In case i havent said it

Age order: leo, raph, mari, donnie, Mikey, Cat

The rooftop was quiet—well, almost quiet.

Leo, Donnie, and Raph were focused on TCRI, watching for any signs of Kraang activity. Mari sat cross-legged nearby, idly spinning her tanto blades But just behind them, a completely different kind of battle was taking place.

"It's my turn!" Cat whined, clutching Mikey's T-Phone against her chest.

Mikey gasped, scandalized. "Are you kidding me?! You just had a turn!"

"That was, like, five minutes!"

"That was an eternity in gaming time!"

Leo shot them both a glare. "Can you two not do this right now?"

But Mikey wasn't backing down. He grabbed at the T-Phone, but Cat dodged, holding it high over her head. "You snooze, you lose, Mikey!"

"I WASN'T EVEN SNOOZING!" Mikey lunged, but Cat twisted away.

Mari watched the scene unfold, unimpressed. "This is painful."

Raph scoffed. "Just let them fight it out. Survival of the dumbest."

Donnie sighed. "If they break that T-Phone, I swear—"

Before he could finish, Mikey finally tackled Cat.

"AH! Mikey, you psycho!" she screeched as they both tumbled across the rooftop in a mess of flailing limbs.

Mikey grabbed the T-Phone and pumped his fist in victory. "HA! Gamer supremacy!"

Cat sat up with a murderous look in her eye. "Oh, it's on, Orange."

Leo pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why do I even try?"

But before Cat could retaliate—

"Yeah, you never know what could sneak up on you."

The smug voice sent everyone into immediate battle stance.

Karai.

She stood perched on the water tower, smirking as she watched the chaos.

Leo sighed, already annoyed. "Cute, Karai. But I'm not in the mood."

Karai tilted her head, her smirk unwavering. "That's too bad."

Without warning, she lunged, blade flashing.

"Guys!" Leo shouted, raising his swords just in time to block.

Mikey, never one to miss an opportunity for chaos, flipped into the air. "Booyakasha!"

Karai blinked mid-strike. "Booyakasha? What does that even mean?"

Mikey grinned as he swung his nunchucks. "I dunno, but it's fun to yell!"

Karai scoffed, catching his chain mid-swing and yanking him forward.

Before he could hit the ground, Mari struck next, her tanto slicing toward Karai's exposed side.

Karai twisted, barely dodging. "Oh, it's the female Raph."

Mari didn't respond, already pivoting into her next attack. Her blade met Karai's, the sharp clang of metal ringing through the night.

Karai smirked, shoving Mari back just as Cat charged in from the other side, flicking open her tessen in a flash of silver.

Karai barely dodged in time. "Oh, this is fun."

Leo took advantage of the distraction, slamming Karai's blade down with his own.

"You really know how to make a girl feel welcome," Karai teased, breaking free from his hold.

Donnie took the opening and swung his bo staff from behind, but Karai ducked, deflecting him with ease.

"I heard the scrawny one mention the Kraang. What's going on?"

"None of your business," Leo snapped, shoving her back.

"And I'm not scrawny," Donnie muttered, dodging a low swipe. "I'm svelte."

Raph rushed in next, sai flashing, but Karai twisted just in time to avoid him.

"Oh, come on," she taunted. "Let me in on the fun."

Raph growled. "Look, we're kinda busy trying to stop the beginning of an alien invasion here, so do us a favor and get lost!"

That caught Karai off guard.

"An alien invasion?" she repeated, eyes narrowing. "You're serious?"

Before anyone could respond—

BOOM.

The sky cracked with a deafening explosion, shaking the rooftop beneath them.

The air trembled as a glowing purple portal split open in the clouds.

From its swirling depths, a massive Kraang ship began to emerge, its sleek metallic surface glinting under the storm-lit sky.

Leo's stomach twisted.

This can't be good.

Mikey's face went pale as the ship aimed its scanners toward them. "Uh, guys? I think I need to change my shell."

Cat tightened her grip on her tessen, her breath coming a little too fast. "Yeah. Same."

The massive Kraang scout ship hovered menacingly in the air, its neon lights pulsing as it scanned the rooftop with an eerie, mechanical hum. A cold, artificial voice filled the night.

"The ones who are called turtles have been detected by the scanner which scans for turtles. They are knowing too much of Kraang's plan. Attack."

Leo's jaw clenched. "Yeah, that's not good."

Mari tensed, gripping the handles of her tanto, her yellow mask whipping in the wind. "Great. Another flying death machine. Just what we needed."

Cat, standing beside Mikey, had her tessen open in a white-knuckle grip. "So... running, right? We're gonna run?"

Karai took a cautious step back, her usual smirk replaced with mild concern. "I hope you have a plan for fighting that thing."

Leo glanced up at the ship, watching as several compartments slid open, revealing glowing energy cannons.

"Of course I do," he said quickly.

Karai arched an eyebrow.

Leo exhaled sharply. "Step one—run!"

The first laser blast hit the rooftop, scorching the concrete where they had just been standing. The turtles, Karai, and their sisters took off, leaping from rooftop to rooftop as the ship pursued them, scanning relentlessly for movement. The air smelled of burning metal and ozone, and the sky glowed with the ship's neon pink energy.

Another blast seared past Mari's shoulder, missing her by inches.

She cursed under her breath, flipping forward and landing beside Raph. "If we live, I vote we never fight anything that flies ever again."

Raph huffed. "Yeah, I'll second that."

They barely made it to an alleyway, ducking into the shadows as another blast obliterated a nearby fire escape.

Karai pressed her back against the wall, catching her breath. "What the heck was that?"

Leo shook his head. "I don't know, but off the top of my head, I'd say they use it for flying and shooting at things."

Mikey threw his hands in the air. "Like at our shells!"

The ship whirred overhead, scanning the street with its eerie purple beam. Karai slipped deeper into the alleyway, melting into the darkness. The turtles crouched low behind a parked car, holding their breath.

