The city hummed with late-night energy—streetlights casting long shadows, the distant honk of traffic echoing through the streets. April O'Neil walked alone, pulling her jacket closer against the evening chill. Her mind buzzed with unfinished homework, chess club strategies, and—most of all—the weight of the life she used to have before everything changed.

Before her father became a monster.

Something wasn't right.

She felt it before she heard it—a presence lingering behind her, matching her pace too closely to be coincidence. She turned sharply, scanning the alley. Nothing.

Her grip tightened around the weapon strapped to her belt.

"I know you're following me," she called out, voice steady despite the creeping unease. "Come out so I can see you!"

Without hesitation, she flung her weapon by the trash can.

A startled yelp followed.

A familiar voice.

"Funny us both passing through this shady back alley at the same exact time, huh?"

April tensed as Donatello stepped into view, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly.

Her expression twisted from alertness to sheer frustration.

Of course it was him.

He was the last person she wanted to see right now.

"Donnie?" she snapped, crossing her arms.

He hesitated. "So, um, h-how have you been?"

April let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Oh, you know, the usual. Homework, chess club..." Her tone darkened, anger boiling over. "Dealing with a father who turned into a homicidal mutant bat!"

Donnie flinched. "April, it wasn't completely our fault. But I'm sorry that—"

"Not as sorry as I am!" she cut him off, her voice tight with hurt.

Donnie's eyes softened. "April, some things are just beyond our control."

She stared at him for a long moment, the pain in her chest pressing unbearably.

She had trusted them.

And she had lost everything.

Her fingers clenched, but instead of arguing, she turned away. "I want to be left alone, Donnie. No more talking mutants in my life." Her voice wavered, but the finality in her words was clear. "I never want to see you again."

Donnie's breath hitched. "April—"

But before he could finish, another voice rang out.

"Hey!"

Both April and Donnie snapped their heads toward the entrance of the alley as Elliot stepped into view, his stance firm, his hands casually shoved into the pockets of his jacket. His dark eyes flicked between them, his expression unreadable.

April stiffened. "Elliot?"

Elliot tilted his head slightly. "Thought I was hearing things, but nope. You were talking to someone." His gaze landed on Donnie, and his brows furrowed. "And... what exactly am I looking at?"

Donnie straightened instinctively, gripping his bo staff.

April's stomach dropped. This was bad.

"Elliot, I—"

But Elliot was already stepping forward, his eyes narrowing. "Seriously. What the hell is that?"

Donnie shifted uncomfortably. "Uh—"

April's brain scrambled for an excuse, anything to diffuse the situation, but Elliot was fast. In an instant, he was closing the distance, muscles tensed, body positioned in a fighter's stance.

"I don't know what's going on," Elliot said, voice calm but firm, "but I'm guessing you don't want this guy near you."

April froze.

She'd never actually talked to Elliot before. They had classes together, had seen each other in the halls, but that was it. And now, here he was, walking into a situation he definitely wasn't prepared for.

And standing his ground.

Donnie took a hesitant step back, his gaze darting to April. "April, do you know this guy?"

"She does," Elliot cut in, rolling his shoulders. "And whatever you're doing here, you should back off."

Donnie swallowed hard, glancing between the two. April could tell he didn't want to leave—his guilt was practically suffocating—but now there was another problem, and he couldn't risk making it worse.

Elliot exhaled sharply through his nose, his fists twitching slightly. "Well?"

Donnie hesitated.

Then, finally, he stepped back.

April expected relief. She didn't get it.

Instead, her chest ached as Donnie turned away, his shoulders slumped, the weight of her words still heavy in the air.

He didn't say another word.

Didn't even look back.

And as he disappeared into the shadows, April felt something sink deep in her gut.

Elliot huffed, relaxing slightly. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

April swallowed, trying to gather her thoughts.

This wasn't how she wanted things to go.

At all.

Elliot turned to her, brows raised. "Okay. So what the hell was that?"

April inhaled sharply, forcing her expression into something neutral. Elliot was watching her expectantly, arms crossed, waiting for an explanation.

She couldn't tell him everything.

Not because she was protecting Donnie.

But because telling him there were six of them—an entire group of mutant turtles living beneath the city—would make her sound absolutely insane.

One was already hard enough to explain.

She let out a small, forced laugh, shifting uncomfortably. "It's... complicated."

Elliot raised an eyebrow. "Try me."

April chewed the inside of her cheek. He wasn't going to drop this. She had to give him something.

She crossed her arms, keeping her tone light—casual. "His name is Donnie. And... he's a mutant."

Elliot's stare remained flat. "Uh-huh. And you just—know a mutant?"

April shrugged. "Yeah."

Elliot blinked. "You're acting like that's normal."

April hesitated. "It isn't normal. But..." She exhaled, shifting her weight. "It's just my normal."

Elliot studied her for a long moment, his expression unreadable. "And he just... what? Randomly follows you home at night? Seems like a red flag."

April's stomach twisted.

Elliot shoved his hands back into his pockets and tilted his head. "So what's his deal?"

