HOME | DD

Description
I've been casually working on at least trying to build up the introduction for "Zody & Leo." I have a few storyboard pages I haven't yet finished, and yesterday decided to start writing them out.

--

The full moon hung lazily in the sky one quiet Sunday night. All was still in the Ackerman household as fourteen-year-old Zody was immersed in their report for school the next day. They set their astronomy textbook aside, took their pen in their left hand, and...

They stared at their blank notebook and frowned. All the information Zody had read rattled around aimlessly in their mind like balls in a lottery spinner. They didn't know where to start!

Something clattered at the window, and Zody's eyes found orange fuzz at the glass. They stood from their desk and walked to the window, unlatching and lifting the pane. “Hi, Leo!” they chirped as the cat leapt in. He was a ginger tabby with striking azure eyes, and a curious mark on his right cheek. He had an indigo collar, but there was no address. The only thing on his tag was a symbol of the zodiac sign Leo, so that's what Zody had come to call him. He always seemed happy and well-cared for, and Zody enjoyed his company.

His head was lowered as he padded over to Zody, who leaned down to greet him. “What do you have there?” they asked, holding out their hand. Leo dropped a large, gold pendant into their palm. “Is that a medallion?” They turned it over, and their eyes widened. “And it has my initial!” they gasped in disbelief, tracing their eyes over the chiseled letter 'Z.' For a flashing second, it felt like fate, but they wondered where the cat had found it—or from whom it had been stolen. Tomorrow, I'll try to return it, they mentally noted, pulling out a mirror and modeling the medallion.

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw a blur of orange as Leo jumped back out the window. “Hey, where are you going?” Zody called, darting to the window after him. They watched Leo take off in the yard, then reluctantly looked back towards their bedroom door. I'll be right back, Mom, they thought, slipping through the window.

They crossed the backyard and into the next, struggling to catch up with the tabby. Zody followed him through the park, behind the library, and past the grocer. It had been a few blocks, and they could not figure out where Leo was headed. The path started feeling familiar, and then the campus came into sight. Why are we going to my school?

Leo ran onto the Eridanus High School grounds, crossing the field and diving into the brush behind the stadium. He seamlessly weaved his way through the bushes and disappeared, leaving Zody to grapple with the branches and thorns. When they finally emerged from the thicket and caught up to Leo, they found themself standing in the middle of a glistening glade. Ahead of them was a silvery pillar of light, seemingly emanating from the full moon itself. Zody gazed up, unable to find its beginning or its end. They felt a tingling sensation on their neck, and looked down to realize their medallion shared that same silver glow. Distracted and baffled by the medallion, Zody looked back to find the cat staring at them, tail twitching. When they locked eyes, Leo turned on his heels and vanished into the light.

“Leo, no!” Zody's heart leapt as they watched the cat disappear into who-knows-what. Panicked, they sprang after him, throwing themself into the mysterious beam without hesitation. A glittering aura enveloped them, the top of their skin prickled, and something just beyond them seemed to hum. Zody toppled through and landed face down with a thud. They laid sprawled on the ground, waiting for the vertigo to stop. When it finally did, they lifted their head to find a blurry orange figure staring down at them. “There you are!” they exclaimed as their vision cleared. Zody struggled to their feet and scooped Leo into their arms. “But where are we?”

It was then that they became aware of their surroundings. As the light shimmered and hummed behind them, the landscape before them was awash with a celestial glow. To the east there stood a thick, conifer forest; to the west, an open field with tall, bushy trees. Just ahead was a sparkling river bending slightly between the forests, and in the distance, an ashy, blue mountain range. Amethyst clouds passed in the sky, seeming to share a pulse with the beam of light behind them.

Suddenly, a gleaming blade was thrust in their face, knocking Zody off their feet as Leo jumped out of their arms. “Don't move,” said a stern voice. Zody followed the blade to its wielder, a stout woman clad in red and gold armor, with amber eyes and a square jaw. Her piercing gaze held Zody's as she lifted the blade menacingly. Just then, the orange tabby bounded forth, placing himself between the warrior and Zody. A puzzled scowl crossed her face, until her eyes widened with a gasp. “The Leo!” Immediately, she fell to a knee and staked her sword in the ground in a salute before Leo. Zody took advantage of the moment and scrambled to their feet. “Who are you?” they asked cautiously, switching between the warrior before them and the pillar of light behind. “And what is this place?” They turned their back on the warrior to study the light.

“A better question is, who are you and how did you get here?” spat the warrior.

“I don't know,” the teenager replied, reaching towards the beam of moonlight. “I was chasing Leo and fell through the...” They trailed off, unable to describe the wisps of light that lapped at their hand.

“The portal,” the warrior offered with exasperation in her voice. “How did you know about it? Why are you here?”

Zody whipped around to face her. “I didn't know anything about this!” they yelped defensively. “I was just afraid of Leo getting hurt.”

Something flickered across the warrior's face, and she stepped back and sheathed her sword. She lifted off her ram-horned helm and held it at her hip. “My name is Agnesh, and I'm the defender of this portal.”

“I'm Zody,” they replied with a shrug, “and I'm just a freshman.”

“A what?” Agnesh asked.

Zody chuckled awkwardly and said, “Never mind. So, how do you know Leo?”

Agnesh cocked her head, seemingly amused at their question. “How can I not? He's the king of the stars.”

“He what?” Zody almost choked, throwing their hand out to gesture towards the humble tabby currently grooming himself beside them. “Him?!”

