The rooftop battle should've been easy.
A few low-level crooks, barely trained, swinging their weapons like they were in a street brawl instead of up against trained ninjas.
Cat should've been able to handle this.
She'd fought better. Faster. Stronger. More dangerous enemies than this.
But tonight—
She was failing.
Again.
A thug lunged at her with a crowbar. She saw it coming.
She had plenty of time to dodge. To counter. To do anything.
But she hesitated.
Why did Splinter give me the tessen if it wasn't meant for me?
The thought hit her too hard, too fast.
The crowbar slammed into her side.
Pain exploded through her ribs, knocking her breath away as she staggered.
"Cat!" Leo's voice was sharp. "Get your head in the game!"
She barely had time to react before another guy charged at her.
She tried to lift her tessen, to block, to counter—
But her hands felt heavy.
Sluggish.
Like the weapon wasn't even hers.
Mari stepped in before she could.
She knocked the guy out in two quick movements, fast and effortless.
Then she turned, fixing Cat with a sharp look. "What's your deal tonight?"
Cat opened her mouth.
But nothing came out.
She didn't have an answer.
The fight ended faster than it should have.
Because her siblings had to pick up her slack.
Again.
Cat didn't meet anyone's eyes as they stood over the unconscious crooks.
"That was pathetic," Raph muttered, shaking out his hands. "Barely worth the effort."
Leo ignored him, stepping forward. "Let's tie them up for the cops and get out of here before backup shows up."
They moved quickly, efficient, coordinated.
Cat lagged behind.
Her ribs still ached.
Her chest ached worse.
Donnie sighed, rolling his shoulders. "I guess this was easy enough."
"Too easy," Mari scoffed. "No challenge at all."
Mikey was already grinning. "Man, did you guys see me take down two at once? That was sick!"
Cat's stomach twisted.
She clutched her tessen tightly.
It didn't feel like hers.
Didn't feel like it ever had been.
The lair was loud—too loud.
Mikey was already digging through the fridge, humming a victory song to himself. Mari had her tanto in hand, absentmindedly flipping it between her fingers. Raph was stretched across the couch, one arm slung over the backrest, still scowling like the fight had personally offended him.
Cat stood frozen in the middle of it all, gripping her tessen so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
The mission had been rough. It wasn't supposed to be. She wasn't supposed to struggle that much. Not against guys like that. But she had. And they had all seen it.
The others could brush it off, move on.
She couldn't.
Raph was the first to say what they were all thinking.
"She needs to sit the next one out."
Cat's breath caught.
She turned sharply. "Excuse me?"
Raph shrugged like it wasn't a big deal. "You were a mess out there, Cat. If Mari didn't step in, you woulda gotten wrecked."
Mari hummed, crossing her arms. "He's not wrong."
Cat's stomach twisted.
"Mari—"
"What?" Mari frowned. "You think I don't want you out there? You think I like agreeing with Raph?" She gestured toward her. "You weren't yourself. You're not focused. You got sloppy. It's a miracle you didn't get hurt worse."
Donnie, still adjusting his goggles, sighed. "It's not like we're saying it to be mean, Cat." He glanced at his scanner. "The way you were moving—your reaction time was slow. That's dangerous. If something's wrong, we need to address it before it gets worse."
Cat's throat felt tight.
"Guys, c'mon," Mikey jumped in, shaking his head. "She just had an off night." He gave a lopsided grin. "Like, remember that one time Leo tripped on his own sword?"
"That didn't happen," Leo muttered.
Mikey ignored him. "We don't bench people just 'cause of one bad fight!"
Raph scoffed. "It wasn't just a bad fight, Mikey. She barely held her own. If we weren't there, she would've gotten—"
He stopped.
The room got heavier.
Everyone was thinking the same thing.
She would've gotten hurt.
Mikey hesitated. "She's not that bad."
Mari raised a brow. "Would you still say that if she got badly injured next time?"
Mikey opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Cat's chest ached.