April frowned. "What do you mean?"

Elliot shrugged. "Mutant. He wasn't born like that, right?"

April hesitated.

"Not exactly," she admitted. "It was... an accident."

Elliot hummed, as if he was still processing all of this. "And you talk to him?"

April nodded. "I used to."

Elliot let out a short laugh. "Wow. Yeah. That's crazy."

April's stomach twisted again.

Elliot noticed her shift in demeanor and raised his hands in mock surrender. "Not saying you're crazy," he clarified. "Just—this whole thing." He shook his head. "Didn't expect my night to turn into a sci-fi movie, that's all."

April sighed, rubbing her temple. "Yeah, well... welcome to my life."

Elliot smirked slightly. "Gotta say, Red. You're full of surprises."

April scoffed, crossing her arms again. "Yeah, well, don't go spreading this around."

Elliot tilted his head. "Who would believe me?"

That... was fair.

Still, April wasn't ready to trust him yet.

And she wasn't about to drag him into this mess, either.

She straightened. "Let's just... forget about it, okay? It's nothing."

Elliot gave her a look. "You just told me you're friends with a mutant, and you expect me to just move on?"

"I used to be friends with a mutant."

Elliot snorted. "You're a weird one, April."

April rolled her eyes. "So I've been told."

Elliot sighed dramatically. "Well, guess I can't let you walk home alone now, since apparently mutants are a thing."

April blinked. "...What?"

Elliot motioned for her to start walking. "C'mon. I'll walk you back."

April hesitated, then glanced at him. "...Wanna go to the rink instead?"

Elliot raised a brow. "The rink?"

"I was gonna go see Casey," she said, shifting her bag on her shoulder. "You could come with."

Elliot smirked. "Casey Jones? The guy who talks a lot of smack for someone who loses half his fights?"

April snorted. "Yeah, that's the one."

Elliot hummed, considering. "Haven't talked to him in a while. He still playing hockey?"

April nodded.

Elliot clicked his tongue. "Alright. Could be fun."

April smirked. "Yeah? Thought you were too good for hanging out."

Elliot grinned. "I am. But I'm making an exception."

April rolled her eyes. "You're ridiculous."

"And yet, you invited me," Elliot shot back.

April shook her head, already walking toward the rink. "Just try not to get into a fight with him."

"No promises."

The city stretched ahead of them, the neon glow of streetlights reflecting in puddles along the pavement.

April exhaled slowly.

Tonight, for once, she wasn't alone.

Inside the dimly lit lair, the usual sounds of late-night downtime filled the space.

Mikey sprawled on the couch, tossing a popcorn kernel into the air, only for Raph to snatch it mid-flight with a smug smirk.

Mikey huffed and threw another.

Raph stole it again.

Narrowing his eyes, Mikey tried once more—only this time, instead of losing the snack, he chomped down on Raph's fingers.

"Ow!" Raph yanked his hand back, scowling.

Mikey grinned triumphantly. "That's what you get for stealing my—"

Raph lunged.

Mikey let out a high-pitched squeak and ducked into his shell, his entire body vanishing as Raph's fist met empty air.

The TV blared on, oblivious to the chaos.

"Unleash mighty super robo mecha laser-force energy blast now!"

Onscreen, the heroes of Super Robo Mecha Force 5 defeated their enemy, cheers erupting from the animated cast.

"Hmm, why not laughter and merriment, Princess, eh?" the robotic sidekick asked.

But the princess—clearly distraught—turned away.

"You have all forgotten my glorious royal birthday, Dr. Blip. I am hurt beyond all recognition. I never want to speak to you agaaaaain!"

She detached her part of the mech and dramatically flew off.

"Princess Zeeeeee!"

Mikey squinted at the screen, then turned to Donnie, who had just entered the room.

"Whoa, dude. This show, like, totally paradoxes your life." He placed a hand over his chest dramatically. "Kinda owie in the corazón. That means 'heart,' by the way."

Donnie scoffed. "It's parallels, and it does not, okay? It's just a cartoon."

Leo shrugged. "Besides, the Princess has quit the team, like, twenty-seven times. She always comes back."

Mari, who had been lounging against the arm of the couch with her legs draped over Cat, snorted. "Yeah, but April's not exactly Princess Zee, is she? She's pissed."

Cat, who had been quietly twirling a loose string from her belt, frowned. "She's just hurt. She'll come back."

Raph leaned back against the couch, arms crossed. "I wouldn't count on it. She was serious."

Donnie swallowed hard.

"I'll... be in my lab."

Without another word, he turned and disappeared down the hallway.

The low hum of machinery filled the space as Donnie paced back and forth, his mind buzzing.

April's words replayed in his head over and over.

No more talking mutants in my life.

I never want to see you again.

He shook his head, trying to push the thoughts away.

That's when he noticed it—the faint, pulsing glow from one of his workbenches.

The Kraang communicator.

His stomach dropped.

How long had it been going off?

He rushed over, analyzing the transmission. Faint beeps and garbled alien language scrolled across the screen, but his mind quickly translated the key details.

