The morning started with chaos.
Not the usual, training-induced, Foot Clan-related kind of chaos—but breakfast chaos.
Leo barely had time to react before two slices of toast flew straight into his face, knocking him off balance. He landed flat on his shell, blinking in mild irritation as one of the charred pieces stuck to his forehead.
"Toast is done," Donnie announced, standing nearby with his bo staff, looking way too proud of himself.
Mari, who had been at the stove attempting to flip eggs, turned to glance at the ruined toast. She snorted. "That's not toast. That's charcoal."
Cat, standing beside her, was trying to pour pancake batter into a frying pan. "Yeah, even I know toast shouldn't be that dark," she added—just as she accidentally overfilled the pan. Batter spilled over the edges, sizzling against the hot stove.
"Oh no—wait, wait, I got it!" Cat panicked, grabbing a spatula and frantically trying to scrape up the excess. Instead, she ended up splattering more batter across the counter.
Mari leaned away just in time, giving her a deadpan look. "Yeah, real professional, Cat."
Meanwhile, Raph grabbed two fresh oranges. "Orange juice, coming right up."
Without hesitation, he stabbed them with his sai, but instead of smoothly extracting the juice, he accidentally sent a high-pressure stream directly into Donnie's eyes.
"AH! It stings, it stings!" Donnie yelped, flailing as he staggered backward.
Still half-blinded, Donnie smacked straight into Leo, who had just gathered a stack of pots and pans. The collision sent the cookware flying—right into Raph's face.
Raph grunted as a frying pan clanged against his head. Egg yolk dripped from his mask. He slowly wiped his face, seething. "Mari, I told you scrambled."
Across the counter, Cat, now covered in flour from her own disaster, winced and quickly checked her face in a reflective spoon.
Leo, now wearing a pot as an impromptu helmet, groaned as he surveyed the scene. The kitchen looked like a battlefield—toast and eggs splattered across the walls, utensils scattered everywhere, and the air thick with the smell of burnt breakfast.
He shook his head. "Oh, man. This place is a disaster."
Raph wiped more egg from his face. "Yeah, well, Mikey usually makes breakfast. What's the deal?" He turned, raising his voice. "Mikey! Get up!"
There was no response.
Cat scrunched her nose at the mess before stepping back. "Maybe he's sick?"
Mari smirked, flicking a burnt piece of toast off the counter. "Or maybe he just knew this was gonna happen and faked a coma."
Leo sighed. "Someone go check on him."
"I got it!" Cat chirped, already skipping toward Mikey's room.
Inside Mikey's room, a low groan came from the lump of blankets on his bed. His hand flailed out, grabbing a pair of underwear before tossing it aside. He finally found his mask, fumbling to put it on before staggering toward the door.
His entire body felt heavy. His stomach churned uncomfortably.
"Oh, I feel awful," he muttered to himself. "Maybe I shouldn't have eaten that jalapeño cappuccino pizza last night..."
Just then, his door swung open.
"Mikey, wake up! You're missing—" Cat started, bounding inside.
She stopped mid-step. Her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open.
Then—
"AAAAHHHH!! YOU'RE A MUTANT!!"
Leo raised a brow. "Uh... she's just now realizing this?"
Mikey, confused, took a peek in the mirror and screamed.
Cat turned and bolted straight back to the kitchen, her scream echoing through the lair.
Before anyone could react, Mikey came sprinting in after her—just as panicked, just as loud.
"AAAAHHHH!!" He skidded to a stop in front of them, pointing frantically at his face.
The rest of the family turned to look—and immediately recoiled.
"Aw, gross," Raph gagged.
Leo grimaced as Mikey stepped closer, revealing the strange, bulbous bumps forming across his head.
Raph backed up, holding up his hands like he could physically ward off the sight. "Talk about shellacne. You look like a green chimichanga."
Cat had her hands pressed to her own face, quickly checking her reflection in a pocket mirror. "Oh no, oh no, oh no—wait." She sighed in relief. "Phew. My skin's still perfect."
Mari, meanwhile, just smirked. "That is the single nastiest thing I've ever seen," she said. "And we live in a sewer."
Leo tried for reassurance but failed. "Eh, don't worry, Mikey. It's just part of being a teenager."
Mikey's eyes darted between them. "Have you ever had 'em?"
Leo didn't even hesitate. "Heck no."
Donnie, however, was already eyeing Mikey with scientific interest. "Hold up, guys," he said, pulling out his scanner. "I think this might be serious."
Mikey gulped.
The scene shifted to Donnie's lab, where he analyzed the strange growths under high-tech magnification. Leo, Raph, Mari, and Cat stood nearby, arms crossed, watching with varying degrees of curiosity and horror.
