"Let's get this meeting started," Leo stated, as he turned off the TV.

"Alright, I got things to do and bad guys to mess up," Raph said.

"Karai's still out there," Pepper started. "The last thing she said to me was the word 'comet'." They all gathered around Donnie while he typed something into his computer.

"So, what's that supposed to mean?" Casey asked, crossing his legs from where he laid on the couch. "A giant comet's coming? The earth's doomed?"

"Don't think that's what she meant, Casey." Astra hopped onto the counter between April and Raph.

"Feels like it could be a location," April responded. "Maybe where they're hiding out."

"Donnie's found three locations with the word 'comet' in them," Samirah said. "D?"

"We've got Comet Cleaners on Bleecker Street here. Earth vs. the Comet Creeps is playing at the Argosy Theater here. And then we've got the Coney Comet roller coaster on Coney Island here." Donnie pulled up their locations on the internet map, pinpointing each exact location for them to follow. "So one of these places could be her lair. Theoretically."

"Ooh, ooh, ooh! Can I check out the Comet roller coaster?" Mikey asked quickly. "Please?"

"Me too!" Raya agreed enthusiastically. "Come on, Pepper, hook a wolf and turtle up."

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Donnie, April, Samirah, and Nyx, you take Comet Cleaners. Raph, Casey, Astra, and Leo, you take the movie theater." She smiled at her little sister and brother as the two of them watched her excitedly. "Me, Lucian, Raya, and Mikey will check out Coney Island." 

"Awe, yeah, boy! Thanks, sis," Raya cheered.

Donnie tossed a canister at Lucian. "I have just enough retro-mutagen brewed for three doses," he stated, throwing another canister at Leo. "Each team gets one. It'll be weeks before Samirah and I finish more."

"So, in other words, don't waste it," Nyx summed up. "Got ya."

"Karai's condition is unique. There's no guarantee this will even work on her," Samirah said.

"All we can do is try, Samirah," April said. 

"Everyone know the plan?" Leo asked as they gathered their weapons.

"Let's go find our sister," Raya declared.

----------

Donnie, April, Nyx and Samirah climbed out the window after finishing their search through Comet Cleaners.

"No sign of Karai," Donnie said as they began to walk away. "The place is completely abandoned."

"Alright, one location down." April pulled out her phone. "I'll call Leo. Maybe they had better luck." She groned, placing her head to her head.

"April?" Nyx said.

"Someone--someone is watching us."

The four of them quickly pulled out their weapons, looking around. Nyx's ears swiveled as something splashed through a puddle.

"Hmm...I-I don't see any--" Donnie cut off when something slammed into him and sent him on his shell. He flipped back to his feet as Zeck's laugh rang out. "Ow!" Something hit him again and sent him stumbling back toward the girls. The four of them formed a circle, back-to-back as they looked around for Zeck.

"Old what's-his-name, the fly guy--Baxter Bughead?" Zeck started. "He fixed my invisibility tech. Wow to the wow to the wow to the wee--" He cut off as April hit him with her tessen, turning him visible and making him stumble back. "Oh, man. How'd you find me?"

"'Cause you don't shut up," April retorted. "Who is this guy?"

"He was a thief named Zeck," Samirah responded.

Nyx looked the guy up and down, noting the change in appearance. "Looks like he got a little mutated."

The four of them charged Zeck, dodging the lasers he shot at them. One hit April and sent her back into a wall. Another caught Nyx right in the chest and she slammed back against the wall beside April. 

"Ugh. Is this glue?"

"You think you can take me? Huh?" Zeck taunted as he dodged Donnie and Samirah. "I will drop you like an ex-girlfriend."

"Your skills are weak, pig-head!" Samirah retorted. She tossed some shuriken at Zeck, only to crash down the pavement as he hit her with a laser. Donnie slid out the blade of his staff, but he got hit next and landed beside Astra.

"GUYS!" April yelled.