The Kraang are building something.

Something big.

His fingers tightened around the console.

"Guys," he called, voice urgent. "We have a problem!"

The Shellraiser rumbled through the city streets, its neon underlights casting a faint glow against the pavement. Inside, the energy was split—some focused, some distracted, and some, like Mari, barely tolerating the nonsense.

Donnie adjusted his screen, scanning the data. "From what I could translate from the Kraang communicator, it seems like they're building some kind of advanced heavy weaponry."

Leo leaned forward. "Any guess what it could be?"

Mikey gasped, eyes widening. "Ooh! Lasers disguised as burritos! Yes! It all makes sense now!"

Raph scoffed. "It does make sense."

Mikey brightened. "Really?"

"If you have the brain of an avocado."

Mikey scowled. "Rude."

Mari, sitting with her arms crossed, exhaled sharply. "Can we focus? If it's Kraang, it's probably something way worse than explosive food."

"She's right," Donnie muttered, half-distracted by his work.

"She always thinks she's right," Raph grumbled.

Mari shot him a glare but said nothing.

Cat, curled up beside Mikey, let out a soft groan. "Ugh, can we not fight for, like, five minutes? Some of us are already stressed."

Leo ignored them, his expression sharpening. "Alright, guys, stay focused. We find the weapon, and we destroy it." He sat back, crossing his arms. "And then we get Mexican—pizza."

Mikey grinned. "Now that is a plan I can get behind!"

Raph huffed. "If we survive this mission, sure."

"I dunno," Cat hummed, twirling her fingers. "Lasers disguised as burritos sound kinda fun."

"See?" Mikey pointed at her, looking triumphant. "Cat gets it!"

"Cat is also an idiot," Mari deadpanned.

Cat gasped, clutching her chest dramatically. "Et tu, Mari?"

Leo groaned. "Enough. We're almost there."

The Shellraiser roared on, speeding toward whatever the Kraang had planned. Whatever it was, it wouldn't stand a chance against them.

The cool air of the hockey rink smelled faintly of ice and old rubber, the sharp sound of skates slicing against the rink echoing through the empty building. Casey Jones moved effortlessly across the ice, flicking the puck toward the net with practiced ease. This was muscle memory—no thinking, just instinct.

On the other side of the rink, April O'Neil leaned against the railing, arms crossed, watching with mild amusement.

"Didn't take you for a hockey fan, O'Neil," a smooth voice remarked beside her.

April glanced to her left, finding Elliot standing casually with his hands tucked into his pockets. His sharp green eyes flickered toward the ice before shifting back to her with the kind of lazy smirk that always made it sound like he was flirting—even when he wasn't.

"I'm not," April admitted. "But I needed a distraction, and Jones here is at least entertaining."

Casey skated up to them, pausing with a sharp scrape of ice. He flicked his mask up, raising a brow at Elliot.

"Well, look who it is. Didn't think you were the type to show up somewhere without a five-star rating."

Elliot's smirk deepened. "And here I thought you had to actually win games to talk trash."

April sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Oh my god. Can you two not?"

Casey snorted but let it go, shouldering his hockey stick. "So what's your deal, Red? Never see you hanging out with anybody. Antisocial much?"

April hesitated, staring at her shoes. "Not really. I—I had six really close friends. I don't talk to them anymore."

Elliot tilted his head slightly, studying her. "That a long story or a 'don't ask' situation?"

April let out a small, dry chuckle. "Bit of both."

Casey leaned against the railing, shrugging. "It happens. Me and my best friend Nick? We were up against Tromatown in last year's playoffs, right? He came up behind me just as I was about to sink the winning goal, and wham! Smacked his helmet straight off. Swollen face, split lip—best friend since second grade. Never spoke to me again."

April frowned. "Oh, but it's not like you meant it."

"Right. Some stuff is just beyond our control." Casey shrugged and stepped off the ice. "Give me a sec to grab my gear. We can get something to eat. Pizza."

April froze at the word.

Her hand instinctively moved to her pocket, brushing against her T-Phone. She hesitated, staring at the screen.

Donnie.

Before she could do anything, a deafening explosion rocked the building, shaking the walls.

Elliot's sharp gaze immediately snapped to the direction of the blast. "That's not normal."

Casey barely had time to react before April shoved him back, shielding her face as dust and debris scattered through the air.

Emerging from the smoke, sleek figures moved with terrifying precision. Red eyes gleamed in the dim light.

April's stomach twisted.

Foot Soldiers.

Elliot blinked, his smirk dropping. "Okay, what the hell—"

Then, with a sickening click, extra pairs of arms unfolded from their backs—each one brandishing wickedly curved blades and heavy maces.

April's pulse spiked.

"Uh... didn't you guys used to be human?"

The Footbots lunged.

April twisted away, sprinting for the ice rink. Her boots hit the frozen surface, sliding slightly before she regained her balance.

The Footbots hesitated at the edge, their mechanical limbs adjusting as they tried to step onto the ice. The first few slipped, falling in a clatter of limbs and metal.

