A teenage girl was sitting in the back of a taxi. The girl, with fur color and texture like a wolf, stood out due to her height of 9 inches, which could either make her look like a gray wolf puppy even though she's 14, her size she got from her Chihuahua mother and her fur color, eyes and texture from wolf her father. Her nose was pressed against the window.

She didn't look too happy even though she had won a scholarship to one of Japan's most elite boarding schools, Cherryton Academy. She put in tons of hard work and dedication at her old ballet studio in Osaka. A studio that was on its last legs.

As she peered out the window, the girl knew damn well she was a long way from Osaka and Kamiki Village. Her grandmother didn't even bother to bid her goodbye. And obasan she didn't even know existed until two weeks ago. She knew her beloved Ojichan had a wife she never saw and that her mother hated her.

She couldn't blame them for not being able to drop her off at school. Auntie is too busy taking care of her little cousin and her often bedridden grandma with dementia, Ojichan cannot legally drive anymore, due to age taking away what little eyesight he had left in one eye and being blind in the other one didn't help. Before she got into the taxi, her grandfather handed her a little cherry tree wooden box with a white wolf with unique markings carved on it. That wolf being the sun goddess Ammaterasu.

Inside the box, a little envelope lay at the bottom. The girl carefully used her little claws to open it up. She unfolds the note.

"Dear Sakura-chan,

Inside this box are two holy beads. They have been in our family for generations. Normally, the beads go to the first son of the new generation, but in our family, there are no sons this time, and you are the firstborn of this generation.

I think you'll need this more than me.

-Ojiichan"

One bead featured a vibrant combination of lemon yellow and orange, reminiscent of a tulip or the sun, while the second bead was a dull cherry blossom pink, matching her very own namesake. The yellow and orange bead bore the intricate carving of a sun, while the pink one showcased a delicately carved lily blossom.

The taxi suddenly stopped, and they were at their destination. Before she exited the taxi, due to Sakura being 9 inches tall, the driver rushed to the trunk to retrieve a step stool so she could get out safely and effectively. Before Sakura could thank the tiger taxi driver he drove off in a hurry.

Sakura clutched onto the two beads her Ojichan had given her, puzzled by their purpose. As she stepped out of the vehicle with only her duffle bag in her hand and worn out pink messenger bag that is to be used as her school bag.

Sakura stopped to look at the massive dorm hall. This part of the school is where junior high girls sleep. Specifically the carnivore girls. The cherry blossoms bloomed recently along with the tulips, hyacinths, and all sorts of spring foliage. Making the brick colored building pop a little.

She was holding an envelope with her information on it to hand to the dorm mother. Out of curiosity she opened up the envelope to have a tiny peek.

"Sakura's mother recently abandoned her. My wife suggested she see the school counselor twice a week - Tadashi Otsuka," the note said inscribed in the same scraggly letters as the note the beads came with. Sakura rolled her eyes at the note. She crumpled up the note and shoved it into her bag. Her grandmother appears to not enjoy anything her mom does or says.

Sure, Sakura's mother was a prostitute who had her when she was 18 when she wasn't ready to have her, often leaving her unattended for days at a time so she could do lord knows what for money, would choose her stinky customers or boyfriends over her, and left two weeks ago forcing her to answer the door to the landlord when he informed her that her mother missed two months rent resulting in social services sending her to Kamiki Village to live with her extended family until it was time for school. But she was her mom, her only one. She was all she had for 14 years. Her mom couldn't be that bad, not like mother's who sell their baby's on the Back Alley Market to be used as livestock.

As Sakura ascended the steps, she noticed a distraught alpaca Llama boy, his face streaked with tears as he tightly hugged his knees, trembling in pain. His uniform was torn to shreds, his arm bent at an awkward angle, and deep gashes adorned his stomach, ribs, and arms. It was clear to Sakura that he had already died. Sensing his despair, she sat beside him and retrieved a few pieces of peach-flavored hard candy from her pocket and offered them to him.

"It looks like you encountered a bear," she thought, choosing to keep that observation to herself.

"I have candy? Want some?" she kindly asked the Llama.

The Llama glanced down, disbelief in his tear-stained eyes. "You can see and hear me, am I not mistaken?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Of course I can, how would I be talking to you otherwise?" she said as though it were a common occurrence.

"Great! The only living anthro who can see me is the very thing that killed me!" The llama used his hands to hide his face.

