Wow... I'm amazed with myself. I actually kept my promise and wrote this chapter. I got stuck about halfway through and as I usually do, started rambling about things that are totally irrelevant to the somewhat none-exsistant plot of this chapter... Ah well! My computer keeps messing the formatting up in the chapters, putting everything to the one side. It takes me ages to put it the way it should be so if anyone could help me out as to why it's doing this, I'd appreciate it. Almost as much as I appreciate reviews! :)
Katsumi." The red haired girl nearly dropped the heavy book she was carrying as the voice of Chiyoko, a senior Celestrian sounded behind her.
"Yes ma'am?" Katsumi tried to keep the alarmed tone from tainting her voice.
"Apus Major wishes to see you in half an hour."
"What for?" Katsumi asked, unable to choke back her excitement.
"Have some patience child and you will find out soon enough." Chiyoko said sharply. "First we've got to get some different clothes on you."
Katsumi glanced down at her uniform. It was clean and tidy so why did she need to change? Katsumi knew from experience to hold her tongue as she followed Chiyoko to the girl's dormitory.
The dorm was small with six beds and a small chest of drawers beside each one. The room was spotlessly tidy, Chiyoko saw to that and there wasn't a speck of dust on any surface. Striding over to Katsumi's bed, Chiyoko pulled out a plain cream pair of leggings and a matching t-shirt. "Put those on and I'll be back in a minute."
Katsumi followed the orders obediently and was dressed with her old uniform folded neatly on the bed by the time Chiyoko returned. "Here." Katsumi felt the bubble of excitement inflate and rise up as she saw what Chiyoko was holding. A trainee Guardian's uniform. Katsumi was only eight but she knew her destiny in life was to become a Guardian. She had prayed every day to the Almighty that she might someday get the chance to venture down to the Protectorate alone, only a weapon by her side. She pulled on the uniform with trembling hands while she tried to mask her anticipation. If there had been any doubt as to why Apus Major wanted her, it had vanished now.
Chiyoko noticed the young girl's enthusiasm and instead of rebuking Katsumi as she had expected her to do, Chiyoko gave the child and encouraging smile. "Good luck." She adjusted the shawl that hung around Katsumi's shoulders so her wings could rest comfortably and kissed the child on the forehead quickly. "You will do well my dear, insubordinate child."
"Thanks for everything Chiyoko." Katsumi whispered.
Although Chiyoko had punished Katsumi so many times that she had lost count, Chiyoko had been like a mother to her and Katsumi loved the older Celestrian. After being under her care for the entire eight years she had been alive, Katsumi had grown used to Chiyoko and her ways. How Chiyoko would always make sure the bedrooms were kept spotless. How she would always manage to find out about, and prevent Katsumi's and Kai's pranks before they were initiated.
"I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you too." Chiyoko assured her. "But it's not as though we'll never meet again. We do live in the same place."
"I'm being overly sentimental, aren't I?" Katsumi laughed as Chiyoko nodded.
"Now come along. We can't keep Apus Major waiting." The pair left the room once Katsumi had glanced around the room she had called home for the past eight years. "Remember to stand up straight, speak only when you're spoken and to not say anything stupid when you do speak."
Katsumi struggled to keep up as Chiyoko strode ahead leaving her to scamper after her and absorb the endless stream of orders and information. "Good luck." Chiyoko whispered one last time as she
pushed open the heavy wooden door in front of her. Katsumi bit down on her lip, nerves assaulting her as she stepped into the room. Four other Celestrians were already standing there, Kai,
Columba, the librarian and Apus Major, she recognised but the third, a muscular, bald Celestrian, she didn't recognise.
"Welcome Katsumi." Apus Major stood to greet to her.
Kai caught her eye and smiled broadly at her. She relaxed slightly at her friend's presence.
"We shall be going now Apus Major. See you later." Columba bowed to the Celestrian before leaving the room, Kai in tow. Katsumi felt panic starting to bubble in the pit of her stomach.
"Hello Katsumi." The bald Celestrian greeted her with a curt nod.
"Hello sir." Katsumi forced her voice to stay steady.
"My name is Aquila." Katsumi's eyes widened. The legendary Aquila wanted her as his apprentice? "Do you want to become a Guardian?"
The question took her by surprise. "Yes." She answered honestly. It was all she had ever dreamed of.
Aquila's eyes met Katsumi's and he saw the depths of her determination. It shone through in her every action. She carried herself well, for an eight year old anyway. Her hair had become an even brighter shade of red, if that was possible. Her eyes were still that chocolate brown though. Aquila could tell he had chosen well all those years ago.
He took a step forward and Aquila spotted a shiver run over Katsumi's body. Her eyes were wide and excited. "Do you want to become my apprentice?"
Aquila asked the question that Corvus had asked him centuries ago. Centuries that had slipped away as though they were mere minutes. The lives of human's were so short; the idea of existing for centuries was ludicrous to them. They admired anyone who managed to survive to the mere age of seventy. Aquila pitied their short life-span sometimes but he also envied it. After a short life in the Protectorate where sickness and suffering could rule their lives, they then passed on to the realm of the Almighty, a place Celestrians longed to go.
"I do." The girl's reply prevented him from mediating on the advantages and disadvantages of the human's diminutive lifespan.
"Very well." Aquila allowed a grin to break out over his face. "Katsumi, as of this day, you shall become my apprentice."