AUTHOR'S NOTE: This story takes place in October of 1998.

        Lord Krang sat quietly in the helm of his new robot body, which had been designed to resemble the late Oroku Saki. He even had the suit adorned with Shredder's cape and metal armor, and the head had the helmet and mask permanently attached to it.
    Even though Saki was long gone, Bebop and Rocksteady were still at Krang's disposal in his conquest of Dimension X, though the two mutants couldn't help but be a little disturbed by Krang's choice in attire.
  "Hey Krang, it's not that we find you copying Shredder to be creepy, but..." Bebop nervously spoke.
  "We kinda liked your old robot body better." Rocksteady chimed in. "You used to look like a half naked pro wrestler!"
    "Bah! Your opinion means very little to me! As much as I despised Saki's endless whining, I always found his choice in attire to be quite menacing. I always knew he would inevitably expire, but I never expected him to turn himself in like that, and to leave behind his old uniform. It's almost as if he wanted me to take on the mantle of The Shredder."
  "You know it would be cool if we went back to Earth and surprised the Toitles!" Bebop said.
  "Yea, I bet they'd be freaked out too that Krang is walking around like that!" Rocksteady boasted.
  "No, you fools! I made a solemn vow never to set food on that wretched planet ever again! However, you two are more than free to return there."
  "We can?" Bebop and Rocksteady both said in excitement.
    "Yes, though keep in mind that your previous involvement with Saki and I will most likely make it hard to find any decent employment!" Krang spoke as he activated a portal to Earth. "Farewell, mutants. I must admit, these last few months have been quite a pleasure. Give my regards to those pesky Turtles whenever you happen to run into them!"
  "Will do, boss!" Rocksteady said as he and Bebop jumped through the portal.
  As the portal closed, Krang let out a sigh and said to himself "Thank God, I'm finally rid of those two morons!"
    That moment on Earth, Buffy Shellhammer and Zach were going for a walk in Central Park. "Thanks for treating me to that picnic, sweety!"
  "Aw, it was my pleasure, Miss Shellhammer."
  "Oh Zach, we've been dating for like two months now. You don't need to be so formal with me anymore!"
    "Sorry, it's a force of habit. I still refer to April as Miss O' N-" Zach was suddenly interrupted by the familiar sound of a dimensional portal opening. "Oh no, it can't be!" he said as he and Buffy quickly recognized the mutant rhino and wart hog who landed face down against a tree.
  "What are two creeps doing back here?"
  "I don't know, but we had better go tell the Turtles!" Zach and Buffy ran off before Bebop and Rocksteady had the chance to get their bearings.
  "Did you hear people talking when we landed?" Bebop asked.
    "No, because the second we collided with this tree, both my ears got plugged up with acorns! Hey, I think this is the exact spot of Central Park Krang sent Shredder the first time we were stuck in Dimension X with him and Krang."
  "Oh yea. I kinda remember now. It sure is windy here. Do you have any idea what time of the year it is here, Rocksteady?"
  "Judging by those Halloween decorations in that gazebo, I'd take a guess and say it's mid autumn. You know who we should go see right now?"
  "April O' Neil and her co-workers at Channel 6?"
  "No, hog-brain! We should visit Jersey Red and the rest of the old gang!"
  "Gee, it's been forever since we seen any of them!"
  "So what're we waiting for? Lets go see 'em!"
    Bebop and Rocksteady made their way through the park. As it was still the middle of the day, they had to be careful not to let anyone see them, though fortunately for them, there weren't too many people around.
  "You know, Bebop, I'm staring to think finding the old gang is going to be a lot harder now that we don't have Krang's tracking equipment to help us find them like we did before."
  "Yea, we really should've asked him to let us have some nifty gadgets like that before he sent us here. Oh man, we don't even have a communicator to get ahold of him!"
  "Or each other for that matter." Rocksteady added. "Lets try our best not to get separated! Though incase we do, we should really agree on a meeting spot."
  "How about the old Vinnie's Pizza joint?"
  "Nah, we might run the risk of running into those stinking Toitles!"
  "You know, Rocksteady, now that Shredder's gone and we no longer work for Krang, maybe them Toitles will go easy on us."
  "Either that or they would have us executed by the Foot Clan. I feel bad that we weren't there for Shredder's final moments."
  "I'm not. Remember how abusive he used to get? The name calling and the threats. In the end he kinda desoived it!" Bebop said with a snort.
  "Yea, I guess he did push us around a lot, and after all we tried to do for him!"
  "I know. Phooey on both Shredder and Krang!!! Now lets go find our old gang!"
  "Ooh, you know what else I just realized?" Rocksteady said as they continued their walk through the park. "We don't got no ray guns."
  "Hey, atleast we ain't walking around naked or anything!"
    An hour or so later the sun began to set and the two mutants were starting to get tired and a little frustrated. "Oh, I can't believe this! No sign of Lugnut, High Five or Jersey Red!" Bebop griped.
  "You don't suppose they stopped hanging around here, do ya?"