Zeck approached Donnie, grabbing his face and checking him over. "No worries. My hip lasers were set to stun. We need you guys alive to bait your mutant sibs." He picked up the container of retro-mutagen and looked it over. "Hmm, what's this?" He noticed Donnie's T-phone on the pavement and picked it up, looking at the screen. "Ha! I got some sweet news, baby Ivan. Not only did I catch a turtle, rabbit, and fox, I know exactly where the other freaks are going. Check out the Argosy Theater on Houston. Me and my new homies are going to Coney Island."

Zeck freed Nyx and April from the wall, but their arms were still pinned by his glue lasers. He tossed them into the back of a van, followed by Samirah and Donnie.

"Hey!" April snapped. "Who do you think you are??" The doors slammed shut and Nyx heard a lock click. "Let us out! Help!"

----------

Astra walked out of the movie theater alongside Casey, Raph, and Leo. They hadn't found any sign of Karai, and Astra hadn't picked up her scent.

"Eh, these ooze specs aren't working right," Raph commented. "Maybe I should call Donnie and Samirah."

"It's not your specs, dude," Casey responded. "We searched every inch of the place."

"And there's no scent of her anywhere. She's not here," Astra agreed.

Leo shook his head, turning back to the theater. "Let's check one last time. Maybe there's a basement--" He cut off as something landed behind them, and the four of them turned to face the newcomer.

"Well, well, well," the rhino mutant started. "Comrade Zeck made good on info. Turtles and dragon here...and strange human friend."

Astra stared at the mutant. Steranko?

"Whoa. Another mutant?" Casey asked, throwing down his mask and pulling out a hockey stick. 

Astra snorted. "No, Jones," she drawled sarcastically. "That's not a mutant. Every rhino can stand on two legs, talk, and make death threats."

"Dude, he's kind of rad," Casey said, apparently choosing to ignore her.

"Rad and strong."

Steranko picked up a car and threw it at them. They scattered to avoid it. Astra took off into the air, Casey pressed himself against the ticket booth, and Raph and Leo were forced to vault over the car to avoid getting slammed into the wall.

Raph at Steranko and jumped to strike, only to get punched down. Leo tried to take a shot, but Steranko punched him away and onto the pavement. Casey sent bomb pucks at the Steranko and the mutant blocked with his arm, the small explosions having zero effect.

"The July of Fourth. Fireworks do you nothing." Steranko ran at Casey and the boy ran around him.

Casey flipped out his skates, spinning around to head back to Steranko. "Well, let's see what this does. Goongala!" He jumped and slammed his bat against Steranko, but the wood snapped against his horn. "Okay, that didn't work."

Steranko slammed his fist into Casey, sending him flying back. Astra swept down to try and catch him, but his momentum slammed him into her and sent them both crashing back against the ticket booth. Astra looked up as Steranko stomped toward them.

"No, guys!"

At Raph's shout, Steranko turned his attention to the turtle and ran at him. He used his horn to pick Raph up and slam him into the ground, throwing him into the side of the theater.

Casey crawled over to Raph, shaking him. "Raph! Wake up, Raph! Wake up!"

Astra staggered to her feet, freezing when as she heard Steranko behind her. Her frills bristled and turned around in alarm to face the mutant.

-----------

"...I didn't think this through..." Lucian stood at the entrance to Coney Island with Pepper, Raya, and Mikey, staring into the darkened amusement park. "This is on the top five locations of horror/slasher films."

Pepper laughed, elbowing him lightly. "Ah, come on. What're the chances that some crazy psychopath killer is gonna come and attack us?"

"Have you met us?" he retorted. "What are the chances that some crazy psychopath killer isn't gonna come and attack us?"

Pepper rolled her eyes and summoned a ball of fire to her palm, casting the area in an eerie gold light. "Come on." She started into the park.

"I should've gone with Donnie, April, Samirah, and Nyx," Lucian muttered behind her. "Nothing ever happens in a laundry mat."

"Wimp," Raya teased.

"Dudes, guys, this is so cool," Mikey squealed excitedly. "Can we go on the Whirlwind? What about the Wheel of Fun? Ooh, can we play Robot Ringtoss? Please?"

"You promised you wouldn't goof around, Mikey," Lucian scolded. "Seriously. We don't want to scare Karai off."

"First we'll find Karai and then we'll play some games and ride some rides as celebration," Pepper offered. "How about that?" She looked over her shoulder at her baby brother. She could practically see the wheels turning him head as a smile formed on his face.

