A/N: This is the chapter I warned all of you about. Since I wrote this
*way* before Vforce premiered in America, I created the character based on
some pictures I had acquired of him. At least I knew his name. ^^ I now
know they paired him as being Tyson's friend, but when I first saw him, it
was a still of him jumping, (from the episode 'The Itsy-Bey Bitsy Spider")
I thought he was a happy character and what outsets happiness? Kai, of
course.. Anyways, he is one of the most integral characters in this story.
I hope you like his introduction, and won't sue me if he's a bit OOC. You
know what I had to work with. ^^ Please R&R.
BTW- In my story his name is pronounced in its correct Japanese form. Zeo is pronounced "Zay-Oh" not "Zee-Oh." I could give you a whole essay on how the Japanese letters are pronounced, but I won't, since you now know how his name should be pronounced. Thanks for your time!
____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________
NEW WORLD ZEO
Pain shot throughout his body like a hail of bullets. Gritting his teeth, Kai ignored the throbbing stabs and sat up. The ground beneath him was coarse and pale. He let it run through his fingers - sand. To his left, to his right, as far as the eye could see, the granular soil surrounded him.
Looking skyward, a lavender moon hung overhead, shining down upon him, giving his skin and the sand around him a bluish glow. Strange stars sparkle around it, swirling in bands of purple, blue, and green - all of the palest colors against the velvet black sky.
Utterly confused, Kai searched for where he had emerged in this bizarre world. He found no sign of the well. He began to walk along the sand dunes, soaking in everything that was around him. An alien creature bounded out from behind a mangled cactus, its neon colors making it stand out among the pallor of the land. The sand, licked up by the wind, appeared to sway in the moonlight. The desert seemed to be endless. Tired, Kai plopped down and gazed up at the sky.
The ground began to quake beneath him. Fearing a tremor, he got up and readied himself. What happened was a far cry from an earthquake. Gnarled dark green plants writhed up from the ground, like zombies emerging from their graves. In their limbs struggled the bright alien creature, bellowing for its life. Kai watched in horror, as the plants squeezed harder and harder until the creature lay lifeless in their grip, much like a constricting snake. The creature disappeared into the bowels of the plant, never to be seen again. Once they had finished consuming it, their limbs ran over the sands then paused briefly. One slowly headed towards him and brushed against his pant leg. Kai kicked it off and it flinched. The plant began to come out of the ground at an even fastest rate than before. Seemingly fueled by fury, its appendages reached out after him. Reminded of what had happened to the creature and having no means of defense against the large mass of vegetation, he turned and ran, but something blocked his path.
The figure of a boy stood before him, silhouetted by the moon. His face was concealed by shadows yet his sea green eyes glowed in the dark of night. An angelic smile graced his lips.
Kai attempted to go around the boy but an unseen force stopped him. He returned to facing him and said, "Get out of my way."
The sea green eyes gazed over his shoulder and at the thrashing plants. "Is that what you're running from?" The boy's soft voice teased Kai's ears, subtly accusing him of being a coward.
Annoyed at this hidden accusation, Kai snarled. "Wouldn't you be?"
The boy shook his head and his eyes glowed brightly. An eerie cry pierced the night and the plants slowly recoiled into the sand from where they had so abruptly emerged.
Kai stepped back and asked, "What kind of freak are you?"
The boy chuckled. "I am not a freak, just," he searched for a word, "talented."
"'Talented'? Right." The phoenix scoffed and departed from the angel, who inquired, "Where are you going?"
"None of your business." Kai retorted, storming away hurriedly.
"It isn't safe to be out here at night." A tender voice called after him.
"Does it look like I care?"
"If you change your mind, you can come with me."
Kai whipped around to find the boy walking off towards the horizon. The wind blew at him from the boy's direction, carrying the scent of jasmine with it, whipping through Kai's clothes and hair with cold hands. Cursing himself, he followed behind the boy at a distance when suddenly he disappeared. The firebird flew over to the spot where the angel had last stood. Surprised, Kai jumped back as a hand popped out from nowhere and waved.
The boy's cherubic face emerged soon after with a grin. "Well, are you just going to keep standing on my doorstep or are you coming in?"
Speechless and stupefied, Kai racked his brain from something cruel to say, but nothing came out. The words were long forgotten as another loud cry echoed through the night, deafening this time. Kai covered his ears and shouted, "What is that?"