  "So then how do we find them now?!"
  "Maybe we can go to Channel 6 and ask April O' Neil to help track them down." Rocksteady suggested.
  "Oh right, like she's gonna help us!"
  "You got any better ideas, hog breath?!"
  "As a matter of fact, yea!" Bebop angrily lunged at Rocksteady and pushed him to the ground.
  "Why you..."
  The two mutants started fist fighting each other, when they were suddenly caught in a net, and four familiar silhouettes emerged in front of their eyes. "Oh no, not the Toitles!" Bebop groaned.
  "Yea dude, it is us Toitles- er, Turtles!" Michaelangelo said.
  "How'd you guys find out we wus here?" Rocksteady asked.
  "Our old friends Zach and Buffy were out here on a date when they saw you appear through a dimensional portal." Raphael answered.
  "Weren't those the Neutrinos you used to hang out with?" Rocksteady.
    "No, you're thinking of Dask, Zak and Kala, but-" Donatello stopped his train of thought for a second, when he made a humorous realization. "Huh, I never noticed that. This whole time we had two friends with the same name!"
  "Zach... that is human Zach, used to be our honorary fifth member. He even helped us defeat you guys on a few occasions." Leonardo said.
  "Yea, and Buffy Shellhammer was the girl Shredder and Krang sent you guys to kidnap for her grandfather's rocket fuel formula!" Michaelangelo added.
  "Okay, now I'm starting to remember." Rocksteady replied. "Uh, you mind letting us outta this net? We promise we won't cause any trouble."
  "Yea, sure you won't." Raphael remarked sarcastically.
    "No, really. We're done working for Krang! He's kinda gone off the deep end. He's got a new android body that makes him look just like Shredder. He's even got it decorated with the old boss's original armor." Bebop explained.
  "And he just let you two return to Earth?" Leonardo asked.
    "Yea, it was a pretty mutual parting. Dimension X just hasn't been the same since the boss left." Rocksteady mentioned. "Also, we really missed our old gang back here on Earth. Since you guys found us, maybe you can help us look for 'em?"
  "Eh, we're kinda busy these days, horn-head!" Raphael griped. "Big Louie and several other old gangsters have been sticking their old ugly mugs out as of late!"
  "Well, maybe we can help you guys deal with that!" Bebop said.
  "You dudes probably do know these creeps better than we do!" Michaelangelo stated. "What do you think, fearless leader?"
    "Well, I guess there's nothing wrong with giving them a fair chance. But keep in mind, you're both on probation from here on out!" Leonardo said as he and Donatello removed the net.
  Raphael shook his head. "I just know we're going to regret this!"
    A few hours later, the Turtles and their former enemies were staking out Mad Dog McMutt's not so secret lair, where the K-9 minded gangster was hosting a dinner party for his fellow criminals.
  "You know, after all this time, you think he would relocate to some place less conspicuous looking than a building shaped like a fire hydrant!" Raphael commented.
  "Quiet down! I'm trying to pick up on their conversation!" Donatello said as he fiddled with the controls on his turtle comm.
  "Who's all in there?" Leonardo asked.
  "So far, I've heard the voices of Big Louie, Pinky McFingers, and... of course Mad Dog!"
    "Well, he is the host." Raphael said quietly as he took out his own turtle comm and contacted Michaelangelo who was across the street with Bebop and Rocksteady. "Yo Mikey, have you and the gruesome twosome spotted any gangsters who might be coming fashionably late?"
  "Hey, we heard that insult!" Bebop griped.
  "Yea, quit being so mean! We're on your side now!" Rocksteady added.
    "Dudes, calm down." Michaelangelo said sharply. "No, Raphael. No sign of anyone. The whole block is pretty much deserted, except for a few stray cats! I'll call you back if we see anything!"
  "So uh, is basically how you guys deal with most badguys?" Bebop asked.
    "Well, the ninja's creed is to hide in the shadows!" Michaelangelo stated. "Of course, that only works when dealing with common criminal human types! Mutants, mad scientists and alien warlords on the other hand tend to force us to take a more direct approach!"
  "So which one of those categories does Rat King fit in?" Rocksteady asked.
  "It depends on what he's up to. Sometimes, he even helps us defeat whoever we're up against, which gets mondo confusing!"
  "Well, I sure hope that's what he's here to do!" Bebop commented as he pointed out the aforementioned ruler of the rodents.
  "Rat King, what the heck are you doing out here?!" Michaelangelo asked nervously.
  "Sorry, I wasn't expecting to run into any of you Turtles, or Shredder's old hench mutants for that matter. How is the old tin faced tyrant these days anyhow?"
  "He's dead." Michaelangelo, Bebop and Rocksteady said in unison.
  "Oh! I'm... so sorry for your loss." Rat King replied. "So what brings you all out here on this quiet evening?"
  "We're trying to keep tabs on all of this gangster activity that's been going around!" Mikey answered.
    "I see. I have to admit, this recent rise in criminal activity has caused my furry followers and I quite a lot of problems recently. I have to admit, I too have grown tired of attempting to conquer the world. Perhaps its time I turned a new leaf as well!"
