodia chimed in thoughtfully as she stepped forward to join the conversation.

"Oh, Zodia! You're still here- almost forgot about ya!" Leo chuckled as he shoved a piece of pizza into her hands.

Zodia was taken aback by the sudden action before his words registered and she gave Leo an unimpressed and awkward look, "Yeah... cuz you can totally forget how I dropped out of a portal into the lair, right in front of you guys..."

Mikey laughed at that, waving a hand to dismiss her worry, "Nah, of course we wouldn't forget you, girl! That was way cool how that portal opened and you just-" Mikey made a motion with his hands to illustrate how she had fallen from the portal.

Zodia's face held an awkward expression as she chuckled lightly, taking a bite of the pizza slice Leo had handed her and listening to Mikey ramble.

"Leo!" Raph shouted as he slapped the pizza slice from his brother's hand, "You just don't get it- we're-"

Before Raph could finish, a shrill beeping sound could be heard from Donnie's wrist. The purple clad turtle looks around in confusion, "Huh- what's all that rac-" He realizes it's coming from the advanced wrist cuff he was wearing, "Oh, that's me- looks like we've got a 317- 39.4 in progress." He began tapping some buttons on the cuff to triangulate the position of the culprits.

"Uh huh..." Leo nods with an awkward and confused expression, which earns a glare and an exasperated sigh from his technologically advanced brother.

"Oh, come on!" Donnie cried, pinching the bridge of his nose before glancing at his brothers, "Has nobody read Donnie's big book of bad guy codes?!"

"Nnope," Raph repies as he readies his sais.

"Never going to happen," Leo adds smugly as he unsheathed his katanas.

"I wanna read it," Zodia chimed in with a curious expression, to which Donnie beamed, but before he could get a word out, the red clad brother spoke up, having returned to a more serious tone.

"Zo, you stay here and wait for us- you don't have any combat training, so I-" Raph began, but Zodia shook her head with a look of determination, "No, I'm coming with you- I'll keep out of the way, but I meant it when I said I wanted to learn, and I learn best in the moment, so-"

Donnie cut in with concern and urgency in his tone, "Raph's right, Zodia- you'll get hurt if-"

Leo cut off Donnie, resting his arm on Zodia's shoulder, "She'll be fiiiine, guys- Leo's here ta protect ya, so don't worry! You just stay close to me, and I'll keep you out of harm's way- now, let's go!"

Before anyone else could protest, he took off running, forcing the others to follow with a frustrated groan.

"Just stay close, Zo," Raph told her as they ran across rooftops following Donnie's directions to where the action was in progress. Zodia still had that nagging feeling of dejavu as she followed behind the turtles. Soon they caught sight of the van they were looking for. It was a news van that was weaving through traffic. Inside were what appeared to be a large worm with a fancy blonde hairdo, and a large hypopottomus that was wearing a white suit and matching turban. Zodia recognized them from the cartoon immediately- it was Warren Stone and Hypnopottomus. She held back a chuckle at the memory of how the two had gotten irked every time the turtles had beaten them.

"There they are!" Raph shouted, pointing, "Okay, here's the plan-"

"Relax, Raph," Leo cuts him off with a lazy tone, "Who needs a plan when we have crazy cool mystic powers?"

"Leo!" Raph tried to stop his brother, annoyance and frustration clear in his tone, "Stop- we need to work together!"

"I'll see you guys later," the blue clad sliding turtle said as he jumped from the building, making a portal above the racing traffic below, "after I'm done saving the world - uh buh bye!" With that, he disapppeared through the portal, causing Raph to growl in frustration, "Leo!"

Zodia sighs softly, shaking her head, but there was a hint of fondness in her expression, "He never listens..."

"Ya got that right," Raph agreed, though it was clear he was still annoyed with his brother as Leo jumps across the tops of cars, portalling his way into the van.

The others followed behind, racing along the rooftops with Donnie using his jet pack, and Zodia was surprised she was able to keep up with their speed and agility... though she was worried about fighting with such little training... Within moments, the back of the newsvan sprung open in a flurry of doves and Raph called out with worry in his tone, "Leo! Don't worry, we got you!"

"Relax, Raph," Leo laughed as he held onto the back door of the van, being dragged along, "I've got em right where I want em!"

"Doesn't look like it from here!" Zodia called back with a hint of sarcasm as she jumped after the brothers to the next roof.

"Donnie, Mikey," Raph's tone turned serious as he spoke, "Maneuver 12- Zo, you keep an eye out from above- let's do this!"

Donnie and Mikey activated their mystic powers with a smirk. The chain of Mikey's mystic weapon wrapped around the mystic bo staff in Donnie's hands before they spun through the air with Mikey shouting, "Whip-o-rama!"

Before Zodia could register what was happening, the roof of the news van was cut off, causing it to go flying through the traffic. Donnie moved out of the way just in time. He quickly prepared his tech bo, shouting, "Prepare to be Donnie'd by my mystic tech!" Four missiles formed, shooting toward the news van. They land in front of it forming a barrier and the van swerves to avoid it, Leo, Hypnopottomus, and Warren Stone all shouting in fear.

Zodia watched as Raph jumped down from the roof, activating his mystic power as well, "Alright, creeps, hand over the stolen thingy!" The giant red form around Raph sent a fist crashing down on the van to stop it from fleeing any further, its occupants flying out of it due to the momentum. A strange looking stone object flew through the air- that must be what they stole! Raph leaped into the air to catch it, shouting, "I got it!"

"With those clumsy hands?" Leo piped up confidently from the side, "No, I got this one." With that, he made a portal so that the object would come to him, but Raph's fist had already closed around it and was moving through the portal toward Leo. Leo, startled and not wanting to be crushed, quickly closed the portal, cutting off the mystic fist that held the object- and it still wound up hitting him in the face.

