Vacation Story

Part 1: Scutes

"Raph, are you SURE!?"

I looked at my Significant other as we sat down by the lake on my aunts farm and had to wonder if he was just messing with me or if he really wanted me to do what he was asking me to do.

"I'm sure Lisa," He nodded, "Please you have NO IDEA how bad its ITCHING!"

"But I don't want to hurt you," I told him.

"You wont," He grinned at me, "What you squeamish?"

I smacked him on the arm as hard as I could, then felt MY hand throb.

"NO! I just don't wanna hurt you! You over grown house pet!"

In case your wondering, My significant other is Raphael. Raphael, is a six and a half foot tall turtle, that specializes in ninjitsu.

Stop looking at me like that, I am NOT insane. Well ok, maybe I am, but not because I'm in love with him. No there are a lot of other reasons for me to have insanity, he is actually my clarity.

No the reason I am freaking out, is something that I didn't know about turtles. See as they grow, they shed the outer layers of their shells. Apparently this does NOT change when they are mutants that are knocking on seven feet tall. It just happens less often. But it does happen.

What Mr. charm here wants me to do is grab it and yank it off. I've had bandages yanked off, and I've had dead hide from sunburns yanked off. So I am having the images in my head of how THAT felt. I am basically yanking off part of his SKIN.

"You know, we were never house pets," He told me, " we were test subjects."

I glare at that smirk seriously considering smacking him again but not wanting to hurt my hand any more than I already have.

"Seriously? are you SURE I'm not going to hurt you?"

He turned around as much as his shell would allow, "I'm sure. Donnie might have a fit though."

"Do I even wanna know," I asked moving back around behind him.

"Eh... he says don't do it," He shrugged, "I'm guessing Brainac's don't itch when they come off. Or maybe cus' I'm bigger I shed mine more often, either way, its making me wanna scream."

I had to smile, "Well if its gonna make you scream like a little girl then maybe I should do it."
"Funny."

"Okay, fine," I stop and look at his shell, "Just don't blame me later if..."
I stop and stare at something.

"What's wrong?" He asks.

"Raph," I can feel my heart freeze as I stare at what I'm seeing, "How did your shell get broken?"
I can see it plainly now, that for once we are out in the open light of day. A jagged lightning shaped crack that runs down the right hand side of his shell. Its been healed but when it was done it had to have been SEVERLY painful.

"Huh?" Then he realizes what I'm looking at, "oh that."

His face suddenly falls and he gets very quiet. I for get about his scutes for a second and walk around till we are facing each other.

"Raphael," I sit down next to him, "If it hurts to much you don't have to talk about it."

"What's there to talk about?" He shakes his head, "I tried to save my brothers, went up against the shredder and got my shell cracked. It healed, life goes on."

I leaned on his arm, "I'm sorry."

"Why?" He looked down at me, "You didn't do anything."

"No," I snuggled his arm a bit, "I'm sorry you and your brothers got hurt. You don't deserve that, no one deserves that."

His face softened considerably, "Thank you, but its ok now."

I hugged his arm, "Ok.. so just grab it and yank it off right?"

He grinned, "Yep."

I gritted my teeth, and grabbed hold of the edge of the scute he had indicated. I shut my eyes and yanked.

I felt Raph tense up for a second and then relax.

"THANK you!" he told me, "If you knew how bad that was itching."

"And that made it stop?" I asked.

I looked down at the piece of shell in my hand. Frankly it was very beautiful, it looked like those old shell combs you see in antique stores sometimes.

"That's pretty neat," I held it up to look at it, "So what do you do with these things when one of you sheds them?"

"Lemme show you," He held out his hand, "Splinter told us about an old Japanese myth. These creatures called Kappa. They looked a lot like us. Ya' know giant turtles?"

He grinned at me and I nodded, "Go on."

"Well according to the old myth," he stood up and headed to the water, "When Kappa Shed their shells they would throw them in the water to give respect back to the other spirits."

"So you put them in the water," Looked up at him fascinated.

"Yep," He moved over and held it back out to me, "Wanna do the honors?"

I smiled and took it from him and as gracefully as I could tossed it into my aunt's like.

"Good toss," He smiled, "Your strong."
"Its the dancing," I blushed.

"I noticed," He sat back down, "Listen, Your strong, and you know how to use a firearm. But that isn't how we do things. If... If I can get master splinter to say yes, would you be willing to train some?"

"Really?" I gasped, "Yes please! I was gonna ask you but I didn't know..."

He suddenly grinned at me, "See it worked."

"What?" I blinked.

He motioned to the water, "The legend says that when a kappa gives part of its shell to someone they care about, and lets them give it back to the spirits, they get a desire granted. I was hoping you'd say yes to letting your self be taught...so... yah.."
He blushed and looked away.

"Awwww," I grinned and hugged his arms, "Thank you for both Raph."

He smiled down at me, "Wed better get back to the house before they send out search parties. Its getting a touch late."
I looked up, "Yah the sun is going down." I snuggled his arm again, "Thank you again Raphael and I'm glad I could help with your shell."

"Your welcome," He smiled back, "This relationships, you and your sisters, and me and my brothers, Its not gonna be perfect."

"No Love never is," I told him as we walked, "But then again no one or anything is. You just have to work to make it better. But I think we will be ok."
"The Foot is never gonna stop hunting us Lisa," He told me quietly, "Can you and your sisters face that."

"Sacks is never gonna let me get away with what I did any how," I confessed, "I get the feeling that his pride has put me on the bulls eye. So I may as well be ready, To fight for my sisters, and you and your brothers."

"You and your sisters are a lot stronger than you let on," he stopped as we got up to the steps to the back porch, "that's part of what makes you such great people I think."

"Takes one to know one," I grinned back.

I leaned up to kiss him when the back door flew open and a REALLY IRATE Donnie stormed out.

"YOU DIDN'T!" He snarled, "Tell me Hamato Raphael that you DIDN'T!"

"Did I miss something?" I asked

"NO Lisa you didn't," Donnie glared and Raph tried to look innocent, "RAPHAEL though apparently missed EVERY single lecture I have given him about yanking off or having someone yank off his scutes."

"Aww don't get on her Braniac," Raph waved his hand, "I told her to do it, it was making me crazy it was itching so bad."

"Do you WANT to get an infection in your shell? AGAIN?" Donnie glowered at him, "IF I see you do that again, I WILL duct tape your WHOLE SHELL! GOT IT!"

I stood there trying VERY hard to not laugh, and I could tell Raph was having the same problem. Finally Donnatello wound down and went back into the house.

"WOW," I grinned, "Someone has his big brother's temper."

Raph grinned, "Well I DID have that happen once when we were kids. Scared the life outta Don nearly. But its never happened since."

I Grinned up at him, "Next time you want me to do that, lets go some place where he cant catch us. Deal?"
Raph's grin broadened, "Deal."

I grinned back up at him and we headed back into the house. Two days into summer vacation and I could already tell that this was going to be quite the time. The fact that I had such incredible people in my life to share it with. Was just going to make it that much better.