章 8: Guardian Spirits
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|| CHAPTER 8 | Guardian Spirits ||
"The spirits of the dead that are wandering above the breathing soil, are no longer the souls that the livings use for personal gain or even fear from.
"Upon a certain promise that was made, they're the most loyal friends and comrades one could ever hope for. This is the legend of those who guard their master to the very end.
"Remember their faces–– remember their existence, little one. They have a big role in this journey as they stayed by the sides of their masters."
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"Huaaa!! Home sweet home!!" Shizuka cheered in her seat, leaning back in exhaustion afterwards. Mitsuru and Kazuto laughed at her expected reaction, going back to the conversation they were having before.
"Gaia answered my prayers, finally!" Yuzuru cheered as well, relieving the tension in his shoulders as he stretched his limbs on his seat.
–– they arrived back home after a few hours of a long ride.
To say that the ride was comfortable, they would be lying.
Unlike going to school this morning, on the way home, they had to make several stops for the two third-years to get their supplies and needed necessities for the upcoming school days.
Buying several stationeries and empty books were more tiring than they expected. However, the smell of the new pages invading their noses was something they looked forward to, for some unknown reason.
They smelled like... home.
Not to mention, their first day at school was draining their energies and exhausted both their physical and mental state.
Despite already going through the first day of school before in junior high, they're as sluggish as the slow swaying winds especially for the triplets who just made new friends.
Being young and unpledged mages, they all would have to continue to work with each other for three years, and even perhaps the years ahead of them.
They wouldn't know when they'll need some trusty allies.
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Yuuma slowly parked the car in front of the house as he needed to pick up three siblings along with their father later.
Eito's work as the head of his company was bustling with paperwork and whatnot, resulting in him arriving home later than the kids.
Telling the siblings to go change and rest up, he then proceeded to command the other butlers and maids to clean the house once more, as their house was always cleaned twice a day.
It amazed Shizuka how they managed to clean it twice every day when all Kazuto and Yuzuru did were mess the place up by running around the house, even if Yuuma had told them not to.
'Must took up a lot of patience to deal with them both.'
Going up to where their rooms were with her brothers, Shizuka said goodbye and went in. She plopped down right away into her comfy bed. The female didn't change immediately after seeing what time it was–– 04:32 PM–– from her bedside alarm clock.
'Oh, it's almost time to take a bath. I'm just gonna change later...' Shizuka thought to herself while closing her eyes.
Darkness enveloped her vision soon enough as she was brought away to where her world of imagination came to life.
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"Close your eyes, little one..." a voice lulled her to slumber.
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Reluctantly giving in, Shizuka knew not of who the voice belonged to. It sounded... eery to her. But at the same time, it's comforting her exhausted figure to rest.
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Shizuka didn't seem to realize that she had fallen asleep. This was the first time she slept without the usual nightmare haunting her to death. It was a fresh feeling.
–– something she wanted to feel more often.
Time went fast and it's then displayed '05:28 PM' on her clock. She then woke up due to the familiar obnoxious barks and whines, accompanied by some scratches on her bedroom door.
The flutters of her eyes revealed her crystalline blue orbs, mesmerizing those who set their eyes upon their unique colours. Most would lose themselves and bask within the calming blue colours that Shizuka's eyes had stained their view with.
Shizuka sat up and tilted her head to the side before yawning.
"Hng...? Looks like I fell asleep..." she murmured groggily and rubbed her eyes.
Walking up to the door, the female began opening it and two creatures jumped at her making her yelp. Their heavyweights caused her form to fall with a loud thud, landing on her bum.
"Wh–– gah! Okay, stop it!" Shizuka chided and attempted to pry the being off of her. "I get it, I get it–– HEY! Kuro, get down from my bed!"
One of the dogs jumped on her bright cerulean doss that resembled the vast blue sky that always stretched over them each day.
Kurogane had black and white fur, with his head being all black. He had xanthous-golden eyes. The other that was still on her had white fur and beautiful, blue eyes. They both had the features of a wolf-like dog, including their sizes.
"Arf, arf, arf! Arf, arf!!!" the white one barked as if he was greeting her whilst wagging his tail. He began jumping at her as she stood up.
"Okay, okay! Calm down, Kyuusei! I don't know what you're excited about, but please calm down! And you, Mister Black–– get down from my bed! I just made it this morning, don't mess it up!"
The owner of the two dogs ran to chase both the creatures around, circling her room that it ended up into a big mess. She wanted to clean it up right then and there, but her physical exhaustion said otherwise.
Shizuka was never one to like physical activities.
The female was sweating all over as she struggled to get the two to quiet down. After the two had calmed their odd excitement, she attempted to get the other one down. The female quickly gave up after who-knows how many fails of trying.
