Author's Note: Hello lads and ladies

This chapter is rough. The original cut of the scene below got me to cry, because the characters matter so much to me. The Family line anxiety will come to an end soon, and I am very happy how things are turning out. The beginning scene was hard to work out due to my editor and me having a few differences in opinion over certain things. But we figured something out and are now happy to present this new chapter. The break up shtick will also be a short stint because there are still other things we need to see. And Legosi needs to do some growing up.

I am still kind of believing that the character growth in the manga on Legosi's end is not good enough for the actual length of the work. And in the end he sstill believes he's right with certain stupid little beliefs of his that I will not get into detail on because of document size. You didn't came here to read about my rants, but about what happens next. After all, I still hope you guys enjoy it and have a wonderful day/night afterwards

Editor: SuperAverageFoxyboy

Enjoy

-Portal

Chapter 10: Silver spoons and Golden Knives

"Jack?" The labrador retriever jumped in surprise, feeling the heart in his chest skip a beat when he heard the sudden voice coming from the doorway. His terrified eyes slowly recognized the visitor in the library, that had come at an unexpected time.

"Oh…" his breathing began to calm itself, allowing his heart to beat at normal levels again. "You scared the Rex out of me. What can I do for you?"

Legosi's head sunk down as he realized how strong his impulses had gotten. He had responded to Juno with complete impulse, looking immediately for the animal he would entrust his life to, the very same animal now sitting in the library and studying for the next batch of tests. Jack's school life was probably fifty percent studying, meticulous as he was.

Jack himself eyed the wolf with worry, seeing how he looked like a bad photocopy of himself. His fur looked dull and had lost its blue shine.

"I made a mistake… and I need to make up for it…"

"What kind of mistake...?"

When Jack looked into his eyes, Legosi suddenly looked as he was about to break.

"It's about Juno..."

"You haven't…"

Several Days Earlier...

"What are you brooding about?."

Jack looked over to the Black Labrador that sat beside him on the bench.

"How can you tell so easily?"

Chelsea looked at him with observant and awake eyes.

"I know you. That's why." Jack, smiled faintly. He looked at the sky, feeling caught in his own head.

"It's Legosi."

Chelsea let out a sigh. "Of course it's Legosi..."

"What's that supposed to mean? He's my best friend!"

"Look, Jack. I respect the bond you guy's have. Not all friendships tend to last as long as yours has. But it's just that almost every time you get all mopey and broody, it's because of Legosi."

"Yeah, because that wolf is like family. I've been with him through thick and thin for more than ten years… And when he feels horrible, I feel it too. When his heart is about to break, so is mine… He's been so happy with Juno, happy for the first time in years… and now he's so depressed again. It hurts…"

Chelsea leaned against the bench's backrest, listening with care underlined by stern maturity.

"I know it hurts, Jack. It's because you have a kind heart. The Kind heart that never stop worrying about how the people dear to it are doing. It's a thing I love about you. But when you talk about him your always sad. You can't let him pull you down like that."

"You can't expect me to just give up on him."

"I'm not asking you to 'give up on him.' I'm just saying that we all have our limits, and by pushing those limits, we hurt ourselves. You need to start placing boundaries, no matter how much you care for him. Your own well being is not secondary to his."

"But-"

"Some people just need a piece of mind. You need to set boundaries for yourself, to make sure you stay well. You can't help anyone when you yourself are depressed and unhappy."

"I don't know if I can…" Chelsea nudged his face towards hers. Light brown eyes looking into bright jade green ones.

"I know you can. Believe in yourself." She gave him a light kiss and hugged him, his arms quickly returning the favor.

Present...

"Legosi, tell me slowly. What. Did. You. Do."

"I-I think I broke up with her..."

Jack could feel his heart clench like a fist, the blood in his veins pulling back to his core as his face went pale.

"You god damn IDIOT…" Barked Jack, Legosi's head sinking down.

"I-"

"NO, you don't know. Legosi, you've literally never been happier than when she's been by your side, and now you throw that all away? Why would you ever do that? What even happened between you two?" Jack's tone was bitter and filled with anger. Anger Legosi had never seen before. His tone reverted to one of panic and uncertainty as he tried to grasp a proper explanation.

