Komo-Doubutsu

ii. The Surrender

By: Midori Ushi Law

Immediately, Lipagron jumped up in fear as he saw a long, black snake with glowing eyes appear from the shadows. "Who are you?" the boy asked in a shaky voice. His body trembled in a mixture of fear and chill.

"My name isss Vibora. SSSo, you're looking for the Light Beassst?"

Lipagron slowly nodded.

Vibora smiled, "That sheep you sssaw isss not the Light Beassst. There wasss only one and he'sss dead. No human ever had the abilitiesss of the Light Beassst."

A giant, brown ox entered the cave behind Lipagron. With a deep voice, he said, "The snake is correct. The Light Beast is long-since dead. You came here in vain if you intend to find him and have his powers. However, if you accept me, then I'll happily give you my strength. I'm the same Doubutsu that granted your friend Buey his powers, and I'm willing to give you the same as well."

"I wasss going to offer him my abilitiesss, Bovid. SSStay out of thisss," warned Vibora, giving the giant ox an angry stare.

Lipagron watched as Bovid chuckled and said, "Oh ease up, Mr. Lisssp. I'm sure the boy has grown tired of listening to your speech impediment."

"Why you-!" Vibora yelled in his scratchy voice before being interrupted.

"I've made my decision," Lipagron said. "I'm going to accept the abilities of the Great Ox. Buey is my best friend and it would be cool to have the same powers as he does."

"What!" Vibora screamed.

"Then all you must do is raise both your hands as high as you can and say 'Ox Doubutsu, I desire to be granted your power!'" explained Bovid, ignoring Vibora's response.

Lipagron smiled, raised his weary hands, and said, "Ox Doubutsu, I desire to be granted your-"

"Wait!" yelled another voice. The small sheep ran into the cave.

Lipagron stopped speaking and looked down at the sheep that stood panting before his feet.

"What do you want?" Lipagron asked impatiently.

"Bovid the Great Ox and Vibora the Great Serpent are nothing compared to my father! They took the opportunity to try to convince you while you're still weak from your travel! Doesn't that show how pathetic they are?" exclaimed the sheep.

The ox growled and looked down at the sheep as well saying, "Little lamb, don't make me angry. If you speak low of me again, I'll crush you. I am more powerful than a dead Doubutsu."

The sheep ignored Bovid and continued speaking. "What I say is true. Accept me, the last Light Beast, and you'll need no other Doubutsu's abilities."

"But why?" Lipagron asked. "You said earlier that you had no abilities to give me."

"Plusss, there isss no one in thisss world who hasss shown proof that they have the powersss of that fairytale animal," added Vibora.

The ox nodded saying in his powerful voice, "Not even we have seen the Light Beast in person. The sheep doesn't even have proof that he's the son of such a creature."

"You don't need to convince me, Mr. Bovid. I'm still going to accept your power," Lipagron reassured.

The sheep yelled, "These two are the weak ones! They don't care about you nor any human. All they care about is having the largest number of people with their powers. See, they offer you their abilities, but I will offer you my life if you accept me!"

The ox let out a wild roar, "That's it, punk! I warned you to to speak low of me and my strength!" Bovid charged past Lipagron and rammed the frail sheep with his huge horns. Vibora quickly slithered away as the giant ox continued mauling and thrashing the lamb. After he was sure that the sheep was dead, he lifted it up in his horns and threw it off the mountainside.

The boy gasped in shock at Bovid's swift change in temperament. Bovid turned and looked at Lipagron with blood on his horns and hoofs. "Are you ready to be granted my ability?" he asked with a stern voice.

The child closed his eyes, shook his head and started to run deeper into the cave. It wasn't long before he felt the ox catch up to him and bash its head into his back. Lipagron fell face first onto the rocky, cave ground. It was dark and cold. There was nobody there to save him.

"Accept my abilities, boy! If you don't want to end up like that stupid sheep, you'll do as I say!" yelled Bovid.

There wasn't much Lipagron could think about. All there was before him was chilly, hard darkness and death breathing down his back unless he did as it said. The boy started to cry. Just a few days ago, he turned eight years old. The gifts he received that day meant nothing to him, because he wanted the greatest gift of all, the abilities of a Doubutsu. As his freezing teardrops ran down his nose, he slowly stood up, lifted his arms and said, "You are the Doubutsu of my best friend. You are the Doubutsu of his whole family and some of the strongest people of the world. Still, you are as weak as the sheep said! I desire to be granted the power of the Light Beast!"

Nothing happened. Anger raged through the giant ox's entire body. He lifted his horns and prepared to strike. "Too bad..."

Everything went black.

KOMO-DOUBUTSU