Snow fell gently through the glowing haze of city lights, blanketing the sidewalks and rooftops. The chill bit at exposed skin, but April and Mari moved quickly down the street, their boots crunching over frozen slush.
April rubbed her arms. "I hate this weather."
Mari didn't respond. Her eyes were narrowed, scanning the alleyways, her hand hovering near her weapon.
April glanced at her. "You okay?"
"Something's wrong," Mari murmured.
A few more steps—and then a voice.
"Help!"
Both girls froze.
From the alley, a figure stumbled into view—Jackson, hunched over, his clothes torn, face bruised. He cradled a small girl in his arms, no older than ten, who was limp and barely conscious.
"Jackson?" April blinked in disbelief.
Mari tensed. "What the hell are you doing here?"
"I—I didn't know where else to go," Jackson said, breathless. "She's hurt. Real bad."
The little girl whimpered in pain, her leg clearly broken.
Mari scowled but knelt beside the girl, inspecting her injury with quick, practiced hands. "Fractured femur. Maybe more. Can she walk?"
"No," Jackson whispered.
Mari bit her tongue. "We'll have to carry her."
That's when the metallic hum began.
April looked up—and her heart stopped.
Foot Bots. Dozens. Their red eyes glinted in the snow as they dropped from fire escapes and emerged from the shadows, slowly surrounding the group like wolves.
Mari stood up, unsheathing her weapon. "Of course."
April stepped back. "Mari..."
Mari's voice was cold. "Take them and run. I've got this."
Jackson moved to protest, but Mari snapped, "GO!"
The first wave hit.
Mari spun into action, her blade slicing clean through the chest of a Foot Bot. She ducked a shuriken and launched a kick into another's neck, shattering metal. Sparks burst through the snow.
April and Jackson hoisted the girl between them and fled down the street.
Mari fought like a whirlwind, her breath fogging the air as she moved. But the bots kept coming—more than she'd ever seen in one place. For every one she dropped, two more replaced it.
A blow caught her in the ribs. She stumbled, caught herself, and snarled. Blood smeared the corner of her mouth.
Too many, her mind screamed. This isn't winnable.
She launched a smoke bomb and took the opening to run.
Mari never ran. Not from a fight. Not from anything.
But tonight?
She ran.
Snow blasted past her as she ducked into an alley, sprinting after the others. Her heart pounded harder than her footsteps, and the shame of retreat burned hotter than the bruises forming across her body.
High above the city, Raphael crouched on a rooftop dusted with snow, peering down through a periscope, breath fogging in the cold.
"Where are you?" he muttered. "You gotta be out there somewhere."
Down below, Casey Jones wandered through an alley, camera in hand. Elliot trailed beside him, arms crossed, hoodie up, expression unreadable as he glanced at the snow-covered graffiti wall.
Casey raised the camera and snapped a photo. "Man, that's art. Look at that shading! Totally metal."
Raph dropped down behind them with a heavy thud, startling them both.
"Casey! Elliot! We're supposed to be looking for Karai, not tagging street murals!"
Casey turned, offended. "Hey, I'm multitasking. Appreciating the city and waiting for Snake Girl to slither by."
Elliot shrugged. "Honestly, I'm with him on this one. That graffiti's not bad. Kinda chaotic. I like it."
Raph groaned. "Unbelievable. This is why I work alone."
Casey glanced over his shoulder. "Yo, Raph—can I ask you something?"
Raph squinted at him.
"Has April ever... y'know, said anything about me? Like... ever?"
Elliot rolled his eyes. "Seriously, dude?"
Casey ignored him. "C'mon, I'm just asking."
Raph crossed his arms. "It doesn't matter. You know how Donnie feels about her."
"Yeah, yeah," Casey muttered, suddenly defensive. "It's cool. Whatever. I'm not even into her like that anymore. That whole team crush thing? Messy."
Elliot snorted. "Uh-huh. Real convincing, man."
Raph gave the graffiti one last glance, clearly unimpressed. "Right. Let's get back to what we're actually supposed to be doing."
