The Weight of Jade

Chosen

[All you have to say is Transform Me.

-Jade]

All you have to... what?

Nino sat on his bed holding a strange wooden box in one hand and a cryptic note in the other, switching between looking at both and only growing more confused.

"That's kinda... weird," Nino muttered to himself, dropping the note and reaching to open the box.

It lifted easily enough even though it looked so old, swinging open to show... a bracelet it looked like. An etched turtle shell made of jade on a black bracelet, however he was only staring at the contents of the box for half a second before suddenly, something blinding and green swelled from inside.

Nino yelped, shielding his eyes and backing up as he quickly dropped the box but the light got brighter, and when he squinted he could make out a small sphere of light.

His hands were still shielding his face when the light died down and he dropped his hands slightly to stare back at the direction of the random gift to see...

A little... green... turtle?

It was floating in the air, slowly opening its large eyes and shaking its head as if to wake itself, taking a moment to absorb its surrounding before locking eyes with the extremely confused and slightly terrified boy sitting on the bed across from him.

Nino didn't move, staring with wide eyes and unable to get out even a word as the little turtle stretched, smiled, and waved. And then it said hello.

"AAH OH GOD!" Nino yelled, tumbling off his bed and onto the floor in a mess of blankets and pillows, the box the thing came from only saved from falling too by the turtle.

"Wait wait!" it said quickly, struggling to lift and place the box back on the bed and flying after Nino, who was now firmly convinced he was losing his mind. "Don't yell I'm a friend!"

Nino gaped at the small bizarre creature with his mouth open wide, barely registering in time the sound of pounding footsteps down the hall just outside his door.

The small turtle looked over its shoulder and dove into the blankets covering the floor just when the door slammed open with Nino's father behind it.

"Nino are you alright!?" his father said in a panic, his mother close behind looking terrified.

"I- I fell," Nino stammered, still cowering on the floor. "I'd like to be alone please."

"Nino you can't just scream like that we thought something terrible had happened again," his mother sighed out heavily, shaking her head.

"I'm sorry," Nino answered robotically, doing his best to just keep it together. He knew magical crap when he saw it, and magical crap was typically a secret. "I-I'm fine can I be alone please?"

Both of his parents huffed, looking a little miffed at how dismissive he was but complied, the father shutting the door with a click with the turtle reappearing a second later.

"That was quick thinking," the turtle complimented, smiling in a friendly sort of way, "you were right not to say anything."

"Tiny turtle talking why," Nino said in a rush, dragging blankets around him and scooting towards his desk to hide beneath it.

"I know this is very disorienting," the turtle said gently, keeping its distance, "but please don't be afraid. You have no reason to fear me, my name is Wayzz. It's an honor to meet you."

The small turtle bowed its head, a single green antenna poking out from the top of it and bobbing as he did.

Nino didn't say anything right away, mouth opening and closing several times before he just made a few vague confused noises.