Everything was different here! Pink and bright and loud!
He saw things he'd never seen before. Heard sounds he'd never heard before. Smelt things he'd never felt before!
After a while, his nose stopped burning and he was able to breathe normally. It felt good to breathe again!
But… his brothers weren't here- that he knew for sure.
At least, not that Small could see them.
This place was ginormous. Bigger than Cutie's appetite even! Bigger than a hundred pet stores and… bigger than a hundred humans!
Small had to explore- he was too curious to just leave this place behind!
Longy would have loved to explore this place too! Small thought of his brothers while he walked around. Even if they weren't here with him, he liked to pretend that they thought of him too.
Small walked for a long time, and he found out the hard way that the water here wasn't for drinking. He had sniffed it- and it stung his nose. He knew better than to try drinking it!
There were lots of shiny silver humans here. But… Small was starting to think that they weren't normal humans. They didn't wear clothes and they had pink squishy things in their tummies. Pink, wiggly things. Small wanted to taste them.
Small tried to run behind the silver humans- but everyone ignored him! He tried to nip at their heels but they were too fast.
Ugh- it was hard being a tiny turtle!
Maybe Small should climb something, and then the silver-humans would see him. Maybe they would have some water for him. Or maybe a nice juicy strawberry. Ooh-yummy. Usually, Small would let Cutie and Chunky eat most of the strawberries but they weren't here to share so Small would eat it for them.
There were lots of sliding doors. Small learned that they only opened for the silver humans, but if he ran really fast, he could get through them right under their feet.
All of the silver humans were very busy. They were running around and hissing and screeching and Small didn't understand a word they said!
He followed one of them into a room with all sorts of tables and big water bottles with floating things inside. Small was too curious to stay away.
He spent a long time trying to climb up the tables- but he would slide back down. He realized that he needed to find another way up!
So, he ran really fast and jumped. But it didn't work.
Small looked around- and he saw a silver human's leg! That was so much easier to climb. The silver-human didn't mind him climbing- in fact, they looked as though they were sleeping. And they didn't have any of the yummy pink thingies inside them. Small was almost disappointed. He would have loved to nibble it.
He climbed into the hole in the silver-human's chest. He sat there for a while. It was cold. He didn't like it very much.
He tried to get out, but his leg poked something and all of a sudden the silver-human stood up!
Oh.
OH!
Small would laugh if he could- but he was just a turtle, all he could do was smile.
This was fun!
Small smashed his legs all over the walls- and the silver-human spun around and waves its arms and Small was having the time of his life! Weeeee!
But then more silver humans came. And finally- finally he got their attention.
These silver humans had yummy pink squishies inside of them. Small really wanted to bite it- it looked so good! They looked like giant worms and he was always hungry for worms.
Small kicked in front of him, and the silver-human lurched forward. All the other silver-humans stepped back! Small felt like laughing again. This was so much fun!
"Krang- do you see the earthly creature known as turtle in the body that Krang built for Krang?"
What?
Who was Krang?
Oh- they were Krang. Not worms. Krang!
That didn't stop Small from wanting to taste them. Maybe Krang tasted better than worms.
"Yes Krang sees the earthy creature known as turtle-"
Small pushed forward- and his silver-human lashed out an arm. There was a lot of spinning and a lot of hissing from the Krang and somehow, the door slid open and Small was whizzing down the halls.
"KRANG- THE CREATURE KNOWN AS TURTLE HAS TAKEN THE BODY THAT KRANG-"
Small crashed through a large group of bodies that Krang built for Krang and he squealed in utter delight. This was so much fun!
He found out that if he put his foot on this spot, the body would run forward. And if he put his foot on that spot, the boy would turn right. Small ran down the halls and through all sorts of doors.
Big red alarms went off- and Small was startled. He'd heard that loud ringing sound before. A fire alarm! One time, his old caretaker was poking at something in the roof and all of a sudden there was this big loud sound.
Small turned his body around- there was a huge crowd of silver-humans coming for him! Oh- they must want the body back. That's okay, they could have it! Small could always get another one if he wanted.