Zodia noticed the unattended object and jumped down, only for Donnie to catch her on his back, "Ah-ah-ah, Raph told you to stay put for safety- let us handle this."

"But-" Zodia started to protest, but was cut off by Mikey's disgusted tone, "Eughh aw bro- you portal chopped him!"

"Portal chopped, I like it!" Leo popped up with confidence, "Maybe my new catch phrase- 'You've been portal chopped!'"

Everone groaned in unison, except for Zodia, who snorted quietly in amusement at their antics... that is, until two foot soldiers appeared and the small, skinny one spoke in a raspy voice, "I'll be taking this! Finally, after all these centuries, the mystic power is ours!"

"Yes, well," Hynopottomus rises to his feet, the small worm mutant on his head, "Thanks to us, delivered safe and sound- no problemo, partner!" Then he whispered to the larger foot soldier with a hint of nervousness, "Hey, just quietly, are we partners... we are partners, yeah?"

The foot soldiers growled and the skinny one face palms in annoyance before snapping his fingers and making them all disappear.

"Oh, man!" Mikey whines in fear, grabbing his head in panic, "That thing must be really dangerous if the Foot clan wants it!"

Raph growls in frustration, glaring at Leo, "You think!?"

The brothers and Zodia all head back to the lair, and Zodia still can't shake the feeling that something was going to happen- something big. She was lost in thought as the brothers began to argue, but was snapped out of it as Leo was punched through the wall of his bedroom. He took up a fighting stance, taunting Raph as Mikey ran over to grab him, "No wonder you always wanna train! You really need the practice!"

"What, no- guys, don't-" Zodia started as Donnie moved to try and stop Raph.

Before anyone could say another word, a Japanese sounding voice shouted, "Boys! Stop this arguing!"

"But, dad!" Raph protested angrily, "Leo keeps-"

"Up bububububu," Master Splinter holds up a hand to stop him, "You are a team, you are brothers, and most importantly: you are too loud! I cannot hear my tv show! Tristan finally proposed to Annabelle, but will she say yes? I dont know, because of you! Be the ninjas I taught you to be! Respectful and QUIET!" Leo and Raph glare at each other as Splinter makes his way back to his armchair in the lounge room.

Zodia hated seeing the brothers arguing like this- she knew it happened often, but it still hurt to see them so at odds with each other... She fidgeted in place as she watched Leo return to his room, likely to absorb himself in a comic book while Raph went to train. Mikey, Donnie, and Zodia all glanced at each other with worry in their expressions...

"May- maybe we should take a second to calm down and talk about things?" Zodia suggested hopefully as Master Splinter walks away.

The purple clad ninja shakes his head with a heavy sigh, gesturing toward the rooms Leo and Raph had separated into, "It's no use- not when they're like this-"

"Yeah, man," Mikey cut in, a look of concern in his features as the orange wearing turtle shook his head, too, "Leo's got a hard head- and Raph's just trying to look out for all of us..."

Zodia sighs softly, thinking to herself in worry- she still couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, but she couldn't figure out what... Donnie seemed to notice her worried expression and placed a three fingered hand on her shoulder with a small encouraging smile on his beak, "Hey- it's gonna be okay, Leo and Raph fight like this all the time..."

"Yeah, but-" Zodia started, but Mikey interjected, "Yeah- it'll be fine, you'll see. They'll sleep it off and everything will be back to normal in the morning!"

"Exactly!" The tech ninja nodded in agreement with his orange clad brother, "In the meantime... would you like to see my lab?"

Zodia gasped in shock, "What? But, Donnie- you never let anyone in there, it's your-"

"Hey! How come you'll allow Zodia, but not us?" Mikey folded his arms with a pout.

"Like you guys ever ask before entering my lab- even though I have told you a million times 'Do not, under any circumstances, enter Donnatello's laboratory without permission'" Donnie rolled his eyes before flashing Zodia a smirk, "Besides, I know a fellow autist when I see one- Zodia understands the importance of my lab and my creations, I can trust that she won't touch any buttons or mess with any of my inventions." He began walking toward the stairs that led up to the floor his lab was on, "C'mon, Zodia- I wanna show you a prototype I've been working on!"

In the lab, Donnie showed Zodia several of his inventions, each one more amazing than the next. She listened attentively, her eyes wide with wonder as she took in every explanation, though she only understood about half of it. Donnie was more than happy to explain things when she started asking questions about how they worked. Then he brought out the prototype he'd been working on. It appeared to be a small metallic cylinder with a purple button on the side. The tech ninja explained that the small cyinder expanded into a scythe when the button was pressed, "I don't know if it works, yet- I haven't tried it out, but that button recognizes energy, the entire scythe runs on the weilder's energy! I designed it to recognize only the energy of the first person to use it, so when I finally do test it out, it'll only work for me!"

"That's so cool!" Zodia exclaimed, looking at the cylinder in Donnie's hands. She was pulled out of her wonder when they heard April's voice calling to the turtles, sounding as though something was wrong. The turtles all rushed to the main room of the lair, Zodia following behind Donnie, but she froze at the top of the stairs as she saw who April was dragging along unconscious.

"Oh no..." Zodia whispered as her doe eyes travelled over the unconscious man that was wearing what appeared to be a hockey mask and a cape, her hand covering her mouth as the events of the series finale rushed back to her mind. In a daze, she descended the stairs, watching as the brothers and April tied Casey to a chair while they tried to decide what to do with him. April noticed Zodia descending the stairs to join them with a look of shock, disbelief, and worry, "Hey, who's the chick that looks like she's seen a ghost?"

"Oh, that's Zo-" Donnie turned to look at her and noticed the look of fear and the tears that had sprung to her eyes, "Zodia? What's- what's wrong?"

"Zo- you good?" Raph asked as he, too, turned to notice her expression.

