The city was alive beneath them, glowing in the warm light of street lamps and neon signs. High above it all, on rooftops stretching across New York, six figures ran, leapt, and laughed, their voices echoing in the night. Their victory against the Kraang had left them feeling invincible, untouchable—heroes in the shadows.

"And then I took my sai and shortened that Kraang droid's skull," Raph bragged, grinning as he mimicked the motion of his attack. "Wham!"

Leo smirked. "So cool!"

Donnie, ever the skeptic, rolled his eyes. "Sure, Raph. But I used my uncanny scientific knowledge to bring down an interdimensional portal. Equally as awesome."

Cat, running alongside Mikey, gasped dramatically. "But did any of you—" she paused for effect, flipping her tessen open, "—look good while doing it? Because I did."

Raph scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, good job posing while we did all the work."

Mari rolled her eyes from her spot ahead of them. "Please, we all know I carried this mission."

Mikey, bouncing on his heels as they ran, suddenly gasped in realization. "And let's not forget the cottage cheese demon! If we didn't stuff him in that microwave, the earth would be drowned in living cheese!"

Raph groaned, rubbing his temples. "For the twenty-second time, Mikey—there was no cottage cheese demon! Ever!"

Mikey, unbothered, grinned. "Did you see him?"

"No!"

"Then how do you know, huh?"

Raph opened his mouth, then shut it again. He exhaled sharply. "What? I—that doesn't even make—" He sighed, shaking his head. "Sure, man. Cheese demon. Whatever you say."

Leo lifted his chin, standing tall on the ledge of the nearest building. "We are awesome!"

Donnie suddenly yelped as Mikey tackled him in an overenthusiastic high-three.

The team laughed, cheering and bumping fists, soaking in the moment.

"Month-long Kraang/Shredder mega-defeat celebration rules!" Mikey declared, throwing his arms in the air.

Donnie, slightly breathless, recovered his composure. "So... are we gonna stop by April's? We're exactly 1.3 blocks and seven—no, no—seven and a half meters away from her apartment."

Raph scoffed. "Yeah, that's not weird or anything, Donnie."

Regardless of Raph's teasing, the team arrived at April's fire escape soon after. Donnie knocked eagerly on her window, plastering on his most charming smile.

"Handsome-gram for April O'Neil!"

Raph groaned. "Did you really just say that?"

Mari crossed her arms, smirking. "I'm impressed, honestly. I didn't think you had the guts to embarrass yourself that badly."

The window slid open, and April peeked out, her expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. "Guys! Um... great to see you!" Her smile faltered slightly. "Yeah, uh... you mind staying on the fire escape?"

Leo frowned. "Seems like you've been avoiding us lately, April."

April sighed. "It's not my fault. Dad's alien abduction nightmares are getting worse. He's so freaked out, he won't let me out at night."

Behind her, Kirby O'Neil shuffled into view, his expression tense and haunted. "I'm sorry, April," he said quietly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "It's just—what if the Kraang are still out there? Waiting? Lurking? I'll do anything to protect you."

April turned to him, her frustration evident. "Dad. I can take care of myself now. And—and I'll be with the turtles! I couldn't be more safe!"

Mikey puffed out his chest. "Trust us, Mr. O'Neil! Shredder and those little squishy brain-freaks are long gone!"

Cat nodded eagerly. "Yeah, they wouldn't dare come back! Not with us around."

Kirby didn't look convinced.

Mari leaned against the railing, watching him carefully. "Look, I get it," she admitted. "But April's strong. She's been through worse. We're not gonna let anything happen to her."

Kirby's gaze flickered between them all before he sighed, rubbing his forehead.

The lair was alive with energy, the remnants of their victory still crackling in the air. Mikey darted across the space, grinning wildly.

"Ah! Ninja dodgeball! Whoo! Missed me again, Leo! Ha!"

Leo narrowed his eyes, catching the orb mid-air. He spun and hurled it forward.

"Eat this!"

Raph intercepted the throw, snatching the orb with a smirk. "Stick it in your shell!"

The Kraang communication orb—an alien device they had collected from their last mission—bounced wildly across the lair, ricocheting off a tire, a game console, and nearly hitting the window.

Cat squeaked as it narrowly missed her, throwing her arms over her head. "Hey! Watch the face! It's my best feature!"

"Debatable," Mari muttered as she leaned against the couch, arms crossed.

