"The Hamato Clan has gotten weak!" Saki cries, holding up a torch that sends the darkness of the night scattering for shelter and illuminating the faces of the gathered ninjas. He stands on a shrine erected to honour the Hamato Clan, his deep voice rumbling in the trees as he continues, "It is rotting from the inside. The Foot was the oldest of all ninja clans, but it was wiped out by Hamato Yuuta when he killed its master, Oroku Keiji...my father."

The Hamato Clan ninjas gasp, eyes widening, and Saki steps off the shrine. His hands glint with the blades of lethal tekkō-kagi. His youthful face is twisted with hatred, stealing away the handsome air he carries otherwise.

"I was adopted by the Hamato Clan as an infant," he says, the biting edge of his deep voice getting more prominent. "Raised by my enemy in ignorance! I will have my revenge on them all!"

He turns and throws the torch into the shrine, setting it ablaze. It crackles and pops as the old wood is eaten away, the roar getting louder as Saki holds up the flag of the Foot Clan. The ninjas kneel before him.

One looks up, a gasp escaping him as he readies his katana. The other ninjas follow suit as they stare in horror at the shrine's rooftop. Saki turns and sees four white-eyes silhouettes standing amongst the flame, mask tails whipping in the smoky breeze.

"Yokai," Saki snarls. He stalks away, heading down a separate path as he calls to his ninjas. "Finish them, quickly. I have business to attend to."

The ninjas prepare. From the shadows, two emerald green eyes filled with fire watch the oncoming battle. She smiles deviously and melts into the surrounding shade.

----------

"I am sorry, Shen," Yoshi apologizes, gripping the dojo railing in his capable hands. "You and Miwa are my life. Without you, I am a shadow."

"Yoshi, I understand your loyalty to the clan," Shen responds. Her voice is kind, but troubled. Miwa sleeps soundly in her mother's arms.

"Father is growing worse. The dojo is all we have left." Yoshi looks away, his expression twisting with worry.

Shen moves closer and holds a small purple blossom out to her husband. "You have so much more than that, Yoshi," she says. He meets her eyes and her lips lift with a soft smile.

He shifts to the side and rests his forehead against hers as his hand brushes her arm. "My love for you and Miwa burns inside my heart...brighter than all the stars in the universe."

"Pathetic," comes a hissing, wrathful voice that sends the couple apart. "I will not abide by this dishonour."

Shen's lips part when she sees Saki standing on the dojo porch, his dark eyes wrought with venom and latched on Yoshi. "Saki," she whispers.

"Shen, I ask you one last time. Make the right choice," he orders.

Her face settles as she steps behind Yoshi. "I have already made it." Saki lets out a short, low growl from the back of his throat, muscles tensing.

"Take Miwa and go, Shen," Yoshi orders. He is the only person whose voice is still calm and collected.

Her almond-shaped eyes widen with shock. "But, Yoshi...Saki...please!" she begs, clutching her sleeping daughter closer. Her voice is on the edge of breaking. "You are brothers."

"No, we were never blood," Saki snaps.

Yoshi's jaw clenches slightly as hurt fills his gaze. "Shen, go...now," he says.

She hesitates, looks to Saki, then bows her head. She moves past her husband, then Saki, then down the dojo steps and out to the base of a small footbridge surrounded by sakura blossom trees. She stops and looks back at Yoshi one more time, and he smiles at her. She returns it and continues on her way.

"How can one love and hate someone so fiercely?" Saki asks through gritted teeth.

"If your desire is to fall by my hand, brother...so be it," Yoshi says.

----------

Cackling echoes through the smoky, flame-covered expanse of forest as the turtles leap across the logs and poles standing by the shrine. Their weapons glint in the firelight, their white eyes only adding to the terrifying sound of their laughter.

The four brothers slink over various poles and perch like gargoyles, Michelangelo dropping down in front with his kusarigama chain laced over his arms.

"Booyakashaaaaaa!" he howls evilly.

"Kappa! They will steal your soul!" one ninja yelps in rapid Japanese. "RUN!"

He throws a cucumber at Michelangelo's face. The turtle slurps it off his forehead and chews, a smile on his face. "Mmm, mmm. Mmm, I'm starting to get a taste for these things," he comments.

"That's right, ninja," Leonardo bellows from the burning archway nearby. "We Yokai will steal all of your souls...through your butt!"

He lets out a sinister laugh as Raphael tackles two ninjas with an equally chilling cackle. Donatello hops along on his hands as he chases the frightened ninjas, laughing maniacally.

"Through your butt?" Raphael repeats as the ninjas flee.

"What? That comes from real Japanese legend," Leonardo says as he slips down a tree trunk.

There's a loud howl in the distance and the ninjas, mutant and human alike, freeze in their place, knees knocking. They start spewing words like "ōkami", searching for another way out while watching their feet. The turtles grin widely at them.

