Today is the first of January. The year is 2013. I would never thought that this age in time would be on us already. Just a couple days ago, I moved here, to Palos Verdes, California. I moved here from Japan because I needed a change. If you wanted to say that.
My night black hair was put into a high pony, it swayed back and forth as I walked through the town streets. I turned the corner and continued until I got to a convenient store. A bell rang as I opened the door. “You know what you are looking for?” The clerk asked me.
“Yeah.” I grabbed an apple from the fruit basket and paid. I took a bite of the apple and sat down on the counter.
“So, you new around here?” I took another bite and looked at him. A girl stood at the back and watched as she looked at some comics.
“Yep, I moved here on Saturday.” My phone rang; I looked at it. “I have to go. I will see you tomorrow.” I ran out of the store and down the street towards the dojo in the mall. I ran inside and towards the locker room. Before I could get to the changing room, I took down the sign that said “sold” on it. I paused when I saw some kids walk by. When I looked at them, they stared back at me. I sighed and went the back of the dojo and changed into my ninja uniform and then to the back room and found out that someone was going to rob a store. I waited until nightfall.


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The first day of school for me, another school day for everyone else. I moved here in the middle of the year. A girl sat down in the back of the room with her two friends, “I heard that there is a new kid coming into our school.”
“What do you think this kid looks like?” The boy with the glasses and clean hair cut responded as he turned around and he saw me, “Sarah, I believe that is the new kid right there.” Sarah looked up. She stared at me.
“Mike, I think that this is the same guy we saw at the mall. But why did he buy the dojo when he is just our age and it looks like he is alone. I think. I am probably wrong on that.” She watched the new kid.
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The next day I walked into school and saw everyone was whispering. This was my first day here so I did not know anyone’s names. I found my homeroom and walked in. I could sense that everyone was staring at me. Including the three I saw in the mall. I shook the feeling off.
“Just last night some guy robbed a store and then someone stopped him. They were all in black, I think. Well, everyone is wondering who this mystery person is. Everyone is talking about it. It is even on the news.” The girl jumped up a down, but then turned around and saw me. I walked towards them.
“How do you know if he or she was wearing a different color?” Mike asked her.
“Well, after we left the mall, I remembered, that I left my sweater there, so I went and got it, but on my way back I saw someone fighting the burglar.”
“So what happened though?”
“Well, I walked back towards the entrance and then I saw something reflect off of what looked like a sword. I do not know. But then I also saw this guy do some moves that I have never seen anyone do something like that except someone who was from China or Japan. Well, moves that are usually done in movies. So then I thought that maybe the kid could be the guy in black.” Mike Shrugged and saw me walk in.
“Really?” John asked her. She nodded.
They soon saw me walk over to where they were.
“So does anyone have a clue who this person is?” I asked them. The three of them shook their heads.
“No, not yet.” The other boy that was sitting next to the girl who I later learned that her name was Sarah.
I looked down at the floor.“Really?”
“Okay, class, I will be taking the attendance now.” The teacher rattled on until she got to my name, “Shou Wakayashi.” The teacher tried to sound out my name.
“Here. It is actually Waka-bay-ashi. That is how you say it. It is Japanese.” I sat down in the back and looked out the window. What am I going to do? I thought to myself.
“Mr. Wakabayashi will you tell us a little about yourself.” The teacher asked me. I stood up as everyone turned around and looked at me.
“I Shou. I just moved here. I...I ...any questions?” I looked around the room .
“Where did you move from?” One of the girls in the front asked me.
I looked at her, “Japan.”
“So you were born there?” I nodded. “Cool. “
“Hey, I have a question. “ I looked at Sarah. “ If you moved here from Japan , then why do you have a dojo?”
I stood there wided eyed, “To... um..you know do karate.” I gulped. I had to stay quiet about why I was here. I turned my head, and stared outside; I sighed.
“Shou, are you okay?” Sarah walked up to me and placed her hand on my shoulder. “It is okay if you do not want to tell us.” Sarah and I sat down in our seats as the class the bell rang and the class started.
“Now class, you will be continuing on a story about a dragon and how he did not want to become leader of his clan so he was sent down to the earth to learn how to, but he refused...” I looked up when I heard what the teacher said. “Shou, something the matter? Do you know the story, which you probably do because it was a legend, probably, where you came from, right?”
“I guess yeah. I have heard it differently.”
“If you heard it differently, then we would all like to all hear it.” I nodded .
“Sure.” I stood up and started from the beginning. “ About a thousand years from this day, a baby dragon was born, his name was Sha’oren Drakani. This dragon was not just no ordinary dragon, he could turn into a human as well. He is the dragon of Eternity and life. Ever since he was born, he was teased because, he was different, anyways, one night his mother...” I turned my head towards the window as a tear ran down my left cheek. “...told him that he was going to be the leader of the clan. The clan was called, The Moonlight Ancients.” I pulled my sleeve down so no one could see my birthmark which ran from the wrist of my left arm and went to the down my back and around my body. “ So he was sent, well that is what people thought, actually I...I think that he decided to go down to the ancient temple to see if it was true, but he did not know that the master was his grandfather and the leader of the clan. The dragon refused when it was true, but after a couple nights after he arrived...” I paused there. “I am sorry, I can not finish.” I picked up my bag and left the room.
I ran straight towards my locker. which, I ended up putting some ‘school supplies’ into the my locker the day I arrived here. Anyways, I turned a corner and stopped at locker 2341. “Why did I have to say anything. I was going to tell everyone about the meeting.” I looked at the picture with Akio, grandpa and I. We all looked happy. I placed it back in my locker and bowed to it. “I will always will love you gramps.” A tear ran down my cheek. I looked up and saw Sarah running towards me and her two friends following her. I had to not let her see that I was crying.

Sarah ran out of the room and down the hall. She followed the new kid. “Shou, are you okay?” She saw me bow to my locker. “Shou?” She called.

I looked up, “I am fine.” I stared at the picture again. Sarah finally arrived at my locker. She looked over my shoulder,.
“What are you looking at in your locker and why did run out of the classroom?” She asked.
“I am not looking at anything and why should you care why I ran out.” Another tear ran down my cheek.
“Shou, it is okay if you miss your friends in Japan, but now you have friends here. I am Sarah, The nerd here is John and the other one is Mike. All three of us saw you run into the dojo. I was wondering about the dojo and why you ran in there. You seemed like you were in a bit of a hurry. Also, if you do karate, we would all love to watch you and we would love to learn. That is if you are willing to teach us.” The girl Sarah asked me. “Also we should get back to class.”
“I am fine. If you want to, I really do not care at all. Do you know when you want me to teach you? You go back to class. I will be right behind you. “ Sarah nodded and walked back to class with both MIke and John.
“How about whenever you feel like it. ” I stayed behind and meditated standing for a couple seconds and then headed back to class.

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“Mr. Wakabayashi, are you listening?” The teacher stood over my desk.
“Yes ma’am.” I answered.
“Okay class, instead of teaching you today, we are going to watch the news.” Ms. Jensen turned the TV on. I did not look at it, but then decided to look at the screen.

“Just last night someone tried to rob a clothes store, but when the police arrived at the scene, the robber was found tied up to a telephone pole. No one knows if he did it himself or what.” The women showed us a smile. She then puts a hand to her ear, “Wait, I got some new information. Just in that the police found a note on the pole above the robber.” I smirked, but did not show it to anyone. “It says here, ‘Here is your criminal. I am a friend.’ Looks like this person is a friend. we will give you more information when we can.” The woman smiled at us then the forecast came on. Ms. Jensen turned the TV off.
“Okay, do what you would like to do from now to the end of class.” The three looked at me, they whispered something and then looked at me again.


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The school day went by so slowly, but it soon ended. I walked out of the high school. The three ran after me. Turning around, I saw them. “Wait up!” The one who’s name I found out was John called. I slowed down for them.
“Shou, is something the matter?”The girl asked me.
I shook my head, “No, I am fine.” I turned around again and started to walk towards the mall.
“Well, if you want to hang out just call us or come find us. We will be at one of the tables that are certainly not in front of the dojo..” Mike called sarcastically as I nodded.


Sun shown down, there barely any clouds out and then wind was blowing occasionally. I walked into the dojo and sat down on the ground and started to meditate. They watched me. I could feel them staring at me. All I had to do was clear my mind. I do not know why I started to tell them what happened. I was basically telling everyone my life. I stood up and found the same picture and placed it in front of me and lit a candle and started to meditate again. Again I need to keep my mind clear. Wait, there is this girl. She told me her name was Sarah, but why would she be concerned about me? Focus Sha’oren, this is no time to think. I came here, well...why did I come here? Again, focus. I took a deep breath and cleared my mind at last.

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My eyes flew open, I dashed out of the door and did a front flip and caught a dart between my middle and pointer as I landed on the table, their eyes grew wide. I looked at them and then at where the dart came from. I narrowed my eyes and spotted the person who did it, of course, I should have known. I sighed. Her name is Akio. She was in my every class a really long time ago. I also beat her every time we sparred.
“Akio, what do you want?” I called out. She looked at me.
“Shou, I want have a rematch.” She looked serious.
“I told you that I always win.” I gave her a stern look.
“Are you backing out?”
“No.” I replied. “I am not backing out.”
“Fine then, we will duel.” She smirked at me.
“Here is your poison dart.” I threw it up at her; she caught it.
“Meet me in the park at Dawn.” She then disappeared. I thought to myself. It has not been that long has it? Which she always looks young. What does she use?
“Focus Sha’oren.” I told myself quietly.


Sarah, Mike and John looked at me wondering who and why I was talking to this person. They were all probably thinking that I can’t fight this person. I turned my head to see that my their eyes were still looking up at me. I did a flip off the table and walked back to the dojo.
“Shou!” Mike called after me. “What just happened?” He and the others ran after me.
“Mike, I think that she was his friend in Japan.” Sarah told him.
Ignoring him, I walked into the dojo and practiced my side kicks and punches on a dummy. They followed me and then looked around. There were so many dummies and practicing sticks. I was practicing the more basic techniques. Sarah’s eyes glanced over the picture I had out and looked at it. “John, Mike, come look at this.” Sarah held the picture of me, my grandfather and Akio. We were all smiling.
“Wow.” Mike just stared at the picture. “So this is Shou? He looks like a monk. And behind them is a temple?”
“I guess so.” Sarah replied. “I bet that the old man here is his grandfather and the girl here is girlfriend and the person he was talking to.”




When I finished, I cleaned up and went to the back. I unlocked one of the doors and went in. There were my special Katanas hanging in a special case on the wall. Then there were other swords, I used over the years. I took out my Katana. I checked to see if it was sharp. I heard a knock. “Shou, are you in there?” I did not answer. I then walked to a shelf and grabbed a tape from the shelf and put it into the dvr. I started to watch until it was time to head to the park.


“A boy just about ten practiced his punches and kicks. He had to concentrate for a test the master was going to give him.” A girl narrates, “Hey, what are you doing.” A girl asked the boy. She was holding the camera.
“I am practicing for the test tomorrow. Masters wants us to succeed.” He kept practicing.
“No, Shou. Master wants you to succeed.” The girl was smiling. “How about stop for now and come play with me.” She begged. “The boy named Shou finished quickly and then stopped for the day.” She continued to narrate.
“Okay, I know that I will get in trouble.” The boy felt nervous.
“Stop worrying.” She smiled and started running. “Race you to the garden!!” She laughed.
“Akio, wait!” The boy ran after her. The camera was facing him.

Sarah and her friends looked up when they heard voices. The walked towards the sound. They did not know that I was watching one of the tapes Akio recorded. Sarah walked quietly and listened.


I smiled when I saw Akio. “What was I thinking. I need to head back now, but did I come here because of my destiny?” I questioned myself. Sighing, I turned the tv off and got ready for my duel with Akio. Should I tell you or should I now, well, I will tell you, I am in love with Akio ever since I walked into the temple. She was amazing. I could go on about her, but I am not going to.

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An hour later I walked to the park with my Katana on my back I pulled the fabric over my mouth and over my nose. I waited silently, the air was getting chiller. My eyes searched the air. “Akio, where are you?” I called. My ears heard something.
“You looking for me?” Akio, my old time friend was crouching on a branch, “you ready to battle?” I gulped and held my katana out.
“Yeah.”

Mike and my friends walked through the park. The sky was going to bed.
“ I did not know that Shou could do that. I am very surprised even if he is the new kid.”
“I know.” Mike was surprised as well. “ I thought that he was just a shy kid and he never talks to us.” He shrugged. They kept walking until they heard some voices. They walked off of the path and kneeled behind a bush to watch.

I watched Akio, “Why are you here now?”
“Why am I here? Well, you can answer the question and besides, you have won before, now it is my turn.” Akio jumped off of the branch and ran towards me. I stopped every move. “Why did you leave the temple you knew that I should've become the master, not you.” She growled. “Why?” I saw a tear run down her cheek, but she did not let her guard down.
“Akio, I do not want to fight you and it was not my choice to become the new master.”
“Shou, do you love me?”
I stared wide eyed at her, “Do, I love you?...um... of course I do, but is this why you came?”
She pulled back and stared up at the sky, “Do you remember when we met?”
I took my mask off, “Yeah, it was just like it was yesterday and it was full moon, we were at the pond in the garden at the temple in Japan. We just started our training that day. I asked if you were happy there and you told me that you were. You stood on the bridge, so I walked and stood next to you. I then told you that I was happy too...” I started to trail off.
“Shou, the first time I saw you or the day that I fell in love with you was the day, you came. You had just traveled from who knows where and I loved you at first sight.” I could tell that she was smiling.
“Well, I loved you when I saw you were practicing moves in the garden alone.” I grinned, “I saw you do moves that I have never seen before. You are too beautiful and you are one amazing fighter.” I smiled; put my Katana away and walked towards her. She blushed.“Shou, I want to really know why left the temple and do not give me any excuses or I will rip your head off.” She warned.
“ Akio, I have thought about why I left the temple and maybe deciding to return, but I have not decided yet. There is something that I wanted to tell you...” I was going to tell Akio, my friend and my true love something about that only you the reader knows. Actually, you do not know either. Wait, maybe a little. when I telling the story of the dragon and I thought to myself and I actually told you my real name. Anyways, I watched as my new “friend” here jump out of the bushes and landed in between Akio and I.

Sarah watched, “Don’t rip his head off, he is my friend!” She jumped over the bush, “You are not allowed to rip anyone’s head off, but if are going to, you have to go through me first!” She in between Akio and I.

