Chapter 3: Introductions


Jae-ha yawned as morning came around, laying a hand over his eyes to block out the morning sun he sighed as he listened to the early birds sing their morning songs. His eyes began to just close when he heard three knocks on the bedroom door followed by the doors spring open and slam against the walls. He jumped slightly as he sat up and saw an older man with a scar over his right eye. Behind him he saw Zeno smiling with his arms over his head. "Get up boy." The older male gruffed.

"Tch." Jae-ha groaned as he laid back down on the futon mat and sighed. There goes my plan to sleep a little longer. Guess they'll be throwing us out today. He sat up and got out of the bed as the two left him to get dressed.


Zeno balanced on the balls of his feet as he swayed back and forth out of boredom. He figured that he could've stayed away from Jae-ha and the Miss; but he had a feeling Ryokuryuu would've either revealed himself and gotten into trouble or would cause a scene in one way or another. Staying with his brother dragon meant taking the brunt of his anger so that nobody else would have to.

His eyes shifted towards the guards outside the dinning room. From what he'd seen so far, nothing really had changed since Hiryuu's era of ruling. The palace was still as busy as ever, with servants rushing to and fro; guards gossiping with each other, Lords being snobby or scheming behind other's backs and the four generals; his eyes looked at the four men before him and smiled, these men seemed quite angry which seemed barely contained. His eyes scanned the table and swallowed hard. Out of the four, only the Water Tribe general seemed calm. This filled him with nostalgia as it reminded him of Abi. Turning his head slightly he watched as the man Ju-do escorted Jae-ha into the room. The young man was no longer wearing his grungy clothes, but rather a nice dark blue with gold edge haori over a white silk shirt and matching dark blue hakama pants with black shoes. He was currently tying his green hair back with an orange ribbon when Ju-do pointed to the mat next to Zeno for him to.

Jae-ha looked over at Zeno. "What do they want?" He asked the blonde gaining a shrug from the young man as they both sat down on the mats.

Jae-ha watched as the older male from before cleared his throat. "You two have been asked to come here by the order of his Majesty, King Il. We are here to figure out how the Princess came into your care."

Jae-he rolled his eyes. Didn't we already do this last night? He asked himself as boredom began to sit in.

"Let's begin with introductions." The old man looked at Ju-do. "You've already met the Sky General Ju-do. I am General Son Mun-deok of the Wind Tribe." He pointed to the man to his right. "This is General Lee Geun-tae, general of the Earth tribe." He pointed to his left. "This is General An Junji, general of the Water Tribe." He then pointed to the man at the end of the table near the open window doors. "This is General Kan Sujin of the -"

The man narrowed his eyes at General Mun-deok. "Is this necessary?" The General inquired. "I am certain they're deduced as to who I am."

"Zeno believes your the Fire Tribe general," he said pausing. "But I think it was rude to interrupt General Mon-deok in his introductions." The Fire General looked like he wanted to rip Zeno's head off. Wouldn't be the first time somebody wanted me dead. He thought as he let a smile grace his features.

Mun-deok chuckled. This kid either is smarter than he looks or is just plain dumb in teasing Sujin like that. Was the Wind Genetal's thoughts.

"I take it your name is Zeno?" General An Junji inquired looking increasingly bored.

"Yes!" Zeno replied happily as he tipped his head to the side, his amulet waving slightly on his headband as he moved.

"Where do you come from?" Kan Sujin asked the blonde haired boy. "Who is your clan? How did you come across the Princess?"

Zeno felt backed into a corner at the raised voice of the Fire Tribe general. Swallowing hard, he scratched the back of his neck. "Where does Zeno come from?" He really had to think about that one, it'd been awhile since he'd been asked that question.

The fire General looked angry. Was this boy purposely trying to make him annoyed? "It's not a hard question." He practically growled at the boy.

Mun-deok always had hated dealing with Sujin, his temper was as legendary as the Fire Tribes strength. "What about you boy?" He inquired hoping to get an answer from the green haired young man.

Jae-ha sighed. "I'm Jae-ha." He stated with a sad smile. "My village ain't worth mentioning as I'll have nothing to do with those bastards that chained me up for most of my childhood." This received shocked looks from the generals. "I escaped when I was nine and have stayed mostly in my home tribe of the Earth. I only happened across the Princess when I stopped by a fire with some drunk." He snorted. "He began babbling about getting rich because of a bitch he had and took her out of the cart to show me." His eyes darkened. "When I saw that it was a red haired child something in me snapped. I attacked him and told her to run." Jae-ha shook his head trying to calm himself as he remembered that not only did he attack the man, he wanted him dead for touching his master so roughly. "When I tied and gagged the man, I heard a scream. I ran off and found the girl had fallen into a dried riverbed. She was hurt. I took her to the nearest village where I was lucky enough to find a doctor. When she awoke, she had no memory of anything and believed me to be her brother." He chuckled. "Never had a kid call me that before." He sighed as he closed his eyes and reopened them a moment later. "A week later regained some memories. I was bringing her here when I met Zeno on the road."

