Legacy Mutation (Book Eight)

Chapter 64: Five Year Reunion

The years pass by like blurs. The turtles and their large family take to renovating the lair, expanding and creating new homes for their children to live near them, but not with them. The abandoned parts of the sewers have become a home for the Hamatos, although their ninjutsu skills may not be needed so much anymore.

Five years after the five older Hamato teens graduate, one of their classmates holds a reunion.

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Dean, now twenty-three, pulls up to the house as he double checks the address on his phone. Sure enough, this is the place. He climbs out, tapping his hidden human patch lightly before he heads into the party. He feels nervously excited, but mainly excited.

He enters the house, being ushered to the backyard. Music plays at a normal volume, people chatting and laughing as they eat and drink.

"Dean! Glad you didn't get lost!" Copeland calls, sidling up to him. "How goes it?"

"I'm good, Co. You?" he answers.

She grins. "Fantastic."

Tiki moves to them, smiling lightly. "Mind if I steal her?"

"Not at all," Dean responds.

The couple heads off, talking to one another and laughing. Dean looks around, his eyes widening when he sees Elisabeth and Katie chatting next to the punch bowl.

He gulps, rubbing the back of his neck before shaking himself out. He heads over, smiling.

"Hello ladies," he greets.

Katie smiles at him. "Hey Dean! Enjoying the reunion?"

He nods. "I am. It's quite enjoyable."

"I just shocked at how five years can change people," Elisabeth admits.

"Weird, right?" Katie asks.

The two women nod and take a sip of their punch. Dean looks around at the other groups briefly.

"Weird," he whispers.

"Oh! There's Chase! I'd love to talk to him," Katie says. "See you guys!"

She dashes off. Elisabeth looks to Dean and laughs lightly.

"You'll start to attract flies soon if you don't close your mouth," she teases, her coffee brown eyes glinting.

He shuts his mouth, a small smile playing across his lips. "Whoops." He looks at her, his heart rate picking up. "Hey...Liz...I know you said that you couldn't be my girlfriend-"

"In grade eleven," she reminds him with a smirk.

"I know," he says, thinking of that day with a dull ache resonating in his chest. "Would you...want to try that again?"

She takes his hand and steps closer to him, kissing his cheek. "I thought you'd never ask, wolf-boy."

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Asher and Dakota search the crowd for Lukas, not seeing him anywhere. The twins pout, not liking the circumstances.

"Man...the one guy I want to see..." Dakota mutters.

"What guy?"

She yelps at the voice behind her, both twins spinning around to see Lukas standing next to Ruby. The sandy-haired man flashes a grin as he scratches the light stubble lining his chin.

"Long time no see, you two," he jokes. "How's the science?"

"Brilliant," Asher answers. "Ruby? How goes your studying?"

Ruby smiles. "It's going well. I'm into education now, possibly being a music teacher."

Dakota grins. "That's awesome!"

"I can vouch for you if they ever need examples of past students," Asher jokes.

They laugh a little, continuing to chat about memories and funny moments.

"...and remember when Kelly-" Lukas starts, but he stops.

The other three look down, slightly sad.

"She told me she'd want to be a librarian," Dakota comments. "I bet she's enjoying a really big library right now."

"I bet she is," Asher agrees softly.

Ruby gently squeezes his hand, the two of their eyes locking as shy smiles fall across their lips. Lukas glances at Dakota with a sly smirk.

"So...wanna go chat alone and leave these two to their own devices?" he asks slowly.

Dakota nods, the same devious smirk crawling onto her lips. "I'd love to. Let's go."

She takes Lukas' hand and they head off to chat with other classmates. Ruby and Asher look at each other for a moment.

"Hey," he says.

"Hey," she responds with a laugh in her tone. "You're still a turtle?"

He shrugs. "Of course. I told you everything was true."

"I'm only teasing you," she remarks.

He smiles, reaching forwards and taking her hand. "I missed you...a lot, Ruby."

"I missed you too, Ash," she responds, her tone tender.

"Would you...want to accompany me on a date sometime?" he asks formally, adjusting his glasses. "Perhaps to a concert hall or-"

"A museum?"

His mismatched eyes seem to fill with awe. "Yes...that would be lovely."

She nods and grins. "I'd love to."

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"ATTENTION ALL! I AM LOOKING FOR MITCH! HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?"

Mitch perks up, hearing the loud voice of Nixie. He grins and races towards the sound, seeing her standing on the deck.

"Nix!" he shouts.

Her russet eyes light up when she sees him. "MJ!"

They practically tackle each other in a tight hug, falling to the soft grass with Nixie pinning Mitch down. She kisses him assertively, fluffing his blond curls.

"I missed you, jokester," she teases. "We haven't hung out in a while."

He grins, his freckles making his smile just that much better. "Well, I missed you too, skater girl."

"Get a room!" Copeland's voice calls from nearby.

"PDA!" Tiki seconds.

The two mutants in disguise laugh and high-five. Nixie and Mitch ignore them as they get to their feet.

"You know what'll really spice up this party?" Nixie asks.

"What?" Mitch grins, already knowing a good answer.

"Water balloons?" the both guess. Their mouths curl into devious grins. "Shell yeah."

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Venus watches Blake as he skates around the ice rink, shooting pucks into the net easily. The fifteen-year-old turtle laughs suddenly, making her boyfriend look up.

"What is it?" he wonders.

She smiles. "Nothing...just thinking of what could be happening at the reunion right now."

Blake seems to ponder that for a moment before he shrugs. "Don't know...not sure Blake Jones cares."

She rolls her green eyes. "You're such an idiot."

He flashes a smile, a few teeth missing. "You love me, Vennie."

"Yeah, I do." She smirks.