And now touching on an episode proper. I won't rewrite episodes here, just keep it to drabbles about this family.

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By their fifteenth mutation day, their mother was completely a turtle. None of them had a way to really stop it, not that Tang Shen would hear any of it. She had come to terms with it, even if her children mourned over her loss of humanity.

"It was a long time happening, we all know that." She tutted softly when it was brought up, dark eyes amused and smile more than a little playful. "Besides, now I look like my wonderful children. Yoshi can't say you take after him any longer." Yoshi snorted in amusement at that, giving his wife a gentle nudge in turn.

"We can still worry about you, ma." Raph grumped over his slice of birthday cake, sinking back into his seat. "I mean- doesn't it bother you at all?"

"It used to." Given their age now, she was honest about it to some extent. Her boys were no longer children she had to shield completely. "But I do not lament a minor loss, when I have a beautiful family around me." She leaned over and gently pinched his cheek, chuckling as he tolerated the doting with a grumbling sound. Raph always folded for Tang's doting. "You're so sappy, ma."

"I'm allowed to be at my age. Now dig in before your cake gets cold."

Mikey snickered openly, sharing a glance with the equally amused Leo and Donny before attempting to do pinch Raph's cheek as well when their parents were distracted. Clearly wanting to rile up his brother. Raph's clear solution was roughly swatting Mikey's hand away with a low warning growl.

"No hitting at the table." Yoshi stated firmly from his own spot at the kitchen table. "You know the rules, boys. We only hit in the dojo."

Raph scowled sharply now, protesting. "C'mon, dad he started it-" Yoshi held a palm up silencing the protest, "This also means no riling your brother up, Michelangelo." He pointedly stared at the youngest of the four. "Do not think I didn't see what you were trying to do."

The smaller turtle puffed up his cheeks in protest. The heat of snickering aimed at Raph was now squarely on him with the scolding shifting gears. Raph was mollified, digging into his cake now that Mikey was getting it too. "Aww c'mon, master. I was just teasing."

"Don't tease your brother because I showed him affection, Michelangelo." Tang cut in firmly, sharing a glance with Yoshi now. "I had thought at 15 you'd grow out of that."

Mikey sunk back at that, knowing he was overruled by both parents and couldn't get on Raph's nerves openly at least. He glanced to his larger brother, knowing the routine by now. "Sorry, Raph." No one got out of apologizing or talking things out around the house.

Raph grunted in response, accepting the apology. Normally he'd drag it out to torture Mikey, but both parents weren't going to overlook it now.

"What kind of cake is this anyway? I mean, it's not algae." Donny questioned, examining the cake on his fork curiously. He clearly didn't mind it from how fast he had been inhaling his slice of cake. "It's not chocolate either."

"Ah, the box was Red Velvet I believe. It has been a few years since we've had this flavor." He glanced at Tang for conformation. She nodded, "I thought given it's your birthday day it'd be a nice surprise." Even with her mutation settled, Tang still passed more for human than Yoshi. A few heavy layers of clothing alongside a wig and no one really looked at her.

"Sure beats having algae." Raph agreed with a mouthful of food. "Did you use eggs like in those commercials?" Their broken down TV gave him a rough idea of how cakes were made. If not for that hold over from Yoshi and Tang's old life, they'd live in relative exile from the world above.

"I traded a few things and managed to get a carton actually." Tang had to grin a little at the excitement that instilled amongst the teenagers. The scarcity of fresh meals meant any kind of fresh food was exciting. "It ruins the surprise for tomorrow, but I'm sure we can have omelets for breakfast."

"Holy cow." Leo breathed out, clearly excited. "What did you trade?"

"Just a few old toys. Ones I knew you boys grew out of." She glanced at Mikey, already seeing the slight touch of panic rise on his features. "None of your comics, my son. They're all in your room still." She stated gently back. With the crisis averted Mikey gladly dug back into his dessert. Conversation around the table was idle now, comfortable.

"Can you tell us the story?" Mikey cut in when conversation hit a lull, focusing on his father. Tang laughed softly at the familiar question glancing back at her husband herself.

"I've told it many times, my son." Yoshi chuckled lightly, "Do you really want to hear it again?"

"Yes! C'mon! I mean, it's exciting and birthday related!" He clasped his hands together leaning forward, "Please! Pleaaaasseee-!" He was winding up for another please by the time Raphael leaned in covering Mikey's mouth with his hand. "Please, just to shut him up."

With comfortable familiarity, Yoshi fell into the old tale of mutation day. Tang smiled faintly, resting her chin in her palm as her husband wove the tale for the teenagers. Even now they still were relatively transfixed.

When the story wrapped up, Leonardo glanced amongst his brothers before speaking. "So, Sensei, now that we're 15, I think we're finally ready to go to the surface." The four teenagers glanced at their parents with hopeful smiles.

"Yes." The cheers that followed were promptly cut off when Yoshi finished, "But no." The boys groaned at the denial.

"You're still young." Tang stated firmly back, not particularly enthused in the idea herself. "15 is certainly a milestone, but it is dangerous up there."

"Your mother is right, while you've grown powerful and capable, you're still untested." He rose from his seat, moving to gather plates now, "You lack the maturity to use your skills wisely." The ninja master started working on washing dishes. Tang herself rose to put away left overs, relieved the topic was closed now. Her boys were far too young to go to the surface.

"Isn't that just a no?"

"Yes and no, wisdom comes from experience, and experience comes from making mistakes." Tang squinted at her husband, already knowing this wasn't the best line of denial to shutter the topic. She turned about to interject when Donatello spoke again.

"Ah, so- in order for us to gain wisdom, we have to make mistakes. So we can go!" If anyone could pick a hole in their father's logic, it was their brightest child. Tang Shen turned from the counter, watching the boys now.

"No."

"…And yes?"

"No." Yoshi repeated glancing over his shoulder at the teenagers. Donatello simply groaned sinking into his seat at the lack of logic. Leo patted his brother on the arm vaguely before picking up where the brainy turtle left off.

"Dad, mom- we know you guys are trying to protect us. We appreciate how much you care," He caught both parents gazes, continuing more strongly, "But, we can't spend our whole lives down here…"

Yoshi glanced at his wife thoughtfully, after years of marriage, the two could communicate with just a look now. What Leonardo said had some merit. They couldn't always protect the boys, much less keep them underground forever. Tang sighed, rubbing a hand across her snout tiredly. The sigh was shared by Yoshi. When the pair glanced back at the children, the teenagers were giving them the puppy eye treatment.

"Fine. You can go, tonight." The agreement was met with cheering.

"For a few hours at most." Tang cut in, wanting to make things clear. "You have two hours above ground." She held up two of her three fingers. "If you are late, you're going to be in trouble."

"Like, exploding algae in the oven trouble?" Mikey questioned nervously back.

"Yes." Both parents answered at the same time.