Mikey leaned in. "You think it knows where we are?"

Before anyone could answer, the car was suddenly lifted into the air by the ship's energy beam.

Cat let out a sharp squeak as she ducked behind Raph. "Oh, I hate that."

"Yeah, maybe," Leo muttered.

With a loud crash, the vehicle was unceremoniously dropped back onto the pavement, forcing them to bolt again.

Donnie panted as they ran. "Man, we gotta get underground!"

Mari gritted her teeth, flipping over a fence to keep up. "Yeah, except for the part where we get fried before we even make it."

Leo's mind raced. There was no way they'd outrun a ship with tracking abilities—they had to create a diversion.

"I'll draw their fire," he said.

Raph grabbed his arm. "Leo, don't—"

But Leo was already moving.

Mari cursed, "Dumbass!"

"Over here, Cyclops!" Leo shouted, sprinting straight toward the open street, waving his katanas.

The ship's scanners locked onto him instantly.

"Leo, come on!" Raph growled, his grip on his sai tightening.

"Dumbass!" Mari yelled again.

Leo ducked as a blast hit the ground inches from his feet, heat searing the air. It worked—the ship focused entirely on him.

The others took the chance to bolt.

Mari grabbed Cat's wrist, practically dragging her toward the sewer grate as another blast nearly took out a fire escape. Cat stumbled, letting out a startled squeak before catching herself.

Mikey was right beside them, ushering Cat forward. "Go, go, go! The last thing we need is a roasted gremlin!""

"Excuse me?!" Cat huffed, but didn't slow down.

They all darted for cover, slipping into a nearby sewer entrance just as the ship scanned the area again.

As soon as Leo saw they were safe, he dove into the manhole, landing with a splash.

The sewers were dark and damp, the sound of dripping water echoing around them.

Mari shoved Leo the second he was upright. "Are you actually insane?" she snapped. "You ran straight at a giant alien death machine!"

Leo barely looked fazed, brushing dust off his knee pads. "And it worked, didn't it?"

Cat was still gripping Mikey's arm like a lifeline, eyes wide. "We almost got vaporized! Again!"

Mikey gently peeled her fingers off, shaking out his arm. "Okay, not that I don't love our near-death bonding, but ow, KitKat."

Cat shot him a glare, but she was still visibly rattled.

Donnie sighed, adjusting his goggles. "Alright, let's break this down—a highly advanced alien warship is now invisible and actively hunting us. That's... fantastic."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Oh, great. 'Cause it wasn't scary enough when we could see it."

Mari crossed her arms. "We're not seriously gonna just wait around for it to find us again, are we?"

Leo shook his head. "No, we're gonna figure out what it's doing here and how to take it down—before it takes us down first."

Tension thickened in the dojo as Leo paced, deep in thought. Across the room, Raph furiously stabbed his sai into a training dummy, each sharp thud echoing through the space.

Mari sat on the steps, arms crossed, watching Raph with mild irritation. Cat was beside her, absentmindedly twirling a kunai between her fingers while kicking her legs.

"He's gonna break that thing before he actually fights something," Mari muttered.

Cat tilted her head. "Wait, do dummies feel pain?"

Mari sighed. "I—no, Cat, they don't."

"Ohhh," Cat nodded. "Good, 'cause I was feeling kinda bad for it."

Mari just stared at her.

Meanwhile, Leo stopped pacing. "That Kraang ship is incredibly dangerous," he muttered, rubbing his chin. "We've gotta figure out what it's doing here."

Raph yanked his sai free and spun toward him. "Or we could just skip to the part where we destroy it."

Mikey, holding the dummy upright, grinned. "You're pretty tough when they can't hit you back."

Raph scowled. "You wanna test that, Mikey?"

Before Mikey could respond, Raph flicked a shuriken straight at him.

"GAH!" Mikey barely dodged, yelping as the shuriken embedded itself in the wall behind him.

Cat blinked. "Whoa. Mikey, you almost died."

Mikey clutched his chest. "I KNOW."

Mari narrowed her eyes at Raph. "Really? This is your go-to stress relief now? Almost impaling your own family?"

Raph scoffed. "Oh, come on. He's fine."

"Yeah, 'cause you missed," Mari shot back.

"Wasn't aiming for him," Raph said, leaning against the dummy like he didn't just throw a deadly weapon across the room. "It's called a warning shot."

Mari crossed her arms. "Yeah? Well, here's my warning shot—next time you do something that stupid, I'm chucking you into the nearest wall."

Raph smirked. "Ohhh, scary."

Cat tilted her head. "Wouldn't that just be helping him? I mean, he already throws himself into walls all the time."

Mari exhaled slowly, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Cat. Please. Not now."

Raph shrugged. "Whatever. Point is, Mikey's fine, so—"

Cat gasped dramatically, cutting him off. "WAIT. Does this mean I almost witnessed a murder?!"

Mikey's eyes widened. "Dude. You did."

Cat gasped again. "OH MY GOSH, that means I could've been traumatized!"

Mikey grabbed her shoulders, shaking her lightly. "We're traumatized, Cat!"

Cat nodded solemnly. "We're so brave."

Mari rolled her eyes. "Oh my God."

Leo, now beyond exasperated, pinched the bridge of his nose. "Can we focus, please?! First, we need a way to find a ship that's invisible before we can destroy it."

Raph huffed, crossing his arms. "I know, how about we just shoot into the air until we hit it?"

Leo gave him a flat look. "That doesn't sound too smart."

Mikey smirked. "Yeah, Raph. Not too smart, buddy."

Raph whipped around, glaring.

Mikey immediately threw his hands up. "Okay, okay, I take it back! No need to get stabby again!"

Cat tapped her chin. "Wait, but wouldn't it technically work? If we just threw, like, a billion things into the sky—"

Mari turned to her, horrified. "Cat. NO."