Elliot leaned back with a lazy smirk. "Yeah, nothing like alien invasions and love triangles to ruin a good night."
Casey pointed his bat up the alley. "Alright, alright, back to mission mode."
They moved forward, side by side, disappearing into the snowy dark—three misfits, watching the city crumble beneath a quiet, creeping threat.
Back at the lair, the mood was heavy. Leonardo paced near the lab's monitors, brow furrowed in deep concern. Donatello sat silently at the table, a full slice of pizza untouched before him. Cat was curled on the couch, hugging a pillow, watching everyone anxiously.
"Ah!" Donnie groaned suddenly, startling her. "I'm so worried, I can't even eat."
He shoved the pizza away. Mikey caught it mid-air like a reflex and took a massive bite.
"Me too," Mikey said around a mouthful. "Totally."
Cat gave him a weak smile, then looked at Leo. "Shouldn't we be doing something instead of just... sitting here?"
Before anyone could respond, Master Splinter stepped into the room, calm but stern.
"You have a right to be concerned," he said. "The Kraang invasion is imminent. What plans have you devised to stop it?"
Donnie perked up immediately and pulled a large blueprint from under the table. "I give you my latest invention—the Turtle Mech!"
He unfurled it proudly across the table. "Fully armed with rockets, flamethrowers, and an electro harpoon. Guaranteed to stop a massive Kraang invasion army or your money back."
Cat blinked. "Did you seriously write that on the blueprint?"
Mikey grinned. "Giant robots are awesome! I vote Turtle Mech!"
But Leo crossed his arms. "That thing's not even ready. It could do more damage to New York than the Kraang."
Donnie's eyes narrowed. "It's ready... enough."
"There's gotta be another way," Leo insisted. "We need to establish a second base outside the city."
Donnie slammed a hand on the table. "There's no time for that, Leo. The Turtle Mech is solid. If I were leader, I'd—"
"But you're not leader," Leo snapped, stepping in. "I am."
The room fell silent.
The tension was thick. Mikey shrank into his seat. "Oh snap..."
Cat slowly stood, eyes darting between the two. "Can you both just not do this right now?"
Before either could respond, Splinter's voice rang sharp and commanding:
"Enough!" he said. "Your egos fight one another when we should be preparing to fight the Kraang."
The silence that followed was even heavier than before.
Cat looked between her brothers, then quietly sat back down, hugging the pillow tighter. "Great," she muttered under her breath. "This is gonna go well."
Snow fell in sharp, swirling sheets as Mari, April, and Jackson sprinted through the streets. Jackson clutched his unconscious sister tightly, struggling to keep his footing on the icy pavement.
"Left—cut through here!" Mari barked, leading them into a narrow side street between buildings.
April skidded beside her, breath fogging in the cold. "Mari, there's too many of them. We have to—"
"I know," Mari snapped, eyes scanning the rooftops.
A dozen Foot Bots dropped into the alley behind them, weapons drawn. Another wave closed in from the far end. They were surrounded.
Jackson stumbled to a halt. "We're boxed in!"
April reached for her T-phone—only to realize it was already shattered.
Mari stepped forward, tessen in one hand, blade in the other. But her breathing was uneven.
She made the call.
"There," she pointed to the manhole near a trash heap. "Sewer access. April, get it open."
April blinked. "Wait—you...?" She glanced at Jackson, asking Mari a silent question.
Mari didn't look at her. "Don't make me say it again."
Jackson stared at her, shocked. "You're serious?"
"I said MOVE!" Mari snapped.
April yanked the manhole open. Jackson climbed down first, carefully lowering his sister into the dark tunnel. April followed.
Mari turned, blades raised, and held off the Foot Bots for just a few seconds more—just long enough to buy time.
Then, without a word, she dropped down and slammed the cover shut behind her.
The tunnel echoed with their ragged breathing. Jackson gently set his sister down, checking her pulse. April wiped sweat from her brow.
Mari stood a few feet away, hands on her knees, catching her breath.
She didn't say anything at first.