"She's gotta know we're here by now, right?" Raya asked. "Why doesn't she just come out?"

"Maybe she's not in her right mind," Pepper responded. "Or maybe she's worried she'll lose control and attack us. 

"I feel so bad for her," Lucian said, ears lowering.

Pepper glanced over at him to see guilt flash in his amber eyes. No wonder he wants to find her so bad. Not only is she his little sister, but if he hadn't cut my tether, we wouldn't be in this position. She slung an arm around his shoulders. "Don't worry. She isn't gone yet. We can still help her."

He looked over at her and smiled. "Thanks, sister."

She nodded, smiling at him as they headed for the rollercoaster. Pepper swiveled her ears, listening intently, but she couldn't pick anything up.

"Hmm, no sign of them," Raya said. "I hope the others are having better luck."

Pepper turned as she heard something hit the ground and saw a flash of white scales, accompanied by a whiff of familiar scent.

"Whoa! Dudes, I think I just saw her!" Mikey exclaimed. They bolted after Karai, halting right outside a certain attraction.

Lucian groaned. "Of course she'd go in there..."

Mikey gulped. "She went into the ghost house..."

Pepper took the lead as they entered the Spooky Haunted Funhouse. She looked around the dark hall with nothing but black lights and spooky decorations.

"This remind anyone else of the whole fungus incident in the sewers?" Raya asked. "The lighting's similar. It's kinda trippy. I'm half-expecting mutant mushrooms to jump out at us now."

"Pepper, you mind maybe lighting your fire again?" Lucian asked from behind her. "Um, for Mikey and Raya, of course. 'Cause they're scared. I'm not."

Pepper snorted, rolling her eyes. "Smooth, Lucian."

Mikey whimpered. "Uh, this place isn't so bad."

As if on cue, a cut-out popped out from the wall ahead, startling the four of them and making them scream. After a moment, Pepper's face fell. I can't believe I just fell for that. 

She gave the cut-out a shove. "It's just a painted board."

A plastic goblin head dropped down in front of Lucian, eyes lighting up. He screamed and drew one of his katanas, slashing the string and cutting the head loose. It crashed to the floor, broken.

Raya, surprisingly, actually looked a little freaked out, eyes wide and tail bushed. She chuckled nervously. "That didn't scare me at all."

Mikey spotted a painting of a monster, screaming and clinging to Pepper's arm. He laughed nervously. "Have you been working out?"

They all paused as they heard hissing.

Pepper's ears swiveled. "Karai's close." 

She looked down the hall to see her dart across the end of the tunnel. She pressed her back against the wall and gave the others a signal to be quiet. Gesturing for Lucian to come with her, she started cautiously for the end of the tunnel, heading down the hallway Karai had gone.

Mirror room, she thought as she noticed the glass panels. Terrific.

She looked ahead and spotted Karai with her back to them. She gestured at Lucian and he pulled the canister of retro-mutagen from his belt. He hit the trigger and the serum issued forward in an orange cloud, hitting Karai, but nothing happened.

Lucian gave Pepper a puzzled look and they ran around the the corner to find all Lucian had sprayed was a mirror reflecting Karai's image. She hissed at them, fleeing deeper into the mirror maze.

"Guys, don't let her escape!" Pepper called as she followed Karai into the maze, Lucian hot on her heels. Mikey and Raya followed after them.

"I got her!" Mikey shouted, only to slam into a mirror.

"She's right here!" Raya slammed hard into another mirror, yelping and rubbing her muzzle. "Ow. Alright, it's official. Whoever decided that mirror mazes were a good idea needs to have a beat-down."

"Karai!" Lucian yelled.

Pepper tracked Karai by scent, using that trail to avoid the mirrors and pursue her out of the maze. She heard three pairs of footsteps close behind as the others followed her. They left the haunted house and wound up running through the park.

Mikey wrapped his kusarigama chain around a post, blocking Karai. She turned and shrieked at them. 

Pepper held up her hands placatingly. "Karai, we wanna help you," she said calmly. "Don't you remember us?"