Giving no replying, the boy pulled Kai quickly inside, shutting the invisible door behind them. Before it shut completely, Kai caught a glimpse of a gnarled vine soaring up from the ground where he had just stood.
He rose from the wooden floor and realized its smoothness beneath his feet, very contrasting from the desert sands. Glancing about, he found himself in the front hall of a finely furnished home. Pictures were scattered about the walls, encased by golden frames of the highest value. An armchair lurked in a corner of a darkened room a few steps away in what looked to be a library. Dark burgundy drapes hung down from large stained glass windows, still as the air around him. The rooms were all sheathed in darkness and Kai felt an urge to flee. Suddenly, a single flame shone through, penetrating the gloom and half of the boy's face came into view.
"We're safe now. I'm glad you decided to come. You'd probably be dead by now if you hadn't." The candle illuminated Kai, who could feel the boy's eyes taking him in. "You're not from here, are you?"
"No." Kai stated simply.
The boy's smile grew and he bit his lip in excitement. Kai raised an eyebrow at this display, wondering what was wrong with the lad. He had already succeeded in disturbing him with those plants, but now, he was doing so on a whole new level.
"Oh, this is wonderful!" The youth exclaimed happily. Kai's skin prickled as one of the boy's hands touched him. He slapped the hand away and the candle fell to the floor.
Kai picked it up and held it out to the boy, whose bottom lip quivered and whose eyes brimmed with restrained tears. Suppressed sobs came from deep within the boy's throat.
"Take your dumb candle." Kai demanded and it was slowly taken away.
Driven to escape the boy's sobs, he walked to the other side of the room, but his sadness could still be clearly heard. Fed up with a small pang of guilt hammering his stone heart, he asked, "Why are you crying?"
"I just.I only.I.. I."
"Spit it out!"
The sobs deepened and Kai sighed. What an infant! He returned to the boy and knelt next to him. He lifted the boy's face to see hot tears coursing down his reddened cheeks. Kai let go of him and said, "I'll ask you again. Why are you crying?"
The boy sniffed and wiped his face with his sleeve. "I've just been here for so long without anyone to talk to. I was so happy to find somebody. I'm.I'm sorry." His weeping resumed long enough for Kai to head toward the door. A gasp came from the boy and Kai heard him scrambling to his feet. A damp hand grasped his arm and Kai jerked it off. The boy fell to his knees, palms together, pleading, "Please forgive me. I'll never to it again. I swear. Just don't leave. Please."
An inner battle raged within Kai as he regarded the boy's pitiful form. To stay or to go, which would he choose? He pulled open the drapes and saw the plants looming outside still. He yanked them close. Like I have a choice.
Seeming to sense his decision, the boy came over to him. His face beamed with happiness. "I know you'll enjoy your stay here. I most certainly will." The boy squealed into his hand and skipped merrily about the room, bursting with joy. In a singsong voice he sang, "I have company!"
Kai began to have second thoughts about staying. He could manage better with the plants than with this overly happy strange kid. He snuck towards the door, attempting to escape when the boy popped up in front of him.
"We weren't properly introduced. My name is Zeo."
"Kai."
"Pleased to meet you, Kai." Zeo extended his hand, which Kai stared at angrily. The boy instantly snatched it back. "So sorry. I forgot. Forgive me." The cheeriness in his voice departed and he dragged his feet back to where the candle rested on a stand. "Would you like something to eat? I can show you to the kitchen if you'd like since, you're probably going to be spending some time here."
Kai frowned. "No, thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure."
"Okay, then are you tired? I would think so. Would you like me to show you the rooms?"
Kai thought of this as an opportunity to get away from the boy. "Yah, sure."
He led him up a flight of spiraling stairs to the second floor of the large home. On either side are numerous doors and Zeo invited Kai to choose whichever one he wanted. "All except the one at the end of the hall. That's where I sleep."
Kai opened the first door and was choked by a strong cloud of dust. He coughed and the boy patted his back instinctively. Kai glared at Zeo and immediately the hand was removed. He entered the room and decided he was not curious enough to look elsewhere. "This is fine," he said, walking over to the bed.
"If you're not sure, there are twelve other rooms." Zeo came in and placed the candle on a nightstand by the bed. "The bathrooms at the top of the stairwell." He informed his guest and then bid him goodnight. "Sweet dreams." With that said, he left.