Zodia shook her head slowly, then finally shaking off her stupor, ran over to join them, her tone urgent, "Listen guys- you have to listen to what Casey says when he wakes up- he's telling the truth, but... please, please be careful! Stay together, no matter what! I- I'm begging you- don't-"

"Wait- you know this guy?" Mikey asks, which earned a karate chop to the head from Donnie, who took a step toward her with an expression of concern, "What happens in the cartoon, Zodia? What's got you in a panic?"

Zodia looked into Donnie's eyes, her own wide with fear, worry, and pain as the events of the movie play through her mind. She shook her head, her hands coming up to clutch her heart, whispering in a hoarse tone, "I... I can't- I ..."

"Miss Zodia?" Master Splinter spoke up, worry in his tone as everyone turned to look at her.

"Wait, wait, wait-" April's tone was filled with confusion and disbelief, "You're from another reality?!" Zodia had just finished explaining that Casey would be telling the truth when he wakes up- and how she knew this. She had told them that the cartoon in her world ended with a movie in which the villain would be more powerful than any they'd fought before, but that she couldn't tell them what exactly would happen, because doing so posed the risk of tearing their reality apart..

"But, how will we know what moves to avoid if you don't tell us?" Mikey asks with worry and confusion in his expression.

"Don't worry- we're a badass ninja team, and if things get hairy, I'll save the day," Leo's tone was cocky as he leaned an arm on his orange clad brother's shoulder.

"Leo..." Zodia tried to speak up, but was interrupted by the sound of Casey's voice as he awoke, glancing at each of them with a relieved chuckle of disbelief, "Sensei? It's you - all of you! Togeth-" His eyes land on Zodia's unfamiliar face, causing a flicker of confusion to cross his thin features, "I don't know who you are... but I- I never thought I'd see you guys again! I'm so happy I could hug you!" Casey tries to get up, only to fall over as he was still tied to the chair.

Raph immediately shines the light of Splinter's projector into Casey's eyes roughly asking, "Who are you and why do you have a picture of us?"

"Yeah, who took this," Leo asks as he snatches the photo from his red wearing brother, striking a pose, "Cuz I look great!"

"He's from the future," Zodia spoke up softly, and everyone turned to see the worry in her eyes, "He's your student from the future- that's why he has the photo, and why he wears Donnie's tech..." Zodia met Casey's gaze with worry and determination as she decides that she would fight alongside them, "You came to find the key, and stop the Kraang from taking over... the key that was sketched on the back of that photo..."

Casey nodded slowly, a look of wonder coming over his features, "How did you-"

"The Kraang?!" Master Splinter spoke up in disbelief and everyone turns to look at him.

"Splintz?" April spoke in a concerned tone.

"I have heard that name," Master Splinter continues, his voice serious, "Powerful, barbaric creatures, worshipped by the Foot clan... Legend says they came from the stars with only one goal: to conquer and enslave our planet like so many before us... All seemed lost until mystic warriors forged a mighty weapon: a key that was used to seal them away in a prison dimension beyond this realm. Over the centuries, the key has remained hidden to protect humanity and prevent the future return of the Kraang."

"But someone finds the key and steals it today," Casey added with urgency in his tone, "They use it to open the doorway and free the Kraang. Master Leonardo drew a picture of the key on the back of that photo- all we have to do is find it first before they do!"

The brothers turn the photo over to see that the key was in fact, the object that the Foot soldiers had made off with earlier that night. Leo sweats nervously, fidgeting in embarrassment and panic as he asked Casey, "Did future amazing me tell you what to do in case that already happened?... cuz... that already happened..."

"We're too late," Casey breathed in horror.

"No we're not," Raph spoke up with a smirk, "Cuz we already know who has the key- we'll just go get it."

"No!" Zodia cried without thinking, her expression full of fear and worry, "You're not going without me-"

"Zodia, you don't have any traini-" Raph spoke up, but Zodia shook her head as she interrupted him, "I don't care! I may not be able to tell you what's going to happen, but I know exactly what's going to happen, so-"

"But, Zodia..." the orange clad ninja spoke up next, worry in his tone as well, "You don't have any weapons, how will -"

Donnie seemed to sense Zodia's determination and worry. He thought to himself for a moment before placing a small metallic cylinder in her hands, a soft understanding smile on his beak, "I can see that you'll follow us no matter what we tell you, so... use this."

Zodia's eyes widen in shock and she meets the tech ninja's gaze, "But Donnie, you said it would only recognize-"

"The first person's energy who touched the button, I know," Donnie nodded softly before flashing her a soft smirk, "But it's okay- I trust you, Zo, I know you'll take good care of her, and if you're really going to fight alongside us, you'll need it."

Zodia's expression softened as Donnie spoke before shifting into one of determination as she clutched the cylinder to her chest like it was a teddy bear, "Let's go save your world, yeah?"

"Let's go save your world, yeah?" Zodia pressed the purple button on the side of the metal cylinder- the first time the weapon had been tested, and the mechanical parts whirred to life in response, clinking and rearranging themselves into the form of a scythe. The staff of the advanced weapon unfolded to reveal a panel of six buttons that had raised symbols etched onto them and the blade unfolded to reveal a damascus patterned scythe with a deep purple spine. Zodia's jaw fell open in awe at the scythe Donnie had entrusted to her, "Oh my god, Don- she's gorgeous."

"I know, ri-" Donnie gave her a strange look, "Did you say she?"

Leo snorted in amusement, "What? Are you gonna name it, too?"

Zodia paused in thought before looking at Donnie curiously, "May I? Or does she already have a name?"

Donnie's curiosity seemed to grow as he raised a quizzitive eyebrow before nodding, "I ... suppose I'll allow it, since it can only be used by the first person to acivate it- in this case being you..." He gestured for her to proceed, "I'm curious, what name did you have in mind?"

