I would like to make a quick note here. I know in the manga/anime that Takeshi actually has a dog and I believe it's a Shiba Inu, however I wanted to give him something different. I tried to give the all the guardians animals which I thought fit their personality and the personality of their box weapon in canon. And I felt like this dog fit it a bit more. So please don't be too critical? I will take your comments as always though :D

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Jirou– Springer-spaniel

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They had been in a lovely little rural town when Takeshi found his lovely boy.

Tsuna, to this day, has never seen Takeshi so furious. Nor has Tsuna seen a dog so spitting. He was a delicate little thing.

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Takeshi and Mukuro had been walking around town when they saw him. A springer spaniel of black and white. He could have been a proud dog if it weren't for the terribly mattes in his fur and the mud caking his entire body.

He was tied to an abandoned car, in an abandoned lot. Muck surrounded him, and he was so emaciated he barely looked able to stand.

Takeshi –let alone Mukuro –had not been able to stand for it and had taken off running.

But that had been the wrong move, because the dog had snapped and growled, pacing and in distress. "Help he distract him." Takeshi had all but growled himself.

Mukuro thought it a pitiful sight, and while he loathed to be ordered around, he agreed this time. He used his voice and louder noises to draw the dog's attention while Takeshi snuck around him.

Somehow it worked, because Takeshi got the dog loose and managed to get him back to the camp with little incident. The other dogs were wary at first, but where Jirou wouldn't let even Tsuna touch him, the other dogs were fair game and he settled in well enough there.

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It was a testament to Jirou's true temperament, and the disgusting temperament of his past owners, that snapping and snarling like a beast as he was, Kojirou never attempted to go at someone with his teeth.

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Jirou pulled against the leash and harness, trying with all his strength to get away from these humans, for surely they would hurt her again.

Takeshi soothed, eyes deep as he crouched before him. Never forcing him near, and never dragging him along. Unless they were walking, he had to drag Jirou then. He had to keep the dog close.

He knew he could get through to him.

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Slowly his ribs stared to fill out with good food and plenty of exercise.

He walked closer to the group, and slowly, Takeshi was able to go back to the back rather than walk way in front of it.

Jirou first learnt to sit. Because an abused dog or not, Ryohei demanded that there be some EXTREME manners before the dogs got to eat.

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Jirou could catch birds apparently. Though he was well trained, with a soft mouth, because they always flew away unharmed –if not a little stressed –when he let them go.

Takeshi was amazed, awed at this little dog –who barely reached his knee (either because he was young or malnourished). He wanted to train the dog. He wanted to see how far this pup could go with agility and intelligence.

It just made him work harder to gain Jirou's trust.

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It was a frozen night, and they crowded into the tent with the animals for warmth. Though their bodies were enough, Takeshi fretted. Jirou wouldn't come in, he knew Jirou would freeze and he paced endlessly before the night.

But instead he crouched inside, directly by the door, glaring at those around him. But for once, he didn't snap at shadows.

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It was almost six weeks later, Takeshi was walking around camp with a baseball in hand. He had gathered the dogs together for a game of fetch while their owners were away. Takeshi had drawn the short straw and had been delegated to stay 'home' while everyone else resupplied.

Not that he minded.

Still, he whistled low and the dogs ran over, Kanga –a newer member –was bouncing like her namesake yipping even as Natsu trotted over. A sentinel, a guard, and an overall lazy lap-dog was the giant, black bear of a dog.

"Wanna play a while?" Takeshi taunted, throwing the ball between his hands. Kanga bounced more, trying to catch it playfully, her but shaking with her excitement. Natsu just turned his tail to Takeshi, watching the field, and where he assumed that Takeshi would throw the ball.

He kept doing this, throwing it up and around the playful lab –he knew Natsu was both calm usually, and would tire more quickly than the springer of a Labrador –when suddenly there was a yap and the ball vanished.

Shocked, Takeshi looked to his left, only to find Kojirou trotting around like the cat with the canary.

"Jirou!" Takeshi hasn't meant to for he was filled with wonder, and there was certainly no reprimand in his voice, but his tone topped at a raised voice and the dog froze. "Oh, no. No I'm sorry." Takeshi flailed, trying to think about how to ratify the scared dog.

But he was shocked again.

Because instead of snarling, Jirou turned and paced towards the black-haired teen warily.

Takeshi stared reverently as the dog dropped to his stomach and crawled forward, depthless brown eyes pleading Takeshi even as he dropped the ball at his feet and nudged it closer with his nose.

He knelt then, but bypassed the ball. Instead, Takeshi held his hand out, and ever so slowly patted the dog on the head.

He didn't know why, but his eyes burned when he didn't flinch away. Instead, Jirou looked up and grinned in that way all happy dogs did. He yipped slightly, and pushed the ball again.

Takeshi scrubbed his eyes, because he didn't want to cry. Instead he grabbed the baseball and flung it as far as he could. "Go get it, boy!"

And Jirou was off, racing through the field with Kanga and Natsu on his tail. Takeshi thought the dog was a bolt of black and white against the green. He hasn't seen a faster dog in all his life.