"I- I w-w-was hurting Juno, and I thought that maybe the best thing I could do for her is leave."

"Why the hell would you ever think that that was a good idea?! Legosi, I tried my best over the last five years trying to somehow make you happy, and yet I could never figure out how." Jack threw his hands, now sounding more hurt than angry as pain drew new lines into his face. "I did all I could, doing so much for you and getting close to believing that you could simply never be helped. But I kept trying because I loved you… as much as best friends can love each other. I always did since kindergarten."

Soon, wet trails ran down the Labrador's face, his voice trembling in loud cries.

"And then Juno comes along, and I see you light up… I see you finally become happy. I see all of that sadness just disappear. And now... you do this?! How could you...?"

Legosi could feel tears of his own begin to form under his eyes as more and more guilt began to weigh down on him.

"Look, I know I probably just made the biggest mistake of my life, so please just help me..." Legosi's face wore an equally hurt expression as he searched for any amount of forgiveness.

"Your my best friend, but I am honestly sick and tired all of your- your impulsive bullshit! Almost every single time, you forget to think before you act and look where that gets you. You just keep hurting yourself more and more. You keep hurting Juno. And you keep hurting me..." Jack's voice began to crack as he spoke. His tears soon began to overwhelm him.

Legosi was stunned, overridden with guilt and shame. He didn't know just how important his own mood and actions had been to the labrador retriever, just how important it was to him that he was happy. And now Legosi had managed to make two of the most important people in his life unhappy. Legosi walked closer to the mess of a dog his friend had become, looking almost aged in the amount of pain he had endured.

Suddenly, Jack collapsed into Legosi chest. The beating of the wolf's heart strong and ever-present. He suddenly remembered something his mother told him in his childhood. He had just watched a kid's film and was terribly sad that the characters had to go through all of the pain in the story. His mother had picked him up and placed him in her lap, rocking back and forth. "A retriever's heart beats faster than others. Because we need to bear so much more pain than the average heart. We feel the dismay and pain of others too, but that is ok. Because we look after everyone all the same. We are the natural caretakers of the world..."

What came next surprised Legosi as much as the first nightmare he ever had, something that he didn't deserve, and didn't understand how he could receive it after all he had done. Jack had simply extended his arms and enclosed them around him.

It was a hug.

Legosi's own arms reached around the labrador, hugging the best friend he ever called his own. The best friend he had hurt the most of all throughout these depressive and passive years of school life. Legosi knew now and then. When this is over, I'll never push anything down again. I'll share whatever bothers me, no matter how scared I am.

"Ok…" He sniffled, brushing his nose. He looked up at the wolf he still cared deeply about. Still now, after all these years of depression and living in the passive.

"I will help you, but you'll go back to her. Not in a while, not next week, not tomorrow. Today!" Jack looked at him with angry fires burning behind his eyes. Fires that were truly sick of the endless idiocy of his. Legosi's gaze lowered in guilt. I'm gonna tell her tonight, no more damage can be done. Then I can help myself.

"I should have probably never left in the first place. You're right... I am a dumb wolf." Legosi chuckled dryly. Jack joined with a small hesitation, chuckling to ease the pain in his heart, which felt twisted, turned, and charred to a crisp.

"Yeah, you are… don't ever do that again."

The two friends sat together in silence for a few moments, contemplating all that had just occurred between them. Guilt continued to weigh down the wolf's heart, and Jack, anger over his friend's nature to act impulsively.

Legosi would be the first to break the silence.

"Hey, uh... Would you like to get some ice cream? You look warm." Jack's eyes looked up at him with eyes of exhaustion and a spark of anger, but eyes that cared for him either way. They were eyes that let him know that he wasn't going to abandon him for this mistake because, after all, everyone makes mistakes. And everyone deserved a second chance.