Donnie, who had been scribbling calculations on a nearby whiteboard, suddenly perked up. "Actually..." He tapped his marker against his chin. "Raph's got something there."

Mikey beamed. "Yeah, Leo, Raph's got something there."

Mari looked skeptical. "Those words should never be in the same sentence."

Donnie ignored them, already deep in thought. "But instead of shooting objects into the sky, we'll shoot waves of electromagnetic radiation. In other words—radar. I've built some radar beacons we can set up around town. If the ship gets near us, my T-phone will pick up the signal and set off an alarm."

Leo nodded, impressed. "Good work, Donnie. Come on, guys. Let's split up and place those beacons."

Mikey gave the dummy a reassuring pat. "You'll get him next time, buddy."

Leo sighed, already done with him. "Mikey."

Mikey threw his hands up. "Loosen your knee pads, Leo!"

As everyone started grabbing their gear, Cat whispered to Mari, "Soooo... who are you going with?"

Mari grimaced. "Oh, hell no. If I get stuck with Raph, I'm throwing myself off a building."

Raph smirked. "Feeling's mutual, sunshine."

Cat raised a hand. "Ooo! Ooo! Not it!"

Mari turned to her. "What? We weren't even—"

"NOT IT!" Cat repeated, before grabbing Mikey's arm and speed-walking toward Donnie. "Sorry, gotta go! Me and Mikey are a package deal—bye!"

Mari blinked after her.

The night air was crisp as Mikey crouched on a fire escape, carefully balancing a radar beacon in his hands. Below him, Cat leaned against the railing, lazily swinging her tessen in one hand while watching him work.

Mikey furrowed his brow, tongue sticking out slightly. "Okay, gotta place this just right, or else Donnie's gonna go all 'blah blah frequency interference, blah blah electromagnetic field' on me."

Cat tilted her head. "Wait, so... it actually matters where we put it?"

Mikey groaned. "YES, Cat! It's science!"

Cat blinked. "Ew."

Mikey sighed dramatically. "Why am I even surprised?" He adjusted the beacon, finally locking it into place. "Boom! Another one down! I am a genius."

Cat smirked. "A genius wouldn't take twenty minutes to set up a tiny box."

Mikey gasped. "How dare—?"

His T-phone buzzed, interrupting him.

"Mikey, Cat, are you guys done yet?" Donnie's voice crackled through the speaker.

Cat snatched up the device. "Pfft, of course! Unlike Raph, I actually listen when you explain stuff."

Somewhere on the other end, Raph's voice cut in—"What was that, ya little twerp?!"

Mikey giggled. "Cat's in trouble~"

Cat immediately backpedaled. "Uh—nothing! Nothing at all! Cat out!" She quickly ended the call, then turned to Mikey with a grin. "Now, let's get back before Donnie starts fact-checking us."

Mikey stretched his arms above his head. "Good, 'cause I'm starving."

Cat nodded sagely. "Yeah, we did a lot of hard work today. We definitely deserve pizza."

Meanwhile, Raph and Donnie worked in tense silence as they installed the last beacon.

Donnie adjusted the device on a water tower while Raph stood watch, arms crossed. "So, uh..." Raph started, shifting awkwardly. "That thing's not gonna explode, right?"

Donnie rolled his eyes. "No, Raph. It's not a bomb."

"Just checkin'," Raph muttered. "Never know with you."

Donnie sighed. "That was one time!"

Before Raph could argue, his communicator beeped.

"All beacons are in place. Meet back at the lair."

Raph smirked. "Sweet. Now can we actually go fight somethin'?"

Donnie ignored him. "Let's just get back before you break something."

Raph huffed but followed him anyway.

At the same time, Mari and Leo landed silently on a rooftop overlooking the city.

Leo had just installed their final beacon, double-checking the connection on his T-Phone. "That's the last one. Let's head back."

Mari crossed her arms. "Finally. Thought we were gonna be up here all night."

Leo smirked. "You in a hurry?"

Mari scoffed. "No, I just prefer missions where I actually get to punch something."

"Starting to sound like Raph."

"Take that back!"

Leo chuckled but stopped when he heard the faintest clang of metal from behind them.

Both of them tensed.

Mari instinctively reached for her tanto. "Tell me that was a rat."

Leo frowned. "That was not a rat."

Before they could react—

Karai dropped down from above, blade already drawn.

Mari groaned, rolling her eyes. "Oh, great. Her."

Leo exhaled sharply. "This is getting old, Karai."

Karai smirked. "What can I say? I like keeping you on your toes."

Mari twirled her tanto in her fingers. "You really wanna pick a fight right now? 'Cause I'd love an excuse."

Leo held up a hand, silencing her. He knew Karai didn't just show up to taunt them.

Then, Karai surprised them both.

"I want to help you fight the Kraang."

Mari blinked. "Wait—what?"

Leo narrowed his eyes. "Really? No, of course not. We're enemies. You want to destroy us. You're loyal to Shredder. Should I keep going?"

Karai sighed, slipping her blade back into its sheath. "Look, if the Kraang win, we don't have a planet anymore. That makes our little feud seem pretty pointless, doesn't it?"

Mari crossed her arms. "Oh, so now you wanna be friends? Sounds convenient."

Karai ignored her, looking at Leo. "Shredder's stubborn and short-sighted. He drives me crazy. His stupid vendetta is gonna take us all down. He may not be able to see that, but I know you do."

Leo searched her face, looking for any sign of deception.

Mari, however, wasn't buying it. "Yeah, 'cause you're so trustworthy."

Karai raised an eyebrow. "I'm offering to help you. You wanna keep arguing or actually do something about the alien invasion?"

Mari rolled her eyes. "I hate that she has a point."

Karai extended a hand toward Leo. "Work together, for now?"

Leo stared at it for a moment.