"Okay, Mikey," Donnie started, his tone clinical. "The good news is, these so-called 'zits' aren't going to hurt you. And more importantly..." He glanced at the others. "They won't interfere with you making us breakfast."
Mikey let out a deep breath. "That's a relief."
"But," Donnie continued, "the bad news is—they'll continue to spread all over your body."
Mikey's stomach twisted. "...And then they disappear in a couple of hours, right?"
Donnie's expression darkened. "No. And then your entire body will mutate into one single, huge, giant, gargantuan zit."
As he spoke, he loomed over Mikey, his voice echoing ominously. "Spreading... and spreading... and spreading..."
Mikey's pupils shrank in horror. The room around him faded as he was sucked into a terrifying mental image:
His entire body, transformed into one massive, grotesque zit.
He could feel it, swollen and throbbing, his limbs nonexistent. He wobbled helplessly, a real-life human pimple. Then, suddenly, a giant finger poked at him.
POP!
The nightmare shattered.
Mikey gasped, jolting back to reality.
"Noooo!!" he wailed, gripping his head.
Later that day, Mikey had barricaded himself in his room.
The lair was quieter without his usual antics. Too quiet.
Leo knocked on the door. "Mikey, come on. It's not as bad as you think. And Raph and Mari promises not to make fun of you anymore."
Behind him, Raph huffed, arms crossed. "That's right, I'm sorry I called you crust muffin and fungus face and Godzitla, King of the Pus Monsters."
Mari smirked. "Oh, yeah, and also zit-brain, pimple-shell, and my personal favorite—walking biohazard."
Leo shot them both a warning glance.
Raph banged on the door. "Now come on out already!"
From inside, Mikey's muffled voice whined back. "No way! Not while I'm covered in gross, slime-filled zits!"
Donnie, ever the scientist, adjusted his goggles. "Technically, they're pustules filled with oil and sebum, which is even grosser than slime."
Leo, Raph, and Mari all recoiled in disgust.
"Not helping, Donnie," Leo muttered. Then, turning back to the door, he knocked again. "Mikey."
Mikey's response was immediate. "Forget it, guys! I'm too hideous to be a ninja! I'll stay locked away in here forever! And even longer if I have to!"
Cat, who had been unusually quiet, let out a horrified gasp. "What if—what if it happens to me next?"
Mari's smirk widened as she turned to her. "Oh, you're right. You and Mikey are practically the same, aren't you? Loud, messy, a little too trusting... I bet it's only a matter of time before you wake up with a face full of mutant warts."
Cat paled and frantically checked her reflection in a pocket mirror. "No, no, no, I can't have shellacne! I moisturize!"
Raph snorted. "Yeah, good luck with that."
Leo sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Can we focus, please?" He raised his voice again. "Mikey, you're not the first teenager in history to get a breakout."
Inside the room, Mikey sat hunched over, glaring at his own reflection. His zits had only gotten worse.
Then, he stuck out his tongue.
His eyes widened in horror.
His tongue had zits now too.
He let out a choked gasp and slapped both hands over his mouth.
This was worse than he thought.
Much, much worse.
Mikey sat hunched at the table, gripping a pizza box tightly over his face. The zits had spread—now covering his cheeks—and there was no way he was letting anyone see him like this.
Unfortunately, Raph noticed.
And immediately, he started laughing.
"Cool," Raph snickered. "Mikey brought his own pizza—his face!" He doubled over, cackling.
Mikey's eye twitched. With a growl, he hurled the pizza box at Raph's head. Raph ducked, still grinning.
"Okay, okay, I'll stop," Raph said between laughs. Then, smirking, he gestured at the chair. "Now come on and zit down."
He burst out laughing again. "'Zit' down! I crack myself up!"
Mikey clenched his fists, cheeks burning in embarrassment. Before he could retaliate, Mari leaned forward, her chin resting on her hand as she smirked.
"I dunno, Raph," she said, feigning deep thought. "I think we should keep going. We've barely scratched the surface. What about... Pimpleangelo? Or MikeRO-BUMP-gelo?"
Raph snorted. "Ooh, or Pus-kelangelo!"
Mikey groaned. "Not you too!"
Cat, meanwhile, had been quietly staring at Mikey in horror. She clutched her own face, checking for any signs of the same breakout. "Oh my gosh," she whispered. "What if it's contagious?"
Mari gasped dramatically, eyes widening. "Oh, you're right! What if it spreads?" She leaned in toward Cat with mock concern. "Your face could be next, Cat. You could wake up looking like a giant pimple!"