That was it. That was the moment.
The moment even Mikey—the one person who always had her back—fell quiet.
All eyes turned to Leo.
The leader. The one who gave the orders.
Leo sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Then, finally, he spoke.
"Cat, until we figure out what's going on, you're benched."
It hit like a punch to the gut.
Her heart pounded in her ears. "Leo—"
"That's an order."
His voice was firm. No hesitation. No room for argument.
Cat felt herself shrinking.
They had already decided.
She didn't get a say.
No one spoke.
The conversation was over.
Cat turned on her heel and walked away.
She didn't know where she was going.
She just knew she couldn't stay here.
The sound of her own footsteps echoed through the lair.
Cat barely noticed.
Her mind was still trapped in the conversation, replaying every second like a broken record.
"She needs to sit the next one out."
"You weren't yourself."
"If we weren't there, you would've gotten wrecked."
"That's an order."
She never got an order like that before.
Never had to hear Leo's voice strip her of something she thought she had earned.
Never had to see Mikey hesitate.
It shouldn't hurt this much.
But it did.
Her hands felt shaky as she made her way to the dojo, her tessen still clutched tightly in her grip. The fan that had been hers for as long as she could remember. The weapon she trained with, fought with—the one thing she thought made her worthy of being on this team.
But it wasn't hers.
Not really.
Her fingers ran over the cool metal. She could still hear Splinter's words in her head, the ones she shouldn't have heard.
"The tessen was originally crafted for Miwa."
"It was meant for her, once."
"But it belongs to Caterina now."
Does it?
Does it really?
Her grip tightened.
Before she could stop herself, before she could let herself think any harder—
She stepped into the dojo.
Splinter was there, seated on his mat, eyes closed in meditation.
She swallowed, hesitating.
For a second, she considered backing out. Maybe she could just... keep pretending. Maybe she could go back to her room, ignore the voice in her head, keep holding onto the tessen like it still belonged to her.
But she couldn't.
Not after tonight.
Not after everything.
Taking a slow breath, she knelt in front of him.
Splinter's ears twitched. "Caterina." His voice was calm, like he already knew she was there. His eyes opened, his gaze meeting hers. "It is late."
Cat's stomach twisted. "I know," she said quietly.
She hesitated—then, with trembling hands, she placed the tessen on the floor between them.
Splinter's brow furrowed. "What is this?"
Her throat felt tight. "I... I can't keep it."
Silence.
Splinter studied her, his expression unreadable. "Why do you believe that?"
Cat's fingers curled against her legs. "Because it wasn't mine to begin with."
Splinter's gaze softened. "I told you before, the weapon is yours."
Cat shook her head. "No, Sensei," she whispered. "It was meant for Karai."
For a split second, Splinter's expression barely changed.
If she hadn't been staring, she might have missed it.
That small flicker of surprise.
Because he hadn't told her that.
Only Leo knew.
Which meant—
Cat lowered her gaze, fidgeting with the hem of her mask. "I... I overheard you. Talking to Leo."
Splinter's silence felt heavy.
She didn't know if he was mad. Disappointed. But right now, it didn't matter.
She forced herself to keep going.
"You said it was supposed to be hers. And I thought... I thought if I trained with it, if I got stronger, if I could actually be useful—" She let out a shaky breath. "—then maybe it wouldn't matter that it wasn't really mine."
Her hands clenched into fists. "But I'm not strong enough." Her voice wavered. "I don't deserve it."
Another silence.
Then—
Splinter reached forward.
Cat tensed, expecting him to take the tessen back.
But he didn't.
Instead, he carefully picked it up—then set it right back in front of her.
Cat blinked.
Splinter's voice was quiet, but firm. "Caterina. This weapon is not merely an object. It is not defined by who it was originally meant for, nor by who wielded it first."
He met her eyes.
"It is defined by the one who chooses to fight with it now."
Her heart twisted.
"I gave it to you," Splinter continued, "not because you were meant to replace Miwa. But because you are you. My daughter."