Karai hissed and lunged at Mikey, tackling him to the ground and pinning him with her snake hands, hissing at him. 

"Get her off, get her off!" Mikey screamed. "She's trying to eat me!"

"Karai, it's us!" Pepper said, gaining her attention. "It's me, Pepper! Try and remember! Focus!"

"Pepper." Karai got off of Mikey and slithered backwards hesitantly, putting some distance between them. She huddled against one of the stalls.

Pepper gestured for the other three to get back as she picked up Karai's fear-scent. Cautiously, she approached slowly, hands held up in surrender. "We want to help you, Karai," she said calmly, kneeling down in front of her. "Can you transform back?"

Karai looked away without a response and Pepper's ears tilted back. They pricked up at a crash and she turned in the direction of the noise. Karai took the opportunity to flee.

"Karai!" Lucian called after her. 

She didn't look back, and the four of them quickly ran in the direction of the sound, hiding in the shadows as a van pulled to a stop. The door opened and a mutant warthog wearing Zeck's retro outfit stepped out.

"Is that Anton Zeck?" Raya whispered.

"Looks like he was mutated," Lucian whispered back.

"Are you here yet, Steranko? What's the deal, yo?" Zeck asked.

"Da, comrade, look behind you." Zeck turned to face a large rhino mutant with a Russian accent. "Woo! Rhino legs very fast. Good workout. Better than the Pilates." 

Pepper spotted the four limp forms he carried. "Guys, they've got Astra and the boys!" she whispered.

Steranko opened the back doors of the van and tossed Astra, Leo, Raph, and Casey inside.

"You can't do this!" April's voice sounded inside the van. "We have friends that'll kick your butts!"

"Sounds like they've got April, Nyx, Samirah, and Donnie, too..." Lucian whispered.

Steranko closed the doors. "So, other mutants are here? Da?"

Zeck turned around and started sniffing the air while he pressed a button on his goggles. Pepper and the other three hid among the stalls and Pepper's ears swiveled at Zeck's footsteps.

"Mutants! Come out and pla-ay!" Zeck called. "If you surrender, the humans go free."

"Pinkie promise," Steranko added.

Pepper traded a disbelieving glance with her siblings. They can't seriously think we'll fall for that?

"Forget it!" Mikey snapped back. "We don't trust you dudes."

"You has no choice. In five second, I pop humans' head like the blueberries," Steranko declared.

"Ah-four," Zeck started. "Ah-three." Mikey, Raya, and Lucian looked to Pepper. "Ah-twooo! Ah-one-ah!" 

She gave them a sharp hand signal and darted around the side of the stand with Lucian while Raya and Mikey went the other way. Pepper her twin snuck out to the back of the van while Raya and Mikey faced Zeck and Steranko.

"Okay, don't hurt them!" Raya said. "Let's talk this over."

"Um, what do we call you guys now, anyway?" Mikey asked. Zeck and Steranko traded confused looks. 

"You need mutant names," Raya elaborated. "Um, like our big sis is called Serpent Siren now that she'd mutated."

Serpent Siren? Since when do you call me that? Pepper wondered silently. Mikey glanced at Pepper and Lucian out of the corner of his eye. Lucian made a motion for him to stay quiet and Pepper gestured for the two of them to stall for time while she pulled out her lockpick.

"Um, and it just so happens Mikey is awesome at naming stuff," Raya said.

"How about..." Mikey thought for a second, glancing at one of the nearby stalls. "Pork Rind and Chili Cheese Fry?"

"Ah..."

"Nyet, nyet." Steranko shook his head. "Not so good names."

"How about Sprinkles and Hot Suace?" Mikey asked.

"Nyet." 

Pepper glanced at them from the corner of her eye to see Mikey whimper as the two mutants drew closer.

"The Royal Weenies?" Mikey suggested.

"NYET!"

Pepper pressed one hand to her muzzle to avoid laughing and blowing their cover.

"Then how about, um..." Mikey looked at Raya as she nudged him and angled her ears at the van. Mikey followed her gesture and Lucian gave them a signal to keep stalling. Mikey turned his attention to the writing on the side of the van. "Bebop and Rocksteady?"

