Canada sat in his living room, flipping through channels of different hockey teams. Kumajiro sat on his lap, licking maple syrup off his paw. Canada stopped at a nature program about the native animals, pulling his feet up on the sticky coffee table.
"No!" Kumajiro punched Canada in the stomach. He reeled over, "What was that for, Kumajiro?" He licked maple syrup off his paw, "Change it! I don't wanna watch this! I want cartoons!" Canada looked at him, tears welling in his eyes from pain, "B-but...Cartoons are not educational!" Kumajiro punched him again, "I don't care! I wanna watch 'em!" Canada got up, "You know what? Fine! Watch cartoons, eat non native candy, drink maple syrup, I don't care! I'll find a new friend who doesn't mind what I watch!" He walked out the door, slamming it shut. Kumajiro stared at he door for a little bit, before it opened again.
"I forgot my jacket.."
Canada walked around in the snow, crunching ice with his boots. He exhaled, freezing air moving. His glasses fogged up from his breath. He took them off, wiping them on his scarf, but continuing walking. Canada's boot hit something, tripping him. He fell on his face.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I couldn't see where I was going. I'm fine, let me just get up..." Canada shuffled around in the snow, looking for his glasses. He finds them, putting them on his nose with a sigh of relief. Canada rolled over onto his back so he could get up. Once he had all the snow off of him and he could see just fine, he looked to find what he tripped over. A green shell rested in the snow, a small head poking out from the side.
"O-oh, heavens! I didn't know we had turtles here! You must be freezing!" Canada took his scarf off, draping it around the turtle. The turtle moved his head to look at Canada. He sighed, a warm smile spreading on his face.
"You must be cold here, my scarf won't help you much, will it? How about you come with me?" He waited silently for a response from the turtle, but none came. It put it's legs and head in the shell, the shell rocking. Canada sighed, disappointed. He wrapped his arms around the turtle, grunting as he struggled to lift the shell.
The door swung open, Canada panting in his coat, with the turtle in his arms. Kumajiro looked up from watching cartoons, "Who're you? This is Canada's house." Canada sighed, silently sobbing, whispered, "I'm Canada..."
"Anyway, he should be coming back for me. He can't stay on his own too long or he'll go insane without my guidance." Kumajiro looked away, flipping to a different channel.
"Nope. Not anytime soon I will. I found a new friend," Canada lifted the turtle up with lots of effort, "Dr. Pepper is his name!" Dr. Pepper pulled his head out of his shell, looking around. Kumajiro laughed, while Canada gave him a death stare. He walked over to Kumajiro, gripping him by the scruff, and carrying him to the corner, "Dr. Pepper and I will be here now. You are banished to the corner, Kumajiro." He sat down, eating pancakes, the turtle laying on the couch.
Hours passed, and no one complained. Canada was asleep on the couch, softly snoring. Dr. Pepper lay silent in his shell at Canada's feet. Kumajiro sat in the corner, lifeless. He woke up, crossing his legs and looking at the shell. He tried talking to it, "Hey...Dr. Pepper. I'm bored. Come talk to me...Please?" The shell didn't respond. Canada got off the couch, and walked over to the corner. He crouched down, "Hey- Kumajiro..." The figure doesn't react. He picks Kumajiro up in his arms, "I love you, Kumajiro."
"Who are you?" The reply came back.