"Don't want to get devoured, do you?" Donatello taunts. Him and his brothers start to cackle again and the terrified warriors scramble away.

From far off, Destiny races through the forest in her wolf form, en route for the dojo. She sprints across a small opening in the trees and a familiar scent drifts across her nose, making her skid to a stop. Her eyes widen and she changes direction, pumping her powerful legs as fast as she can.

She catches sight of Tang Shen ahead of her, making her slow down. The bird cries of "chi chi chi" fill the empty space and Shen stops, then slowly turns and looks into the dark trees.

"Ōkami?" she calls. "Are you there?"

Destiny emerges from the trees and shifts into her preferred state. She walks up to Shen, her gaze flitting to Miwa for a moment before reverting back to the woman.

"Where are you going?" Destiny asks.

"To the dojo. Yoshi and Saki are fighting again, but...I know that they can fix this without violence." She adjusts the baby in her arms as her fair face floods with sorrow. "I am the reason they have grown apart. I must be the one to mend this."

Destiny's throat tightens and she shakes her head. "No, you can't fix this. Saki will not give up, not until he's destroyed Yoshi. Yoshi's life, your life...they're in danger. Think of your daughter." She gestures to Miwa, pleading in her wild eyes. "Take care of yourself and Miwa. Splinter...Yoshi, he will be okay. I will make sure of it."

Shen gazes down at Destiny with a warmth that the teenage girl can truthfully say has never experienced from a grown woman. It makes her heart ache for something that she's never known and makes the beginnings of tears swell in her eyes.

"I just want you and your family to be happy," she says.

Shen shifts Miwa to one arm and reaches out her left hand towards Destiny's face. Destiny flinches, but Shen gently rests her palm against Destiny's scarred cheek, her thumb brushing the deep caverns where smooth flesh once was.

"An ōkami is a protector, a judge of character," Shen murmurs. "You are such a kind soul and you care so much. I believe your words." Destiny bites the inside of her cheek, her throat getting even tighter. Shen's gentle smile remains. "Please, never stop caring. Protect your kappa, and..." She lifts Miwa into Destiny's arms and the wolf mutant startles as the baby squirms in her grip. "Protect my daughter. I will find you once this is done."

"Shen—" Destiny starts, but her voice breaks and it comes out as a strangled whisper.

Shen is already running towards the dojo. Destiny looks down at Miwa, her heart pounding, and then back up to where Shen has disappeared. In the sky, there's a plume of smoke. Destiny's eyes widen.

"No," she croaks. "No..."

She tucks Miwa against her, one hand cradling her tiny head, and she starts to run. She can change things. The turtles can exist with their father, mother, and sister. Destiny has to believe that that can happen.

----------

Yoshi and Saki fight relentlessly, the entire dojo already ablaze from candles that have been knocked to the ground. Yoshi desperately tries to convince his brother that they should flee, but Saki doesn't listen. He is blinded by hatred.

Outside, the turtles arrive just as Tang Shen races to the flaming dojo steps. She stares at the carnage for a mere second before racing towards the building.

"Tang Shen!" Michelangelo screams.

"Shen, wait!" Raphael pleads.

The two turtles try to follow her inside, but there's a loud crack and flaming rafters collapse in front of the door and block their path.

"We have to get in there!" Leonardo shouts as him and Donatello catch up to the others.

Miwa's cries sound from further away and Leonardo turns to look for her. He catches sight of Destiny as she emerges from the trees, clutching Miwa to her chest, tears running down her face. He runs to her as his brothers tear at the flaming wood blocking the way desperately, knowing that their parents are trapped inside.

"Des—" Leonardo starts as he reaches her.

"I tried to stop Shen. She...she asked me to protect Miwa, I—" Destiny looks at the wailing baby, then up at Leonardo with panic in her eyes. "Shredder will get her. I don't know what to do."

"LEO!" Raphael calls from the house.

He looks to his brother, then at Destiny. He presses a quick kiss to her forehead as his hand rests on her shoulder. "You'll choose what's right. I know you will."

He turns and sprints to the burning dojo. Destiny stares for a brief second before snapping out of it. She stares at the blazing inferno at the front door, scans the surroundings, then runs for the backyard. Out there, she again searches the area and her gaze comes to rest on a lone chair. Destiny moves to it, sets Miwa down under the shelter, and gives her one last touch.

"Whatever happens, we'll find you again," Destiny promises.

She turns and rushes back to the front of the house, smoke and tears stinging at her eyes as Miwa's helpless wails follow her.

Once at the front, the turtles are nearly through. Destiny changes into her wolf form and barrels at the wooden blanks, crushing them to ash with a few swipes. The turtles can't stop to thank her as she returns to human form and the five of them rush inside.

"Splinter!" Leonardo shouts once they reach the main area of the dojo, where there's a collapsed pile of wood.