Elliot stared, then exhaled sharply. "Alright. That's new."

Before anyone could process further, Casey shot forward. "Yo! If there's one thing Casey Jones has, it's crackerjack timing!"

April's head snapped up just as he leapt onto the ice, skidding smoothly across the surface.

Her stomach dropped. "Casey, run!"

"What, so you get all the fun?" he shot back.

With a flick of his wrist, he launched two hockey pucks through the air. They smacked directly into the Footbots, sending them skidding backward.

Elliot let out a low whistle, unimpressed. "Okay, sure, that'll stop the robot ninjas."

April spun her sickle in her grip. "I got 'em! You go!"

Casey grinned. "Nah, I got 'em. You go!"

The Footbots surged forward, but Casey was already swinging. He used his hockey stick like a bat, sending them reeling with each strike.

"Cross-checking! Two minutes!" He knocked another one back. "High sticking! It ain't a penalty if they deserve it, right?"

One of the Footbots tripped him, sending him sprawling across the ice.

Before it could strike, April lunged, stabbing her sickle directly into its chest. Sparks burst from the wound, and the bot collapsed.

Casey let out a short laugh, sitting up. "You got some rink rage, Red."

"You should see me play ping-pong."

Elliot, meanwhile, had taken a step back, assessing the situation with a sharp eye. He wasn't panicking—far from it—but there was a tension in his stance, like someone weighing his options.

Another wave of Footbots crashed onto the rink, their numbers multiplying by the second.

Casey narrowed his eyes. "You owe these guys money or something?"

April gritted her teeth. "Or something." She stepped back, scanning the exits. "Casey, just go. I didn't mean to get you into this."

Casey scoffed. "Are you kidding me? Do you know what this is?" His eyes practically glowed with excitement. "This is Casey Jones vs. evil robo ninjas! Coolest freaking thing in the universe! Goongala!"

Without hesitation, he launched himself back into the fight, swinging wildly.

April barely had time to roll her eyes before ducking under another attack.

Elliot sighed dramatically. "Guess I'm doing this."

Before April could stop him, he moved.

Fast.

He ducked under a sweeping blade, pivoting smoothly before landing a sharp, precise punch into the nearest Footbot's face.

Metal crunched. The bot staggered back.

Elliot barely even looked fazed. "Huh. That worked."

April gawked. "How—"

"I take lessons," he replied easily, dodging another strike.

Too many.

She needed to get them away from Casey and Elliot.

Digging her feet into the ice, she skated forward, dodging blades and metal fists as she weaved through the chaos.

"Hey, Footbots!" she called, her voice ringing through the rink. "You want me? Come and get me!"

The Footbots immediately refocused, turning their glowing eyes toward her.

Casey's head snapped up. "April!"

But she was already sliding past them, leading them away.

Elliot exhaled. "Well, that's probably bad."

Casey scowled. "Aw, hell no." He reached behind him, pulling out another hockey stick from his gear bag.

He smirked. "Nice. Now the fight's fair."

With a twirl of his wrist, he sent another barrage of pucks flying at the remaining bots. "Eat this!"

April, meanwhile, had already made it off the rink. The cold night air hit her as she scaled a fire escape, her legs burning with effort.

She didn't stop.

Didn't look back.

She had to lead them away.

She had to—

A presence caught her attention.

From the rooftop across the street, a pair of binoculars glinted under the moonlight.

Watching.

Tracking.

April's stomach clenched.

Karai lowered the binoculars, speaking into her radio.

"She's traveling north on the rooftops," she said coolly. "Move."

The night air buzzed with the distant hum of the city, the rooftop beneath them cool against their feet as the team crouched, staring down at the Kraang hideout below. The building was heavily guarded, security tight, but nothing they hadn't handled before.

Leo pointed to a vent along the side. "There's our entry point. We just need a distraction."

Mikey's grin was instant. "Dude, I got the best plan!"

Before anyone could stop him, he leapt onto a billboard and grabbed hold of a nearby lamp.

Raph groaned. "Why do I feel slightly nauseated?"

Mikey ignored him. "Check it out. I've been practicing."

He positioned his hands in front of the lamp, casting a large shadow against the Kraang facility's walls. Slowly, he formed the shape of a rabbit.

The two Kraang standing guard stiffened.

"Kraang, creatures known as rabbits have infiltrated Kraang's lab," one of them droned.

Mikey smirked and switched to an elephant.

"No, Kraang, clearly a small but obese pachyderm has breached Kraang's security," the second Kraang corrected.

Mikey raised the difficulty, forming the shape of a flamenco dancer.

"Kraang are both wrong. It is a belly dancer wearing what is known as a flamenco dress."

Leo didn't hesitate. "Go!"

The team launched forward.

Raph was the first to strike, landing a brutal punch to one Kraang before driving his sai into its chest. Mari was right behind him, dodging a plasma blast and slicing through another with her tanto in one smooth movement.

Leo's swords flashed, cutting through the Kraang's weapons as Donnie swept his bo staff under another's legs, knocking it to the ground.

