Kangaryuu – Golden Labrador.
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They're all walking the strip in Las Vegas, camping out in the storm drains with so many other homeless people when Ryohei spots him.
He's a lightning bolt of energy, skulking in the corners and gutters of the storm-system. But he's beautiful. His coat is matted and dirty, Ryohei can't even be sure that he's golden.
But there was a bunch of strays around so Ryohei ignored it. But he couldn't get the golden streak from his mind.
"Oi, whose dog is that?" Ryohei asks when he and his group settle in for the night. The residents of the storm drains are welcoming, they share knowledge and Tsuna and the group share some food with them. They won't be staying here long. It wasn't a place for Lambo and none of them liked the feeling in the town.
The man they were talking too looked up from his newspaper and looked around. "Oho, that'd be the lightning."
"Hmm?" Tsuna looked up from where he was brushing Jirou. Natsu was lying o his side, panting. Having a black dog in Nevada wasn't a great idea.
"See no one owns that dog. We don't know how he got here, he kind of just turned up."
"No one's claimed him? That's a surprise." Takeshi hummed as he took a seat. He'd gone out to get some more dog food, but he had almost choked when he saw the price. It was no wonder the dogs here were emaciated.
The man they were with laughed. "Oh, believe me many people have tried. Having a pet is a wonderful thing here. But that one there, he runs before anyone can get close, and it doesn't matter what kind of food we leave you he won't approach."
The others kind of shrug the incident off, but Tsuna can see the fire in Ryohei's eyes. Tsuna knew the feeling, he felt it when he saw Natsu, and Takeshi knew it too when he found Jirou.
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Ryohei keeps extra food on him so that if he spots the elusive dog he can tempt it over. But it never works. He just sees it in the corner of his eyes before it's gone.
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He uses the other dogs to try and coax the animal out to play. Other strays come by and have a grand time, but the blond animal stays just out of reach.
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They're only going to be in Las Vegas for another day or so and Ryohei feels empty.
He had yet to get the lightning dog close, and while Ryohei knew that he wasn't a special snowflake, he had felt something brilliant when he saw the dog running around.
So, as usual when Ryohei needed to sort through some emotions, he went out for a jog.
He strapped the smaller packs they'd bought years ago onto his waist and thigh, throwing a water bottle and protein bar (for breakfast) into it. No one was awake, so he make sure that Natsu saw him leave.
Tsuna could, apparently, talk to the dog.
Ryohei is running and thinking and trying to come to terms with this dog not being for him when he slips. He screams out as he lands on his back and slides down a bank of the storm drains on the side of the road. He isn't worried about getting stuck, this kind of thing happens. They're easy to get out of too.
But he just lays there, still. He watches the skies as the sun just starts making its rise clear. But he lays there and lets his breathe even out.
It's then that Ryohei notices a form creeping towards him.
It's the little lightning, and she is gorgeous. She is matted and skinny, but Ryohei can see her golden coat. Her eyes though, watching him, worried as she approaches. He holds his breath and when he does her ears perk up and she closer, fast this time.
And Ryohei breathes again when her nose is close, and she looks at him straight in the eyes and he is mesmerised. He runs his hand over the dog's head with her permission, and it takes so long before she lets him, but Ryohei is patient. And he marvelled at the feeling and warmth in the way the dog pressed into his touch.
"Hey girl," Ryohei hummed. "How about we get you cleaned up and fed?"
And the dog barked, pulling away from Ryohei and bouncing around, jumping up and around Ryohei's shoulders as she yapped and spun.
"What an EXTREME reaction!" Ryohei chuckled, petting the love again. "Like a kangaroo….Let's go, Kangaryuu. Time to go home."
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She's a crazy ball of energy, making Takeshi's Jiro bounce and run. She's probably about three when she finds her place within the pack.
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Ryohei is an endless storm of energy, and Kanga does her best to keep up. She sometimes gets too tired, but she always tries for Ryohei and he is gentle with her.
She was lightning in Nevada where there was so little rain, but she is the sunshine to Ryohei and he keeps her coat as clean as possible to show others her shine.