Cat shrieked and immediately pulled out her compact mirror, frantically inspecting her reflection. "No, no, no! I moisturize!"
Leo sighed, rubbing his temples. "Can you guys not?"
Before Mikey could yell at them, a new voice cut through the room.
"Raphael. Marietta."
Splinter's tone was calm—but firm.
Instantly, the laughter died.
Splinter stepped into the room, his sharp gaze landing on them. "You should know better than to make fun of one's appearance," he said. "After all, how would the humans above react to yours?"
Mari sighed, throwing her hands up. "Alright, alright, I'm done."
Raph grumbled. "Fine. Sorry, Mikey."
Mikey slumped into his chair, crossing his arms. His zits covered his cheeks and shoulders, making him feel like a walking science experiment.
"Just kick me out, Master Splinter," he muttered. "I can't be a ninja when I look like a moldy pickle."
Splinter raised a brow. "And why not? I do not let my appearance affect me."
Mikey hesitated. "...Well, yeah, 'cause old people never care how they look or smell."
The room went silent.
Splinter stroked his goatee, giving Mikey an unimpressed glare.
Leo, Donnie, Raph, and Mari all shot him identical looks of disbelief.
Splinter exhaled slowly. "My son," he said, voice patient, "I sense there is something you would like to tell us."
Mikey's stomach twisted. "What? No. Not at all. Really, I didn't do anything."
Silence.
Under Splinter's stare, Mikey cracked.
"Okay, okay! You got me!" He pulled out a small jar of blue liquid, holding it up guiltily. "I kinda, uh... sprinkled a little mutagen on my skin."
The room exploded.
"WHAT?!" the others shouted in unison.
"Are you kidding?!" Raph nearly launched across the table. "Why?!"
Mari leaned forward. "Even Cat wouldn't do that, and she's the queen of terrible ideas."
Cat, still checking her reflection, huffed. "Hey!"
Mikey fidgeted. "To become better! Cooler, you know? You guys treat me like I'm a big goofball all the time!" He held up the jar, pointing at the label. "So I found this in Donnie's lab. The label says it'll make you super cool!"
Donnie snatched it from his hands, flipping it around. His eye twitched.
"Mikey," he said, voice dangerously calm. "It says keep it super COOLED. As in temperature!" His expression darkened. "This was a reject batch of retro-mutagen. It's dangerous!"
Mikey blinked. "Well, you could've made that a little more clear."
Donnie turned the jar around, pointing at the back where the label was covered in bold, red warnings.
Mikey squinted. "...Still not that clear."
The others groaned.
A short while later, in Donnie's lab, the scientist typed rapidly on his computer, running Mikey's blood samples.
Then he froze.
His stomach dropped.
"Oh, no."
Mikey paled. "Please tell me that's a good 'oh, no.'"
Donnie slowly turned toward him. "It's a terrible 'oh, no.'" His voice was grim. "According to these blood tests, the mutagen in your system is unstable."
Leo stepped closer, eyes narrowing. "Until what? What'll happen to him?"
Donnie took a deep breath. "In scientific terms?" His expression darkened. "He'll go boom."
Mikey blinked.
Then his eyes widened in horror.
"I'M GONNA EXPLODE?!"
"Like a massive zit."
A beat of silence.
Then—
"EW," everyone groaned at once.
Mikey clutched his head. "NOOO!"
His mind raced. He imagined himself swelling up like a balloon, grotesque and pulsing—until finally, he burst into an explosion of green slime.
The horrifying mental image was too much.
With a dramatic gasp, Mikey fainted.
Cat, who had been standing next to him, let out a startled squeak and immediately checked her own skin again, just to be safe.
Donnie sighed. "Now that I know what caused this, I think I can engineer an antidote from the remaining sample."
Mikey immediately shot back up, grabbing Donnie's shoulders. "YES, YES, YES! I LOVE YOU, MAN!"
Donnie cringed. "Okay, come on." He shoved Mikey off him.
Splinter nodded. "Then you must start right away."
Donnie was already at work, scanning the remaining mutagen. His fingers flew across the keyboard, but then he groaned.
"I'm missing one key instrument," he muttered. "A molecular centrifuge to mix the solution."
Mikey waved a dismissive hand. "No problem. Money is no object! Leo, can I borrow some cash?"
Cat tilted her head. "Wait, what even is a centri-whatever?"
Donnie ignored both of them. "The only place I've ever seen a molecular centrifuge was at T.C.R.I."
Raph frowned. "But we blew that place up when we took down the Kraang. What could be left?"
The room fell into uneasy silence.
Mari exhaled. "Looks like we're going back."