Zodia thought for a moment, glancing over the scythe with a small smile, "I think I'll call her ... Starshine. That way, -"

"Guys, loving the sweet moment, here, but uh" Casey cut in nervously.

"We don't have time for this!" Raph groaned, "We gotta go get that key and stop the Foot clan from freeing the Kraang- and this time, we do it together." He shot a glare at his blue clad brother.

Leo grumbled mockingly in annoyance as he followed after the others.

Zodia managed to keep up with them a little better this time- though, she was pretty sure that was partly adrenaline, and partly the tech Donnie had built into the scythe. The Foot clan's hideout was a broken down and abandoned ship on the harbor. The group carefully snuck onto the ship, making their way to the glass roof above where the foot clan was meeting.

Below, the group could see Hypnopottamus with Warren Stone following behind the skinny lieutenant of the Foot clan. The lieutenant's raspy voice clan rang out to the other Foot soldiers that were gathered around, "Tonight, we liberate our masters from their dimensional prison! With this key, we shall free them to lay waste to this land and enslave its people!"

The little worm mutant on Hypnopottamus' shoulder spoke up nervously, "Uh I thought we were just gonna rob a bank and be ... yknow, crime buddies?"

The lieutenant replies in a mixture of anger and triumph, "We shall follow the Kraang as they lead the Foot clan to gory!-"

"Booo-oooored!" Leo called out in a lazy tone- it seemed he was ready to fight as usual.

"Leo!" Raph hissed in response.

"What?" The blue clad ninja replies in defense as he unsheathed his katanas, continuing in a bored and arrogant tone, "I was waiting for a good spot to jump in, but they just kept blabbity-blab-ing-"

He was cut off by Casey as he exclaimed, pointing to the stone object in the lieutenant's hands, "There it is! That's the key!"

"Wait, guys! We really nee-" Zodia tried to stop them from jumping in too soon, knowing exactly what was about to happen, but she was cut off by the lieutenant shouting to the soldiers, telling them not to allow their group to interfere with the ceremony. Zodia took a deep breath to steady herself, deciding she would try to stop it from happening as she jumped down into the hideout with the group of heroes.

Casey used his grappling hook to get halfway to the platform that held what looked like an altar to the Kraang, shouting desperately as he saw the lieutenant place the stone object in the center, "No! We're too late!" He used his modified hockey stick to fend off Foot soldiers, shouting to the others as streaks of purple energy began emanating from the key like lightning, "It started! He's unlocking the doorway- we need to get up there! Now!"

"Casey, go," Leo appeared in front of him, making a portal with his katana, "We've got you covered. Starshine- follow Casey!"

Zodia glanced between Casey and Raph with a conflicted expression as she sliced upwards to deflect an attack from two Foot soldiers, "Alright- Leo, cover Raph! Trust me!" With that, she began using her acrobatic skills in an attempt to catch up with Casey, but this proved difficult as she was swarmed by Foot soldiers.

Casey had been fighting the lieutenant, about to grab the key when a blast of energy knocked him back, the portal beginning to form what looked like a blob of flesh attached to the stone pillars of the altar. The blob slowly grew and stretched open in a beam of purple light that knocked everyone back a few steps. Zodia took this opportunity to move closer in an attempt to grab the key, but the Foot's lieutenant grabbed her and tossed her back, "Oh no you don't- too long we've waited to free our masters!"

A set of slimy tentacles began slowly moving from the portal and Zodia couldn't help flinching in disgust as she gripped her tech-scythe, "Eugh it's so much worse in real life..."

A gigantic alien emerged, its fleshy body covered in veins with sharp fangs an piercing eyes. Hypno and Warren took that moment to escape, their faces twisting in mirrored disgust.

"It's them," Casey gasped in horror, lowering his tech mask, "Oh no! They're here!" The group of ninjas joined his side, Raph pointing a sai at the Kraang alien, "Then let's make sure their visit is short and sweet!"

"Guys, please be careful!" Zodia pleaded, knowing what this was leading to- she needed to make sure it didn't happen.

"Relax, Zo, we got this" Mikey told her confidently to which Leo agree, "Yeah, Starshine- there's nothing this team can't handle!"

"I'm finally free!" The tentacled alien's voice was somehow incredibly deep and held a screeching tone behind it as its glowing yellow eyes looked around, "The people of this planet will pay for what they have done to me."

"Welcome to Earth," Raph shouted as he jumped over the railing, activating his mystic power to form large glowing guantlets around his fists. He moved in to punch the creature directly in its face, "I hope you don't enjoy your stay!"

The Kraang alien blocked Raph's punch with two of its strong tentacles, grabbing him by the throat as the other ninjas surrounded it. The turtles activated their mytic powers as they all began to attack, only for it to easily fend them off. The creature was larger than any of them, towering over them, so it could fling them around with ease. It grew frustrated when Leo began using his portals to evade its attacks, shouting, "Enough tricks!"

As it took a deep breath, Zodia knew what was about to happen, whispering in horror, "No..."

Suddenly, it let out a yell that was incredibly deep in vibration, forcing all of their powers to deactivate. Raph tried to shield Donnie and Mikey as their powers faded. Leo tried to activate his portal, only to realize that he no longer could. While he was momentarily distracted, the Kraang alien attacked, knocking Leo down from the platform and turning back toward the portal.

"Raph! What happened to our powers?" Mikey shouted in desperation as he tried to activate his nunchucks. "They're gone," Donnie adds with a worried glance. "What did they do to us?" Leo asked, sounding deeply shaken.

"That screech lowered your vibrations," Zodia's expression hardens as she stands up from where she'd been knocked down, "It nullified your powers. We need to re-"

"Brother, sister, join me!" The creatures deep voice echoed as it faced the portal, "Time for us to finish remaking this universe in the image of Kraang!"

