April glanced around as the turtles moved carefully through the shadows of the theater district, keeping to the walls and alleys. Mari walked a little ahead, scanning the area with sharp eyes, while Cat lagged slightly behind, distracted by the neon lights reflecting in the puddles.

"You guys want to speed it up a little?" April asked, shifting impatiently.

The turtles peeked around a corner, moving as one. Cat, not paying attention, nearly bumped into Donnie's shell and had to catch herself.

"Are you saying turtles are slow?" Donnie asked, arching a brow.

Mikey gasped in mock offense. "That's a hurtful stereotype."

Mari smirked. "I dunno. I've seen Cat try to run before—kinda slow."

"Hey!" Cat pouted, crossing her arms. "I'm just... cautious."

Leo shook his head. "Trust us, April. We're better off keeping a low profile. People tend to treat us better when they don't know we exist."

April sighed, rolling her eyes. "I know, I know. I just figured it'd be good for you guys to get out of the sewer for a change."

Raph scoffed. "What are you talking about? We go out all the time."

"Yeah," April said, crossing her arms. "But tonight, you're going to do something besides hitting people."

Raph made an exaggerated groan. "Awww."

Mari rolled her eyes. "He's being dramatic, but I'm with him. Can't promise I won't punch something."

Cat nodded eagerly. "Yeah, what if there's an emergency? Like, a crime happening right in front of us?" She gasped. "Or what if I get kidnapped?"

Raph snorted. "If you're dumb enough to get yourself kidnapped, we'll just leave your ass there."

Cat smacked his arm. "RUDE!"

April smirked. "Don't worry. You're gonna love this noodle place I found."

Donnie hesitated. "And you're sure we'll be welcome?"

April nodded. "Oh yeah. Mr. Murakami doesn't care what you look like. In fact, he won't even know what you look like. He's blind."

Mikey grinned. "Awesome." Then, realizing how that sounded, he winced. "I mean, for us, obviously."

Cat gasped. "Wait, so he won't know we're mutants? Oh my gosh, we could say we're superheroes! I wanna be a superhero!"

Mari side-eyed her. "Cat, you literally scream when you see a cat—and your name is Cat!"

"Yeah, and you scream when you see emotional vulnerability, so shut up."

Before Mari could retort, a loud crash echoed down the street. April's head snapped in the direction of the noise, eyes widening.

"Oh no," she murmured.

The turtles followed her gaze, spotting a group of men shoving their way into a small restaurant, overturning chairs and smashing dishes.

"Who are those creeps?" Donnie asked, frowning.

April's hands clenched into fists. "The Purple Dragons. They think they own the streets around here."

Cat's face twisted in disgust. "Ugh, I hate them already."

Inside, an older man with silver hair and a calm expression stood his ground. The gang's leader—a tall, lanky man with a goatee—shoved a finger in his face, but the old man simply knocked his hand away. The thug staggered back, humiliated, while his two partners—a large, muscular man in a purple bandana and another with a mustache—laughed at him.

Then the leader snarled and drove his fist straight into the old man's stomach.

Leo's expression darkened. "So much for not hitting people tonight."

Raph cracked his knuckles. "Oh well."

Mikey grinned. "Booyakasha!"

Mari sighed dramatically. "Took longer than I expected."

Cat, already bouncing on her heels, gasped. "Wait, do we get to do a cool entrance? Should we say something first?"

Raph didn't wait for an answer. With that, the turtles burst through the door.

"All right, let him go," Leo said, stepping forward with authority. "You don't want any trouble."

Raph smirked. "We, on the other hand, do."

The gang's leader, Fong, recoiled at the sight of them, eyes widening in disbelief. "Whoa, those guys were serious. There really are giant turtles."

Tsoi, the muscular one, frowned. "Tch."

Mikey beamed. "You've heard of us? Dudes, we're famous."

Donnie grimaced. "That's bad."

"Oh. Right."

Fong recovered quickly, straightening his jacket with a sneer. "Whatever you are, this neighborhood is ours. So why don't you slither back to the ocean you came from?"