"You mean you two don't know each other?" Mun-deok asked a bit disbelieving especially since they acted like they did.

"Zeno met Jae-ha many years ago." Zeno confessed gaining a look from Jae-ha. "However Jae-ha may not remember. He was a child back then."

Jae-ha's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Any way, it wasn't long after that, than we met the Sky General." Jae-ha shrugged as he leaned back on his hands.

"Earth tribe?" Guen-tae mumbled before smiling a catshire's smile.

"Huh." Jae-ha said with a raised eyebrow towards the earth general who kept smiling at him like he'd just won the grandest prize.

"Oh!" Zeno exclaimed causing everybody to look at the blonde. "Zeno remembers now. Zeno was born in the Northern mountains of the Wind tribe in a very small village that ceased to exist when Zeno became a teenager." The yellow dragon smiled because that had actually been true, only a couple thousand years ago.

Mun-deok raised his head and looked at the young man. "When was this?" He inquired having no recollection of a village being destroyed by anything in his territory.

"Hmm..." Zeno thought for a moment. "When Zeno was thirteen. It was caused by a fire. Most left the area and went to the capital. Zeno lost his family and had nowhere to go. So Zeno stayed until he felt he was ready to leave." Zeno looked at Jae-ha. "Zeno came across a man tied up and went to help him, thinking he'd been robbed; but he attacked Zeno." He closed his eyes. "He admitted to kidknapping another and wanting to sell her. He was gonna do the same to Zeno, but Zeno fought back." He opened his eyes. "Zeno put a warning on who and what the man was before leaving his body for the wild animals." Zeno sighed as he scratched his head. "Zeno found Jae-ha and Miss and decided to join them. Thought it would be nice to have an ally to count on and Jae-ha looks strong." He shrugged his shoulders. "So Zeno thought it'd be okay to follow them."

"Hn." Mun-deok leaned forward on his hands. There's more to this boy than meets the eye. He thought as he looked at Zeno. His happy-go-lucky attitude seems forced at times and the way he says his name all the time makes me wonder what happened in his past that made him act this way. A trama perhaps? Zeno suddenly gave the older man one of his more gentler and sincere smiles that reminded the old general of a warrior who'd seen too much. There's definitely something odd about him; but he seems harmless enough.

"So," Jae-ha began. "What's this all really about?" His question made the generals look between themselves before the elder General Mon-deok spoke once more.

"King Il wishes to grant both of you any wish you'd want for the safe return of his daughter."

Jae-ha smirked, any wish. He sighed and already knew he'd have to give up that wish because of a promise he'd made. "Well that one's simple enough." He stated. "I made the Prince is never leave her side." Closing his eyes he took on a more serious look. "I'd like to fulfill that promise by becoming one of her personal guards. She obviously needs somebody to watch over her when she gets into mischief."

"Zeno wants to do the same thing." Zeno said. "Zeno may not have made a promise to the Miss like Jae-ha did, but Zeno feels she needs somebody to watch over her and make sure she's safe and stays that way."

"I'd sooner believe Jae-ha would make a better bodyguard than you kid." Guen-tae stated as he pointed at Zeno with a finger. "You don't look like you could keep a fly safe."

"Hm. That's rude." Zeno pouted. "Zeno may not look like much, but Zeno is sturdy and can certainly take his fair share of abuse better than most." He was really trying not to reveal himself to these men, much like Jae-ha. "Zeno knows how to fight and how to keep somebody safe. Zeno wants to protect the Miss."

"How old are you kid?" Guen-tae inquired not really thinking he was much older than fifteen at most.

"Zeno's seventeen." He said with a smile which was both true and untrue.

"I'll accept both of them." came a new voice causing the general's backs to go straight.

"Your majesty!" They all exclaimed having not heard King Il coming into the room. Next to the King was Yona who ran up to Jae-ha as soon as she saw the green haired man.

"Jae-ha!" She cried out and wrapped her arms around his neck causing him to loose his balance and fall onto his butt after having been sitting on his legs through all the questions. The young Princess giggled as the young man fell back taking her with him.

