This is just another comic verse-based idea that I've had for a while because I do think the concept of Shadow is the best thing since Grilled Cheese.

For those unfamiliar with the Mirge comic universe, Shadow is Casey's adopted daughters who the turtles all grow a close uncle-niece relationship with.

TMNT © Viacom
Story © Turtlefreak121

Easy Being Green

Babysitting Shadow has never really been that much of a problem. Casey and April may claim that her adventurous spirit was a handful for them, but I always saw it as her extra spunk. I liked it and I really liked that she liked my brothers and me. Especially, dare I say, me.

I didn't think much when I was asked by our close family friends to watch their blossoming little girl. Rather, I was actually quite excited to have Shadow all to myself for a day. Usually I had to share her with Raph, Don, and Leo. The jerks.

No, it was all about Uncle Mikey that day and I loved every minute of it.

Perhaps the greatest part was when she began to excitedly show me all the Franklin the Turtle toys she had been given by her grandma. Gotta love Casey's mom and that warped sense of humor.

"Why do you like Franklin so much, doll?" I humored her as she strangled poor, innocent Franklin.

"Because Franklin green like you, Unca Mikey!" she exclaimed gleefully.

I grinned.

"That so, Baby-face?" I laughed. "You like me that much?"

"Shadow like you being green," she giggled. "Shadow wanna be green someday, too. Like Unca Mikey, like Unca Leo, like Unca Raphie, like Unca Donny, and like Franklin."

"Ah," I responded with a chuckle working its way through my throat. "Well, sweetie-pie, I tell you what, you just keep dreaming and maybe something like that will happen."

Immediately I made the mental note to get the kid a Franklin costume for Halloween that year and paid no heed to her little ambitions as she drug me over to the television and forced me to watch the wretched and overused Franklin DVDs.

Yeah, that was Donny's gift t her. I'd have to thank him later for that wonderful bit of educational television because I was too busy falling asleep for it. Sleeping lightly but sleeping none the less. Putting up with a well behaved Shadow after a while is still exhausting.

By the time I woke up to the credits of the show, I was a bit dazed but aware enough to know that Shadow was running around somewhere behind the couch, giggling madly. I thought nothing of it and looked instead for a clock.

Looking to the DVD player, I was somewhat relieved to see it was around nine twenty, ten minutes before April and Casey were supposed to come home.

Another successful night was about to go down in my books when I got up, stretched and looked down to the little green child that ran up in front of me.

"Surprise!"

Yes. Yes it was.

I had to blink a few times, rub my eyes, shake my head, and look again at little Shadow. The image did not change and neither did the grin plastered upon the little girl's face as she looked at me. She was so very excited.

I was so very sick.

"Shadow!" I gasped. "What did you do?"

"Shadow made green!" she exclaimed before bouncing around in her paint splattered pajamas. "Now Shadow green like wished be!"

I blinked again and looked to the clock.

No. No, this couldn't have been happening with only ten minutes left on my babysit shift.

Cursing under my breath, I grabbed Shadow and sprinted toward the bathroom. She giggled all the way in what was once considered cute. I now considered it mocking and maniacal. There is nothing I wanted to do than to put her in timeout.

But over what? Following my advice?

I suddenly hated kids.

Setting Shadow on the toilet, I rushed to the bathtub only to stub my toe on the porcelain outskirts of the vessel. This, of course, led to more giggling and I felt my cool leaving. I wasn't angry, I was scared out of my mind.

What would April and Casey say to me if I left them a green child?

It was probably nothing past their expectations but still! I didn't want that to be brought up for the rest of my life!

Filling the tub, I felt the squirming of my stomach and I turned on my heel.

"Undress, young lady," I ordered. "We're taking a bath."

"Like turtle?" she questioned excitedly.

"Yeah, that's it, now down to your skivvies," I stated, glancing around nervously for a clock. I didn't find one. "While you're at it you can explain how you got so green."

"Fingerpaint!"

"Oh, how ingenious," I muttered. I'd have to go and pick that mess up from earlier, too. Looks like it wasn't my night to babysit after all. Seeing her ready for bathing, I put her in the tub without warning and, without thinking, grabbed the closest wash rag I could find and scrubbed down."

"Owe! Hurt!" she whined.

I looked and realized that despite my scrubbing, Shadow's skin was still a green hue. "How am I supposed to get this off in ten minutes?"

"Shadow get off if Unca Mikey want," Shadow stated in her best, matter-of-fact manner.

I stared at her. "You sure?" I asked.

"Yes!"

"Be a good girl?"

"Good turtle!" she corrected.

"Ah, of course," I sighed before taking off.

The living room was, of course, a disaster to beat all disasters. There were snacks laying on every surface and Shadow's finger paints were all ajar and smeared over the desk. Fortunately I wouldn't have to clean it, Shadow had already ruined it long ago on one of Don's watches.

Racing, I screwed the lids on the paint jars and hung up the wet papers to dry. I looked around for drips of paint but, by the grace of God, Shadow must have ran out of green paint before she got to her feet.

Running through the room, I grabbed the wrappers and cans of snacks and drinks we were not supposed to have gotten into and disposed of them through the alley window. Trashcan would be too easily found out and I didn't have the time to be pickier with storage places.

Feeling relieved that it was then nine thirty-five without any sign of Casey and April, I ran into the bathroom. I had to hurry. I was working on borrowed time.

Unfortunately, I was not met by a good sight.

"Shadow!" I groaned. "You promised to try to scrub the paint off!"

The little girl scrubbed her head the same ways she had been taught by her mommy and blinked in confusion. "Hair always first, Unca Mikey!"

"Okay, fine," I groaned before rushing to her side. I immediately began scrubbing her arms which, thankfully, were already chipping off regardless. "You clean your hair and I'll scrub.

Luckily Shadow had only painted the skin not covered by the pajamas which, upon thinking on them, I realized needed to be cleaned. So only Shadow's arms and face needed to be scrubbed. These were also the areas she claimed to be most sensitive in, though.

"Ouch!"

"Oh, you're being a baby," I responded irritably as I continued to rub her cheek. "Your bathtub will be green for a week thanks to you."

"Coulda stayed green," she whined in reply.

"Yeah, that would've been fun to explain to your mom and dad," I snorted at the notion before looking to the yellow-green water and shaking my head. "Wow, Shad. Good thing for you you clean up nice!"

"Shadow stay in tub like turtle!" she exclaimed as we finished.

"No, Shadow gets out of tub and puts new pajamas on!" I claimed as I reached over and pulled the stopper out of the drain. For a moment I got caught up in watching the water drain before I moved on and grabbed Shadow by her pits and hoisted her up.

"What pajamas?"

I could have smacked myself as soon as she said that. I didn't have other pajamas for her yet and I knew better than to leave her alone so close to time for April and Casey to come home. I shook my head and grabbed a towel.

"You'll pick it out," I stated before drying her off and wrapping her up like a burrito to her great amusement.

Lifting her up, I made my way out of the bathroom to sprint for her room only to be met by April and Casey's expectant looks.

I laughed awkwardly. "Late bath, sorry, guys," I attempted.

"Have anything to do with paint?" April asked with a curious smirk.

Groaning, I rubbed my eyes. "How'd you guess?"

"Well, Mike," Casey laughed as he pointed to my face. "It's kinda painted all over yar face."

I stared at them for a moment and then glanced at a hysterically laughing Shadow before backtracking into the bathroom. I stared at the mirror as I looked at the green face in it.

A green face with a red mustache…

Maybe I hung out with Shadow too much.

…