Mari glanced at him. "Leo..." she said cautiously. "You do know this is probably a trap, right?"

Leo hesitated.

Finally, he sighed.

"Sorry, sister," he said, shaking his head.

Without another word, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Mari smirked at Karai. "Guess you're not as charming as you think." Then she followed after her brother, leaving Karai standing alone on the rooftop.

Karai's hand slowly lowered. She watched them disappear, her smirk fading into something unreadable.

Back at the lair, tension filled the air.

Leo stood with his arms crossed, pacing slightly as he ran over everything in his head. Across from him, Splinter sat in quiet contemplation, his expression unreadable. The rest of the team had gathered—Raph leaned against the wall, arms crossed tightly, while Donnie tapped his fingers against his bo staff. Mikey shifted restlessly, clearly fighting the urge to crack a joke.

Mari sat on the armrest of the couch, watching Leo carefully, while Cat curled up in the corner, absentmindedly flicking a loose thread on her sleeve.

"I know we shouldn't trust Karai," Leo admitted finally. "But still... I got the sense that she really is fed up with Shredder."

Raph scoffed. "Yeah? And that's probably just what she wants you to think."

Leo exhaled sharply. "I know that, Raph. But, Sensei, is there any chance she's for real?"

Splinter studied him carefully before speaking. "It is possible. Loyalties have been known to shift. But the kunoichi is trained to use deception to her advantage."

Mari leaned forward slightly. "So... what you're saying is, either Karai is actually tired of Shredder, or she's playing Leo because she knows he'll eat it up?"

Leo shot her a glare, but Splinter nodded. "Correct."

Leo frowned. "So... she either will or won't betray us?"

"Correct."

Mari huffed. "Well, that's helpful."

Splinter continued, his tone even. "You must trust your instincts, but beware the trap of believing something to be true simply because you wish it to be so."

Leo ran a hand down his face. "So I should trust my instincts... unless my instincts are wrong?"

Splinter nodded. "Correct."

Mari threw her hands up. "Leo, why do you even ask if you're just gonna make it more complicated for yourself?"

Leo sighed, ignoring her. "Uh. Thanks, Sensei."

Mikey leaned over to Donnie, whispering loudly, "Whoa. You know it's good advice when you're still confused afterward."

Raph groaned. "Guys, seriously. An alliance with Karai? No way. Why are we even talking about this?"

Donnie rubbed his chin. "It's too bad we can't trust her. It would be nice to have a kunoichi on our side."

April, who had been standing off to the side, narrowed her eyes. "Uh, hello? What about me?"

Donnie flinched. "No, I mean, like, a real kunoichi. I mean, not that you're not a real one, just that Karai is—" He winced. "—better. I mean, not better, just... more experienced." His face turned red. "Is it hot in here?"

April smirked. "It's okay. I get it. She's your mortal enemy, but she's also purty."

Donnie's entire brain short-circuited. "No! She's not—you're way prettier—" His eyes widened in horror. "I mean, not that I think you're pretty—I mean, you're not ugly, I just—"

Raph clamped a hand over Donnie's mouth, shaking his head. "Don't fight it. You'll thank me later."

Cat crossed her arms, amused. "Yeah. I'm sure he will."

The Shellraiser roared through the streets, tires screeching as Leo swerved to avoid another blast from the Kraang scout ship. The neon glow of the alien energy illuminated the dark city, turning shadows into jagged streaks of purple and pink.

Donnie's fingers flew over his T-Phone, his brows furrowed in concentration. "Guys, I think I've got something," he announced. "Doesn't match any authorized flight patterns. It's gotta be the Kraang ship."

Mikey's face lit up. "Ooooor Santa!" He leaned over, squinting at the screen—then immediately deflated. "Nope. It's the Kraang ship. Ugh, that's a bummer."

Before anyone could respond, a sudden blast from above rocked the Shellraiser, sending sparks flying as a Kraang laser barely missed their rear tires.

"Move it, Leo!" Raph barked, gripping the edge of his seat.

Leo clenched his jaw. "Hang on to your shells!" He yanked the wheel, sending the Shellraiser into a sharp turn as more laser fire rained down from above.

Mari, braced against the side of the vehicle, shot a glare at Donnie. "Tell me you have a plan."

Donnie, still scanning his screen, grimaced. "I think I've figured out its mission."

Leo shot him a look. "What is it?"

Donnie's voice was grim. "Us."

A beat of silence.

"Oh, shell," Cat muttered.

Leo's grip on the wheel tightened. "Mikey, we need an escape route! Now!"

Mikey frantically looked around before pointing at a narrow passage between two buildings. "Take the alley on the right!"

Leo didn't hesitate, veering into the alley—only to realize, too late, that Mikey's shortcut led straight into a brick wall.

"It's a dead end!" Leo shouted.

Mikey winced. "Don't take the alley on the right!"

Cat smacked his arm. "Mikey, why?!"

Before anyone could scream about their impending doom, another laser shot exploded just behind them, the heat vibrating through the vehicle.

"Any ideas?!" Leo barked.

"Just one," Raph muttered.

Before anyone could ask, he reached over and aggressively started knocking on Mikey's head.

Mari rolled her eyes. "Yes, clearly, this is how we solve the problem."

Then—

A motorcycle roared through the chaos.

A blur of motion—then Karai leaped from the speeding bike, her blade gleaming as she drove it straight into the ship's hull.

The Kraang inside the ship panicked, metallic voices crackling through the speakers. "That which is known as not good."

Sparks erupted from the ship's console as it swerved wildly through the air, struggling to regain control.

Leo's eyes widened. "That was Karai! We've gotta go back and help her!"

Raph scoffed, gripping the dashboard. "She can take care of herself! Let's put some distance between us and that thing!"

Mari, who had been quiet until now, shot him a sharp glare. "Yeah, 'cause clearly she's handling it great," she said sarcastically, nodding toward the ship where Karai was barely clinging on.