Donnie pushed up his goggles. "Actually, we're freshwater turtles. I suspect we're derived from the diamondback terrapin, but it's possible we're a common box—"

"Get 'em!" Fong barked.

The Purple Dragons charged.

Leo and Raph met them head-on, deflecting attacks with practiced ease. Mikey spun into the fray, flipping over a table and delivering a powerful kick to one of the thugs. Donnie dodged a wild swing from Tsoi's hammer, rolling under a counter before striking back with his bo staff.

Mari ducked under a punch, then retaliated with a swift kick to the thug's ribs. "Yeah, I'm really not in the mood tonight."

Cat yelped as one of the gang members lunged at her, but she instinctively flipped her tessen open and smacked him across the face. "Oh my gosh, I actually hit someone!"

"Less celebrating, more hitting!" Mari called, dodging another strike.

April, meanwhile, hurried to help the restaurant's owner, Murakami, guiding him toward the door. But out of the corner of her eye, she saw Tsoi lifting his hammer, aiming straight for Mikey—who was too busy slurping a bowl of soup to notice.

"Duck!" April shouted, grabbing the nearest can and hurling it at Tsoi's head.

Mikey blinked, glancing up. "Huh? Oh—thanks, April."

"You're welcome," she called back, already leading Murakami outside.

Mari knocked a thug to the ground and glanced toward the door. "We wrapping this up or what?"

Leo took a deep breath, then focused on Fong, who was now cornered. For a second, the thug hesitated, his face flashing with fear.

Leo frowned.

Then, just as quickly, he stepped back and let Fong go.

"Get out of here," he ordered.

Fong glared at him, pushing past. "Come on. Let's go. This ain't over, Greeny."

Donnie huffed. "Greeny? Really? I wonder how many brain cells he put to work on that."

Raph, however, was fuming. He turned on Leo the second the gang disappeared. "You just let him go? What the heck was that?"

Leo exhaled, already anticipating the argument. "They weren't exactly a threat. They'd had enough."

Raph's nostrils flared. "Dude! They were beating up a blind guy! There's no 'enough'! Now they'll think we're wimps and we don't have the guts to finish the job!"

Before Leo could answer, April reentered the restaurant with Murakami, beaming.

Cat leaned toward Mari. "Sooo... does this mean we still get noodles?"

"Wow. That was great, you guys," April said.

Donnie immediately turned to her. "Did you see when I caught that one guy and flipped him onto the counter? Did it look cool? I bet it looked cool."

April smiled. "The coolest."

Donnie squinted. "You didn't see it, did you?"

"No, I did not."

Donnie sagged in disappointment.

Murakami stepped forward, bowing his head. "My friends, I am indebted to you. Please, allow me to make you a meal. Free of charge."

Raph's frustration momentarily faded. "I think we can allow that."

Mari raised a brow. "Free food? Yeah, we're definitely allowing that."

Murakami smiled. "What is your favorite dish?"

The turtles exchanged glances before answering in perfect unison, eyes gleaming.

"Pizza."

Murakami nodded, already moving to the kitchen.

Donnie's eyes widened as he watched him work. "Oh, Murakami-san, that was awesome!"

Mikey grinned. "You're like a ninja—but for food."

Murakami set down six plates in front of them.

"Pizza gyoza," he announced.

April frowned. "Pizza gyoza?"

The turtles barely heard her. They each took a bite—and immediately transcended reality.

Raph's eyes rolled back. "Wow."

Mikey groaned. "Delish."

Donnie clutched his face in awe. "It's like I got a one-way ticket to Flavorville."

Mari chewed thoughtfully, then nodded in approval. "Alright. This is actually insane."

Cat, however, took a bite and gasped so loudly everyone turned to her. "Oh. My. Gosh. I think I just saw heaven."

April scoffed, shaking her head as she took a sip of soup. "This is really good too, you know."

The turtles ignored her, too absorbed in their newfound food obsession.

Leo, however, remained focused. He glanced up at Murakami. "Uh, Murakami-san, do the Purple Dragons come around a lot?"

Murakami sighed. "Yes. They demand protection money, but I refuse to pay. They will surely return."