Description
I've been casually working on at least trying to build up the introduction for "Zody & Leo." I have a few storyboard pages I haven't yet finished, and yesterday decided to start writing them out.

--

The full moon hung lazily in the sky one quiet Sunday night. All was still in the Ackerman household as fourteen-year-old Zody was immersed in their report for school the next day. They set their astronomy textbook aside, took their pen in their left hand, and...

They stared at their blank notebook and frowned. All the information Zody had read rattled around aimlessly in their mind like balls in a lottery spinner. They didn't know where to start!

Something clattered at the window, and Zody's eyes found orange fuzz at the glass. They stood from their desk and walked to the window, unlatching and lifting the pane. “Hi, Leo!” they chirped as the cat leapt in. He was a ginger tabby with striking azure eyes, and a curious mark on his right cheek. He had an indigo collar, but there was no address. The only thing on his tag was a symbol of the zodiac sign Leo, so that's what Zody had come to call him. He always seemed happy and well-cared for, and Zody enjoyed his company.

His head was lowered as he padded over to Zody, who leaned down to greet him. “What do you have there?” they asked, holding out their hand. Leo dropped a large, gold pendant into their palm. “Is that a medallion?” They turned it over, and their eyes widened. “And it has my initial!” they gasped in disbelief, tracing their eyes over the chiseled letter 'Z.' For a flashing second, it felt like fate, but they wondered where the cat had found it—or from whom it had been stolen. Tomorrow, I'll try to return it, they mentally noted, pulling out a mirror and modeling the medallion.

Out of the corner of their eye, they saw a blur of orange as Leo jumped back out the window. “Hey, where are you going?” Zody called, darting to the window after him. They watched Leo take off in the yard, then reluctantly looked back towards their bedroom door. I'll be right back, Mom, they thought, slipping through the window.

They crossed the backyard and into the next, struggling to catch up with the tabby. Zody followed him through the park, behind the library, and past the grocer. It had been a few blocks, and they could not figure out where Leo was headed. The path started feeling familiar, and then the campus came into sight. Why are we going to my school?

Leo ran onto the Eridanus High School grounds, crossing the field and diving into the brush behind the stadium. He seamlessly weaved his way through the bushes and disappeared, leaving Zody to grapple with the branches and thorns. When they finally emerged from the thicket and caught up to Leo, they found themself standing in the middle of a glistening glade. Ahead of them was a silvery pillar of light, seemingly emanating from the full moon itself. Zody gazed up, unable to find its beginning or its end. They felt a tingling sensation on their neck, and looked down to realize their medallion shared that same silver glow. Distracted and baffled by the medallion, Zody looked back to find the cat staring at them, tail twitching. When they locked eyes, Leo turned on his heels and vanished into the light.

“Leo, no!” Zody's heart leapt as they watched the cat disappear into who-knows-what. Panicked, they sprang after him, throwing themself into the mysterious beam without hesitation. A glittering aura enveloped them, the top of their skin prickled, and something just beyond them seemed to hum. Zody toppled through and landed face down with a thud. They laid sprawled on the ground, waiting for the vertigo to stop. When it finally did, they lifted their head to find a blurry orange figure staring down at them. “There you are!” they exclaimed as their vision cleared. Zody struggled to their feet and scooped Leo into their arms. “But where are we?”

It was then that they became aware of their surroundings. As the light shimmered and hummed behind them, the landscape before them was awash with a celestial glow. To the east there stood a thick, conifer forest; to the west, an open field with tall, bushy trees. Just ahead was a sparkling river bending slightly between the forests, and in the distance, an ashy, blue mountain range. Amethyst clouds passed in the sky, seeming to share a pulse with the beam of light behind them.

Suddenly, a gleaming blade was thrust in their face, knocking Zody off their feet as Leo jumped out of their arms. “Don't move,” said a stern voice. Zody followed the blade to its wielder, a stout woman clad in red and gold armor, with amber eyes and a square jaw. Her piercing gaze held Zody's as she lifted the blade menacingly. Just then, the orange tabby bounded forth, placing himself between the warrior and Zody. A puzzled scowl crossed her face, until her eyes widened with a gasp. “The Leo!” Immediately, she fell to a knee and staked her sword in the ground in a salute before Leo. Zody took advantage of the moment and scrambled to their feet. “Who are you?” they asked cautiously, switching between the warrior before them and the pillar of light behind. “And what is this place?” They turned their back on the warrior to study the light.

“A better question is, who are you and how did you get here?” spat the warrior.

“I don't know,” the teenager replied, reaching towards the beam of moonlight. “I was chasing Leo and fell through the...” They trailed off, unable to describe the wisps of light that lapped at their hand.

“The portal,” the warrior offered with exasperation in her voice. “How did you know about it? Why are you here?”

Zody whipped around to face her. “I didn't know anything about this!” they yelped defensively. “I was just afraid of Leo getting hurt.”

Something flickered across the warrior's face, and she stepped back and sheathed her sword. She lifted off her ram-horned helm and held it at her hip. “My name is Agnesh, and I'm the defender of this portal.”

“I'm Zody,” they replied with a shrug, “and I'm just a freshman.”

“A what?” Agnesh asked.

Zody chuckled awkwardly and said, “Never mind. So, how do you know Leo?”

Agnesh cocked her head, seemingly amused at their question. “How can I not? He's the king of the stars.”

“He what?” Zody almost choked, throwing their hand out to gesture towards the humble tabby currently grooming himself beside them. “Him?!”