Komo-Doubutsu

Chapter 9: Pale Green - Part 1

By: Midori Ushi Law

-Seven Years Earlier-

"Tag! You're it!"

"Hey! Wait up, Buey!"

Two boys ran up a hill at the playground. The enormous, orange sun began to set, painting warm, pastel colors across the sky.

The taller child outran the little one. "Wait up!" the smaller one shouted again while laughing.

The taller child looked back at his friend with a huge smile on his face. "I'm the fastest in the worl-" He ran full-speed into a man in a dark suit and fell on his back. He looked up and recognized the person. "Hi, Grandpa!" he yelled with a huge grin.

The man extended his hand and helped the boy up. He did not return the smile his grandson gave him. "What are you doing out here? I told you I was picking you up early today," he said in a deep voice.

The smaller child caught up to the two and immediately bent over with his hands on his knees. He panted as he stared at the grass with a smile. "Wow, you're fast, Buey!" he said happily.

The taller child glanced back at his friend and replied, "I know! I'm the fastest in the world! I'm Lightning!"

"I guess I'm Thunder, then."

The two boys laughed.

The smaller boy was still trying to catch his breath. The taller boy hadn't broken a sweat at all. The man in the suit noticed their differences. That's when he said, "Buey." The boy returned his attention to his grandfather. "Today, I am making you my apprentice. You will learn how to get the powers of the Great Ox."

Buey's eyes widened with a bigger smile on his face. "Really? That's too awesome! I can't wait!" He jumped into the air in excitement. "Now I really will be the fastest in the world!"

"Wow, Buey! I wish I can get powers!" the smaller boy exclaimed. "But if you're the fastest in the world, what will that make me?"

"Buey," the man said.

Ignoring his grandfather, Buey said, "It's obvious! You're the strongest in the world!"

"Buey!" the man sharply shouted.

Both boys quieted down. The smaller boy was still learning over in fatigue.

"From now on, you will not associate with this trash. Look at him. He's still out of breath from running up a hill. Even without Doubutsu powers, you're faster and stronger than any child your age."

"But grandpa!"

"He is weak! If you keep friends, who are weak, you will become weak. If you stay around the strong, you will become strong. Don't ever call someone without powers the strongest in the world! They are always trash! Do you hear me!"

Buey looked down at the grass and kicked some dirt off his sneaker. "Yes, grandpa."

"Now let's go. We have a lot of training to do," the man said as he started to walk down the hill. The taller boy followed closely behind his grandfather.

Tears streamed down the smaller boy's face from what the man said about him. He took one last glance at his friend, then, he glared at the man.

6 months later, the small boy was climbing a mountain.

"It will all be worth it, soon. I'll become the strongest in the world, once I see him," said the fatigued small boy as he scaled the steep, rocky edge of the mountain deep in the wilderness. "I will be the strongest in the world," he repeated softly to himself. His tan, dirty backpack was almost out of food and his canister was low on water. It was the third day of his journey, and his body was too worn out to continue the climb up the incline.