Raph scowled, shooting a look at Leo. "Well, they wouldn't if somebody hadn't wimped out."

Leo's jaw clenched, but he said nothing. Instead, he turned his attention back to his food.

Mikey, meanwhile, reached over and stole Leo's gyoza, grinning as he popped it into his mouth.

Leo narrowed his eyes.

Mikey giggled.

Cat, still in awe over the food, nudged Mari. "If I ever go missing, tell them to check here first."

Mari just smirked. "Noted."

Back in the lair, Leo was aggressively striking the training dummy, fists slamming into it over and over. His jaw was clenched, his movements sharp and tense, but no matter how hard he hit, the frustration wouldn't fade.

"Whoa, whoa, Leo."

Raph's voice cut through the room as he stepped forward, arms crossed. He tilted his head toward the battered dummy. "I think he's had enough. You better let him go."

Mari, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, snorted. "Nah, let him cook."

Leo exhaled sharply. "I get it. You're making fun of me for not mercilessly pummeling a helpless man."

Raph smirked. "Yes, I am." He stepped closer and jabbed a finger into Leo's stomach. "You showed weakness."

Leo glared at him.

Raph shrugged. "Those guys only understand one language."

Mikey, who had been lazily spinning his nunchucks, perked up. "Chinese?"

Raph turned on him, exasperated. "No. Fists." He held up his own in demonstration.

Mikey considered this. "What about feet?"

Raph sighed, dragging a hand down his face before muttering, "They understand feet."

Donnie, watching from his workspace, looked up. "That would make them bilingual."

Cat, sitting on top of the couch, nodded sagely. "Impressive."

Raph groaned, throwing his hands in the air. "Argh! The point is, we can't go soft on them!"

Before the argument could escalate, Splinter entered the room, his calm presence immediately grounding the space.

"To show mercy is not soft," he said, voice firm but steady. "It is a sign of true strength."

Raph furrowed his brow. "But, Sensei, they're criminals. This is war."

Splinter's eyes narrowed slightly. "A daimyo once said: 'In times of peace, never forget the possibility of war. In times of war, never forget compassion.'"

Mari rolled her eyes. "Yeah, and then he got stabbed."

Splinter swiftly raised his staff—then whacked Mari on the head.

"Ow! Sensei!" Mari rubbed her head, glaring.

Without missing a beat, he turned and smacked Raph next.

"Ow!" Raph staggered back, holding his nose.

Splinter arched a brow. "You see? Mercy."

Cat leaned forward, smirking. "Hey, Sensei, does that mean I get a free hit on Mari too?"

Mari glared at her. "Try it, and I'll put you in the ground."

Splinter ignored them, his focus still on Leo. "Mercy is not weakness, my son. You must remember that."

Leo, still tense, took a step forward. "Compassion is great, Sensei. But the Purple Dragons are not going to leave Murakami alone."

Splinter regarded him carefully but said nothing.

Leo straightened, determination setting into his expression. "So we'll track down the Dragons and make sure they got the message. And if they didn't..." He crossed his arms. "We'll send them one. Special delivery."

Raph smirked. "Was that meant to sound tough or stupid?"

Leo shot him a look.

Mikey grinned. "I think it sounded cool."

Mari tilted her head. "Ehhh, six out of ten."

Leo sighed deeply, massaging his temples.

Donnie leaned against his staff, frowning. "How are we gonna track someone down when we can't talk to anybody?"

Cat tapped her chin. "Ooo, we could dress Mikey up as a normal human and send him undercover."

Mikey gasped. "Cat. That is the best idea you've ever had."

Donnie shook his head. "Absolutely not."

"But I'd be so good at it!" Mikey insisted.

"Name three human things," Mari challenged.

Mikey blinked. "Uh... taxes, social media, and... Starbucks?"

Leo groaned. "Focus, people."

Cat grinned. "Still think we should do the Mikey plan."

The rooftops were quiet, save for the rustling of the wind as the Turtles crouched low, scanning the streets below.

Leo's eyes flicked to a nearby building. "April said this was the place."