Small jumped out of the body, and just as he did that- the body collapsed. Small scurried into a corner and tucked into his shell.
"Krang- where is the creature known as the turtle who stole the body Krang built for Krang?'
"Krang does not see the creature known as the turtle who stole the body Krang built for Krang."
"Krang will leave Krang to look for the creature known as the turtle who stole the body that Krang made for Krang."
They took a long time to say the same thing. It was very funny.
All of the other Krang left, leaving a single Krang behind. That Krang didn't look very happy. It climbed out of their body, and went to the floor. Small's eyes got very big- now was his chance! He could finally taste the Krang!
He crept forward, slowly as if he were sneaking up on Chunky.
When he was close to Krang, Small reached out his neck- and sniffed the creature. Smelt weird!
It was too busy poking at the silver body on the floor.
Small opened his mouth really big- and took one big chunk of the Krang. It screeched and jumped high in the air. Small didn't mind- he had a piece of Krang in his mouth!
Small ran away as fast as he could- the Krang was screaming and hissing and Small ran faster and faster.
When he thought he was safe, he spat the Krang piece out. It was dripping pink goo. It tasted funny- almost… sour. It made his mouth tingle and Small wished he had water. But he didn't.
And it wasn't nice for food to go to waste.
So he ate it all.
Wow- he was really good at hunting, wasn't he? But he wouldn't do it again. That Krang sounded like it was in a lot of pain and Small almost felt bad for him.
A door wooshed open behind him, and Small ran through it. The room was different. It was big and had tables and lights and it smelled smoky. Something had been burning in here!
Small went to investigate, and as he sniffed the air, he traced the smoky smell coming from a big dark cage. Oh?
He'd seen cages before! Hamsters and bunnies and little furry animals lived in cages! But this cage looked different.
He went closer- and his eyes widened.
That was a really, really big reptile.
Bigger than any other reptile he'd ever seen. Bigger than any human he'd ever seen! He was between long silver bars, but Small was little enough to easily slip though.
Small went closer. The reptile was sleeping. Small nudged his tail. It was so long and had ridges and Small had a brilliant idea!
He climbed up the reptile's tail- all across his back, and up to his head. Woah. He had big teeth. Huge teeth!
Small chirped at him. The reptile didn't stir.
Small didn't want to bite him- that would be rude. Nobody liked being bitten. Krang didn't like being bitten so this reptile wouldn't like being bitten either!
Small nudged above his eye- and the reptile shifted. Small chirped at him again!
And finally- the reptile opened his eyes- and Small got to see his own reflection. Wow. He was almost as cute as Cutie!
The reptile shifted slowly, and blinked. Small chirped out another greeting.
"Oh, hello little one," the reptile spoke like a human! This was good news. That means that they came from the same place!
The reptile moved his head, and collected Small into his claws. He was so big. His hands were bigger than Small's box at the pet store! Wow. The pet store sounded so far away now.
It was hard to believe that the pet store was all he knew once, but now- after spending time here, he learned a lot of things.
Like who to be friends with, and who not to. And how to ride a silver-human. And how to bite the Krang. And how to run really, really fast.
The reptile looked at him for a long time. He had kind eyes. Like Hamato Yoshi!
And Small wasn't scared of him. If the reptile wanted to hurt him, Small could just hide in his shell- nothing could hurt him in his shell!
Small chirped at him again- hello!
The reptile gave him a big grin, "You're an odd little creature, aren't you? What are you doing here?"
Looking for my brothers!
The reptile looked confused, "Ah, you don't speak my language yet."
Small shook his head. No he didn't.
"But, you do understand me, don't you Oddball?"
Small nodded.
What's an oddball?
Maybe… he was an oddball!
'Oddball'- such a weird word. Was Small shaped like a ball? Yes- he thought. Maybe. Was he odd? The oddest turtle here, that's for sure!
He liked that- very much.
He decided that from now on, he could be called Oddball.
He was no longer Small - he felt like he was a whole different turtle now! An odd turtle.
He was Oddball.