"I didn't kill you! You were dead when I got here!" Sakura protested.

"Well, your kind did, that's all you seem to do! Eat innocent herbivores, rip off their limbs, all carnivores do is cripple, maim, and kill! I learned my lesson! The Shinigami I got is a literal freak of nature!" The Llama was clearly shaken up about his demise.

Sakura can see ghosts. Yes, it's a gift that's run in her family for centuries. However she's never seen a Shinigami before. All she knows is that Shinigami are the first anthros you meet when you die. Assuming you're not too bad for hell but not good enough for the celestial plain.

"I'm sorry to…" Sakura's tone turned a little bit softer.

"LEAVE! LEAVE NOW!" the Llama demanded, picking up a rock and attempting to throw it at Sakura. Quick on her feet, she dodged the rock and fled. She left the piece of candy on the step, conflicted about how to handle the situation. Part of her was tempted to punch the Llama in the face or throw one back at him. Though her fist or the rock would probably go through him.

"Jesus Christ! Who pissed in his Coke?" Unbeknownst to Sakura, the Llama was brutally murdered two weeks ago.

Feeling justifiably frustrated, Sakura got up, brushed the dust off her dress and stormed off up the stairs, clutching her duffle bag and bag.

All she needed to do was present herself to the dorm mother. As she entered the junior high carnivore girls' dormitory, a barn owl woman in her late 20s greeted her. The owl woman was casually dressed, sporting denim bell bottoms and a modest embroidered peasant top.

"Good evening, are you the dorm mother?" Sakura inquired.

"Yes, I'm the dorm mother. Are you Sakura Otsuka? I was told you'd be coming." Miss Daguchi responded. Miss Daguchi responded with a voice reminiscent of a hippy from the 60s.

"Should I mention the crying Llama on the stairs trying to throw rocks at me?" Sakura inquired in her head.

"Yes, I am." She spoke aloud to the dorm mother. Sakura nodded and retrieved her acceptance letter, her scholarship reward from her bag and her new school ID.

Miss Daguchi took the sheets of paper and ID from Sakura's hands and looked them over; she then smiled warmly.

"Hello Sakura, welcome to Cherryton Academy. I'm Miss Daguchi, I hope you had a safe and pleasant journey. Let me get you something." Miss Daguchi patted Sakura's head before walking over to her desk to fetch a cardboard box underneath the desk.

"This box contains five uniforms, a lanyard for your ID, your timetable, and various other essentials you'll need during your time here," Miss Daguchi explained as she crouched down to Sakura's level and handed the box to her.

"You've been awfully quiet, is everything alright?" She asked with concern.

"Oh, I'm fine, Miss…I'm fine." She lied as she took the box. She was still a little shaken from the rock attack and rather salty with her grandparents. And her mother suddenly disappearing isn't doing her any favors.

"Thank you for the box…"

"You look like you have your hands full. I'll help you with your things." Miss Daguchi offered as she took it from Sakura's arms.

"Arigato, Miss Daguchi…." Sakura mumbled.

"It's no problem, why don't I take you to your dorm. Since you're small, you'll walk on the right, as a safety precaution. On the right, Sakura got a glimpse of the ghost of a shrew girl who looked as flat as a paper cutout. She was wearing the school uniform. Sakura waved hello to the shrew, But the smaller girl looked shocked and scampered away. Sakura knew not to follow.

"You'll have five other roommates." Miss Daguchi explained as they strolled down the dorm hallway.

Sakura tried speed-walking to keep up with the owl woman as she balanced her box and luggage.

The carnivore girls' dorm had so many doors with different numbers. Some girls were in the process of decorating their doors. The Owl and canine stopped at a door that said 204 in brass letters and numbers. Along with stickers of unicorns, Pom Pom Purin, Cinnamoroll, Hello Kitty, and other Sanrio characters.

Inside the dorm, five other canine girls were setting up shop. There was a red wolf putting her neatly folded clothing into her dresser drawers, a King Charles Spaniel setting up wall decorations, a pug on her bed scrolling through her phone, while a coyote and Samoyed were bickering over who got which bunk. The girls were already in their white school uniforms.

The dorm layout in the junior high dorms consisted of two bunk beds lined up against the wall and a bed in the corner.

"Hello, girls! This is Sakura, she's going to be your roommate. How does that sound?" Miss Daguchi introduced. Sakura put her hand up as a way to wave at them.