Mikey perked up. "Cool. Can we get tattoos? I wanna get one of my face—on my face. It'll be like I'm wearing a mask, and the mask is me." He grinned. "I just blew your minds, right?"

Cat, sitting cross-legged next to him, gasped. "Wait. That's genius. I should get one too."

Donnie shot them both a deadpan look. "You know they use needles for that."

Mikey immediately recoiled. "Never mind. Hard pass."

Cat frowned. "Oh. Yeah, never mind."

Mari raised a brow. "You two are actually idiots."

Raph rolled his eyes. "Can it, dorks. There he is."

Their focus shifted as they spotted Fong slipping into a warehouse below. Without hesitation, they followed, moving swiftly and silently.

Inside, Fong stood before two intimidating figures.

"We saw that gang of turtles you were looking for," Fong said, his voice laced with greed. "And we'll tell you where—for a price."

Before the conversation could go further, the windows above shattered as the Turtles burst through, landing in perfect formation.

Leo pointed his katana forward. "Freeze, dirtbags."

His confidence faltered slightly when his gaze landed on Bradford—and the other man beside him.

Uh-oh.

Xever smirked, stepping forward. "I think we can find them ourselves."

Mikey gasped dramatically. "Oh, man. This is awkward. It's Chris Bradford—my ex-friend." He turned, squinting at the other man. "And... that other guy."

The man's smirk sharpened. "The name is Xever. And so you don't forget, I'll write it on your shells..." He flicked his butterfly knives into position. "With these."

Before anyone could react, Cat stepped forward, arms crossed, glaring daggers at Bradford. "Ahem. You forgot someone."

Everyone turned to look at her.

Bradford frowned. "What?"

Cat huffed. "Excuse you, ex-boyfriend."

Silence.

Xever blinked.

Mari groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh my god, Cat."

Raph slowly turned to face her, his expression stuck between horror and amusement. "Wait. What. Not this again—"

Bradford narrowed his eyes. "We were never dating."

Cat scoffed. "You're just saying that cuz I'm the one that broke up with you."

"You—what—"

"GOD, CHRIS, I SAID IT'S OVER!"

"Cat, for the love of—why are you like this?" Leo hissed.

Mikey gave her a thumbs-up. "Way to take control of the narrative."

Cat beamed. "Thank you."

Bradford looked beyond frustrated, but Xever—he just smirked.

"This is ridiculous," Bradford muttered.

Xever let out an amused chuckle, shaking his head. "I like this one."

Mari took a step forward, cracking her knuckles. "You won't like her so much when I kick your teeth in."

Xever's smirk widened. "Feisty. This is going to be fun."

Without warning, the fight exploded into chaos.

Leo barely had time to react before Xever lunged, his knives slicing through the air. Leo parried, but Xever was fast—dangerously fast. A sharp kick caught Leo in the head, sending him tumbling to the second floor. He rolled, just dodging another strike before regaining his footing.

On the ground level, Raph growled, slamming his fists together before charging at Xever. The impact sent the man flying against the wall, but he recovered swiftly, flipping onto a conveyor belt and drawing his blades again.

Leo landed beside Raph, gripping his katanas tightly. Together, they cornered Xever.

Meanwhile, Mari fought off a pair of Foot Soldiers, her movements sharp and aggressive. She ducked low, striking at their legs with her tanto, forcing them to stumble. One lunged at her from behind, but she spun and countered, kicking them back.

"Man, you guys just keep coming," she muttered, blocking another strike.

Mikey twirled his chain, preparing to strike—until Bradford caught it mid-air.

"Uh-oh," Mikey muttered.

With one sharp yank, Bradford pulled Mikey forward, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing into Donnie.

"Could really use a little warning next time," Donnie grumbled as they scrambled to their feet.

From across the battlefield, Cat was trying to weave her way through the fight, avoiding direct combat. She wasn't as strong as the others, and she knew it—her best bet was keeping her distance and using her tessen to deflect attacks.

But as she pivoted to move toward the exit, her foot suddenly caught on a loose wire from the conveyor belt. She yelped as she stumbled, her tessen slipping from her grasp and skidding across the floor.