"Is that what you do?" Zeck demanded. "Randomly name enemies based on stuff you see around you?"

Raya chuckled. "Well, I mean, it's sort of worked so far..."

"Hey, it's not so bad," Steranko said. "Kind of like the Rocksteady."

"Um, Pepper?" Lucian whispered. "Might wanna hurry. I think our cover's blown!"

"What? Why?" 

A hand was suddenly pressed to her shoulder and she gasped, whipping around to find herself faced with Zeck. "Aha! You think you can escape my goggles, son? I saw you two a mile away."

Raya kicked him away, taking a defensive stance alongside Mikey, weapons out.

"No one can face the Bebop and Rocksteady!" Steranko--Rocksteady--shouted.

"I am not going to be called Bebop, got me?" Zeck snapped at him, pulling out the container of retro-mutagen. "That is the dumbest name ever!"

"He's got the retro-mutagen!" Lucian warned.

"Retro-mutagen, huh?" Zeck asked, looking at the container. "I'm wondering what it'll do to mutant turtles."

"Don't do it, Bebop," Mikey said, hands up in front of him.

"Stop calling me that name, fool!" Zeck snapped. "I hate that name! I hate that name!" He started laughing. "Time for the next mutation, turtle."

"Mikey!" Lucian jumped down from the top of a stand, katana unsheathed, only to get punched into the haunted house wall by Rocksteady.

"Try it, fool!" Raya snapped, shifting protectively in front of Mikey. Since she'd been human before she'd gotten mutated, all the retro-mutagen would do to her was turn her back to human.

"Nyet!" Rocksteady grabbed Zeck's shoulder. "Bebop, wait. Think with the brain for once. Retro-mutagen can turn us human again."

Zeck blinked. "Wow, I didn't even think of that! Let's do the dizzle! And stop calling me Bebop, yo!" He went to spray himself with the serum, only for Rocksteady to take it.

"Nyet. Why do you get to be using it?"

"You did not just--"

"Give it back."

"I had it first!"

"Nyet, nyet, nyet!"

Pepper took her chance and started picking the van's door again while the other three retreated behind a stall.

Karai suddenly jumped down in front of Rocksteady and Zeck and shot venom into Rocksteady's eyes, making him drop the canister. He staggered backward and stepped on it, shattering it. Karai went after Zeck and the warthog retreated, shooting lasers at her. 

Karai fled into the haunted house, Zeck following. "Get back here, snakey snake!"

Pepper heard the lock click and threw open the van door. 

"Pepper!" April exclaimed.

"About time!" Nyx snapped.

Pepper gave the two girls a grin, hopping instead and using her claws to free the two. "My bad. Had to take care of some things first."

Donnie sat up, shaking his head. Beside him, Samirah lifted her head, looking a little dazed.

"Thanks, Pepper," Donnie said.

"Oh, my aching brain," Raph groaned, rubbing his head as he jumped out of the van. "What hit me?"

"It was that huge rhino dude," Casey responded. "Right there!"

Pepper jumped out of the van with the others as Rocksteady pushed himself up, groaning as he looked at them. "Mutants...free?" He got up, roaring as he charged, and they scattered. 

"What do we do, Pepper?" Donnie asked.

Pepper looked back at him, April, Casey, Astra and Lucian, then back at the other six. "You six take Rocksteady. We'll go after Karai."

Raph and Mikey ran out to where Rocksteady could see them and Raph held up his container of retro-mutagen. "Hey, rhino-man! You want some retro-mutagen?"

The two of them took off running with Leo, Raya, Samirah, and Nyx, Rocksteady hot on their heels. Pepper took the opportunity to bolt for the funhouse with her team.

"Why does she keep coming in here!?" Lucian snapped as they hopped over the que gates.

"Whoa, wicked," Casey said. "This was my favorite fun house as a kid." He flipped down his mask and followed them inside.

They made their way through cautiously, Pepper tracking the scent trail while April used her psychic powers to sense them.

"Careful. He's close. Invisible. He's--"

A cut-out jumped down from the ceiling, startling them and making them all scream.

"Oh, come on!" Lucian snapped. "Again?!"

"Oh, I hate that!" Donnie seethed. "I hate it when stuff jumps out at you!" Something punched him.

