Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 63: So Long, Farewell

"Dad, you're smothering me!"

Raphael refuses to release Copeland, hugging her tightly against him.

"My little princess is not going off to college, where there's horny boys and drugs and drinking and-" he rambles.

Taylor places a hand on her husband's shoulder. "Raphie, it's the same school I went to. She'll be fine."

Copeland finally wiggles out of her dad's hold, fixing her hair with a quick hand sweep. She sighs, a small smile on her face.

"I'm gonna miss everyone," she admits. "Especially vigilante nights with you and Uncle Casey."

Raph grins. "Those are the best nights."

"They are," Taylor agrees. She hugs Raph's arm as she looks to her daughter. "Dean will be right near you, so if you ever need a friend, just find him."

"If he's not too busy banging Elisabeth," she mutters under her breath.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," she flashes a sweet smile. "Just that having Dean around will be great."

"Work hard, but not too hard. Have fun, but not too much fun. No sex until you're married!" Raph scolds.

"Dad..." she whines.

He sighs, his electric green eyes growing sad. "My baby girl's all grown up."

She reaches over and flicks the lightning chip in his plastron. "But we'll always be twinning."

He smiles and flicks her lightning chip. "Twinning."

Taylor hugs Copeland again, kissing her forehead. "I love you's" are exchanged and Copeland hops into her car. She rolls down the window and leans out for a moment.

"Tiki's delivering pizzas while taking care of his mom, so don't be afraid to order it and let him stay over!" she calls. Her hazel eyes grow protective. "Take care of my little oreo puppy."

"We will," her parents promise.

With that, Copeland revs her engine and disappears down the road with her rock music blaring.

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"I hate college! I lose so many family members!" Michelangelo pouts.

Annalise rubs his arm gently. "Aw Mikeykinz, it's okay. Mitch is going into-"

"Game developing! Like you! It's losing you all over again!" the orange-masked turtle wails, hugging his blonde wife tightly. "It just sucks."

Mitch laughs a little. "It'll be fine, dad. This time you've got mom around." His eyes light up. "Oh, did you hear? Lukas is going to the same college! We're gonna room together! Isn't that sweet?"

"That is sweet," Annalise agrees.

Mitch sighs, his smile falling briefly as his freckles seem to stop dancing. "Nixie is staying here though...she wants to become the next Tony Hawk, or at least be a skateboarding instructor." He sighs once more, wistfully. "I'm gonna miss my skater girl."

"Just hurry back so you don't have to be away from each other for so long! It's perfect!" Mikey exclaims. "While you're gone, I'm going to be keeping Tiki on his toes with pizza delivery."

Annalise pecks Mikey's cheek. "You'll be fine." Her grey-blue eyes switch to her son. "Stay safe, alright?"

"I will." He hugs both his parents. "I love you."

"I love you too," Annalise returns as tears well in her eyes.

"I love you more than pizza," Mikey sniffles, hugging his son tightly. "So much, little dude...that isn't little anymore."

They laugh, joining in on one more group hug. Mitch salutes to his parents, hopping into his car and heading off to pick up Lukas.

College, prepare to meet Hamato Mitch, he thinks.

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Venus sits inside the empty lair, feeling bored. Everything she wants to do involves her cousins. She wants to play video games with Mitch, she wants to train with Copeland and Dean, she wants to watch Asher and Dakota invent new things.

She sits back against the back of the couch, listening to her uncles and aunts training inside the dojo. She's supposed to go join them soon, and she knows that her day is free tomorrow.

The ten-year-old perks up, grabbing her t-phone and calling Blake.

"Hello Vennie," he greets with a grin.

"Hey Blake! Want to go to the hockey rink tomorrow?" she asks, twirling a brown curl around her finger.

"Heck yeah. Blake Jones has got to show you my perfected slapshot," he says proudly. "Goongala, girly."

"You're more and more like your dad every day, you know that?" she teases.

"I am well aware. See you then?"

"Yup!"

They hang up, and Venus smiles, knowing that she's going to be just fine.