19 Chapter 18 : A spark

The next day, 9 AM, Kipo and Zet were training near the lake.

Zet : faster faster.

Kipo was jumping around on the trees as fast as she can.

Zet : come on move Kipo.

Kipo jumped in the water, she then got out.

Zet : 40 seconds.

Kipo : oh come on....this is slower than my last one.

Zet : that's right.....your previous was 36 seconds.

Kipo : this is harder than it looks you know.

Zet : I know.....this is why I can now finish it in 20 seconds.

Kipo : but you can fly.

Zet : I did the same thing as you...I won't always be able to fly.....no matter how much power you have...never count on it...your physical ability as a human must be always sharp.

Sarah then came to see them.

Sarah : look at that.....you used to hate sports.

Kipo was heavily breathing.

Zet : take a break.....you got 15 minutes.

Kipo : so much for a break.

Zet : I was thinking of making 5 minutes at first.....don't make me change my mind.

Kipo : alright alright.....I will go grab an apple.

Kipo left.

Sarah : don't you think you're pushing her more than she can take ?

Zet : this is what I'm trying to do.....If her emotions allow her to discover her potential....then I have to push them out of her.

Sarah : anger ?

Zet : no.....feeling hopeless.

It has been 20 minutes, Kipo just came back, Zet was not looking happy about it, and Sarah left to survey the mutant's territories.

Zet : you're late.

Kipo : it was only five minutes.....relax.

Zet : do it again and I will Zap while you're asleep.....now back to where we were....you got 36 seconds as your record.....do 30 seconds and you will pass.....for now.

Kipo : sure.

Kipo then took a position to start.

Zet : and...go.

She jumped from one tree to another very fast, she was supposed to run and climb then jump on 7 trees that surround the lake, then take a huge distanced jump from the last tree and land in the water.

Kipo again landed in the water.

Kipo : this has to be faster.

Zet : that's right...It's your new record.

Kipo : yeah !....all I needed was just recharge from that ap...

Zet : It's 35 seconds.

Kipo then stopped smiling and sighed.

Zet : again....you're not going anywhere until you finish this in 30 seconds.

Kipo didn't reply and was prepared to go again.

Zet : set...go.

Kipo then went again, Zet noticed the angry look on in her face, she was really getting tired from this training.

Kipo has finished.

Zet : again.

Kipo then didn't even stop to catch her breath, she prepared herself to go again.

Zet : go.

Kipo she took off again, this time she was sweating a lot, Zet can see how tired she is.

Kipo finished again.

Zet : 32.....making progress....good.

Kipo was heavily breathing, she couldn't talk.

Zet : you have 20 seconds to start again.

Kipo took her time to rest for a bit, she then took her stand again.

Zet : go.

Kipo ran fast at the tree, she bumped into it before starting to climb up, Zet noticed, she's beginning to break.

She finished again.

Zet : 36 seconds....again.

Kipo : that's it.....I want to see you do it in less than 30 seconds.

Zet then smiled.

Zet : are you sure.....because If I do it.....you will have to break 28 instead of 30.

Kipo : fine !....you get 3 tries.

Zet : just count when you're ready.

Kipo : ready.....set....go.

Zet then started to run, when he reached the trees, he did not climb them, he walked on them, he was fast enough that gravity did not catch up with him, after he reached the last tree he bounced off of it and aimed to land in the water, before he touched the water, he flew above it, and landed right in front of Kipo.

Kipo was shocked, her mouth was wide open.

Zet noticed.

Zet : I can tell by your look that I did less than 30 seconds.

Kipo : you finished in 22 seconds...how ?!

Zet : multiple reasons...one....I did this training for 2 years.....I used to make it in like a full minute....and two because hyper speed is one of the lightning wonderkid's abilities.....I'm the fastest wonderkid among all of us.

Kipo : this is very unfair for me.

Zet : this is why I told you to hit 30 seconds instead of 25.

Kipo : but you didn't tell me.

Zet : a lesson you mustn't forget Kipo.....your teacher is your own potential....but only If you are willing to listen to him.....now....are you ready for more ?

Kipo then sighed and took her stand again.

Zet : set....go.

Kipo then ran fast, she tried to follow Zet's technique, Zet noticed what she was trying to do.

She finished.

Zet : good job making good use of your observation.....you got 30 seconds.

Kipo : does this mean I'm done ?

Zet : no.....you put yourself into making it to 28 seconds.

Kipo then started to get angry.

Zet : but....you showed that you are capable to make fast progress.....you earned yourself a break, take 45 minutes this time.

Kipo : that's a lot of time.....thanks.

Kipo then let herself fall on the ground and closed her eyes.

Zet : I'll be back....don't sleep.

Zet then left while Sarah just came to see them again.

Sarah : so what happened.....did you pass ?

Kipo : I made a dumb mistake.....I challenged him to make it faster than what he asked me to hit.

Sarah : you challenged Zet in a pace training ?...that is pretty stupid of you.

Kipo : I did hit 30 seconds.....now I have to make it to 28....he rewarded me with a 45 minutes rest.

Sarah : you know he's being this way for you right ?

Kipo : what do you mean ?

Sarah : being very harsh on you....he wants you to be good enough to be a hero others can count on.

Kipo : making me breathe that heavy I was going to pass out ?.....yeah right.

Sarah : no one knows Zet as much as I do....believe me when I say he really cares about you.

Kipo : how do you know ?

Sarah : he hugged you Kipo.....Zet....never.....hugs.....my jaw dropped when he did that....he never cared about something or someone that much.....you are way too important for him.