I looked at her, “What are you doing?” I asked her.
“Who is this Shou?” Akio asked me. She pointed her sword at Sarah.
“This is Sarah, she is a friend I met after I ran away.” I gulped again. “Don’t kill her.” Akio looked at me. “This is Akio, she is just like me, we lived in the same temple when we were little. We are also orphans too, I forgot to tell you that.” I gulped, but did not give her the fact about me being the ninja and the meeting with Master Zou. I hope that Akio did not hear about the ninja a couple nights ago. Crossing fingers.
“Shou...” Akio started to trail off, “...are you going come back to temple and train with me and or train me to become one of the greatest warrior that has ever lived. I don’t know how you do it. Please teach me the secrets.” She begged me.
“Akio, I came to the states to live my life alone. I am sorry, but I am willing to give up my title if you want.”
“No, keep it. If you are not going back then I will just stay here with you.”
Sarah looked at me and then Akio, “Akio, do you know who this stranger is, who is like a hero in this city. He stopped a robber from robbing a clothing store.” Akio looked at me and then back at Sarah.
“No, I have not heard.” I looked at Sarah and then snuck out of the conversation just as Mike and John were coming up from the bush. “Maybe Shou might know.” She turned her head and saw that I was gone. “I might be right.”
I ran as fast as I could back to the dojo just to find out that there was a gang who was going to kill anyone in the park. Sighing I put on my master’s uniform, that I am supposed to wear at the temple. I am kind of trying to decide on whether I should go back to Japan or not. I walked to the secret door and headed off to the park.


It took me about a minute to be back at the park. The lights in the park were on except for one which just flickered above my head. I listened carefully for any sounds until I heard leaves crunching behind me. I turned around and saw a guy with a knife coming at me, “Now what do we have here?” This guy was tall. He had dark brown eyes that looked black, his hair was long and grey which he put in a ponytail. He had leather shoes which looked like they were made somewhere in Europe. Same with the leather satchel, but I could tell that it was made somewhere in USA and bought in a convenient store. Then he had a dagger in his left hand and a sword in the right hand.

The guy swung at me and I dodged. “You might not want to fight me you know.” He swung at me again, I dodged again, but right as I dodged another guy came at me and stabbed me in the stomach. I almost fell over, but then grabbed my handed down Katana and went after the guy that stabbed at me.
“Now why do you want us not to mess with you?” One the guys asked me. “I bet your friend is the mystery guy.”
Well, these guys know about the mystery guy situation, which is me. I sighed. “You don’t want to mess with me because I am the master of every kind of fighting style and I am the ninja who will mess your minds up.” Just as I told them that my friends came walking down the pathway with Akio, looks like those four became best of friends. I threw the sword into the tall one’s stomach, “And since I told you that, I will have to kill you.” Pulling my sword out of the tall one, I shoved it into the other guy’s stomach.
“How is that even possible?” The tall one whose names was something like Rick, asked me just as he was dying. “You just cannot be the...” He soon died before he finished his sentence.

If you wanted to know what the whole scene was in one small paragraph, here it is...two guys came at me with daggers, the short one, that looked smart, put a dagger through me which created a wound. I took my special Katana and threw the sword into smart guy’s stomach who put a dagger into my stomach and then killed Rick, so I ended up killing both of them after I told them that I was the ninja. I guess Rick was sort of confuse just as my friends were coming up the pathway in the park.

I placed a hand on my stomach and saw blood. My foot slipped, but I caught myself by placing my other hand on the top of the bench that was nearby. Looking up, everything started to become hazier. I walked slowly, but quickly to the tall guy. I fell onto the ground and said some words and the rest of his life that was left, I took it away from him. I then did the same thing to the other one too before my friends came.


Sarah looked away from Akio and saw Rick, the taller one on the ground. She screamed so loud that it could break any kind of glass.
“Sarah, what is it?” Akio asked her.
“The...there...there is a dead body.” She pointed. Mike, John and Akio looked and saw the dead body on the ground and then one of them saw something red on the grown.
“Sarah, Akio, John look.” Mike pointed to the blood stain on the sidewalk. “Do you think that this could be the dead guy’s blood?”
Akio walked to the blood; She knelt down and inspected it. “This is fresh. The person who it belongs to went off of the path and towards the west side of the city.” Akio stood up and walked off of the path. “You three coming?” The three of them nodded their heads and followed. “Which is towards the mall.”

I started to limp away from the scene. I was still wounded, so I had to get back to the dojo before my friends see me. Everything continued to become hazier than before. I was about to fall, but I caught myself by grabbing onto a poll. I looked up, everything was fuzzy. Just have to get back to the dojo... I thought almost passing out. I shook my head and continued to walk towards the dojo. “Shou...” I was about to turn around when I heard my name, but I could not hear what the person was saying because I was about to pass out.


Akio started to run until she saw someone, “Shou, is that you.” She ran as fast as she could to catch up to me.

I started to run, but my wound started hurt, so I started to slow down. I must get to the dojo. Every time my wound started to act up, I had to slow down. I concentrated hard and used the wind around me to lift me up into the air and flew myself to the dojo. The city was amazing form above. The wind carried me to the mall; the wind let me down. I unlocked the door and then stumbled. My food caught onto the edge of the mat. I lost my balance and fell. I laid there on the mat, I was about to pass out.

Akio and my friends ran across the street to where I had been. Akio held her arm out. “Stop, I see more blood.” She looked up ahead and behind. “I know where to go.” She started to run again. She ran towards the mall. Sarah, Mike and John followed her.

Akio stopped when she was at the mall. “Where are we going Akio?” Sarah asked her.
“We are going to the dojo.” Akio started to run again towards the dojo.

I heard the door open slowly as I lay there, I have to not let the four of them know that I am hurt. I crawled to a dummy and pulled myself up. I quickly limped towards the changing room to changed into my regular clothes.
“Shou, you will be a great worrier one day, I know of it.” Master’s voice very rough. He coughed.
I looked up at him, “Master, I know that you are wise, but I know that I will not become the worrier you want me to become.”
“You cannot say that unless you try. There is this tale of a dragon who did not belong. He was very special. He was told that he was supposed to be the leader of the group and be able to do many things, he said that he knew that he did not want to become the leader. But when he decided because he thought that it was worth it and so he tried and learned from the leader until it was time. So when the time came, he was very proud of it and so he decided to become the leader. I want you to know that if you tried hard enough, you might actually like it.” Master walked through the garden. “You understand my little worrier?” I nodded.
“Yes, I understand. So does this mean that I am going to be the next master?”
“I do not know. I will let you go. Tell no one of our little talk okay, not even Akio.” I nodded again. I bowed and went back to the temple. Master smiled at me as I ran off.


I woke up and found myself at the temple. I rubbed my eyes and saw Master. “Master!” I called. He did not answer. I shook my head and thought I saw a little boy with him. Is that me? I thought as I walked closer to them. “Master!” I started to run. As I ran towards them, I thought that everything was moving farther and farther away. Everything was starting to disappear, but when I took one last look, I thought I saw him looking at me and smiling. I smiled back.



Akio ran into the dojo and turned on the lights. “Shou, where are you?” She called. A Tear ran down her cheeks. “Please answer me!” She ran into the office to see if I was there and then ran around the place. “Sarah, Mike and John, call if you see anything.” The three of them nodded and helped Akio look.
“Akio!” Akio ran to where Sarah was. Sarah was standing on the blood stain mat.
“Sarah, what...” Akio stared down at the mat. “Someone is here and is very badly hurt. I might know who it is.” Her ears perked up when she heard the sound. “Shou!”
Everything closed in on me. Darkness ran through my mind. The light disappeared again as I closed my eyes. I slowly opened them and looked around. Where am I? I thought as I looked around. I started to stand up, but fell back down. I groaned at the pain. “Right, I am wounded.” I grabbed onto the lockers and pull myself fully up. Akio ran into the room. The light flicked on.
“Shou!” I looked up at her. “Are you hurt?” She asked me. I shook my head. I moved slowly towards her, “I am fine.” Sarah ran into the room followed by Mike and John.
“Shou, why did you leave us?” Sarah asked me. “You scared all of us. Where did you go?”
I looked at Sarah and then at Akio, “I came here and so I was tired and started to sleep.” I lied.
“Shou, there is blood on the mat in the front.”John pointed out.
“What, there is no blood on any mat. Not even the one in the front.”
Akio held me. Her hands felt something wet, “Shou, what is this?”
Letting go, I looked at her, “What is what?”
“Your bleeding. We need to get you to the doctors.” Akio laid me down on the bench.

I looked at her as she put my down. My wound started to hurt again. I winced at the pain as I started to get up, but Akio pushed back down. “Akio, I am fine. You don’t need to bring me to the doctor.”
“Sarah go get help.” Akio ordered Sarah. Sarah nodded, left the room and called an ambulance. Akio lifted up my shirt and saw my wound. “Shou, you are badly hurt.”
I took a deep breath, “Akio, there is something I need to tell you. Before I came to the temple, I was...different, if you want to say that. Then about a year after I came to the temple, master brought me to the garden and told me of a story about a dragon who was special like me and was told that he was going to rule his kind.”
“Shou, you did not tell me this.” Akio’s long black hair fell into her face as she look at me. She then gracefully pulled it back behind her ears. “Why did you not tell me this Shou?”
“I did not tell you this because I made a promise to our Master Zou, our teacher, and our guide.” Tears started to roll down both of our cheeks.
“I did not know that.” I could tell that she was happy for me. “ Shou, have you decided to come back to the temple?”
“May I interrupt for a second, but how old are you two exactly?” John asked Akio and I.
“We are eighteen.”Both of us and answered in unison. I smiled and looked at Akio and knew that we were older than a thousand years old. Well, Akio is a little bit older than I am, just about a year or so.
“Akio, I need to tell you something.” Before I got to say it, Sarah came into the room.
“The Ambulance is here!” Sarah ran into the room with paramedics behind her.


I was lying on the bench when I was picked up and put on a stretched.
“Shou, I am sorry.” Sarah watched as I was carried to the ambulance. Akio followed behind. She climbed into the back and sat down.
“Shou, what was that you wanted to tell me?” Turning my head I looked at her.
“It was nothing.”
“No, tell me what you were going to tell me.”
“It was about what is happening around the city. You have heard about the the person that has been fighting off crime right?”Akio nodded.
“Yeah, Sarah told me. What about it?” She asked me.
“Well, I...I...I am that person.” I whispered the last part.
“Shou, I did not catch the last part.” She looked at me. “Do you know who this person is?”
“Yes, I know who this person is.” I laid my head down and closed my eyes.
“Shou, everyone is talking about this person. They said that he or she came out nowhere. And Shou, when you told me that you talked to Master Zou, you said that he told you a story of a dragon, right?” I did not answer. “What did master say to you other than that?” She took my hand and put it into hers. That is all I could remember before a month passed.




My eyes fluttered opened. How long have I been out? My vision was a little hazy, but I could see Akio in a chair in the corner with my friends standing next her. I turned my head and saw doctors on both sides of me. I then stared at my friends, but I could not really see them clearly and barley can hear them too. I tried to listen as much as I could.
“Akio, what are you going to do if he does not wake up?” Sarah asked her new friend. “But then what will you do if he does wake up, what are you going to do? Take him back to where you two grew up?” Aio shrugged.
“I do not know actually. Sarah, I need to tell him something,but I can not find the right words to do so, so is it okay if I tell you?”
“Sure, whatever you need.”
“So long ago, Shou and I were just orphans and we were taken in by Master Zou. I was ten and he was nine. So one day Shou told me when he was about five, he figured out that he was special and so he came to the temple to find out why he was special. Then when we became eighteen, we both found out that our master Zhou was dying, but there was nothing we could do. Then out of the blue he told us that Shou was going to be the new master. I do not know how Shou handled it, but I found out that later that night as I was heading to our houses to sleep, I noticed that he was gone.”

I groaned as pain surged through my veins. I saw Akio look up from the ground. I smiled at her and then at Sarah, but the pain made me not smile.
“Akio, if you wanted to tell him something, tell him now.” Sarah urged her friend on.
Akio stood up, “Shou, I think that I know why you left, the temple, your friend, everything you had.” My friend walked across the floor towards me. “You left because you were scared. You did not have the courage to become the new master. Shou, if you just listen to me, then we can head home. Back to Japan.” I kept on listening, tears started to roll down my cheeks like the rain falling down on a rice field. “So then there was the story of the dragon.” She gulped, “Shou I have heard of the story before when I was little and the fact that you are special and that you are the new master.” I felt her hand slide into mine, “I think that you are that dragon...”
“Akio, I have something to...” I coughed, “... tell you”
“Shou, what is it?”
“Akio, I am sorry that I did not tell you, but I left temple because I was scared and I did not think that I could be the new master.” My vision was getting a little bit better. “Also, I am the ninja.” I whispered the last part.
“Shou, I did not hear you. Will you please speak a little louder.” Akio asked me.
“Akio, I think that he is ninja.”
Akio looked at me, “ Is that true? Are you really the ninja? Shou, are you listening?”
I nodded slightly, “yes, I am the ninja. I am sorry I did not tell you.” Sarah’s, Mike’s and John’s jaw dropped. “I stopped all of the bad guys and at the park, I stopped two men from slashing anyone in the park. The wound that I got, I dodged one guy, but got a slashed in the ribs. When I saw the four of you coming, I did not want you to see me like this.” I sat up. “And so I tried to run back to the dojo.” Before Akio was about to speak when one of the nurses came in and told us to turn on the TV. I reached for the remote on the table next my bed.
Click
“Just yesterday a scientist found some rumble for what looked like a temple that people thought that did not exist...” I stared at it.
“Akio,” I stood up and walked towards her, “Is this our temple?” My vision was cleared up fully so I could see the temple. “AKIO, WHY DID YOU NOT TELL THAT THE TEMPLE WAS IN RUINS?” I screamed at her.
“Shou, calm down, the temple is not really in ruins. It is just asleep since you left. The Monks are stone, so when you come back, you will wake them. This is why I wanted you to come home. If our master was here, would he tell you to go home if he asked you to go?” I looked at her.
“yeah, I would go.” I sighed and looked back at the temple.

“...the scientist says that there might be jewels deep inside, but he told us that there is a rare jewel and it is called the Dragonstone. In his research, he explained that this Dragonstone will grant you the wish to eternity.” The women just kept on rambling on which soon turned to the weather.

“Akio, where is my master’s uniform?” I asked her. Akio handed it to me. I changed in the bathroom and then came back out. “Give me some room.” I sat down on the floor, put my two forefingers and thumbs together to make a triangle and spoke in a different language. Light poured through the room. I was lifted into the air; I started to grow a tail, my legs became my back hind legs, my arms became my front legs. On my head, I grew two horns. Every part of my body grew into a sky blue scales, my mane was a dark red like blood.


Akio stood wide eyed. She could not believe what she was seeing. She gulped. “You...you...are a dragon.” Akio stammered.
“yes, I am a dragon. I was born a dragon and always will be. That was what I was trying to tell you. The story is actually true. I was sent down from the heavens to learn how to be the greatest leader and Master Zou is actually my grandfather. The meeting with Master Zou, he was trying to remind me about what I was supposed to be doing down here on Earth. I am sorry I did not tell you.”
“Shou, then your actual name is Sha’oren Drakani. “ She was still staring wide eyed at me. “Will you please explain all this please.” She asked me.
“I will explain all of this later, are you going to get on or not?” I asked my friends. My friends all climbed onto my back. I roared and the window of the hospital broke. I flew out into the sky. “Hold on tight.”
“I can not believe that my friend...” Akio started.
“You mean our friend...” Sarah reminded.
“Right, our friend Shou is really a dragon.” Akio was still in shock.. “I have never in my life seen an actual dragon before. I thought that they were not real. I know that we were told that we were in alliance with dragons, but I thought that dragons were not real...”She started to trail off.