"I'll take one… you can fetch them from the kitchen for us. And after that, you'll call Juno and tell her to meet you at the fountain. And you, and you alone will talk to her. About you know what… Only you can reconcile this. Just get it all out and see how redundant your worry is. Her opinion of you won't change from that." Jack brushed over his head, sighing in sweet and cool emotional freshness, all the energy he had kept inside having leaped away.

"Then we'll talk about what you'll do about your nightmares… but not in a situation like this." Legosi's gaze sunk to the floor, repeating the lines in his head of what he was going to say to Juno and how he would explain everything. It would take a bit of time to prepare, but it should be manageable.

"Ok… Thank you, Jack… I wouldn't know what to do without you."

Jack looked at him, and Legosi gazed back. The point came across, and he understood the significance of his actions. One final wave of relief washed over him. He drove the point home, and Legosi understood in his own impulsive and blinded way.

"You're not alone, ok? Just… think about your actions for once." Legosi couldn't suppress looking away in shame. Jack's hand touched his arm. A happy and calm shined at Legosi, giving off an aura of total forgiveness. "Your alright, Legosi. You realized your mistake. Let's just go and get ice cream before I collapse. I feel… woozy."

Jack grabbed the wolf's arm and leaned onto it for balance. The adrenaline had begun to wear off, his pulse returning to its normal speed. Legosi held his arm lower arm up, letting the retriever lean on it like a piece of railing. They walked ahead, clinging to each other's sides like an old married couple fighting against stiff winds.

In the Female Dormitories

Juno sat alone in her dorm. Her roommates were away on various activities, spending time with friends, visiting the city, or visiting home. And yet, here she was, left alone to brood over what had occurred in the gardening shack. She had remained on the floor for an excruciatingly long half an hour in which she couldn't tell the difference between up and down, left or right. Her lines of thought had turned into signal interference on an old television set.

I am alone was the single thought that had strategically invaded her state of being, blocking all feelings out, setting in a set of numbness that she was mercilessly under siege by.

Juno had always been infatuated by the idea of falling in love. Growing up in a household of two loving parents that were still hopelessly in love had played a big part in how she viewed life as she grew up. All media told her the same story of the perfect little love story of finding the one. But she had in her sweet bubble of love and childhood never gotten the message that finding true love came with the sentiment 'warts and all.' Legosi had been perfect in many ways. The one love she always wanted, but in his time of need, she failed to help him the way he needed.

Legosi had been suffering from nightmares for an entire week, leaving him drained and exhausted. Juno crudely thought that ever since sleeping in the gardening shack, that they had switched places. Her nightmares had jumped over, torturing him while he was most vulnerable. With his eyes closed on a carnivore mat, snoozing away.

Apparently, her nightmare had just found a way how to thrust itself into the real world. Her nightmares having personalized themselves to his mind's standards of terror and started giving him hell on earth. She gave herself the blame for him going away. She shouldn't have pushed him as she did. She knew how impulsive and preoccupied he could be. And it was foolish to think that her propelling him in such a way would have caused anything else but him leaving. Whatever he was suffering from was bad. Really bad. He was stuck in thought more than ever, seemed actively traumatized after each one, and his well-being began to slowly degrade. If she had simply shut up about it, and helped him more, maybe she could have avoided his departure altogether.

Did that justify his secretive and distant behavior? Did that justify his careless attitude when interacting with her? Did that in any way justify what happened in that tub? The self-righteous part of her shot back, placing a feeling of anger in her soul. Blazing heat under her skin. Had he any right to hurt her in such a way just because she went 'too far?' She was just a no-good, little wifey that did all to please her hubby's every demand.

Juno stopped herself again and sobbed as tears began to swell into her eyes. Her daydreaming fantasy had turned into the canine wedding tradition between the two. Under the full moon, just the two in the middle of the large arch.

Juno's head sunk down in another large sob. She hadn't heard from him ever since he so suddenly left the bathroom in the garden. Suddenly her phone started to buzz.

Her hand slowly moved to her side as she grasped the phone, her mind ripping itself into many tiny pieces as Legosi's picture appeared on the screen. Different parts of thinking started to emerge from the sad puddle her mind had been for all the entire day. Anger, relief, hope, and love came to the top, all of them vying for control.