Two more creatures emerged from the portal- one taller and one much shorter. The taller one spoke up in a low feminine voice, "Ohohoho how I've waited for this day!"

"Indeed," Said the first Kraang, sounding pleased before he turned to the shorter Kraang alien, "Brother, widen the portal and retrieve our ship, the Technodrome. Once it is here, the world will kneel before us!"

"If you two don't mind," The feminine Kraang nodded toward the group of ninjas, "I haven't killed anything in ages!" With a cackle, she jumped down to attack the turtles and their group while the shorter Kraang climbed onto the portal. The portal seemed to absorb its tentacles, widening as though it were an extension of his muscles.

The female Kraang leaped down from the platform where the fleshy portal was, knocking Raphael back. The red clad turtle hit the wall behind him, leaving a dent before looking up with a terrified expression.

"Raph, no!" Zodia shouted in horror, gripping the tech-scythe tighter. Donnie's power had been rendered inactive... and so had hers. Zodia took a deep breath to steady herself, but she didn't have much time to think before the female Kraang spun, forcing everyone to dodge its tentacles. Master Splinter soon rushed in for an attack, kicking at the alien as he shouted, "Hot soup!"

The alien bit down on Splinter's tail and spun, using the momentum to fling Master Splinter into Raphael against the wall. Together, they broke through the wall, a large chunk of it landing on Raph's stomach. The alligator turtle shoved the concrete slab off of himself with a strained grunt before rushing to his unconscious senseii's form. The others were facing off against the powerful alien creature as the red clad turtle glanced around in horror and dismay before shouting, "Retreat!"

"Retreat?" Leo yelled in disbelief, "We don't retreat!"

"Leo, for once, listen to me," Raph pleaded with his blue clad brother, "They're too powerful, and dad's hurt!"

Casey cut in desperately, "You don't understand!- if we don't close that doorway, it's only gonna get worse!"

Leo turned to his brother with an expression of uncertainty, "Raph?"

"I'm not gonna argue with you, Leo!" the red ninja growled before shouting to their brother in purple, "Donnie, escape pods! Now!"

Donnie, who was in the middle of evading an attack from one of the creature's fleshy tentacles, shouted back as he pressed a few buttons on the cuff around his wrist. The specialized battled shell on his back sent small metal objects zooming through the air toward each brother and their companions. The objects expanded into escape pods that closed around each person, and carried them away one by one. As the metal pod closed around Casey, he shouted to Leo, "senseii! We need to get that key!"

Leo glanced between Raph and the key, the expression on his face breaking Zodia's heart- even though this wasn't the first time she'd seen it... "Leo, no!" Raph and Zodia shouted simultaneously, but he ignored both of their attempts to stop him as he exited his pod before it could close around him. Zodia dodged hers as well, rushing toward Raph as she braced herself for what would come next.

Leo rushed toward the altar, dodging the shorter Kraang's tentacles as they attempted to stab at him. He slid across the ground toward the key, rising into a run before a tentacle wrapped around his ankle. He managed to grab onto the key just as the creature pulled him toward it, the portal closing in a blast of energy that blew everyone back. As the blue clad turtle grinned triumphantly, a laugh escaping in relief, the leader of the three Kraang stepped toward him angrily, leaping into the air and diving toward him with a tentacle aimed to stab. Zodia rushed toward them and shoved Raph out of the way shouting desperately, "Go! Get out of here!"

Before anyone had time to react, the alligator turtle activated an escape pod and shoved both Leo and himself into it. The pod took off, leaving Zodia behind with the Kraang. Leo stood frozen in shock, clutching the key, while Raph glared through the window, his tone low and gruff, "She knew this would happen- Zodia sacrificed herself for us..."

Turtles POV

As everyone tumbled out of the pods once they'd arrived in the lair, April immediately went to checking that everyone was there and unharmed. Mikey looked around confused as he asked how they had been transported.

"Donniepods... we've never had to use those before..." the purple wearing brother breathed in shock. His shock became a nervous smile as he asked, "So... how would everyone rate their escape experience: satisfired, very satisfied, very very satisfied, extremely satisfied?"

"Donnie!" April snapped in exasperation to which the purple ninja apologized sheppishly explaining that data collection calms him down. Casey was panicking due to the fact that they failed to get the key when the final escape pod finally showed up. Raph stepped out first, fists clenched at his side, eyes dark with the knowledge of what Zodia had done. Leo fell to his knees the key rolling from his grasp. Casey gasped and picked it up in excitement, but before he could celebrate, Leo's angry voice cut through the air sharply, "You knew this would happen, didn't you?" He slowly got to his feet glaring at Casey, "you're from the future-" He froze, seeming to realize something before his enraged gaze snapped to Raph as it took on a hint of desperate realization, "And Zodia- Raph, we can't leave her there!"

"No! This didn't happen in my time, I swear!" Casey replied desperately, stepping back in shock and hurt.

"Leo," Donnie reached out toward his blue clad brother hesitantly, almost as if he were afraid of the answer, "What happened to Zodia?"

"Leonardo?" Splinter's wise voice chimed in, full of worry and curiosity.

"They.." Leo turned toward his family with a darkness in his eyes, "They got her..."

"You left Zodia?" April asked incredulously.

"She left herself!" Leo shouted in frustration, sounding hurt and angry, "She knew... Zodia knew what would happen. She knew Raph would try to sacrifice himself for my sake- and she took his place to save us- and all because I went after that stupid thing." He gestured angrily toward the stone key in Casey's hands.

"We did it..." Casey whispered to himself, a chuckle of relief escaping, "We got the key and changed the future- that means there's still time to stop them!"

"No," Leo spoke firmly, "We're going after Zodia."