I flew over the land and over the water. I totally forgot to tell you that I actually am a dragon. You probably thought that I was just human with powers didn’t you? Well, I am a dragon. What kind of dragon am I? I am the dragon of life and eternity. If you want, I can tell you the story of what happened while I was up there.
So a long, long, long time ago when I was a dragonlet, I was teased because I was special. So when I was about five in dragon years, I was told of a story, about a dragon who he or she was going to become the head dragon. For the first fact, I never knew that the head dragon of the clan was my grandfather and Master Zou. That is until my mother told me because my was father dead. He fought against many warriors, but I that is what mother told me. So I do not know anything about him. I was also told that he was one of the best dragon warriors in the clan. Anyways, after mother told me that I was that dragon, I wanted to run away from there, so I did. I decided to go the leader of our clan who lived in the temple...
When I arrived there, I was in my human form so no one would know that I was an actual dragon.The day that I arrived at the temple, I was greeted by Master Zou and a girl named Akio. So Akio and I became real great friends, since I did not have any where I came from. I lived in the temple until I turned eighteen and Master Zou, my grandfather told everyone that I was going to be the master. I then ran away from there and decided to live in a little town called Palos Verdes, California. Then you get the rest of it. So now I am here flying my friends to Japan. To my temple. The reason why it is my temple is because, my grandfather built it with my father. I guess that the two of them knew that it was me.

Akio held tight to one of my horns as the wind almost blew her off once. “Shou will you please explain to your friends why you ran away from the temple, became the ninja, not telling anyone that you are the dragon and the dragon stone. Or as you would call it, the Dragon of Eternity.”
“We are almost there.” I sped ahead where I can see an island, Japan, my home sweet home. I thought to myself.

“Oh, look it is that dragon who is human too.” One of the dragons laughed. “Oh, what was his name again? Right it was Sha’oren Drakani. The dragon whose mother gave birth to a human weakling.” I looked up and saw him in the clouds with two other dragons.
“What do you want?” I asked. “I am not afraid of you.”
“I thought you ran away from everything.” He laughed again. “What are you doing here anyways?” I watched him fly around one of the clouds backwards.
“Chelianth, I am going to take my rightful place as the leader, now fly away before I decide to fight you.” I roared at him and then watched him fly away with fear.
“Shou, if you are a dragon, then what is your clan called? Also who were talking to?”
“We call ourselves The Moonlight Ancients.” I kept on flying until we arrived at the temple. “Here we are Suiuji..”

-----------------------------------------------------

A guy in a white lab coat pushed big leaves out of the way. “We are almost there Greg.” He called back to his assistant, but thought he saw a shadow move over his head. “I do not want to be late by not having time to check out the statues . I think they are Monks.”

I landed on the other side of bridge. “You have to get off of me.” Akio nodded. She helped Sarah, Mike and John climbed off of me. Once they were on the ground, they went off exploring as I flew around the temple and up to the clouds. Once I found my clan I called. I roared for them to come and meet me at the cliff.


I counted and noticed that everyone was not there. Where is Chelianth? I looked at all of the dragons who were just arriving until I turned and saw one of the mother dragons standing next to me.
“Sha’oren Drakani, is this my son who is all grown up?” She walked towards me.
“How do you know me?” I asked her.
“I am your mother. I have not seen you in forever. I am guessing that you found out that your grandfather was the master at the temple, he was also the clan leader. You are next on the throne. Now whatever is the matter, we dragons will stick together to help you. Now why did you call us here today?”
I looked at my mother and chose my words carefully, “Mother, while I was in the hospital, I will explain later, anyways I saw that a human found the temple. You and the other dragons need to help me and stop this human from finding the dragonstone and other jewels.”
“We will have to help you no matter what. You are choosing the right decision, right?” My mother asked me. I nodded.
“Will you hold off the meeting for just a few minutes. I need to find Chelianth. He went missing and I need to find him”. I jumped up into the air and flew around.

For what seemed like hours, I did not find him until I heard a cry. “Sha’oren, HELP!” I flew towards the cry.
“Chelianth, where are you?” I called.

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The scientist paused in his tracks and looked back at Gregory. “Looks like we have caught something in the net. He ran back through the forest towards the opening. Leaves kept on hitting him in the face as he grew closer to the captured animal. The scientist who paused was Matthew, he is a scholar from the top schools in the world. “Greg, do not move.” Matthew whispered. “We got lucky and caught a dragon.” He then looked up and saw another dragon.



--------------------------------------------------


I saw Chelianth in a net. I flew in a circle, and roared.
“I am going to get you out.” I thought hard and changed into my human form. I flew towards Chelianth. He roared at me to get away. “Chelianth, I am not going to leave you to no human. We dragons stick together.” I landed on the branch; I stretched out a claw and sawed the rope.
“Sha’oren, I need to tell you something...” Before he could finish what he was going to tell me, I ended up interrupting him.
“Chelianth, fly.” Just as he flew I lost my balance and fell down to the ground. The wound started acting up again.
“Sha’oren, no!” He flew back towards me, but as I fell, I could only see that everything was fuzzy.
Thud.
I hit the ground and everything went black.



------------------------------------------------

Both Greg and Matthew saw everything, their jaws dropped. “We need to get that kid. He just saved the dragon after turning into a human. He also must know where the dragon stone is.” Matthew worked his way around the nets that were laid on the ground. Picking the boy up, they carried him back to the camp.

Akio paces around trying to figure out what is taking Shou so long. Sighing, she takes her shoes off and walks into the temple.
“Akio, should we do the same?” Mike asked her.
“Yes.,” Akio calls back. “It is called respect” She walks through some passages until she finds the statue of the dragon, “Is this what we have been praying for?” She questioned herself as she looks closer at the stone.
“Akio, where did you go?” Sarah ran after her friend, but soon slowed down so she could see all of the details. Her eyes wandered through the passages. She soon came to the end of one of the passages. Light poured through. Sarah squinted so the sun would not be so bright. When Sarah could open her eyes again, she could see a big open space. I wonder what this place is?
Akio finished up reading something when she heard a scream. She ran as fast as she could to where Sarah was.
“Sarah, are you alright?” She noticed that Sarah was crouched in a corner as some monks walked towards her. Akio walked towards her friend and told the monks to leave her alone.
“Thanks Akio.” Sarah smiled and stood up.
One of the monks looked at Akio, “Who told you to call us off?”
“I am Akio. I am friends with Shou.” Just as she said his name, the monk’s minds remembered who she was.
“Oh.” They bowed. “We are so sorry.” They then stood. “If you are friends with shou, then where is he?” The one in the grey kesa.
“See that is the problem, he is talking with his clan.” She slapped her hands over her mouth.
“With his clan?” This one was wearing a blue one. “Please explain this.” He gave Akio a stern look.
“I am a friend to Akio and Shou and when my friend here said clan she means that he is a dragon.”
“A dragon? How?” Akio and Sarah looked at the monks.
“Shou’s real name Sha’oren Drakani. At first I did not believe it, but he said that he was born a dragon and always will be one.” Everyone stared at each other. Sarah looked at the Monks; Akio looked at Sarah; Mike and John came running in.
“Is everything alright? We heard a scream and came running here.” Sarah turned her head and saw Mike and John.
“Yeah, I am fine.” Sarah responded as the Monks recovered from shock.

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I opened my eyes slowly. Everything in the room was kind of blury. My head was tilted so I put it up right. Then I saw a guy in a white lab coat.
“Well, I can see now that you are awake. So I just wanted to speak with you for just about a few minutes. Do you mind if I ask you a few questions?” I looked at him, but nodded slightly.
“First question, I would like to know what your name is.”
“Sh..Shou sir.” I slowly responded.
“Next, do you know anything about a dragonstone?”
I shook my head, “I do not know anything about this stone you are talking about. I am just an orphaned little boy that is all.”
“Oh, yes you do. My net caught a dragon and then you saved it after turning into a human after you were a dragon. You must know something a little about it right?”
“Maybe, that is if you are going to untie me, I might show you the way to the Dragonstone.”
“Fine.” He walked around to the back of the chair and untied me. “Go get some rest. We will set out tomorrow.” I nodded and walked to another tent.

The scientist walked back and forth in the tent. “I need to trust this kid.” Sighing, he decided to finish up a test he was working on. He looked outside and saw that it was dark outside. He took a deep breath and stood up. “Okay, time for bed.” He closed up the tent and walked to his own tent, but paused when he saw me meditating in front of my tent. He watched for about a minute and then went inside his tent. He soon backed and realized that I was not touching the ground. He did not say anything, but took out his high definition camera and took a pic.


Once I was outside the tent, I thought about running, but remembered about my wound. Sighing, I walked to the front of my tent and sat there sort of pretzel style. I started to concentrate my mind on nothing. Just under an hour, my mind was completely blank. I sat there quietly until I felt the scientist’s presence about five hours later.





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Akio, Sarah, John, Mike and the Monks all looked at each other. They sat or stood quietly.
“So, if Shou is here, then where is he?” One of the monks asked the four of them in a japanese accent. Akio looked at the monk and bowed down.
“I think that he is trapped.” She replied as her accent came back on. One of the monks bowed back.
“Then we will have to rescue him, but for right now all four of you need to go to sleep. We will try to find him. Akio show your girl friend here where you sleep and the other two will follow me.” Mike and John nodded and followed the monk. Sarah followed her.
“Sarah, Mike, John, what do you say?” Akio asked them.
“Thank you.” They all thanked the monks.
“Bow like this.” Akio bowed and thanked the monks. The first monk bowed slightly back.
“You do not have to thank me. You friend of Shou, then we friend to you.” He smiled. “Now you go.” He started to show Mike and John where they were going to sleep.

Akio walked through a garden towards a small house just to fit about two to three people. “Here is where we are going to sleep.” Akio walked over a bridge and to the little house. Sarah on the other hand looked around.
“This garden is amazing Akio. who even built this garden anyways?”
“Master Zou.” She pushed a door open and then some curtains. “You coming Sarah?”
“Yeah, I am coming.” Sarah followed her new best friend inside the little house. The two of them changed and got ready for bed.


The boys followed one of the Monks over the same bridge, but took another path to get to the boy’s little house. “Please do not break anything. If you need anything, you can call us by ringing the bell in the corner or you can run to the girl’s house. Now sleep tight.” The monk bowed and walked away.
“John, do you think Shou left anything here?” Mike asked John who was already in the house and getting ready. Mike stood in between the curtain and the door.
“Probably, once we finish getting ready, we can look.” John walked to where Mike was standing. “Your turn.” Mike went to change.

Mike and John finished getting ready and started to look around, but there were no signs of anything. They looked everywhere. They looked in cabinets, drawers under tables. Nothing. They sighed and decided to go to bed.
“Wait!”John was just getting into his bed.
“What?” John asked his friend.
“There might be something outside.” Mike shrugged.
“Like what would be out there?”
“Maybe a letter he buried or something like that.” Mike walked to his bed and climbed in. “That was just a thought. Anyways, good night John.” There was no reply back. Mike noticed that John was already asleep. Mike closed his eyes and fell asleep for about an hour until heard something roar. He sat up and and saw that his friend John was not there. He got out of his bed and went outside.
“John, where are you?” He called and then he heard another roar. He ran towards the girl’s house, but they were not there either. “John, Akio, Sarah, where are you?” He then ran towards the temple. Just as he was at the gate of the garden, he saw his friends standing in the courtyard looking up at the sky. “What is happening Akio?”
Akio did not look at him, but just simply answered, “the dragons. They are mad. They think that we stole Shou. I wish we had a translator, but shou is captured. The thing is that we were sort of in an alliance with the dragons. Now, we are not going to be in an alliance, unless we get Shou back.” She sighed, “ Okamoto, what are we going to do?”
Okamoto looked at Akio, “I do not know. Let’s call one of them down.” He did a couple moves and my mother and the dragon that I saved flew down into the courtyard. He waited until they were settled on the ground, “Are you mad?” My mother shook her head and let Okamoto walk towards her. He placed his right hand on her forehead. “What is it that you need to tell us?”
“My son Sha’oren. is captured. Chelianth here can tell you what happened. Tell him everything.” They Whispered something into one of the other monk’s ear.
“The dragon says that her son is captured and Chelianth, can tell you everything.” A monk named Oterio repeated. Okamoto walked to Chelianth and carefully placed his right hand on the forehead.
“Just after Shou and his friends arrived, I greeted him my usual trouble way and then he kind of scared me and shooed me away. So, I flew around to scavenge for food, but I ended up getting caught and then I called for help or more likely Shou. When Shou came, he turned into a human and freed me. The only thing that he did not know was that a human or two were exactly were standing behind some bushes. I could sense them. After freeing me, I saw shou fall and tried to catch him, but I was not able to catch him. He also told me to fly away and that dragons stick together no matter what.”
Okamoto whispered into the other monk’s ear.
“The dragon here says that he greeted your friend and then Shou shooed him away. He then ended up in a net. So, he called for your friend and so in summary, your friend is trapped.” He repeated Okamoto.
“Okamoto, just a quick question, if you are communicating with the dragon like that, then when we found out that Shou was a dragon, he spoke to us. How is that even possible?” Sarah asked him. My mother roared. Okamoto concentrated and listened to what my mother was trying to tell them.
“Shou’s mother is saying that he is the dragon of eternity and life. He is the only dragon that can speak english without communicating with our minds.” The monk repeated.
John, Sarah and Mike all nodded, “Can you ask his mother if she could show us where he is.” Akio asked the monk.
The monk nodded and asked my mother if she could show them where I was. My mother nodded as she knelt down to let them climb on.

Opening my eyes, I saw him standing there. I think that he was in aw. I floated down and stood up; I walked back to my tent that I was given. “You can go back to you tent.” I fell asleep ten minutes later.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

Akio watched below as my mother flew over the trees. She thought of what was going to happen to me. A tear ran down her cheek. She looked up when she heard her name.
“Akio, will you tell me how you met my son.” Akio looked around, but there was silence. “Akio, are you okay?” She thought for a moment until she realized that the mother of the one she loved spoke to her. “Do you really love my son?” She asked. Akio nodded.
“Yes, I really love him.” Another tear ran down her cheek. “ I met your son Shou when he came to the temple. I did not even know that he was a dragon and everything else. I was practicing some karate when he walked in. We both around ten years old. I just watched him. He started to walk around until he saw me.We both studied together. Shou and I studied here until we were eighteen. And then the night that he actually turned eighteen, he just vanished. I never saw him until a couple days ago.” My mother nodded.
“I understand. Is there anything else you need to tell me that I should be concerned about?” My mother asked Akio; Akio shook her head.
“No.”
------------------------------------------------------------------------


I was fast asleep when someone shook me very rapidly. I opened my very crusty, still asleep eyes and looked at the scientist. I could tell that something was going on. “Is something the matter?” I asked him. I was trying to stay awake.
“I think that there are dragons flying over the camp!” He grinned.
I stared at him, “I doubt that?”
“Get up and come look.” Matt, the scientist walked out of the tent. I slowly got up, but thought a moment, Mother? Akio? Should I head out? Sha’roen go. I was finally standing and headed out to check it out.