April stepped in, expertly dodging the flying orb while balancing two pizza boxes. "Nice to see you guys are taking the whole 'saving the world' thing seriously."

Meanwhile, Donnie was at his lab station, peering into the containment unit that held Mutagen Man.

"And now..." he muttered, adjusting a dial, "let's test our bottled friend's organs."

The orb continued its chaotic path, finally bouncing off Metalhead with a sharp clang.

Raph smirked. "Ha! You're out, Leo!"

Leo scoffed. "It doesn't count on a bounce."

Donnie suddenly whipped around, his expression horrified as he caught the orb mid-air. "What are you guys doing?!"

Mikey grinned. "Playing dodgeball, fool!" The orb immediately rebounded and hit him square in the stomach. He wheezed, doubling over.

Cat stifled a laugh. "That looked painful."

"Good," Mari muttered, watching Mikey crumble.

Donnie glared at them all. "With the Kraang communication orb? This is a rare and fragile piece of alien tech! You cannot just—"

Raph waved him off. "Eh, don't get your shell undies in a tangle, Donnie. The Kraang are toast."

Mikey clapped Donnie on the shoulder. "Yeah, lighten up, dude. This is a party!"

Cat nodded enthusiastically.

Splinter's voice cut through their laughter like a blade.

"My children."

And that was the end of that.

The room fell silent.

Splinter stepped forward, his eyes sweeping across them with quiet authority. "I know you are still joyously reveling in the defeat of our enemies, but a great question remains."

Mikey raised his hand. "Ooh! What if cupcakes could talk?"

Splinter didn't even blink.

"Are our enemies truly defeated?"

The weight of his words settled over them like a heavy fog.

"The Shredder is a crafty and patient foe who bides his time."

Leo frowned. "But, Sensei, you said Shredder lost whatever sense of honor he had left. We'd never see him again."

Raph crossed his arms. "Yeah, and if he does show up, we got it all taken care of."

Splinter's eyes darkened. "Tomaru."

The single word cut through any remaining smugness.

"You six have become lazy. Overconfident. You shirk your training." His voice was firm, unwavering. "This party ends. Now."

The turtles exchanged glances, deflating.

Mikey sighed. "Well, that was kinda harsh."

Leo hesitated. "Maybe Master Splinter's right. Maybe we are getting too cocky."

Mari shot him a dry look. "Oh, now you think that?"

Raph snorted. "Ha! It's not cockiness when you got the skills to kick massive—"

A sudden bleep from the communication orb silenced him.

April's eyes widened. "That thing's working again?"

Donnie's fingers tightened around the orb. "It's been quiet for weeks... It must have received an incoming signal." His voice dropped, his mind already working a hundred miles per hour. "Which can mean only one thing."

Mikey gasped. "Cupcakes can talk!"

Leo's jaw clenched. "The Kraang are back."

Mikey groaned. "I guess the party really is over."

Cat swallowed nervously. "So... do we have to check it out? I mean, what if it's just—" She gestured vaguely. "I don't know, an accidental ping?"

Mari gave her a pointed look. "You wanna take that chance?"

Cat groaned. "No."

"Then let's get moving."

In the dimly lit lab, Donnie hunched over his console, eyes flicking rapidly between lines of alien script and the radar display on the screen. The Kraang's encryption was complex—annoyingly so—but he was making progress. He tapped furiously at the keys, muttering under his breath.

Mari sat on the edge of a workbench, one leg swinging lazily. "You look like you're about to explode."

"Because I'm about to explode," Donnie snapped, not looking up. "The encryption's tough to crack, but it seems like the Kraang are transporting some kind of cargo." His brow furrowed as he traced the signal further. "And they're using the stealth ship."

Leo stiffened. "We've gotta find out what that cargo is."

Raph scoffed. "Yeah? And how do we track a ship that turns completely invisible?"

Mikey gasped dramatically. "Ooh! We cover it in honey so it attracts bees. Then we follow the bees!"

Silence.

Donnie slowly turned to him, face unreadable. "Or," he said flatly, "we track it with this." He pulled up a diagram on the screen, showing a pulsating web of signals stretching across the city. "It's aligned to the radar dishes we placed throughout New York. It'll create a triangulating pulse—"

Raph groaned. "English, Professor Brainioff."

Mari sighed. "It means it'll make the invisible ship not invisible, dumbass."