"You guys were never this energetic. What in Gaia's name happened to you two when I was gone?" she queried curiously, sending tired stares to the two creatures.
They remained silent with their tongues stuck out, huffing and barking a little to show that they're listening. They had no intention to answer the poor girl, causing her to heave another sigh.
"Oh, Gaia... Stay there then, I don't have time for this..."
"Arf!"
"Really, Kurogane? You're going to do me like this?? I can't believe you–– even after ten years of us growing up together..." Shizuka spoke dramatically to the black one, known as Kurogane while wiping away an imaginary tear from her eye.
"Arf, arf!" Kurogane barked nonchalantly as a response with his tongue out. It was as if he knew what she was talking about and replied in his own way.
Exhaling through her nose, she went to her towel bars–– fiddling with the hems of her large towel as she crooned. Feeling satisfied with the soft wool she played with, Shizuka snatched the think cloth and draped it over her head.
Preparing her clothes in the basket beside her bathroom, she then went in to take a warm shower. Bathing under the heated water seemed to be more relaxing than taking a nap.
She thanked the rulers above that her home had warm water.
Or else, she would be dying with aching bones and flailing noodle limbs.
The female came out with long messy and wet hair whilst she wore newly put on clothes. She walked to the dresser as her dogs are staring at her with their tongues out, barking a little now and then.
She was wearing a light-cream-coloured, turtleneck shirt that had long sleeves. With an oversized light-blue sweater over it and black leggings underneath. Her long, wet hair was combed neatly.
"Okay, let's go downstairs!" Shizuka called out cheerily to her dogs and braced her hands on her hips. Hopping on her spot, she waited for the furred pair to give their response.
The two dogs looked at each other and barked in return. They got on all four and followed shortly after their master.
Kurogane finally jumped down from the girl's bed, leaving it in a dishevelled state without caring to patch it back up to how it was before. Kyuusei trailed behind the black dog and looked back to the female's messy room.
His blue eyes squinted a little, seemingly thinking of something.
To others, the two dogs looked like normal house pets. From their looks, their minds, the way they acted and the way they barked–– they're just like normal animals.
However, Shizuka knew more than that.
To her, the two 'dogs' were more than just... well, dogs. They were her first friends and someone–– no, some spirits she grew up with. From the very beginning, their true forms could only be recognized by those she knew.
Alas, with that information, Kyuusei's blue eyes remained glued to his master's room. It was messy, yes. However, it's also empty.
For some reason, the white-furred being sensed someone within her room. Turning around a little to get a better look at his master's room, Kyuusei growled lowly in suspicion.
Something felt wrong.
His ears twitched in response when Shizuka called out to his name, "Kyuusei! What are you doing? Come on!"
"Arf!" he returned her call, giving one last glance to his master's room before leaving it. He cleverly found a way to close the door even with his paws, a trick he managed to do for years with the disguise as a pet that he wore.
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"My, my~ This is one of the Grand Summoners I heard of~?" someone whispered in amusement, chuckling afterwards. "She's younger than expected..."
Humming in satisfaction, the owner of the voice seemed to smile beneath a translucent dissimulation that he wore.
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"However, her strength is not one to be underestimated."
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Walking down the stairs at a slow pace with her dogs behind her, she encountered two of the spirits living in the house by the hallway.
It's not every day they got to see spirits wandering freely in their home, especially when they're the Guardian Spirits of the home. Two words that seemed foreign to her, and yet, she remembered clearly of the day that her father explained all the inquisitiveness she had.
'What were they again?' Shizuka was suddenly reminded back to what Eito had explained to her about "Guardian Spirits."
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"They're spirits who protect one's home or certain places that their master ordered them to. Usually, those who are contracted as 'Guardian Spirits' are the same species or kind. Kitsunes, tengus, onis, and other different demons and souls. Even celestial beings," Eito explained.
"There are rarely different kinds of spirits working together to protect one place, seeing that they don't get along with each other.
"That's why they're mostly the same kind of species. Only contracted spirits can be ordered to be Guardian Spirits, not some random wild ones."
A young Shizuka hummed in understanding, bobbing her head up and down innocently with a smile lacing her face. Her attention was caught again by the emphasis Eito placed at the beginning of his next explanation.
"AND, one more thing, they're different from 'familiars' or 'contracted spirits' that are usually for battles, and more.
"Their job is simply to protect the place and follow their master's order. But they still can aid their master in battle when ordered to. Did you get that, Shizu?"
"Yep, Shizu got it, Tou-chan."
The young female then blinked in realization. "Eh? Then what about Kai-san? Isn't he Yuu-san's contracted spirit?"
"He is," Eito replied simply, his expression as stoic as ever. Nevertheless, he was somewhat surprised that his daughter managed to remember the spirit fox she just met a few days ago.