She brought the phone to her chest, taking a deep breath out, ordering the damned set of feelings and thoughts that had now taken residence in the fort of her head.You'll let him do the talking, that's for sure. He has explaining to do for causing you to feel like that. Said self-righteous. He might have hurt you, but you still love him, don't be too hard on him.Came from Love.

She breathed out another time, silencing the voices in her head. Don't Panic

"Yes?" She nearly broke out into tears again. Self-righteous started to fume in her head. How can he make us this depressed! He owes you an explanation and an apology.

"I-I-I…" His sobs could be heard through the line, love immediately going into overdrive.He sounds so hurt. He needs help, pronto.

"I am so sorry… I don't think about how others might react to my actions. I just felt so bad."

Self-righteous began to boil to the top as she listened to his speech.

"Yeah? And then you break up? How's that supposed to make me feel?" Her voice was bitter, full of pain and hurt. And yet, it was still clear somehow that she was angrier at herself than at him.

Legosi stayed silent for longer than usual, letting fear spread in her like a wild and uncontrolled wildfire. It's not his fault. He just needs help, Love spoke with a mild and soft voice, one that sounded so painstakingly like her mother.

"Legosi?" she asked fearful, worried. Worried for his well-being, worried for their relationship. It had been only a week that put such strain on their relationship and yet she still cared so much. A new voice suddenly sounded from above. Mellow yet clear, soft yet firm, warm and burning bright.He loves you too, I am sure of it, spoke hope from its high cloud.

"I… didn't mean to make it sound like a breakup." Relief washed over her in many more ways than she thought possible. "How could I break up with someone as great as you… I just needed some space… Could you come to the fountain tonight? I'll… explain everything that's been on my mind, why I've been so distant."

His words were sweet like honey, muting her sorrows to only a short stinging pain that left her with ease. It only left the anger at him for causing this misunderstanding with his impulsive behavior that was so rarely ever properly thought through.

"You better do. How you left hurt more than you know." The other side of the line was silent. She could nearly hear how his head sunk down.

"I know… I promise I won't do it again. Come to the fountain at seven… I'll meet you there. I'm-… I-I-I'm just sorry." The call ended, leaving Juno with a feeling of reassessment of the situation. Legosi so surely needed help. His nightmares actively started to affect his everyday life negatively. That just left the question...

Male Dormitory 701

...How do you help Legosi? Jack wondered as he watched Legosi end the call. The wolf looked over to his friend, non-verbally asking if he did any good. Jack nodded, putting his hand on Legosi's shoulder.

"You had these vivid nightmares of your mother for a week now?" Legosi almost flinched at the mentioning of his mother, his mouth curving downward into a frown.

"Ever since you brought up grandpa, I couldn't stop thinking about my family… and thinking about my family means thinking about m-mom-m-" Legosi struggled to get the word out. Jack squeezed his shoulder in response.

"It's ok, buddy… I'll need to ask around, but we'll surely find something to help you. I'll look into getting you a therapist."

Legosi nodded somberly, feeling some parts relief, some parts fear, but most of all guilt for all the things he put the ones he loved through.

"Thank you… again and again."

Jack found himself in a gentle hug by the wolf. He petted his back, doing his best to hold the large carnivore as he could. Legosi was first to let go and continued with his stare into space. The labrador retriever continued to just sit beside the wolf and brush over his back. He was worried, therapy would never be easy, and it would hurt its own fair share. But what else was there to do. He would have to simply be there for him and throw him any leeway that he could get his hands on.


"Goddammit, this place looks like a castle." The bossless lions stood before the mansion that the address on the letter had to lead them to.

White brick walls enclosed the property, the opening gate being of a black stainless steel. But unlike the usual rich animal's housing, it felt more like private militia safety features than the standard set of neighborhood care guidelines. Cameras hung at archways and walls. The walls were reinforced enough to potentially prevent a car from ramming it at full speed. Security personnel armed with serious firepower paced up and down the walkways.

The shishigumi headquarters felt like nothing more than a commoners homestead when compared to the mysterious sender's mansion.

