Chapter 1: Time Passes
It was raining.
Usually such an act would put a smile to his face. Well, not so much as a smile, rather than a feeling of comfort and joy. The pitter-patter of rain drumming along his shell as the cool water washed down the cracked ridges of his skin was always an enjoyable event. He’d even stretch out his neck and open his mouth to wiggle his tongue out to collect droplets.
But today, there was no joy in this depressing weather. He just stood there, downtrodden in the mushy earth. Bad weather, despaired spirits and sinking ground. Maybe he’d be lucky and get swallowed by the earth and be with master again.
He did not know why they buried master. Why they dug a hole and lowered master in the ground. It wasn’t the real master. It was a wooden box. But master was inside. And then they covered master with dirt and left.
Master was always the fast one. Lively at all times, always speeding ahead. He’d hardly have time to catch up, but master was kind enough to slow down. That was what he was most grateful for, in fact. Master would always be there waiting for him, never leaving him in the dust. He was slow, master was quick, but that difference didn’t separate them. In fact, it made their bond stronger. Master would wait, and he would follow. A process both never got too impatient to bear.
But recently their roles were reversed. He wasn’t sure how it happened, but more often than not he’d be the one waiting for master to catch up. Master would never mind though. Just a smile, nod, and pat on the head. Then they’d continue on their way.
First it was master’s hair. Its once luxurious rainbow spectrum color faded over time, turning from all the colors one such as himself could possibly imagine to just plain grey. But that never discouraged master. Nor did the wrinkles ever lessen the brightness of master’s smile. Master would always be beautiful, no matter the grey hair, wrinkles or even slower movement.
And himself? He was the same as ever. This hurt him a bit, to be so unchanged while master seemed to buckle under the weight of the passing years as they stacked one by one.
He remembered all the times master would end up in the bad-smelling building, which he was never bothered to join master in whenever master was hurt. But master would always be back home soon enough, covered in white cloth that master would always find irritating. No matter the crashes, bashes, cuts and scrapes, and even full-on bonks to the head, master would always be alright in the end.
But then one day, it all changed. Master fell down. Master wouldn’t get up. No matter the pushes or urges for master to stand, master wouldn’t. Then the bad-smelling ones from the building took master away. And left him all alone.
He didn’t know why master wouldn’t get up, or why master was taken from him. But he soon figured out master wasn’t going to be fine like the other times. Master wasn’t going to just shrug this away and call him to speed off into the clouds like usual. Or race against one another. No, never again.
Which meant that he would be forgotten.
He remembered when he first laid eyes on master. He didn’t know that master was master at the time, yet he felt a connection to this dazzling flyer of the sky, that graced the winds so smoothly to perform the most mind boggling tricks. Having never seen such a magnificent spectacle in all his living days, he knew immediately he must be with master.
The task wasn’t easy, however. There were others that wanted to be with master. Faster, stronger, wiser, and all around better than he. Even master didn’t want him at first. That crushed him more than anything, so much so that he was sure his shell would break in half. But he was not discouraged. He just did what he always did. He just kept on going.
Eventually, left abandoned time after time again, he found master. Master was hurt, and needed help. So he did what he always did. He just kept on going. But this time, with master by his side. More specifically, his back.
Then, he was master’s. That was the most joyous occasion of his life. He’d eat lettuce with master, go on walks with master, and on more than one occasion, fly with master in the skies. Never before had he thought he’d have the entire world beneath his feet while up in the air. He was grateful for master to give him this opportunity. To fly with master in the clouds was the best experience in his life.
Then returned the crashing news of him never being able to do it again with master.
All that was left of master was dug up dirt and square stone in the ground. He cried out to master in the dirt, and even tried to dig at it. But his stumps for feet never picked up enough earth to get to master. They were separated. No goodbyes, pats on the head, or even warm smiles. Just... gone.
He just remained on the spot, over master. In the time they spent together he knew he’d never forget the caring master that was nice enough to take him under master’s wing. What he was afraid of was being forgotten by master. Finally being left in the dust, with master never looking back.
But that fear was unneeded. For master always looked back. Always waiting. Now, for him, he needn't do the same. For there was no master to look back and wait for.
So, he turned around, and started walking. Never looking back. No use to wait for those that will never catch up, anyway.