Then, quietly: "That's twice now."
April looked up. "Mari—"
"I'm not proud of it," Mari muttered, "but I'd do it again."
Her eyes flicked to Jackson's sister. "Not letting anyone die on my watch."
Jackson stared at her in awe.
April just smiled faintly. "You made the right call."
Mari didn't answer. She just leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes.
Because survival... was the only win tonight.
Raph crouched low on a snowy rooftop, eyes locked on the street below through his periscope.
"Come on... where are you..." he muttered.
A flicker of movement across the street—Karai, moving like a shadow.
Raph's grip tightened. "Casey—I see her. Karai. She's slithering across the street—"
Suddenly, flashing red-and-blue lights lit up the intersection.
A police cruiser turned the corner fast, skidding a little on the ice.
Casey, down in the alley with Elliot, turned to see it.
"Great," Casey muttered, throwing his arms up. "Eh, can I help you, officers?"
Elliot tilted his head, squinting. "Those badges look... wrong."
"You're loitering, kid," the first officer barked. "You know what that means?"
Casey smirked. "Loitering? Really? Don't you got real criminals to bust? Or a donut shop to hit?"
But the second officer stepped closer, face blank and cold.
"We'll figure out a charge later, Casey Jones."
Casey's grin faltered. "Wait—how do you know my name?"
Too late.
Both "officers" grabbed him.
"Hey—get off of me! I got rights! Let me go!"
Back in the lair, the tension was already peaking. Donatello slammed the blueprint down on the table, his voice tight with frustration.
"Leo, the Turtle Mech is our only option! Be reasonable!"
Leo crossed his arms. "I am being reasonable. We need a second base—now."
"But we don't have time for that!" Donnie shot back.
"Guys—!" Cat's voice cut through the argument, a note of panic in it. She was by the entrance to the lab, eyes wide. "We've got company!"
April stumbled in from the tunnel, breathing hard, Mari right behind her with her sai drawn, looking battered and shaken. Jackson followed them, carrying a young girl wrapped in a jacket, her face pale and eyes wide with pain.
"Guys," April said, out of breath, "I'm sorry—We were ambushed. Mari fought them off, but Jackson's sister—she's hurt. And Jackson—he helped us. I know this looks bad, but—"
Splinter stepped forward, calm but sharp. "You brought strangers into the lair?"
April hesitated, then looked at Mari.
Mari, still catching her breath, gave a single, heavy nod. "It was my call. We didn't have a choice. We were cornered. Outnumbered. And she... she needed help."
The girl whimpered softly in Jackson's arms. "T-Turtles..."
Everyone turned. The girl was staring directly at them—her voice weak, but crystal clear.
It was the first time she had spoken.
Jackson looked down at her... and then started laughing.
Not relief. Not gratitude.
A low, strange, rising laugh.
Mari's stomach dropped.
Cat stepped forward, staring. "What the—?"
The girl's head tilted back with a snap. Her eyes blinked out—and turned red. Her skin shimmered—then peeled back in mechanical plates to reveal metal. The "wound" on her side vanished as her Kraang body unfolded from within.
"Host identified," the Kraang said. "Initiating attack mode."
"No!" Mari shouted, grabbing her tanto—but it was too late.
Jackson dropped her like dead weight. He stepped back with a grin, eyes wild.
"Thanks for the invite," he sneered. "Your instincts are terrible, Mari."
"Uh what's happening?" Cat asked.
Portals ripped open in the lair. Kraang droids began pouring out.
Kraang Subprime's voice echoed from the girl-bot as her frame twisted, expanded, and revealed his true body—a nasty, one-eyed Kraang in a reinforced exo-suit. He laughed through her mouth.
"The discovery of your lair was all I needed," he hissed. "Now... the invasion begins."
Donatello's heart sank as dozens of red eyes locked onto them.
Leo stepped protectively in front of Cat. "Everyone—defensive formation!"
Mikey grabbed his nunchucks and backed toward the others.
Mari stood frozen, one thought going through her mind: What have I done?