Before she could recover, a heavy metal crate tipped over from the movement, crashing down over her. It didn't fully pin her, but the weight blocked her leg, trapping her in place.

Meanwhile, Leo's eyes widened as more Foot Soldiers flooded into the warehouse.

"Turtles—fall back!"

Raph turned with a scowl. "We're giving up? Again? Are you kidding me?"

Leo barely spared him a glance. "Yes, it's all part of my hilarious 'let's all live' routine. MOVE!"

Mari hesitated, glancing back at the fight. "We could still—"

Leo grabbed her wrist before she could finish. "No. We leave. Now."

As much as she hated to admit it, he was right. They were outnumbered.

The team darted for the exit, ducking under blows and flipping over obstacles.

Cat struggled against the crate, trying to free her leg. "Guys?" she called, panic rising in her throat.

But the sounds of the battle drowned her out.

She watched in horror as Mikey, Raph, and Donnie leaped over a railing, disappearing out of sight. Mari, after one last kick to an approaching Foot Soldier, followed after them.

Leo was the last to leave, blocking an attack from Xever before flipping backward onto a rooftop escape.

Xever snarled, watching them escape. His grip on his knives tightened.

"Hey! Stay and fight, you cold-blooded cowards!"

Back at the lair, frustration hung heavy in the air.

Raph slammed his fists against the punching bag, sending it swinging wildly. "Man, could that fight have been any more embarrassing?" He growled, delivering another vicious punch.

Mikey, lounging on the couch, kicked his feet up and grinned. "I mean... I dunno. Could've been worse. Raph could've gotten his sai stolen again."

Raph froze mid-punch, turning slowly with a glare so sharp it could cut through steel. "What did you just say?"

Mikey, completely unbothered, turned toward Cat with a smirk. "Right, Cat? Should we remind him about the time he dropped 'em in the sewer? Or wait—was it the time he lost 'em to a pigeon?"

He held up a hand for a high-five.

But no high-five came.

Mikey blinked, glancing beside him. "Cat?"

Silence.

No response.

The grin slipped from his face. He sat up straighter, looking around. "Cat?"

Mari, who had been leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, furrowed her brow. "What do you mean, 'Cat'?"

Mikey sat up fully now, looking at the others. "Uh, where is she?"

Leo's stomach twisted. His head snapped toward Donnie, who had been too deep in his own thoughts to realize what was happening.

Donnie paled. "Wait. She—she was right behind us when we ran, wasn't she?"

Raph's hands dropped to his sides. "No. No, no, NO. She was—she was right there—"

Mari pushed off the wall, suddenly tense. "You mean to tell me we left her?!"

Leo's jaw clenched, mind racing. In the chaos, in the retreat—they hadn't noticed. She hadn't been with them.

His fists tightened. "We have to go back. Now."

Raph was already halfway to the exit. "No shell, genius!"

Before they could even move, Splinter's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

"Enough."

Everyone froze.

Splinter's gaze was sharp, unreadable, but beneath the surface, there was something even more dangerous than anger.

Disappointment.

"You were reckless," he said, his tone calm but firm. "You entered the fight with no strategy, no forethought. You retreated with no formation. And worst of all , you abandoned one of your own."

The weight of his words hit like a ton of bricks.

Leo's breath caught in his throat. His grip on his katanas tightened. How could he have let this happen? He was the leader. It was his job to keep track of everyone, to make sure no one got left behind.

Raph's hands clenched into fists. "We didn't—I didn't—" He gritted his teeth. "We didn't know, okay?! We thought she was with us!"

Mari's expression was unreadable, but the tension in her shoulders betrayed her anger. At them. At herself. At the whole damn situation. "That's not an excuse."

Mikey looked visibly shaken. His usual carefree demeanor was gone, replaced with something tight and anxious. "We—we gotta go get her. Right now."

Splinter's gaze remained firm. "Yes. You must. But you will not do so recklessly. Charging in without thought will only put her in greater danger."

Leo forced himself to take a breath, pushing down the rising panic. He had to think. They had to fix this.