The ruins of T.C.R.I. stretched around them, the once-imposing facility reduced to little more than rubble and debris. The air was thick with dust, the occasional creak of unstable metal echoing through the abandoned corridors.
Mari kicked a stray piece of metal aside. "Great. Nothing like scavenging through a collapsed alien lab. Totally not a bad idea."
"Everybody, spread out and start looking," Donnie instructed, adjusting his goggles.
The team dispersed, carefully picking through the remnants of what was once the Kraang's stronghold.
Mikey, holding up a small glass container, approached Donnie with an eager grin. "Is this a centrifudge?"
Donnie sighed, barely sparing him a glance. "Centrifuge. And no, that's a beaker."
Mikey groaned dramatically and tossed the beaker over his shoulder.
Mari snorted. "Yeah, let's just throw random lab equipment around. Real helpful, Mikey."
A second later, Mikey held up a microscope. "Is this a centrifudge?"
Donnie didn't even look up. "That's a microscope."
"Ugh!" Mikey groaned, tossing it aside. A few seconds later, he returned, holding up the same beaker from before. "Okay, but this is definitely a centrifudge, right?"
Cat, who had been cautiously sifting through debris, paused and stared at him. "Mikey, isn't that the same beaker?
Donnie pinched the bridge of his nose. "That is the same beaker!"
Before Mikey could respond, Leo stiffened, eyes narrowing. "Shh. Listen."
The others fell silent.
A faint voice echoed through the crumbling structure, growing louder with each passing second.
"Yes, yes! Perfect. Bio-enhancers. DNA catalysts," the voice muttered excitedly. "Soon, I'll be able to create my own mutant army. Powerful, unstoppable!"
Raph's brow furrowed. "Is that who I think it is?"
Just as he spoke, a scrawny figure shuffled into view, clutching a box filled with stolen equipment.
"Baxter Stockman," Donnie said flatly.
Stockman stiffened at the sound of his name, eyes darting up. "What?!" His gaze landed on the turtles, and panic overtook his face. "T-Turtles?! Here?! Now?!"
Mari crossed her arms. "Yeah, bet you didn't see that coming, genius."
Donnie folded his arms. "You've got the centrifuge. Hand it over, Storkman."
Stockman bristled. "Stockman! And no! I found it first! MOUSERS—attack!"
At his command, small robotic creatures skittered forward from the shadows, their metallic jaws snapping open.
"Great," Raph muttered, twirling his sai. "It's these freaks again."
Cat yelped and immediately scrambled behind the nearest piece of cover. "I hate these things!"
Mari cracked her knuckles, smirking. "Finally, something to punch."
The battle erupted into pure chaos. Sparks flew as steel clashed, the grinding of gears and snapping jaws of the Mousers filling the air.
Mikey yelped, flailing as he barely dodged a Mouser lunging at his ankle. "Don't let 'em pop me!"
Cat shrieked as one of the robotic creatures scuttled toward her, metal teeth gleaming. "I knew I should've stayed home!" She whacked it with her tessen, but it barely left a dent.
Mari, however, was having the time of her life. She grinned as she kicked a Mouser straight into a crumbling wall. She twirled her tanto, slashing another in half.
Leo sliced through two Mousers in a single strike, landing in a crouch. "We need to get that centrifuge before Stockman bolts!"
Unfortunately, that was exactly what he was trying to do.
As Stockman darted toward the exit, Mikey's eyes locked onto the centrifuge in his hands. "He's got the centerfudge!"
Mari groaned. "How are you still messing that up?"
Mikey sprinted after him, but before he could reach him, a massive shadow loomed over both of them.
A deafening crash shook the entire structure as a figure landed in front of Stockman, rubble crumbling beneath his sheer weight.
A low, growling voice followed. "Stockman."
Stockman paled. "Dogpound?"
Dogpound smirked, towering over him. "Well, if it isn't weasely little Stinkman."
Stockman winced. "Stockman!"
Leo stepped forward, tightening his grip on his katanas. "Back off, Dogpound. We found him first."
Dogpound let out a low, menacing chuckle. "Oh, trust me, I'm not here for you."
Before Stockman could react, Dogpound's massive claw wrapped around him, lifting him off the ground with ease.
"No! No, no, please!" Stockman squirmed. "I'm extremely fragile! Help!"
Dogpound didn't listen. With a grunt, he turned and punched straight through the wall, making his exit with Stockman in tow.
Mikey gasped. "My centerfudge!"
Before anyone could react, Dogpound's escape caused a violent tremor in the unstable ruins. The ceiling groaned ominously, cracks splintering across the remaining structure.
Leo's eyes widened. "Look out!"
