Split Souls (an OK K.O. fanfiction)

Chapter 1

Hi, everybody! So, I've been working on this story for a few months now, (since, like, November) and I've finally finished my first OK KO story! Yay! I'll probably post one chapter every couple days.  Please enjoy!

K.O. tossed and turned in his sleep during a nightmare.

He was in the blank, desolate landscape which he recognized as his mind. Nearby, he could faintly hear a growling noise. "Hello?" he called. There was no reply except for a loud echo. K.O. moved closer to the noise. As he neared, he could see a cage with a hunched figure inside.

Suddenly K.O. stopped. He recognized this cage, and the figure inside. But it was too late. The figure suddenly noticed K.O. and turned to glare at him. "You!" he spat.

"T-T.K.O.!" K.O. yelped. T.K.O. was his dark alter-ego, the manifestation of K.O.'s negative emotions. He was very powerful—and scary.

T.K.O. pressed against the side of the cage, frantically trying to reach K.O. in a blind rage, growling and shouting. "Ugh, if I wasn't stuck in this cage, I'd beat your head in!" he threatened. T.K.O. yelled and thrashed against the cage. It was tightly locked, of course. But it still scared K.O. He backed away. "Get back here!" T.K.O. shrieked, pounding harder against the cage. K.O. still backed away.

It's okay, he told himself. This is just a dream, right?

T.K.O. stopped for a moment, then smiled evilly. "Oh, you're wrong, K.O," he growled. Could he read K.O.'s thoughts? "Believe me, this is very real. And I'll be out of this cage real soon. And when I do, believe me, that'll be a day you regret!"

* * *

K.O. awoke with a start. He was sweating, and his heart was pounding. He pressed his hand to his head. What a weird dream. But it wasn't a dream, K.O. thought. It was a warning. K.O. looked at the clock on the wall. It was about 11:00 pm. K.O. stared at the ceiling. He was still disturbed by his dream. Around 11:30, K.O. tucked his head under the covers, trying to fall asleep. He lost track of time, but hours later, he heard, "K.O.! Dendy's here!" K.O. sleepily climbed out of bed and called, "Coming, Mom!" He put on his vest and rushed out of bedroom and into the living room. Dendy was by the door with K.O.'s mom, Carol. "Hi, Dendy!" he greeted her.

"Hello, K.O." She studied him closely. "Are you okay? You look tired."

"I'm fine," he assured her, but she still didn't look convinced. He changed the subject. "Wanna go down to the bodega?"

"Sure," Dendy replied.

"Great!" K.O. hugged his mom goodbye. "Have fun, Peanut!" she called. K.O. and Dendy walked down the street on the way to Gar's Bodega. Although on the way, K.O. couldn't stop yawning, and Dendy noticed it.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Dendy asked.

"Yeah, of course I'm..." K.O. paused foolishly to yawn, "...I'm fine." Dendy looked at him carefully. "Okay, you got me. I didn't get much sleep last night."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I had a weird dream," he told her.

"About what?" Dendy asked.

"Um...T.K.O.," he mumbled. And he told Dendy all about the dream and T.K.O.'s threat.

"Hm, how odd," Dendy murmured.

"No kidding, and T.K.O. seemed...angrier than normal," K.O. added.

"Very strange..." Dendy thought aloud. "I'll be back! I'll meet you at the bodega!" she called as she ran off.

"Okay?" K.O. stared after her for a moment, then continued walking to work.