"Built to take a hit. That weaponry is high-quality stuff right there." The astute observation came from Dope, who was the weapon expert. The weaponry carried by the different guards must have been shipped in from the outer country, the work of European expertise shining through the smooth designs.

"I'm starting to feel like this isn't just a trap. This is more like an open invitation to a mass burial," said Free with a voice that wasn't at all his usual loud boasting. Instead decreased to a quieter murmur that was meant for only the group to hear.

Ibuki suddenly questioned if this was the right thing to do. Free was never quiet. And if he was, it meant no good. For not the only time this evening, Ibuki started to fear if he had unknowingly led his brothers into certain doom. Rationality told him so, and in places like these, the rational mind was worth more than a bar of gold.

"I'm starting to think your right," Ibuki spoke under his breath, too quiet for any of the others to hear him. In any case, he wanted to avoid causing panic any further. For the little critical thinking, the group had, losing any more might be their nail in the coffin.

Before Ibuki had the chance to tell them to turn back, the main gate suddenly began to move. With the sound of various screeching hinges, the gate slowly parted and out walked smartly dressed fox.

The fox wore black suit pants and oxford shoes. The top half of his outfit consisting of a white shirt, vest, and suit jacket, with a neatly folded black bow-tie. A servant's outfit on a special celebratory occasion.

"So, are you our mysterious Tokugawa?" asked Free.

"No, sir, you'd be mistaken. I am Anno, butler to Master Tokugawa. I suppose you are the gentlemen of the Shishigumi?"

"We are," Ibuki responded hesitantly.

Anno gave a deep bow in a sign of utmost respect. Most of the group couldn't help but be a bit flabbergasted. This small servant threw the image they had in their heads completely out of the window, leaving their minds to crawl for any signs of what was to come. The voice of the fox came again.

"If you would please follow me."

Doing as instructed, the Shishigumi followed the servant without any objections or quarrels between them. They were simply all surprised and taken aback by the sheer size of this mansion and the well-behaved frontman the mysterious Tokugawa had sent out to greet them, a rare gesture of kindness among mafia men.

They entered through the front halls into a large room. The walls were painted in with a vast jungle scenery. Large stairs lead up to the first floor, red carpets lining the middle walkway of the stairs. It felt like they walked into a cliched wonderland of the movies more than a few of them used to watch as kittens. It evoked a nostalgic feeling of childhood that felt alien in these halls. It existed outside the universe that they were used to treading in, outside the life of crime in an order that didn't seem to exist for them.

They turned right into a corridor that seemed longer than any corridor they ever walked in any building. Government buildings had shorter corridors than this mansion. But it felt fitting in this dimension of a homestead. Countless doors passed them by, a few being glaringly opened, some only just barely, and others were completely closed. It was like walking by portals into all their own worlds as they saw piece by piece the leisure and luxury that the mysterious host of the occasion lived in.

Offices, libraries, sets of art, and various collector's pieces. Private cinemas or spa areas, and a single time they even spied in on what seemed to be the entrance area to a personal indoor bathhouse. By the time they reached the end, it felt like they had walked across multiple places around the world that the doors in this castle of a building connected to. It was only then when they saw at the end of the hallway the various articles of clothing that hung around hangers by the door.

"Those shoes… those belong to…" Agata looked at the ground, spying the various high heels spreading on the floor.

"Ten…" Free spoke through gritted teeth. Ten was the leader of the Inarigumi, the only mafia of the black market to solely consist of females. And they all knew that more than one set in the company of Ten's shoes meant that the entire Inarigumi was likely here.

Dolph suddenly motioned to the opposite side. "There's more. Look at the clothing racks." The other clothes at the racks appeared to be leather jackets and suit coats.

"That's…" Ibuki took a frustrating pause to take a breath while he held his forehead. "Madara, Okami and Inari… Any other gumi's left to come?"

"Just us and the Dokugumi." Agata motioned towards the two clothing racks left for them. Small metal hooks reaching out of the walls, awaiting to serve their purpose.