Cat swallowed hard.
She wanted to believe him.
But how could she, when she didn't even believe in herself anymore?
She hesitated. Then, slowly, she shook her head.
"I still don't think I deserve it."
Splinter watched her carefully.
She exhaled sharply, rising to her feet. "I just... I need some time."
Before he could respond, she turned and walked out.
And for the second time that night—
She didn't know where she was going.
She just knew she couldn't stay here.
The city stretched beneath her, endless and quiet, bathed in the dull orange glow of streetlights.
Cat ran.
Her feet barely made a sound as she leapt from one rooftop to the next, the cool night air sharp against her skin. Normally, she loved running the rooftops. The wind, the adrenaline, the feeling of freedom—
But tonight, she barely noticed it.
Her mind was a storm.
Everything was wrong.
Her siblings didn't believe in her. Splinter's reassurance felt hollow. She had left her tessen behind, like some kind of failure.
Like a burden.
Her breath hitched as she pushed forward, heart pounding in her ears. If she wasn't strong enough with the tessen, then maybe she could prove herself without it.
She needed to be something.
She needed—
A sharp sound—
A whoosh of movement.
Before she could react, something whipped past her, fast.
Cat barely had time to twist mid-air before she landed on a rooftop—just in time to see a familiar figure standing on the opposite ledge.
Sleek black armor. Smug smirk. Golden eyes flashing in the dim light.
Cat froze.
Karai.
Of all the people she could've run into tonight, it had to be her. Splinter's real, much better daughter.
Karai tilted her head, examining her like a puzzle she wasn't expecting to find. "Well, well. What do we have here?" Her smirk widened. "A little ninja all by her lonesome?"
Cat's heart pounded.
She should call for backup.
Leo would tell her to call for backup.
But she didn't.
Not this time.
She squared her shoulders, forcing her voice to stay steady. "What do you want?"
Karai raised a brow. "I think the better question is—what do you want?"
Cat stiffened. "What's that supposed to mean?"
Karai took a slow step forward. "You're alone. No brothers, no sister, no sensei. Out here in the middle of the night, looking all..." She gestured vaguely. "Lost."
Cat made a move for her Tessen, only to realize she didn't have it.
"I'm not lost."
Karai gave her an amused look. "No?"
She moved fast.
In an instant, she closed the distance—too close, too fast—and Cat barely managed to duck as Karai's blade sliced through the space where her head had just been.
She rolled backward, springing to her feet, once again making a move as if to grab her weapon.
Karai paused, blinking. "No weapon?"
Cat swallowed hard but refused to break eye contact.
"I don't need it."
Karai tilted her head. Then, slowly, her smirk returned. "Interesting."
Cat barely had time to react before Karai lunged again.
The fight had begun.
The lair was unusually quiet. The adrenaline from their last mission had worn off, leaving only the echoes of their earlier argument ringing in the air.
Raph, still irritated, paced the room. "I mean, come on, it's not my fault she can't keep up! What were we supposed to do? Let her get hurt?"
Mari, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, huffed. "She was slowing us down."
Donnie adjusted his goggles, trying to be the voice of reason. "Look, I don't like it any more than you do, but the numbers don't lie. If Cat keeps hesitating like that in battle, she's a liability. Until she gets her head straight, she needs to sit out."
Mikey, sitting on the couch with his arms tightly crossed, shook his head. "You guys are being way too harsh. She just—she's just going through something!"
Raph scoffed. "Yeah? And what exactly is she going through, Mikey?"
Mikey hesitated, opening his mouth, then closing it. He wanted to fight back, to defend her—but he couldn't deny what they had all seen. If Cat kept fighting like this, she would get hurt.
Silence fell over the room.
Leo finally spoke, his voice steady and firm. "No more arguing. I made the call, and I stand by it. Until she proves she's ready, Cat stays off the field."
Just then, soft footsteps approached from the hallway.