Michelangelo, Raphael, Destiny, and Donatello hoist the beams out of the way, allowing Leonardo to reach in and retrieve their father. As Michelangelo and Raphael remove one beam, Tang Shen's broken body is revealed. Michelangelo looks away, biting back tears, and his remaining brothers usher him away despite their own sorrow. Destiny, undeterred, lifts Shen's body into her arms and disappears out the door.

Splinter wakes, holding his head. He looks up at the blazing inferno before him, then down at his folded hand. He opens it to see the same little blossom that Shen gave him is clutched inside, and his eyes fill with tears. He sobs, pressing the flower to his heart.

"SHEN!" he cries, his lament echoing through the dark sky.

He continues sobbing. The turtles watch from nearby for a second or two before they slink back into the woods, holding their own tears at bay.

Yoshi looks up and wipes at his face, his breaths shaky and rattled, and he catches sight of something. A lithe yet muscular figure stands at the edge of the trees, her ears perked and her green eyes laced with sorrow. He clothes and scarred arms are slightly stained with crimson, her mutilated face softened with pain. She casts her gaze downwards, giving a solemn nod as she mouths out two words: I'm sorry.

"W-Wait," he stammers, pushing himself to his feet. "Ōkami..."

She shakes her head, turning and disappearing into the woods without another word.

----------

"Everything's back to normal...finally," Donatello sighs as he stares at the group photo, where Casey and April have reappeared.

"Except for the part where we're stuck thousands of miles from home and sixteen years in the past!" Raphael exclaims, throwing a rock away in his rage.

"We might as well get used to it, guys," Michelangelo says sadly. "Maybe being a Yokai won't be so bad."

They fall silent.

Destiny's gaze flits between each turtle, her ears drooped. "Guys? Can I ask a...sensitive question?" she asks. "Maybe admit to something?"

"Sure," Donatello answers immediately.

"Splinter told me once that he always taught you guys that Tang Shen was your mother," she starts. "Now that you've met her...what do you think?"

Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello can't bring themselves to answer. Michelangelo hugs his knees to his chest.

"I wish she had gotten to be our mom," he mumbles, sniffling a little. The others nod in agreement.

Destiny inhales, sucking her lip between her teeth as her hands clench into tight fists. "I...I tried to change things," she admits. "I tried to stop Shen from going to the dojo, maybe...maybe I hoped that if she lived, Splinter and her and Miwa would go to New York together and you guys would exist with your entire, real family. I...I couldn't even save M-Miwa from S-Shredder." She inhales deeply, starting to tremble. They don't look away from her. "I wanted you to have your mom and your sister back, even...e-even it if meant I wouldn't become a part of your l-life. You would...be h-hap...happier."

She covers her face with her hands, soft sobs starting to surface, and she feels a gentle arm surround her, closely followed by another. She opens her eyes to find that Michelangelo is hugging her to his chest, his baby blue eyes also filled with tears.

"Don't say that ever again," he orders, his voice wavering. When she opens her mouth, he interrupts, "Don't ever say that we'd be happier without you. You're part of our family!" He hugs her tighter, squeezing his eyes shut. "I missed you so much before, I don't want to imagine how much I'd miss you if you never came into our lives!"

Destiny's lip trembles and she nods, hugging him back as she buries her head in his tight, warm embrace. Leonardo, Donatello, and Raphael share a long, sad look, silently agreeing with everything that their brother has said.

A bright white window opens in the sky and both Renet and Diaval come tumbling out with short screams, Diaval once again back in his regular clothes. Michelangelo and Destiny jolt from their hug-fest. Renet stumbles to her feet with a giggle as Diaval groans, laying face down in the dirt.

"Yes! Finally, we found you!" Renet says.

"Renet!" Michelangelo shouts. He hurries to wipe away his tears as he bounds forward and hugs her.

"Heh, it's good to see you too, Mikey," she greets, patting his head.

"Diaval, thank shell," Destiny says as her friend finally gets back up. She walks to him, offering a pitiful smile. "Are you okay?"

He nods, then frowns when he notices the tear tracks on her face. "Why're you crying? Something happened?" He looks around the forest, eyes narrowed.

"Long story," she says weakly, waving her hand about as if to dispel the question from the air.

"Where have you been?! We've been stuck here for days!" Raphael shouts, jabbing an accusing finger at Renet.

"It's not my fault, seriously," Renet says. "We've spent, like, the last six months trying to hunt you guys down."

"We met Alexander Hamilton," Diaval adds. "Cool dude."

"Why? Why did we have to come here?" Leonardo demands. "Of all times? Of all places?"

Renet lifts the Time Sceptre. "It was the sceptre. It brought you here...to make sure Splinter survived."

"Wait, so it's always been this way?" Donatello reiterates, mouth agape. "We were always destined to come here in time and save Splinter's life?"

"And the ōkami he told me about was actually..." Destiny's eyes widen. "Oh..."

Raphael smacks his own forehead. "Ugh, can you just take us home now? My head is starting to hurt."

"No problem," Renet says. "Future New York, here we come."