Turtley cute cover art by: Whitewolf22 on Deviant Art (Black Kat Jinx here on FFNet). Link in my profile to the full picture :-)

Rating: G

Disclaimer: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and all related characters belong to Nickelodeon.

Summary: '"We're on a grand adventure, Donnie!" Michelangelo waved his arms around dramatically. "There's treasure to be found"' Chibi turtle drabble around six years old. Could fit into 2k3 or any movieverse. Word count 732.

Treasure

Michelangelo jiggled in excitement as he gazed around at the wide, open space. He clamped his hands tightly over his mouth, remembering the repeated warnings his father had given to remain silent only minutes before emerging from the sewers for their very first time.

"...pecially important... Michelangelo, are you listening to me?"

Michelangelo jumped and whirled around to face his father with a guilty smile, "Uh... yes Master Splinter?"

Splinter sighed at the questioning reply, "What am I ever to do with you?" he asked, trying to hide his exasperation.

Michelangelo quickly closed the distance between them and threw his arms around his father, grinning happily up at the grey mutant rat.

Splinter gave up and rested his hand on the top of his affectionate son's head, shaking his own in light amusement. "Now, as I was saying my sons, it is vitally important you do not wander off. You are to keep me in sight at all times and keep the noise down like you have been taught. There should not be anyone in the junk yard itself this time of night but there is a guard at the edge of the grounds so do not draw attention to yourselves," Splinter reiterated sternly. Then he smiled warmly, noting how his turtles were champing at the bit to get moving and stop listening to his lecture. "Now, go explore. Look for anything useful we might take home to use and stay in pairs!"

The four young turtles ran about eagerly, barely managing to keep their noise down. Leonardo and Raphael took off in one direction and Michelangelo and Donatello in another.

"This one, Mikey!" Donatello enthusiastically pointed to a particularly promising looking tower of junk.

Michelangelo stood wide-eyed for a moment before racing his brother to it. Once they were both there, they started pawing vigorously through the mound. Most items looked unusable to their untrained eyes but Donatello hit the jackpot when he curiously peeled back the lid of a tattered and torn box, revealing a virtual treasure trove of pre-used elementary school books. It didn't matter to him in the slightest that notes and answers filled many of the pages.

Donatello reverently sat aside the box while Michelangelo watched curiously. Moments later, he looked inside for himself and his lips curled back in disgust, "Boring, Donnie!"

"Is not!"

"We're on a grand adventure, Donnie!" Michelangelo waved his arms around dramatically as he turned in a wide circle, taking in everything in sight. "There's treasure to be found and you pick lame old books?"

Donatello nodded solemnly, "Books are the greatest treasure ever!"

"Nuh uh!" Michelangelo swore, looking around frantically for something, anything, to prove his point. Suddenly he spotted something large, bright and rounded and pounced on it, struggling to drag it out from where it lay three quarters buried. Finally, he held it up triumphantly. It was ring shaped with alternating blocks of solid white and orange and had something written on it in clear but fancy letters. "Hey Donnie, what's this thing?"

Donatello glanced up and back at Michelangelo, eyes large as he sought the answer. Moments later he said, "It's a life preserver ring from a ship. Humans wear them when they swim overboard."

Michelangelo stared closer at the words, trying to sound them out. "U.S.S. … Ad... ven... Adventure!" he finished victoriously.

Donatello giggled at his brother's silliness, "It doesn't say that, Mikey!"

"Well... it should!" Michelangelo grinned broadly. "So what does it say?"

"U.S.S. Adventine." Donatello replied, peering closely to read in the darkness.

"That's close enough to adventure!"

Donatello shook his head, amused and went back to sifting through the garbage while Michelangelo stared excitedly at his amazing find. Moments later, his grin grew full again as he thought of a brilliant idea. He brought the ring down over his head and shoulders to hold it down around his waist. It was a little heavy but he knew it would do.

"Donnie!" he called with impatient excitement. "Look at me!"

Donatello turned, critically watching Michelangelo spin the life preserver around his shell and attempting to keep it in place as if playing with a Hoola-hoop. After a couple of minutes, he smiled, he could see where Michelangelo was going wrong and called out, "My turn!" and smiling, Michelangelo stopped and handed over their newest toy.

Owari