Hey! I know I should be working on Matchmaker, but I really wanted to do this. Okay, this will be like a little test thingie. If you like this one-shot, which was really supposed to be the first chapter of my Tsubasa Resevoir FF, then I will continue this story. For the mean time, it will remain a one-shot. So enjoy!

Kotoni woke at the precise moment before two young children pounced on her, yelling, "BOO!"

Kotoni laughed and sat up. Maru and Moro looked disappointed. "We weren't able to scare you!" They said. Kotoni grinned. "You naughty little girls, trying to scare me! I'll get you!" The two girls erupted in giggles as Kotoni chased them around her room, trying to tickle them. The three collapsed in laughter before Kotoni's face went solemn. "Is she up?"

All the childishness went out of Maru and Moro, and they resumed their usual air of mysteriousness. "Yes. And she's waiting."

Kotoni pulled down her silver and black kimono as the two left her room. After tugging it on, she combed her white hair and tied it in her usual braid before leaving. On her way to her room, she passed the kitchen, where Watanuki was already making breakfast. "Good morning, Watanuki-baka!" Kotoni greeted him cheerfully. Watanuki glanced at her and sighed at the nickname-but he'd grown used to it, having met Kotoni when he first started working here. "Good morning, Kotoni-san." She smiled. It was nice having someone like Watanuki-baka around the shop; he was so kind and hard-working.

She passed him and went to the enormous slide-doors. When she opened them, purple smoke billowed out, as the room was completely filled with the stuff. On an ornate red couch in the center of the room, a long, lithe figure wearing an orange butterfly kimono and long, trailing black hair was taking a long drag on her thin pipe. She pulled it away and blew another trail of smoke from puckered lips.

Kotoni knelt. The woman's red eyes watched her. "Yuuko-sama." Kotoni murmured.

Yuuko eyed her before saying, "Kotoni...what...is your wish?"

Kotoni smiled then. This was an old joke between the two of them. "I have no wish but to serve you, Yuuko-sama."

"Ah, but you must wish for something."

"I have no wish."

Yuuko sighed dramatically before swinging off the couch. "Oh, you're no fun." Kotoni grinned and stood, grabbing the brush that lay on a small table. "Yuuko-sama, will you be going out today? If so, please let me take care of customers." Kotoni said dutifully while brushing her master's long black hair. Yuuko waved her words away. "We will not be having customers today, Kotoni. It's that time."

Kotoni froze. "You mean...?"

"Yes. And it means that your time at this shop has come to a close."

Kotoni's brush clattered onto the floor. She'd been told about this day by Yuuko, and now it was here. She wrapped her arms around Yuuko's waist. "But...I don't want to leave." She whispered.

Yuuko gently unwrapped her locked arms. "You must. And you know it." Kotoni whimpered. "But why? I paid the price for my wish ages ago. Is this another price?" Yuuko shook her head. "Very soon today, four travelers will appear. Your destiny was intertwined with them the moment you were born, Kotoni. It wasn't my choice. It wasn't your choice. It's simply how it goes." Kotoni nodded silently. She knew. But she didn't want to leave Yuuko, the person who had saved her from that awful fate years ago. "I will...I will do as you say."

Yuuko placed a hand on her head. "Good. Now go dress."

Kotoni numbly walked back to her room. She pulled off her kimono and instead, put on a sleeveless white dress that went to her knees, and pulled her hair out of its braid, letting it fall loose. Down like this, it went to the middle of her back.

Then, an idea stuck her.

She went back to Yuuko's room. Yuuko turned. "Ah. You look perfect." Kotoni smiled sadly. "I was thinking, Yuuko-sama...if I'm to use my magic to protect myself and these travelers...May I borrow your mark?" Yuuko sighed. "You still have not chosen your own?" Kotoni shook her head. Yuuko smiled. "Alright."

Yuuko stood in front of Kotoni-they were about a foot apart. A light went on in Yuuko's eyes and her magic circle appeared, surrounding them. "O mark of mine, the mark I have chosen for myself, the mark of the Butterfly of Transformation," Yuuko murmured. "I command you to be loyal not only to I, but to this girl as well. When she calls, you will answer. You will guide her and help her. This is my law to you." As she spoke, a smoky purple butterfly apparated in front of her. The butterfly glowed brightly and went into Kotoni's chest. Kotoni closed her eyes as it merged with her.

Then all at once it was done. Yuuko smiled. "My mark will come to you when you call, Kotoni." Kotoni bowed deeply. "Thank you, Yuuko-sama."

"I have but one more price."

Kotoni couldn't see Yuuko or the travelers, but she could hear them. One sounded mean, with a rough, deep voice. He kept cursing and was the least reluctant to pay the price, something called Ginryu. Another also sounded like a man, but softer, more elegant, and he tried paying a different price, but ended up giving Yuuko the original. Then there was a boy's voice, and his price was memory. But Kotoni was confused. There were three voices, yet Yuuko had told her there would be four travelers.

The hard voice spoke first. "Enough of this bullshit! No more prices! We've already given you enough!"

Then the soft voice. "Come on Kuro-pippi, you don't want to make the Time-Space Witch mad."

"To hell with her!"

Yuuko continued like this exchange had never happened. "Kotoni."

Kotoni took a deep breath and came out from behind the shop. Immediately she was wet as the rain pelted down on her. The wind was picking up, sending her white hair out in spiraling tendrils. "This is Kotoni Yuuki." Yuuko said. "My last price is that you take her with you on your travels."

Kotoni drank in the scene. A scary looking man with spiky hair and black clothing was taking turns glaring from her to Yuuko. The boy was kneeling on the ground, wearing a torn cloak. Kotoni saw that he held a pretty, brown haired girl that looked close to death. And finally a tall man with white-blond hair and brilliant blue eyes, wearing a white cloak lined in fur.

The man in black growled. "Why do we have to take her along?"

Yuuko met his eyes calmly. "Because that is a price you must pay."

Then the blond man spoke. "I don't see a problem with it."

The brown haired boy stared at her. She stared back. Finally he said, "If she can fight, and if that's the price, then she can come." Yuuko smiled at this and raised Mokona.

"Then I wish you the best of luck on your journeys."

Kotoni gasped as Mokona's mouth opened wide, and wings appeared on its back. A magic circle appeared underneath it.

Then, all five were sucked into Mokona's mouth. The last conscious thought Kotoni had was, What did Yuuko-sama just make me do?