"I know exactly what you mean." Zeck's voice rang out. He grabbed Casey's hockey stick and hit him and Lucian with it. "Don't worry; I would never hit ladies." April suddenly fell to the floor, quickly followed by Astra. Pepper felt something sweep her feet and she crashed down beside the red-head. "But I'll trip 'em."

----------

"Come out, lowly cowards!" Rocksteady called.

Raya jumped down from the coaster, landing on the platform and making taunting gestures. "Come and get us, Rocksteady!"

Raph jumped down to hang off the coaster's wooden beams. "Hey, Rocksteady." He held up the retro-mutagen. "Looking for some retro-mutagen?"

Rocksteady started climbing up the coaster. Raph jumped up and threw the canister. Nyx caught it and bolted along the tracks.

"All aboard the turtle coaster!" Samirah threw a shuriken and hit the start button on the control console, starting up the ride.

The six of them ran along the tracks, catching up to the train and jumping onto it as it went up the hill. Rocksteady pounded after them. Just as he was about to catch them, they crested the hill. Raya's eyes widened as she saw the drop before them. The cart started its descent and shot down the hill.

Leo looked back at the mutant. "Here he comes. Doesn't this thing move any faster?"

Mikey got up and hit Rocksteady with his nunchucks. The rhino grabbed the cart, making Mikey stumble and fall off. Raph caught him before he could hit the tracks, pulling him into the cart alongside him and Samirah. Rocksteady jumped up, trying to land in the cart Mikey had fallen out of, which was still occupied by Nyx. Luckily, Raya's sister was an asshole, so she of course wasted no time in standing up and kicking him right in the privates, knocking him down the track.

"Nyx!" Raya scolded.

"What?" the brunette asked.

"That's not fair game, dude! Below the belt!"

Nyx rolled her eyes. "Look, it's fair game if it's self defense, alright? No rules involved except to get the hell out alive. So if that means kicking the dude as hard as I possibly can in the klick-klacks, then I'm gonna go ahead and do it, and I'm gonna kick him so hard that he bounces up and down to and from the moon for a month of Sundays."

"Dude, you are savage," Samirah stated.

Nyx smirked. "Thanks."

"Not a compliment, dude," the younger corrected.

"Yeah, well, I'm gonna take it as one," the brunette retorted.

The cart turned a corner and descended another hill. They all screamed as they spotted Rocksteady blocking their path. He slammed a metal pole into the tracks. The cart ran up it and they all went flying.

They quickly pulled out their grappling hooks, swinging themselves back onto the tracks and kicking Rocksteady on the way by.

"Eat it, rhino!"

Mikey screamed as Rocksteady grabbed him. Raya and the others yelled his name.

"You will give me retro-mutagen now!" the rhino snapped as Mikey whimpered.

----------

"Come on out, pig!" Casey shouted. "Show yourself!"

"His name's Bebop," Donnie said before getting knocked to the ground.

"My name is not Bebop!" the warthog snapped.

Pepper closed her eyes and pricked her ears, letting her senses of sound and smell take over. She tracked Bebop's movements and slid in front of him just as he was about to hit Lucian. She caught his punch on her forearm. Summoning her fire magic, she threw a punch of her own, letting out her magic in a cloud of smoke.

"What the? How did you find me?!" Bebop demanded.

Pepper opened her eyes and grinned at seeing him covered in black smoke. "You may be invisible, but that can't stop me pinpointing your scent."

Casey and Donnie both lifted their weapons and slammed them into Bebop, sending him crashing through the wall and back outside.

----------

"Mutants, give retro-mutagen," Rocksteady commanded. Mikey screamed as Bebop held him over the edge of the coaster.

Raya leapt down onto the tracks. "Put him down first," she ordered. "I don't trust you."

"I has your word you give?" Rocksteady asked.

She held up the canister. "You has my word." She blinked. Did I really just say that?

Rocksteady snorted, throwing Mikey to her. He started to slide back and quickly pulled himself forward, pushing himself onto his hands and knees. "Ugh. Thanks, sis." Raya helped him back onto his feet.

"Retro-mutagen now!" Rocksteady snapped.