"Leo, wait," Donnie tried to stop him, but Leo was already moving to try and activate his portals, "If you won't come, I'll go myself! She sacrificed herself to save Raph- we can't just leave her in their clutches!"

"We lost our mystic powers, and we don't have a plan," Raph tried to reason with his blue wearing brother, but Leo was too upset to listen.

"We don't need a plan," Leo shot back angrily, referencing something Casey had said earlier as he points a katana at Casey, "Remember, I'm the greatest ninja the world has ever seen- his words!"

"Shouldn't we talk about this before we run off half-cocked, all willy-nilly pell-mell?" Donnie shouted, trying to get through to his brother.

"Look, I keep getting told I'm doing this hero thing wrong," Leo turned to face his family, a look of determination in his features, "But I got the key, didn't I? I get results, So now we're doing it my way."

"My son," Master Splinter chimed in, his tone full of worry, "Listen to your team..."

"Leo..." Raph tried to stop him, but the blue ninja cut him off.

"No- we might have been suspicious in the beginning, but she just sacrificed herself- for our sake, knowing what would happen! Do you not understand the gravity of that?! Zodia knew how that fight would go- she was trying to warn us, and we didn't listen! Now she's stuck suffering who knows what at the hands of the Kraang- for us! We owe it to her to save her!" Leo spoke angrily in a tone of urgency before telling his purple wearing brother, "Donnie, you're driving." With that, he turned to walk away, sheathing his katanas.

Turtle's pov

Leo, Mikey, Casey, and Raph, and Donnie climbed into the Turtle tank, a high tech vehicle of Donatello's creation, leaving April and Master Splinter to attempt destroying the key. As they took off, Casey gasped in awe, "What is this thing?"

"The Turtle tank, baby- that's how we roll in the past," Mikey replied smoothly before pausing in confusion, "Uh... the present? No- time travel is hard!"

"They're on the move," Donnie cut in suddenly as he looked over a holographic projection of the city, "According to the subcutaneus tracker I put on the scythe I gave Zodia-"

"Wait," Leo rose a suspicious brow, "Does that mean you put trackers on all of our weapons?"

"Nooo..." Donnie avoided eye contact as he replies feigning innocence, "Of course I did...n't..."

Raph folded his arms across his plastron giving the purple ninja a look.

Donnie cleared his throat sheepishly before informing them, "Based on their trajectory, they're headed to-"

"The tallest building in the city," Casey finished in disbelief as he joined the purple ninja looking at the hologram.

"That's right," Donnie nodded in confirmation, "Metro tower."

"I heard the story so many times as a kid," Casey stared at the glowing hologram in disbelief, "But I never thought..." He glanced around at the group before reciting, "And behold: from their perch atop New York City and the Kraang ripped open the sky itself. What came out was terror, and what rained down upon us was worse than death itself."

The turtles looked deeply disturbed at hearing this and Mikey slumped in his seat, "They told that to kids?! Man, the future was harsh..."

"Well, I'm not gonna let that happen," there was firm determination in the blue ninja's tone as he spoke up, "We need to get into Metro Tower without being spotted. We'll take the subway tunnels."

Donnie glanced at Leo over his shoulder, "Subway tunnels don't offer much in the way of an escape if we need it... are you sure about this?"

Raph chimed in worriedly, "Leo, maybe you should listen to the team..."

"Yeah," Mikey chimed in nervously, turning in his seat to look at Leo, "Maybe we should-"

"Guys," Leo interrupted firmly, "We're doing this my way, remember?"

A silence fell over the group before Mikey spoke up in a worried tone, his hands fidgeting, "I hope Zodia's okay... how are we gonna find her once we get there?"

"I have allot of questions regarding 'once we get there'..." Donnie added nervously.

"Relax," the blue ninja spoke up in a confident tone, "We'll do what we always do" ninja in, ninja their faces, ninja out."

"That's exactly how you freed all those families from the Kraang Labor camps," Casey gushed in admiration, "In the future, you guys are amazing- the mystic powers you're able to harness from within, are on a whole other level! ... well, I can't speak for Zodia..."

"None of us can- she's not from her," Raph pointed out gruffly as he stepped over to join them, "That's how she knew what was going to happen..."

"Wait, are you saying...?" Casey looked at her with confusion.

"Yeah, dude," Mikey confirmed with a proud grin, "Zo's from another world."

"We didn't believe her, at first..." Leo admits, rubbing the back of his neck with a hint of guilt in his amphibious features.

"But now there's no doubt," Raph agreed with a sigh of resignation, "Why didn't she warn us before?- if she had told us what would happen..."

"That explains so much..." Casey mumbled to himself before Donnie cuts in with a condescending and confident tone, "How have we not asked about my future? Don't let me down- I am expecting big things for me. How many Nobel prizes do I have - no, don't tell me, I wanna be surprised!"

"Donnie," Casey said, his expression softening as he looked at the purple clad turtle, "You were the most innovative and brilliant mind of all time."

"I'm shocked, I am" Donnie's arms crossed behind his head with a confident grin, "Go on- continue to meet my expectations."

"What do I do in the future?" Mikey asked hopefully.

Casey turns to Mikey, "You were the most powerful mystic warrior the world has ever known." He took the orange ninja's hands in his own, "With these two hands, you sent me back in time."

"Woooow" Mikey stretched his hands in front of him, straining as though trying to open a portal. Casey watched him for a moment with a pensive expression before beginning to speak up again, but he was cut off as the Turtle tank came to an abrupt halt, an electronic voice chiming, "Auto brakes engaged."

Zodia's POV

Zodia struggled against the slimy mass of flesh that held her in place before the female Kraang climbed along it examining her with an intense look of glee. Zodia glared back, a growl escaping, "If you knew what was coming, you wouldn't be smiling you slimy sack of snot!"