"Is anybody else feeling a bit… off about this place?" Ibuki asked his brethren, their expression not in the slightest showing any resemblance to courage or calmness, but, at the same time, none were distressed or fearful.

You could ask this place questions, and it answered with silence in a way that actually presented itself as a viable answer, causing you to feel alarmed, but not at any risk either.

What were the other gumi's doing here? … Yes, right, because they also got invitations. Why is this place built in a way to survive a civil war or a raid? … Alright, sure. Could have gotten that on my own, really. Because the owner is part of the mafia just as we are. And why the hell is he not here yet? …Of course, makes perfect sense. Because he's currently busy tending to other things, and his fox butler here can take care of it all the same as his representative.

"Gentlemen." The fox spoke as if waiting on Ibuki's thoughts to give him his cue. "Most of your fellow colleagues have already arrived."

"Colleagues? What in the world are you talking about." Jinma blurted out. Anno simply smiled at him, giving off a pitch-perfect case of formal compliance.

"Master Tokugawa will inform you once dinner has commenced. I would give you more information but am simply not allowed, as Master Tokugawa wished to do it himself." He smiled now at the whole group. The kind gesture of respect to all of them made him almost seem untrustworthy, sending each of them to question the mysterious inquirer's motivations in these actions.

A fox as formal and well-mannered as him must have been a real hit with the Inarigumi. Sure makes one wonder how many numbers he already got tucked away in his little jacket, thought Free, snickering to himself.

"Well then, let's get on with it. Open the door. We don't need to hang up any coats."

Ibuki couldn't react quick enough to Free's arrogance returning. He could envision the many guns on the other side of the door. An entire shooting squad lined up to kill them, dropping what remained of their Shishigumi to the ground, just as the vixens, jaguars, and wolves had done before them. He could smell the blood of all the different species that dropped to the ground as the ruthless inquirer stood behind them, smirking and chuckling at the stupidity of these mindless morons that all walked into this trap without questioning ever what motivations such an inconspicuous letter might hold.

Ibuki wanted to jump in front of his gang at the last second yet the door opened anyway, a light suddenly flowing into the dark hallway.

And instead of the cocking of guns and the subtle clicks of bullets loading into their chambers, Ibuki heard aggravated voices fighting with each other. Voices he would quickly recognize as Minamoto aka 'Mina' the leader of the Madaragumi, and Roman the leader of the Okamigumi.

"That turf is ours, and you know it, you howler!" hissed Mina at Roman. The jaguar stood in front of his men, who all loudly agreed with their boss, giving off their own noises of contempt against their rivaled gang.

"We protect their shops instead of terrorizing them into submission. We take care of them as we should." Most of the wolves behind him nodded their heads in calm agreement, matching the calm and collected tone of their boss. The group of wolves parted a bit when the youngest member came out into the light. He held a piece of leather in his hands, presumably his belt, and pulled it long and let it snap back in an immature gesture of eagerness for a fight. Ibuki couldn't help but smile in amusement. Everyone knew the legendary stupidity of Baka-inu, the pup among alphas.

"Yeah, you overgrown kittens- YAUUUUUUUU" Baka let his belt snap back at an unfortunate angle, the impact leaving a red mark on his face. He yelped in pain, holding his face as he earned multiple swipes to the back of his head as the rest of the gang scolded him.

Roman's impression had frozen, seething anger boiling under his fur. Ironically it was now the jaguars that howled with laughter, but so did the Shishigumi as well as everyone else in the room.

"Oh… The kings of the jungle have arrived." Spoke one of the vixen's sitting at their own table. The Inarigumi had refrained from intercepting or joining the fight at all. Arrogance clouded around them like a cloud of perfume, which they also all wore. It was the delicate kind that you could get at a drugstore for a reasonable price. They were arrogant, but no snobs. Their thoughts about the whole ordeal were obvious when in connection to the total arrogance of their group.Men's business stays men's business. No need to lower our standard for their foolish acts of dominance.

Instead of turning back to old Mina, Roman instead turned towards the group of lions at the entrance of the large dining hall they found themselves in.

"Where's your boss? Don't you wheel that tyrant around everywhere?"