Zeno burst out laughing at his companions look of despair. Picking up the Princess, he helped her to stand back up. Her arms suddenly wrapped around his neck next. "Zeno!" She cried out. "Are you staying too?"

"Only if Zeno's allowed to." He replied.

Yona turned to her father. "Please daddy?" She asked giving her best puppy dog face.

King Il chuckled. "Of course!" He said with a smile causing Yona to squeal out her joy. "I do expect both of you young men to train yourselves." Looking between his general and them he smiled. "Perhaps the generals of your tribes would be willing to ensure you both receive training, would do so."

Guen-tae laughed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Ha! You've got a deal!" He stated with his laughter bubbling over and echoing throughout the room. Jae-ha suddenly felt a sense of doom.

Mun-deok gave a nod. "As you wish." He stated as he looked over at Zeno who suddenly looked a little nervous.


Hak peered around the corner and spotted Yona talking to the green haired, droopy eyes man that had brought her back yesterday with Ju-do. "What are you doing?" The question caught him off guard as he quickly spun around to find Su-won standing there in his training clothes. Hak smirked.

"You training again?" He asked as he laughed inwardly.

Su-won sigh sadly. "Father would be so disappointed in me." He said dramatically as he placed a hand over his eyes in shame.

Hak laughed. "At least you're getting better with a bow."

Su-won frowned. "I'm still not hitting the target." He stated as he walked to the corner he'd seen a Hak peering around and saw Yona with those two men. "I heard they're staying."

"Huh?" Hak questioned as he looked around the corner and spied on the men with Yona who was pointing out the flowers.

"She lost her memory." Su-won explained. "Seeing Ju-do brought it back though." He smiled. "Ju-do says the blonde will be going back to Fuuga with you and General Mun-deok, while the green haired man is going back with General Guen-tae." He looked at Hak. "They're both going to become her bodyguards."

Hak's eyes widened. "Why would they want to do that?" He asked in amazement.

Su-won shrugged. "Don't know." He smiled. "Maybe Yona asked them to stay. You know how she is."

Hak gave him a blank look before frowning as he watched the two stranger near his Princess. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the droopy eyed green haired male. I don't like him. He thought as the man smiled broadly at the Princess. I really, really don't like him.

Princess Yona suddenly turned and spotted her cousin and best friend watching from the corner of one of the training buildings. "Hak! Su-won!" She yelled happily and ran over to them.

Jae-ha looked down at Zeno. "Ouryuu, why didn't you tell those generals about you being a dragon?" He asked a little curious to his reason.

"Hm?" Zeno questioned. "Same reason you didn't. It would've caused too much of a commotion." Zeno sighed. "Besides, Zeno has learned when to talk about such things and when to keep quiet. That was one of the times that less information given is best."

"Tch." Jae-ah looked at the young man next to him. "Fine with me. Not sure how they'd act if they found out."

"Hysteria, greed, disbelief and probably throwing us into prison for such claims." Zeno stated as he watched the Princess turn towards them while dragging the raven haired boy to them by his wrist. "The Miss will need to be told once she's able to understand the seriousness of keeping this a secret."

Jae-ha blew a raspberry. "Suit yourself. I'd rather she never learned."

Zeno looked up at the other dragon. "She'll have to know." He stated. "Otherwise she'll never go looking for the other two." Jae-ha's eyes widened at Zeno's comment completely not hearing what Yona was saying as she introduced her new friends to her old ones.

Meanwhile across the land in the misty mountains a young boy stood overlooking his village. A sly smile graced his pale features as the wind blew his silvery white mane out of his eyes. Looking up at the blue cloudless sky above him, he raised his scaled right hand up and felt the blood tingle in his hand. The Hakuryuu village around him buzzed with activity as the twelve year old boy placed the dragon hand against his chest as he looked deep within himself at the bonds that connected him with the other dragons. He now saw the two lights associated with the yellow and green dragons dancing side by side with each other. His eyes misted over as he felt joy coming through the bond from Ouryuu, while annoyance was coming from Ryokuryuu. Sighing he wondered if the reason those two were so close to each other was because they'd found their master or lord. Father, will I be the one to serve our master? Or like yourself, will this power not be needed in this era? He sighed once more before turning back towards his village, returning to his daily routine of hiding from the annoying girls of the village.


M-Angel: I wanted to put it out there that even though he's not with them Kija can sense Zeno and Jae-ha and their emotions. You probably won't see him much in the beginning of this story; but a small snippet here and there might appear of what either Kija or Shinah are doing during this time.