C3 Chapter 2: The Flame Spirit

It's been 1 week since Kotori suddenly appeared outside my backyard and I learned that she, her friends, and her older brother are facing a powerful entity. They all got defeated by this enemy, so this other spirit called "Ruler" teleported each of them to a separate dimension to keep them safe... But why here?

She also told me that these spirits are created by the Tree of Life, and this crystal things they called sephira crystals can turn someone into a powerful spirit once it fuses itself with a human being.

Kotori is one of those humans who've turned into a spirit, thus starting a massive fire on Tengu city that almost killed her brother.

It's 6 o clock in the morning and I just got out of bed. I went downstairs to prepare some breakfast while Kotori is still asleep.

Outside, you can hear the relaxing chirping of the birds and a girl screaming in terror.... Wait what???

"Is that Kotori?" I worried.

"RIKU!!!!!" Kotori screamed.

Her scream is coming from upstairs and I can smell something is burning which caused my adrenaline to shot up. My feet thumped on the floor as I hurriedly went to check on her.

"Kotori, are you ok?! What the hell is.... going on?"

I was shock from what I'm witnessing, my mind is trying to process this chaos in front of me. It's like someone build a giant bonfire inside her room that went out of control.

Panic rise up and I cried out. "Holy shit! Kotori get out of there!"

Kotori dashed down the stairs as I grabbed the fire extinguisher that I placed outside her room and use it to put out the fire.

Ever since she told me that she's a spirit that can control flames, I bought fire extinguishers from my retired firefighter friend. He built a local shop near me and he sells firefighter equipment.

My sweat is dripping from my head, my body is shaking, and I can feel the high temperature inside the room. Once everything has calmed, I finally sighed in relief.

"So that's the power of a spirit huh?" I mummbled.

"I should go and talk to Kotori about this... Oh I hope no one notice anything" I worried.

I open up the window so the smoke and odor can get out, luckily the fire alarm didn't go off. The burnt cushion and furniture are still too hot to handle, so I just left it there for awhile and went downstairs to find her.

I saw Kotori sitting on the couch with both of her hands covering her face as she sobbed quietly.

"Kotori, it's ok I'm not mad at you and I'm sure it was just an accident." I reassured her.

"Why do you think that's okay?! I almost burn your house down!" she cried out as tears fall from her eyes.

I put an arm around her, hopefully it will calm her down.

"Hey, don't say that. YOU are an innocent girl and not a monster!" I told her. "Now, can you please tell me what happened?"

Kotori hesitated at first but gained some courage to explain.

"I was having a bad dream about what happened back in my home, and the last thing I know my spirit powers came back."

"Spirits regain their powers again once they felt a negative or strong emotions. Once they did, it will end in chaos."

After explaining she hugged me tightly and bury her head in my chest.

"Now you know how dangerous I am, are you going to throw me out?" She asks.

I felt a pain in my chest when she said that, as I was abandoned by my parents when I just a little boy. I don't want anyone to felt the pain of abandonment. I wrap my arms around her and tightly hold her.

"No, no, of course not. I would never do that."

"What if I hurt you? Or worse?"

I can feel her tears drenching my shirt.

"Kotori, you will never do that and I trust you. I will also protect you if I have to."

"T-Thank you." She said.

After Kotori calmed down, I made some breakfast for the both of us. I look at the clock and was surprised to see that I'm almost late at work.

I quickly ate my breakfast, brush my teeth, and changed my clothes.

"I'll be back soon; my laptop is inside my room. E-mail me if you need something... Oh? Are you familiar with email?"

"Yup, we have them in my world."

"Alrighty then, I'll be going now." I picked up my bag that was on the couch and quickly head towards the front door.

"Be safe Riku and thank you again!" she smiled warmly.

"Hey, that's what friends are for, and I think I can handle one spirit" I winked at her.

"O-oh... Umm... Sorry, can we please forget about what happened lately?" She said sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it, maybe next time I'll ask you on a date!" I teased her.

Her face turns red as a tomato and she glared at me before turning her back.

"You're going to be late at work" she muttered.

"What was that?"

"I SAID YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE AT WORK IDIOT!!!!" she screamed angrily while her face is still flushed.

"Calm down I'm just teasing you; you should loosen up a bit!" I said while chuckling.

She seemed annoyed and I barely heard her say "Baka!" in annoyance.

"Can you buy me some lollipop on your way home?" She sighed and ask me.

"A lollipop? Is that all?" I look at her with a weird look.

She is a powerful spirit who can control fire and can burn a house down. I mean, she wants more than a lollipop, right?

"Mhm!" She nodded happily.

"Alright, if that's what you want, I'll buy you a whole pack." I said to her.

She smiled happily but quickly turned into a frown.

"In one condition, don't eat your lollipops before meal." I said.

She groaned and walk away from me to sit on the couch. She turns on the television to watch a Japanese game show.

"Alright then, see ya later!" I said and waved at her goodbye.

"Take care!" Kotori said as she waved back at me.