Moonlight Mutation (A TMNT Fanfic)

Chapter 19: Blue Crush

"So? What did you think of Raph's training for the week?"

Destiny glances over at Leonardo, a tiny smile flickering across her lips. Her attention momentarily wavers to the other teenagers in the lair just in time to see Casey bump fists with Raphael. April groans and slumps backwards, glaring at the racing game she just lost as she rolls her eyes. Destiny's smile widens when Raphael noogies the redhead, making her laugh and bat at his hands.

"Good. He gets bonus points because he had to deal with me during the moodier days," she says.

Leonardo exhales, moving his head up and down in a series of short, fluid motions. "That's great. I'm glad to hear it."

The pair enters the dojo. Destiny slows down, rolling her shoulders and pressing her hand against the nape of her neck as she rotates her arm around, feeling her sore muscles pulling and loosening with the movements. Leonardo moves to a spot beneath the dojo tree and gestures for her to sit down. She obeys, hurrying over before settling down on her knees and resting her hands on her lap.

"What're we doing today?" she asks.

He looks down at her, keeping his posture impeccably straight and a look of professionalism on his face. Destiny wonders whether he's purposely or accidentally acting like Splinter.

"It depends. What have you learned and how is your foot feeling?" he asks, arching a non-existent eyebrow.

Destiny backtracks through the last four weeks or so of training, trying to remember everything. "Uh...okay, hold on, I've got this," she says, holding up a hand to the turtle. "I've tried nunchucks, bō staff, done some hand-to-hand combat stuff, and...er...Master Splinter tried to show me some katas and meditation," she reports, her pointed ears flattening against her loose curls as she lists everything. "That's everything, I think." After a beat, she adds, "Oh, and Donnie says my foot is coming along fine."

"Good," Leonardo says, bobbing his head vertically once. "So, to finish up this trial period, I'll help you with kadas and then later, katanas and other sword-like weapon techniques, followed—" She raises her hand. He stops talking to point at her. "Yes?"

"You seem tense," she comments. "Stiff-ish, y'know? You should loosen up."

His shoulders slump. "I'm loose," he mutters.

"Sorry," she instantly apologizes. "I just...I kinda want training to be fun, a little more relaxed."

"Training is fun," he insists, almost pouting as he says it.

"I'm sure it is," Destiny says, "but you're acting weird. Like...way too professional." When he doesn't respond, her cheeks turn pink and she lowers her head. "Or, whatever, just do what you want. You're the teacher..."

He ponders it for another second. "Alright, fair enough. I'll loosen up, but...only a little."

Destiny's shoulders relax instantly, her tail wagging, yet her nervousness doesn't quite disappear. Leonardo clears his throat, losing some of his stoic attitude without dropping the sense of professionalism.

"So...Des, I think that it'd be best for me to help you out with balance and more on your feet activities. Your foot is almost healed, which means we can finally get to work with more than just the upper body," he says.

"Will I still get to try the katanas?" she asks.

He smirks a little, wagging his finger down at her. "If you behave."