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Onmyoji aren't what they use to be . . . Ayakashi aren't what they use to be . . . The world isn't what it use to be . . .

"Master wake up!" Miru said as she tried to rouse her young master from her futon. "You aren't even a part of the guild yet, and already I am afraid of you getting fired," Miru said desperately as she flailed her arms at her sleeping master.

"Just five more minutes Miru," the young heiress said as she turned over.

"Five more minutes and they might just start without you!" Miru argued as tears began to form at the edge of her eyes. Chikage turned her dark brown eyes to look at Miru but, just as soon as they caught sight of the light brown haired, traditionally dressed ayakashi, she pulled the blanket back over her eyes. Miru let out a cry as she tore the blanket from her master's grasp, "Master!" Grabbing firmly on to her young master's futon Miru gave one quick effortless pull. Bam! Chikage hit the ground with a loud thunk as she made contact with tatami mats that covered the floor.

"Ugh, I think you went a little over board Miru," Chikage said as she looked up at Miru, her nose red from landing on it. "For such a small ayakashi she sure packs a bunch," Chikage thought to herself as she laid her head back down.

"I wouldn't of had to go that far if master would have just gotten up the first time," Miru said as she puffed her checks out in defense of her actions. After a few silent moments Miru started to feel a little bad for treating her master like that, "I am sorry master, but now that you're up we can get ready." Miru crouched down beside her master. "I said am sorry ma-," Miru stopped mid-sentence as she looked down and saw Chikage asleep . . . again. Having blown the last straw Miru yelled as aloud as she could, "GET UP!"

Chikage shot up to her feet so fast that if Miru hadn't known better she would have believed that Chikage had been awake the whole time. Chikage immediately looked around the room expecting there to be an imminent threat but, there was none insight. The young mistress turned back to Miru, her eyes going groggy as she began to wipe the sleep from them, "What's with all the noise so early?"

Miru looked at her master as she pouted and said, "Guild."

Chikage's face went grim as the word resonated in her mind. In a flash Chikage was turning her room upside down as she ran from place to place searching for anything that could give her what time it was. Finally after many failed attempts she turned to face Miru and asked, " What time is it?"

"Late!" Miru yelled as she held out her master's induction ceremony clothes.

Chikage was able to quickly slip on the outfit as she had grown accustomed to such things long ago. Impatiently Miru stood by the door fidgeting as she watched her master wondering if she would be alright. "Done!" Chikage yelled as she ran though the door that Miru had opened for her. Expertly dodging any of the servants that got in the way Chikage and Miru made their way to the council. As Chikage rounded the last corner she ran straight into someone and stumbled back slight so that she caught a glimpse of his white hair before she blurted out a hurried apology and continued down the hall to the last door.

"What a rude girl," the boy said as he watched Chikage and Miru disappear behind the door he had just exited. Turning back around he continued on his journey.

Miru softly shut the door as her master doubled over in apology of her lateness, gasping between every word. The three members that made up the local council all stared at Chikage with cold silent gazes as they sized her up. Even her father, the head of this council, stared on in cold silence until he finally broke it, "If you can't even be on time how do you expect to be taken seriously, Chikage?"

"For me to be late is natural! After all I am your daughter!" Chikage said with a huge grin. Her father's face turned red as the other council members laughed having remembered all the times Chikage's father, Kojiro, had been late. Kojiro let out a cough as he tried to hide his embarrassment and steer the council back on topic. Miru still stood at the door marveling at her master's ability to break tension. The whole room felt more laid back then before thanks to Chikage and even as they continued on to more serious matters the tension never returned.

"Chikage Minamoto, you stand in front of the council today to receive the title of onmyoji," the man left of Kojiro, Taichi Sakurai, said as he stared kindly at Chikage.

The woman to the right of Kojiro, Haruka Yamato, continued, "You're duties will be to protect the peace and hide the existence of ayakashi from normal people." Haruka's blind eyes remained shut as she recited the daily duties of an onmyoji.

Kojiro looked straight into his daughter's eyes to confirm her resolve before he continued, "Chikage Minamoto if you agree to complete these duties and more then follow me to continue the Minamoto line." Slowly Kojiro rose from his seat and turned to advance towards the door opposite of the door they had entered through. With confident strides Chikage obediently followed her father.

As the door softly closed behind them Miru's relaxed face suddenly filled with worry as she was no longer able to stay by her master's side. Taichi seeing the change in her face and Haruka having sensed it both tried to reassure her as they were extremely confident in Chikage's resolve. "Miru, we know that you worry about Chikage, but you should know better then anyone that she is a very capable person," Taichi said trying to relieve some of Miru's concern.

"I know that master is really an incredible person. After all who else but my master could become a full fledged guild member before even graduating high school." Miru said confidently while taking pride in her master. ". . . However, I also know how absent minded she can be and how she is impassible to wake up in the morning or how she trips even when there is nothing there," Miru said letting out a sigh as she felt like she would get an ulcer just thinking about how much trouble her master can get herself into.

