Moonlight Mutation (A TMNT Fanfic)

Chapter 47: Talk of Training

Destiny sticks to what she decided. She still never manages to wake up before Diaval, but that hardly dampens her spirit. She goes outside every morning after breakfast with her sword in hand and her hair tied back. Diaval sits beneath the tire swing tree and levitates himself for as long as he possibly can, taking short breaks in between attempts. He pulls out his bow and arrow sometimes, shooting at various targets that Destiny suggests, and he hits it dead on each time. Destiny does katas and gets used to the handling of her sword, little by little.

She can't help but feel slightly robbed whenever she looks at the weapon, knowing that she never got to use it in battle after Splinter gave it to her. Despite that regret, she uses it as motivation alongside the knowledge that snow isn't too far off, which will make training difficult. Imagine how fun it will be when she'll get to show off how good she's gotten at using it, that is, when she does go home. She'll be stronger than ever.

Destiny and Diaval sit inside after their sessions, Destiny relaxing her aching muscles and Diaval relaxing his aching mind. She reads one of the books that she found on the shelf inside the home, titled "Knights of the Round Table", while he sits at the table and stares at the fireplace as he chews on a carrot.

"Do you have to go help Oscar soon?" she asks without diverting her attention from the book, flipping a page as she says it.

He nods. "Yup. Baling hay, get it in the barn."

He stops chewing the carrot long enough to yawn, his head dipping down into his elbow to stifle the noise. Her stark irises flicker to him for a second as he smacks his lips quietly.

It doesn't take a genius to see that both teenagers are overtired, but Diaval seems more so. He's had the circles under his eyes for as long as Destiny's known him, but somehow they look darker to her now. Her mouth presses into a straight line.

"You seem more tired than usual," she says slowly, pretending to still be half-paying attention to her book. "Are you sleeping okay?"

He grimaces slightly as he swallows a chewed up bit of vegetable. "Fine. Sleep's good."

She arches an eyebrow. "You sure?"

"Mhm." He looks at her for a second. "How's the head?"

Her ears flatten against her hair. "Alright."

"Mhm."

She exhales and decides to drop the conversation. Unfortunately, most of their interactions add up to similar ends. Destiny brings up a concern or thought, Diaval shrugs and offers little more to go on, they lapse into silence. She'd be lying to herself if she said she didn't mind it at all.

He stands up from the table, adjusting his cloak as the last part of his snack disappears into his mouth. He starts towards the door.

"You should have another nap," he says, jerking his thumb upstairs. "Could do you good."

He pulls his shoes on and heads out, shutting the door behind him. Destiny stares at the door, the quiet invading the space. She glances down at the page she's on, a long sigh leaving her.

A rhythmic beeping sounds from the centre table, where her t-phone sits. She reaches over and picks it up, reading the text.

M: Dudette, I know you're off in Canada, but this is important! What character would you be in Mazes and Mutants?! Please respond, Desti-bear, I bet against Raph on this!

She frowns slightly, wondering what on earth "Mazes and Mutants" is. She opens her phone and does a quick internet search, her lips forming an "o" shape as she reads that it's an old roleplaying game.