The next morning we trained. Hard. Master Splinter had wanted to work on my flying, but I hadn't actually flown since my episode with April and the lamp post. I was reluctant to try again anytime soon. Today, Master Splinter insisted we start. I was able to convince him to wait until this afternoon but the afternoon came way too fast and before I knew it I was preparing to fly in the dojo.
"Remember, balance while you are in the air. Focus on your body and the air around you. You cannot afford any distractions. " he said firmly.
"Hai, sensei. If you don't mind my asking, do you have much experience with flying?"
"No, Angel, I do not. Now, fly!"
I took off, flapping my wings as hard as I could. I rocketed into the air, barely missing the ceiling. I tried to fly around the dojo, but my wings bumped into the walls and before long I lost control and crashed to the ground. I growled in frustration.
"Hmm…" said Splinter thoughtfully. "Perhaps we need a bigger space to practice in."
"Where would we go, though?" I asked, standing up and brushing myself off.
"April has a house out in the country that we could spend the winter in. It's about time we take a vacation, anyway. There is only so much that can be taught in a dojo. There are many lessons to be taught out in the open air." He stroked his beard thoughtfully.
"Won't people see us?"
"That is highly unlikely. Nobody lives within a fifteen-mile radius of the house and the area is usually deserted. We shall leave in the morning. Will you tell the others? I need to meditate for a while…" He turned and left the dojo without saying another word. I shook my head and rubbed my wings, a nervous habit I had formed. I still didn't understand Splinter and his sudden entrances and exits caught me off guard.
I left the dojo, following Splinter's path out into the kitchen. The rat, however, was nowhere to be seen. Oh, yeah. Ninjas. I walked into the kitchen and found Raph, as usual. He lifted his head when I entered, but said nothing.
"Splinter said that we're going to April's house out in the country for a while. He wanted me to let you know…" I shifted nervously under his gaze.
"Thanks, kid. Have you told the others yet?" he asked.
"Not yet. I was just on my way to find them."
"Don't bother. Dinner's ready, so they'll be here in a few minutes." He opened the cabinet and handed me some plates. I began setting the table.
"So, Angel, " Raph said casually, "Why are you so… tense?"
"I'm not tense." I said, too quickly. Distracted, I tripped over the rug under the table and dropped the last few plates. Raph dove over the counter, somersaulted across the tile, and caught each of the plates before they even hit the ground. He looked up at me, his eyes laughing.
"Yes, you are," he said matter-of-factly, 'And I want to know why."
"It's just…" I began, sitting down on one of the chairs by the table, "The first time I saw you, you were so…"
"Stunningly handsome?" he offered, setting the plates on the table and pulling up a chair next to me. I couldn't help but giggle.
"Well, those weren't quite the words I was looking for." I admitted, allowing a smile to creep across my face.
"Oh?" he gave me a disbelieving glance. "How about "so good-looking that I couldn't stand it and I have to hide behind Leo because I am afraid my heart would give me away if I looked you straight in the eyes?" He said the last part in a very high squeaky voice, obviously trying to sound like me. I couldn't help but laugh.
"I do not sound like that!" I protested in between fits of laughter.
"Sure you do. Admit it: I make a pretty good girl-impression"
He then proceeded to waltz around the kitchen and say ridiculous things in his squeaky voice, making me laugh even harder. He seemed pleased at this, and for the first time I got to see him actually smile at me. I guess he got to see me smile at him for the first time, too. After several minutes of making me laugh, he came and joined me at the table again.
"I like this Angel better." He said simply. I looked at him quizzically. "This Angel is more open," he explained, "she doesn't hide whenever I walk by or shy away from me in the hallway or refuse to look me in the eye at mealtimes. This Angel actually laughs and smiles and acts natural."
"I'm sorry, Raph. I didn't mean to do all that. You're just so… intimidating." I lowered my eyes slowly, remembering how scared I felt when I first saw him.
"I only try to intimidate those who wish to do those I love harm. I wasn't trying to scare you."
I looked back up at him. "How about a deal? I will try to not duck for cover whenever you lumber into the hallway and you will try to not be so intimidating. How does that sound?"
"Fine by me. As long as you smile around me more often." We shook hands. Then, after a moment of thought, he asked, "Did you just say that I lumber through the hall?" I giggled.
"You kind of do." I admitted. He was about to say something back when Mikey waltzed in, obviously following the trail of delicious smells emanating from the kitchen. Raph quickly got rid of what was left of his smile and put on his usual scowl. He got up from the table and walked over to the stove, but not before he gave me a quick wink. I nodded imperceptibly, showing that I understood his need to keep up appearances with his brothers. He showed a very tough love for his brothers, rarely showing his softer side when they were around.
The other two came in soon after Mikey and dinner was soon underway. Splinter never showed up, and nobody bothered to go look for him. Dinner was fantastic, a mixture of chicken, vegetables, noodles, a thick sauce, and a variety of spices I couldn't name. Raph really was a master in the kitchen. Everybody talked and laughed while we ate. Leo must have noticed that I was actually talking to Raph because he threw me a few suspicious looks over the course of the meal. I said nothing, ignoring his unasked question. After dinner, Mikey and Donnie helped clean up while Leo, Raph , and I talked.
"So, Splinter wants us to go up to the old farmhouse?" Raph asked me. I nodded.
"He said we're leaving in the morning. Where even is it?"
"Out in the country a ways. It's about seven hours away, as the van drives." Leo said. "Why does he think we need a vacation?"
"I think he wanted me to have more room to learn how to fly. I tried to fly in the dojo, but I kept on running into the walls and bumping into things." I said, rubbing my wings absently.
"Well, you'll have plenty of room out there, sure enough." Mikey said. "There's nobody there. It's going to get cold, though. Really cold. Winters out there are not nice."
"I'm going to have to move all my computer equipment into the van." Donnie grumbled, obviously not too fond of the thought. I smiled, imagining Donnie trying to fit all his equipment into a suitcase. This was going to be a fun trip.