Splinter entered, his sharp gaze sweeping across the room. "Where is Caterina?"
The turtles froze.
Leo blinked. "Wait—she's not in her room?"
Splinter's expression darkened. "No. She is not."
A sinking feeling settled in Mikey's stomach. "Uh... maybe she just went to get some air?"
Splinter's gaze remained unreadable, but there was something in his stance—something that told them he knew more than he was letting on.
Then, without breaking eye contact, he slowly held up an all-too-familiar object.
Cat's tessen.
The room fell into a stunned silence.
Splinter's voice was calm, but heavy. "Caterina left this for me before she disappeared."
The familiar metal glinted in the dim light, the sight of it twisting something sharp in Leo's chest.
She left it.
Leo didn't realize he had stepped forward until his fingers twitched at his sides. "She—she wouldn't just—"
"She is missing." Splinter's voice was calm, but the weight behind it was heavy. "She did not take her weapon with her. And yet, none of you noticed she had gone."
A pang of guilt settled over them.
Raph shifted uncomfortably, his arms crossed. "She probably just ran off to clear her head. She'll be back."
Mari scoffed. "And if she isn't?"
Donnie frowned, adjusting his goggles. "She disabled her T-Phone. If she wanted us to find her, she wouldn't have done that."
Mikey's voice was small. "Guys... what if she doesn't come back?"
No one answered.
Splinter's gaze swept across them before he spoke again. "You have all been hard on her lately."
Raph bristled. "Because she's been messing up in fights—"
"Because she is struggling," Splinter corrected, his tone sharp enough to cut.
Raph shut his mouth.
Splinter exhaled, eyes flicking toward Leo. "Leonardo. A word. Alone."
Leo hesitated, glancing the others.
Mikey looked worried. Donnie and Mari exchanged glances, while Raph simply grunted.
Leo swallowed and nodded. "Yes, Sensei."
Splinter turned, heading toward the meditation room. Leo followed without another word.
The meditation room was dimly lit, the only illumination coming from the soft flicker of candles arranged neatly along the walls. Leo knelt before his sensei, waiting, his heart already heavy with the weight of what was to come.
Splinter stood silent for a long moment, holding the tessen in his hands. He turned it over carefully, running his fingers along the metal edges, before finally speaking.
"She overheard."
Leo's breath hitched. He didn't need to ask what.
Cat knew.
"She was not meant to learn the truth this way," Splinter continued, his voice calm but grave. "But now that she has, she believes she was only ever a replacement for my lost daughter."
Leo's grip on his knees tightened. "That's not true."
Splinter's gaze met his. "And yet, she believes it."
Leo swallowed hard, his mind racing back to how quiet she had been lately, how distracted she'd seemed during training. How easily she had fumbled in their last fight. He should have seen it.
"I do not know what she intends to do," Splinter admitted, his voice quieter now. "But she left behind her tessen... because she no longer feels worthy of wielding it." He turned the weapon over once more before extending it toward Leo. "Find her."
Leo hesitated before slowly reaching out, fingers curling around the tessen's hilt. It was light, delicate—so unlike his own weapons. It felt wrong in his hands.
"She has always fought to prove herself," Splinter continued. "But now, she's out there, with nothing to fight with."
The words sent an uneasy shiver down Leo's spine. He tightened his grip on the tessen and stood.
"I'll bring her back," he promised.
Splinter nodded. "Then go, my son. Before she loses herself completely."
Without another word, Leo turned and strode out of the room, his mind set on one thing.
Finding Cat.
Leo stepped back into the main room, his grip tight around Cat's tessen. His siblings were already waiting, their unease practically suffocating the space.
Mikey was the first to break the silence. "Did Sensei say where she might've gone?" His voice wavered, concern thick in every syllable.
Leo exhaled sharply. "No. But we all know she's not in the right mindset to be out there alone." He lifted the tessen, his jaw clenching. "She doesn't have a weapon. That means she's vulnerable."