I walked out of tent and saw a shadow fly over the camp. I then looked around for the scientist and his assistant. Both of them were not outside so I started to run away towards the direction of the temple.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


Akio look down when they were above the camp. Her eyes skimmed the area until she spotted me. To tell you the truth, she has eyes as sharp as a hawk’s. I am just saying, anyways, she spotted me running towards the woods. “Sha’oren.” She called and hoped I could hear her which I could not hear her. “We need to follow him.” She called out to her new friends, the monks and all the dragons.

I ran straight towards the forest. I needed to get out of there. I ran as fast as I could. The trees flew by me as I ran. I soon turned into my dragon dragon form. My dragon form is my true form actually. I flew through the trees until I could see the temple. When I arrived, no one greeted me. I sighed and changed into my human form again. I ran around the place, but for some weird reason, I could not find anyone. I sighed and practiced until someone would come. The skills that I was doing was when I was little. I remembered every move from the recording Akio did when we were going to play, but I had to get ready for the test, yes we had a test. This meant that in order to move up a level and learn another move, you had to master the one before it. Well, I thought about maybe becoming the next master and the clan leader. I sighed again as I blew a bubble of warm air. I continued to practice some more; I started to do some punches and then a roundhouse kick.
------------------------------------------------------------------------


Matt, one of the scientist walked out of the tent with a camera, “We have to capture this.” He grinned. Holding the camera up, he looked through the lense and focused it on where the creatures were. Click. He brought the camera down and saw that I was not there. “Greg, where is the kid Shou?” He asked his partner.
“I suppose he snuck out.” Greg just walked out of the main tent where all of the equipment was. “We have to look for him then. So where do you think he went?”
“I just might know where he went.” Matt ran towards the forest. “He went to the temple. Follow me.” Greg nodded and followed his boss.

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Akio and her friends flew back to the temple. They were all worried about me especially Akio and probably Sarah. A light breeze was blowing. Flower petals on the cherry trees in the garden few into the air.
“Sarah, what do you think of Shou?” Akio asked her friend Sarah.
Sarah looked over at Akio, “What do I think of him? Well, I certainly do not love him or anything. Do I? Sarah thought to herself. “Why do you ask Akio?”
“I was just wondering.”
“Akio, it is okay if you love him.” Sarah smiled. “I have only known him for barely a year and you have known him since you were little probably. Now let us go find that Shou, I mean Sha’oren of yours!”
Akio smiled back slightly. “Thanks Sarah.”

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Once I was finished with some moves, I tried to remember something that my grandfather taught me secretly. I then would meditate. I walked to where all of the monks meditated. Well, I actually ended up walking to the temple. I climbed all of the stairs and finally found myself meditating at the top where my master, and my grandfather sat when he meditated. I soon cleared my mind and started to meditate.

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My mother, Chelianth, the Monks and my friends neared the Temple. My friends sighed as they got off my mother.
“Well, we did not find him.” Sarah sighed.
“Yeah, but Akio thought she saw him, right?” Matt asked. He did not know what was going happen. He was just too confuzzled.
“You four must go to bed. If we do not find him tonight, then we must find him tomorrow.” Okamoto smiled. Akio, Sarah, John and Mike all bowed and left for the garden. The Monks on the other hand thanked the dragons, my mother and Chelianth; then went meditate in their usual spot. My mother and Chelianth flew up into the sky.

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Matt, one of the scientists ran as fast as he could. He had to get there. When he finally arrived, he was too breathless. “Greg, we need to get that dragon stone!” He looked at the bridge, but then ran across. Greg soon followed his boss a couple seconds later... Matt paused and looked up at the gate. “Here we are.” No matter how many times the scientist looked at the temple, it would be amazing. Matt pushed the doors open.

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Clear the mind. Wait, what am I doing? I know what I am doing, but why am I meditating on top of the temple where grand dragon, I mean grandpa meditated. Sigh. Okay, maybe I am just getting too worked up. All I have to do is ignore everyone and just relax. Yep, that is all I have to do, relax. Deep breath in, and deep breath out. That is excellent Shaoren. But there is one question everyone is asking me, am I going to rule over the dragons and become the leader and become the grandmaster at the temple?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Matt, looked at the empty courtyard. “Since there is no one here, we will need to start looking for that boy first. Greg, if you see anything just meet back here.” The scientist and his helper split. Greg went to look in the garden as Matt decided look in the temple.

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Akio sat down on the bed and sighed. There was nothing she could do right now. Sarah walked back and forth. Mike and John were sitting on the other bed.
“What are we going to do?” Sarah asked her friends. She kept pacing back and forth.
“I do not know. I thought I saw him earlier.” Akio sighed. “We need to find him tonight or we might not get to see him again ever.” Mike walked over to Akio and held her hand.
“Akio, it will be okay. Do not cry.” He wiped the tear that ran down her cheek.
“Thanks.” She tried to smile. “Thanks for all of your help. I am kind of happy that you guys put up with this.”
“You know, if you stop crying, we could start looking for him.” Sarah stood there with her hands on her hips.
“I agree. So you want to split up?” Akio nodded and asked her new friends.
“Sure.” Mike replied.
“Okay, if you two do not mind going together, then Sarah and I are going to look together. Okay now answer then let us go.” Akio ran out into the garden, but paused when she saw a man at the entrance.
“Akio, is something the matter?” Sarah asked her friend.
“Yeah, get back into the house.” Sarah, Mike and John heard Akio instructions and went back into the hut. Akio on the other hand walked back out.
“Who are you?” She called to the man.
“Why should you care?” The man replied.
“I just want to know so I do not have to fight you!” Akio growled as she answer back.
The man looked at her and then walked closer. “I am Greg.”
“Should I trust you?” Akio asked
“Yes.” He walked across the bridge.
“Okay.” Akio was still unsure. “So are you looking for someone?”
“Yes, a boy. He said his name was Shou.” Her eyes grew wide. “Do you know him?”
“Of course not...yeah, I know him. Since you could tell me what you were looking for, I might trust you actually. My friends here are looking for him too.” Akio turned to the house, “Sarah, Mike, John. You can come out now.” Sarah and her two friends walked quietly out of the house.
“Who is this guy?” Sarah asked her friend Akio.
“His name is Greg. He told me that he is looking for a kid name Shou.” Akio winked at her friend.
“Oh, okay.” Sarah wink back. “So, would you like us to help you, Greg?”
Greg watched the girl’s friends come out.
“Yeah, that would be great. Did you see him come in here then?”
“Nope. Not that we know.” Mike answered.
Greg looked at the four of them. “Well, if he is not in here then he must be in the temple right?”
“Yeah, I guess.” Akio realizes, “Sarah.” She whisper, “I think I know what area he is in.” Sarah nodded.
“Let us head over there now.” Akio and her friends and Greg ran towards the temple.

Matthew looked up at the temple. He opened the big doors and walked in. He looked around. He needed to find the boy. Walking around, he found some mysterious stairs. He slowly walked up them until he came to a balcony. He looked around to see if there was anyone there that is until he came to some more stairs. Dr. Matthew Stern raised his left eyebrow so that is was looked like it was halfway up his forehead. He soon was climbing the stairs.
“Where do you think you are going?” He turned around a fourth way up there and looked at a girl. She was about five nine, long brown hair that goes down to the middle of her back, and baby blue eyes. Matt the scientist stared at her.
“I am trying to find a boy. He said his name was Shou.” He took his eyes off of the girl and saw five more figures come out of the stairway. “ YOU, are not going to stop me!” He started to run back up the stairs. The girl ran up the stairs and stepped in front of him.
“You are not going anywhere.” He pushed her aside. The girl fell onto the steps. Matt ran all the way up the steps. He then froze on the second to last step

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I meditated for a long time. As I was meditating, my dragon spirit flew out of my body and flew around me. Light poured around me as I meditated. But a tear ran down my cheek.

A boy ran through some woods. The trees got denser and denser. “Mother!” He called. “Mother! Where are you?” There was no use. The longer he ran the more tired he got.
“Look what we have fellows. We found the half dragon and half human. Why did his mother even give birth to someone like him?” One of the dragons scoffed. The boy started to cry. Tears ran down his cheeks. Turning, he started to run faster towards the cliff. When he arrived he turned back into his dragon form. He flew into the clouds and tried to find his mother. Once he did find his mother he flew up to her.
“Mother, the same three dragons teased me again.” He cried.
“Did they now?” His mother comforted him, “I have been waiting for a long to time to tell you this tale. Would you like to hear it?” She asked him. The little dragon nodded.
“Yes, I would love hear it.” So his mother told him the story that night. Then for the next two days, that dragon thought about the story until he decided to ask his mother about the story.
“Mother, have you ever seen the temple? I have never seen grandfather before.” His mother smiled.
“Calm down my little dragonlet, you still have a lot to learn. Tonight, I need to tell you something even more important than the story I told you.” She kept on smiling.
“Okay. I will come home early.” He smiled back and flew off to who knows where.

When he came back that night, the little dragon listened to what his mother was going to tell him. About an hour later, Sha’oren Drakani was not heard from. There was no sign. His mother looked for him for many years until to this day.

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Akio ran up the stairs and saw the scientist she saw earlier. She called him and stared up at him as he stared back at her. “What are you doing?” She asked him. The man did not answer so so ran up the stairs and stood in front of him, “You are not going anywhere.” Until she was pushed down. She looked at him, “What is the matter with you?” She watched him walk up the stairs past her until he froze. “Is something the matter?” She saw a light. “No way!” She ran up the stairs to where the scientist was standing; her friends ran up the stairs.
“This can not be happening?” Sarah stood there wided eyed.
“I know.” Matt stood next to Sarah.

I sat there as light glowed around me. My spirit flew around me as well. An hour after I had meditated, I floated down. My eyes opened slowly and saw everyone standing there. What is everyone doing here? No Sha’oren, ignore them. All this, everything here is about you. I stood up as a tear ran down my right cheek. “Akio, Sarah, Mike, John, what are you doing here?” I asked them.
“No, Sha’oren, what are you doing meditating where the master meditates. I thought you told me that you did not want to be the master.” Akio walked up to where I was standing. “Your friends and I know what happened. Your mother told us.” She hugged me.
“Akio, I have not made up my mind yet. Will you please all leave me alone. “ I tried to keep my cool. “Whatever my mother told, was only half of it. I am the dragon of eternity and the dragon stone. My grandfather and my father built this together before I was born. Akio, the night after I arrived here, grandfather or you would know him as Master Zou, told me of the dragon who refused to become master and the leader of the clan. I knew it was me and grandfather knew it was me. And he is the other only dragon who can turn into a human too. I never knew what he was.” I sighed. “ I just need some peace and...”
“No way, you can not be?” The scientist stumbled almost tripping the rest of the stairs. He slapped his huge hands to my shoulders; he shook me. “Please grant me a wish.” He begged me.
“Like what?” I asked him; I was still confused.
“My wife died in a car crash last month and I want to see her again.” I smirked.
“Sure, you want to see your wife again.” I pulled out my Katana and stabbed him. “You never know what I might grant.” I grinned; the scientist fell to his hands and knees. I stepped back and let him die; my friends watched.
“Why Shou?” Sarah asked me.
“Why what?” I questioned her back.
“Why did you kill him?” Akio asked me.
“He wanted to see his wife again. Is that all you wanted to hear?” I gave them a stern look. “Now just leave me alone, okay?” I picked up the scientist. “Now look into my eyes.” The scientist did what I told him. My eyes glowed as I took away his soul. Soon I dropped him and looked at everyone. They stood still and quiet.

I concentrated hard, my feet changed into a tail, my body became long with scales. My hair became blood read. A boy who was a thousand eighteen years of age had now changed into a dragon. I looked at them.
“Shou, please, why do you have to do this?” Akio asked me. I looked at her.
“Akio, I am a dragon and you are a human. I am a monster.”
“No, you are not. You are really nice. If it was not for the story, I would of not, probably of not met you. “
“This is my destiny. I have no choice but to follow it.” My talons came out and pierced the dead body of the scientist. “I was born like this. I am sorry.” I started to lift off.
“Shou, wait. Do you still love me?” A tear ran down her cheek.
“Yes, but we have to now separate. I already have tickets ready for Sarah, Mike, John and other guy. I think you should go too.” I took off and flew around the temple and up into the clouds.

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Akio watched me as I left. A few more tears ran down her cheeks. Sarah walked towards her friend.
“Is something the matter Akio?” Sarah asked her friend.
“I do not understand.” She looked at Sarah. “I need some alone time.” She looked up at the clouds. “Why Shou?” She started to sob.
“We need to let Akio be.” Sarah whispered to her two other friends and the scientist’s assistant. The three nodded and headed back down the stairs towards the garden. Akio sat there.

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I flew up into the clouds and then dove down towards the water. There was nothing better than flying in the air again. I used my speed to grow closer to the water. Once I was near it, I dropped the body into the water. I skimmed the water and flew back up into the sky again. The body floated towards the bottom of the ocean as I flew towards my clan. I knew my mother would be happy to see me again.

When I arrived at the cave my mother was not there. Where could she be? I asked myself. “Maybe.” I flew up into the sky again and towards the cliffs. “Mother?” I called. No one answered. “Where could they be?”

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Sarah sat down on one of the beds. Mike sat down next to her as the scientist sat down on the other bed and John decided to stand. The all stayed quiet for a moment. Until one of the of them spoke.
“Why would your friend do that?” The scientist ask Sarah, Mike and John.
“Because he is the dragon of eternity and your boss just asked Shou if he could see his wife, and what did he get, a sword in the gut.” She stood up and sat down next to the scientist.
“We will get through this together.” They all sat in silence for a couple of minutes when someone came into the room. The three of the them looked up.
“Akio, are you feeling better?” Sarah asked her friend. Akio nodded. “So what were you and Shou talking about?”
“ He just told me that he still loved me, but we were not supposed to be together because he is a dragon and I am human. He also said that he already got tickets for us to go home. So get your things and we will leave in the morning.” Akio started to pack, “Mike, John, you should go to sleep. Sarah you too and you, whatever your name is, you can go back to your tent and pack up there or just leave it and go to sleep in the boy’s house. It is your choice.” Mike, John and the scientist left the girl’s house and headed towards the boy’s house. They all got ready for bed and slept. Sarah and Akio did the same.
Sarah laid back into bed and looked up at the ceiling, “Akio, what else did he tell you?”
Akio turned her self so that she was on her side and was facing Sarah, she told her friend what he had told her. “Why do you ask Sarah?” Akio asked her friend.
“I am just wondering, and I am also wondering if you are willing to teach my two friends and I Karate.”
“I would be glad to even for free.” Akio smiled. “When we go back to the states.”
Sarah smiled, “thanks.” She soon fell asleep.
Akio stayed up a little later as she thought of what happened earlier. She sighed and fell asleep.