Leo shook his head, determination hardening his features. "No."

Donnie hesitated. "Leo, the Shellraiser can't take another onslaught right now—"

"Then I'll do it myself."

Before anyone could stop him, Leo flung open the side hatch and jumped into the go-kart.

Raph grumbled as he slid into the driver's seat. "Eh, the stealth bike's my thing."

Mari scoffed. "No. Your annoying ass temper is your thing."

Raph shot her a glare but didn't argue.

Leo peeled off, the go-kart's engine roaring as he shot down the street after Karai.

Meanwhile, Cat was clutching onto Mikey, eyes wide. "Should we be stopping him?! We should be stopping him!"

Mikey patted her head. "Nah, you gotta let Leo do his hero thing."

Up ahead, Karai was still clinging to the ship as it swerved violently, trying to shake her off. Her grip was slipping.

"This is so not fun!" Karai snarled, barely keeping hold of the blade embedded in the ship's frame.

Just as her fingers finally lost their grip, she tumbled toward the ground—

Leo accelerated.

In a split second, he twisted the wheel, bringing the kart to a screeching halt just in time to catch her.

They both breathed heavily as the ship spiraled erratically into the sky.

"You okay?" Leo asked.

Karai let out a breath, rolling her shoulders. "Yeah. Are you?"

Leo gave a small, tired smirk. "Fine."

She raised an eyebrow. "Not good at saying 'thank you,' by the way."

Leo tilted his head. "And?"

Karai shrugged. "That was it."

Before Leo could respond, the go-kart's camouflage system activated, rendering them invisible.

Above them, the Kraang ship hovered momentarily.

"Kraang will find them in a time which is a time that is sooner than a time that is later at that time that is later," one of the Kraang droned.

The ship veered off, disappearing into the night.

A moment later, Leo and Karai reappeared, still in the go-kart.

The Shellraiser rumbled to a stop inside the lair, its passengers exiting one by one.

Leo stepped out first. "We're back."

Raph took one look at Karai stepping out behind him and immediately stiffened.

"You brought her inside?!" Raph barked. "Dude, she'll see all our gear!"

Mari crossed her arms. "Yeah, because Shredder's gonna have a tactical advantage knowing we own a beanbag chair and an ice cream lamp."

As if on cue, Karai's eyes landed on said lamp, and she smirked. "Yeah, if Shredder finds out about this, it's over."

Cat gasped dramatically, shielding her beloved lamp with her arms. "Hey! It's art!"

Leo ignored her, stepping forward. "Karai just risked her life to save us. She's earned a little trust. Let's hear her out."

Raph huffed, folding his arms. "You're the boss."

Karai shrugged. "You guys need my help. You really think you can shoot down an alien warship with garbage?"

Donnie straightened. "Compressed garbage."

Mikey added, "And manhole covers."

Karai raised an eyebrow. "My point is, to take out a ship like that, you need a real weapon."

Raph scoffed. "Oh yeah? Like what?"

Karai's smirk deepened. "What if I got you a shoulder-fired missile launcher?"

Raph paused, eyes narrowing. "...I'm starting to like her."

Mari rolled her eyes. "That makes one of us."

Donnie blinked. "Where are you gonna get a shoulder-fired missile launcher?"

Karai's smirk didn't waver. "Shredder, of course."

Mikey's jaw dropped. "Uh, we're talking about the same Shredder, right? Big dude, lots of blades? Really hates us?"

Raph frowned. "Yeah, something tells me he's not gonna want to share his toys with us."

Karai waved off their concerns. "He won't know about it. He's buying a big shipment of weapons down at the docks tomorrow night. All we need to do is sneak in and help ourselves."

Leo eyed her carefully.

Mari scoffed. "Oh, yeah, 'cause trusting you has worked out so well for us in the past."

Karai exhaled, clearly trying not to snap. "Why would I trap you? You're the only ones who know what the Kraang are up to."

Donnie adjusted his glasses. "True, but you don't exactly have the best track record."

Karai sighed, crossing her arms. "Fine. I'll get you the missile launcher myself."

Leo studied her. "You're really willing to steal from Shredder?"

Karai's expression hardened. "Look, these things have to be stopped. If Shredder's not gonna do anything about it, then I will—with your help or without it."

Leo turned to his siblings, reading their reactions. Raph scowled, Mari looked skeptical, and Cat was staring at the floor like she wanted to be anywhere else.

Finally, he exhaled. "All right, here's the deal. You get us the missile launcher, and we'll team up."

Karai extended her hand.

Leo shook it firmly.

Mikey grinned excitedly. "Stoked! I can't believe we're getting a missile launcher!" He gasped dramatically. "What should we blow up first?"

Raph shot him a deadpan look. "Uh. The Kraang ship?"

Mikey blinked. "Oh, right." He tapped his chin. "What should we blow up second?"

Cat perked up, tilting her head in thought. "Ooh, what about that one billboard with the scary clown on it? The one that lights up at night?" She shuddered. "I swear it follows me."

Mikey pointed at her. "See? Now that's some solid tactical thinking."

Raph groaned. "You're both idiots."

Meanwhile, Donnie leaned against the workbench, a sly smirk creeping onto his face as he noticed Leo's expression. "Are you worried about your girlfriend? I see why you guys do that now. It's kinda fun."

Leo groaned. "It isn't gonna be easy. Shredder's gonna be there too."

Mari, who had been watching the conversation with crossed arms, raised an eyebrow. "So? What's stopping us from taking him out while we're there?"

Leo sighed. "Mari—"

"No, seriously," she cut in. "We sit around waiting for Shredder to come to us, and for what? A chance encounter? If we know where he's gonna be, why not use that to our advantage?"

Leo opened his mouth to argue, but before he could, Raph suddenly paused mid-punch against the heavy bag. His expression shifted as an idea formed.