Donnie pointed at her. "Thank you."

Raph smirked. "See? So much easier."

Donnie rolled his eyes before turning to April, who was perched on the edge of the workbench, arms crossed. "April, can you stake out a rooftop and feed us the ship's coordinates?"

April hesitated. "Me? I don't know anything about radar!"

Cat, who had been sitting quietly with her legs tucked under her, perked up. "Oh, but you're really good at looking through binoculars! That's basically the same thing, right?"

April raised an eyebrow. "That is not the same thing."

Leo thought for a moment. "What about your dad?"

April's face fell. "My dad? He barely lets me out of the house anymore. He's never gonna go for this."

Donnie's expression softened. "Please, April. Your dad's a scientist. We really need his help."

April sighed, rubbing her temples. "Fine. I'll... I'll see what I can do."

She turned and left, muttering something under her breath.

Raph cracked his knuckles. "Bigger question—how do we stop that ship? We'll need something fast to catch it."

Donnie's face lit up. "Oh-ho-ho, I thought you might say that."

With a flourish, he gestured dramatically to the latest addition to his technological arsenal.

"The T-Rocket!"

The others turned to see a sleek, compact rocket-like vehicle sitting in the corner of the lab. Leo, Raph, Mikey, and Mari exchanged glances.

Mari blinked. "That thing's gonna kill us."

Raph raised an unimpressed brow. "You want us to fly in that? Where are we going—Jupiter?"

Mikey gasped in delight. "Jupiter! But that place is infested with space yeast!"

Leo shook his head. "Time's up, team. We'd better move." He tapped his earpiece. "April, you guys in position?"

Cat hesitated. "Wait... we're actually using that thing?"

Donnie grinned. "Buckle up."

Donnie's fingers flew across the console. "Coordinates locked!"

Raph groaned, gripping his seat tightly. "If we explode, I swear I'll slap the green off you."

Mari, seated behind him, scoffed. "Like you're gonna have time for that when we're already dead."

Cat, hugging her arms, whimpered. "I don't like this plan anymore."

Leo steeled his expression. "Launch!"

Donnie slammed the button.

The T-Rocket roared to life, its engines firing as the team was blasted into the sky. The force pressed them into their seats before the vehicle leveled out, launching them high above the city.

Mari clenched the armrests. "I hate this. I hate this."

"You're doing great," Mikey grinned at her.

"I haven't done anything yet!" she snapped.

They soared through the darkness, climbing rapidly. Then, with a sudden jerk—

The side doors opened.

The team tumbled out, their wing gliders snapping into place.

"WHOOOO-HOOO!" Mikey whooped.

"YAH!"

"HELP!" Cat screeched as she flailed in midair.

Mari, in a rare moment of panic, yelped, "I swear if I die like this—!"

They crashed into something solid.

Leo groaned, pushing himself up. "I think... we found the ship."

Inside the invisible Kraang scout ship, the team crept through the metallic corridors. The low hum of alien machinery vibrated beneath their feet, the strange, shifting walls making it feel like the entire ship was breathing.

Cat shivered. "I hate this."

"Good. That means you're alert," Mari whispered back.

A trio of Kraang soldiers hovered just ahead, their voices droning in monotone unison.

"It is the ones who call themselves the turtles. Kraang. We must alert Kraang."

Raph cracked his knuckles. "Hah! Three little floating blobs of brains? That's it? We could take these guys in our sleep."

Mikey grinned. "We could take these guys in our sleep and with our eyes closed!" He turned to the Kraang, dramatically shutting his eyes. "Watch this!"

A deep, metallic thud echoed through the ship.

The team froze.

A massive shadow shifted through the mist.

Then—it stepped forward.

A towering ape-like machine, its frame glistening with alien alloys. Its headless body stood motionless, waiting.

Mikey gulped. "Aw, sewer apples."

Cat let out a strangled noise. "That is so much worse than I expected!"

Raph's smirk faltered. "Uh... where's its head?"

The Kraang soldiers suddenly ascended, floating toward the top of the robotic body.

One of them inserted itself into the head socket.

"Biotroid, engage."

A sharp whir filled the air.

With a mechanical roar, the Biotroid sprang to life, its massive saws bursting from its chest.

Leo's eyes widened. "Okay—maybe we were a little cocky."

The Biotroid lunged.

The ship rocked violently as the battle unfolded.