The ceiling collapsed.
Mikey was frozen, eyes darting between the falling debris and his own fragile state. If he got hit—if anything popped—
At the last second, Mari slammed into him, shoving him hard enough to send him rolling across the floor.
The rubble crashed down on top of her and everyone else.
Silence.
Then, the dust settled.
Mikey scrambled up, his breath catching in his throat as he took in the mess of broken concrete and twisted metal.
"Oh no. Guys!"
A groan from beneath the rubble.
Leo shoved aside a heavy slab of debris, coughing as he pulled himself free. "Yeah," he rasped, shaking dust from his mask. "We're okay."
One by one, the others emerged—some slower than others.
Cat groaned, peeling herself off the ground. "We're not okay. We just got buried alive!"
Mari coughed, brushing dirt off her shoulders like it was nothing. "Toughen up."
Mikey let out a dramatic wail. "And they have the centerfudge!"
Donnie groaned from where he lay face-first on the ground, exhausted. "Centrifuge," he muttered weakly—before promptly passing out.
The lair was thick with tension.
Mikey sat on the floor, arms wrapped around himself as he groaned in despair. His zits had spread—not just on his face but down his arms and even onto his shell. He could feel them pulsing. It was like his whole body was a ticking time bomb.
Across the room, Raph scowled and punched a pillow. "I can't believe that fleabag beat us. I want a rematch."
Mari, sitting cross-legged on the couch, smirked. "What, so he can whoop you twice?"
Raph shot her a glare, but she just shrugged.
Leo, perched on the arm of the couch, kept his voice level. "Easy, Raph. Focus on what's important. We need to get that centrifuge to cure Mikey."
Donnie, who had been furiously typing away at his computer, finally turned around with a grim expression. "His zits are getting more unstable. If any of them get popped, they could cause a chain reaction." He flipped around a large whiteboard, displaying a diagram of Mikey's zits rapidly multiplying until—boom. A massive explosion.
Mikey recoiled in horror. "What?! So I pop either way?!"
Cat, who had been sitting nearby, let out a horrified gasp and immediately started patting her own face, feeling for zits.
"Am I getting them?! Do I look weird?!" she panicked.
Mari leaned over, studying her face with a dead-serious expression. "Oh, yeah. Definitely. Your whole face is covered in them."
Cat shrieked and grabbed a nearby spoon, using the reflection to check her skin. "I knew it! I knew this was contagious!"
Mari leaned back, snickering as Cat frantically ran her hands over her smooth, zit-free face.
Leo sighed, rubbing his temples. "Mari."
"What?" Mari shrugged. "I was just helping her realize she doesn't have them."
Raph ignored them, still glaring at Donnie's diagram. "Okay, so Mikey literally explodes if one of those things pops. Great. That's just great."
Donnie sighed. "We just have to keep you safe. It's too dangerous to leave the lair."
Mikey flopped onto his back, groaning dramatically. "But I never got to visit a wax museum! Or learn pig Latin! Or open a mummy's tomb where the mummy comes alive, but he's so cool we form a hip-hop group and travel around the world together in a golden UFO! I wanna do that!"
His voice grew more desperate as he flailed on the floor.
Mari raised an eyebrow. "That's... a lot to unpack."
Cat, still shaken from the fake zit scare, shook her head. "You're so weird."
Raph shot him a flat look. "Right. Well, listen, Mikey. We're gonna get that centrifuge. We'll do whatever it takes to fix you."
Mikey sat up, surprised. "Wow, Raph. Thanks, man."
He reached out for a hug, but Raph immediately backpedaled, hands up in alarm. "Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
Mikey pouted as he flopped back onto the floor.
Meanwhile, the others circled around a map on the table.
Leo tapped his fingers against his chin. "Okay. Dogpound and Stockman. Where could they be? The old city dump?"
Raph scoffed. "Nah. They turned it into a retirement home."
Mari snorted. "Man, those old folks are not ready for what's coming."
Leo frowned. "The abandoned nuclear plant?"
Donnie shook his head. "Now it's a nursery school."
Mikey, still sprawled on the ground, perked up. "Ooh, what about Baxter's old lab?"
Raph shot him a look. "Why would Dogpound capture Dexter and take him to his old lab? It makes no sense."
Mikey huffed, crossing his arms. "See? You guys never take me seriously."
Leo ignored him, deep in thought. "Maybe they went to Bradford's dojo."
Mari nodded. "Possibility."
Mikey's eye twitched.
The dim glow of streetlights cast eerie shadows across the rooftops as Mikey crept through the city. The chill in the air made his skin prickle—or maybe that was just the growing pustules on his arms. Either way, he ignored it.
