Back in the Turtles’ lair, the ultimate pizza party was on. Carrying a stack of warm pizza boxes, Mikey made his way to the table and joined everyone for a little victory dance.

“Who saved the world?” Mikey chanted.

“We saved the world!” his brothers chanted back.

“I said, Who saved the world?”

“We saved the world!”

“I said—”

“Stop asking!” Raph demanded, breaking out of the chant.

Never one to give up on a good cheer, Mikey finished alone with a weak “We saved the world.”

On the outskirts of the party, a fully healed April approached Splinter. Even though the Kraang had put her mind through the wringer, she hadn’t forgotten the hurtful things she’d said to her sensei before this whole mess started.

“I wanted to apologize for the way I spoke to you earlier,” she told him.

Admiring her conviction, Splinter looked at his kunoichi with respect. “No need,” he replied gently. “You spoke what was in your heart. I am just relieved that you made it home safely.”

April was pleased. She knew he was proud of her, and that was all she really wanted from him. She joined the others for a slice, unaware of the troubled look on Splinter’s face.

Splinter moved off to the side, turning his back to the party for a moment. While the others were busy watching Mikey bust a move, Splinter looked at an old photograph—a Yoshi family portrait: Hamato, Tang Shen, and baby Miwa, swaddled in the middle. He couldn’t help but study Miwa’s face over and over, trying to reconcile the baby in the picture with the teenage assassin he’d seen at Shredder’s lair. He didn’t know where to begin. He just wanted to be a part of her life.

“What’s wrong, Sensei?” he heard Leo ask, just behind him.

Splinter quickly hid the photo. “I learned some things from Shredder,” he said.

“Like what?” Leo asked.

“That’s for another time, Leonardo,” he finally said. “Tonight is for celebration. After all, it is not every day you make the world safe from an alien invasion.”

“You got that right!” Mikey said, break- dancing his way into the center of the room. “Everybody . . . who saved the world?” he cheered again.

“WE SAVED THE WORLD!” everyone joined in.

Meanwhile, deep in the Atlantic Ocean, a school of fish was swimming peacefully along the ocean floor. Suddenly, an unseen force sent a concussion through the water, and the fish flitted away. Strange lights appeared, forming a shape that was round and massive.

The Technodrome was badly damaged, but it was back online. It was stranded in the murky depths of the ocean. . . .

But it wouldn’t be for long.