Awe was the one word he had in mind once he, Kan Tae-jun, got the chance to meet the legendary Dragon warriors from the lore of the creation of Kouka kingdom.
Mighty Hakuryuu with his gleaming white claw that could slice through anything. Swift Ryokuryuu with the legs to traverse any distance and jump the highest heights. All-seeing Seiryyuu with the eyes to see whatever he wished, and stun enemies with sheer will. And lastly, Invincible Ouryuu, with a body indestructible and strength to overcome armies.
He was going to meet the very-real warriors! Ha! To his brother's face! Tae-jun knew they had to be real, when he was a child who still had much imagination and an endless river of dreams, and wished to wield the Hakuryuu's deadly claws.
Over time, he had forgotten his child-like devotion to the legend, in favor of getting his father on the imperial throne and becoming a Hiryuu figure for all of Kouka. However, his father's plan failed, and now Kyo-ga rules the Fire tribe with him as an adviser.
He could never have dreamed that Hiryuu existed, that the dragons were out there. But he could especially not believe that Hiryuu came in the form of a girl. And not just any girl. But one he knew quite well...
...
For all the legend said, and for how the dragons were made to seem the embodiment of strength, honor, and prestige, he never expected his first real impression of the dragons to be... to be whatever this was.
It began fairly decently, with him leading the dragons to his outdoor sitting area and then getting settled, waiting for the servants who were supposed to come to bring refreshments. The conversation was of good-nature and light between the four, with himself being only slightly awkward here and there (an achievement in his eyes). This continued on and became a little less formal as they chatted, getting to know each other better while waiting on the refreshments, which came a minute or two after.
Then Hakuryuu screeched at something, and the situation went downhill faster than you could say 'dragons'.
The only one left at the tea table was Ouryuu, who happily ate all the buns and cakes and sweets, while drinking all the tea. (Tae-jun had secretly bought the tea from general Guen-tae's wife, Yun-ho. The only reason it was secret was because Kyo-ga hated the stuff.) This usually wouldn't have been the problem, he was happy to have guests and for them to eat what he put out. The problem was that the portions were made to serve himself and the four dragons, plus a bit extra. Which was a huge amount. How could someone even swallow all that?! Even if they were a dragon!
Ryokuryuu and Hakuryuu were in some sort of fight that involved the former to be waving something at the latter, who continued to shriek and scramble away while flailing around with that monstrous claw. Seiryuu was huddled in the corner away from everything, petting a small squirrel.
Suddenly, Ouryuu got up from the table, and pounced on the fighting dragons, immediately resulting in an explosive effect. Seiryuu tried valiantly to stop them.
He sighed as another piece of furniture was made into scrap by both the Hakuryuu's claws and Ryokuryuu's leg, and now even the Ouryuu and Seiryuu were contributing to the, now, obviously unavoidable mess. He made the mental note to apologize to whichever servant had to clean this up.
So these are the mighty dragons of Kouka... The pale haired man slumped in his seat and closed his eyes, listening to the continued banter of the four warriors.
Kan Tae-jun never expected this. Never expected that the oh-so-mighty dragons of Kouka, were a bunch of happy and hungry idiots.
...
"Mister Tae-jun, we're sorry for causing the mess..."
The once tranquil, beautiful little outside sitting area looking out over the city and garden, was now unrecognizable. He was surprised they didn't manage to demolish the entire Fire tribe capital building! The small little vase that held his favorite flowers (carnations, of course, to remind him of his wonderful princess) was utterly destroyed, one of the railings was swinging precariously over the edge just above the gardens below, and the table was now flipped upside-down, all the delicate plates and tableware upon it smashed to smithereens. He had barely the time to get away when it happened.
It took all he had to not face-palm right there at the sight. How he could have ever thought the dragons as majestic, otherworldly beings, was now a mystery that his present self puzzled over. How were they the symbol of divinity and nobility, when they were as rowdy and energetic as children?!
He sighed. "I-It's alright Seiryuu. No need to worry." Except for the fact that the tableware was his own expensive china... Yeah. Well, he never liked the style of said china anyways! (He did.)
Seiryuu nodded hesitantly, before going over to his brothers. They seemed to converse for a minute in hushed voices, before Ouryuu chirped, "Well, it seems like Seiryuu wants to help clean-up. Fair is fair, since we were the ones who messed it up in the first place!"
"What! Jae-ha was the one who flipped the table, Zeno! Not me!" Hakuryuu huffed, pointing a clawed finger at Ryokuryuu.
Ryokuryuu pouted. "Kija-kun, you were the one who smashed the vase and the table it was on, and the one who swiped at the bug but missed and knocked the railing almost clean-off!" Hakuryuu slashed at him again for the not 'not-on-purpose' name calling.
Ouryuu giggled. "And Zeno was the one who accidentally jumped on the table after it was flipped! Further breaking the tableware!"
Ryokuryuu sighed, carding a hand through his green fringe. "So willing to admit to your crimes..."