He had a mission.
And judging by the warehouse in front of him, he had been right.
Inside, Dogpound stalked through the abandoned lab, his massive claws clinking against the tiled floor as he sneered down at Baxter Stockman. "So. A giant tank of mutagen, huh?" He crossed his arms. "Planning on making some mutants?"
Stockman adjusted his glasses, swallowing. "Uh, yes! A whole army for us to command! Just me and you. Yeah." He cleared his throat. "Um. Not that I'm complaining, but—why are you keeping me alive?"
Dogpound grinned, sharp teeth flashing. "Karai wants it this way." His eyes narrowed. "Believe me, I still owe you big time for trapping us in your little maze of doom."
A new voice cut in.
"So, you've beaten me to the punch and found Stockman, yes?"
Mikey tensed.
Fishface.
The mutant fish slithered into view, his mechanical legs clicking against the ground.
Fishface frowned. "Why haven't you taken this traitorous lump of flesh to Karai yet?"
Dogpound cracked his knuckles. "I will. After he turns me human again."
Fishface's eyes widened. "What?! You can turn us human again?!"
Stockman hesitated for only a second before straightening. "Uh, yes. Yes, of course! My intellect knows no bounds! None!"
Dogpound growled, pulling something out of his belt. A thick, metallic collar covered in glowing green liquid. He snapped it around Stockman's neck.
Stockman yelped. "Is this mutagen?!"
Dogpound smirked. "I call it insurance. Double-cross us, and boom—we get to see what you turn into. Some kind of lowly bug, I bet."
Above them, crouched in the rafters, Mikey watched with wide eyes.
"I knew it!" he whispered to himself. "I knew Baxter would be here hatching a plan—wearing a dog collar!" He blinked. "Well, maybe not the dog collar part..."
His grip tightened on his nunchaku as he spotted his prize.
The centrifuge.
"Centrifudge," he breathed. "Am I glad to see you."
He slowly lowered his chain weapon down toward the machine.
Fishface, meanwhile, scowled. "If you're going to make him human, then I want to be a man as well!" He slammed his fist on the table. "I want to live as a man! Love as a man! Not as a fish! Do you hear?!"
Mikey, dangling above them, gulped.
He carefully reached out with his weapon.
The chain wrapped around the centrifuge.
But just as he started to pull it up—
A massive claw yanked the chain.
Mikey gasped as he dropped, landing with a hard thud.
The room fell silent.
Dogpound's eyes gleamed. "Fool."
Mikey held up his hands. "Whoa! Don't touch me! I'm highly contagious!" He forced a fake cough. "See? So how about I just take that gadget and get out of your fur—"
Dogpound slammed his fist on the table, rattling the entire room.
Mikey flinched.
"I'd rather you stay," Dogpound growled. His lips curled back into a snarl. "And people think I'm ugly?! Watch Stinkman. I wanna tear this turtle apart myself."
Mikey barely had time to dodge as Dogpound lunged.
The fight was on.
Mikey flipped back, whipping out his nunchaku. "Booyakasha!"
Dogpound snarled and swiped, sending Mikey crashing into the ceiling. He landed hard, his zits pulsing dangerously.
"No, no, no!" Mikey wheezed. "Calm down, zits! Calm down!"
Dogpound leapt toward him.
The impact sent them both tumbling—right toward the mutagen tank.
Mikey gasped, scrambling for a hold. Dogpound clung to his leg, his massive weight dragging them both toward the glowing liquid.
"You don't wanna go in there!" Mikey warned.
Dogpound snarled, tightening his grip.
Desperate, Mikey swung his nunchaku.
The blow knocked Dogpound off of him.
The hulking mutant plunged into the mutagen with a scream.
Mikey scrambled back, panting.
The tank bubbled violently.
Then—
Something emerged.
Mikey's breath hitched.
Dogpound was gone.
In his place stood something far worse.
A black-furred, red-eyed monster.
A werewolf.
The creature bared its fangs.
"I feel the mutagen coursing through me," it snarled. "I am faster. Stronger. More powerful than ever."
Mikey swallowed hard.
"Uh-oh."
Mikey took a cautious step back as the hulking werewolf mutant loomed over him, sharp claws flexing menacingly. The once-massive Dogpound was now something worse—his fur had darkened to a pitch black, his body leaner and more monstrous, and his blood-red eyes burned with newfound power.
"Maybe you need a day or two to get to know the new you, Dogpound," Mikey joked weakly.
The werewolf's lips curled back into a snarl. "Do not call me Dogpound."
Mikey hesitated. "O-kay... Rahzar?"
