Grass Story #Chapter 6: Meeting people. - Read Grass Story Chapter 6: Meeting people. Online - All Page

Within the quiet and serene atmosphere of the shrine, Reimu and Marisa's conversation took an unexpected turn as they introduced the tiny grass spirit, Kusa, to the mix.

Reimu's voice carried a hint of curiosity as she remarked, "Is that a new doll of Alice?"

Marisa, a mischievous glint in her eye, replied, "Nope! She is Kusa!"

Reimu's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Kusa? A fairy?"

Marisa shook her head with a playful grin. "Wrong again! She is a grass spirit!"

Reimu's interest was piqued, her tone carrying a mix of surprise and intrigue. "Grass spirit? Do you mean like a jubokko?"

Kusa chimed in, her voice was soft but matter-of-fact. "Technically, you are right, but not quite."

Reimu's astonishment grew as she realized that the little entity before her was not only sentient but could communicate as well. "It can talk?!!"

Kusa's response was tinged with a touch of exasperation. "I... whatever."

She couldn't help but think to herself, "Once is okay, and twice is too much".

Reimu's intrigue only deepened, and she focused her attention on Marisa. "It's interesting... but why do you show her to me?"

Marisa's answer was candid and simple. "I don't know, but I just want to."

Kusa, her thoughts musing over her newfound role, couldn't help but add a somewhat resigned internal remark. "Why do I feel like I'm a Teddy bear being gifted?"

With a polite request, Kusa spoke up. "Can you please let me down?"

Marisa quickly complied, her tone apologetic. "Ah! Sorry."

Gently placing Kusa on the table, Marisa and Reimu exchanged a knowing look, their curiosity about this unexpected guest evident.

Reimu's voice held a certain curiosity as she addressed Kusa. "Can I ask you some questions?"

Kusa listened attentively to Reimu's question, her response measured and calm. "You can."

Reimu's gaze remained sharp as she posed her question. "Do you eat humans?"

Kusa's reply was honest, carrying a touch of nuance. "I can eat them but prefer not to."

Reimu's eyes locked onto Kusa's, a stern warning in her voice. "I believe you for now... but if I hear you killed a human, I'll personally exterminate you!"

Kusa's reaction was unexpectedly cheerful. "Sure!"

The abrupt shift in demeanor caught both Reimu and Marisa off guard, prompting identical baffled expressions.

Kusa's inner thoughts revealed her true motive for this compliance. "Finally, a kill switch if I lose myself".

Reimu's confusion only deepened as she questioned Kusa's response. "I don't get you, aren't you supposed to get angry?"

Kusa's answer was both philosophical and serene. "Not at all... after all, life is very fickle."

Marisa chimed in, her intrigue is evident as she nodded in agreement. "As expected, you are very interesting..."

Kusa's small smile persisted as she acknowledged Marisa's statement.

With a brief exchange of words, Marisa took the initiative, grabbing Kusa and taking flight, leaving behind a curious and thoughtful Reimu.

The desert antique store known as Kourindou greeted Marisa with the gentle jingle of a bell.

Marisa entered the store with her usual boisterous demeanor. "Yo, Kourin!"

Behind the counter stood a man engrossed in inspecting an old-fashioned computer, his golden eyes focused on the screen. His short silver hair contrasted against his black and blue attire, and a pair of glasses perched on his nose.

Rinnosuke Morichika, the store's owner, continued to examine the device, seemingly absorbed in his task.

As Marisa made her way to the counter, she wasted no time in showcasing her new find. "Look at her!"

Marisa proudly presented Kusa, who was occupied with munching on some fruits.

Rinnosuke's attention was instantly diverted from his work, his surprise evident in his voice. "A doll?"

Kusa, though tiny, had a voice that carried a distinct air of confidence. "Nope."

Rinnosuke's astonishment grew as he observed the extraordinary scene. "It can talk!"

Kusa remained silent, her demeanor poised.

Marisa couldn't contain her enthusiasm. "She's a grass spirit!"

"I see... Don't tell me you're planning to sell her?" Rinnosuke's voice was filled with a hint of skepticism.

Marisa quickly dismissed the notion. "Of course not! I'm not the type to sell something."

Rinnosuke's gaze was fixed on Marisa, his expression conveying a mix of seriousness and amusement. "I'm just confirming it, especially since even the old antiques you've 'borrowed' never seem to see the light of day again."

Marisa shrugged casually. "Like I said, you can take them when I die."

Rinnosuke's response was accompanied by a sigh, his thoughts remaining private.

Curiosity got the better of Marisa as her eyes fell upon the object in Rinnosuke's hand. "What's that thing you have there?"

Rinnosuke glanced at the device he held, his fingers tapping on the buttons. "This?"

As Kusa offered her insight, Rinnosuke's explanation came forth. "It's a mind-control device."

Kusa's voice chimed in with a contrasting perspective. "It's a portable game console."

Marisa seemed surprised by Kusa's familiarity. "You know about it, Kusa?"

Kusa's response was swift and confident. "It's a device that's popular in the outside world."

