The turtle simply looked back at him, unbothered, and Moon let out a long breath, a rueful smile spreading across his face.
"Sigh. Seems like it's fate, then." He shook his head and reached out to rest a hand on the golden shell, his voice softening.
"You know what? I was going to feed it to you anyway. The core's considered an inheritance, something passed down. And honestly... I liked the idea of a part of your mother living on inside you. Of carrying her forward." He gave the turtle a gentle pat. "That's the least I could do for you. So go on. Take her strength. Make it yours, a part of her lives in you now, make her proud."
Honeybun nestled its head against his hand, and then its body began to still, its eyes drifting half-closed, the potent soul power of the Jade Turtle Core beginning to settle and work through it.
Moon watched carefully, ready to intervene if anything went wrong, as his little turtle began to absorb the inheritance of its ancestor.