"Ew it's talking at me," the female Kraang recoiled in disgust, climbing down as the leader enters the room, "Shall I rip out its tongue?"

Zodia tuned out the Kraangs' banter, steeling herself what was to come as the fleshy mass lowered her to the ground in front of the Kraang leader. As the female Kraang made a snide comment, Zodia sneered, choosing to quote Raphael's line from the movie,

"Lady brainface is right- I ain't telling you jack!"

Before she had time to react, tentacles were slithering beneath her skin, invading her mind. A scream of agony ripped from her throat, and she bit her tongue to refocus as her mind fought the Kraang's invasion. She knew the leader was looking for the key and she tried her hardest to keep that information from surfacing- while also hiding information about her starseed nature.

Try as she might, she couldn't hold the Kraang off for long, the pain was too much to bear. She felt a pang in her chest as the Kraang delved further, the pain searing her mind as he viewed her memories.

"What's this?" the Kraang leader sneered in surprise, "A starseed? Well. what luck we have struck in finding you. What a splendid navigator you shall make..."

Turtles' POV

The group peered through the windshield of the turtle tank to see what had activated the auto brake, their eyes widening in a mixture of shock and disgust as they were met with the sight of what appeared to be vines made of flesh and dripping slime everywhere. The vines coated every wall and blocked the turtle tank from making it into the building.

"Wow," breathed Leo as he peered through the window. Then he turned to his purple clad brother, "Think we're in the right place?"

Donnie moved to check the holographic map of New York, "Looks like the Metro Tower Station is on the other side of those vines."

Leo nodded once and made for the door, "Great. Let's hoof it."

Donnie gave Leo a look that was a mixture of disgust and disbelief, "Through the disgusting, drippy slime jungle?" As Leo shot him a judgemental and exasperated glare, Donnie rolled his eyes, letting out an exasperated sigh as he moved to follow the group, "I know, I know- Leo knows best... but I'm not sharing my hand sanitizer!"

Leo gestured at the group to follow silently as the door to the turtle tank opened. A pair of headlights popped up from the purple ninja's battle shell, illuminating the fleshy jungle before them. The group stayed together as they began to make their way through. Suddenly, Leo spoke up to point out an obvious oddity, "Feeling a lack of rush in this rush hour, right?"

"I dunno, Leo- something feels... off," Donnie seemed to hear something moving around in the darkness and he turned to look toward a wall of slimy vines, Raph agreeing with him in his gruff tone.

Mikey then startled the purple ninja, jumping right behind Donnie and grabbing his shoulders, "Don't worry, I won't let us die- I'm a mystic warrior."

"I feel better already," Donnie rolled his eyes in annoyance, "he said without a hint of sarcasm." Behind them, Raph can't help but snort quietly in amusement to which Donnie replies, "What? Okay- so that was sarcasm, obviously."

"I know, Don," the red ninja smirked back.

They continued making their way through the slimy jungle until Leo climbed up onto a small ledge, pointing with one of his katanas, "Look, the stairs! Sneaking in from below was the right move- those slimeballs will never see us coming!"

The group noticed eyes opening along the fleshy vines behind Leo. The others readied themselves to fight as well, as Raph spoke up in a nervous tone, "Uh... Leo..." Just as Leo turned to look, four tentacles shot out of what appeared to be a large, round mouth, an inhuman screech emanating from the toothy gap above. Slimy, dragon like creatures started coming out from within the vines, attacking the group.

Donnie and Mikey were quickly surrounded by the small, slimy flesh dragons and the purple ninja called out, "I knew this was a bad idea, Leo!"

Mikey shouted as well, sounding afraid as he attacked the creatures with his nunchucks, "Leo, there's too many- we should go back!"

"I agree," Raph chimed in as he was also surrounded once more, "This won't go according to-"

"No," The blue ninja cut her off, speaking firmly as he sliced through a couple of the creatures, "we're gonna get to those stairs."

"Leo, we're not gonna make it!" Donnie shouted in frustration, urgency evident in his tone as he and the others continued to fight the onslaught of fleshy slime creatures, "We have to turn back!"

Leo seemed angered by this as the creatures began grabbing onto him, "We push forward," He strains against the creatures, trying desperately to reach the stairs into Metro tower, "We get Zodia, that's final." Before he could break free, another creature hit him square in the chest causing him to fall back and Casey rushed to catch him before he hit the ground. The group was suddenly split as what appeared to be a mutated subway car with fleshy tentacles leapt down to attack. Mikey got up, seeming to have an idea. He shouted as he stretched his arms in front of him, desperately trying to activate his mystic power, "Mystic hands!" The mutated subway car reared back and Donnie shielded Mikey as it lurched forward to attack.

"NO!" Raph shouted in horror at the same time that Leo shouted their names, "Oh no- Donnie, your shell!" Mikey had also noticed that the armor protecting the purple ninja's soft shell had broken due to the force of the creature's attack.

Mikey grabbed Donnie's hand as he began to run, "We gotta find shelter!"

Raph raced to join them, shouting to Leo, "Leo, c'mon- we've gotta get out of here!" The vines attempted to attack, stabbing at them as Raph rushed into the turtle tank with Donnie and Mikey. A snake like creature attempted to follow, forcing them to shut the hatch, which cut off the head of the mutant creature. Donnie gagged, one hand over his mouth as he mumbles to himself, "Oh- keep it down, Vomitello..." Mikey and Zodia were also apalled as they watched the creature's head writhe and screech as it lay dying. The creature burst, sending a gooey eyeball to land between the purple ninja's eyes and his face contorted in disgust, "Keep it dooowwwn, daddy..." Mikey's face twisted in disgust as he shrunk back from the gruesome sight, and Raph could only stare in astonished disgust.

Suddenly, the turtle tank lurched, causing the three within to stumble as the vines grew in size, expanding and surrounding the turtle tank and Mikey shouted, "Oh no, bro! They got us!"

