A circular green ring was moving slowly in the sky, as if a dragon was possessively enveloping a planet with its own body. At this moment, the two moons―― the big red and the small yellow―― hang in the sky, and passed by the body of the green dragon, at the same time, the big red moon and the small yellow moon meet each other partially, creating a magnificent a partial moon to moon eclipse.
Soon afterwards, the two moons separated, going their different ways.
When the body of the dragon moved from horizontal to vertical position in the sky, only the big red moon stayed above the horizon, like a setting sun, coloring the clouds and the sky scarlet, while the small yellow moon had already passed asleep, hiding below the horizon.
Slowly, the big red moon also descended below the horizon. When only half of its body could be seen and the entire sky had turned into midnight, the missing small yellow moon appeared again on the other side of the horizon, but this time, it wasn't alone.
As if it was pulling something out, the small yellow moon rose to the sky with the big yellow sun in tow. The midnight skies were illuminated by a pale yellow sunlight, announcing the arrival of the day.
Shortly after, the pale yellow became gold, then the gold turned into a fiery yellow orange, like a big ball of fire, it looked down from heavens below the sparkling emerald-green ocean.
Such cast and beautiful ocean reflected the sunlight, creating a spectacular light show, like a field of endless gold and jewels radiating a starlight effect, blinding the eyes.
Peacefully and silently, like a huge mirror, the ocean seemingly quiet on the surface, reflects a beauty that no treasure could compare to.
However this beautiful piece of art, as if a blank sheet of paper was stained by a small dot of ink, an inconspicuous green dot could be seen.
It's a small island, so small it looked like a single grain in the middle of the field. Still, as insignificant as it looks, on that island, someone has made a decision and finally took a step up to hold on for survival.
On the beach, a little sea turtle, two feet long and half a feet tall, could be seen struggling as it crawled out of the sea.
Just then, a wave came, crashing down and carrying the little turtle forward, but immediately it was sucked by the wave back to the ocean again.
The little turtle tried to swim to the sandy shore again, but was met with the wave once more. The little turtle was carried by the water onward, and when the little turtle was about to be sucked back by the ocean again, he moved his front flippers, trying to grab the sand to stop his body from being carried over.
But with such smooth and flat flippers, without any claw nor toes, how can they grab hold of any sand? In the end, the little turtle could only helplessly look up at the sky with dead eye fish, and watched as his body was pulled to the ocean again.
This little turtle, who else could it be aside for Iona.
Iona planned to go to the shore in the afternoon, but he was so excited that he felt that the time was too slow, so after he finished his preparation, he immediately swam to the surface.
At first, Iona let the waves wash him up the shore, he didn't move and just floated on the surface of the water. As he came closer and closer to the shore, the waves became much stronger.
Iona thought he's a genius thinking of such a low energy consumption move. He had watched many sea creatures being washed away and stuck to the shore in his previous life, and he really thought this move was very good.
However, after implementing it in person, only then did Iona realize how naïve he was.
It was unknown why, but the sands were not cooperating with him.
Every time he came to the shore, he wouldn't be stuck in the sand like he thought he would, but the sand seemed to join forces with the waves, he slipped on the sand and so he was dragged by the waves easily.
Iona felt the malice of the world, was the waves teasing, or was the sand pranking him?
Nevertheless, Iona felt like he wasn't doing it right, these flippers weren't really easy to use.
He remembered, even as they were pulled back by the waves, the turtles wouldn't stop moving their flippers, therefore they could move with or against the waves. Contrary, when the waves arrived, Iona would stop moving, and rather than paddling his flippers, Iona would unconsciously stretch out his front flippers, as if he still had his arms and hands, wanting to grab the sand to anchor his movements. In the end, like a turtle float, Iona was just carried by the waves easily, he couldn't even struggle.
Many times, Iona tried to remove his unconscious action of reaching out, and when he was about to succeed, accidents always happen.
One time, a huge wave came down, it washed away not only Iona but also the jelly plant tied around his neck. It was his only food supply when he reached the land; he can't lose it. Therefore Iona could only swallow his annoyance and dive back down the ocean to get another bunch of jelly plants.
Fortunately, he initiated his plan much earlier than intended, or else, who knew how long it would take for Iona to reach the beach.
After Iona retrieved his second batch of supplies after his initial food was washed away, he proceeded much easier this time.
He practiced so much earlier, he's too stupid if he can't still master it.
When Iona reached the sandy shore, it was already afternoon. The temperature has cooled down a bit, but the sands were still scorching hot. Iona didn't even have time to rest, when he was scalded by the hot sand, thus, he hurriedly moved his flippers, wanting to go to the shade under the coconut tree.
With his advancement, Iona dragged the sands, producing a long trail of dug sands along the way. Swimming and crawling weren't the same, these flippers weren't really easy to use, so it took a while for Iona to travel from the shore to the shade under the coconut tree.
As Iona rested under the shade, he looked at the clear skies and skimmed over the still blinding sun, and the three words "struggle is real" were written on his forehead.
He felt sluggish and didn't want to move, he felt annoyed and irritable for his incompetence, then his eyes catch a glimpse of the jelly plant tied to his neck, and he took a bite harshly to vent his anger.
He only ate one leaf, the jelly plant has a lot of water content, and it's enough to alleviate his thirst and hunger.
He still has a long journey ahead of him, he has to save up energy and supply.
Sigh.
Iona looked ahead, and saw the obvious trail he dug when crawling. The sands looked messy and the trail he left behind somewhat looked a bit…too big?
Iona looked like a huge adult sea turtle when hatch, for his apple green color, which was lighter than the others, but he was still too small for a turtle in this world.
But Iona didn't know it. In his perception, he's a little turtle the size of a palm. His line of sight was very low, plus his short-sightedness, he really has no way to judge his current size.
Iona didn't pay attention to it anymore, he raised his head and inhaled the air. In an instant, the scent of different vegetation came to his nose, the scent of freshwater and seawater also entangled under his nose as if fighting for attention.
Iona didn't care about the seawater, he inhaled another mouthful of air, this time Iona had a clear "view" where the freshwater source was located.
He looked beyond the coconut tree towards the forest, then looked at the long trail he left behind while crawling, and then looked at the direction of the forest again.
He can't see past beyond the coconut tree, but he can smell the wet soil in the forest. It's the kind of soil typical in the forest, the black soil mixed with dead leaves and branches, it has the unique earthy scent, fresh and raw.
But Iona can't imagine crawling in that kind of soil. Although hot, the sands were soft and loosened, when crawling he could easily slip forward, but the forest is different. Not only did it have rocks, they also have protruding branches and emerging roots.
This won't be easy.
Iona could already see his miserable appearance as he made his way towards the forest.
He looked at the sky, and saw that the sun was already setting, therefore, Iona braced himself and began to continue his journey.