Haruka let out a soft giggle as she listened to Miru, "But despite everything you cherish her and just get move your eyes away from her can you?"

"Your absolutely right," Miru said as she smiled fondly to Haruka's comment. "You really can't look away from her," Miru said as everyone nodded in agreement.
Kojiro slide the door closed as his daughter entered the small dark room. Aside from the candles that were mounted on the wall there wasn't much light. Inside the circular room was a symbol etched on the floor. Chikage's eyes followed it's every turn and angle till her father's voice made her look up, "From here on we will decide your first ayakashi." After giving her father a knowing node he continued, "Step forward to the middle of the circle." Chikage firmly placed her right foot within the circle before continuing. After she reached the center her father called to her, "Good luck, Chikage." Before Chikage could turn to look at her father a bright blue light sprung forth from the symbol carved in the wooden floor. Chikage's eyes were forced shut by the sudden increase of light.

On the other side of her eyelids the light seemed to ease up. Cautiously, Chikage opened her eyes. The sight she was met with was a surprising one as the familiar scenery of her home was replaced with a calming blue light.

Chikage's senses went on high alert as she soon realized she was no longer alone. "You are very perceptive, daughter of Kojiro," a voice echoed from somewhere inside the light. Chikage relaxed a bit at the sound of her father's name.

"You know my father?" Chikage asked more out of duty than curiosity.

"Indeed I do," the voice said rather fondly. "He too once stood in your place." Continuing the voice said, "Now I will present you with the same choice as him." On cue three objects appeared forming a perfect triangle around Chikage. The one in front of Chikage, a sword enveloped in a green light. The one on her left was a bell covered with the same blue light already present in the room. And the last one to her right was a small fox in a sleep like state shrouded in a deep red fog. After Chikage had gotten a good look at all of them the voice said, "Now Chikage Minamoto choice your first Ayakashi."

Chikage looked at each object thoughtfully but in her mind she had already made her choice. With a strong conviction Chikage reached her hands out to gently cradle the sleeping fox. As her hand penetrated the red light the fox turned into a card that fall softly into Chikage's waiting hands. Staring down at the card Chikage saw a pipe fox elegantly show on it wrapped in a red border making it as a phantom. As Chilage continued to stare down at it she heard a voice echo from the card, "I won't let you down. You're my master after all!"

A little surprised Chikage's eyes widen briefly before a smile spread across her face. "It seems you were chosen too," the voice from before said softly as it echoed around them. Looking back up from her new partner Chikage found herself back in the small room of her mansion.

Chikage turned to look at the only entrance to the room were her father still stood with his arms crossed. Seeing his daughter's smiling face Kojiro grinned widely having already guessed the results of her trial. After realizing that he had been grinning so widely Kojiro coughed in an attempt to hide his pride in his daughter. "So you have returned," Kojiro said trying to sound professional as his daughter ran up to him her hands still gently cradling the pipe fox card. Chikage nodded her head enthusiastically as she presented the card to her father. "Good job," Kojiro said fondly unable to hide his fatherly pride as he affectionately patted his only child's head.
"Welcome back," Taichi said to Kojiro as father and daughter re-entered the room where everyone was waiting.

"Oh, we're back," Kojiro said as he slid the door shut behind Chikage. Still standing Miru fidgeted nervously as she waited to hear her master's results.
"So, how did it go?" Haruka said as she asked Chikage.

Chikage smiled widely as she held out her hand in a peace sign and the pipe fox card, "Heh, awesome!" Taichi and Haruka both let out a laugh as Chikage let out a tired but relieved sigh at the good news. "So, when will I get my first mission?" Chikage questioned in a serious tone which prompted the room to become more serious.

"Chikage," Kojiro said which made Chikage turn to look at her father along with everyone else. "Your first mission has already been decided."

"Then-" before Chikage could even finish her sentence Kojiro lightly taped his fist against her head.

"It's still early in the morning so go eat break-feast first and then we will give you the details," Kojiro said in a fatherly voice as he advised his daughter.

Chikage taking the hint said, "Now that you mention it I am really hungry." Chikage smiled widely as she made her way to the door. "Well then everyone till later," Chikage said familiarly as she grabbed Miru by the arm quickly pulling her out of the room.

"T-then excuse us," Miru said flustratedly as Miru struggled to close the door trying to resist her master's tugging.

"Hurry up Miru or all the food is going to be gone!" Chikage voice echoed into the room even after they shut the door.

"We wouldn't have to hurry if you had just woke up like you were suppose to," Chikage said still sounding a bit bitter just remembering that morning.

"Don't sweat the small stuff. We made it didn't we," Chikage said care-freely as they continued down the corridor.

"That child is like a storm," Kojiro said as he let out a loud sigh having heard Chikage and Miru's useless banter.

"But, she is just like you Kojiro," Taichi said laughing entertainingly as he remembered their childhood together.

"Maybe to much like me," Kojiro said in reply to Taichi's response. "Perhaps because I was the only she had she became like me," Kojiro whispered quietly to himself as he remembered Chikage's childhood.