"Hey, she's got a point," he said, turning to the others. "For once, we know where Shredder's gonna be ahead of time. Which means..." He grinned. "We could set a trap for him."

Leo's eyes widened. "What? Look, we made a deal with Karai. We can't just go behind her back. This is about that Kraang ship. They want to take us out. So does Shredder."

Mari scoffed. "Karai's not exactly the most trustworthy person to begin with, so forgive me if I don't really care about breaking promises with her."

Cat, however, looked more hesitant. "Uh, yeah, but... isn't that kinda bad? Like, we're technically making a deal to work together and then... not doing that?" She tapped her chin. "Wouldn't that make us the bad guys?"

Mari rolled her eyes. "It's Shredder, Cat."

"Yeah, but it feels bad!" Cat insisted.

Mikey patted her head. "Morally gray area. You'll get used to it."

Leo looked between his siblings, his mind racing.

Then, his decision was made.

"All right, guys," he said firmly. "Let's take down the Shredder."

High above the dockyard, the turtles crouched atop a stack of cargo boxes, their shadows blending seamlessly into the night. Their eyes were locked on their target—Shredder.

Donnie adjusted the sights on his electro-grenade launcher. "Aim for his armor. The metal will act as a conductor and amplify the shock."

Mikey blinked. "How much of that did I need to understand?"

Donnie sighed. "Aim. For. His. Armor."

Mikey grinned. "Got it."

Raph scoffed. "You sure we should trust Mikey with this?"

Leo smirked. "When it comes to water balloon launchers, he's the best in the business."

Cat, who had been watching the whole time, tilted her head. "Wait—this isn't a water balloon launcher, right? 'Cause I feel like that would be a bad idea."

Mari groaned. "Cat, focus."

Mikey pulled back the launcher, taking aim.

"Booyakasha, ShredHead!"

Across the docks, Karai, standing at the ready, caught sight of the incoming grenade. Her eyes widened. No!

In a blur, she dived toward Shredder, tackling him to the ground just as the grenade sailed through the air. It missed, instead hitting the car behind them—sending Ivan flying with an electrified scream.

Raph's jaw clenched. "Are you kidding me?"

Mikey groaned. "I do not understand that woman."

Before they could recalibrate—

Leo shouted, "Incoming!"

A bazooka blast erupted from below, shattering the cargo box beneath them. The turtles crashed hard onto the pavement, barely rolling away in time.

Cat let out a panicked squeak as she scrambled to her feet. "I do not like falling from high places!"

Mari, already back in a battle stance, shot her a look. "Then land better!"

Raph groaned. "Well, this can't get much worse."

Donnie, frantically checking his radar, froze. "Uh... the Kraang ship? It's nearby."

As if on cue, the scout ship emerged from the clouds, its ominous mechanical hum filling the air.

The Kraang's eerie monotone voice rang out. "Kraang's speculation of finding the ones known as turtles sooner rather than later has proven to be correct. Kraang rules."

Leo's instincts kicked in. "Fall back, guys!"

Donnie nodded quickly. "No argument here!"

But Shredder wasn't about to let them escape.

The Foot Clan's master stepped forward, metal claws unsheathing with a lethal hiss. His piercing gaze locked onto Leo, voice like ice.

"Tell me where Splinter is," he growled, "and I will let you live long enough to watch him perish."

A shadow loomed above them.

Leo cursed under his breath. "That thing again? Great timing."

Shredder barely acknowledged the incoming Kraang assault. Instead, he launched himself forward, slashing through the air with deadly precision.

Leo and Raph barely dodged, rolling to opposite sides.

Mari jumped in without hesitation, intercepting Shredder's next strike with her tanto. The impact rattled her arms, but she gritted her teeth and held her ground.

"Come on, big guy," she taunted. "That all you got?"

Shredder's response was a brutal kick to her side, sending her skidding across the pavement.

Cat's eyes widened. "Oh no, oh no—"

She darted forward, pulling Mari to her feet just in time for another attack to narrowly miss them.

Shredder seized a massive shipping container, pried open its heavy metal doors, and hurled it toward them.

Leo's eyes darted to his siblings. Use it!

"Come on!" he shouted.

The turtles sprang into action. With a well-timed maneuver, they kicked the container doors closed—trapping Shredder inside.

The loud CLANG echoed across the docks.

Cat blinked. "Wait... did that actually work?"

But the victory was short-lived.

A blade suddenly tore through the metal walls, slicing the locks apart like they were paper.

The doors burst open with a powerful kick, sending the turtles stumbling backward.

Shredder stepped out, unharmed, his piercing eyes locked onto them.

Donnie paled. "Uh... we'll catch up with you later!"

With that, they turned and bolted toward the city as the Kraang ship loomed above, preparing its next strike.

The docks echoed with the clash of steel, the hum of Kraang technology, and the heavy breaths of warriors locked in battle. The rain-soaked pavement glistened under the flickering lights of the burning wreckage.

Across from Leo, Karai stood with her wakizashi raised, her golden eyes burning with fury.

"I thought you were better than this," she spat. "I thought you were my friend. How could you betray me?"

Leo's grip on his swords tightened. "Karai, you're the one protecting Shredder! You said yourself how bad he is. How he's driving you crazy!"

Karai's expression darkened, her fingers curling around the hilt of her blade. "He does drive me crazy..." Her voice wavered for a split second before steel hardened her tone. "Because he's my father."

Leo's entire world tilted.

"Your father?!" His voice cracked. "Shredder is your father? You're—Shredder's daughter?!"

Karai's jaw clenched, but before she could respond—

A blinding laser blast tore through the battlefield.

The explosion sent both of them diving in opposite directions, tumbling across the asphalt. Smoke billowed between them, and when Leo looked up—Karai's glare was sharper than her blade.

Her fingers tightened around her sword. "Our deal's off."

Leo barely had time to react before she lunged at him.