Strange kid. Kai mused, kicking off his shoes. 'Sweet dreams,' huh? Fat chance. More like disturbing nightmares. He lied down on the bed, staring up at the textured ceiling, praying Sleep never to come.
BTW- In my story his name is pronounced in its correct Japanese form. Zeo is pronounced "Zay-Oh" not "Zee-Oh." I could give you a whole essay on how the Japanese letters are pronounced, but I won't, since you now know how his name should be pronounced. Thanks for your time!
____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________
NEW WORLD ZEO
Pain shot throughout his body like a hail of bullets. Gritting his teeth, Kai ignored the throbbing stabs and sat up. The ground beneath him was coarse and pale. He let it run through his fingers - sand. To his left, to his right, as far as the eye could see, the granular soil surrounded him.
Looking skyward, a lavender moon hung overhead, shining down upon him, giving his skin and the sand around him a bluish glow. Strange stars sparkle around it, swirling in bands of purple, blue, and green - all of the palest colors against the velvet black sky.
Utterly confused, Kai searched for where he had emerged in this bizarre world. He found no sign of the well. He began to walk along the sand dunes, soaking in everything that was around him. An alien creature bounded out from behind a mangled cactus, its neon colors making it stand out among the pallor of the land. The sand, licked up by the wind, appeared to sway in the moonlight. The desert seemed to be endless. Tired, Kai plopped down and gazed up at the sky.
The ground began to quake beneath him. Fearing a tremor, he got up and readied himself. What happened was a far cry from an earthquake. Gnarled dark green plants writhed up from the ground, like zombies emerging from their graves. In their limbs struggled the bright alien creature, bellowing for its life. Kai watched in horror, as the plants squeezed harder and harder until the creature lay lifeless in their grip, much like a constricting snake. The creature disappeared into the bowels of the plant, never to be seen again. Once they had finished consuming it, their limbs ran over the sands then paused briefly. One slowly headed towards him and brushed against his pant leg. Kai kicked it off and it flinched. The plant began to come out of the ground at an even fastest rate than before. Seemingly fueled by fury, its appendages reached out after him. Reminded of what had happened to the creature and having no means of defense against the large mass of vegetation, he turned and ran, but something blocked his path.
The figure of a boy stood before him, silhouetted by the moon. His face was concealed by shadows yet his sea green eyes glowed in the dark of night. An angelic smile graced his lips.
Kai attempted to go around the boy but an unseen force stopped him. He returned to facing him and said, "Get out of my way."
The sea green eyes gazed over his shoulder and at the thrashing plants. "Is that what you're running from?" The boy's soft voice teased Kai's ears, subtly accusing him of being a coward.
Annoyed at this hidden accusation, Kai snarled. "Wouldn't you be?"
The boy shook his head and his eyes glowed brightly. An eerie cry pierced the night and the plants slowly recoiled into the sand from where they had so abruptly emerged.
Kai stepped back and asked, "What kind of freak are you?"
The boy chuckled. "I am not a freak, just," he searched for a word, "talented."
"'Talented'? Right." The phoenix scoffed and departed from the angel, who inquired, "Where are you going?"
"None of your business." Kai retorted, storming away hurriedly.
"It isn't safe to be out here at night." A tender voice called after him.
"Does it look like I care?"
"If you change your mind, you can come with me."
Kai whipped around to find the boy walking off towards the horizon. The wind blew at him from the boy's direction, carrying the scent of jasmine with it, whipping through Kai's clothes and hair with cold hands. Cursing himself, he followed behind the boy at a distance when suddenly he disappeared. The firebird flew over to the spot where the angel had last stood. Surprised, Kai jumped back as a hand popped out from nowhere and waved.
The boy's cherubic face emerged soon after with a grin. "Well, are you just going to keep standing on my doorstep or are you coming in?"
Speechless and stupefied, Kai racked his brain from something cruel to say, but nothing came out. The words were long forgotten as another loud cry echoed through the night, deafening this time. Kai covered his ears and shouted, "What is that?"
Giving no replying, the boy pulled Kai quickly inside, shutting the invisible door behind them. Before it shut completely, Kai caught a glimpse of a gnarled vine soaring up from the ground where he had just stood.