Chaos was already erupting in the streets.
Casey struggled against the two uniformed officers shoving him toward the squad car, his breath steaming in the winter air.
"Back off of me, man!" he barked.
"Get in that car now, punk!" one of them snapped, gripping his arm.
"Hey!" Elliot yelled. "He didn't do anything. What's the charge—being too cool for New York?"
The officers turned to him sharply. The tension in the air shifted. Raph, watching from the rooftop, narrowed his eyes.
A ripple in the air. A shimmer of blue light.
A portal opened wide in the middle of the park—and from it, an army of Kraang spilled into the city like ants from a broken hive.
Raph's jaw clenched. "Kraang."
As if on cue, one of the "officers" turned toward Elliot. Its human disguise flickered—then dropped entirely, revealing metallic limbs and a glowing, writhing brain.
Casey's eyes bulged. "Whoa! They've already infiltrated! They're here!"
Elliot stumbled back, instinctively raising his fists. "Okay, not regular cops!"
Raph dropped from the rooftop like a missile, slamming into the Kraang with a full-bodied kick. His sai flashed in the dim light as he tore through the alien with sharp, practiced strikes.
"About time, Hothead!" Elliot shouted.
"Less sass, more running!" Raph barked. He grabbed Casey and shoved him forward as laser fire erupted from the park.
"Where are we even going?" Elliot yelled, ducking behind a mailbox as another portal flickered open nearby.
"Back to the lair!" Raph snapped. "The invasion's started—we're in it now!"
The three sprinted through the backstreets together, dodging Kraang fire and weaving between panicked civilians. Behind them, the sky glowed with unnatural light—and the war for Earth had officially begun.
Back in the lair, it was pandemonium.
The Kraang portals opened one after another, glowing with menace, flooding the lair with piercing blue light. Kraang droids poured out like a swarm, weapons primed and ready. And at the center of it all, Kraang Subprime, now fully fused into a monstrous droid body, towered above them—limbs unfolding like a metal spider, voice cackling through its speaker grill.
Mari stood frozen near the entrance, her fists clenched.
Jackson was laughing. Not nervously. Not panicked.
Like a madman.
His "little sister" stood beside him—no longer weak, no longer injured. Her skin peeled back like wax, revealing the cold glint of chrome beneath. Her joints cracked and restructured, growing taller. A red Kraang eye blinked open in her chest.
Mari's throat tightened.
"I actually liked you," she whispered, her voice nearly drowned by the noise. "You were the first human I ever—"
Jackson just smirked. "That's why it was so easy."
April stepped forward, stunned. "You used us to find the lair..."
Kraang Subprime bellowed from his mech suit, "Fooled you! Fooled all of you! This lair was the last puzzle piece!"
Mikey, watching it all from behind a flipped table, felt his stomach twist—not from fear, but from the look on Mari's face. She wasn't just angry.
She was hurt.
He ducked a plasma blast and muttered under his breath, "Stupid robot jerks..."
Then he yelled, "Heads up!" and hurled a full pizza box across the room. It smashed into a droid's face, just long enough for Mikey to dive for a pan, a stool, and then finally—the fridge.
He tipped it.
One droid got flattened.
Ice Cream Kitty poked his head out of the freezer, meowed dramatically, and high-fived Mikey with a tail slap.
Then Subprime turned on him.
A chainsaw attachment unfolded with a screeching whirr.
Mikey backpedaled fast, grabbing the first thing he saw—a bagel slicer—and jabbed it into the joint of Subprime's neck.
"Bagel slicer slicing time, robot!"
The chainsaw sputtered. Sparks flew. Mikey rolled out of the way just as the droid's head toppled off—but it didn't stop. The head skittered across the floor like a metallic crab, still screeching.
"AAAH!" Mikey shrieked, scrambling away as lasers rained down.
Subprime roared, "Destroy the turtles! Wipe out the lair! But the rat—comes with us!"
Donnie took a blast to the side, stumbled, and then—"OW, OW, OW!"—the Kraang girl-robot bit into his leg like a rabid dog.
