Black Dawn: Part 6

Dogs of War

With King Yama disappeared to who knows where, and many lost soles wondering about the check in station, it was a wonder that Dende had been able to gather any Earth soles at all. As it was, he had found only a dozen or so, and they were all bound for HFIL. He wasn't looking forward to going down there, especially since he suspected Sugakoo would be waiting, but he had to do his duty, even if it meant risking his life.

"This way everyone!" he called to the babbling clouds following him.  Yama had obviously left in a hurry. Papers were piled haphazardly about on his desk, and the giant book in which all the soles who had ever checked into Otherworld were listed was lying open at page 785574560358423735. The ogre had been in the middle of writing in a name when he had left. There was an S, then a U, then a blurred character he couldn't make out. The pen had been dropped on the floor, and the demon king's chair had been toppled. He closed the book, marking the page with the oversized pen he had picked up. No-one but King Yama and his workers were aloud to see the Book of the Dead, and he felt rather guilty at having taken a look, even though he was guardian of the Earth. He walked on, the confused soles trailing behind him, until he found the gateway into HFIL. He pulled away the rusty chain, and pushed open the giant gate slowly. It took all his effort just to move it, since he was nowhere near as strong a fighter as Yama had been. Finally, the gateway was open, and he led the soles through. They hung back, staring at the unattractive gate, and the endless steps ahead of them. Dende had expected this. It was going to be difficult to convince them to go down there. "Come on!" he yelled, "You can't stay here!"

"Why?" inquired one of the clouds, "it looks more dangerous down there to me!"

"Because that's where you belong! If you don't go down there you might be erased forever!" This wasn't true, of course, but he had to do something to make them move along. If they found a way back out onto the lookout and down to Earth, they might cause endless trouble for the people still alive. "You'll at least have somewhere to stay for now!"

Grudgingly the clouds followed him through the gates and down the steps. For what seemed like hours Dende walked on, the soles floating behind him, and still the steps kept going down, with no sight of the bottom of them. The clouds were beginning to grow agitated. "When do they stop?" one asked. Dende almost groaned aloud. He was thinking exactly the same thing, only he had to walk down the steps. The soles never grew tired. They were just bored. He couldn't relieve his aching legs by flying, because it was banned on the Walk of Shame, as Grand Kai called it. "Otherwise it would be the Flight of shame, and that just wouldn't fit!" he had said. Dende wasn't aware of this brilliant piece of logic, so now he wished he could make Grand Kai walk these steps himself, and see what torment he put the stray Nameck who had to lead a few ghosts down there every few thousand years through. "Not too much further now!" he cried hopefully. Then at last, he saw a bright flame rising from the depths of Otherworld. "Look! We're nearly there!" The soles all cheered, and Dende prepared to walk all the way back again…

***

Goten was barely managing to hold back the Rhyontou trying to bight into his throat. The wolf was heavy, and much stronger than he'd expected, so that he had to use all his strength just to hold the beasts head up. If he could just get out from under it, he might be able to use a Kamehameha to slow it down a bit, but it had its front paws on his shoulders, and he couldn't shake them off. He had already tried using his feet and knees to injure the giant animal, but no matter what he did, it just wouldn't stop! From what he could hear, it seemed like Trunks was having a similar problem, and that was distracting him as well. He was stuck between the ice and the wolf's paws, with nowhere to go. No! Wait! Maybe, if he could find another way to keep the wolf's head away from his throat, he would have his hands back, along with a way to escape! Frantically, he pulled his knees to him, and slammed them into the Rhyontou's throat. The creature gave a throaty roar of surprise and anger, as Goten placed his palms on the ice on either side of him, and poured energy into it.

The results were immediate, and very satisfying. What had a few seconds ago been solid ice suddenly became warm water, allowing Goten to easily slip out from under the Rhyontou. He leapt out of the water, and quickly called up the power of a super Saiyan. The Rhyontou hadn't surfaced yet, so he decided to help Trunks. He ran over to where the other fight was occurring, and readied himself to attack. "Ka!" The Rhyontou on top of Trunks turned its head, but seeing what Goten was doing, he returned to trying to subdue the purple-haired prince. "Me!" Trunks heard Goten readying his attack, and his face broke into a smile. Then he remembered what had happened to his burning attack, and saw the beast ignore Goten completely. "Ha!"

"Goten! It won't work!" Trunks yelled, "I think these things can somehow resist our energy waves!"

Goten stopped powering up his attack in surprise. To test Trunks's theory, he released his Kamehameha prematurely, and just as Trunks had expected, it dissipated almost as soon as it touched the creature's fir. "How are we supposed to fight it if we can't use our energy?" Goten asked.

"Help me Goten!" Trunks rasped. Seeing that his friend was in danger, Goten rushed to help, lifting the Rhyontou of his friend. Trunks stood up, transforming into a Super Saiyan, and immediately stepping into a fighting pose. The other Rhyontou had gotten out of the water now, and suddenly attacked Trunks from behind, but the Super Saiyan leapt up into the air, and the monster's attack missed completely. Goten and the other Rhyontou were wrestling not far off, and Goten was now winning, so the wet k9 decided to join his friend. Trunks was there to stop him with a kick between the eyes, but even when Trunks's foot hit, the Rhyontou still kept charging, pushing the child off balance. He pin-wheeled his arms desperately, trying to keep himself upright, but it was no use. His bear foot slipped on the ice, and he fell backwards, with a jolt, as his back hit the cold ground. The Rhyontou tried to pin Trunks down again, but he rolled out from under the giant dog before it could catch him. He leapt into the air, flew over to where Goten was fighting the other wolf and grabbed hold of its head. While holding the second Rhyontou by the scruff of the neck, he stopped the first with the jab of an elbow in its neck. It choked and gasped for air, as Trunks pulled it down next to its friend. "Looks like this battles over already," he scoffed, "I didn't think you'd last long against two Super Saiyans." Goten smiled, putting one foot on the back of each dog. "We are victorious!" he yelled. Trunks stood up, dusting the dog hair off his boxers. "Now! Where is the Book of Sugakoo?"

Author's Note: I know this part is a bit shorter than usual, but that's because I only wanted to finish the Battle on Rhyontou. The next 2 parts will probably be extra long, because I have a lot I want to happen in them. Congratulations to Dargon Sheinto for being my first reviewer!