"You want it? Take it!" She threw the canister at him and he reached to grab it, only for Nyx to swing past and snatch it.

"No! You gave word!"

"Yeah? I didn't!" Nyx retorted, smirking.

She threw the canister at Leo, who ran down the tracks and used his grappling hook to swing away. Rocksteady took out a sickle and threw it at the rope. The sickle snapped the rope and sent Leo into one of the carts with Rocksteady running to meet him on the track ahead.

"Hey, horn head!" Raph called, gaining Rocksteady's attention.

Raph and Samirah both swung at Rocksteady from either side to kick him. He grabbed their feet and tossed them in the opposite direction, their grappling hook ropes snapping them back to hit each other before swinging away.

Rocksteady grabbed the cart, only to find it empty. He roared, climbing on top of the cart and leaping to another track. 

"Rocksteady!" Leo called, in another cart heading down the hill and directly at the rhino. "Eat it!"

----------

Donnie and Casey raised their weapons over their heads for another attack, but Bebop spun backwards and kicked Donnie into Casey, sending them sprawling on top of each other. Before he could use his blasters, Astra swung the weighted end of her cord at him, smacking him across the head and catching the weight as it flew back.

"You picked the wrong night to mess with me, girl!" Bebop yelled, raising his hands to his head as his mohawk began to glow. 

They heard a loud yell out of nowhere. Pepper looked up to see a large, gray ball flying down at them.

"Uh-oh."

She pulled Astra out of the way as the gray ball that was Rocksteady hit Bebop. They both rolled toward their van and slammed into it, flipping it over and landing on the other side.

"That's gotta hurt," Astra said with a wince.

"Everyone okay?" Donnie asked, sitting up and holding his arm.

Casey flipped up his mask. "Think I only sprained a leg or two," he said with a weak smile.

Leo and his team joined them as Pepper sniffed the air, catching Karai's scent. "Karai! I know you're here! Come out. You don't have to be afraid anymore."

Karai gave a soft hiss, coming out of hiding behind a stall and stopping in front of Pepper.

"We can help you," Pepper said. She looked over her shoulder at Leo and motioned for the canister. He tossed it to her and she aimed it at Karai. "With this."

Karai stared at her for a moment, silent, then closed her eyes and lowered her head. Pepper pressed the trigger and the retro-mutagen spilled out in an orange cloud. Pepper held her breath, only to let it out in defeat as Karai opened her eyes to find nothing had changed.

"It doesn't work." Pepper's ears folded back and she turned to look at her little siblings. "Donnie, Sammy?"

"We told you, Pepper," Samirah said sadly, ears drooping. "Karai is special. She's not a normal mutant."

"It was all for nothing?" Raph asked.

Pepper shook her head, refusing to believe that. We can't have fought this hard only to lose her now. "It doesn't matter. You can still come home with us, Karai." She stepped toward her sister. "We'll take care of you, I promise."

Karai looked away. "No. Too dangeroussss. My mind isss going."

"Then--then why did you want us to find you?" Leo asked.

"Wanted to sssay goodbye...to all of you." Karai turned and dashed to the fence, jumping over and disappearing into the water.

"No! Karai!" Pepper ran to the fence with Lucian a step behind. She grabbed the railing and stared into the water, but there was no flash of white scales to be seen. Her ears flattened.

"We'll find a cure for you, Karai!" Lucian yelled into the water. "You hear me?! You're not gonna be alone forever! We'll save you and New York! So don't you dare give up just yet!"

Pepper clenched her fists against the railing, a spark of anger lighting in her chest.

"Guys, Bebop and Rocksteady are gone," April called, looking at where they'd been laying.

"Ah, let 'em go," Astra growled. "Next time I see them, they won't be able to walk away."

"Come on, team," Mikey started softly, head lowered as they began to walk away. "Let's go home."

Pepper let go of the railing, though she didn't follow her siblings. Lucian cast her an unsure look as he headed after the others. Pepper turned back to look into the water, that angry spark building to a flame.

It's all his fault. It's all Shredder's fault. Karai doesn't deserve this. No one deserves any of this! I'll never forgive him for what's he's done to my family.