Raph let out a sharp scoff, but there was an edge to it—something tight, something barely restrained. "Vulnerable? She's the one who ran off! She did this to herself!" He shook his head, fists clenched. "What the hell was she thinking?!"
"She wasn't," Donnie said flatly. "That's the problem."
Raph let out a frustrated breath, pacing like he was barely holding himself together. "I swear, if she gets herself hurt—"
"She's already hurt, Raph," Mikey snapped, surprising them all. His hands were balled into fists, his usual carefree expression nowhere to be found. "That's why she ran in the first place."
Raph whirled on him. "Yeah? And what, we're just supposed to run after her every time she decides to be reckless?! She's the one who—who—" His voice cracked, but he covered it with a growl, shoving a hand through his mask.
Mari, standing stiffly with her arms crossed, finally spoke, her tone quieter but no less firm. "We can yell at her later. Right now, we need to find her."
Leo nodded, slipping the tessen into his belt. "We move now."
No one argued.
Raph let out a sharp breath, rolling his shoulders like he was trying to shake off his frustration—but his hands were still clenched tight.
Wherever Cat was, she'd better be okay.
The clash of steel echoed through the empty rooftop, the city lights flickering beneath them as Cat and Karai traded blows. Cat moved fast, ducking and weaving through Karai's strikes, but there was no finesse in her movements—no strategy. She was fighting on pure instinct, and Karai knew it.
Karai's blade sliced through the air, forcing Cat to leap back, her breath coming in sharp gasps. She had no weapon, nothing but her bare hands, and it was showing. Every time she managed to dodge, Karai was already three steps ahead, reading her like an open book.
"You're sloppy," Karai taunted, knocking Cat's feet out from under her with a swift kick. Cat barely caught herself, rolling onto her feet before Karai could capitalize on the opening. "Distracted. No wonder your family don't take you seriously."
Cat's stomach twisted at the words, her fists tightening. "Shut up."
Karai smirked. "Did I hit a nerve? I mean, it's not like they're wrong. You're fighting me with nothing but your hands like you think that'll make up for how weak you are." She tilted her head. "Trying to prove something, little kitten?"
Cat lunged, aiming for a strike, but Karai sidestepped with ease. A second later, she caught Cat's wrist, twisting it sharply and yanking her forward. Cat let out a small gasp as Karai forced her into a kneeling position, her blade pressing cold against her throat.
"Pathetic," Karai mused, her tone almost bored.
"Do it," Cat muttered, barely above a whisper.
Karai's grip tightened. "What?"
"Just do it!" Cat's voice cracked, but she didn't fight back. Tears welled in her eyes, hot and humiliating, but she didn't care anymore. If she couldn't even win against Karai, if she couldn't even prove she deserved to be part of the team, then what was the point? "You said it yourself—I'm weak, right? So just finish it."
For the first time, Karai hesitated.
Her grip didn't loosen, but her blade didn't move either. Instead, she studied Cat carefully, her smirk fading into something more thoughtful. "You're serious," she muttered, almost to herself.
Cat squeezed her eyes shut, her entire body trembling. She was so tired. So sick of trying so hard just to be treated like a liability.
And then, just as suddenly as Karai had grabbed her, she let go.
Cat barely had time to register what was happening before she reacted. She twisted, knocking Karai's sword away with a wild swing of her arm. She lunged, using the momentum to tackle Karai to the ground.
They rolled, grappling for control, but this time, Cat wasn't just attacking mindlessly. She was desperate. And Karai could feel it.
With a grunt, Karai managed to pin Cat down again, but her blade remained forgotten on the ground beside them. She stared down at the younger girl, her expression unreadable.
"That was dirty," Karai finally said.
Cat panted, her chest heaving. "You—" She swallowed thickly, trying to find her voice. "You let me go."
Karai smirked again, but there was something different about it this time. "Maybe."
Before Cat could respond, the distant sound of shouting caught their attention.
