two idiots and a turtle (a kotlc fanfic)

chapter two: in which we meet lady shelena shine

here's chapter 2! also, i've decided that this is going to update on fridays.

(by the way, if any of you have read the prince, can you spot the small reference i made to that?)

***

keefe

Tam keeps looking down at Shelly, and it's really getting quite rude. I mean, hasn't anyone ever taught him not to stare?

Although his parents don't seem like the type to teach him anything good. Or useful. But hey, with parents like his, they hardly raise you at all.

I could say the same about Mother and Father, honestly.

He interrupts the silence when he asks, "So, care to explain the turtle?" He tilts his head at me, silently begging me to answer, to actually fill up this awkward silence.

I continue walking down the hall for a few more paces, letting him wallow in the awkwardness of it all, before answering. "She's my emotional support turtle."

I suppose she'd be more of an emotional control turtle, really. Either way, she's amazing and I love her.

He rolls his eyes, tugging at his bangs again. "Yes, but why?"

I sigh, stopping in my tracks and turning to face him, letting out an annoyed huff. "Look, Elwin gave her to me after I got out of my coma. And you already know all about that, so why don't you stop asking questions?"

My voice rises at the end of my sentence, but I feel a twinge of guilt at Tam's abashed look.

Calm down, calm down, calm down. Shelly sends me wave after wave of this, and I quietly relax.

Tam stays silent as we keep walking, and I fill the silence with my overthinking.

I'm glad that I'm pranking Father - sure, I might get into trouble for it, but it's his fault that he was badmouthing my friends earlier.

What's the prank again? Pranking Dad - Lord Cassius, father, Snooty Snoot McSnootles, the King of Idiotic Parents. He won't think he's better than anyone when he's covered in glittery alicorn poop with green hair. Or maybe pink hair. Oooh, or maybe rainbow hair.

Oh yeah, Father would despise rainbow hair. Better give that to him, then.

Tam pauses when we reach the glittering Leapmaster in the main entrance hall, glancing over at me.

"Uh, my house or yours?" he asks, tugging on his bangs.

He needs to stop tugging on his hair - it's going to get pulled out.

"Mine, I left my supplies there."

He nods, silver eyes glinting in the light as I hold up my home crystal, and he steps into the light caused by it, lightleaping away. I follow suit, holding onto Shelly protectively.

I think I liked walking with Tam better. It was silent then. It's suffocating now.

I stare apprehensively at the cove of black sand that houses the Waves of Wimpiness, trying not to feel the aura of gloom in here. It's everywhere.

Ugh, I wish I was at Elwin's instead. Splendor Plains is so much nicer.

Splendor Plains is so much happier.

Tam gives me an annoyed glance as I stall in front of the house. He doesn't want to go in. I don't want to go in. So why are we here? Because we are.

I glance down at Shelly in my arms, and she glances back up at me, putting one foreleg on my chest comfortingly, like she's telling me it's okay.

Maybe she is - I'm getting a rush of comfort and protectiveness right now from her.

Yeah, sure, living with a douchebag of a father is okay.

I step towards the door, about to open it, but its pulled open by itself, and I'm face to face with a very annoyed Ro.

"Well, Funkyhair, how was your day? Did you make any friends?" She asks in a false-sweet voice.

Please shut up, Ro.

I roll my eyes at her. "Nothing much, just got assigned a tutor for The U. Mr. Silvershade's over here helping me out."

I internally scream at myself for the sudden nickname. Silvershade? Really? Is that the best you can do?

Ro raises her pink-dyed eyebrows, her gaze briefly skimming over Tam. "Helping you out with school or with the prank?"

It hurts.

I shrug, leading Tam to my room and setting Shelly down on the floor, and then letting out a sigh of relief at being away from all those suffocating emotions. It's nice and silent in here.

Tam stares around for a few moments, particularly at the wall over my desk, where I've pinned up some notes and drawings. "I didn't know you drew."

Please don't judge me please don't judge me please don't judge me-

I scoff. "There's a lot of things you didn't know about me."

He sighs, squatting down to look at Shelly more closely, then glances over his shoulder at me. "Can I pet her? How do I pet her?"

Of course he doesn't know how to pet a turtle - who would? No one really has pet turtles nowadays. I've heard alicorns are more the usual fashion.

I laugh, sitting on the floor beside him and stroking Shelly's blue-and-purple shell and her leathery head. She makes a sound in her throat almost like a purr, leaning her head into my hand.

I smile at this, backing away a bit.

"What's her name?"

I smirk at the silver-banged boy next to me. "Lady Shelena Shine."

He raises his eyebrows at the name, "So why do you call her Shelly? You could easily call her Lena."

He's not judging me for the name? Interesting.

With this, he turns to Shelly, stroking her head and cooing in a higher-pitched voice, "Aw, aren't you a good girl? Yes, you're the best turtle, Lena, and good turtles like you don't deserve idiots like Keefe."

Shut up Tam, you're not allowed to be adorable.

I frown - both at Tam and at that fleeting thought, before standing up and brushing myself off, then tapping his shoulder to get his attention.

Let's see, what emotions do I feel? At the very least he should be feeling humor for poking fun at me.

I pause for a moment, waiting for the flood of whatever he felt to come to me-

Nothing.

How is that possible? How can he have no emotions? And most importantly, why does he feel so cold?

I pull my hand away from him. "C'mon, we have work to do."