The Meeting of the Mutanimals

The Meeting of the Mutanimals is a multi-part story arc printed in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Amazing Adventures so far in issue #3. It takes place during the 's occupation of New York City, and chronicles how the became a team.

Minor Characters

 * (flashback)
 * (mentioned)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)
 * (flashback)

Credits

 * Story: Matthew K. Manning
 * Art: Chad Thomas
 * Colors: Heather Breckel
 * Letters: Chris Mowry
 * Edits: Bobby Curnow

Plot
The story begins by establishing the time and setting of Manhattan during the Kraang occupation. The Kraang had free reign over the island, and had captured or mutated most of the inhabitants. Even the had since fled the city. Those who were left survived in hiding, but they had no hope left.

Pigeon Pete, who has managed to evade capture so far, accidentally knocks over a garbage can, and the noise attracts to his hiding place. Pete is corned and cannot escape, but Slash arrives, ambushing the Kraangdroids and saving Pete. In the chaos, Slash slams a Kraangdroid against a bakery truck, causing its back doors to fall open and loaves of bread to fall out. Pete spots the bread and single-mindedly dashes toward it as Slash keeps fighting. But even as Pete continues to munch on his bread, he also proves himself to be formidable enough to take down two Kraangdroids all by himself. Slash looks impressed at this spectacle.

Slash has a flashback of the days when he was still 's pet turtle Spike, living in the lair of and his sons. Spike is chewing on his leaf as Raph trains alone in the dōjō. Spike witnesses as Splinter asks Raph why his brothers aren't practicing with him. Raph complains that his brothers are busy goofing off and not taking their training seriously. Initially Splinter is skeptical, until he glances out one of the arches and sees ballroom dancing with the training dummy as  and  watch and laugh. As bizarre as the spectacle looks to Splinter, he explains to Raph that team bonding is an important part of ninjutsu, no matter what kind of activity it is. Splinter adds that success depends on depending on others.

Back in Kraang-occupied New York City, Slash and Pete are on a rooftop looking down on a school now infested with Kraang. Slash explains that he met someone named Kurtzman who said this school is being used to hold dangerous prisoners. Pete thinks he understands, concluding that they must stay away from this school, but Slash proposes the exact opposite.

Outside one of the school's outdoor entrances, two Kraangdroids are standing guard. They hear a crash, and inspect to find a garbage can knocked over and feral pigeons eating trash. Pete stands up from behind the garbage can, revealing himself. This is enough of a distraction for Slash to ambush the Kraangdroids and stuff them in the garbage can. Slash smashes through the door, taking down a third Kraangdroid standing guard just inside.

Wandering down school halls filled with lockers, Slash and Pete find the door to the school's gymnasium. Looking through the door's windows, they see a few holding cages, which are being guarded by Kraangdroids and s. Kraang Subprime himself is also in the gym. Pete expects that Slash's plan is to use ninja stealth to take down the targets in the gym. Slash responds by asking Pete pull a red lever just next to the door. No sooner does Pete pull the lever that Slash crashes through the gym doors, immediately taking out two Kraangdroids even as the school's fire alarm has just gone off. Pete is briefly stunned by what he has just seen happen before joining in the fight. But Slash is caught off-guard when one of the Biotroids opens its butt cannons and shoots at him, knocking him down. Subprime orders that Slash be locked up. Pete cries out for Slash, but is himself also soon detained.

As Slash is being locked up, he sees the faces of Leatherhead and Dr. Tyler Rockwell looking through the bars of two of the cages already occupied.