The Biotroid's chainsaws lashed out, narrowly missing Raph as he rolled aside. Mikey dodged a strike, only to be grabbed by a mechanical vine and flung across the room.

The alien beast swiped at Donnie, forcing him to stumble back. The movement activated something—

A nearby container of mutagen teetered precariously.

Leo's stomach dropped. "The shipment! It's mutag—"

He was hit before he could finish.

Mikey scrambled toward the control panel, kicking a Kraang soldier. His attack sent the hatch flying open.

The Biotroid thrashed wildly, flinging Raph and Mari into a stack of containers.

The impact knocked the entire shipment loose.

Leo barely had time to register what happened before Cat, panicking, rushed forward in an attempt to help—only for her foot to catch on a fallen Kraang blaster.

She pitched forward straight into one of the stacked containers.

The force of her impact sent the entire shipment tipping.

"NO, NO, NO!" Donnie shouted as the vials began to slide.

Thousands of silver canisters tumbled out of the ship, glowing mutagen raining down over the entire city.

A sickening silence followed.

Then—

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" Raph turned, furious, pointing accusingly at Mikey, Donnie, and Cat. "You three are the biggest screw-ups EVER!"

Cat flinched. "I—I was trying to—"

"Oh, yeah? Trying to what, Cat?" Raph snapped, eyes blazing. "Destroy the whole city?! 'Cause you did a real bang-up job with that!"

"It was an accident!" Cat's voice cracked, but Raph wasn't letting up.

"Of course it was an accident," he spat. "It's always an accident with you!"

"Raph, not now!" Leo snapped, yanking him back before the argument could get worse.

Mari, meanwhile, just groaned in frustration, rubbing her temples. "Of course it was her," she muttered. "Why am I not even surprised?"

Cat shrunk back, guilt twisting in her stomach. She knew she messed up, but hearing Mari say it out loud just made it worse.

"Kraang, the console that is broken must be made unbroken!" a Kraang soldier droned.

The ship lurched again, alarms blaring as the Kraang scrambled to repair the damage.

"Drop those Kraang!" Donnie ordered.

"Done and done!" Mikey replied, trying to shake off Raph's words. He hurled ninja stars, knocking the Kraang droids from their stations.

"Kraaaaang!" the aliens screeched as they were tossed aside.

Donnie followed up, swinging his bo staff and slamming more of the Kraang out of the way. He quickly took control of the ship, gripping the controls tightly.

"Left!" Donnie grunted, shifting the ship's trajectory.

The sudden movement sent the turtles, swaying violently inside the ship.

"How about we set a new course?" Donnie suggested, a glint of mischief in his eyes. "Like, say... the moon?"

"Yah!" He yanked the controls, tilting the ship upward.

Leo wasted no time. He lunged at the Biotroid, katana flashing, and drove his blade deep into its core. The machine spasmed, sparks flying, before collapsing under its own weight.

A deep, shuddering boom rumbled through the ship.

It was going down.

"We gotta go!" Leo shouted.

Without hesitation, the turtles jumped out, deploying their grappling hooks just in time.

Cat hesitated.

Her hands trembled, her breath short. She could still hear Raph's words, Mari's frustration.

She had messed up.

"Cat, MOVE!" Mari grabbed her wrist and shoved her toward the escape hatch.

Together, they dove out of the ship.

The moment they cleared it, the entire Kraang scout ship exploded in a massive fireball.

They swung through the air, landing hard on a rooftop—only to be met with a horrifying sight.

April stood frozen, her face pale as she stared up.

A massive bat-like creature screeched above them, its wings casting an ominous shadow over the city.

April stood frozen, staring at the massive mutant bat that loomed before her.

Leo's grip on his swords tightened. "Let's move!"

They surged forward, weapons drawn, but April quickly threw her hands up. "NO! Don't hurt him!"

They skidded to a halt, confusion flashing across their faces. Before they could react, the bat swooped past them, its massive wings whipping through the air. In a blink, it grabbed April and soared into the sky.

"April!" Donnie cried out, his stomach twisting.

Mari's eyes widened in horror as she stepped forward instinctively, but the bat was already disappearing into the night.

Raph clenched his fists. "Argh! Can this night get any worse?"

Leo's gaze dropped to the rooftop. A shattered canister of mutagen oozed across the concrete. His jaw tightened.

"Guys," he said slowly, "I think that mutant was Mr. O'Neil."