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I flew up to the clouds and called everyone’s names. Where could they all be. I will try the cave again. I flew back to the cave and walked around until I saw my mother, “Mother?” I called. She looked over at me.
“Sha’oren, where have you been? I have been worried sick about you.” She walked over to where I was.
“I was at the temple, meditating and practicing.” I told her.
“What else were you doing?” She asked me.
“Nothing else.” My mother gave me a look. “Fine, I granted a wish from a scientist and sort of killed him.”
“And what was this wish of his?”
“He told me that his wife was kill in a car crash a month ago and he wanted to see her, so I killed him with my katana and let him see her again. I also took his soul away. And then I dropped him into the ocean.” I watched my mother’s face as I told her what happened.
“You used your katana that was specially made for you?” I nodded hoping she was not angry.
“Okay, you should sleep. I hope you had decided about being the clan leader right?”
“Yeah, I thought about it. I am very close to deciding. Night mother, it is really good to see you again.” I smiled.
“Me too, now night.” I curled up in a ball and so did my mother, we slept in the cave all night long.

The next morning, Akio awoke. It was more like early dawn. She sat up and glanced over at Sarah who was still sleeping.
“Sarah, it is time to wake up.” She shook her. Sarah opened her eyes slowly as she groaned while flipping to the other side.
“Can I sleep a little bit longer?” Akio’s friend asked her.
“No, you need to get up. We need to leave if we are going to catch the plane. The boys are probably up already.” Sarah nodded.
“Okay. Are you going to wait for me to get dressed?”
“Yep. I will go knock on the boy’s house. I will be back. That should be enough time to let you get changed and meet us at the entrance of the temple.”
“Sure.” Akio walked out of the room and let her friend get changed. She walked to the boy’s house. When she finally was at the door, she knocked. “Anyone in here?” She called. No one answered. “Mike, John?” Again, no answer. She peeked a little in. The beds were made and no one was in the room so she could guess that they were at the entrance already. She walked out of the house and saw Sarah all dressed and ready.
“Are the boys there?” Sarah asked her friend.
“Nope, they are probably at the entrance.” They both walked over the bridge to the entrance of the garden and found the boys at the door.
“Well, you are up and ready.” Sarah smiled.
“Yeah, Akio told us to be up by four so we could catch a plane at six.” Mike told Sarah. “So how are we going to get to the airport then?”
“Luckily one of the the Monks knows how to drive. We have a car in the back. You four can stay where you are.” Two minutes later a Monk drove up in a white van. Akio put her bags in the trunk and got in. Sarah, Mike, John and the Greg climbed into the car. Greg also put his things into the back of the van and then climbed in.

The Monk drove the five of them to the airport. He said something in Japanese and let the five of the them get out. Akio thanked him, grabbed her bags and walked into the airport. Once they were inside the building, they checked their bags in, and through the security checkpoint and then went to find a place to wait. They had about an hour until their plane leaves. “ Akio.”
Akio turned. “Yes Mike?”
“So if you and Shou are not going to be together, would you like to be my girlfriend?”
“Mike, let me put this politely, I am sorry, but no.” Akio told him calmly. Mike put his head down.
“Okay.”
The five of them waited until their section was called. They all stood up and walked towards the terminal.
" Tickets please." Akio handed the lady thier tickets. The five walked onto the plane and found seats in the first class section. They all sat down.
“We will be taking off in about five minutes.” One of the flight attendants put the phone back onto the hook and walked to one of the stations as everyone was still getting on. Akio looked out of the window.
“Akio, are you okay?” Sarah asked her friend.
“Yeah, I am fine.” She sighed.

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I awoke to find my mother was not in the cave again. I took a deep breath and tried not to think about Akio and the others. I was going to the leader right? “Mother, where are you?” I called. If I could not find my mother right now, then I will just fly. Sooner or later, I was in the sky heading back to the the United States. I had to get my other fighting tools.


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The plane was in the air and about half way across the Atlantic ocean. Akio stared out the window thinking of why Shou would betray them. Her eyes widened when she saw something in the clouds. Maybe sky blue scales and blood red mane. She did not say anything.

Sarah was reading some plane magazines.Greg and the two boys were talking about random things.

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As I flew across the ocean, I saw a plane. When I looked at the plane, I saw someone look out of the window, I flew a little higher so I was in the clouds, but the girl probably saw me. I concentrated and flew a little faster so I could grab my things and get back to the temple so I could meditate.


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About three hours later Akio and her friends had switched onto a smaller plane. Akio was in her seat. A tear ran down her cheek. She had barely spoken to her friends since the first flight from Japan. She sighed and thought about the dragon she saw. Am I just going to go insane or did I see Shou. Well, his real name is Sho’aren. Sigh, from now on, I am just going to forget everything from now on. Nothing is going to get in my way. I will be teaching my friends Karate, going to school and find a job somewhere. But, first I will just think about what is going to happen today and now. She sighed again as the plane started to depart from the terminal.
Sarah glared at her friend, “Are you okay? I know what we will be doing when we get home! You will come over to my house and we will have a sleepover. What do you think?”
“No thanks, I am fine.” She stared out of the window.
“Where are you going to sleep?”
“I will have to sleep in the dojo office I guess.” She smiled a little.
“Tomorrow is school, I will help you get yourself signed in and then show you the gears. How about that?”
“No thanks, I am good.” She did not say anything the rest the flight. When the plane landed, the five of them got off and waited for Akio’s bags and the scientist’s bags. “Greg, will you make sure these three get home. I have some business to take care off.” Greg nodded and looked at Mike, John and Sarah.
“Your friend wants you three to get home safely.” he grabbed his bags and the four of them waited for a taxi. Akio on the other hand waited until they left and took another taxi to get to the mall.

A half an hour later, around seven in the night time, she walked into the dojo and started to look around. “Why were you hiding that you were the dragon? I need to know.” She put her bags into the office and checked one of the doors that have been locked a couple of days ago. Turning the knob, the door opened. She walked in and found nothing, but a tv and some tapes. She sat down and started to watch them.

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I finally flew into the mall. I changed back into my human self so no one would suspect and then do any experiments on me. I walked into the dojo and walked into the room where I had my Katana and my other fighting instruments. I had to hurry fast because Akio was going to be here soon. I found a huge crate and put everything in it. Well, of course I put the swords in their covers to protect them. I put the lid and made sure that the crate would arrive in Japan in about three days. I went to a shipping dock and made sure someone would ship it. I then went back to the dojo and grabbed everything I owned, turned all of the machines off and it covered it with some white bedspreads I found somewhere. When I was finished, I decided to keep everything unlocked because I kind of could tell that she was coming.

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Akio’s eyes were widened, she could not believe her eyes. “Is something wrong with me? There is nothing wrong with me.” She started to go a rampage as she walked around the room. ”Why did I even record the videos and how did he get the footage?” She was about to leave when she spotted another door. Akio wandered to it and opened it to find it was pitch black. She felt for a switch and turned the light on. Her eyes widened again as she took the sheets off. “Is this his lair?” She questioned herself.

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For some weird reason I stayed and watched everything. That is until I realized that my mother would be waiting and when she is worried I am worried. Wait, I doubt she is going to care! I watched Akio from a distance.

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After a small investigation, Akio decided that she would go hit the hay. She walked out of the room and walked into the office where she fell asleep ten minutes later.

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I decided that I would sneak into the the dojo and find a place to sleep. I turned into my dragon form and fell asleep in the same room the small tv was.

Akio awoke the next day to realize that she was in the office of the dojo. She stood up and had to tell Sarah, Mike and John. She changed into clean clothes and went to the only high school in the area. She ran into the school office. She asked how can she start school here. That is until she saw me. She became tense.

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I awoke the next day and decided to go to school. I kind of wanted to finish up the year and then move out. I changed into my human form and then walked to the school.


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The bell soon rang and Akio waited outside the homeroom. When she saw them, she pulled them over.
“Akio what is it?” Sarah asked her.
“Back at the dojo, there is something I need to show you.”
“We will see it when we come after school. won’t we?”
“Yeah, I was just reminding you.” Akio smiled, but then saw something walk up the stairs. I also think that I saw Shou.”
“I doubt that Akio.” Sarah smiled. “Don’t worry, we will come to the dojo and then we will talk more. The bell is about to ring.” Mike and John are already at their classes. AKio nodded and left.
“See you at the dojo.”
Sarah nodded and left for her first class.

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I just walked into the classroom just as the second bell rang. I sat down in the back and concentrated on the learning time. I took a deep breath and wrote down the math problem that was on the board.



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Sarah, Mike and John walked out of school around 2:05. They went towards the dojo in the mall. They walked in to find their friend was on the floor meditating.
“So what did you want to tell us?’ Mike asked Akio.
“Well, after the taxi dropped you off at your houses, I came here and look.” She stood up and walked to the door hidden by the wall; She opened. “Look inside.” Mike, John and Sarah walked in.
“I remember this room, well, not being in it, but having Shou close the door on us. He then locked it. So are you going to show us some tapes?”
“No, that is kind of personal, but I guess you can look at them, but not now.” She then walked to another door. “Okay, have you ever heard Shou tell us about his father?” The three of them shook their heads.
“No.” Sarah answered.
“Well, I was taking a look around I found this,” She pulled a bedspread off of a portrait.” Mike and John walked closer to it.
“Is that his father?”
“I guess so.” Sarah replied as she stared at it. “I wish he could tell us about him. I am kind of wondering.” She then found a chair and sat down. “So then is this his den here?”
Akio then took a deep breath, “there is something else I need to tell you.” She inhaled quietly, “ okay, I saw Shou. He was in school today. Also on the place ride home, I saw him, but he flew into the clouds. I was going to tell you sooner, but you three were pretty beat for the night. So I let that go for a while.” She sighed.
“Hey, are you going to teach us some moves?” Mike asked her. He was very anxious to learn.
“Sure, come.” The three of them did not move. “What?”
“Behind you.” Sarah told Akio. Akio turned slowly and saw that I was there.
“Shou?” She stuttered. Her only friend stood in the doorway.


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After school ended, I saw Mike, John, and Sarah head towards the mall. I decided to follow them quietly. When they went into the dojo, I stopped and looked in from a bush. I watched. What am I going to do? The ceremony, where I become the leader is only a week away. I need to get something done, but there is nothing that I could do. Could I? No, I should not it will be too hard on me, just like telling my whole life to the class on my first day. Just take a deep breath and relax. WAIT, they are going into my lair. I have to stop them. Sha’oren no, I am not going to stop them. Let them be, I am not going to be in the human world anymore, why bother. I sighed and stood up. I walked to the door and walked in. Once I was in, I stood at the doorway to my lair. I saw, Sarah sitting in the chair, Mike and John standing behind her and Akio facing them, that is until she turned around and looked at me.
“Now what do you want?” She asked me.
“You really want to know about my father?” All of their eyes were on me. They stared at me. “Okay, find somewhere to sit them.” They all found a spot to sit. I then started to talk. “So when I was a young dragonlet. I only got to see my father twice, because he was fighting the humans. So as I grew, my mother told me about him and later, I found a scroll in the back of the cave. It was this picture here...” I sighed and walked closer. They all listened..


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Sarah, Mike, John and Akio started at him. They all stayed silent until he was done. The room was soo silent except for their friend talking.


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I stared at the portrait as I continued telling the story. “So about five years later, I did not see hims, and mother told me that he was killed. For some reason he did something horrible. There is one part that I need to tell you. He was a human. My grandfather he gave him lessons on how to turn him into a dragon. The soon after he met my mother. She did not know that he was human. So then they mated and had me. Then the part I told you, happened. So now I am here tell you this story. My grandfather is of course on my mother’s side. Any questions?”
“Yeah, I have one, why did you come back?” Akio asked me.
“I need to get my things. In about a week, there is a ceremony and I have to be there to become the leader of the clan.”
“Also to add in, why were you at school?”
“I wanted to finish up the school year. That is all. Anything else before I have to head back to Japan.” They all shook their heads. “Then I need to go. Sarah, Mike, John, I am sorry that I cannot teach you.” With that I turned towards the door and walked out of the building. The three of them watched me as I left. Just as I walked out of the door of the Dojo, the scientist walked in. Akio and her friends walked out of the room and saw him.

Greg walked into the dojo as the kid that killed his father. He walked to where Akio, Sarah, Mike, and John were standing. “So what happened?” He asked. No one answered. He looked at Akio as she watched Shou leave. “Where are you going?” He asked .
Akio did not answer him. “Shou, wait!” The door flew open as she ran out. “SHOU!” She did not see me, so she guessed that I was long gone.


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Akio was too late, I had already flown up into the sky and started my way back to Japan. I had to ask her something. I flew as fast as I could. I can travel twice as fast as an airplane. It took me half the hours that it could take a plane. Once I arrived at my homeland, I flew towards the cave. I saw my mother, but then I noticed another dragon with his daughter. I gulped and flew down to say hello.
“Yes, he would love to.” My mother turned her head and saw me. “Here he is now. Sho’aren, I would like you to meet Yuki, she will be your mate for the rest of your life.”
“Hi, I am Yuki and you must be the Great Sho’aren? It is a pleasure to meet you. I have always wanted to meet you since I was a dragonlet.”
“It is nice to meet you Yuki, may I have a moment with my mother please.”
She nodded. “Sure.”
I walked over to my mother, “May I talk with you for a sec.”
“Okay.” We walked into the cave.
“When did this happen?”
“Earlier this morning, you were not here, but Yuki and her father came here and asked me, I told them that you would be happy to mate with her.”
I looked at her, “how could you do this?”
“It was simple. You are my son. Are you fine with this?”
I nodded, “Sure, so when is the date?”
“We were thinking in a week. The ceremony for you is changed so that it is in two days. Any other dragon questions? Or anything you want to tell me?”
“Yes, did you know that father was a human?”
That stunned my mother, “ No, I did not. Is that why you became a human and a dragon?”
“I do not know. But I heard it from Grand dragon. So I wanted to tell you. He gave him a potion because he was banished from his village.” I watched my mother’s face for any emotions.
“So you okay with this?”
“Yeah.” We walked out of the cave to Yuki and her father. “We accept.” my mother told them.
“Excellent. You two can go.” Her father nodded and bowed to me. I flew up into the sky with Yuki.
Yuki is a white dragon. They are hard to come by. Her scales and mane are snow white. We flew to my temple. I showed her where I grew up the rest of my life and then around Japan. This took almost the whole day. When the sun was going to bed, we flew back to the cave.
“Thanks for flying with me. Will I see you tomorrow at the meeting?” I stood there unsure what to say, but when I opened my mouth to say something, nothing came out. What am I going to do. “Sho’aren, you okay?” She questioned me.
When I finally wasn’t paralyzed I smiled, “Yeah, I am fine and you will see me at the meeting tomorrow. Remember, I am going to, I meant, I am the clan leader, right? And then some we will be ruling the dragons together.” I smiled.


