Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles belong to Nickelodeon.

Back and forth, back and forth they swung, their legs providing the momentum they needed to keep moving. Christina had been unusually quiet the past ten minutes, much to Pete's worry. Glancing to his friend, the bird took note of her staring up at the sky with a distant look in her brown orbs. His gaze lingered on her a few seconds longer, before focusing on the world in front of him.

"What's it like to fly, Pete?"

The pigeon flinched, having been caught off guard by the question. "I'm sorry?"

"What's it like to fly?" Christina reiterated, the faraway expression replaced with sheer curiosity.

"Oh, it's wonderful! When I'm up there, I feel so free! I just love feeling the wind beneath my wings!" The grin nearly split his face in half. "Why do you ask?"

Christina stopped the swing. "It's just that, when I see you up in the sky, I just…I don't know…I get curious."

Pete stopped his swing as well, the grin never leaving his face. "well, what if you could see what it's like right now?"

"Huh?" His friend inquired, brows furrowed in confusion.

"I could let you ride on my back," Pete offered, getting up off the swing and walking a few feet.

"Really?" Christina followed suit. She could actually be up in the sky, and taste that same freedom Pete did. However, something was holding her back. She looked at the mutant uncertainly. "…Is it safe?"

"You know, I'm not sure. I've never done this before," Pete answered. "Look, I'll do my best to not let you fall. My flight isn't the best."

'Should I, or shouldn't I?' Christina thought. She wanted to, she really did, but the fear of falling was holding her back, and she was sure the bird was just as hesitant. What if she did? Pete couldn't take her to the hospital. She could already imagine the horrified stares they'd receive. At the same time, he was her best friend, the one she trusted with her life and heart. He wouldn't let anything happen to her, and even if he did, it'd be an accident.

'Do it! This could be your only chance!' Her heart commanded.

Letting out a breath, a smile graced the teen's features. "Let's do it."

Nodding, Pete turned his back to the girl. Heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety, Christina walked over and slowly climbed on, not wanting to hurt him. Pete began flapping his gray-feathered arms and ascended about twenty feet into the air, then started forward at a reasonable speed.

Christina let out a cry of delight and fear as she rode on the mutant pigeon's back. Her slender arms were wrapped around his neck, hands clinging tightly to the bird's shoulders, a smile nearly splitting her face in two. However, the moment was short-lived when her friend suddenly swerved to the left, narrowly missing a tree. "Pete!"

"Oops! Sorry, Chris!" He said apologetically.

"Just—try to be more careful!" The girl gasped, her body jerking forward when the bird dipped. "Whoa!"

"Sorry…again! You are my first rider, after all!"

A few minutes of twisting, turning, bumping, and bouncing later, the mutant's flight finally leveled out, much to the utter relief of his companion. Bit by bit, Christina relaxed, sitting more comfortably on Pete's back. She looked around in amazement. Having a bird's eye view of the world kind of gave her a new perspective. Things definitely looked different from high in the sky.

"Woohoo!" Pete grinned upon hearing the teen's thrilled cry when he gained more momentum. They flew through the open sky, doing little twists and turns. Christina did her best to move with him, so as not to fall off. Pete turned to the right, Christina tilted to the left, and vice versa.

The pigeon man descended clumsily, causing his passenger to nearly slip for the umpteenth time. Slowly, she dismounted, standing next to her friend on wobbly legs. She leaned against the large bird for support, her body needing to readjust to being back on land.

"So, did you like it?" Pete asked, looking at her expectantly.

"Well, despite almost falling to my doom a thousand times, I loved it!" Christina replied with an overjoyed grin. "It was terrifying, but so much fun!"

Pete warbled happily, bouncing on his heels. "I'm glad! Would you like to go again?"

"Um—maybe not now," They laughed. "But, in the near future."

"Alrighty then!" The pigeon nodded.

"Thanks, pal," Christina said, smiling warmly.

Pete cooed, giving his friend's shoulder a pat.