The War for the Dragon

Family

How did she know I like my broccoli uncooked?

"Thank you so much, Tanaka. Please get a good rest soon. Goodnight!"

"As you wish, Master Ryuu," Tanaka says as she smiles and disappears. I pick up the leonberger and place him/her on my bed while I close the door and plug the nightlights into outlets on adjacent walls. I sigh and sit on my bed with my dinner tray on my lap and a puppy the size of an adult cat attacking my face with kisses. I smile and kiss his/her forehead. After eating and setting the tray outside my door, I check his/her gender to find out that she's my little girl.

Masako? Amaterasu? Akira? Katsumi? Katsumi.

"Your name is Katsumi. Such a fitting name, is it not?" Katsumi lets out a little bark, seemingly excited. She starts licking my face and yawns. "Yeah, me too."

I lay out one bowl of water and one of puppy chow before placing puppy pads all around the room. I throw myself on my bed and under covers. I roll around until completely comfortable.

Thank you, Tanaka. Thank you, Kaito... Thank you...

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🔊🔊BEEP-BEEP ALL AWAKEN. HEAD TO THE TRAINING ROOM IMMEDIATELY FOR REGULAR SCHEDULED LESSONS. BEEP-BEEP🔊🔊

I jump out of bed due to the sudden loud noise. Katsumi yawns and stretches, but then runs to the door and starts barking.

"Aniki, it is time for training to start. I will guide you there so put on comfortable clothes," Kanashimi says as she knocks on my door. Katsumi continues barking and howling as I put on a green tank top and black cargo shorts that end at my knee. I shove puppy pads in my pockets. I slip on comfortable, lightweight flats and head out the door with Katsumi at my ankle, yipping with excitement. Kanashimi leads the way, smiling at Katsumi.

Katsumi is lifted into the air by Haruka, as he appears next to the walking Kanashimi and smiles. Katsumi licks his face and nips his chin, whining with excitement. She licks his lips and he nods, as if understanding something no one but Katsumi does.

"Happy birthday, Haruka," I say, smiling at him. His eyes widen but he nods at me with respect.

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"We're here, the Dojo. Leave your shoes here, and follow whatever the sensei says. Good luck, Haruka and Ryuunosuke," Kanashimi says as she removes her long sweater to reveal a black tank top and black yoga shorts. I am surprised of her amazing figure, which I hadn't noticed until now. I snap out of it and place puppy pads throughout the dojo. Katsumi squats on a puppy pad and pees as soon as I lie it down. I release a sigh of relief and throw away the puppy pad.

"She is so cute! What's her name? She's almost as big as my Satoshi. Did you get her yesterday?"

I look behind me to see Chiharu holding Katsumi. Chiharu has a huge grin on her face as Katsumi licks her nose. Satoshi is sitting in between Chiharu's legs, staring up at Katsumi.

"Her name is Katsumi, and my maid got her for me," I reply, smiling. Haruka signals for me to look to the front, where the sensei is about to get started. I look to the front to see Kanashimi with her hair tied up. I look back at Haruka, puzzled.

"Okay class, I am Kanashimi-sensei. As most of you know, I have been the top of this class my entire life, and thanks to Dr. Takehiro and Master, I have been assigned to teach you all. If the ones with the most experience find my training too easy, you may give me ten laps on the track located next to this dojo." I look back at Haruka and Chiharu, who seem unfazed by Kanashimi's words. Chiharu raises her hand.

"I request to run on the track. No offense Kanashimi, but I will most likely have learned whatever you plan to teach. I'll be going now," Chiharu says as she exits the room. Katsumi growls at the scent I assume Chiharu left behind.

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After a vigorous workout that I cannot believe I survived, Kanashimi presses a button that turns the wall behind me into a window, revealing the gigantic track. The lion cub that Chiharu calls Satoshi runs beside a cheetah that is twice the size of a regular one, and twice as muscular. If the cheetah had been in the wild, lions would not be a problem.

"Where's Chiharu?" Haruka laughs a bit at my words.

"Chiharu is that cheetah. She is the werecat of our team. She can transform into any cat; wild, domestic, and even mythical. She can track anything alive by scent and vision. That's probably why this cute little pup doesn't like her scent. She prefers to be alone so that she can concentrate on her prey, though. She probably hears us right now, too," Haruka says. Chiharu looks in our direction, as if acknowledging Haruka's words.

Katsumi nips at my ankles. I pick her up and kiss her all over her head.

🔊🔊TRAINING IS OVER. ALL SUBJECTS ARE TO REPORT TO THE CLASSROOM FOR THEIR STUDIES.🔊🔊

I glance over at Chiharu to see her pick up Satoshi and kiss him with a huge grin on her face. I leave the room sweaty and gross with Katsumi in my arms, following Kanashimi (who barely broke a sweat), and Haruka. Haruka begins panting with his mouth open like the true dog he is. I laugh a little at it, and he glares my way. The glare makes Katsumi whimper, but I stick my tongue out.

The track is in between the classroom and training room. The classroom is large and resembles the classrooms in colleges where lectures are held. I sit in the front, next to Haruka and Kanashimi. The teacher of our class turns out to be Chiharu.

"Okay class, today we will learn about the weakest spots of the human body. We will need this information for any assassination job we are given. Tomorrow, we will focus on how to read human body language. Any questions? No? Okay, moving onto the lesson," Chiharu says as she paces around with Satoshi at her ankles. She writes 'Happy Birthday Haruka' on the board with countless exclamation marks and stars, but does not acknowledge what she wrote.

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Happy birthday, Haruka!! The celebration for Haruka is next!! 💙 ~author