Karai's eyes flicked toward the source of the noise. A moment later, her smirk widened. "Looks like your siblings are here to save you," she mused. Then, with a casual shrug, she stepped back, releasing Cat completely.
Cat sat up, confusion swirling in her chest. "What—?"
Heavy footsteps pounded against the rooftop as Cat's brothers and sister finally arrived, weapons drawn and expressions hard. Raph was in the lead, fury blazing in his eyes as he stormed toward Karai.
"GET AWAY FROM HER!" he snarled, brandishing his sai.
Leo followed close behind, his katana gripped tight. "Step away from my sister. Now."
Mari's expression was darker than usual, her jaw clenched, eyes flashing with unspoken rage. "You really think you can just mess with her and walk away?" Her hand twitched over her tanto, her entire body coiled like a spring ready to snap.
Karai simply smirked, unfazed by the sudden hostility. She lifted her hands in mock surrender, tilting her head as she glanced back at Cat. "Relax," she drawled. "She beat me."
Silence.
Cat blinked, still sitting on the rooftop, her breath uneven. "I—what?"
Leo's eyes narrowed, immediately suspicious. "You expect us to believe that?"
Karai shrugged. "Believe what you want." Her smirk widened as she turned to leave. "I'm not a sore loser. She won, so I'm leaving."
Raph growled lowly, stepping forward. "You better not show your face near her again."
Karai chuckled under her breath. "Oh, I wouldn't worry too much, big bro." She shot Cat a lingering glance, something unreadable flickering behind her eyes. "This one's got more fight in her than you think."
Then, without another word, she flipped off the rooftop, disappearing into the night.
The tension in the air didn't leave with her.
Raph spun toward Cat, his anger only barely masking his concern. "What the hell were you thinking?!"
Leo stepped in before Raph could go off completely, his expression calmer, but no less intense. "Cat, are you okay?"
Mari crossed her arms, her voice sharp. "Why the hell would you take on Karai alone?"
Cat's throat felt dry. She could still feel the phantom pressure of Karai's blade against her skin. Her siblings were surrounding her, their concern and frustration practically suffocating—but all she could hear was Karai's voice.
"She won."
For the first time in what felt like forever, she didn't feel like dead weight.
She exhaled, shakily getting to her feet. "I'm fine," she muttered. Then, glancing at Leo, she added, "Can we just go home?"
Leo studied her for a moment, as if trying to gauge how much of that was true. Eventually, he nodded. "Yeah. Let's go."
As they made their way back, Cat kept her gaze forward, ignoring the way her siblings hovered closer than usual. Her hands were still trembling slightly, but she clenched them into fists.
For once, she wasn't sure if she wanted to forget what happened.
Or if she wanted to hold onto it forever.
The walk back to the lair was heavy with silence. Cat kept her eyes fixed on the ground, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. Her chest ached from the weight of everything—her failure in the fight, her siblings' lack of faith in her, the truth about Karai. She felt exhausted, hollow.
It was Donnie who finally broke the silence.
"I owe you an apology, Cat."
She blinked, caught off guard. Slowly, she turned her head to look at him.
"I should've stood up for you earlier," Donnie admitted, adjusting his goggles. "I let my worries cloud my judgment, and I ended up making you feel like you weren't capable when I know that's not true. I never wanted to make you doubt yourself." He sighed. "I'm really sorry."
Cat's fingers curled into her sleeves, her chest tightening at the sincerity in his voice. She wasn't used to Donnie being the first to admit he was wrong.
Raph huffed beside her, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yeah, well... you scared the hell outta us, shortstack." His voice was gruff, but not angry—just tired. "I know I'm not good at saying this kinda stuff, but... I wouldn't be yelling at you if I didn't care. You're my little sister. Of course I love you, even when you drive me insane."
Mikey suddenly grabbed her by the shoulders, shaking her dramatically. "What he means to say is—WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH AND WE NEVER WANTED TO MAKE YOU FEEL LIKE A BURDEN AND WE'RE ALL BIG DUMB IDIOTS—"
Raph shoved him off her. "Okay, we get it."