Cat, usually more hesitant, moved fast. One Kraang aimed a weapon at Mikey's back, and before it could fire, she flung her tessen, the metal fan slicing through its hand. The Kraang reeled back, and before it could recover, Mikey jumped in and smashed his nunchucks across its face.

"Nice one, Cat!" he cheered.

She beamed—until another Kraang lunged at her.

"Look out!" Mari called.

Cat ducked just in time, and Mari drove her blade straight into the Kraang's side.

As the last Kraang collapsed, Leo turned to Mikey. "Wow, Mikey, you've got mad shadow puppetry skills."

Mikey grinned. "Like a turtle do!"

The group slipped inside the Kraang hideout, moving quickly through the metallic corridors. It didn't take long to find what they were looking for.

A large containment pod sat at the center of the room, glowing ominously. Inside, a humanoid droid stood motionless—its features eerily familiar.

Donnie's stomach twisted. "I'm guessing we just found the secret weapon."

Leo's grip on his swords tightened. "Alright, Donnie, we need you to shut that thing down."

"No problem," Donnie muttered, already pulling out his tools.

Then his T-Phone buzzed.

Mikey's eyes widened. "Dude, you're vibrating."

Donnie quickly checked the caller ID. His heart skipped a beat.

April.

Clearing his throat, he answered, "Hi, this is Donay—Diner—Dono—Dano—Dino—"

"Donnie!" April's voice was frantic, the sound of running in the background. "Remember how you said some things are out of our control?"

Donnie straightened immediately. "April? What's going on?"

"You were right," she gasped. "Things are really out of control right now!"

A crash echoed through the line.

Donnie's pulse spiked. "She needs me, guys. I gotta go! Hold on, April! I'll be right there!"

Leo's eyes widened. "Donnie, wait—"

But Donnie was already gone.

Mari's grip on her tanto tightened. Her expression twisted into something dark.

Without a word, she bolted after him.

"Wait—Mari!" Leo barked.

She ignored him.

"Oh, come on!" Raph snarled. "Are we just ditching the mission now?!"

Cat shifted uncomfortably. "Mari's just—she's mad, but she'll—"

"She's furious," Raph corrected, voice sharp. "She hates April right now, and Donnie running off to play hero was the last straw."

Before they could dwell on it, alarms blared across the facility.

A robotic voice echoed through the halls. "Alerting of one known as the intruder."

The Kraang immediately opened fire.

Cat sucked in a sharp breath. "Oh, great."

Leo's grip on his swords tightened. "We don't have time for this. Turtles attack!"

And they did.

Raph and Mikey charged first, weapons swinging. Leo cut down the nearest Kraang with precision, while Cat weaved between the chaos, knocking one's blaster aside before slamming her tessen into its head.

Casey swung his hockey stick with practiced ease, the crack of impact echoing through the arena as he slammed another Footbot in the face. The bot stumbled back, sparks flying from its joints.

"Wrist shot, slap shot!" Casey grinned, dodging a kunai as he wound up another swing. "You might wanna get that looked at."

A Footbot lunged at him, but before it could reach him, another figure intercepted. Elliot moved with sharp precision, grabbing the bot's wrist and twisting, forcing the kunai from its grip before driving his elbow into its head. The bot collapsed, sparks fizzling from its circuits.

Elliot exhaled sharply, shaking his hand. "Y'know, Jones, this is the weirdest hangout I've ever been invited to."

Casey scoffed. "What, you thought we were getting pizza and talking about our feelings?"

"Honestly?" Elliot dodged a swinging blade, catching the bot's arm and slamming it into the ice. "I didn't think anything because O'Neil dragged me here with zero context."

Casey launched a slap shot at another Footbot, sending it skidding across the rink. "Yeah, well, welcome to the fun."

More Footbots skated onto the ice, adjusting to the terrain with disturbing ease.

Elliot cracked his knuckles. "Define fun."

Casey grinned. "Hitting stuff till it stops moving."

Elliot smirked. "Now that I can work with."

Without another word, they dove back into the fight.

Meanwhile, April sprinted through the park. Her breathing was sharp and uneven as she skidded to a halt. Footbots surrounded her, their glowing red eyes locking onto her movements.

She tightened her grip on her tonfa.

"Fine," she muttered, shifting into a defensive stance. "You want a fight?"

One of the bots lunged, its metal fingers clamping around her arm. April struggled, twisting in its grip, when suddenly—

A flash of metal.

The bot's head snapped to the side, its body collapsing to the ground in a heap of sparking circuits.

April gasped as Donnie landed in front of her, his naginata poised for another strike.

"Donnie!"

Donnie spun his weapon, knocking another bot back with a sharp swing. "Took you long enough," April grumbled, shaking off the remaining bot's grip.

"I'm sorry," Donnie said, swinging his staff to deflect an incoming shuriken. "I had to figure out your coordinates with the T-Phone—"

Another shuriken came flying, narrowly missing his head.

Donnie turned sharply, his grip tightening—

Mari landed beside him.

Her tanto was already drawn, her yellow mask illuminated by the streetlights. Her presence was sharp, commanding.

