Author's Note: I'm so excited to share this one with you! DO have fun and tell me what you think!
Chapter One: Small
Small was a simple little turtle, with simple little needs. A little bit of food. A little fruit every now and then. A lovely little basking rock. And a little itty bitty pond to dip his toes in.
Oh- and to never ever be separated from the three turtles who shared his box.
He knew them better than he knew himself. He knew the biggest turtle was the most playful- always scurrying around and eating and playing. He was very cute. The longest turtle was quieter, always thinking and the slowest to eat his food. The chunky turtle was moody, often grouchy but the first one to come for cuddles.
Small loved them dearly. He wished life would always be as simple as this. Never changing. He belonged with these turtles- they were a family.
Then his entire life changed in one day.
When their caretaker scooped up his long turtle friend- the chunky turtle was so mad that he actually bit their caretaker. His feisty friend fell down, and cracked his shell. Small watched in absolute horror as one by one, Chunky, Cutie and Longy were all picked up, and put into a bowl.
Small wasn't fast enough to stop the caretaker.
In the most awful moment of his short life- he felt he was never going to see them again. A tall human picked up the bowl with his brothers- and Small couldn't understand all these emotions inside him.
He wanted to be with them. He wanted to play with them. He wanted to cuddle with them and eat with them and protect them and spend the rest of his life with them- it wasn't fair for them to be taken!
Please Human. Take Small too. He'd be the best friend and his closest companion- don't take his family away.
They were never meant to be three, only four.
But the human turned away, leaving Small feeling utterly tiny inside.
But then- the human paused. And turned around. Small lifted his head- and he looked directly at the human. Kind brown eyes. Small stared- and he did not speak their language, but he knew they had emotions just like him.
Please human. Take me too.
The human looked down into the bowl, and to Small's utter delight, he saw his three little brothers straining against the bowl. They were looking at him! They wanted him! Little Cutie looked like he wanted to cry.
Small looked up at the human- see? It wasn't right to separate a family! Even a family of turtles.
The human heaved his shoulders, and pointed to Small. Small was near giddy when his caretaker scooped him up- and carried him all the way to his brothers.
It was such a happy reunion! Chunky was the first to climb on top of him, and for a moment, Small couldn't even think! Nothing seemed to matter as much as this moment. This had to be the happiest moment in his entire life.
He looked up at the human- that kind, kind human, and tried to let him know how grateful he was. The human didn't say anything, but he did move his mouth. He smiled. Small liked it when humans smiled. Good things always happened when humans smiled like that.
The human reached in, and pulled Longy off of Small. And put him in a separate corner. Longy came scuttling back and when the human tried to move Chunky but he got a sharp nip to his fingers. The human chuckled, and Small felt all kinds of good feelings inside.
They were going to be okay, weren't they?
The human's voice was very soothing when he spoke, "Hello little ones. My name is Hamato Yoshi. I am pleased to meet you."
Cutie chirped something, and so did Small. The human smiled again, "I see that you are already a family. It was a mistake to try to separate you. One that I will never make again. You belong together, all four of you."
Small liked that. And so did Longy. And Cutie. And especially Chunky.
Hamato Yoshi gently rubbed each of their shells. Small really liked that- and so did Cutie, but Chunky would only snap at him.
All of a sudden, the human's hand moved and the bowl was being jostled around. Hamato Yoshi was running- Small made sure to keep an eye on his brothers. Especially Chunky- his shell was already cracked- Small didn't want him to ever get hurt like that again! Longy looked confused, and Small understood why. They had never been shaken around like this before!
But then it got worse.
A loud crash. Their bowl went flying- and for a moment, Small felt like nothing was in his control. His brothers went in different directions and they were all terrified.
His brothers landed away from him- in some bright green funny-smelling goo. He landed on his shell. He couldn't move. He could see his brothers covered in the bright green and the human was on the ground.
No!
Small tried to wiggle around, but nothing was working. There was a big noise and he tucked himself into his shell.
All of a sudden, a big container crashed into him- and he was sent flying off into a corner, and then his shell bounced off the wall.
Ow-ow-ow!
He was spinning slowly now. And all the noise sounded like it was getting far away.
Small felt awful in his head.
When he was done spinning, he poked his head out.
Everything was still spinning, so he went inside his shell again.
He tried listening, but all he could hear was his own heart beating. It was too loud. He needed to slow his heart down so he could listen to everything else outside!
He took deep breaths- and that worked!
Small popped his head out.
His brothers were gone.
Hamato Yoshi was gone.
Small was alone.
No! Not again!
He needed his brothers- they were meant to be together! Hamato Yoshi promised he'd never separate them again but… maybe this wasn't Hamato Yoshi's fault.
Small had too many big thoughts in his little head. He felt like Longy. Longy was always thinking big thoughts.
Small knew he had to find his brothers. And Hamato Yoshi. He knew, somewhere deep inside, that wherever Hamato Yoshi was, his brothers would be there! Small just had to find them.
The last place he saw them… was the green goo! Small squinted his eyes, and he could see a faint glow across from him. It looked very far away. Further than anything he'd seen before in his life.
He could do this. He was small- but he was strong! He would find his brothers- he would reunite with his family. This, he promised.
He ended up walking for a very long time. He was tired. He was hungry. He was cold. The coldergot, the sleepier he got. But he couldn't sleep- not when his family were missing him!
And finally, he got to a point where a tiny bit of green goo was in front of him. He sniffed it. It was unlike anything else he'd ever smelt before!
Was he hungry enough to taste it?
Nah.
Small trudged on- but he couldn't see his brothers or Hamato Yoshi anywhere.
What he wouldn't give for Cutie to be here with him- they would play a game and Small would be inspired by his energy. If Chunky was here, they could cuddle together and Small wouldn't be so cold. If Longy was here, then Small wouldn't feel as lonely.
But they weren't here. They were with Hamato Yoshi. And Small had to find them.
Eventually, he came to a spot where the green goo was all over the floor. And dripping down through gates in the ground. Where did that go?
Small wanted to check it out- but if he did, he'd have to go through the goo.
He slowly put a foot out. Hovering over the goo.
Should he…?
Something warm appeared behind him.
He turned around. Ooh. Something big and bright and it was glowing!
Small turned away from the goo- and ran as fast as he could towards the light. To his utter surprise, it got bigger- and then a creature stepped out. Like nothing he'd ever seen before. They were as tall as humans, but their skin looked like metal.
Small stared in utter fascination. Who were they? And why did they talk so funny?
Could they help him find Hamato Yoshi?
He tried to get their attention, but they ignored him. He chirped and wiggled his arms and tried to nip at one of them but they didn't even pay him any attention! They look far too concerned about the green goo on the ground than a cute little turtle like him.
How rude.
Small decided he didn't like these pretend-humans.
But their glowy light was really warm. And Small was sure that they wouldn't care if he just… went towards it. And maybe just poke his head inside.
Oh.
Ow! His insides burned and he pulled his head back out.
He shook his head- ow-ow-ow! Why did it hurt to breathe in there?
But it was so warm…
Small decided that if he held his breath, he could get warm and come back here.
So Small climbed through the glowing light. Leaving the old cold ground behind, and coming into a whole new world.