Shade

Shade
Kes / Meta / Kirby

"Kes…."

The sound of Meta’s concerned voice couldn’t help but put a smile on her face. Tired eyes cast a glance his way, and she tried her best to sit up for him.

“Meta, I’m fine.” She spoke only for a moment before resting her head on the icy covered grass once more. She didn’t say anything after that, and Meta started to get nervous.

“How about I take you to the doctor. They’ll be able to help. Or how about-“

“I’m not sick, Meta.” She again looked his way, but barely able to reply without tiring out. She didn't speak much as she was trying to conserve her energy. “You know that.”

One of the things Kes disliked most after moving to Pop Star is getting used to the climate. Her home in South Nova is an icy tundra. Pop Star does not have the luxury of daily snowfall and constant blizzards. In fact, Pop Star snows for only a month or so here. It’s been hard adapting when the warmer days rolls in, and it leaves Kes in a state of misery. She’s been trying her hardest to get used to it- some days are good, while others are the complete opposite.

Kes tries to ween herself from the cold little by little each day. She makes little patches of ice below to help her stay cool while she’s resting outside, and does not replenish it. Unfortunately, it can cause her to fall very weak at times once the ice fully melts away. A Frozen Leo is simply not meant to be in out of their frozen natural habitat, and it’ll be a very difficult journey for one to fully adapt to their surroundings.

Meta knew this, and he knows how frail she can become from it. It pains him to see her struggling from something as simple as being outside. But he also knows how determined she is to do it. It still doesn’t change the fact that he worries about her.

Eventually, Meta left the Leo for a few moments, and returned with a rather large leaf with an equally large stalk. He held it high above her to provide the Leo with minimal shade. Kes took notice, and spoke.

“Meta, you don’t need to do that.”

“You don’t need to always stay out in the sun, Kes. Everyone needs shade to stay cool. Besides, I’m not letting you do this alone.” He continued to hold the leaf above her. “It’s the least I can do….y’know…for staying here on Pop Star for him.”

“Love makes us do crazy things.” She murmured, a smile adorning her face when she heard several babbles calling her from afar. Kirby toddled to the pair, holding out a small leave and mimicked Meta.

“Ma ma ma ma~” Kirby smiled back at the elder Leo. He held the leaf high above his head and tried to cover Kes with it. Only a small portion of her arm was shaded, but that didn’t stop Kes from complimenting him.

“Thank you, Kirby. I’m feeling so much better now.” She slowly spoke. Closing her eyes, she felt comfortable enough to finally take a small rest. She knew she’d be in good hands. “And you too, Meta. Thank you for staying out here with me.” Her voice started to get softer and softer before she finally fell asleep.

“Yeah, well…” His voice, equally soft as well. “Love makes us do crazy things…"

-The End-

Artist Comment:

May 27, 2020

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It's a very difficult process for a Frozen Leo to adapt to warmer temperatures. After Kes moved to Pop Star, she had a hard time adjusting. I mentioned above that some days can be good, but some absolutely terrible. Kes struggled a lot, but she refused to leave for the sake of Kirby. The child saw her as a parental figure, and if she left all of a sudden, Kirby would be heartbroken. Even if it pained her, she continued to do this until she was somewhat comfortable living there. She'll never fully adjusted as Ice Leo's need to maintain a certain temperature, but she's able to manage.