April's relief faltered.

Mari wasn't looking at the enemy. She was staring straight at her.

April blinked, confused. "...Mari?"

Mari's grip on her weapon tightened. "You ditched us," she snapped—but it wasn't at April.

April turned in surprise to see Donnie flinch, his usual confidence wavering under Mari's glare.

"I didn't ditch you, I—"

"Yes. You did." Mari's voice was firm, unrelenting. "We were in the middle of a mission, Donnie." She stepped closer, her anger barely restrained. "You left us."

Donnie looked guilty, but before he could respond—

A slow clap echoed from the shadows.

"Well," Karai mused, stepping forward, her smirk sharp as ever. "This is adorable. Trouble in mutant paradise?"

April instinctively tensed, shifting into a defensive stance as Karai approached.

Mari didn't even glance at her.

"I was hoping for all the turtles to see this," Karai said smoothly, her eyes glinting. "But I guess two's good enough."

Donnie straightened.

Karai twirled her blade, her expression unreadable. "Your rat master took away someone I cared about," she continued coolly, "so I'm returning the favor."

Mari's expression darkened instantly.

Back at the Kraang Hideout, Mikey's jaw dropped. "Whoa, that thing is awesome!"

Cat, standing beside him, took one look at the massive droid inside the containment pod and immediately disagreed. "That thing is horrifying!"

The droid began to stir, its red eyes flickering to life.

Leo's stomach sank. "Um, guys... giant freaky robo-ninja just finished charging."

Mikey cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Pfft, you don't look so tough!"

"Mikey, NO!" Cat yelled, already sensing disaster.

But Mikey had already lunged forward—

CRACK!

A metal whip lashed out, striking him mid-air and hurling him across the room.

"MIKEY!" Raph's eyes widened as Mikey slammed into a control panel with a loud THUD.

Cat flinched. "Oh my gosh—he's DEAD!"

The droid took its first steps forward, towering over them like something out of a nightmare. With a loud hiss, its restraints unlocked.

It scanned the room, red optics glowing ominously.

"Subroutine program activating. Target: April O'Neil located."

Leo's blood ran cold.

The droid's thrusters ignited. The air exploded around it as it launched through the wall, sending debris flying.

Raph scrambled to his feet. "It's going after April! Come on!"

The turtles immediately took off, sprinting for the exit.

Mikey, groaning on the ground, cracked one eye open—just in time to spot something glinting under the flashing red lights.

A Kraang blaster.

His eyes widened.

"Too awesome."

The park was chaos—metallic clashes, the hum of Footbot servos, and the sharp clang of weapons meeting steel. Streetlights flickered against the glint of blades, casting long shadows as Donnie, April, and Mari stood their ground.

"Stay away from April!" Donnie barked, swinging his bo staff hard into a Footbot's head, sending it crashing into the dirt.

Karai smirked, twirling her sword effortlessly. "Footbots, keep the turtle busy."

Immediately, the robotic ninjas swarmed Donnie, forcing him into combat.

Karai turned her attention to April, eyes sharp with amusement. "This is between us girls."

Mari snorted, stepping forward. "Hate to break it to you, but I'm literally standing right here."

Karai barely spared her a glance, lips curling into a smirk. "I meant real girls."

Mari's eye twitched. "Oh, that's funny. Let me show you how funny that is."

Mari lunged.

Their swords clashed in an explosion of sparks, Mari's raw aggression meeting Karai's fluid precision.

"Did I hit a nerve?" Karai taunted, deflecting Mari's next attack with ease.

Mari gritted her teeth. "Oh, you're about to."

She twisted, aiming a swift kick to Karai's ribs. Karai dodged smoothly, countering with a slash that Mari barely parried in time.

April took the opening, rushing in with a strike of her own. Karai caught the attack mid-spin, expression smug.

"Your skills are weak, O'Neil. I've had years of training."

April glared. "You talk too much."

She twisted, landing a solid hit that knocked Karai back a step.

Donnie, finally breaking free from the Footbots, rushed forward. "You're not gonna touch her!"

He spun his bo staff and swung—

But before he could land a solid blow, a massive shadow loomed over them.

The air hummed with electricity as Chrome Dome stepped forward, its glowing red eyes locking onto April.

"Subroutine program activating. Target: April O'Neil located."

Mari barely had time to react before Chrome Dome's metal whip lashed out, striking the ground between them.

April paled. "Um, Donnie, I'm thinking retreat."

Karai, dusting herself off, let out a low chuckle. "Like my new little toy?" She gestured toward the towering robot. "Robot, eliminate the girl."

Chrome Dome's red eyes flickered.

Before Donnie or Mari could react, the whip lashed out again—this time wrapping around April's waist.

"Let me go!" she struggled, twisting against the mechanical grip.

"System override. Do not destroy April O'Neil. Capture for the Kraang."

Karai's smug expression faltered. "What?"

Without hesitation, she leaped forward, slashing through the whip.

The robot recoiled, releasing its hold as April dropped to the ground.