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Akio stood there, tears ran down her cheeks as she watched me leave. She did not notice that her friend came out of the dojo and stood next to her.
“Akio, it is okay.” Sarah put her hands on her friend’s shoulder and guided her back into the dojo, “Are you still up to teaching us today?” Akio nodded and wiped the tears.
“Yeah, I am up to it. Okay, so I want all of you to find a spot and make sure you are about a arm length away from the person next to you.” She watched them find a spot on the mat. “ Now we are going to take a deep breath in, make sure your shoulders do not move up as you breath in. Keep them relaxed. Then breath out slowly. This will help you relax and focused. We will do this about five more times.” Akio, Sarah, Mike, John and Greg breath in and then out five more times. “Okay, now that we are all relaxed and focused, I want you to punch out with your right arm or fist. Like this...” Akio showed them and then Sarah, Mike, John and Greg did what they were supposed to do.” Akio smiled for the first time in a long time, “Now I want you to bring your right back and punch with the left. Do this for about ten times. I want you to switch. Right, left, right, left and so on until you get up to ten times. You are all going to do it the exact same time. For the first couple I will be doing it with you and calling it out.” The four of them nodded and followed Akio. “RIGHT...LEFT...RIGHT... LEFT.... RIGHT.... LEFT,” She stopped, but kept on calling it. “Keep going. RIGHT...LEFT...RIGHT...LEFT....RIGHT...LEFT....” This took about fifteen minutes. “Stay together. Become one!”


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I could not sleep that night. I was still thinking about Akio, why did I do this? Do I love her? No, just do not think about it. You are going to mate with Yuki and that is is. Tomorrow we are going to announce the date. I sighed and finally closed my eyes to fall asleep. Morning soon came and I awoke to find my mother already at the cliff. Standing up, I walked out of the cave and flew to the cliff. When I arrived, all of the clan was there, Yuki and her father was standing next to my mother. I guessed that they were waiting for me. As I flew closer, I could tell that Yuki and my mother had turned their heads and saw me.
Yuki jumped into the air and flew towards me. We circled the air for a moment. “We were waiting for you Sho’aren.” She smiled.
“I know.” We flew down together.
My mother walked up to the ledge, “Fellow dragons, I am here to introduce my son. His grandfather was the clan leader. He has gone through a lot. But I am here just to introduce him, he is, Sha’oren Drakani, my son.” I walked to where my mother was standing.
“I am Sha’oren Drakani, I am the grandson of the great dragon. Why we are all here today is because I have decided to mate with Yuki Honda. I am happy to say, that the mating will be in a week or so.” Yuki, my going to be mate walked up next to me and smiled. We both smiled as all the dragons cheered. Yuki and I wrapped our necks together. That is how we say we are happy and hug each other. I hoped Akio was doing alright. She does have Sarah, Mike, John, and Greg. I sighed. Yuki looked at me and smiled. “ I have grown and I know my story, I have decided to become the clan leader!” I roared. “I will rule the dragons with Yuki.” Every Dragon bowed down, even my mother, Yuki’s father. Yuki and I stayed proud and looked around at the dragons bowing down to us.

It was getting late. Akio was starting to put all of the equipment away as Sarah, Mike, John, and Greg were changing. She sighed and sat down on a bench. She turned her head and glanced at the picture of her, Shou and their master. A tear ran down her cheek.
Sarah soon came out of the girl’s locker room with a bag hung over her right shoulder and saw her friend sitting on the bench. She walked towards her friend Akio. “Akio, are you alright? You seem pretty upset.”
“I am fine. I am just tired that is all, you should get going. Remember, you have school tomorrow.” She did not smile at all this time.
“Okay, thanks for teaching us some karate. I would love to come back and learn more. Mike, John and Greg would love to learn more. If you are willing to teach us more, we would all love it. Will you be coming to school?” Akio shook her head.
“No, I am good.”
“Okay, bye Akio, here is my number if you want to get in contact with me.” She handed Akio a piece of paper. Her friend took it.
“Okay. Bye Sarah.” With that, her friend walked out of the door and headed home. Mike and John came out a minute or two later. They said thank you and left. Akio watched them leave. Greg was the only one left in the locker room. Until ten minutes later. He saw his friend sitting on the bench and walked over.
“Akio, are you alright?”
Akio looked up and saw him, “yeah, I am fine.”
Greg sat down next to her, “I was wondering, or thinking that is, how close were you with this Shou guy. It is okay if you do not want to talk.”
“Well, we were very young and were basically orphans, but I did not know that he was a dragon or that he was the grandson of Master Zou, he was our teacher and mentor...” Akio sighed. She then told him everything, even the picture on the shelf. A tear ran down her cheek.
“That close huh? Come here, let me give you a hug.” He held her close. “It is alright. You can cry all you want.” Akio soon went into tears. Her tears were like rain falling into fields of rice. “ So do you love him?” She nodded. “So what did he tell you at the temple?”
“He told me that he loved me too, but we were not meant to be together because I am a human and he is a dragon.” More tears ran down her cheeks.
“Would you like me to stay with you tonight and keep you company?” Akio nodded. “Just a quick question, I have hear something about a story about a dragon, but I have not heard it ever. Will you tell me?” Akio nodded. She told him the beginning. He held her close as she cried and told him the story. “Ah, so this guy you like is the dragon in the story and then the temple and so the part where he has to decide to become the leader or not?” Akio nodded.
“I never knew when I was little, I thought that he was not an orphan.”
“Another question, why did you your friend run out? Or as to ask what happened before I got here?”
“Well, after school, Sarah, Mike and John, were here and I showed them a room we have never seen and then he appeared out of nowhere. He then told us a story of his father. He told us that his father was human and his mother was a dragon.” She wiped the tears and looked at Greg. “Thanks for staying here.” Akio tried to smile, but could not. Her eyes started to close. She laid her head on his lap and fell asleep. Greg smiled and stroked her hair gently as she fell asleep. He stayed up the whole night.

The next morning Akio was laying in the hammock in the office. She opened her eyes and saw Greg was asleep on the couch. She smiled softly.

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It was soon dark out. Yuki’s father and my mother decided that Yuki and I should sleep together together. I lay there looking out at the starry sky as a shooting star fell.
“Make a wish Sha’oren.” I looked at Yuki.
“I wish to be forever with you.”
“Hey, you are not aloud to tell someone.” She laughed, “You should go to sleep. I mean we should go to sleep. It going to be a busy day tomorrow.” She smiled.
“What is tomorrow?” I asked her.
“Do you remember, you are going to become the clan leader.”
“Right. I almost forgot.” I put my head down and Yuki put her head next to mine. We slept.

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Akio sat up in the hammick. She looked at Greg as he slept. She smiled for a bit and then frowned. Greg woke up when he heard the hammick. “Where are you going?” He asked her.
“Just going to take a walk.” She walked out of the room and headed towards the back room. She opened the door and looked around. There was machines everywhere. Except for there was a scroll tucked in between two books. She grabbed the scroll, untied the string and started reading it, but it was in a different language. She sighed and put it back on the shelf. She knew that no one would come back here. She turned and did not look back. She closed and locked the doors. She then walked back to the office. “I am back.” She sat down behind the desk. “I was just thinking, maybe we could bring in some costumers.”
Greg looked at her. “I guess, we would have decide on what days we are open, how long each class is, what we teach, and then we need to get the customers by posters I think. So do you like that idea?”
“Sure, it could work.” Akio wrote something down on a piece of paper. “we will be open everyday, except fridays. We will be open from 1:00pm to 9:00pm. Now, I will call Sarah and will you design the posters.” Greg nodded and went to the hotel he was staying. He packed everything he had and checked out. He came back and put his bags in the locker room. When he was finished, he went to the crafts store.
Akio picked up the phone and dialed Sarah’s cell. “Hello?” Someone on the other end of the phone greeted.
“Hi, this is me Akio.”
“Hey, Akio, what is up?”
“I was talking with Greg this morning and I was wondering if you could come by the dojo tomorrow. Please bring John and Mike with you.”
“Okay. Bye, see you later.” Sarah hung up on the other end.
“Bye.” Akio did too.

The sun was just cresting over the horizon. I slowly woke up with Yuki still sleeping. I smiled and watched her sleep peacefully. I carefully stood up and went to find my mother, so I could get ready for the ceremony. I soon found my mother at the cliff. “Hi mother, is there anything I could help with?”
My mother turned and looked at me. “No, not really. You can go and be with Yuki until the ceremony.” I heard that the ceremonies are when the dragon that is going to be the clan leader has to do some special things. Well, I do not know what they are, but they are different each time. The parent of the one who is becoming the leader decides. I wonder what my mother is going to make me do. I thought as I flew back to the cave. Yuki was already awake then.
“So you ready for the ceremony tonight?” she asked me as she lay her head on the ground, but looked at me.
“Yeah, I am ready.” I laid down next to her, “you want to fly around for a bit?” I asked her; she looked at me.
“Sure.” She stood up and walked out of the cave. I did too. We took off into the sky and flew around in and out through the clouds.

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Sarah, Mike and John went to school and then went to the dojo right after. Akio was waiting for them in the office. When the three arrived they found their friend Akio in the office.
“Sarah, Mike, John, you want to know what I was going to tell you?” The three of them nodded.
“I was talking with Greg and we decided that we could have some customers. Do you guys mind?”
“No, I do not mind.” Sarah answered. “The more, the merrier.” She smiled.
“Okay, you three can help Greg. I am going to set up for today’s lesson. Be ready in an a hour.” The three nodded. Akio stood up and walked out of the office to set up for the lesson. Sarah, Mike and John saw greg sitting on the floor.
“Hey Greg.” MIke greeted him.
“Hey Mike.”
“You need help?”
“Yeah.”
“What would you like us to do?” John asked sitting down.
“I have the posters done, I just need you to put them up. Are you okay doing that?” The three nodded. “Good, here are the posters.” He handed Sarah, Mike and John the posters; the three took the posters and left.

Sarah, Mike, and John split the pile up into thirds. The three of them walked around and put the posters up with a stapler.

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Yuki and I flew around for a little bit longer until it started to get dark. We flew back to the cave. When we arrived, my mother was there with Yuki’s father.
“Yuki and her father will be watching. You and your father can go now.” My mother spoke to Yuki. Yuki nodded and flew off to the cliff. Mother then turn to me, “you ready my son?” I nodded.
“Yes.”
“Come with me.” She flew up into the sky, I followed.

We arrived at an open field; I waited until my mother told me what I had to do. It was quiet. My mother had also told me that the monks are going to come and watch. I flew up into the air.


Yuki found a spot and watched with her father. They did not see me anywhere. “Father, where do you think Sha’oren is?”
“I do not know. I guess he is preparing to get ready. We should wait and watch.” Yuki watched and waited patiently and watched the sky for her going to be mate.

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Sarah, John and Mike came back ten minutes early, so they talked with Greg until it was time. Akio on the other hand was meditating when they came in.
“So Greg, who was that scientist you were working for until our friend killed him?”
“He was, well, I thought of him as a father to me. I started working for him when I graduated from college. I had a degree in science. So he found me because I was top in the class and school, and when he came to the school, he asked about me, so I then became an assistant and also he took me under his wing.” He sighed.
Sarah looked at the clock, “It is time.”

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It is time. Okay, I am ready for this. I flew up higher into the sky and towards the cliffs. All I had to do was go through an obstacle course. Well, the old clan leader would go against the coming to be one, but he is dead, so we had to do something different. Here I go. I flew all the way to the ocean. I weaved in and out. I flew up into the air and whipped my tail so the the clouds went away. I roared.
About many miles across the land of Japan, people stopped when they heard me. They listened and waited what would happen. The clan roared too. The monks bowed down to me. I curled my tail and did a pose. I roared again and flew up into the air, higher and higher, I went. I flew so high, that I could not see any of the clan or the monks. I roared again and then dove down towards them.
Yuki smiled and roared with the other dragons. She loved him. She watched him as he dove.
As I grew closer to the clan, I swung back up into the sky and then flew towards one of the worriers. We fought, I won, but I did not kill him. I posed again in the sky. My mother rose off of the ground and came towards me. Two of the dragons brought up a stone.
“Put your claw on this.” I did what she said. “Now repeat what I say, By putting my paw on this stone, I guarantee, that I will guard and protect every dragon that lives and is born.” I repeated the words. “I Sha’oren Drakini, look down onto the ones that are sick and are injured.” When I finished repeating every word, light poured from the stone. The light expanded in every direction. I roared.

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Sarah, Mike, John, Greg and Akio were practicing that is until a blinding light flowed through the dojo. Not matter where in the world you were all of the power has gone out.
“Do you think it could be?” Sarah asked John.
“I do not know, Akio, do you think it is?” John then asked Akio with a concerned face.
“Yes, it has to be. He just made his oath and I read in really old book, it said that whenever the worthy dragon says the oath and touches the stone, it glows and light can be seen from anywhere from the world. The last one was from his grandfather. The dragon would have to battle the elder and then do it. It is like the world is being born again.” A tear ran down her left cheek. She held her ears.
“Akio, are you okay?” Greg asked her.
“I am fine. I am just happy for him that is all.” More tear ran down her cheeks as she watched the light. An hour later the light had died down.

When the light had died down, I fell down. Out of the sky. My mother and clan and everyone else had stayed where they were. I kept falling down into the ocean. I roared. When I finally splashed under the water, all of the fishes swam back a little and then kept swimming where they were going. I just floated down, down, and down. I could not hear anything.


It has been two years since the arrival of the young boy. “Soon, you will be the greatest you will ever be. I know you will, if you try hard enough. I believe in you.” An old man stood at the edge of the cliff. A little boy stood next to him.
“Gramps, I know I won’t and about that story you told you when I arrived, do you know what happens? Will the dragon make his decision? Please tell me.” The boy exclaimed.
“I can not tell you my little one.” The old man smiled at the boy and then saw a girl walk up towards them. “Welcome my little grasshopper, what do you come here for?”
“Master.” The little girl bowed. “I would like you to give permission for me to play with him.”
“Gladly, my little grasshopper. Now, little dragon go, on now and play with your friend. We meditate in an hour.” The old man smiled. The little boy and girl bowed.
“Thank you.” They two then ran off down the hillside. The old man Stood on the cliff and stared off at the rising sun. The wind whipped his white long hair back.

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Akio watched as the light disappeared and the electricity went back on. She fell to her knees. Tear poured down her cheeks. Sarah, Mike, John and Greg watched her fall to her knees, but none of them could get to her because they were froze. Teardrops splashed onto the mat. Where are you Sha’oren?
Everyone in the whole world could not move including the dragons and the monks. Everyone was frozen, like the earth wanted to be reborn.


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I floated quietly down to the bottom of the ocean, but there was no bottom, it went on forever. My eyes closed shut. The moon shone down on everything. It was very bright.