Mari crossed her arms, looking Cat over critically. "You good?"
Cat hesitated. She didn't know how to answer that.
Mari's gaze softened. "You scared me, too. I know I give you the hardest time, but you're my sister, Cat. I don't want to lose you." She paused before muttering, "...I'm sorry, alright?"
Cat let out a slow breath, her throat thick with emotion. The anger, the frustration—it was all still there, but so was something else. Something warm.
"...I know," she finally said. "I love you guys, too."
Mikey tackled her in a hug, nearly knocking her over. "Forgiveness hug!"
Raph groaned but let himself be pulled in. Mari sighed, shaking her head, but joined too. Even Donnie hesitated before rolling his eyes and wrapping his arms around them.
For the first time in a long time, Cat didn't feel so small.
After they returned to the lair, the others dispersed, still shaken from the night's events. But as Cat moved toward her room, Leo's voice stopped her.
"Cat. Stay for a second."
She turned, finding him standing near Splinter's meditation area, her tessen resting in his hands.
She swallowed hard.
Leo studied her for a moment before speaking. "You overheard about Karai, didn't you?"
Cat shifted on her feet. "...Yeah."
Leo sighed, running a hand down his face. "I'm sorry you had to find out that way. I wish you would've talked to me or to Splinter."
Cat looked away. "I didn't know how to bring it up." Her voice was quiet. "I know it wasn't meant for my ears."
Leo's expression softened. He stepped forward, gently placing the tessen back into her hands.
"You belong here, Cat. Always." His voice was firm. "You're part of this family. And yeah, you've been struggling—but that doesn't mean you don't deserve to fight alongside us."
Cat looked down at the tessen in her hands, tracing the edge with her thumb.
Leo continued. "Karai's past is complicated. But you? You're here, fighting beside us, proving every day that you're one of us. The tessen isn't about who it was meant for. It's about who wields it now." He met her eyes. "And that's you."
Cat swallowed hard, emotions swirling inside her. She had spent so long doubting herself, questioning her worth—but hearing Leo say it like that...
Maybe she could believe it.
Maybe, just maybe, she wasn't as lost as she thought.
She looked up at him, a small, hesitant smile on her lips.
"Thanks, Leo."
He nodded, a soft smile of his own forming. "Anytime."
Cat stood outside Splinter's meditation room, gripping her tessen tightly. Her fingers brushed over the metal surface, feeling the weight of it—of everything it symbolized. She took a deep breath before stepping inside.
Splinter sat in his usual spot, eyes closed, his breathing steady. But the moment Cat entered, he opened his eyes, watching her carefully. His gaze flickered down to the tessen in her hands.
For a long moment, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Splinter broke the silence. "Caterina, I was worried you wouldn't return."
Cat's grip tightened. "I almost didn't."
Splinter's expression remained unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—something quiet and knowing. "And yet, you have come."
Cat hesitated before stepping forward, kneeling before him. She held up the tessen, not as an offering to give it away, but as something she had finally chosen to accept. "I wasn't sure if I deserved it before," she admitted. "I thought... maybe it should go to someone stronger. Someone better."
Splinter studied her for a long time. "And now?"
Cat exhaled. "Now... I think it's mine."
Splinter's whiskers twitched in what might've been approval. "A weapon is only as strong as the one who wields it. You doubted yourself, and so the tessen felt heavy in your hands. But now that you accept it, you will find that it has always belonged to you."
Cat swallowed, glancing down at the weapon. "I still don't know if I'm strong enough. Or good enough."
Splinter reached forward, gently placing a hand over hers. "Strength is not only measured in battle, my child. It is measured in perseverance. In the willingness to stand back up after falling." He met her gaze. "You have already proven yourself worthy."
Something in Cat's chest eased at his words. She blinked rapidly, trying to push away the burn of tears. "I won't let you down."
Splinter's voice was warm. "You never have."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Cat believed him.