And his reptile friend- well… he was big and friendly so… Oddball would call him Friend! That's a good name. Oddball was really good at naming.
Friend looked at him for a long time, and all of a sudden- he looked up, and his eyes narrowed. He tucked Oddball under him, hiding him when more of those silver-not-humans passed.
Friend didn't like those people. Oddball realized that Friend's breathing changed when he saw the Krang. Friend didn't like the Krang. That's why he was hiding Oddball from the Krang.
It was very nice of Friend to do that.
When the Krang passed, Friend brought Oddball back out. He gave him a sad, sad smile. Oddball had never seen any creature smile like that before. It was different- it made Oddball worry.
"You do not belong here, little friend," the big reptile said, "You should leave. While you still can."
But how?
"I will help you. But I cannot leave myself, I am chained, you see."
Chained?
Oddball looked down at Friend's waist, and there was a big metal circle around him. Oh- those were chains! They didn't look very comfortable. And underneath the chains, Friend's skin looked bad. Oddball leaned forward and sniffed.
Oh. That's where the smokey smell was coming from.
Oh no…
Maybe this wasn't a good place after all.
He felt foolish for thinking this was like a pet store- pet stores usually took good care of their animals!
Next time he saw Krang- he'd bite them really hard for hurting his Friend.
"You look tired, you should sleep." Friend said, and Oddball had to agree.
He looked around him- but there was no little basking rock for him to sleep. Maybe… he should sleep on his friend instead! He looked up at his dear friend, and blinked twice.
Can I sleep with you?
Friend laughed, a throaty sound that made him look a lot younger, "It's okay, you can sleep on me."
Oddball chirped, and he made himself comfy in Friend's hands. Friend brought him closer to him, and let Oddball cuddle into his neck. This was nice…
Oddball fell asleep, and dreamed of Hamato Yoshi looking for him. He dreamed of Cutie eating strawberries. He dreamed about Longy studying his reflection in the water. He dreamed about Chunky learning how to roll on his shell.
But he didn't sleep for long.
"You must go," Friend urged him, "Soon, the portals will close and you will be trapped here for a long time."
Oh no. That didn't sound good!
What's a portal?
Friend looked at the door, "Follow the Krang droids that look like humans. They are heading to Earth. They will go through big glowing holes in the wall, and that's where you want to go."
Oddball nodded. He let Friend put him down, but he didn't walk away. Not yet. He looked at his friend for a little longer.
Was he going to be okay?
Friend chuckled, and he leaned forward to nuzzle Oddball, "I will be fine. It is not my time to leave yet."
Okay…
Oddball stepped away, and gave Friend his nicest smile.
Friend patted his shell, the same way Hamato Yoshi did once, "Perhaps we will meet again, odd one,"
Oddball chirped- he hoped that when they did, his friend would be in a better place. He turned away, and ran out the room as fast as he could.
It took a long time to find the Krang droids that looked like humans. Almost every other Krang was in their silver-body or just walking around on their tentacles.
Oddball had to try really hard not to bite them. They hurt his friend- and he wanted to hurt them. But he couldn't- not yet. Friend said he had to get out of here before the portals closed.
And finally, he found a Krang that looked like a human! They didn't move their faces, and they walked differently than any other human Oddball knew.
He followed behind them- and it was easy to keep up with their fast walking. Oddball liked that he could move really fast now. All that running paid off!
He followed them to a room with all sorts of glowing portals! It was so pretty.
But before he could leave… he had one more thing he wanted to do.
He found a Krang sitting on the ground, doing something that Oddball didn't care about.
Oddball didn't hold back- he launched himself at the Krang and bit really, really hard at their arm. The Krang screeched and Oddball held on for dear life. But somehow, he couldn't keep his grip and he was sent flying through the air.
And through a big glowy hole in the wall.
He crashed into something soft. And stinky. And his head was dizzy but when he looked up- he saw something really familiar.
Walls! Concrete walls!
He knew this place!
He knew these smells and he knew those sounds and wow- he was in an alley! Just like…that alley where he lost his brothers.
Oddball sighed in relief. He was back!