    "I can't wait to tell Raphael. He's still trying to process these two being on our side!" Michaelangelo said with a laugh as he took his turtle comm back out. "Hey dude, you're never going to believe who's here to... hello? Raphael? Donatello? Leonardo?"
  "Uh, I think they might've gotten themselves captured!" Bebop said as he pointed across the street where the other Turtles' weapons were lying on the ground.
  "Oh great!" Mikey griped.
  "We better go rescue them!" Rocksteady said as they all headed towards the compound.
  Michaelangelo picked up his brothers' weapons and stashed them into his belt.
  "You look like a last ronin with your brother's gear on you!" Rat King stated.
  "Gee thanks, I think."
    Meanwhile inside Mad Dog's lair, he and Pinky McFingers watched Big Louie confront the other Turtles. "So, you nasty turtles thought you could just waltz in here and take on all of us?! I have a right mind to make soup outta you!"
  "Leave the one named Raphael to me, Lou. I still got a bone to pick with him for the time he impersonated me, and tricked my goons!" McMutt said.
  "You do that, McMutt. I got my eyes set on the one in purple whose clone messed up my plans to infest the city with rats!" McFingers chimed in.
  "Boy, you guys have had some of the dumbest schemes!" Don chimed in.
  "Everybody just shut it for a minute!" Big Louie shouted. "I just realized only three of the Turtles were caught and brought to our attention."
  "So what? That's one less freak to deal with!" remarked McFingers.
  "Don't you morons get it? The fourth one is bound to show up and rescue his pals!"
  "Right, and he won't be doing it alone!" Leonardo replied.
  "What?"
    Just then one of the Rat King's soda pop grenades cam crashing  though a window, and quickly exploded, causing smoke to fill the room. Bebop and Rocksteady managed to apprehend Mad Dog McMutt, while Michaelangelo freed his brothers and returned their weapons to them.
  Rat King cornered Pinky McFingers and punched him in the face. "That's for taking my loyal subjects from me!"
  "That does it! It's curtains for all of you!" Big Louie said as he grabbed a tommy gun, but Leonardo and Raphael managed to make short work of it.
    Within minutes, April showed up to report the Turtles triumph, as well as their former enemies becoming allies. "The city can rest much easier tonight now that not only have the likes of Big Louie, Pinky McFingers and Mad Dog McMutt been sent back to prison thanks to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but a now reformed Rat King, as well as the evil Shredder's former hench mutants Bebop and Rocksteady helped them put an end to the crime syndicate that had been plaguing us for the last two months!"
  "I have to admit, you guys really saved our shells back there!" Raphael commented,
  "It was the least we could do for all the trouble we used to cause you." Rocksteady replied.
    "Hey, April, when we first ran into Bebop and Rocksteady earlier, they were looking for their old gang." Michaelangelo said. "You know, the ones you pretended to join that time I kept turning human after eating those cookies Shredder made?"
  "To reiterate my earlier comment, these villains come up with the dumbest ideas!" Donatello joked.
  "Actually, I did hear that Jersey Red is now living in Rhode Island. She reformed after Lugnut was gunned down during a bank robbery."
  "Aw gee, poor Lugnut." Bebop said sadly.
  "Well, atleast Jersey Red's doing okay." Rocksteady replied. "But what about High Five?"
  "Oh, he got sent to jail after committing a home invasion at a college dorm room upstate." April answered.
  "Dang!" Michaelangelo commented.
  "Well, you can't reform em all!" Raphael remarked.
  "So, what are you two going to do now?" Leonardo asked Bebop and Rocksteady.
  "They're welcome to stay with me in my underground lair." Rat King said kindly.
  "Gotta admit, you'd probably be a much nicer boss than Shredder and Krang were!" Rocksteady said.
    A couple of weeks later, Splinter joined the Turtles to visit Rat King, Bebop and Rocksteady. "I am glad to see you three are thriving well as mild mannered citizens."
  "Thank you, Splinter. I am truly sorry for how I put you under my control and commanded you to attack the Turtles all of those years ago."
  "You are forgiven. Besides, you showed quite a couple times that you had it in you to do good, having aided my students on rare occasions."
  "Hey, remember that time we helped you guys beat Alpha One?" Rocksteady said.
  "Oh yea, that brain enhanced Foot Solider. I wonder whatever happened to him." Michaelangelo said.
  "Given the fact that you guys just brought him up, there's a good chance he'll show up in the near future!" Raphael joked.
  "Don't be mad, but I was just about to bring up Baxter Stockman." Donatello replied with a laugh.
  "Why don't we all just stop talking about old enemies and dig in?" Leonardo said as he opened the first box of a pile of pizzas.
  "I like the sound of that notion!" Bebop replied.
  "Same here, dude!" Michaelangelo replied as he high fived the mutant wart hog.
  "Yea, this is still freaking me out a little!" Raphael commented, which prompted everyone to laugh out loud.

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