Suddenly, April's voice sounded from the cuff on Donnie's wrist, "Donnie, come in! They found us! Where should we go?!"

The three gasped as Donnie rushed to reply, pressing a button on the cuff's screen, "We're trapped. We are trapped in the subway tunnels beneath Metro tower. The tank is running on emergency power- and is covered in some kind of Kraang bio-growth. I repeat-"

Mikey cut in as Donnie retrieved his backup battle shell, "April, come quick! We're getting squished!"

"We're on our way," April shouted through the connection. The metal tank began to creak around them in the red emergency lighting. Donnie and Mikey huddled in the middle of the tank, unsure of what would become of them. Their thoughts were cut off by the emergency notification sounding around them, "Hull integrity 4 percent. Breach immenent."

"See, Donnie?" Mikey chimed in optimistically, "We have an immenent amount of time!"

"Uh... Mikey," Raph started awkwardly.

"Immenent means soon, Mikey," Donnie told him nervously. Mikey seemed to think for a second before standing up confidently, "Don't worry! I'll save us with my mystic hands!"

Donnie sat with his back to the orange ninja as Mikey cried in despair, "Casey must have been wrong about me!"

"This is it!" Mikey shouted in fear as he grabbed onto his brothers, "We're gonna get crushed!"

"Knock, knock!" A familar voice sounded outside the tank.

"April!" The group shouted in a mixture of relief and worry.

"Anyone order a rescue?" April shouted and the group could hear two figures land on the roof of the tank- she must have Master Splinter there with her!

The sounds of fighting could be heard as April and Splinter faced off against the slimy tentacles surrounding the turtle tank.

"Boom goes the herbicide!" April yelled before the sound of glass breaking and small explosions shook the tank, which then dropped down to the ground as the fleshy vines withered away from it. The door popped open and Donnie, Mikey, and Raph were met with the sight of Splinter and April brandishing several vials of a bright blue liquid- that must be whatever killed those slimy vines!

Mikey tackled the two of them in a tight hug as he celebrated their rescue, "April! You saved us!"

Master Splinter used his long rat tail to pull the purple and red turtles into a hug as well and Donnie visibly tensed, speaking awkwardly, "Uncomfortable, with, emotion."

"Where is Leo?" asked Master Splinter in his gruff accent, "And uh future boy?"

The orange ninja pointed into the wreckage of rubble and leftover vines, worry written in his gentle amphibious features, "Somewhere in there..."

The group turned to follow Mikey's gaze, nervous before the voice of the female Kraang could be heard shrieking as she approached, "Faster- they're this way! I can smell them!"

"Ah! She found us!" April shouted in fear as she began to lead the group of ninjas toward a set of stairs, "We gotta move! Now!"

"Donnie, Mikey, do you read me?" Leo's voice suddenly came through the cuff on Donnie's wrist.

"Leo!" Raph cried in relief, worried for his brother's safety, "Is he okay?"

"Come in, Leo," Donnie responded urgently as the group ran up the steps, "Come in, Leo!"

"Where are you guys?" The blue ninja sounded worried as he responded through the communication link.

"We have extracted ourselves from the subway tunnel and are currently ascending a staircase," Donnie reported as he lowered his specialized goggles over his eyes, "I'm getting alot of interference, but if you hold still, I should be able to triangulate your location using a complex geo location algorithm."

As Donnie searched the floor the staircase led them to, Raph and the others noticed Leo and Casey several feet ahead of them. The group ran over to check on them, the ninjutsu master clearing his throat gruffly to get the purple ninja's attention. Donnie let out a disappointed and annoyed groan as he whines, raising his goggles, "I never get to use my algorithm!"

"Man," Leo laughs in relief as he walked over to hug his brothers, "I am so glad you guys aren't dead!"

"Ditto," Mikey replies warmly, squished against his blue clad brother.

"Before this gets too mushy- Donnie," Leo turned to the tech-ninja with a look of determination, "Can you tell me if Zodia's still in the building?"

Donnie began pressing buttons on the cuff around his wrist, speaking in a confident tone, "Bet your momma's subatomic particles I can." As a map appeared on the screen, the purple ninja spoke up again, "Got her- she's close, almost on top of us..."

"Wait- she is on top of us," Donnie interrupted in his confusion. The group turned to look up, their eyes landing on a large structure made of thin, transparent flesh attached to the ceiling by more slimy vines. Inside the structure was the girl who'd fallen into their lair several hours before.

"Zodia!" the blue ninja shouted in unison with Raph, concern evident in his tone, "Quick, cut her down- get her out of there!" Casey swiftly used his chainsaw hockey stick to slice through the vines holding the fleshy structure in place. The group immediately rushed to the fleshy sack as it fell to the ground with a loud squelch. Leo cut the sack open with a katana. As the blue ninja pulled Zodia from the slimy sack, he spoke in a worried and comforting tone, "Hang on, Zodia- we got you, almost there."

"Starshine?" Leo asked gently as he held the girl close. He glanced up at the group with an expression of guilt and worry as he breathed in shock, "She knew this would happen..."

"Leo-" Raph tried to warn him, but it was too late: Zodia's fist connected with Leo's face, sending the turtle flying back several feet as the girl got to her feet. The group watched in horror as Zodia's body began to mutate, imitating the Kraang's bilogical structure combined with her own. The eccentric girl let out an animalistic roar as her gaze fixes on Leo. Before any of them can react, the mutated girl attacked, moving faster than they could process as they were knocked back, the mystic stone key rolling from April's fallen purse. Zodia bent down, a newly grown tentacle wrapping around it. Suddenly, the wall of flesh behind him parted, opening like a pair of elevator doors as the leader of the Kraang slithered out from it, a wicked grin on his grotesque features, "Surprise."