Chrome Dome's head snapped toward Karai.

"Threat detected. Eliminate threat."

Donnie quickly helped April up. "You okay?"

April dusted herself off, catching her breath. "For once, I'm actually glad the Kraang want to kidnap me."

Meanwhile, Raph clutched his T-Phone, scanning the signals. "Left, Leo! I'm getting a reading!"

The night was alive with chaos—explosions, metal clashing, and the heavy thud of bodies hitting the pavement. As Karai continued fighting Chrome Dome, her blade sparking against its metal hide, the sudden roar of an engine cut through the noise.

BAM!

The Shellraiser barreled through, slamming into Chrome Dome and knocking the massive droid off its feet.

From the driver's seat, Mikey let out a victorious whoop. "Oh yeah! Firing manhole covers! Eat it, Chrome Dome!"

Cat, perched on the side of the Shellraiser, gripped the rail tightly. "I swear, if I die because of you..."

Mikey, completely ignoring her, slammed the launch button. A barrage of manhole covers shot toward the droid.

Chrome Dome's red eyes flared. With inhuman precision, it fired laser beams, disintegrating the projectiles mid-air. Then, in one fluid motion, its metallic whip lashed out—striking the Shellraiser and flipping it onto its side.

Leo and Raph barely managed to leap out before impact.

Cat wasn't as lucky. She hit the ground with a yelp, tumbling across the pavement. "Ow, ow—my face—ow!"

Leo groaned, brushing himself off. "Aw, I just waxed her, too!"

Mikey, half-dangling from the flipped vehicle, waved excitedly. "Dude, I so want plasma chucks! Donnie, can you hook a turtle up?"

Before Leo could snap at him, movement caught his eye—Mari and Donnie rushing toward them.

Mari wasted no time, flipping her tanto into a reverse grip as she locked eyes with Chrome Dome.

"What the hell, you guys," Raph muttered.

Mari shot him a glare. "Not now, Raph."

Meanwhile, Chrome Dome tore through another Footbot, sending sparks flying.

Donnie's eyes narrowed as he spotted something—a gash along the back of the robot.

"Guys, I think I know how we can take that thing down," he called.

Raph shot him an unimpressed look. "Oh, are you on this team?"

Leo crossed his arms. "Yeah, way to ditch us, dude."

Mikey blew a raspberry. "Pbbbtt."

Before Donnie could respond, April stepped forward, frowning.

"Go easy on him, guys. If it wasn't for Donnie, I would have—"

WHAM!

April went flying as Karai kicked her to the ground.

"I don't need that stupid robot to finish you," Karai sneered.

Before Karai could attack again, Cat lunged forward, her tessen snapping open.

"Hey! Back off!" she shouted, swiping at Karai with surprising precision.

Karai sidestepped effortlessly, arching a brow. "Oh?"

Cat gritted her teeth, forcing herself into a defensive stance. She could feel her brothers' eyes on her, but she didn't care. She wanted to be useful.

Karai, however, just sighed.

"Not interested." She effortlessly dodged another attack and shoved Cat aside with the hilt of her blade. "Come back when you're a real threat."

Cat stumbled but caught herself, fuming. "I am a real threat!"

Karai just smirked.

Before she could counter, Mari stepped in, eyes burning.

"Don't touch my sister."

Karai tilted her head, amusement flickering in her gaze. "Oh, this I'll actually enjoy."

Without another word, Mari and Karai clashed.

Meanwhile, Leo blocked Donnie from running to April's aid.

"Mari has April," Leo ordered. "You guys take down—"

"CHROME DOME!" Mikey shouted gleefully, already leaping into battle.

The massive droid tore through another Footbot.

Donnie's eyes hardened. "We bring it down now."

With a silent agreement, the remaining siblings charged.

Mikey leaped into the air, swinging his kusarigama chain around Chrome Dome's arm, wrapping it tight. Raph mirrored his movement with his own chain, restraining the other arm.

Cat rushed forward, using her tessen to slice at Chrome Dome's knee joints.

The droid staggered slightly.

Donnie landed on the robot's back, gripping its metal plating.

"Let's see what makes you tick," he muttered. With a swift pull, he yanked a cluster of wires free.

Chrome Dome's movements grew jerky.

"Error. Error."

The robot started spinning wildly, dragging Raph, Mikey, and Mari along with it.

"BAD IDEA, BAD IDEA!" Mikey screamed as he went airborne.

Before Donnie could jump off, he saw Karai still dueling Mari and April—with Leo joining in. His gaze flicked to the plasma sword Karai had discarded.

A risky plan formed.

Mikey, spinning wildly through the air, spotted the weapon.

With a desperate grab, he snatched the plasma sword mid-air.

"I am the coolest ninja ever!" he whooped.

With one final yell, Mikey twisted his body and impaled Chrome Dome straight through the chest.

The droid's red eyes flickered.

Then—

BOOM.

Chrome Dome collapsed, its circuits frying out completely.

Mikey landed, holding the plasma sword triumphantly. "CAN I KEEP IT?! CAN I KEEP IT?!"

