Purified Souls Ch.7 Growing Up

Greetings, it's Estelle. The other day, after we closed the bookstore, we slept and recuperated until we felt like ourselves again. I had some things to process as well...

But I can't waste my time being distracted! I must get back to it. The next day, I opened the business and made Marisa get back to it as well.

On the next day, at Lumia's....

Marisa said upset, ''hm! This is....a pain.'' Estelle said, ''You want a place to live? You must help out around here!''

Marisa said, ''So annoying.... (Sigh)'' Estelle said, ''We should be doing better. We must do better. Now, puts those books on that shelf to the left of the door, alright.''

Estelle thought to herself, ''It looks like things are going alright. Much better... Hm? . . . . . . .Wait a second...''

Estelle said with a realization. ''Wait! Oh No! Oh no!! Ohh no!!!'' Marisa asked, ''What is...the issue?''

Estelle said frantically, ''I just remembered! Today was a special day I've been waiting for! I can't believe I forgot!''

Marisa questioned, ''Hmm?'' Estelle said frantically. ''The next village over! They are having special White Tea today!! I've wanted to try it for weeks!'' Marisa asked, ''White....tea?''

Estelle replied, ''It's a tea, I've heard about from other villagers. I've heard that it is minimally ground and has caffeine along with some possible health benefits.''

Marisa said to herself, ''It....sounds interesting....? I want....to try it...'' Estelle said frantically, ''The village is just over a hour away, so we might still be able to make it.''

Estelle thought to herself, ''Darn. I'll have to close shop early, ...but I must try it... I apologize, my customers...

Estelle shouted, ''Let's go!'' Marisa said looking thirsty, ''White...tea... White....tea...''

Estelle told us, We closed the bookstore and left in a hurry, going to the next town. Luckily, we encountered no trouble on the way.

After we made it to the village of 'Tetsu', we started noticing that something seemed up... The villagers seemed concerned about something.

Student A said, ''So....you were a victim of that trickster as well?''

Student B said, ''Yes! Yesterday, while I was writing a report for class, I had a glass of coffee next to me. Suddenly, as I was going to grab it, I heard what sounded like a child laughing!

The cup flew above my head and dumped the hot coffee on me! It burned!'' Student B was shocked. Estelle was curious.

Nearby old man asked Estelle, ''You-girl? Have you seen where my washing tub went?'' Estelle replies, ''Huh? No... Sorry, I don't.

Old man A said to himself, ''Ohh-man! How am I supposed to wash my clothes? How terrible.'' Marisa was curious, ''Hmm?''

Estelle told us, Later, we managed to get our special tea. Marisa won't admit it, but I can tell she's excited. On the way home, after leaving the Tea Store....

Woman A said, ''Aww....man. My hair started on fire out of nowhere. Now it's burnt.... This is awful...'' Woman B asked, ''Wasn't that your favorite hairystyle, too?'' Estelle was puzzled.

Estelle paused and asked, ''Wait? What is that sudden laughing, I am hearing? Hm? Hmm?''

??? said, ''You two! I can sense....that you aren't normal villagers. So, ...who are you then? You have indeed caught my interests, mortals.'' Estelle reacted, ''What the?''

Estelle told us, ''Just then, in front of us appeared a small spirit!''

??? said with a laugh, ''Mortals, you should celebrate my rare appearance in front of you. I am Pyro the Fox child! You should be grateful that I actually show myself to you humans. (Laughs)''

Estelle and Marisa asked with surprise, ''Your....a...fox?'' Villager C said, ''(Gasps), A fox?!'' Villager D asked, ''Hm? Is that a fox?!''

Estelle told us, Around us, the villagers started noticing that the fox child that appeared in front of us. Everyone started staring from a distance.

It was quite a small orange fox floating in the air with only one tail. It had a ragged white scarf around it's neck, and had a mischievous expression.

Marisa said in wonder, ''I've....never seen...a floating fox....before....''

Estelle said with a realization, ''My....father....has told me stories of Spirit Foxes, I believe they were called Kitsune before... He must be....what my father's tales described...''

Pyro said with a tiny chuckle, ''So, you've heard of my kind before? Very excellent. You may call me 'Pyro' for short. Ohh, yeah! Answer my question I asked a minute ago!''

Estelle said, ''Right. To your first question... She and myself are from the village nearby. I am a spirit exorcist, and she's a demon I met recently... She's my friend.''

Marisa looked down... Pyro said, ''That is why your energy feels different? Hmm... Interesting... But, there is something else up about your energy that I can't explain...''

Estelle asked something on her mind, ''Are you the one that has been pranking people around town? I have also heard tales from my father of spirit foxes pulling tricks on people.

I've also heard tales of fox spirits being wise and quite intelligent. Is this true?''

Pyro said with a laugh, ''Yes. You are indeed right. I am the one pulling pranks on you humans. I am just having fun. You see, I am quite young yet. Only 35 years old. Young for a fox.''

Marisa asked, ''Excuse me? Why did you decide...to appear in front of us?''