Donnie had already rushed to his computer, pulling up security feeds, tapping furiously at the keyboard. "I'm checking traffic cams—warehouse footage—anything to see if they took her somewhere else."

Raph had no patience for waiting. "Or we could just go back and start breaking heads until we find her!"

Mari shot him a glare. "And what if we walk right into another ambush? We already screwed up once. Let's not make it worse."

Raph growled, pacing, looking ready to punch a hole through the wall.

Mikey's knee bounced restlessly. "She's gotta be okay, right? I mean—Cat's Cat. She's like, 90% chaos, 10% luck. She probably just—just—" His voice faltered. He wasn't even convincing himself.

Leo's stomach churned. They had to move. Now.

Donnie's screen beeped. His eyes widened.

"Got her."

Everyone rushed to his side.

The footage wasn't great, but it was clear enough—Cat, struggling, pinned down by Foot Soldiers. Bradford and Xever stood nearby, talking, before dragging her out of frame.

Leo's blood ran cold.

"They took her," Donnie muttered.

Raph cracked his knuckles. "Then let's go take her back."

Leo straightened, his eyes sharp, focused, determined. "We move fast. We move smart. We're getting her back."

No hesitation.

No more mistakes.

They wouldn't leave her behind again.

April paced anxiously behind the noodle shop, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. The second the turtles landed in front of her, Leo stepped forward, instantly picking up on her distress.

"April, what's wrong?" he asked.

April turned, worry etched into every line of her face. "It's Murakami," she said quickly. "And—" she hesitated, her grip tightening on her sleeves. "They have Cat, too."

The air in the group shifted instantly.

Mari narrowed her eyes.

April gestured toward the restaurant, leading them inside. The moment they stepped in, their eyes landed on the blade stabbed into the wall—pinning a note in place.

Mikey's face lit up. "Sweet! Free knife."

Donnie smacked him upside the head. "The note, dummy."

He yanked it down, eyes scanning the words.

No more running. If you want the old man and the turtle, meet us on the roof of the fortune cookie factory.

Raph cracked his knuckles, his whole body thrumming with tension. "Well, what are we waiting for? Let's bust in there and get them back."

Leo didn't move.

His eyes flicked to the note, then back to the knife, and his stomach twisted.

"Not so fast," he said. "Think, Raphael."

Donnie snorted. "There's two words that don't usually go together."

Leo ignored him. His voice was firm. "This is obviously a trap."

Raph let out an exasperated breath. "Well, what choice do we have?"

Mari took a step forward, fists clenched at her sides. "There is no choice," she bit out. "They took our sister."

Leo hesitated.

He didn't like this. Not at all. Xever wasn't just going after them anymore—he was dragging an innocent person in this. Even worse—they took their baby sister.

And that?

That changed things.

Leo's hands curled into fists.

"...Maybe we do need to think more like Xever," he muttered.

Donnie's head snapped up. "Wait, but Master Splinter said—"

"I know," Leo cut in. "But Xever crossed the line by taking our sister." He exhaled slowly, looking up. "He's got to learn that we can cross the line, too."

His jaw set.

"No more Mr. Nice Turtle."

Raph grinned.

"Yes!" he cheered. "I never liked Mr. Nice Turtle."

Mari rolled her shoulders, cracking her knuckles. "Finally."

The turtles crouched low on the rooftop, concealed by the shadows as they observed their target. Below them, Chris Bradford stepped outside of an athletic club, completely unaware of the ambush about to unfold.

Leo took a deep breath and turned to the others. "Okay, he's strong, so speed and stealth are essential. Everybody knows the plan?"

A chorus of nods followed.

Leo squinted at Mikey. "Mikey?"

"Yes," Mikey responded instantly.

Leo wasn't convinced. "Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Leo folded his arms. "Tell me what it is."

Mikey opened his mouth—then paused. His eyes darted around as he scrambled for an answer.

"Uhhh..." He chuckled nervously. "Maybe we should go over it one more time?"

Mari sighed loudly from where she crouched next to Raph. "Oh my god, Mikey."

Raph rolled his eyes. "He's hopeless."