"You want a feud?" Karai hissed, slashing at him. "You've got one."

Meanwhile, amidst the towering cargo containers, the rest of the turtles faced off against Shredder.

Shurikens sliced through the air, bouncing harmlessly off his armor as he stood unwavering, waiting for their move.

Raph charged first, meeting Shredder's blade in a violent clash of sparks. He pushed forward, muscles straining, but Shredder barely budged.

With a swift counter, Shredder redirected the attack, twisting Raph's arm before striking him hard in the gut.

Raph grunted in pain as he was sent flying backward, crashing against a shipping crate.

Mikey seized the opening, spinning forward with his nunchucks.

Shredder was faster.

He sidestepped, grabbed Mikey mid-strike, and delivered a vicious kick to his chest.

Mikey soared through the air, crashing onto the pavement with a groan.

Donnie, seeing his brothers fall, sprang into action.

He wall-jumped off a container, spinning mid-air, bo staff raised high.

He aimed for Shredder's head—

But Shredder was too quick.

He slid backward, avoiding the strike entirely before sweeping his leg outward.

Donnie's feet were ripped out from under him.

He hit the ground hard, sliding back—Raph and Mikey barely catching him before he could crash into another container.

Cat moved next, fast and precise.

She wasn't reckless—she knew she wasn't as strong as Shredder, so she went for speed, striking low with her tessen fans before feinting to the side.

For a second, it worked—Shredder had to shift his weight.

Then his claws lashed toward her face.

She barely twisted away, backflipping to dodge a fatal hit—but his kick caught her mid-air.

She skidded across the pavement, gasping as she rolled back to her feet.

Before Shredder could finish her off, Mari was already moving.

Her tanto flashed under the dock lights as she struck fast and hard, her attacks a flurry of relentless aggression.

Unlike the others, she didn't wait for an opening.

She made one.

Her blades clashed against his gauntlets, and for the first time, Shredder actually had to block.

For a moment—just a moment— she held her own.

Then he changed tactics.

Instead of dodging, he absorbed the next strike and then lunged.

Mari's eyes widened—she had no time to react.

His claws ripped through her side.

Pain exploded.

She stumbled, vision blurring, blood spilling onto the pavement.

"Mari!" Cat's voice cut through the chaos.

Her knees nearly buckled.

Shredder moved to finish her—

Leo and Karai continued to clash blades on the other side of the dock, dodging Kraang laser fire as they fought.

Leo gritted his teeth, barely blocking another of Karai's strikes.

"This isn't going to change anything!" he yelled.

Karai ignored him, her blade flashing dangerously close to his face.

A Kraang laser struck the ground between them, forcing them apart.

His eyes landed on the bazooka Karai had stolen for them—still lying near the wrecked cargo.

Ignoring Karai's next attack, Leo darted toward it.

Karai hesitated for only a moment before following, but she wasn't fast enough.

Leo grabbed the bazooka, aimed at the hovering Kraang scout ship.

The Kraang inside the cockpit twitched.

"This is definitely known as not good."

Leo pulled the trigger.

A massive explosion erupted in the sky as the missile struck the ship dead-on.

Flames burst from the cockpit, and the Kraang ship spiraled out of control, crashing into the docks in a fireball.

For a second, everything was silent.

Then Karai attacked again.

Leo barely twisted out of the way, raising his swords in defense.

"Karai—!"

"Enough!" she snapped, swinging wildly. "You betrayed me!"

Then—

A violent splash echoed from the docks.

Leo and Karai both turned just in time to see Shredder plummeting into the ocean below.

Karai's face fell.

"Father!"

She didn't hesitate—diving in after him.

Leo exhaled sharply, his chest heaving.

He barely registered the rest of the turtles scrambling to regroup.

"Mari's hurt!" Cat's panicked voice cut through the night.

Leo whipped around.

For the first time, he saw the blood.

Mari clutching her side, breath ragged, her hand slick with crimson.

Mikey pressed a hand against the wound, trying to slow the bleeding.

"Stay awake, Mari. C'mon, you got this."

Raph hovered over them, his expression dark.

"We need to go. Now."

Leo took one last look at the ocean, where Karai and Shredder had vanished beneath the waves.

The battle was over.

But they hadn't won.

The sewers were eerily quiet, save for the rushing water and hurried footsteps. The turtles moved fast, navigating the tunnels with urgency.

Leo led the way, his grip on his swords tight, mind racing.

"Keep up," Leo called over his shoulder. "We're almost there."

"Yeah, not exactly taking a scenic route here," Raph grumbled, supporting Mari with one arm.

She was pale. Too pale.

Mikey stayed close, one hand still pressed against the gash on Mari's side. His usual carefree attitude was gone. "Just hang in there, Mari," he said, voice strained. "You're gonna be fine."

Mari let out a breathless chuckle. "Mikey, I'm fine. It's not like I'm dying."

"Bleeding out is a little dying," Donnie muttered.

"Super helpful, Don," Raph snapped.

Cat was unusually quiet, her eyes darting anxiously between Mari and the path ahead. She looked worried. More worried than she usually did during missions.

She was scared.

"Shouldn't we stop and let Don patch her up?" she finally asked, her voice small.

"No time," Leo said. "We get back to the lair first, then Donnie does his thing."

Mikey scoffed. "Oh sure, let's make sure she's comfortable before she dies."

"We need to get to his supplies," Leo snaps.

Mari let out a sharp groan as she stumbled, and Raph tightened his grip on her.

"Don't—" Mari gritted her teeth. "Don't you dare carry me."

"You are literally bleeding out," Raph shot back.

"I can still walk," she muttered, shoving weakly at his arm.

Leo's fingers curled into a tight fist.

He had let it happen.

Mari gritted her teeth through the pain. "You guys are overreacting—"

"Yeah, 'cause nearly getting gutted is totally normal," Raph muttered.

Mari tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a pained wheeze.