A girl just about twelve years of age smiled at a boy that was one year younger than she was. She watched him. “Will you come and play with me?” The girl asked him.
“I can not. I have to practice for the test tomorrow.” The boy responded.
“Please, just this one time. You can practice later. I mean, master wants both of us to succeed, but mostly you.” She smiled at him.
“Fine, just this once.” He finished quickly and then followed the girl to the garden.
The moon shone down on the it. The girl stopped at the bridge. “Do you love me?” The boy looked at her.
“Why would you ask that sort of question?” The boy, his name was Shou asked.
“I am just wondering. That is all.” The girl Akio shrugged. “Anyway, why do you hang out with Master Zou?” The boy did not answer. The girl smiled.


I opened my eyes and realized that I needed to rule my clan. I gathered all of my strength and swam back to the surface and then I flew right out of the water.

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Akio started to cry harder. Tears ran down her face. Sarah stepped towards her friend. Akio did not notice.
“Akio, are alright?” Sarah put her hand on her friend’s shoulder. “It is okay if he is back in Japan.” Akio looked at her friend.
“No, my heart felt like he was going to die.” She wiped the tears from her cheeks.
“Anyways, we could stop for today if you want.” Sarah helped her friend stand up.
“Let’s continue.” Sarah nodded and walked quickly with a little hop to get to her spot as her friend stood up. “So where did we leave off? Right, find your spots. Punch, block, fifth, first, punch, block, punch, block...good.” Sarah and her friends were improving. “Okay, now first..second...third...fourth...fifth...sixth....third...second....fifth...first....” Akio nodded.

Akio started to clean up everything around nine. When she was finished, she sighed and sat down on one of the benches. A minute later Sarah, Mike and John came out of the changing room. Akio looked up at her friends.
“Thanks again for the lesson. We are really grateful that you are the teacher. Call us if anyone decided to sign up.” John thanked happily. “Anyways, we should be get going. See you tomorrow.” The three waved bye to Akio; Akio waved back at them.

Greg came out five minutes later. He looked at Akio and smiled. “I saw you crying earlier and was thinking if you were okay, are you?”
“Yeah, a little now, but before not.” A tear ran down her cheek.
Greg walked to the bench and sat down next to Akio. “You want me to give you a hug?” He asked her. Akio nodded as more tears ran down her cheeks. She hugged him. “You want to go back to Japan?” He asked her.
“Yeah, but I do not want to leave you here.” Another tear ran down her cheek.
“I can stay with you for another night if you want.”
“Really.? Akio slightly smiled. She was not sure if he really wanted to stay over and help her.
Greg smiled back, “yeah, I have never seen you smile before. Is this the first time you smiled.
Akio shook her head, “I smiled when I was little.” She sat up and looked at him. “I am going to go to bed, will you turn the lights off in here. Thanks.” She stood up and walked to the office. She got ready and went to bed. She slept, but had nightmares of Shou.

Greg stood up and turn the lights off and went to get ready for bed. He walked back to the office and slept on the couch again, he looked at Akio for a moment and saw that she was having nightmares. He wanted to wake her, but thought that she need some rest. Sighing, he sat down on the couch and fell asleep.

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My mother was frozen for a while, but then saw me come out of the water. She flew towards me, “my son, are you okay? I saw you fall into the ocean before the light hit.” My mother was very worried about me.
“Mother, I am fine. Well, when I fell into the ocean, I floated down towards the bottom, but there was no bottom, it was endless. It was like, I went back to the past when I was little and I saw grandfather talking to me on the cliff...” I sighed, “I also saw myself practicing and Akio telling me that grandfather wanted us to succeed, but mostly for me to succeed. What should I do?”
“Well, you should follow your heart.” She smiled and wrapped her neck around my neck and we hugged. “Well, you are now the clan leader, roar my son, roar!” I roared when we untangled. All of the other dragons roared with happiness.

Everyone in the entire country Japan heard the roars. Not only the whole country, there was one person in particular who could hear it thousands and thousands of miles away.

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Akio awoke halfway through the night when she heard a roar, “Shou.” She whispered to herself; she sighed and went back to sleep.

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I did a pose and Yuki flew up to greet me. We hugged and flew down to the cliff. All of the Monks, and my clan bowed to me as I walked by with Yuki. I smiled as we headed back to the cave to sleep.
When we finally arrived, Yuki wanted to sleep with me again. We laid down and looked up at the stars.
“Look, there is a shooting star, make a wish Sha’oren.” I looked at her as she ask me to make a wish. I sighed and thought for a moment. This time I decided not to tell her. “So what did you wish for this time?” She asked me.
“I am not going to tell you.” I laughed and looked at her; She laughed.
“How many do you want?” She asked me another question.
“I do not know, maybe three. How many do you want?”
“Three would work.” She laid her head down. “Sha’oren, I know that you can turn into a human whenever you want, but I was wondering if there is a spell that could turn us into human, I mean our babies and I. Is there one?” She asked me as she closed her eyes.
“I guess yeah. When we are actually together and have children, I will teach it to you, but for now, we will have to wait. Now get some sleep.” I saw that she had fallen asleep. I soon fell asleep as well.

Akio soon awoke with a soft knock on the office door. She looked around for Greg, but he was not there. She quickly dressed herself and opened the office door. “Hello?”
“Hi, I was wondering if my son and daughter could join the dojo. Are there any openings?” Akio looked at the women.
“Yes, actually. We are glad to teach your son and daughter. I am the owner of the dojo, so are these the two of them?”
“Yes, this is Lenny and the other one Nicole.” The two looked exactly the same. They have short brown hair, but one has green eyes and the other has blue eyes. “They are only ten years old. You are able to teach ten year olds, right?”
“I told you yes. Now Lenny and Nicole, I am Akio. We are now going to find you the geezes, then I will talk with your mother. You are going to begin with a white belt. Now come. Your mother will stay here for now.” Akio walked out of the office and towards the locker room. Lenny and Nicole followed. Akio found them geezes and gave them a white belt. “There, I am going to talk to your mother. You can wait out here.” Akio then walked into the office and talked to their mother.
“...so my kids will be in the first class, or will they be in the whole thing with older kids?’
“Well, this is how it is going to be, we will have the little ones in the first two hours. It starts at one. Any other questions?”
“No, thank you. It starts tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
“Okay, bye.” With that the women walked out of the office and took her children home. Akio sighed as she saw a few more people came into the dojo.
“Next.” She called. A tall woman walked into the office and closed the door.
“I saw your ad and was wondering if I could sign my son, Nathanel for a class.”
“Yes, is that your son?” Nathanel walked from behind his mother. He had short black hair. He had blue eyes and was about 4’9. He was tall for his age. “Let’s have go to the locker room and get yourself a geeze.” She stood up and walked out of the office. She saw five to ten families there. “If your son or daughter is a beginner, please follow me, I will talk to the parents when I get all of your children settled. All of the children followed her to the changing room. “Find a geeze that fits you and then grab a white belt. When you finish, go back to your parents.” She walked out of the changing room and back to the office.
“I am sorry, I had to give him a geeze. So what would you like to know?”
“Just when his class would start.”
“How old is he?”
“He is twelve.”
“Okay, he will begin his classes tomorrow at one.” Akio smiled as the door opened. “Hey Greg. We have customers.”
“I can see that.” He had a towel in his hand and wiped the sweat from his face.
“Hey, can you help and talk to another parent so we can get them in.” Akio smiled.
“Sure, can I use the room that is locked?”
“Sure.” She threw him the key; he caught it with one hand. “Just use the first room.”
Greg nodded and walked out of the office, “Who’s next?” A women that had blond hair, blue eyes and looks skinny enough to model, stood up and followed Greg.

Akio and Greg did this all day. Around two-ish, Sarah, Mike, and John walked in to see families waiting. They went to the office to check on Akio. Akio looked up and saw them, “Will, you take them and get their kids the geezes, and white belts.” John and Mike left and brought the kids to the changing room so they could get their belts and geezes. Sarah took another parent and brought them to the same room as Greg was in. There was a barrier in the room already. Sarah brought two chairs over and had the women sit in one.
“So I saw the ad and was wondering if I could get my son into the dojo.”
“Sure, what is his name?”
“Henry.” She smiled at his name, she picked it out when he was born. “He is ten if you were wondering. When do the lessons start?”
“Tomorrow at one.” Sarah responded.
“Thank you.” With that the women left.
“Next.” Sarah, Greg and Akio called at once. Two women and a man stood up. One went to Sarah, the other women went to Akio and the man went to Greg. They were at it for another hour or two. All of the parents and their children had started to fade away. When it was ten past five, they decided to regroup.
“So how many did we get?” Mike asked Akio.
“I believe twenty so far and this is excellent. Ready to start the lesson?” The four of them nodded and went to change. They all came out in their geezes. “Okay, I have decided that in one month, I will decide to bring you up to the next level or not. So if you want to move up, I want you to study hard. We will now meditate. Please sit.” The four of them sat down. They all criss crossed their legs. “Okay, in and then out slowly. Keep your shoulders relaxed.” Akio and her friends breath in slowly and then out slowly. “Two more times. In...now out...in...now out...good. Now today we will use a practicing dummy. I will demonstrate and then I will have each of you do it once.” She brought a dummy out and punched it then blocked, and punched with the other arm and then blocked it again. “Now Sarah, would you like to go first?”

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I opened my eyes slowly and saw that Yuki was still asleep. I sighed quietly. I hoped Akio and my other friends are doing okay. I stood quietly and walked out of the cave. I flew to the shipping dock to see if it came. I changed into my human form so that no one would expect that I was a dragon. I looked around the dock until I found a huge crate. I recognized it. Looking around, I changed back into my dragon form and flew up to the top of the crate. I grabbed the strap that held it closed and started to pull it up into the air. I had to get it back to the cave for now.
When I arrived at the cave, Yuki was awake. I saw that she was watching. “Where have you been?”
I looked at her, “just getting something.”
“Well, it has to be something big.”
“It is my other swords I have. You do not mind if I have them right?”
“I do not mind.” I carefully put the crate in front of the cave. I opened the crate and grabbed all of the swords and put them on the shelf that I had put in there. Which I placed the shelf in a corner of the cave. “So how does it feel to be the clan leader now?”
“It feels good, but it feels like nothing has changed.” I shrugged, “So would you like me to teach you the spell?”
Yuki nodded. “Yes.”
I smiled.“okay, now concentrate. Say these words. ‘From the light above, from the darkness below, give me the strength to transform.’ Now repeat what I told you.” She nodded and repeated what I said.

Less than a minute, she turned from a dragon to a human. I turned into a human too. Her hair was snow white and her hair was to the middle of her back. She was about as tall as I was. Her eyes were baby blue.
“Now try coming towards me. It will take practice walking on two legs Yuki. Yuki smiled at me.
“It worked. Do not worry. I will practice. I kind of want to head to the temple. Will you take me there.” She begged me.
“Sure.” I held out my hand. “Take my hand.” She took it. We ran off of the cliff part to the cave. We landed on the ground. “Now, let me carry you as I run to the temple.” Yuki nodded and let me pick her up. I ran as fast as I could to the temple.
“So, you are basically worshiped here, right?” She asked me on the way there.
“Yeah. My grandfather was the master or leader. Now I am...here we are.” I finally put her down.
“The temple is huge.” She smiled and held my hand tighter. “Are we aloud in?”
“Yeah.” I let go of her hand for a sec and pushed the doors open. She grabbed my hand again as we walked in.
“I am kind of scared.”
“Hey, don’t be. I want to show you something. Come with me.” She followed me to the garden. “Here we are. The garden.”
“Wow, this is really beautiful!” She exclaimed. She let go of my hand and ran to the cherry tree. I ran after her. We played around the tree and then through the bamboo trees; we laughed. We played in the garden until it got dark.
“We should head back. You need lift?”
She nodded, “Will you teach me how to change back?” She asked me as she was too tired.
“Sure.” I replied after I changed into my dragon form. “Climb on, I will teach you when we get back to the cave.”

I taught her to change back when we arrived at the cave. We were soon fast asleep.

Akio rubbed her eyes and got ready for the next day. She decided to go for a run. She changed and left the dojo. As she jogged through the mall, she heard birds chirping. She was so excited to teach the costumers. She got back and changed into her Kesa. As she was dressing was thinking whether or not to go. She had remember that she could get a wish, but she did not get a chance. Sighing she finished getting dressed and went to go meditate. Grabbing the picture and two candles; she light the candles and set the picture on ground.

Akio started to clear her mind, but got interrupted when she thought of Shou. Okay, now there is a reason to think of him because I am meditating to him, right? She thought. Taking a deep breath she started to actually meditate. She meditated for almost for five hours, until Gregory, Sarah, Mike and John came in. All four of them saw her when they stepped through the doorway.
“Let’s go get changed.” Sarah whispered.
“Okay.” Mike replied. Sarah, Mike and John went to get changed. While they were in there, there was an hour until everyone came. Gregory did not disturb her, but went to get changed as well. Sarah came out and sighed. Akio was still meditating.


Just a just five minutes before everyone came, she awoke and stood up. “Hey, Greg, Sarah, John, Mike.”
“Hi.” Sarah greeted her. “Do you know how long you were in there?”
“In where?” Akio was confused.
“You know, meditating.” John told her.
“Oh. You know, I am meditating for longer than that you know.” She told them seriously.
“Okay, anyways students are going to be coming in today. So since you are tall, then I want you to be in the back while the little ones are in the front.” Sarah and the others nodded. “Now we have, 10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1...and they are here.”Akio watched as everyone came in. “Welcome.” She bowed to the people coming in.



Once everyone one was settle, Akio greeted herself. She bowed again, “I am going to be your instructor for the time you are learning here.” Standing up, she looked at everyone. “Now, find a spot and make sure you are arm length away from each other. Everyone did what they were told. “Now, I want you to relax and take a deep breath in, keep your shoulders relaxed. We are going to do this about five more times. In....now out.....in.....out...let it out slowly as you can. If you run out of breath early, it is fine, just keep your breath slow and steady.” She did it with them. “Now, we are going to introduce each other. We will give each other a fact, our name and your favorite color. I will go first, I am Akio. I am from a rural area in Japan. My favorite color is baby blue. Okay we will go from left to right.” She pointed to a girl on the left side. She was about thirteen years old.
“I am Amy, I am a bookworm and my favorite color is yellow.”
“Good, next...”
“I am David, I love to skateboard and my favorite color is blue.”
“I am Karen, I love music and sing and my favorite color is tan.”
This went on until it got to Greg. “I am Gregory, you can call me Greg, I have a degree in science and my favorite color is leaf green.”
“Okay, that is everyone. It is very nice to meet you. Now, there are rules here, the first one is when you sparr or are in a lesson or practicing, there is no shoes on the mat. I want you to take your shoes off when you arrive. The second is listen to the instructor which is me. And the third is have fun. Any questions?” Everyone shook there heads, “Oh, I almost forgot. Before we start and when end we will bow and say Kon'nichiwa to sayōnara. Can everyone say that?” She asked them. everyone tried to say it. “Now, I want to show how to do it. Place your hands together like this...” She showed them, “now bow.” She bowed. All of the students bowed. “Good, now we start. I will you teach you first, second and third for now.” Akio showed them and then asked them to do it. “Now when I call the position you will be in that stance. I want perfect form. Ready, stand! When I say stand you will stand with your hands next to you. And then when I say rest, you will put your feet shoulder apart and your hands behind your back. Now, first...second....third...first...second...good... I am going to mix it up. Third...first....second....first...third....okay, now you learned those positions, I will teach you the fifth and sixth stance.” Akio showed them.

