Shizi

After a late-night, Shi Yen returned to the training studio the next morning. She trained hard until her muscles strained for a break until her body ached and until her Master used his staff to trip her.

Shi Yen staggered and fell back. A sound escaped her lips, "Ouff." On the ground, her chest rose and fell in heavy breaths as she lay sprawled.

"Do you want to train until you die?" Master Wong questioned her.

Shi Yen scowled. She rested her palms above each shoulder, twisting her hips, leaning back to drop her weight, crouching down before she stood. "No," she answered. "But I can't stop."

"You look like shit," replied Master Wong. "What are you doing to yourself?"

Shi Yen didn't answer. She was about to walk away when he clasped her wrist.

"Overworking yourself and torturing your body is not how to live. Your parents wouldn't want this," said Master Wong.

"Well, they're not here," she gritted out, "are they?"

Master Wong sighed. "It's been five years, and I miss them, too, every day. I promised your father to watch after you and your sister. But I see yourself hardening more and more each day when you're supposed to get better; this is why you left the Underworld. Do you remember how I found you half-dead? Your sister was worried sick, and I had to lie to her, saying you went to a training camp. That's why you walked away as soon as you healed. And now you will forget how to love and how to be loved."

"I don't care," responded Shi Yen, twisting out of his grip, picking up her things to leave.

"Shi Yen," called out her Master.

Shi Yen turned her head slightly. "What?"

"I have something for you."

She arched a brow, wondering what it was. Master Wong then nodded his chin towards the direction of his apartment, which was inside the studio. She followed him as he said, "I've meant to give you this, but I couldn't find one that suits you."

What was he talking about? She thought.

They stepped into his place. It was a small, clean and polished apartment. A puppy then waddled towards them and sniffed her.

Master Wong picked up the dog and placed it in her arms. Shi Yen's eyes widened. "What are you doing?"

"This dog is yours," he said.

"What am I supposed to do with a mutt?" she questioned sharply.

"Raise it," said Master Wong. "Train it to be obedient, to be loyal to you and only you. It shouldn't be a problem. It's a Velcro dog so that it will be attached to your hip."

Shi Yen frowned. "It's small, and it looks as if it won't get any bigger than this. Why couldn't you get me one of those big guard dogs?"

"Because you need to learn empathy, Yenni. I do not doubt that you'll fall in love with her."

Shi Yen scowled at being called Yenni. She then looked at the puppy in her hand; it stirred in her arms and licked her hand. The dog had silver fur, floppy ears, a small snout, one brown and one pale-blue eye.

"What is it?" she asked her Master.

"It's a Shih Tzu and Pug. What will you name her?"

"Shizi," responded Shi Yen without hesitation. She always liked the name Shizi.

"Lion," responded her Master. "Very fitting."

Her Master then gave her a bag full of dog food and some essentials to take care of Shizi. Shi Yen felt like some more things were missing, but she'd drop by a pet store when she had the time.

Holding the dog in her hand, she walked to the car and took it to work, not feeling comfortable leaving it alone at home.

In her office, she set up a pee mat in the corner and left it some toys to chew on as she tried to get some work done. When she sat in her seat, Shizi had approached, curling at her foot, with her head tilted to the side. Shi Yen glanced down. "Go play," she commanded.

Shizi stretched her small arms, snuggling up to her foot. Shi Yen sighed. "Fine. But if you get bored, it's not my fault."

While Shi Yen focused on her work, she found it odd that her dog had kept quiet and didn't bother her at all. She thought that dogs would be annoying, wanting affection or attention, but this one was quiet and obedient.

She then paused her work to feed her food and water. Shizi devoured it quickly, and Shi Yen made sure that she ate everything. When Shizhi finished, she stood on two paws, leaning on her leg, wagging her tail, wanting to get picked up. Shi Yen picked up the mutt and began to pet her fur.

Shi Ailin then stumbled into her office, shocked to see Shi Yen with a dog.

"Yen?" questioned her sister.

"Mhm?"

"Whom does this dog belong to?" she asked.

"Us," she said. "Master Wong gave it to me."

"Oh my, a puppy!" Shi Ailin said, stepping forward to pick up Shizi, stroking her fur in her arms. "Why did Master Wong give her to you?"

Shi Yen didn't want to give her sister the details as to why she received Shizi. "Master Wong found it astray and asked me to care for it," she lied.

Shi Ailin gazed into the puppy's different coloured eyes. "She's so unique and adorable. Do we really get to keep it?"

Shi Yen nodded. "I don't see why not."

Shi Ailin smiled. "Oh, this is so exciting!"

Shi Yen grinned. If it got to make her sister happy, then she couldn't see why they had to get rid of the mutt. She thought that perhaps owning a pet wouldn't be so bad. Shizi then tried to stir out of Shi Ailin's embrace, and she let her down. Shizi then went to a corner of her office, by a plant and squatted, urinating on the carpet.

Shi Yen's eyes glared. "Shizi!" she shouted. Shi Yen then picked her up. "What am I to do with you?"

She heard her sister chuckle from behind, and afterward, Shi Yen began to laugh too.

...

Later that day, Shi Yen brought her new pup home, settling her on a pile of blankets. When she went to grab her water, Shizi followed her. Shi Yen then went to the washroom and Shizi went inside with her. Shi Yen also attempted to eat her dinner and Shizi had curled at her feet waiting for her to finish.

Shi Ailin found them walking back to the room, noticing how Shizi followed her everywhere. "It's loyal," she remarked.

Shi Yen sighed. "Annoyingly devoted," she corrected.