"DONNIE?!" Cat screamed.
"Sorry, D!" Mikey yelped, tumbling backward into his bedroom. Then he perked up. "Wait! Nunchucks!"
Outside the dojo, Splinter waited.
Subprime stormed forward, saws spinning. "Take that, you filthy rat!"
But Splinter was ready.
He moved with lightning precision, dodging every slash, countering with fierce strikes. Each blow knocked the Kraang mech off balance, but it kept coming.
Near the chaos, Leo helped Donnie to his feet. He caught a glimpse of Mari across the room—still locked in place, expression unreadable.
Leo frowned. "Mari... What were you thinking?"
"I didn't know," she muttered, voice tight.
Cat didn't press. Just grimaced. "They played us. All of us."
Outside, Raph, Elliot and Casey dodged through traffic.
"Look out!" Raph shouted as a Kraang walker exploded from the shadows.
"Whoa! Crosstown traffic!" Casey yelped.
They vaulted over a car and kept running.
"There's too many of them!" Elliot cried.
"Just keep going!"
Back in the lair, chaos thundered like a war drum.
Kraang portals opened in every direction, glowing blue and pulsing with energy. Kraang droids spilled out like a flood, weapons raised, their robotic chants echoing through the halls. At the center stood Subprime, monstrous and cackling in his mech suit, limbs spinning and hissing.
"Mari!" April grabbed her arm, pulling her back. "We have to run!"
Cat was already helping Donnie to his feet. She wasn't hurt—just shaken, her eyes darting between portals and friends like her brain couldn't process it fast enough.
From the dojo, Splinter appeared and tossed Leo's other katana and Donnie's bo.
"Go! Escape! I will hold them off!"
"We're not leaving you!" Leo said.
"I have a plan," Splinter insisted. "Now!"
The group bolted for the garage—
Boom!
A missile struck the Shellraiser, sending fire and debris in every direction.
Donnie shrieked, "My baby!!!"
"No time!" Leo shouted, yanking him back. "Move!"
They turned and sprinted into the tunnels, but at the next turn—
A glowing Kraang portal opened directly in their path.
Blasters charged.
"It is the ones called the turtles."
Leo's eyes narrowed. "Run! Get t to safety! I'll lead them away!"
Cat's heart jumped.
Before anyone could stop her—she ran after him.
"Leo—wait!"
"Cat, no!" Mari and Mikey yelled, Donnie trying to grab her arm—but she slipped through his fingers.
Leo glanced back, eyes wide. "Cat?! I told you to—!"
"I'm not leaving you!" she shouted, grabbing ahold of his arm.
"Fine, just stay close to me."
The alley was eerily quiet as Mikey poked his head up from the sewer grate, eyes darting from one side of the street to the other. The snowfall had slowed to a whisper.
"Coast is clear," he muttered. Then louder, "Okay—now the coast is clear."
With a grunt, Donatello climbed out after him, one arm hanging limp at his side.
"Ow, ow, it hurts so bad," he winced, clutching his injured arm.
April followed quickly, placing a steady hand on Donnie's back. "You'll be alright," she said gently. "I'll get you fixed up."
Mari was the last to emerge, panting, eyes wild and scanning the rooftops. Her tanto was already drawn.
"They could still be close," she said, voice tense.
Mikey glanced back at her, brows furrowed. "You okay?"
Mari didn't answer. Not really. She just sheathed her blade with a quiet shick and moved to the front of the group.
Mikey turned on his T-phone, thumbing the screen. "Leo, you there? Come on, bro. Poke your head out of your shell and pick up..."
Nothing. No signal. Just static.
"He's not answering," Mikey whispered, the levity gone from his voice.
Donnie slumped against a snow-dusted taxi, guilt hanging heavy in his eyes.
"It's my fault," he muttered. "Man, I shouldn't have argued with Leo. Now he and Cat are gone."
Mari flinched, her jaw tightening.
"No," she said. "It's mine."
April turned to her. "Mari..."