Raph scoffed. "How could you tell?"

Leo shot him a look. "You see many giant, red-bearded, middle-aged bats lately?"

Cat let out a nervous laugh, but it died instantly when Mari shot her a glare. Her stomach churned with guilt.

Donnie didn't hesitate. "We gotta go after her!"

"But what about all that mutagen?" Raph argued. "We've got canisters spread all over the city!"

Leo shook his head. "It's gonna have to wait, Raph. April's dad comes first."

As the team took off, Mari lingered for a moment, her fists clenched. She shot Cat one last frustrated glare before running ahead.

Cat hesitated, staring at the broken canister.

She swallowed hard and hurried after them.

Back at the lair, tension ran high. Donnie paced frantically, his fingers twitching as he muttered under his breath.

"I can't think, I can't think! I'm seriously stressing here!" His breath came in quick, shallow gasps. "Okay, think calm thoughts. Think calm thoughts."

Mari sat on a crate nearby, arms crossed, her expression brooding. Cat stood awkwardly behind Mikey, clearly trying not to be noticed.

"You should be stressing," Mari muttered. "If we don't fix this, April will never forgive us."

Cat flinched at the sharpness in her tone. She already knew she screwed up. She didn't need Mari to rub it in.

Mikey, as always, was no help. "You think he's a vampire? Ya think he'll drink her blood and turn her into the undead?"

Donnie whipped around, his eyes wild. "Are you TRYING to freak me out?!"

Leo stepped forward, trying to keep his voice even. "Sensei, say we're, um, trying to catch a stray pet. Like a cat."

Splinter raised an eyebrow. "A cat?"

"Or maybe a... a parrot?" Leo continued awkwardly. "What's the best strategy?"

Splinter sighed, his expression unreadable. "Food, of course. Any animal can be lured by food. So, what is this truly about?"

Leo hesitated. "Uh, trying to—"

Raph cut in quickly. "Um, nothing, Sensei. Just talking about parrots like we usually do."

Mari huffed. "Real smooth, guys."

Leo exhaled sharply, turning back to his brothers. "Food! It's so simple, it's brilliant! What do bats eat?"

Donnie straightened, momentarily distracted by the question. "Rodents and other small invertebrates. Oh yeah, and bugs. The bigger the better."

Mikey's eyes lit up with excitement. "So where are we gonna find a huge bug? Dress up some sorry sucker in a giant fly costume?"

Everyone turned to look at Cat.

Her eyes widened in horror. "Wait—what?!"

The plan was simple—lure Kirby into the warehouse and trap him. But for the plan to work, they needed bait. And unfortunately for Cat, that meant her.

She stood on the rooftop, arms stiff at her sides as she fidgeted in her makeshift bug costume. The flimsy wings attached to her back fluttered in the breeze, and the antenna headband kept slipping down into her eyes.

"I—I really don't like this," she stammered, glancing at her siblings for reassurance.

Mari snorted from where she leaned against the rooftop's ledge, arms crossed. "You'll live."

Cat shot her a betrayed look. "I could die."

Mikey grinned and gave her a thumbs-up. "C'mon, Cat! Think of it as your superhero origin story! You could be... uh... Turflytle's sidekick!"

Cat's eyes widened. "Wait, no—"

"Buzzkitten!" Mikey announced proudly. "Buzzy and brave!"

Cat gulped. "I'm not brave."

"Sure you are! Now say the catchphrase!"

She blinked at him. "What catchphrase?"

Mikey smirked. "The one that goes: 'Buzz, buzz, I ain't afraid of nothin'!'"

Cat groaned, her fingers digging into the rope tied around her waist. "I am afraid of something! I'm afraid of this!"

Raph, standing beside her, rolled his eyes. "You're fine, Cat. It's not like we're throwing you into a pit of snakes."

Cat whined. "Snakes would be worse, but this is still bad!"

Mari scoffed. "Oh my god, stop whining. It's not like you have to fight it."

Leo sighed. "We don't have time for this. Mikey, get her moving."

"On it!" Mikey saluted, then grabbed the rope attached to Cat's harness and yanked.

"Ack!" Cat yelped as she was suddenly jerked into the air, swinging wildly above the rooftop. "Mikey! Stop, stop, stop!"

"Turflytle and Buzzkitten are on patrol, buzz buzz!" Mikey declared, twirling the rope so she spun in midair.