Leo exhaled sharply but didn't waste time arguing. A few minutes later, the plan was already in motion.

Raph jumped down first. Leo followed, pinning Bradford to the ground while Mikey and Donnie worked quickly, tying him up with rope and duct tape before stuffing him into a trash can.

Mari smirked, crossing her arms as she watched. "Y'know, not a bad look for him."

With a grin, Raph grabbed the trash lid and slammed it over the top.

Leo secured the chains and lock. "Gentlemen, welcome to the other side of the line."

Mikey beamed. "Now I'm definitely gonna need a tat."

Raph smacked him upside the head. "Focus."

Mikey winced. "Ow!"

Donnie adjusted his grip on the trash can. "Dang, this sucker's heavy."

They tried to lift it, but it immediately slipped out of their grasp, rolled sideways, and smacked into the wall.

Mikey winced. "Sorry."

Raph scoffed. "Don't apologize to him."

Mikey crossed his arms. "I meant sorry I didn't drop you harder!"

Raph grinned. "There you go."

As they rolled the trash can toward their destination, Leo called out, "Cozy in there?"

There was no response.

Raph smirked. "Good."

Suddenly, Donnie tensed. "Uh-oh. You guys... look."

All five of them turned toward the rooftop across from them.

Murakami was hanging from a beam, tied up, dangling over the edge.

And right next to him, bound and struggling?

Cat.

Mari's stomach dropped. Her hands clenched into fists as she took a step forward, rage flashing in her eyes.

And standing beside them?

Xever.

Mikey scowled. "Dude, Xever's a jerk."

Mari's eyes were locked on Cat, who was still bound, struggling against the restraints. Her stomach twisted at the sight, but she forced herself to focus.

Leo took a slow step forward. His muscles tensed as Xever stepped down the beam, his smug smirk only widening.

"We're here, Xever," Leo said, voice cold. "Now let them go."

Xever spread his arms innocently. "Sorry. There's been a change of plans."

As if on cue, Foot Soldiers emerged from the shadows, surrounding them.

Mari's grip on her tanto tightened, but she forced herself to stay still, waiting for Leo's move.

Leo's eyes narrowed. "Actually... there's been another change of plans."

With a smirk, he grabbed Bradford's trash can and yanked off the lid.

Donnie grinned. "I love it when a change of plans comes together."

Leo met Xever's gaze. "You let our friend and sister go, and we let your friend go."

Xever let out a sharp laugh. "He's not my friend."

The turtles froze.

Slowly, they turned to look at Bradford, who scowled.

Xever, unfazed, started cutting the rope.

Leo tensed. "Uh—we're not kidding! Stop, or we'll toss him!"

Xever barely even glanced up. "Go ahead," he said, completely unfazed. "It'll save me the trouble."

Leo's stomach dropped.

"...Uh, Raph?"

Raph and Bradford locked eyes. The animosity in their glares was palpable.

Raph scowled. "Aw, crud."

With zero hesitation, he tossed Bradford to the ground.

Xever smirked. "That's what I thought."

With a flick of his wrist, he gave the order.

"Attack!"

Foot Soldiers charged, weapons raised, as the turtles sprang into action.

Mikey swung his chain, wrapping it around a fire escape before swinging through the air, knocking down multiple ninjas in one move.

Mari wasted no time, darting through the fight with practiced precision. She struck low, slicing at Foot Soldiers' legs with her tanto, making them stumble. When one tried to grab her, she ducked and elbowed him hard in the ribs before delivering a sharp kick to his chest.

Xever threw his butterfly knives at Leo and Raph, but they dodged, moving in sync. Leo leaped off a billboard while Raph slid underneath the attack.

From across the battlefield, Mari spotted Cat, still bound, struggling against the ropes. She wasn't in immediate danger yet—but if this fight lasted too long...

She gritted her teeth, slicing down another Foot Soldier.

Fong, watching from the sidelines, clenched his jaw.

Meanwhile, Bradford, finally free, stormed over to Xever and grabbed his arm. "How could you be so sure they were bluffing?!"

Xever shrugged. "I wasn't."

