Kirke

Out of the twelve celestial creatures of Heaven, Dog seemed best suited for the job of being Emperor Yu's trusted assistant. No one could be more loyal and patient than he was, but out of fairness (and perhaps the Emperor's entertainment), a competition was drawn up with a level playing field in the realm of the humans. Dog readily agreed; after years in paradise, it was time to revisit his old roots and prove that his faithful nature to mortal masters had not changed one bit since his ascension. Gone were the rice fields and countryside cottages of centuries past. In their place rose monoliths of concrete and glass, with sputtering streetlamps that cast lonely shadows. It seemed to Dog that, more than ever, his kind was needed as a protective presence. His first attempts at greeting a human were met with wariness. Perhaps it was his antiquated speech or the manner of his courtly dress, which he insisted on retaining upon his arrival. It was soon apparent that he would have to adjust to new preferences, should he wish to continue his guardianship. In recent nights, rumors abound of a strange young man and his oddly canine get-up. Some complain of the malaise shared by youths of the current generation, and others worry that he is a thief, a ruffian, or worse. But for the "Black Dog", as the local press called him, seeing drunk or solitary humans safely through the night and to their homes is enough for him. Besides, the more plucky of the youths he sees home has already befriended him. As far as they were concerned, Kirke was now a member of their pack.