"I trusted him," Mari hissed, barely keeping her voice down. "I vouched for Jackson. I brought the enemy into our home. I—"
"Stop." Mikey cut her off, softly but firmly. "That wasn't your fault. You were just trying to help."
Before anyone could respond, the unmistakable hum of a Kraang portal sliced through the silence. Across the street, a swirling gate burst open in a shower of pink-blue light. Kraang droids marched out in perfect, inhuman formation.
"Get down!" April hissed.
They ducked behind the taxi, hearts pounding.
"I don't think they saw us," April whispered.
Donatello's voice was low and bitter. "Leo was right. We should've gotten out while we had the chance."
April's gaze steeled. "Not without my dad. And not without the others. Come on."
She led the way, darting between parked cars and ruined storefronts, guiding them toward the only safe place she could think of—her apartment.
Meanwhile, far across the city, Raph, Casey, and Elliot crouched on a rooftop. The wind howled around them, but none of them moved as a massive Kraang scout ship emerged from a glowing portal below. Its shape was unlike anything earthly—half bio-tech, half horror—and it hovered ominously in the sky, blocking out the light.
Casey's jaw dropped. "Dude... this is worse than that giant Technodrome thing last year. It's totally crazy."
Elliot's eyes narrowed, barely blinking. "It's like... a spaceship from a nightmare."
Raph's phone buzzed. He yanked it out, answering immediately.
"Mikey. Where are you?"
The voice on the other end was breathless. "On the way to April's apartment. Meet us there, dude!"
"Roger that."
"Raph, look out!" Casey shouted.
The warning came too late. A concussive wave of air burst from the scout ship, shaking the rooftop. The three were thrown backward—Casey and Elliot crashing into a metal pipe, Raph rolling hard into a water tank.
Beneath the surface, in the dark, twisting tunnels of the sewers, a small unit of Kraang soldiers crept through the shadows. They moved cautiously, scanning the wreckage of fallen droids and busted android shells.
"Kraang," one of them said in a droning tone, "still no sign of Turtles."
The second Norman Kraang twitched slightly, adjusting its scanner. "Hurry, Kraang. We must obtain the Turtles for the one called... Shredder."
They continued on, unaware of the figures crouched in the shadows above them.
Leo and Cat.
Pressed flat to the ceiling, they held their breaths as the revelation sunk in. Shredder. Shredder was behind all of it.
They had to reach the others—fast. The fate of the world depended on it.
April's apartment was dimly lit, the faint orange glow of the city's chaos bleeding through the closed curtains. Distant sirens and the muffled hum of alien ships created a low, constant tension in the air. Inside, Kirby O'Neil paced relentlessly, wringing his hands and muttering under his breath.
"The city's overrun," he said, panic sharpening his voice. "What are we... what is anyone going to do?"
On the worn couch nearby, Donatello winced as April gently wrapped gauze around his arm. His breathing was shallow, trying to will away the pain.
"I'm okay," he said quickly—then bit his lip. "April, now that it's, you know, the end of the world again... I figured I should just—uh—tell you how I feel—OW!"
April jolted in surprise, tightening the bandage. "Sorry! You should probably stop talking. It just makes things hurt more."
Mari stood by the kitchen doorway, arms crossed, leaning against the frame with her head down. Her tanto hung at her side, untouched. She hadn't said a word since they arrived.
Kirby had sunk to his knees by the coffee table, despair written all over his face. He clutched his head and began to sob.
"We're doomed," he cried. "Doomed! Oh, my poor, sweet April..."
Mikey, standing near the window, offered a lopsided smile. "Don't worry, Mr. O'Neil. This whole alien invasion thing? Really not a big deal."
To prove his point, he confidently yanked open the curtains.
"See? It's all—oh."
The words died in his throat.
Just beyond the glass, the city burned.
Massive Kraang ships hovered in the sky, firing blasts into buildings. Screams echoed below. Giant walkers stomped through the streets, scattering terrified civilians. The skyline looked like a warzone.
Mikey shut the curtain with a nervous laugh. "Never mind."