"We kicked him out. His methods and actions revolted the shishigumi standard and muddled our honor," Free shot back in return to Roman's quip. Minamoto began to laugh deep into his belly, holding it in mock amusement.

"Oh, sure you did… hahaha. On top of all of that, you killed him and buried him among your fellow fallen brethren. Did they also muddle the shishigumi honor? Or were their methods revolting enough for you to kick them out you murderous-"

"Oh, shut it you spotted house cat! Your vest ain't clean neither. But yes, Roman, we parted ways. One way or another." Ibuki now spoke outstanding in front of his brothers. Minamoto continued to cackle, now leaning forward in more mock amusement, as if he heard the worst joke in the world and was trying to overcompensate.

"And who made you the new boss, Ibuki. Sure as shit wasn't your fellow clan-men that did that to you because we all know you're the most murderous shithead of them all."

"We are all equal in this clan, Mina. Unlike the little posse, you keep around to make yourself feel important."

This time it was Dope, now standing beside Ibuki, along with Free going to his other side. Minamoto's expression of mockery and amusement changed to one of full-throttled anger that had laid waiting to be activated. He strutted forward, raising his fist.

"Listen here, you little shit, NO ONE CALLS ME MINA-"

"Now, now, gentlemen. No need to fight." A deep, rich voice reached the animals. Footsteps echoed closer, and the group turned towards the newcomer in the room.

Ibuki would love to see Mina with a dropped jaw under any other circumstance, but right now it seemed to be the right gesture to do. The new animal in the room was the tallest mountain lion that Ibuki had ever seen, being a head taller than most of the Shishigumi, and probably an inch or two taller than the leader of the Dokugmi who was the largest mafia fellow of all. He was dressed in a pure white three-piece suit, a black dress-shirt under the white vest, tie, and jacket. His shoes were more expensive than the entire outfits of any of the people present in the room, and yet he held an air of humble kindness. His shoulder width was broad, and his arms looked muscular even under the old-fashioned custom-fitted suit.

"Anno, walk to the main entrance. The Dokugumi are about to be here any minute." The fox followed the master's orders right away, leading out of the room the moment his master had finished the sentence.

"Are you Mr. Tokugawa?" Minamoto's tone had moved out from the loud and aggressive back of his throat to the front in a submissive and quiet inquiry. The master of the house had arrived. The cougar couldn't help but let loose a deep chuckle, smirking at the jaguar that had shrunk in size.

"I am awfully sorry for not being here sooner, the head of the house should be a little bit more hospitable, shouldn't he? But I had important matters to take care of, such as checking the kitchen if all was up to order. I wouldn't want to serve subpar food to my valued guests, would I? And you are valued, guests. You have been in control of the market grounds that I rightfully own."

Ice cold shock spread in the room like a wist of wind that gushed through the group. There were rumors about who truly owned the Black Market for decades. Decades before any of the mafia members births. And here he was, the current living patriarch of the Black Market Family. Drenched in rumors and never really revealed, unless you were in direct contact with them, which was harder than getting into one of the gumis themselves.

The Black Market Family, as the black market shopkeepers, dwellers, frequent customers, and even the mafias themselves called them, had a family tree so deeply intertwined and linked into the city as the founders, or the conglomerates. And now the current chain-link stood before them, finally showing itself, or rather, himself after years of endless search.

"I am awfully sorry to confuse you, but I cannot explain just yet. The Dokugumi is not yet here. And after all, the food is going to go cold."

The rolling of carts, footsteps, and the clinking of dishes and porcelain against itself sounded from behind one of the doors in the dining hall that they found themselves in. The doors opened, the kitchen staff rolling out differently colored carts, all holding dishes enclosed by silver dining bells. Tokugawa chuckled again, looking at the surprised and by some, quite alarmed faces of the assortment of mafia men and women in the room.

"Your seats are right over there." He motioned towards the designated table of the Shishigumi. Ibuki looked at the rest of his gang and shrugged his shoulders, making peace with the knowledge that they were in no position of power here what so ever.

"Let's eat."