Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 43: Preparation

"Good job, everyone. Take five!" Leonardo shouts.

Nearly everyone lets out a long groan as they sink to the floor. Donatello takes long gulps of water from his water bottle as Sarina passes out more of the sustaining liquid. Michelangelo lays face down on the dojo floor, trying to rest while Annalise flops onto his shell. Taylor massages Raphael's sore muscles, trying to help him relax. Destiny wipes her forehead, trying to cool herself down by flapping her wings at herself like a fan. Sarina, not having done any intense ninjutsu, doesn't look tired at all.

"Oh shell...I'm getting too old for this," Raph grumbles, shutting his eyes as Taylor keeps working on his shoulders.

"You guys are doing great, but we can do even better," Leo says, his face straight and focused. "We've got to be ready for anything at this point. Emery could be planning her next attack as we speak!"

"But...training for hours on end?" Donnie pipes up. "That isn't going to help us get better, Leo, it'll just tire us out."

"We need breaks, dude! I need my TV time!" Mikey insists.

"That's the problem! We've all gotten so used to peace that we've let our training play second fiddle! If we're battling the Foot again, we need to be ready. That means we keep training," Leo snaps.

Destiny rests a tentative hand on his shoulder. "Babe, they have a point. We have to rest, keep our bodies strong with other than just training 24/7."

He looks to her, letting out a long sigh. "I just..." He shakes his head as he looks to each of his family members. "I just don't want any of you being unprepared. I don't want to lose anyone in whatever happens."

"It's war, one of us is at least going to get hurt," Taylor points out. "I'm sorry, but that's the truth."

"She's right," Sarina agrees. "We can train for years, but in the end, it's still a battle and there's still the risk. You know that, Leonardo."

Mikey pushes himself up into sitting position. Annalise fidgets with her tomahawk a little, worried for her family's safety.

Leo crosses his arms, glancing out at the living room. Splinter watches some kind of soap opera, every now and then reacting by shaking his head and flattening his ears.

"I think we should leave Splinter here with the kids," the blue-masked turtle admits. "I'm already risking all of you, I don't want to risk them."

"Um...Leo? If I may comment?" Annalise raises her hand and smiles nervously. "You guys did a whole lot more than one battle when you were younger than them. Don't you think it'd be best if they fought with us?"

His eyes narrow protectively. "They need to be safe, especially Venus. She isn't ready for that sort of thing."

"Okay, so then we need other people to fight with. Who do we know that could come by on short notice?" Donnie asks, although his voice lets his family know that he already knows the answer.

"April and Casey," Raph says immediately, his bright green eyes sparking with the idea. "They bring Blake over, that'll keep Ve busy..." He looks to Destiny and Leo. "Would Keith be allowed to come too?"

"He's moving in two days," Destiny responds. "His family is already busy as is, so I don't think we should bother them."

"Either way, if we get April and Casey over here then that'll help our chances," Taylor says, crossing her arms. "Also, Annalise and I haven't been training for as long as you guys, but I think eight to ten years of training is more than enough to join in."

Raph arches an eye-ridge, but even he can't argue that his wife has a point. Although her and Annalise never took ninjutsu classes at the same intensity as the turtles, Destiny, and their children have, he knows that they're both capable of protecting themselves.

"What about the Mighty Mutanimals?" Mikey asks. "They could help."

"We haven't seen them around here in years," Annalise reminds him sadly. "I doubt we'd be able to find them in time."

"So that's it? Us, April, and Casey?" Donnie inquires.

"Just like old times," Sarina murmurs.

There's silence for a moment, everyone thinking over the words.

"Okay," Leo agrees hesitantly. "We'll get everyone ready. That's all we can do."

🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕🐢🍕

"I grow tired of waiting," Emery hisses, her claws shining maliciously in the dim lighting of the old Foot Clan base laboratory.

Baxter Stockman buzzes nervously. "I am aware, Mizzz. I'll have you know zzz, he's close to waking."

The leopard woman nods curtly and flicks her tail, crossing her arms over her chest. She looks around the lab, taking note of Bebop and Rocksteady relaxing nearby.

"We lost Sarina. That takes a pawn out of my game, but we will deal," she comments. Her golden eyes flicker to the fly scientist. "Any word on the others?"

He nods and flaps his papery wings once or twice. "All are attending zzz. They will arrive zzoon."

Her pointed teeth are revealed as she flashes a grin. "Excellent."

They wait, silent, brooding, the plan for taking back their reputation flitting around inside their minds. Emery twirls a small knife in her paw, her eyes focused on nothing as she gazes into the distance.

"Well little sister, it seems you've made quite a life for yourself," a deep voice says.

Emery turns, smirking a little as Tiger Claw enters the room.

"Hey there, big brother. How's it going?" she asks.

He shrugs his muscular shoulders. "It's fine. I am surprised that you have managed to gather all of us."

"It took a while...and it had to be done slowly, so as not to arouse suspicion. Of course, then the turtles found out about Sarina." She flicks her pointed ears and sheathes her knife. "The time has come to strike."

"Sounds good to me," a new voice comments. Fishface enters the room next to Rahzar, a smile on his pink lips. "I have awaited this day."

"Is it true?" Rahzar inquires in his raspy voice, looking towards the curtained space at the far end of the lab.

"Indeed," Stockman answers. "It took upgradezz, and lotzz of patience-zz, but he will be ready."

Emery raises her paw and clicks her claws together the way a human would snap. Foot bots appear from the rafters and drop down, their emotionless red eyes staring at their leader.

"Furthermore, we have created more of these," she comments, her spotted arm sweeping across the group.

"That's it? Just us seven and a bunch of bots? That ain't enough, sister!" Bebop exclaims.

"Da," Rocksteady grumbles, shaking his giant head. "We needs more warriors if we destroy turtles for the goods."

Emery chuckles, the sound making the space feel just that more menacing. The chuckle grows into laughter, throwing her head back as she holds her stomach. The other mutants look to each other in confusion, then at the leopard.

"Explanation, dear sister?" Tiger Claw growls.

She snaps her mouth shut in a second, a cruel grin spreading across her face. "I've got another warrior, and they definitely won't see it coming. We need not worry about the Hamatos. They are weak and untrained from years of peace, and their children are inexperienced. We will win this battle, just you watch."

"You sound so sure," Fishface comments.

"That's because I am," she retorts swiftly, making the fish shut up. "I've been planning this for a long time, Xever. I have created the ultimate plan to take them down, and it will not fail." She looks to the doorway, seeing a dark silhouette appearing. A malicious grin hardens her face. "Oh, there you are. So nice of you to join us."

Two slitted green eyes pierce the darkness as they open, a dark chuckle sounding as a grin stretches across the newcomer's face.

"Welcome back to the Clan."

AN: Battle starts during the next few chapters! :D