Pyro replied with a smirk, ''You energy just felt different was all. My training above was boring, so I left to see what I could do to play with humans. Ohh! That reminds me, I almost forgot. (Evil chuckle)''

Estelle told us, He paused for a second staring behind us.

Pyro shouted, ''Hyaah!''

Estelle told us, In that moment, my hair accessory I always wore, started on fire. I quickly tried to put it out using the wind of my fan. Out of nowhere, a pile of boulders fell on Marisa...

I managed to put out the tiny fire on my red bobbles before it spread too much. Only a fraction of my actual hair was burnt. Marisa destroyed the boulders piled on her, with a simple spell. She looked irritated.

Pyro laughed hysterically, ''THAT WAS FUN!!!! (Laughing) LIKE MY PRESENT?!? You fell for it!! . . . . Huh....?''

Estelle said clenching her fists, ''That....was my favorite...accessory... Now, I will have to buy another one... Marisa looked like her irritation was growing.

Estelle said with growing anger, ''My hair was perfect. Marisa! Let's pay him back, alright?!'' Marisa shook her head in agreement.

Pyro asked getting scared, ''Wait! What are you going to do, to me? I'm a fox spirit, y'know. Wait. Wait! No, no. NOOOOOOOoooooooo!!!!''

Estelle told us, A whole take down later, and we knocked him almost unconscious.

Pyro said, ''(Sigh) I'm...sorry.....for....that.....(Cough)'' Estelle said, ''Much better... Like your reward, Pyro?''

Pyro replied, ''Yes... . . . .Wait. That light....in the sky... Wait! I recognize that light! No. No. No!'' Marisa asked, ''What the?'' Estelle asked as well, ''What's happening?''

Female voice echoed, ''Pyro! I have found you.''

Estelle told us, A huge fox was coming down from the sky. It was heading towards Pyro. I could tell from it's expression that it looked to be angry at him.

Master Fox said with anger, ''So! This is where you've been! Pulling tricks on humans again?!'' Pyro said scared, ''Master?! Um, hi. Why are you here? (Nervous chuckle)''

Master Fox said with a look of pity, ''It seems....like I still need to punish you again. You two, mortal girls. I apologize for his actions. It looks like he still needs to do some growing up yet...''

Estelle said, ''It looks like we did your work for you.'' Marisa said, ''Wow! This is a huge fox... It is...kind of scary...''

Master Fox said with a laugh, ''Demon girl. Don't be afraid of our kind. We leave people alone except under rare special circumstances.

You human, thanks for your help in teaching him a lesson. We shall return to our realm now. I need to teach him some manners yet. Goodbye.''

Estelle said with a smirk, ''Farewell!'' Marisa said, ''Wowwww...''

Master Fox said, ''You human, you shall have good fortune in the next few days.'' Pyro started yelling, ''No! No! I don't want to go back to those boring lessons!! Not again! Wait! -Wait!!''

Estelle told us, With that, the village thanked us, and we went back to Lumia's. By the way, a note. That old man we ran into before, his wash tub was on the roof of his house.

When we got back, we opened up and tried the special tea after all that.

Estelle said relaxed, ''Hmm. This is wonderful. Tasty as I expected. I feel much better. Marisa? Do you like it as well?'' Marisa said after sipping, ''Hmm... This is... This is...Umm, Delicious. I...like it.

Estelle said with a giggle, ''Glad you like it. It tasted better then I hoped it would be. How marvelous.''

Estelle told us, After that, we spent the rest of the day relaxing in our rooms. I thought we needed rest after how hard I realize may have been pushing Marisa lately.

In my room, I began reading one of my fathers old books while remembering the days when I used to enjoy learning so much from my parents.

When I was but a child, my parents would teach me as much as they could. My father told me much of his jobs and how he handled every job with care.

He also told me of countless yokai and myths to watch out for. My mother taught me how to be like her. A polite and a refined lady, with dignified manners.

She also taught me, how I should care about everyone and always prioritize others before myself. Her lessons taught me that I should always value my own life as well.

Estelle thought to herself with tears, ''I....miss them....so dearly... Mother, Father. Why did you have to leave me so soon? (Sniff) I wish I was strong enough... I could have saved them that night...

(Sniff) Hmm.... I wonder what that shadow was, that took my parents from me... It was filled with so much pure evil, that I was to terrified to move...

Was...that thing ever a human? I still haven't figured out why it wanted my parents dead. I wish I could somehow talk to my parents and hear their voices once again... (Sniff)''

A familiar male voice said, ''My daughter.... I'm....hear for you. Don't cry. You must....move forward and learn to....always..keep us in your heart....''

Estelle cried out, ''(Sniff) Father? Father?! Was that you? Are you here?!''

The familiar male voice said, ''I'm....always protecting..you... Your mother is..as well. Bye...., Estelle.''

Another Familiar female voice agreed, ''That's right, I am...'' Estelle cried out, ''Father? Father?! Uhh! (Sniff, sniff) Right! I'll accept your words...and I'll....push foward!''

Estelle told us, I remembered to be myself again, I read a bit more of my books, then got some peaceful sleep. The next morning, I got back to working once again.

The Narrator said, ''That's it for now. See you next time!''