"Stop saying 'buzz buzz'!" Cat wailed, her arms flailing. "And stop spinning me! I'm gonna be sick!"

Mari rolled her eyes. "I swear, if she throws up, I'm throwing you off this roof, Mikey."

Raph snickered. "Think she needs to mimic a fly's flight pattern a little more."

"Oh, absolutely," Mikey agreed.

With a mischievous grin, he shook the rope harder, making Cat wobble and twist in the air.

"I hate you all," Cat whimpered, squeezing her eyes shut.

Leo ignored the chaos and turned to Donnie. "Any sign of Kirby?"

Donnie, watching the scanner, tensed. "Yep. Kirby at four o'clock!"

Cat froze. "Wait, WHAT?!"

A shadow loomed over her. Then, with a piercing screech, the massive mutant bat swooped down.

"PULL ME UP, PULL ME UP, PULL ME UP!" Cat shrieked, kicking her legs wildly.

Leo's eyes widened. "Get her out of there!"

Mikey yanked the rope, but it was too late. Kirby's claws snatched at Cat's costume, tearing the fabric as he let out another screech.

"WAAAAAAH!" Cat's scream echoed across the city as she struggled to get away.

Thinking fast, Mikey swung her like a wrecking ball. "Buzzkitten, ATTACK!"

Cat had no idea what he meant—until she smacked face-first into Kirby's head.

The impact sent the bat reeling, screeching in irritation. Cat, however, was too dazed to celebrate.

"Owwww," she whimpered, her head spinning.

Mikey pumped his fist. "Oh yeah! Buzzkitten, one! Wingnut, zero!"

Mari groaned. "Mikey, shut up."

Donnie shook his head. "You are not giving Mr. O'Neil a monster name!"

Leo took his chance, leaping onto Kirby's back. "Mr. O'Neil! Kirby! We don't want to hurt you—we want to help!"

Kirby thrashed violently, nearly throwing Leo off. Down below, April spotted the commotion from the rooftop.

"Guys! Over here!"

Leo tried to steer the mutant bat toward the warehouse. "Stick to the plan!"

Mikey and Raph both shouted, "There's a plan?!"

Leo gritted his teeth. "The warehouse!"

Mikey yanked on Cat's rope one last time, pulling her out of Kirby's grasp. "Buzzkitten, retreat!"

"Gladly!" Cat wheezed, coughing as she clung to him for dear life.

With a final, powerful yank, they directed Kirby straight through the warehouse windows. The mutant bat crashed inside, letting out a furious screech.

Leo flipped onto his feet, panting. "Sorry, Kirby. It's only temporary."

April and Donnie rushed in just as the team secured Kirby in a metal cage.

Mikey grinned, wiping his hands together. "Yo, we did it, Don! We caught the Kirby Bat!"

Mari smacked him upside the head. "Maybe don't act like we just won a carnival prize?"

April wasn't paying attention. Her eyes were locked on the creature in the cage—her father, changed beyond recognition.

Her voice was small. Trembling. "Dad..."

Cat shifted uncomfortably, guilt settling in her stomach. She had been terrified out there—but April was devastated.

Donnie hesitated, his voice quiet. "What are we gonna do with him?"

April's lips quivered. "Keep him caged forever? Feed him a steady diet of mice and flies?"

Donnie scratched his neck awkwardly. "Actually, bats love moths and spiders too, so—" He caught April's glare and quickly shut his mouth. "Sorry."

April inhaled sharply, her hands clenching into fists. "This is all my fault," she whispered. "If I hadn't lied to Dad—"

Mikey shook his head, surprisingly serious. "Listen, don't blame yourself, April. It was our fault. We spilled the mutagen. We'll fix it."

April blinked. Her eyes flickered between them, confusion turning to realization.

"What?" Her voice was eerily calm. "You guys... you guys spilled the mutagen?"

Leo, Donnie, Mari and Raph immediately gestured no.

Cat, however, shrank back.

Mikey, as usual, kept talking. "Yeah, we accidentally unleashed all that mutagen all over the city. But don't worry! We'll get it back!"

April's entire body went stiff.

Cat swallowed hard. "April—"

"You..." April's hands shook. "YOU..."

Before she could finish, Kirby let out an enraged roar, snapping the bars apart.

"No!" April gasped.

The turtles barely had time to react before the bat burst free, wings unfurling as it shot toward the sky.