Cat suddenly stopped walking.

"I—"

She was shaking.

"I don't—" she swallowed.

Donnie looked over. "Cat—?"

She took a breath and shoved her fear down.

"I just—we need to move faster."

Leo nodded. "Then let's move."

They ran.

The lair wasn't far. But to Leo, it felt like miles.

The moment they burst through the entrance, Donnie was already barking orders.

"Raph, set her down on the table! Mikey, get me the med kit—no, the actual med kit, not whatever you think is a med kit!"

Mikey yelped and dropped the roll of duct tape he had grabbed. "How was I supposed to know you didn't mean—"

"Mikey!" Leo snapped.

Mikey was already running.

Raph set Mari down as gently as he could, but she still winced.

"You are so dramatic," she muttered again.

"Yeah, yeah, shut up and let Donnie do his thing."

Leo stood at the table's edge, jaw clenched.

Splinter appeared from the shadows. His expression was unreadable, but Leo didn't miss the way his gaze lingered on Mari's wound.

"What happened?" Splinter asked, voice calm, but firm.

Leo exhaled. "Shredder."

There was a long pause.

Splinter nodded slowly.

Leo was grateful he didn't say anything else.

Donnie worked fast, his hands steady despite the stress.

"Good news," he said, focused on Mari's wound. "You're not dying."

"Oh, good," Mari said dryly. "Here I was, thinking this was a great time to go."

Donnie gave her a look. "Bad news, you're grounded. No fighting until this heals."

Mari groaned. "That's so lame."

"You're bleeding, Mari," Donnie deadpanned.

"Yeah, well, I was fighting, Donnie."

Cat finally spoke up.

"You got hurt."

Her voice was quiet, barely above a whisper.

Mari blinked.

Cat's hands were gripping the edge of the table, like she was trying to stop them from shaking.

Mari sighed. "I'm fine, Cat."

"You're not fine!" Cat's voice cracked. "You almost—"

She stopped herself. Took a breath.

Mari hesitated.

"I'm okay," she said, softer this time.

Cat didn't look at her.

Leo watched the exchange carefully.

Then—

"What happened out there?" Splinter's voice cut through the room.

Leo turned to him.

Everyone was watching him now.

Waiting.

Expecting.

Leo swallowed the frustration building in his chest. He didn't wanna talk about how they betrayed Karai, how she was Shredder's daughter, how Mari got hurt…

But he had to. So he straightened. And he told Splinter everything.

The lair was suffocatingly silent.

Splinter stood before them, his expression unreadable, but the weight of his disappointment hung over them like a storm cloud. His gaze swept across the room, lingering on each of them before he finally spoke.

"You have all acted foolishly."

His voice was calm, but heavy.

"You allowed your arrogance and recklessness to dictate your actions," he continued. "You disobeyed direct orders. You engaged in a battle you were not prepared for. And as a result, you nearly lost one of your own."

No one spoke.

Mari, despite the bandages wrapped tightly around her torso, sat still. She should've been sore, exhausted, feeling the weight of everything that had happened. But instead, she just set her jaw, arms crossed, looking like she was ready for another fight.

"It was my idea," she finally admitted.

Her voice was steady.

"I thought it was our best chance, so I went for it. I messed up."

Splinter's eyes flickered to her, unreadable.

Before he could respond, Raph scoffed, arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Yeah? Well, I agreed," he said. "I backed her up. I thought it was a good plan, too."

Mari turned to him, brows furrowing slightly.

Splinter studied them both.

Then Leo took a step forward.

"As leader," he said firmly, "I gave the order."

That caught everyone's attention.

Leo stood tall, meeting Splinter's gaze without hesitation. "I could've stopped it. I could've said no. But I didn't." His fists clenched. "So this is on me, too."

The room was thick with tension.

Then—

"I don't care whose fault it was," Cat's voice cracked.

They turned to her.

She had been quiet the whole time, standing off to the side, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. But now—now her eyes were red, her shoulders trembling just slightly.

"You almost—" she swallowed. "Mari, you almost died."

Mari opened her mouth, but Cat shook her head.

"You're acting like it's fine! Like it's just another fight, like we're just gonna move on like nothing happened!" Her voice wavered. "I don't want to move on! I don't wanna act like it's okay, 'cause it's not!"

The room was still.

Mari's grip on her arm tightened.

Mikey shifted beside Cat, worry written all over his face. His usual bright energy was gone. Instead, his hands fidgeted, his mouth pressed into a thin line.

"Cat's right," he said, voice uncharacteristically quiet. "That was way too close. I thought—" He hesitated. "I thought we were gonna lose you."

Mari stiffened.

She turned to Donnie, expecting him to say something dismissive, something logical to calm everyone down.

But Donnie's face was set in a rare expression of frustration.

"You almost died," he muttered. "And you're brushing it off."

Mari inhaled sharply. "I'm not—"

"Yes, you are," Raph suddenly snapped.

Everyone turned to him.

His hands were shaking. His jaw was clenched so tight it looked painful.

"You're sitting there, all beat up, acting like it's nothing!" His voice rose with every word. "Like we didn't all just watch you go down! Like I didn't have to carry you back while you were bleeding all over the place!"

Mari froze.

His hands curled into fists.

"You scared the hell out of us, Mari!" he shouted.

And just like that—Raph turned away.

He ran a hand down his face, breathing hard.

Mari didn't know what to say.

No one did.

Splinter exhaled through his nose, breaking the silence.

"You are all responsible for this," he said. "And you will learn from it. Because if you do not..." His gaze swept over them, firm, unwavering. "Next time, you may not have the chance to regret it."

And with that, he turned.

"Rest. You will need your strength for what comes next."

One by one, the team drifted away, the weight of the night pressing down on them.

Mari stayed behind for a second longer, staring at the ground, mind spinning.

Then—she quietly stood up and walked away.

This wasn't over.

Not even close.