When they learned it, she did the same thing. She sighed and occasionally she glanced over at the picture on the shelf. But she mostly kept her focus on the lesson. After about an hour and a half, she gave them a break. On the ten minute breaks she would just sit on the bench and sigh. No one bothered her.




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I awoke with her by my side, but she was awake when I woke up. She smiled at me; I smiled at her. “Sha’oren, I was wondering, if you were able to turn into a human, when you were just a dragonlet, then it must of been hard on you.” She laid her head on my claw.
“I guess yeah.” I nudged her with my nose, “you know the celebration is going to be tonight.”
“Yeah, I know. I was also thinking that, maybe the other dragons could know that spell so that we all can change into human and live amongst them. You are the clan leader and all, right?” I smiled at her, “would you like to fly with me again?”
“Yes, but I want to go to the garden in the temple.” I watched her stand up and walk to the edge of the the cave. Her tail grazed by my face.
“Sure, whatever you want my love.” I stood up as well, “You want to ride on me this time?” She nodded. “Do you remember the spell?”
“Yeah, from the light above, from the darkness below, give me the strength to transform.” Just less than a minute, she was a human again. She climbed onto me and I took off towards the temple.

Yuki and I hung out in the garden. We laughed and had a wonderful time there, until it started to get dark.
“We should head back.” She held my hand.
“Sure, you want a ride back to the cave?” I asked her. She nodded and put her head on my shoulder.
“I love you Sha’oren.”
“I know you do.” I leg of her hand and changed into my dragon form. I let her climb on and brought her back to the cave. When we arrived, she changed back.
“I am not going to go to the celebration. I am going to sleep here okay?” She laid down and put her head down.
“I know you are tired, but you should come. I will be with you the whole time. All you have to do is tell me and we will be back at the cave in no time okay?” She nodded and stood up again. We flew to the cliff. We had a blast. Everyone one greeted me. I roared.

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The time was ten to eight when she heard a faint cry. She held her ears. Tears ran down her cheeks. Sarah saw her friend and walked to her. “Akio, are you okay?”
“The time has come.” Akio sat down on the bench. Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked at their teacher. They were all confused. Tears ran down her cheeks. “Why?” They all walked to Akio.
“It is okay.” One of the students told her. “We will be with you the whole time.” Akio looked up at the boy.
“Thanks.”
“We can stop if you want. Or do you want us to continue for an hour?” Daniel sat down next to her.
“I am fine, we are going to continue, I am going to give you a break for fifteen minutes.” They all watched her.
“Akio.” Sarah sat down next to her friend, “what is wrong?”
“Shou, he is the clan leader now and I am afraid that he will find another dragon and mate with her.” A tear ran down her cheek again. “I do not think that I could do this.” she sighed.

When it was completely dark, I brought Yuki back to the cave. I let her sleep. I fell asleep a minute later. We slept all night. Well, about halfway through the night. I stood up and walked out to the front of the cave and looked out at the stars.
“It is pretty is it not?” Without turning, I knew Yuki was up.
“Yeah.”
“There is something I need to tell you.” I did not hear her walk up next to me. “I am pregnant.”
I turned and looked at her. “When have you been pregnant?”
“Well, I found out a couple days ago.” I looked at her and smiled.
“Well, that is excellent. You want to move the date to earlier?” I asked her.
“You are the leader.”

So with that, in the morning, I announced that it was going to be in less than a week. After the meeting on the cliff, Yuki and I were soon mated. She was pregnant and I was the leader. I did what I could to be leader and Yuki stayed in the cave until she had our dragonlets. Two boys and a girl. Ling and Xander were the boys and we name the other one Yuki Onna. We named her after Yuki. Our daughter was white like her mother, but had had some spots that were the color of blood. I was soo happy to have our dragonlets.

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Everyday from one to nine, Akio taught karate to about twenty students. She was exhausted by the end of the day. Akio bowed to the students; the students bowed back as the lesson ended. Akio did not smiled at all. She waited and waited, she could not take it any longer. There was no sign her love anywhere. She sighed and went to the office after everyone left. Sitting down at the desk she picked up the phone and dialed.
“Hello? Who I am I speaking with?” The voice on the other end had an accent.
“I am Akio and yes, I was wondering if I could talk with Sha’oren please.” Akio made sure she used the correct name.
“I am sorry, he is not here right now. Would you like to leave a message?” The voice on the other end asked her.
“Yes, please tell him to come and visit soon. I also would like to add in that I love him very much. Thanks.”
“Well, I will certainly will. But right now he is very busy. He mated a couple days ago and his mate just recently had dragonlets. Three of them actually.”
Akio stared at the door like she was expecting someone to come right in. “Oh, okay. Do know if they can come visit maybe in a couple of months?” She asked him.
“I told you he can not do anything right now.” With that she heard a buzz at the other end of the line. She hung up as well. A tear ran down her cheek.
“How could this be possible?” She questioned herself. “There is no way he is already....” She was about to finish her sentence when someone came into the room.
“Akio, you alright?” Akio looked up and saw Sarah, Mike, John, and Gregory there.
“Yeah, I am fine. I just need time to myself for a while that is all.” Everyone looked at her and nodded.
“Whatever you need. We will be at the pizza place right across the mall, when you want, just come. The place does not close until ten.” The four of them then turned and left to go eat at the pizza place.

Akio watched them go. She decided to meditate. She set everything up and meditated for about three hours.

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I watched as my two sons and daughter play around Yuki. I smiled. I looked up at the sky watched a shooting star go by. “Yuki, what do you wish for?”
“What do I wish for? Why do you ask?”
“Because a shooting star flew by.” I smiled and looked at her.
“I do not know. There is nothing I could wish for that I do not have.” She smiled at me. “We have three babies that I love very much and I get to be mated with you. The leader of the clan. I was also thinking, are you still thinking about wanting to see your friends again?” She asked me.
“No, I am fine. I am going to meditate at the temple okay.” I rubbed noses with Yuki and left to the temple.

I landed in the courtyard and changed into my human form. I then walked towards the temple. I had to concentrate and clear my mind. I am the clan leader, a father and the master here. That is a lot of responsibilities.
“Sha’oren!” I turned towards the garden.
“Yes?”
He bowed to me when he was in front of me. “There is a message.” He then stood, “She said that she wanted to talk to you, but I told you that you were busy, but my point is that she wants you to visit and she loves you very much.” He bowed to me after he finished his message. “She wants you to consider it.”
“I will think about it.” I nodded and asked him to get up now. He nodded and walked back to the garden. I walked to the temple. When I reached to top I sat down and started to meditate. I did not wake up until I woke up a year later.

When I did wake, I went back to the cave. It was half way through the day. Ling, Xander and Yuki were there, but I did not see my mate anywhere. My dragonlets saw me and jumped on me. Well, I let them.

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Akio sat there in silence. It was a saturday. She waited for a call from him. She sighed, it was no use in waiting, she guessed that he would never come. She waited day and night. She never came out of the office since.
About a year later, she heard a knock. She looked up, “Come in.” Her friends came in and looked at her,
“I know something is wrong, so what happened?” Sarah asked her friend.
A tear ran down her cheek; she did not answer.
“Okay, You do not have to answer if you do not want to, but you were here for a year and you did not come out of the office.” Sarah sighed. “We need to get you out and about. We could go get pizza. You want to come?” Akio shook her head. She knew he was going to come sooner or later. She looked at her friends and then wrote something down on a piece of paper.

Sarah, Mike, John, I am sorry, but I have to wait for him. I am sorry.

Sarah looked at the note, “Have you met someone yet? Do we know him?” Akio shook her head on the first part and nodded her head on the second part. “Okay then, we will bring back a couple slices of pizza then. With that, the four of them left and closed the door behind her. A tear ran down her cheek when they left.

It was high noon, as I kept my dragonlets warm until my mate Yuki came back. Which she did. I opened my eyes and looked at her. She was at the entrance of the cave and walked towards the me. “Where did you go?” She asked me very annoyed.
“I went to go meditate. Where did you go?” I pushed the question back at her. “You know what we can talk about this later, our babies are sleeping.” I looked at the three of them and then at Yuki, “my friend called and I was maybe deciding to go and visit. Would you like to come?”
“Sha’oren, why would you want to go visit your friend when you are here with your own kind.”
“Yuki, my friends are important to me, so I need to go and they have not seen me for a year or so.”
“Okay fine, then you will have to take your family with you then.” She looked at me like I was going to win, but lose all at the same time.
I sighed, “fine, but we need to disguise ourselves first. Tonight we will do the spell.” Yuki agreed. I had to figure out a way to change our babies into human babies. I thought of a solution the rest of the day.

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Just around four in Palos Verdes, California, Akio stood up and walked out of the office. She needed some fresh air. She walked out of the office and closed up for the day. Well, just so no one would come and break in. She walked through the mall slowly. She did not know why he did not come. “He loves me doesn’t he? But at the temple, he told me that we could not be.” She sighed again.

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I had figured out a way. Yuki, the kids and I sat in a circle, well, we mostly stood. “Each of us take another’s hand.” The kids and Yuki did what I told them. “Now I am going to say the spell. From the light above, from the darkness below, give me the strength to transform.” Light poured through the cave and we were transformed. When the light died down, our children looked like they were four years of age. I smiled. “Come here Xander, Yuki, Ling.” They all tried to walk to us. They ended up being successful for the first time. I was proud of them. “Now we are going to head to the airport and fly to the other side of the world.” I smiled. “I am going to get one of the Monks to take us. Meet me at the temple gate.” I jumped off of the edge of the cave and ran to the temple.
An hour later we were at the airport getting our tickets. Each ticket was only 250 yen. When we were though the security gates we went to the gate to head to the states. Yuki and I had three children which was kind of tiring, but we got used to it.

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The next day, was the tournament. Akio woke up early and started to set. It took her about three hours to set up. She decided to go and meditate for the rest of the time. Today was the day where they only do tournaments. There was no classes today. Akio set up to meditate and then started to meditate for the rest of the day until everyone started to come in.
Akio put the picture and the candles away. She walked to the other side of the mat and stood still until everyone arrive. “Welcome to MoonLight dojo tournament! I am Akio, I will be judging it. Please take a seat. First up is Katie and Maddy.” Maddy and Katie put on their helmets and bowed, “And...start!” The two started to fight.

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We were on the plane thirteen hours about. Almost half of the day. Yuki sat with two of them and I sat with the other one. Xander and Ling started to complain, but my mate Yuki calmed them down. We were in the high class seats. I sighed and started meditate quietly.

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It was three thirty and the tournament had not ended. She watched carefully to make sure who was awarded to move up a level. Sarah was against Gregory and Mike was against John. The last groups had to break the boards.

Just as John was going to break more boards than Mike, someone walked quietly into the room. He looked at Akio and then at everyone in the audience. Akio looked at the stranger at the door. “Sh...Sh...Shou?” A tear ran down her cheek; she covered her mouth with her hand.

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When we got a taxi and were driven to the mall, we got out and walked into the dojo. I saw everyone look at me and my family, well mostly me anyways. But then I heard a voice I have not heard in a long time. Akio!
“Akio?” I watched her run towards me.
“Shou, I have not heard from you in a long time.” She bowed to me.
“You do not have to bow to me. And I am already with someone else, her name is Yuki. Yuki walked out of the shadows with our three dragonlets or children. “I am sorry.”
“I want to spar with you.” She growled at me.
Everyone’s eyes watched us. “Sure.” I took my shoes off and walked to the mat. John and Mike had moved everything to the side, with the help from Sarah and Greg. Akio just walked onto the mat.

We bowed and took our stances. I stared into her eyes. “You do not know what you are getting yourself into K.” We circled each other for a few minutes.
“Oh, I know that. Thank you captain obvious.” She rolled her eyes and stared back at me. Sarah set us off. And we began.

I dodged her every move. I became swift as the wind. I then advanced and attacked her. I did a round house, she dodge. She then was offense and I had to defend. I took a deep breath in and then out. Every time she tried to hit me, I pushed her arm or leg away. I then swiftly took her arm and twisted it; I flipped her so she was on the ground. She knew I was going to win. I let go of her and watched her stand up.
“Okay, you win again.” We bowed and then matched was over. “I am so sorry. We should of not seen each other or even met thousand years ago at the temple.” She stared into my eyes. Falling to her knees she bowed.
“Akio, you do not have to do that. We can still be friends, right?” She did not say anything; Sarah and her friends fell to their knees and bowed as well. “Sarah, Mike, John...Greg?” I just watched everyone as they followed Akio. Even my dragonlets and mate Yuki. I looked at everyone. “I did not want any of this to happen either, but...” A tear ran down my cheek. “It would mean alot if we were just friends. You know what I had to deal with? I am the one in the story, I had to decide. But I wanted to be with you. Please you do not have to do this.

“What do you want Sha’oren?” I heard a voice.
“We know how hard it is.” Another voice was whispered into my ear.
“Who is there?” I called. No answer. “Is anyone there?”
“Who do you think is here?” The voice responded.
“Grandfather? Father?” I called.
There was silence for a minute.
“It is both.”
“Show yourself!” I called. The lights blinked out as everyone stood up.

Akio looked at Shou. She rubbed her eyes and then realized that he was talking to someone. “Shou?” I did not answer her.
I looked at one of the corners and saw my grandfather standing with my dad? “Father?” A tear ran down my cheek. I barely could tell that the two figures were walking towards me or that it was just a figure of my imagination.



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Akio rubbed her eyes and saw that there were two figures walking towards him. Is one his father and the other Master Zou? Akio question herself. She stood up slowly and saw that everyone was getting up as well. Could everyone be noticing this or am I the only one?
“You are not the only one Akio” Sarah, Mike, John and Greg were behind her. “It is okay if you do not believe it either.”
“I can not believe that I am seeing his father and Master Zou.” She almost stumbled towards her friend.


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I looked at my father and grandfather. “But what are you doing here?”
My grandfather walked towards me. “Even if I was not there. So now we can really have the ceremony. Do you really want it?” He asked me.
“Yeah.” I nodded. My grandfather walked to the mat. The two of us walked in a circle, bowed and and took our stances so we could spar. We would spar as dragons, but since I was able to turn into a human, my grandfather and I could spar. We sparred all night and day. Until I twisted his arm back and pushed him down. When I let him up he asked me one question, “Will you be the clan leader?” He asked me.
The only word I could find was, “Yes.”