The newly mutated beast—Rahzar—let out a deep, guttural growl. "To thank you for this... I'll make your end swift."
With a terrifying burst of speed, Rahzar lunged.
Mikey barely managed to dodge, flipping backward as claws sliced through the air inches from his plastron. He had no time to react before Rahzar grabbed him with an iron grip and hurled him across the room.
"WAAAH!" Mikey crashed into a pile of rusted metal, sending broken machinery clattering to the floor. His zits pulsed ominously from the impact.
"Ohhh, no, no, no!" Mikey groaned, pushing himself up. "Not the zits! Please, no more bouncing!"
Rahzar stalked toward him, claws scraping against the ground. "Say goodbye, turtle."
A sai whipped through the air, striking Rahzar's outstretched claw.
The beast recoiled slightly, growling as he turned—just in time to see Raph and Mari leap into the fight.
"Get away from my brother," Raph snapped.
Rahzar snarled, lunging at Mikey with sharpened claws poised to strike. Before he could make contact, Mari darted forward, spinning her tanto in hand. She struck low, slicing across his leg before flipping backward out of reach.
"What's the matter?" she taunted. "Big bad wolf too slow?"
Rahzar snarled and swung at her, but Mari dodged, slipping between his attacks like she had done a hundred times before. She smirked, already moving for another strike—but he was faster than she expected. With a vicious swipe, his claws barely missed her, slashing through the concrete instead.
Leo, Cat and Donnie arrived just in time, their weapons raised.
Mikey, barely keeping himself upright, managed a weak grin. "Oh, hey, guys."
Leo frowned. "You're lucky we noticed you were gone in time, Mikey."
Raph wasn't as forgiving. "Even luckier that I knew you'd come here. What were you think—?"
Before Raph could finish, a blur of movement struck him from the side. Fishface's powerful kick sent him crashing against the metal railing, his sai clattering to the floor. Rahzar wasted no time, launching himself at the others.
"Fishface," Donnie muttered in irritation.
"Scatter!" Mikey yelped, narrowly dodging Rahzar's claws as he and the others dispersed.
Donnie barely had time to register Rahzar's presence before his jaw dropped. "Wait, what happened to Dogpound?"
Mikey, despite the growing danger, couldn't resist a smirk. "Ha! He got double-mutated. Now I call him Rahzar."
The newly transformed Rahzar let out a guttural roar.
Leo was the first to strike, charging at Rahzar with his katanas. The mutant wolf easily caught him mid-air, delivering a devastating punch that sent him soaring across the room. Donnie lunged next, swinging his bo staff, but Rahzar intercepted him effortlessly—grabbing Donnie's head like he was swatting a fly.
Raph recovered quickly, leaping at Rahzar with his sai poised to strike. But Rahzar was faster. With a smirk, he used Donnie like a battering ram, swinging him straight into Raph and sending them both sprawling to the ground.
Mikey's heart pounded as he spotted the centrifuge lying nearby. "The centrifudge!"
He made a break for it, grabbing the device—but Rahzar was already on him. With a vicious swipe, he sent Mikey crashing into the floor, the centrifuge slipping from his grip.
"MIKEY!" Cat screamed, her hands clenching her tessen as she darted toward him.
She barely made it a few steps before Fishface intercepted her, blocking her path with a wicked grin. "And where do you think you're going, little one?"
Cat froze, gripping her weapons tighter. She wasn't as strong as the others—but she wasn't helpless. She darted forward, swinging her tessen with all the force she could muster.
Fishface dodged easily, chuckling. "Cute."
Before he could counter, Mari came out of nowhere, kicking Fishface across the face. He staggered back, hissing in pain.
"Back off my sister," Mari snapped.
Cat shot her a grateful look, but there was no time for thanks.
Meanwhile, Raph saw Mikey struggling and rushed to help—but Fishface intercepted him with a swift kick to the shell, knocking him off balance.
The eel mutant sneered and turned toward Stockman, who was frozen in terror. "If I were you, I'd get my Mousers out here now."
Fishface pulled out a small device—the detonator for Stockman's explosive collar. The scientist's face turned pale as he fumbled for his remote, frantically pressing buttons.
Leo and Donnie barely had time to process what was happening before the ground trembled beneath them. A horde of Mousers scuttled into the room.
"Great," Donnie groaned. "More Mousers."
Leo and Donnie immediately leapt into action, slicing through the incoming robots. Meanwhile, Mikey scrambled away as Rahzar advanced on him.
"Guys?" Mikey called out, his voice rising in panic. "I'm bursting at the seams, and Rahzar's gonna pop me!"
"Not if I can help it!" Cat shouted, throwing a handful of shuriken at Rahzar's face.