The red wolf girl walked up to the owl and mixed breed.

"Hi! My name is Hinata. It's nice to meet you!" She greets warmly as she wags her tail with glee.

Hinata and the other girls are much bigger than she is. This isn't uncommon for Sakura at all being half Chihuahua and all. She probably looks like a toy to them.

"Dinner in hour girls." Miss Daguchi reminds them as she walks off to take care of other things. Leaving Sakura alone with these girls.

"No Haturo! You got the top bunk last year." The Samoyed protests.

"Nah Ai! I called dibs on it. Respect the dibs!" Haturo protests. Haturo placed her tongue on the top bunk.

"Ha Ha I licked it, it's mine now!" Haturo teases while climbing up onto the top bunk.

"That's disgusting!" Ai got onto the bottom bunk in defeat.

"Haturo, just because you licked something doesn't make it yours," Hinata reprimanded the coyote.

"Girl, it's a lick-ocracy," Haturo argued.

"No, it's not! Now Ai, you on the top, Haturo, you on the bottom," Hinata decided firmly.

Haturo couldn't help but giggle.

"That's what she said!" Haturo blurted out, laughing like a madwoman.

"Must everything be turned into a rude joke?" Hinata questioned.

"Yes, yes it must." Haturo affirmed.

"Guys we have a new girl, meet Sakura. let's try to be nice to her, OK." Hinata offered Sakura her hand but she declined to hold it. The other girls eyed the Chihuahua wolf hybrid.

"Ohayo!" Sakura waved at the other girls.

The pug girl giggles.

"No silly! it's almost evening, not morning!" She said in a playful tone. The pug girl's voice was bubbly and bouncy.

"Oh, well ohayo evening." Sakura replied to the pug shrugging her shoulders.

The pug was lounging on her bed in the corner, engrossed in her phone. Her bedding was a soothing aquamarine with a plushie of a dolphin, with a poster of dolphins playing in the water hanging above her. On her shelf, shells from the beaches of Ryoshima coast were neatly lined up in a row. A little dolphin figurine adorned her nightstand next to a bottle of white sand. On her bulletin board were Polaroid pictures of her friends and family from the coast.

"Hey Fumiko! Looks like you're all set up." Hinata remarked.

"Yep, I sure am! I've already signed up for a few clubs and I'm planning to try out for the swimming team this year. I really hope I actually make it. I was so friggin close last year I practiced so much over the break, I swear my limbs may fall off in the pool." Fumiko's beamed with excitement.

"I'm sure you'll make the swim team this year. All you need to do is show the coach you made improvements from last year." Hinata advised Fumiko.

"Man Hinata, you sure have advice for everything!" Fumiko pointed out with a smile and tail wag.

All the other girls had their bedding setup except Sakura, Haturo and the samoyed Haturo called Ai.

There was a bottom bunk available. Above that bunk was a lavender purple bedspread tucked in hospital style and a kuromi plush with her purple pillows arranged neatly. On the shelf a small lamp of a crescent moon with two figurines of the little twin stars. That was Hinata's bunk. Close to the outlet her Nintendo switch and phone were charging.

In the other corner, a King Charles Spaniel had hung up a tapestry featuring the flag of the United Kingdom along the wall next to a poster of Green Day.

"Oi!, I'm Theresa!" The girl greeted Sakura with her thick Yorkshire accent, which made her stand out in the group of girls.

"Are you from the UK?" Sakura inquired, looking at the tapestry.

"I was born there and spent two years in Sheffield before I came here." Theresa elaborated.

"Why's that?" Sakura knew where Sheffield was. Her Ojiichan made her watch this movie called Threads. For some reason her mother wasn't too happy about that when she found out.

"My parents are diplomats and thought boarding school would be better for me, given how much we travel for my parents' jobs." Theresa explained.

"Where have you traveled to?" Sakura asked.

"I've been to California, Italy, France, South Korea, Mexico, Hong Kong, Australia, and South Africa." Theresa replied listing off the country's on her fingers.

"Wow you've been everywhere!" Sakura's eyes widened.

"Yeah…I sure have." Theresa's tone changed from excited to sad. Sakura saw a poster that Theresa drew herself. It was of a gray wolf in a beetle mask wearing a blue and white hakama.

"Who's that?" Sakura cocked her head at the hand drawn poster.