"...I ripped the mats." Seiryuu confessed, hiding behind Ryokuryuu after the fact. And sure enough, the mats they were going to use to sit upon were torn up, shredded, and couldn't be identified as Tae-jun's previously lovely floral mats.
Tae-jun stuttered. "Uh, I-I don't think the servants need any more help cleaning. You've all done enough." Oh crap. Did that come out rude or mean?
Apparently, it did, as Seiryuu dropped his head after, and looked quite sad if he does say so himself. But his face was behind a mask, so it was hard to tell...
"T-then we should probably go... Thank you for the hospitality, Mister Tae-jun!" Hakuryuu made a slight bow, before taking Seiryuu's hand in his - the human one - and beginning to walk off.
Seiryuu noticeably slumped further.
"O-okay! Wait! You can do it."
And this was how the mighty four dragon warriors of Kouka kingdom, ended up staying the entire rest of the day cleaning up the once serene sitting place.
...
He had to personally oversee the cleaning. Which was kinda awkward. At least for him.
The dragons, were, well, the dragons! They shouldn't have to do this stuff! Then again, they did ask... And that Seiryuu seemed so sad...
"Say," A person's voice right next to him startled Tae-jun into alertness. The voice of Ryokuryuu chuckled. "Will you call us by our names from now on? Calling us by our titles all the time, especially when you have such a high position, doesn't settle good with us. Besides, we're about on the same rank, right? It only seems proper."
Proper?! The dragons had the honorable position of those directly under the Queen, per her orders! Even the generals had to treat them with respect and honor, and vice-versa of course. He couldn't be an honorable and revered general! Wasn't even destined for it, or trained!
Tae-jun spluttered, "N-no! I-I-I can't! It's improper! I'm only a s-second son, not even a general myself! You serve d-directly under the Queen!" Ryokuryuu sighed.
"Then if not because we are similar in rank," Ouryuu stepped in, an arm stopped any protest, "Then because we can be friends. We are already mostly buddies with the Earth, Water, Wind, and even Sky tribe families. Which is why we took your tea offering as a possibility to make relations with the Fire tribe family."
Well if you were trying to do that, then why wreak my perfectly fine china, vase, and mats?! He thought, but brushed it aside. "F-fine. If you insist." Both the green-haired man and vibrant blonde smiled.
"We insist. I'm Jae-ha, nice to meet you." He offered a hand, which Tae-jun took and shook hesitantly. "Hey guys, come introduce yourselves properly this time!" He called to the brothers that were still cleaning.
"J-just a second Jae-ha!" Hakuryuu mumbled, placing the new table, vase, and china, all down.
The white-haired man stumbled over awkwardly, trying not to ruin anything more. "H-hi. I'm Hakuryuu Kija. But just Kija is okay!" Kija also offered a hand to Tae-jun - the clawed one - which he eagerly took, wanting to finally be able to touch those pristine scales. Which were so smooth under his hands, even if only for a few seconds. "Sorry for breaking the railing." Tae-jun just waved off his small bow.
"Zeno is Zeno!" The blonde haired man flew in from where he stood next to Ryokur- Jae-ha, and hugged Tae-jun. He figured handshakes weren't necessary at that point.
Seiryuu then walked over, his steps precise and almost like a dance. "...Shin-ah." His little squirrel that Tae-jun noticed before, scrambled to his right shoulder, happily squeaking.
"Wait, the squirrel? Or you?" Tae-jun could've swore Seiryuu blushed behind the mask.
Seiryuu pointed to himself. "Shin-ah." Then motioned to the squirrel. "Ao."
"Okay then, Shin-ah." Tae-jun said. "Well, if we're doing introductions again, I'm Kan Tae-jun. But Tae-jun works just fine." The dragons nodded in acknowledgement.
"Happy to meet you, Tae-jun." The dragons chorused.
...
Tae-jun supposed they aren't horrible people. In fact, were quite nice, however idiotic and silly they were, if not the otherworldly beings of his own imagination. Maybe he put them on too high a pedestal. Even the original dragons were only humans at first, right? They couldn't be expected to act like some sort of deity.
That night, the dragons left. But he, Kan Tae-jun, gained four new friends, and an even better tea sitting area with the new memory of why and how a part of the railing got to be an entirely different style and color from what it once was.
He smiled fondly at the new memories with a cup of tea (not Yun-ho's tea, thanks to someone...) clasped between his hands, looking out from that very sitting area that evening. Idiots they may be, but what can he himself say when he is also an idiot to an extent, proved by his fruitless attempts to seduce someone who he should've been respecting and trying to protect? (It was quite an embarrassing memory nowadays, and he preferred if no-one brought it up.)
Once he was snuggled in bed, his dreams were of joining the dragons on an epic journey, just as he had once dreamed long ago, when he was a young boy who wanted the claws of a dragon.
Thanks for reading! This was the best I could get it, as far as I know. Maybe I do need that beta reader... Con-crit and reviews are welcome!
Excuse any typos or mistakes, but you're welcome to point them out.