Bradford glared.

Mikey knocked down another Foot Soldier but suddenly froze when he saw Murakami's rope starting to snap.

"Uh—guys?" he called.

But the battle was still raging.

Raph was locked in a one-on-one fight with Xever but took a hard kick to the chest, sending him flying.

"Raph!" Leo yelled.

He tried to charge forward, but Bradford intercepted him, knocking him off balance.

Chris smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Alright. Let's settle the score, pond scum."

Donnie rolled his eyes. "We're the ones who didn't throw you off the roof, genius."

Chris punched Donnie hard, sending him stumbling. Mikey leaped onto Chris's back in an attempt to subdue him, but Bradford simply grabbed his nunchucks and flipped him over, slamming him into Donnie.

Meanwhile, Murakami's rope snapped.

He plummeted.

Mikey launched forward.

"I GOT HIM!"

He caught Murakami just before he hit the ground, the old man gasping in surprise.

Leo turned, breathless. "Nice save, Mikey."

Mikey grinned. "Don't look down, Murakami-san. Or, uh... listen down."

Meanwhile, Mari had fought her way closer to Cat.

"Hang tight," she muttered, dodging another strike before slicing at the ropes binding her wrists.

Cat's eyes were wide, but she nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah, totally. Hanging tight. Not panicking. Except I kinda am—"

"Then shut up and let me work," Mari snapped, cutting through another rope.

Suddenly, Fong moved.

He hesitated. Then—he grabbed a sword... and tossed it toward Leo.

Leo blinked.

Then, slowly, he smiled.

Maybe Fong wasn't as bad as the rest of them after all.

The turtles and April sat comfortably inside Murakami's noodle shop, the tension from the battle finally fading away. Mari leaned back in her chair, arms crossed, watching as Mikey practically vibrated with excitement at the sight of food.

Murakami smiled warmly as he set a plate down in front of them. "Accept this token of my gratitude."

Pizza gyoza.

Donnie's eyes lit up. "Awesome. Thanks, Murakami-san."

Murakami bowed slightly. "You're welcome, turtle-san."

The turtles instinctively bowed in return, but Donnie hesitated, squinting at the old man in confusion.

"Wait... how did you—?"

Murakami chuckled, gesturing to himself. "I do have other senses. Touch, smell..."

Leo tilted his head. "So... you don't think we're weird or scary?"

Murakami gave him an amused look. "You saved my life. Who am I to complain?"

Mikey beamed—and immediately tackled Murakami in a hug.

Murakami only laughed, patting Mikey on the head.

Mari smirked. "Alright, old man, you're officially cool."

Cat, who was shaken up from being kidnapped, took a bite of her food and it brightened up her mood. "EVEN BETTER THE SECOND TIME!"

Donnie held up a plate, grinning as he offered a piece of pizza gyoza to April.

"Just try one. Sometimes things that don't seem like they go together actually make a great couple. I mean—" Donnie's brain short-circuited. "—food. A great food couple."

April arched an eyebrow.

Raph smirked. "Smooth."

Mari let out a sharp laugh. "I actually felt second-hand pain from that."

April sighed. "Fine." She took a bite—then froze. Her eyes widened as she processed the flavor.

"Whoa," she breathed. "These are amazing."

Without another word, she snatched the entire plate and started devouring them.

Mikey gasped in betrayal. "April! That was mine!"

April shrugged, stuffing another gyoza in her mouth. "Not anymore."

Splinter watched the interaction with an amused chuckle. "You all showed your strength today."

Raph folded his arms. "Yeah, but we almost got beaten."

"And almost lost Cat," Mari grumbled, as Mikey hugged her for the hundredth time.

Splinter shook his head. "Your strength was mercy. That is why the Purple Dragon helped you."

Leo smiled knowingly. "Well? Say it."

Raph groaned. "Okay, okay. You were right."

Leo beamed. "Ahh, see? That wasn't so—"

Raph cut him off with a smirk. "Your wimpiness might not be totally useless."

Leo's face immediately fell. "Oh-ho. I'll show you who's wimpy—NO MERCY!"