"That is Kori Okami! He is so cool! He's like this superhero who goes and beats the stuffing out of criminals!"

"You mean a vigilante?" Hinata wanted clarification.

"Vigilantes can't cast ice from their hands or create blizzards to make themselves disappear, can they Hinata?" Theresa said in awe.

"No they can't, the ice powers are just that Theresa, a rumor." Hinata shook her head, rolling her eyes.

"He's kinda cute." Fumiko comments before she giggles.

"Oh Fumiko, you think every canine boy is cute." Haturo scoffed.

"He's ok looking I guess." Sakura states bluntly.

Sakura walked over to the empty bunk below Hinata and decided to put her stuff down. The red wolf decided to pause and follow Sakura.

Sakura began to unpack her worn taffy pink bedspread and faded lavender sheets from her bag, attempting to set them up on the larger bed. However, the sheet's corners kept popping off due to the mismatch in size.

"Do you need any help with your bed?" Hinata offered.

"No!" Sakura immediately declined as she placed her pillow on her bunk along with three worn plushies: a Cinnamoroll Doll she had since she was 8, a penguin she had since she was two, and a Rilakkuma bear she received on her 13th birthday. At least the pillow, blankets and sheets were on her bed.

"Can't believe I got the same gym period as the antichrist herself!" Haturo complained as Sakura attempted to make her bed.

"Haturo, Grace Arenette isn't that bad," Fumiko interjected.

"Not that bad, Fumiko? She and her little gaggle of girls strut around as if they own the school." Haturo corrected.

"That's not the worst of it. Last year Grace stabbed another girl with a pencil because she refused to let her copy her homework, and the other girl required 10 stitches," Ai said, her voice trembling as she looked at a scar on her hand. AI sounded like she was ready to cry.

"Grace was why Mai left last school year." Ai said in a somber voice. Haturo placed her hand on Ai's shoulder.

"How was she not expelled? Some students got expelled for less." Theresa shook her head.

"Bitch, Seriously?! Her parents are Beaststars, and the principal literally kisses their..."

"Haturo! Language!" Hinata scolded.

"I'm just sayin." Haturo protests, putting her hands up.

"Hey newbie, make sure to steer clear of the Royals at all costs. Avoid them like the plague." Theresa whispers into Sakura's ear. The Royals were the name of Grace and her clique of girls.

"So, are these Royals actual royalty?" Sakura inquired.

"They might as well be, considering their parents are Beaststars, and Sylvia's daddy is the superintendent of the school." Haturo stuck her tongue out in disgust.

Miss Daguchi suddenly knocked on the door.

"Dinner time girls, please make sure your uniforms are on." She reminds them.

"Yes Miss Daguchi." Hinata replied back through the door. The other girls except Sakura had their uniforms on.

"HEY! Let me get my uniform on first!" Sakura shouts at the other girls as they rush off to dinner. But they didn't listen to her.

"Ugh!" Sakura said, disgruntled before Fumiko closed the door behind her. Her roommates left her behind.

Sakura hurriedly got dressed in one of the uniforms Miss Daguchi had in the box for her. She figured she'd catch up with the other girls.

Sakura decided to check out her reflection in the mirror first..

The white dress with short sleeves was three times too big on her. She was hoping that the length of the skirt wouldn't cause her to trip. The other girls' uniforms fit them just fine. She looked like a toddler putting on "big people's clothes" in the uniform. The Mary Jane's fit her fine, at least they were not elephant shoes.

Sakura saw a nob meant to acclimate someone of her size. It was from when Mai was there.

To her surprise Hinata and Ai were waiting for her. Theresa, Haturo and Fumiko were already well on their way to dinner.

"You waited for me?" Sakura asked them with a hint of skepticism.

"Of course we did Sakura, your new and it's only reasonable that we walk with you to the cafeteria."

"So you don't get lost and miss dinner. Because it happened to me before…." AI mumbled.

"You didn't have to do that..." Sakura insisted.

"But I wanted to. Even though I just met you, I hope we can be friends." Hinata said with a smile.

Sakura beemed with delight. Her first living friends.

Authors Notes:

Sorry If this is a long first chapter. I just wanted to introduce the OCs. The reason the story is told through Sakura's perspective is because she is intended to serve as the audience surrogate. Chapter 2 will be uploaded shortly. The canon characters from both Beaststars and Okami will be in the story soon don't worry. Try to guess who Kuri Okami is Lol.