Before anyone could respond, Mikey swung it wildly—nearly decapitating Raph, Donnie, and Cat in the process.

All three immediately turned to glare at him.

Mikey gulped, lowering the sword. "...I'll be careful?"

Meanwhile, Leo, Mari and Karai's fight reached its peak. Leo finally managed to disarm Karai, pressing his blade near her throat.

"It's over, Karai," he said firmly.

Karai, however, simply smirked.

"For now."

With a flick of her wrist, she threw down a smoke bomb and disappeared.

Leo sighed, sheathed his swords, and turned back to his siblings.

April, still catching her breath, leaned against a wall. "That... wasn't too difficult."

Leo looked at her, concern flickering in his eyes. "You alright? Easy does it, April. It's over now."

She nodded, straightening. "I just need to catch my breath."

Then her eyes widened.

"Oh, my gosh! I forgot about Casey and Elliot!"

Without another word, she took off running.

Donnie stared after her, stunned.

Mari rolled her eyes. "You know what? Next time, let's just let her handle this alone."

Casey twirled his hockey stick, surveying the field of destroyed Footbots with a satisfied smirk. "And that, ladies and gentlemen, is how you play hockey!"

Beside him, Elliot rolled his eyes, brushing off his sleeves. "Yeah, yeah, real impressive, Jones. Next time, try not to look like you're actually enjoying this chaos."

Casey grinned. "C'mon, admit it. You had fun."

Elliot scoffed but didn't deny it.

Before they could say anything else, April came sprinting into the rink, her breathing sharp and uneven. Her wide eyes flickered between them before locking onto Casey.

"Guys! Are you okay?"

Casey barely had time to react before she nearly ran straight into him. He caught her easily, steadying her with both hands.

"Of course I am," he said, throwing her a lopsided grin. "Whoa, steady there, Red."

Elliot raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms. "Oh, so I fight off robot ninjas too, but he gets the hug? I'm starting to feel unappreciated here."

April let out a breathless laugh, shaking her head. "Right, thanks, Elliot. Seriously, I didn't mean to drag you both into this—"

"Eh," Elliot shrugged, hands in his pockets. "Gotta say, fighting actual killer robots wasn't on my bingo card tonight, but it sure beats doing my history homework."

Casey snorted. "Told ya, man. Hanging with us is never boring."

Elliot rolled his eyes again, but there was a flicker of amusement in his expression.

The lair was quiet—at least, as quiet as it ever got—when the familiar sound of the entrance creaking open caught everyone's attention.

April hesitated in the doorway, shifting on her feet. "Hey, guys."

Leo was the first to react, standing up quickly. "April."

Raph smirked. "You're back!"

Mikey practically vibrated with excitement. "What up, O'Neil?!"

Even Splinter, who had been meditating, opened his eyes, his expression warm. "Hmm. It is very good to see you, April."

Cat practically bounced in place, her usual energy returning full force. "April!" she chirped, rushing up to her. "You have no idea how much I missed you!"

April couldn't help but smile as Cat nearly tackled her in excitement.

"Yeah, yeah, welcome back," Mari muttered from the side, arms crossed, looking noticeably less enthusiastic.

April's smile faltered slightly at Mari's tone, but she chose to ignore it. Instead, she turned to Splinter and bowed slightly. "I missed you, Master Splinter. I hope we can start training again soon."

Splinter inclined his head. "Of course. Whenever you wish."

April exhaled, shoulders easing. Then she turned back to the others.

"I never got a chance to tell you guys that I'm sorry for everything."

Leo frowned. "You're sorry? But we were the ones that screwed up."

April shook her head. "It was an accident, and more importantly..." She took a deep breath. "You're my friends. I don't want to hold onto this forever."

Mikey sniffled dramatically. "You da best, April." Then, with a flourish, he pulled something from behind his shell. "To mark this day, I offer you the slice of eternal reunion!"

He held up what could only be described as the most disgusting piece of pizza in existence.

April took one look and recoiled. "That has lint and dead bugs all over it!"

Mikey beamed. "I know. I just found it under my bed. It's eternal." He took a bite. "Mmm. Aged to perfection."

April gagged. "Mikey, why—"

Leo sighed. "Ignore him."

April shook her head, laughing, before her gaze landed on Donnie. He had been standing quietly off to the side, hands clasped together, almost hesitant.

She stepped forward, voice softer. "Thanks, Donnie. For always being there. Even when I didn't want you to be."

Before he could react, she leaned in and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek, pulling him into a brief hug.

Donnie froze.

His eyes went wide—too wide.

His brain completely short-circuited.

April pulled away, smiling. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And then she walked past him, back toward Splinter, leaving Donnie standing there—completely and utterly paralyzed.

The room went silent.

Then—

"Ah."

Raph arched a brow. "Donnie?"

Mari rolled her eyes. "Oh my God."

Mikey waved a hand in front of Donnie's face. "Dude?"

Donnie suddenly staggered back, eyes rolling into his head, arms outstretched dramatically.

"I LOVE BEING A TURTLE!!!"