A blonde girl walked through white streets, towards a big golden-roofed house. She carried a handbag - she was apparently coming back from school. She looked unusually down in the crowd of brightly smiling people. She approached the giant mansion, entered its yard, and knocked on its door. A gatekeeper opened it: 

"Ah, Miss, welcome back!"

"Thanks, Harold."

She returned a smile and entered. The house was huge, with a marble floor and beautiful decor on the walls. 

"I'm home!" 

She entered the living room. Her parents were sitting there, apparently waiting for her return. They both had stern faces.

"Welcome back home, Johanne." Her father - a strict man with brown hair, green eyes, and glasses - gave her a faint smile.

"Huh? How come you both are here?" Johanne was surprised. Usually, her parents were at work and couldn't come home even for a short time.

"We need to discuss important matters." Her mother - a blonde blue-eyed woman just like her - crossed her arms.

"Huh?" Johanne shrugged. She sat on a sofa before them and took her handbag off. "What is it?"

"Dear, why didn't you take your bracelet with you?" Her father adjusted his glasses with a frown. "We have told you many times - it is to keep you_"

"Safe, I know." Johanne's brow furrowed as she guessed what it was all about. "But it is creepy, so how do you expect me to wear it? How come skull symbols can keep one safe? I've read from the books in your library, dad, that skulls are symbols of death. How the heck can they keep me safe?"

"Keep your tone down when talking to us!" Her mother grew angrier. "We tell you that you should wear it, it means you should wear it!" 

With these words, she took an ominous skull bracelet from the table and put it on her arm.

"Ugh, no! Take it off me!"

"Put it on, I said! You have no angel. How do you expect to be protected without one? At least wear a lucky charm!"

"Lucky?! Give me a break! It is a deathly charm!" Johanne snarled. She struggled against her mother's grip. "I've been seeing nightmares every day I wore it!" 

The eyes of the skulls flashed red. Johanne screamed, pulled it off, and threw it to the ground.

"Oh my, what does this mean?" The father got frightened.

The mother widened her eyes with concern - she knew what it was all about. She heaved a sigh and looked at her husband:

"Alex, the time has come."

"Huh?" Alex gasped - he too understood what his wife meant.

"W... What do you mean?" Johanne asked with tears in her eyes - this whole situation had gotten all creepier!

"Johanne... It is time for you to_"

Before her mother could finish her words, Harold came in and declared:

"You have a guest!"

They all started and looked at him. He made way for a blonde young woman in her twenties, whose purple eyes sparkled upon the light. Her beauty was unearthly. Johanne's jaw dropped once she saw her - such a princess!

"Greetings, Mr. Alex Green, Mrs. Linda Green!" The guest smiled at the hosts.

"Hello, Mei." Linda bowed to her.

Johanne got astonished - her mother, the city mayoress, was bowing to someone?! How come?

Who is this lady?

"I've come to take Johanne to the East Land, as promised. She has reached her fifteen years so it is time for her to learn how to acquire a guardian other than an angel." The girl, whom they called Mei, smiled.

"I am going to acquire a guardian spirit?" 

Johanne was excited - no West Lander had ever been permitted to learn this hidden art of the East Landers. If she acquired a spirit that way, she'd have a guardian, after all these years!

"Yes. The spirit that gave you the Skull Bracelet shall agree to patronize you," Mei said, "But for that, you will need to come to the East Land and learn the proper arts from your uncle, aunts, and me."

"Amazing! What are we waiting for? Let's go!" Johanne grabbed her hand.

"Before that, please take the bracelet with you." Linda's strict voice sounded from behind. "It is your Bond Item. Without that, your spirit cannot connect with you."

"Ah, sure! You could say so from the beginning. I wouldn't creep out as much then!"

Johanne grabbed the bracelet and put it on with no more fear - it was a Bond Item, after all. There were many sorts of creepy spirits out there, and darker the spirit, the stronger it was... or so the youngsters like she believed. She began to prepare herself to follow Mei to the train station. She had no slightest idea of how more complicated was the issue with her "spirit" and the skull bracelet "Bond Item".