Kirby fainted on the spot, collapsing to the floor in a heap.
Mikey stared out the corner of the window again, his smile gone. The sight before him pulled the color from his face.
"Oh boy," he whispered.
The streets of New York were no longer familiar. Fires lit the sky, smoke billowed from shattered windows, and alien shadows danced across the ruins. Amid the chaos, Leonardo emerged from the edge of an alley, breathing heavily, his body scraped and bruised.
Beside him, Cat moved swiftly and silently, unscathed, but tense. Her eyes flicked between shadows, every muscle ready to spring.
"You didn't have to follow me," Leo muttered, not looking at her.
Cat shot him a look. "You think I'd let you go alone? Nice try, fearless leader."
They sprinted together along the edge of a fallen scaffold, slipping into the skeletal remains of a construction site, its half-finished beams twisted in the orange glow of invasion. Gasping, Leo ducked beneath an overturned crate, pulling out his cracked T-phone. No signal.
Leo clenched his jaw. "Still nothing."
Cat crouched beside him. "They're okay. I know they are."
A sudden clang snapped them to attention.
Footbots.
Two of them swept past their hiding spot, scanning the area. Leo signaled Cat with a quick nod—and in an instant, they both moved. Leo leapt into the first bot, blade slashing, while Cat ducked low, sweeping the legs out from under the other and finishing it with a sharp crack of her tessen to its head.
"Nice," Leo said, breathless.
Cat grinned. "You too."
Above them, Tiger Claw watched, expression unreadable as he took in their coordination and resolve.
"They fights bravely," he said.
Shredder, unmoved, stood tall. "They are young. Overconfident. Foolish."
Rahzar growled. "We should destroy them quickly."
Shredder raised his hand. "Archers."
From the shadows, Foot archers pulled back their bows, arrows aimed toward the clearing.
Below, Leo and Cat stood shoulder to shoulder, panting as the last bot clattered to the ground. For a brief second, the construction site was still.
Then the whisper of feathers in flight.
"Leo—" Cat's voice was sharp.
Leo turned toward the sky—just in time to see the volley of arrows descending fast.
His eyes widened. "Oh no—!"
Cat grabbed his arm, yanking him backward. The arrows hit hard, splintering the wooden post where they'd stood a heartbeat before.
Elsewhere, across the city, Raphael, Casey, and Elliot sprinted through debris-strewn streets, their weapons drawn and hearts pounding. Fires raged in the distance, and the crackle of alien energy echoed between ruined buildings.
"Just a little further to April's place!" Casey panted, pointing down the block.
"Assuming it still exists," Elliot muttered, ducking under a flickering streetlight.
But then—
A tear opened in the sky.
A portal.
And from it descended something far worse than anything they had seen before.
Kraang Prime.
A grotesque, massive form suspended in a glowing mech body, its voice booming like thunder.
"Yes," it declared, its voice rippling across the skyline. "Kraang Prime returns to Earth!"
The trio skidded to a stop.
Casey froze. "You got some kind of plan to fight that?"
Raph's eyes widened. "Uh... not really, no."
Elliot just stared up at the monstrosity. "Okay. So this is officially the worst day ever."
Kraang Prime hovered over the streets, raising its appendages with a deafening hum.
"People of Earth," it bellowed, "the Kraang forming of your world is about to begin!"
Streams of perfected mutagen launched from its cannons, raining down like green fire. The ground sizzled. People screamed.
Where the mutagen struck, humans twisted and changed—writhing, mutating into Kraanganoids. Hulking, nightmarish monsters, stripped of identity, driven only by instinct and rage.
Raph's face went pale. "No..."
Casey watched, horrified, as a child clung to her mother—both swallowed by the mist, their bodies warping into something unrecognizable.
"That's... that's really messed up," he whispered.
Elliot took a shaky breath, stepping back. "We can't fight that. Not like this."
The three of them stood frozen, caught in the raw helplessness of it all, as New York twisted before their eyes. Buildings burned. Humanity screamed.
The end had begun.
