Epilogue

Leonardo and his brothers landed in Donatello's lab, in the glorious glow of the Kraang communication orb. As soon as they were on the ground, Donatello grasped the orb and used his newly-gained knowledge to completely deactivate it.

Then he hurried to his computer to check the date, his brothers on his heels.

Seeing the figures displaying on the screen, the four turtles sighed collectively in relief.

"Exactly a month," Donatello said. "We're lucky, it was the best-case scenario."

"Guys?" April's voice was heavy with concern. "Are you here?"

The red-haired kunoichi ran to the lab.

"Leo! You're back too!" she exclaimed before throwing herself into the blue-clad turtle's arms.

Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo hurried to join the hug, and April laughed.

"I was going crazy with worry! Where have you been this time?" she scolded.

"It's a long story," Leonardo answered her. "But first… Where is Master Splinter?"

"I'm right here, my son," his father answered from the entrance of the lab.

"Father," Leonardo said, his mouth dry.

Before he realized that he had moved, he found himself burying his face in his father's robes, embracing him fiercely.

"Thank you."

Surprised, Splinter returned the embrace, his furry hands encircling his son's body.

"For what, Leonardo?"

"For looking after all of us," Leonardo answered, his voice hoarse.

He suddenly felt his brothers' and April's weight on his shell, and he laughed as they all collapsed to the floor, Splinter skillfully sliding to the side so he wouldn't be crushed while still holding Leonardo close. Raphael, Donatello and Michelangelo crawled to embrace the giant rat too.

"My sons." Splinter sighed with contentment. "I'm so happy to see you again."

Then he playfully frowned.

"But April is right. Where have you been this time?"

Meanwhile, somewhere in the Tokyo of the universe that Leonardo and his brothers had just left, a young girl dressed in a metallic armor was whispering to a blind cook in front of a noodle shop. Due to the untimely hour, it was closed.

"Please, Murakami-san. My father and I are leaving Japan. He heard rumors that something huge is happening in New York and he wants to investigate. I came to say goodbye."

The blind cook sighed. He couldn't resist her pleading tone. Besides, if what she had just said was true – he couldn't be sure of it, that girl was a good liar - it would have been plain cruel to deny her.

"You are always welcome in my home, Karai," he whispered back before letting her in. "But I don't appreciate my son hanging out with your friends. They are a bad influence on him."

"I know, Murakami-san," Karai answered with her most convincing apologetic tone. "I'm really sorry about last time."

She entered the shop plunged into darkness and rolled her eyes. True, the blind cook didn't need the light and his son was rather avoiding it, but they could at least leave a few candles.

She suddenly spun, sensing a familiar presence in the room.

"Hi, Karai. I'm glad my father let you in. Does this mean I'm not grounded anymore?"

Karai smiled in the direction of the familiar voice. Using the moonlight coming from the door that Murakami hadn't closed yet, she tried to discern the outline of her closest friend. She had never been bothered by the fact that he wasn't human.

"Hello, Leonardo," she answered softly. "I'm afraid not, but I have something important to tell you."

The End