Kipo : so you are saying I'm the first one he ever hugs ?

Sarah : he never hugged....kissed.....or even cared about anyone....but you.

Kipo then looked up at the sky, she was very curious about Zet's life.

Sarah : my break is over.....I need to leave...later.

Kipo : bye.

Kipo in her mind : what happened in his life that he never told anyone.....what is this guy's past ?

After a while, Zet came back, he found Kipo sleeping on the ground, he was thinking about grabbing her leg and zapping her for not listening to his orders, but then he decided to leave her sleep.

Zet then climbed on one of the trees and started looking out for Kipo while she is sleeping, he decided to listen to music and wait for her to wake up.

An hour has passed, Kipo just woke up, she remembered that Zet told her to not sleep, she immediately got up and looked around her, she luckily didn't find anyone, she sighed with relief.

Zet then saw her, he threw an apple on her.

The apple hit her directly in the head.

Kipo : ouch !

Zet : up here.

Kipo saw him.

Kipo in her mind : oh no.

Kipo then climbed the tree and sat on its branch next to Zet.

Zet : you slept....I told you to not.

Kipo : how long have you been here.

Zet : I have nothing else to do but to protect you when you are asleep in the middle of the woods looking like a dead body.....I didn't want you to sleep because you are in the woods.

Kipo : it's not because I won't wake up early tomorrow ?

Zet : you're a wolf Kipo.....our day is your night...and our night is your day.

Kipo : can I ask you a question ?

Zet : hm ?

Kipo : have you ever kissed....hugged or cared about someone ?

Zet then smiled.

Zet : no...I don't do emotions.

Kipo : but...why ?

Zet : nothing I would like to answer...what is the point of these irrelevant questions ?

Kipo : but you hugged me.

Zet : I only did because you deserved it....and I guess because I was in the moment.

Kipo : but that's what's so good about being loved or loving someone....you get to live in the moment the whole time.

Zet : ok....what is the reason for all of this ?

Kipo : I want to know why you hugged me.

Zet : I already told you....you saved me...I was grateful...end of the story.

Kipo then got closer and closer to Zet.

Kipo : are you sure you're not lying ?

Zet : what are you doing ?.....

Kipo then got too close for Zet's comfort.

Kipo : I think I know the truth.

Zet was starting to lose his nerve, he was not liking what's happening.

Kipo then put her hand on his.

Zet got nervous.

Zet : ok stop !.....you want the truth ?.....fine.....you are the first living being to ever do me things with nothing in return....you are the only person who cared about me....you trusted me when you didn't even know me yet.....what I'm trying to say is...I like you....and I would do a lot for you.

Kipo then leaned on Zet and put her lips on his, Zet's eyes widened, he was not expecting this, but he felt like he couldn't fight it, he let it happen, he let Kipo kiss him.

Kipo : well...I like you too.

Zet then didn't speak a word, he jumped off the tree and ran away as fast as he could.

Kipo was confused, why did he leave her, what is he afraid of ?

Kipo then decided to go back to the tint and see Sarah.

Sarah was in the tint drawing multiple different maps.

Sarah : oh hey Kipo...I'm busy.....I can't talk right now.

Kipo did not say anything and went to sleep in her sleeping bag.

Sarah in her mind : ok ?.....whatever.

Kipo was afraid of what she did, what if he never comes back, what if he ran away forever.

It's 10 PM, Kipo woke up and looked around her, she saw Sarah sleeping, but no sign of Zet, she decided to get up and continue her training and complete it in less than 30 seconds.

She headed back to the lake and started running at the trees and jumping around, she never stopped thinking about Zet and what happened, she was not sure if Zet will ever come back, she was scared, did she make the wrong move, was she the mistake ?

Zet came back and saw Kipo, he decided to look at her from the trees, where she can't see him, he looked at her doing her training again and again, he saw the passion and the determination in her eyes, he was counting the seconds for her, waiting for her to finish.

30 minutes have passed, Kipo then sat on the ground and started crying, tears were falling, Zet was looking at her, she was desperate, he decided to help her.

He started to run in a circle through the trees and started to shoot shock shots at Kipo.

Kipo got hit.

Kipo : what the hell was that !....who is here ?

Zet didn't say a word and kept shooting.

Kipo : stop !...whoever you are....stop !

Zet : dodge.

Kipo heard that voice, she knew who it was, she was happy for hearing his voice.

Kipo : Zet ?

Zet kept shooting, Kipo understood what she has to do, she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and started moving around, she started to dodge the shots left and right, Zet didn't stop, he made it harder for her and increased his fire rate, but she was still dodging.

2 minutes have passed, Zet stopped, he knew that she is capable of dodging using only her senses.

Zet then came out of the shadows, Kipo rushed to him and hugged him, he didn't hug her back, he just was standing still waiting for her to finish.

Zet : you discovered a new ability.

Kipo : huh ?

Zet : you can now sense things without seeing....hearing or smelling them.....this is your predator sense.

Kipo didn't say anything for moments.

Kipo : I'm glad you're back....I thought you left for good.

Zet : tomorrow we will go somewhere....I want to show you something.

Kipo : um....ok ?

Zet : you finished it in 29.

He then gave her a blindfold.

Zet : try it now.

Kipo then took the blindfold and put it on her eyes and did it again, she finished it in 25 seconds, she realized that she did.

Kipo : oh my god !.....I finished it in 25 !!

Kipo took off the blindfold, looked around her, she didn't find Zet, he was already gone.

Kipo went looking for him in the tint, he was not there, she was confused again, but at least now she knows that he will never leave her and Sarah and run away without coming back, she was relieved.