He rose from the wooden floor and realized its smoothness beneath his feet, very contrasting from the desert sands. Glancing about, he found himself in the front hall of a finely furnished home. Pictures were scattered about the walls, encased by golden frames of the highest value. An armchair lurked in a corner of a darkened room a few steps away in what looked to be a library. Dark burgundy drapes hung down from large stained glass windows, still as the air around him. The rooms were all sheathed in darkness and Kai felt an urge to flee. Suddenly, a single flame shone through, penetrating the gloom and half of the boy's face came into view.
"We're safe now. I'm glad you decided to come. You'd probably be dead by now if you hadn't." The candle illuminated Kai, who could feel the boy's eyes taking him in. "You're not from here, are you?"
"No." Kai stated simply.
The boy's smile grew and he bit his lip in excitement. Kai raised an eyebrow at this display, wondering what was wrong with the lad. He had already succeeded in disturbing him with those plants, but now, he was doing so on a whole new level.
"Oh, this is wonderful!" The youth exclaimed happily. Kai's skin prickled as one of the boy's hands touched him. He slapped the hand away and the candle fell to the floor.
Kai picked it up and held it out to the boy, whose bottom lip quivered and whose eyes brimmed with restrained tears. Suppressed sobs came from deep within the boy's throat.
"Take your dumb candle." Kai demanded and it was slowly taken away.
Driven to escape the boy's sobs, he walked to the other side of the room, but his sadness could still be clearly heard. Fed up with a small pang of guilt hammering his stone heart, he asked, "Why are you crying?"
"I just.I only.I.. I."
"Spit it out!"
The sobs deepened and Kai sighed. What an infant! He returned to the boy and knelt next to him. He lifted the boy's face to see hot tears coursing down his reddened cheeks. Kai let go of him and said, "I'll ask you again. Why are you crying?"
The boy sniffed and wiped his face with his sleeve. "I've just been here for so long without anyone to talk to. I was so happy to find somebody. I'm.I'm sorry." His weeping resumed long enough for Kai to head toward the door. A gasp came from the boy and Kai heard him scrambling to his feet. A damp hand grasped his arm and Kai jerked it off. The boy fell to his knees, palms together, pleading, "Please forgive me. I'll never to it again. I swear. Just don't leave. Please."
An inner battle raged within Kai as he regarded the boy's pitiful form. To stay or to go, which would he choose? He pulled open the drapes and saw the plants looming outside still. He yanked them close. Like I have a choice.
Seeming to sense his decision, the boy came over to him. His face beamed with happiness. "I know you'll enjoy your stay here. I most certainly will." The boy squealed into his hand and skipped merrily about the room, bursting with joy. In a singsong voice he sang, "I have company!"
Kai began to have second thoughts about staying. He could manage better with the plants than with this overly happy strange kid. He snuck towards the door, attempting to escape when the boy popped up in front of him.
"We weren't properly introduced. My name is Zeo."
"Kai."
"Pleased to meet you, Kai." Zeo extended his hand, which Kai stared at angrily. The boy instantly snatched it back. "So sorry. I forgot. Forgive me." The cheeriness in his voice departed and he dragged his feet back to where the candle rested on a stand. "Would you like something to eat? I can show you to the kitchen if you'd like since, you're probably going to be spending some time here."
Kai frowned. "No, thank you."
"Are you sure?"
"Very sure."
"Okay, then are you tired? I would think so. Would you like me to show you the rooms?"
Kai thought of this as an opportunity to get away from the boy. "Yah, sure."
He led him up a flight of spiraling stairs to the second floor of the large home. On either side are numerous doors and Zeo invited Kai to choose whichever one he wanted. "All except the one at the end of the hall. That's where I sleep."
Kai opened the first door and was choked by a strong cloud of dust. He coughed and the boy patted his back instinctively. Kai glared at Zeo and immediately the hand was removed. He entered the room and decided he was not curious enough to look elsewhere. "This is fine," he said, walking over to the bed.
"If you're not sure, there are twelve other rooms." Zeo came in and placed the candle on a nightstand by the bed. "The bathrooms at the top of the stairwell." He informed his guest and then bid him goodnight. "Sweet dreams." With that said, he left.
Strange kid. Kai mused, kicking off his shoes. 'Sweet dreams,' huh? Fat chance. More like disturbing nightmares. He lied down on the bed, staring up at the textured ceiling, praying Sleep never to come.