"Then, why is Kai-san still fighting as a contracted spirit?" Shizuka queried in genuine puzzlement, tilting her head to the side. "Kai-san is a Guardian Spirit, too, right?"
Eito's hand reached out and patted his daughter's small head affectionately. Though the man never showed his worry through words, he displayed them through his subtle actions.
"That is right." The man nodded once and continued, "However, Akagi's a strong master. He could utilize his contracted spirit that became this house's Guardian Spirit and commands Kaizou to fight as well."
"Huaaa!" Shizuka's eyes twinkled in amazement. "Say, Tou-chan, will Shizu be able to do so as well?"
"Do what?"
"Be as strong as Yuu-san and Tou-chan!" she beamed.
Eito's gold eyes widened for a second before a ghost smile appeared. "You are strong, Shizu," he spoke simply. "You're stronger than you think. And when the time comes, perhaps, you can assign both Kurogane and Kyuusei as Guardian Spirits as well."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Once your mana stabilizes itself as you get older, you'll be able to do more things than you thought you can."
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"Oya oya~? I did not expect to meet you here, Master."
"What a coincidence huh, Shizuka-sama? Are you going to the family room perhaps?"
Two voices snapped the said girl from her thoughts and brought her back to reality. In front of her were a pair of males with visible fox ears and tails were in her sights.
The first kitsune had long, dirty-blonde hair and slanted, sharp red eyes with crimson marks painted on the far ends of his eyes.
He had an elegant smile on his face, yet enigmatic. Shiroyuubi, the blonde kitsune, wore a simple navy-blue kimono.
The male next to him, Fuyukiku, had a tied waist-length white hair with some strands of silver in it. His icy-blue eyes were matching yet contrasting with his dark blue kimono. Some colourful beads and threads are tying a partial of his hair together.
"Ah, Shiro, Fuyu, good evening. And to answer your questions, yes. It's probably a coincidence that we meet here." Shizuka giggled and gave a closed-eye smile, opening her eyes then slowly.
"Also, I'm going to the family room. Are you both, perhaps, are heading there, too?" Shizuka politely greeted, despite being their master.
"Ye––" the dirty-blonde fox's response was cut short by barks of the two furred creatures walking behind Shizuka.
"Who–– oh, it's you guys. Fancy meeting you guys here, Kurogane, Kyuusei..." the dirty blonde fox stated to the other pair in a distasteful tone, causing Fuyukiku and their master to sweat-drop.
"W-Well, shall we get going then?" Fuyukiku offered awkwardly, breaking the three's glari–– he meant... STARING contest.
They went off to the family room, with Shiroyuubi and the two dogs following behind them with a tense silence enveloping them.
The three glanced–– more like glared–– at each other once in a while.
"Arf!"
"What? Ya' got a problem with me? Fight me."
"Arf, arf!"
"Sucks that you can only bark and can't speak in that form, eh~?"
"Grrrr..."
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The Ichijou siblings were all in the family room when the group arrived, and it looked like Kaoru and the twins were already back.
'It's 06:30 PM already...? Time went by so fast. I didn't even realize we're talking that long in the hallway.'
Kazuto and Hinata were on the couch, watching movies together. Meanwhile, Kaoru and Mizuto already were seated beside each other, reading on the smaller dining table with some stacks of books in front of them.
They were always known to be the book-lovers in the family. It wouldn't surprise Shizuka if they'd answer every question thrown at them with accurate replies from written knowledge that they'd read.
From the corners of her eyes, Shizuka could see that Mitsuru was making something in the mini kitchen in the room.
Yuzuru was outside the terrace, playing several matches of Glally with Konata. The group then stepped into the room without making much noise. Shizuka let the dogs out to play with her brothers while the two foxes sat on the couch, minding their things.
'Hmm, what should I do? Everyone's minding their own businesses...' the female inquisitively asked herself, looking around for anything she could do.
Her eyes landed on Mitsuru's form alone in the kitchen. 'Since the others are hanging out with each other, might as well accompany Mitsu-nii,' the female thought with a smile and walked over to the male.
|| CHAPTER 8 | Guardian Spirits - To be continued... ||
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クリエイターの想い 
Xierryne
Xierryne ––
|| Guardian Spirits ||
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The spirits of the dead that are wandering above the breathing soil, are no longer the souls that the livings use for personal gain or even fear from.
⠀
Upon a certain promise that was made, they're the most loyal friends and comrades one could ever hope for. This is the legend of those who guard their master to the very end.
⠀
Remember their faces–– remember their existence, little one. They have a big role in this journey as they stayed by the sides of their masters.
––
I hope you guys enjoy this chappie~!
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