He batted them away with ease and turned to snarl at her—but that gave Mikey the distraction he needed.
Mikey dodged another swipe, his mind racing. He needed an idea. Fast. His gaze darted to the nearby control panel, connected to a network of pipes.
"I just sorta had an idea," he muttered to himself. Then, louder, "Here, boy! Good dog!"
Rahzar lunged.
Mikey dodged at the last second, flipping over the console as Rahzar slammed into the control panel. Sparks flew, and a surge of electricity coursed through the wires.
Rahzar howled in pain as the jolt sent him staggering backward.
"Yeah!" Mikey whooped. "You just got shell-shocked, son!"
Donnie, catching on quickly, shouted, "Everyone, to high ground, now!"
The turtles scrambled onto the upper platforms. Donnie spun his naginata, slamming it against the overhead pipes. Water gushed out, dousing the villains below.
The moment the streams hit the exposed wires, a violent current surged through the lab. Sparks exploded as the electrical shock coursed through Rahzar, Baxter, and Fishface. The Mousers, caught in the blast, short-circuited instantly.
With a final, pained snarl, Rahzar collapsed. Stockman and Fishface followed, their bodies twitching before falling unconscious.
Mikey clutched his head, feeling the pressure of his unstable mutation reach its peak. "Dude, I'm about to pop, and I think we destroyed the centrifudge!"
Raph smirked. "Don't be so sure."
He reached into his belt and pulled out the device, perfectly intact.
Mikey's jaw dropped in awe. "Dude. You are the best."
Cat let out a relieved breath, touching her face once more to make sure she hadn't gotten any weird mutations from being too close to Mikey.
Mari clapped a hand on Mikey's shoulder, smirking. "Not bad, fungus face. Let's go before you actually explode."
Mikey groaned. "Ugh, no more explosion jokes!"
"Not a joke. Just a warning." Mari winked.
Without wasting another second, the turtles dashed toward the exit, leaving the wrecked lab and their unconscious enemies behind.
Back at the lair, the air was thick with anticipation as Donnie carefully poured the final drop of the antidote into a small container. He held it up triumphantly.
"Antidote's ready, Mikey."
Mikey, who had been pacing back and forth like an impatient child, practically lunged at him. "Gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme, gimme!"
Without waiting for further instructions, he grabbed a handful of acne pads soaked in the antidote and started scrubbing them all over his face.
Leo raised a brow. "Did you really have to put the antidote on acne pads?"
Donnie smirked. "No. But it is hilarious."
Mari, leaning against the table with her arms crossed, smirked. "I dunno, kinda fitting if you ask me. It's like watching a walking health commercial."
Cat, standing next to her, visibly cringed. "Ugh, I'm just glad it's working. That was disgusting to look at."
Seconds later, the transformation took effect. The grotesque bumps on Mikey's face and shell faded, his skin returning to its normal smooth, green texture. He gasped, touching his cheeks as if to make sure he wasn't dreaming.
"It worked!" Mikey spun around, grinning from ear to ear. "Look at me! Yeah, boy! I'm super cute again!" He turned to Donnie and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thanks, Donnie. You're the best."
Donnie groaned, trying to pry him off. "Okay, okay, personal space!"
Mari mockingly wiped away a fake tear. "Aww, our little fungus face is back to being his usual annoying self."
Cat, still checking her own skin, let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, I officially never want to see mutant acne ever again."
Splinter stepped forward, his calm presence quieting the room. "I must commend you on your resolve, Michelangelo."
Mikey straightened, listening intently.
"You believed you needed to improve yourself," Splinter continued, his voice filled with warmth, "but you had everything you needed already inside—here." He tapped Mikey's plastron over his heart.
Mikey beamed. "See, guys? Who was right about Baxter's secret hideout, huh? Me. Yup. I totally called it."
Leo crossed his arms. "You had no clue."
Mari rolled her eyes. "Yeah, let's not act like that wasn't a complete fluke."
Cat hummed in agreement. "You did almost explode."
Donnie smirked. "Oh no, Mikey! You've got a zit forming on the end of your nose!"
Mikey froze, eyes wide. "Are you kidding me? No! Why?"
He frantically rubbed at his face, only to realize—there was nothing there. Slowly, he turned to see his siblings barely holding back their laughter.
Leo chuckled first. Then Raph snorted. Mari smirked. And finally, Donnie burst into full-blown amusement.
Mikey's expression darkened. His hands clenched into fists.
"DONNIE, I'M GONNA—"
With an enraged yell, he lunged at Donnie, sending the entire group into a chaotic scuffle as laughter and shouting filled the lair.