"Dad!" April cried, reaching after him.

Donnie swung his bo staff, knocking the bat back before it could grab her—but it was too late. Kirby was gone.

April's gaze remained locked on the sky, her breath ragged. Then, slowly, she turned to face the team.

Her expression was one of pure betrayal.

Donnie took a small step forward. "April—"

"Don't," she snapped, jerking away. "Don't touch me! You keep away from me! I never want to see your faces ever again!"

She spun on her heel and ran.

"April!" Donnie called.

Raph stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. "Let her go, man. Give her some space."

April disappeared into the night, leaving behind nothing but silence.

Cat stood frozen, her fingers trembling at her sides. This was her fault. She had fumbled the mutagen. She had made everything worse.

Mari crossed her arms, watching April vanish. Then, without even looking at Cat, she muttered, "Nice job."

Cat's stomach twisted.

The lair was thick with tension, the weight of their failure pressing down on them like a boulder. Splinter stood at the center of the dojo, his expression unreadable, his gaze shifting over each of his children. The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.

"This is all very grave news," he said finally, his voice calm but firm. "Very grave, indeed."

Donnie sat hunched on the couch, his head in his hands, his usual composure shattered. "I can't believe this is happening," he murmured, his voice tight. "Poor April..."

Leo stood nearby, arms crossed, his jaw clenched. He looked like he wanted to say something—to reassure Donnie, to remind the team they could fix this—but the words never came.

Instead, Raph broke the silence. "Yeah, well, maybe if some people weren't complete screw-ups, this wouldn't have happened," he snapped, his glare cutting straight to Cat.

Cat flinched but quickly scowled, crossing her arms. "I didn't mean to!" she shot back, though her voice lacked conviction. "It was an accident!"

"An accident?" Raph scoffed. "Oh, yeah, dropping a whole ship's worth of mutagen on the city is just one big oopsie! That's totally gonna make April feel better!"

Mari, who had been standing off to the side, arms crossed, let out a low chuckle. "Y'know, he's got a point."

Cat's face twisted with frustration. "Why do you even care? You hate April!"

Mari's smirk faded. The air in the room shifted.

Mikey, who had been uncharacteristically quiet, suddenly jumped in. "Hey! Lay off her, Raph! It's not all Cat's fault!" He turned to Donnie and Leo. "You guys saw it too! The mutagen was already loose before she even touched it!"

Donnie looked away, pressing his lips together, unable to deny it.

Leo hesitated, glancing between them. "...That doesn't change the fact that she's the one who knocked it all out."

Mikey frowned. "Yeah, but we all screwed up! Raph, you, Mari and Donnie all loosened it! I opened the hatch—and Leo, you—"

"I what, Mikey?" Leo asked, his voice sharp.

Mikey faltered, his gaze dropping. "...I dunno. But I do know blaming Cat isn't fair."

Raph crossed his arms. "Maybe it isn't, but she still messed up. And now April wants nothing to do with us." His glare returned to Cat. "You happy now?"

Cat shrunk back, her arms curling around herself. "I didn't—I wasn't—" Her breath hitched, her throat tightening. "I never wanted this..."

The room crackled with hostility, frustration boiling beneath the surface.

And then—

"Enough."

Splinter's voice, quiet yet commanding, cut through the tension like a blade.

All eyes snapped to him. His expression was impassive, but his gaze was piercing, his presence unshakable.

"I will not tolerate this discord among you," he said, his tone laced with authority. "What is done cannot be undone. You all played a role in this outcome, whether directly or indirectly. The time for placing blame is over."

The team fell silent, shame settling over them.

Splinter's eyes lingered on each of them before he continued. "You must find every last canister of mutagen. Search every street, every building, and every rooftop before more damage is done. That is your priority."

Leo swallowed hard and nodded. "...Yes, Sensei."

Splinter's gaze softened ever so slightly. "You have made a grave mistake," he said, his voice gentler now. "But you still have the power to correct it. Do not waste it."

One by one, they straightened, the weight of their anger shifting into determination.

Raph huffed but turned toward the exit. "Fine. Let's go."

The team followed, their resentment still simmering beneath the surface but momentarily set aside.

Cat lingered for a moment, staring at the ground, before feeling a hand on her shoulder. She looked up to see Mikey giving her a small, reassuring smile.

She didn't return it.

But she didn't pull away, either.