Rinnosuke's curiosity deepened, and he turned his attention to Kusa. "How did you come to know about the outside world?"

Kusa's reply was simple yet intriguing. "The plants told me."

Rinnosuke acknowledged her response with a nod. "I see..."

Marisa couldn't resist her curiosity any longer. "So, what's the use of this object, Kusa?"

Kusa's explanation was straightforward. "It's meant to entertain the young people so they don't venture too far."

Marisa's remark was met with a slightly amused response from Rinnosuke. "I didn't think you'd conclude it as a mind-control device, Kourin."

Rinnosuke's perspective on the matter was matter-of-fact. "But they do control youths, don't they?"

Kusa chimed in with her observation. "Technically, yes..."

Rinnosuke's confidence in his assessment remained unshaken. "See? I never make mistakes."

Marisa let out an exasperated sigh, seemingly ready to move on to the next topic. "Well, Kusa, this is Rinnosuke Morichika."

Kusa offered a polite greeting. "Nice to meet you."

Rinnosuke reciprocated the sentiment. "Nice to meet you too. By the way, Marisa, when will you give back the—"

Before Rinnosuke could finish his sentence, Marisa and Kusa vanished from the scene.

Left in a moment of bemusement, Rinnosuke was left with his unfinished question hanging in the air.

In another quaint house nestled within the Forest of Magic, the peaceful ambiance was abruptly disrupted by the sound of a door being forcefully kicked open. Marisa, the blonde magician, stood at the entrance, her presence announced by the echoing noise.

"Alice!" Marisa called out with her usual energy.

Inside the house, a girl sat engrossed in her reading. She wore an ensemble of pink and white, adorned with a blue apron and a matching headband. Blonde hair cascaded around her as she turned her attention toward the intruder. Her gaze was met with a room filled with an assortment of dolls and books.

Alice raised an eyebrow at Marisa's entrance. "If my door is broken, Marisa, I'll make sure you provide the materials I need to fix it."

Marisa shrugged off the warning with a casual grin. "Don't sweat it... but look at her!"

Marisa's declaration drew attention to the tiny girl in her grasp. Kusa, however, was quietly seething, her patience wearing thin after being treated like a novelty.

Alice's curiosity was piqued, and her gaze shifted to the unexpected guest. "Where did you steal this?"

Marisa quickly defended herself, asserting, "I didn't steal her! I just saw her, and she agreed to come with me."

Kusa, growing increasingly frustrated, interjected, "It's involuntary, alright?"

Alice's surprise grew as she registered the tiny girl's ability to speak. In response, Kusa's exasperation was palpable.

Kusa couldn't help but vent her frustration, muttering, "Marisa, please toss me into a volcano if you get the chance."

Marisa crossed her arms defiantly. "I don't want to."

Kusa's response was resigned and slightly amused, "Okay... that's kind of an instantaneous answer."

Alice chimed in with a skeptical tone, her gaze fixed on Marisa. "Though I doubt you just came here to introduce her."

Marisa nodded affirmatively. "Yes..."

Alice regarded Marisa with an incredulous expression, silently communicating her disbelief at the magician's actions.

Marisa's confidence remained unshaken as she continued, "She's stronger than your dolls, that's for sure."

Alice's curiosity was piqued, and a hint of challenge danced in her eyes. "Oh? Are you sure about that?"

Marisa was quick to reiterate her claim. "Yes, of course!"

Kusa, however, was not about to be dragged into a fight without her say. "Don't make me fight someone! You have to get my opinion first!"

Marisa turned her attention to Kusa, a playful grin forming. "So, you're weaker than her dolls?"

Kusa's frustration was evident, and she responded with a hint of defiance, "It isn't like that."

Marisa, undeterred, proposed a straightforward solution. "Then you just have to fight her, simple as that."

Alice, mindful of her surroundings, decided it would be best to take the potential skirmish outside. "Let's go outside. I don't want my home to get damaged."

Kusa's retort was laced with dry humor. "I'm not a rooster, you know..."

To everyone's surprise, Kusa emerged victorious in the battle against Alice, utilizing a skillful Solar Beam attack.

Spoiler

Alice, catching her breath and still processing her defeat, remarked with a mix of amusement and understanding, "No wonder Marisa likes you. You are the same."

Kusa's inner thoughts interjected, "Not at all... I didn't think I could pull off that move."

Marisa chimed in, acknowledging the similarity, "It's similar to my Master Spark... but faster."

Alice lamented her disadvantage, conceding, "That's kind of cheating. I can't guard against that."

Kusa responded pragmatically, "But a win is a win."

Alice offered a playful concession, "I guess I've lost to a mini Marisa..."

Marisa, seizing the opportunity, teased Alice with a triumphant declaration, "Now I can get a book from your shelves!"

Alice's eyes widened with a hint of panic as she retorted, "Wait, I don't remember agreeing to that!"

As Marisa and Kusa found themselves alone, Kusa mustered the courage to voice her feelings. "Marisa, I think I've come to dislike you," she confessed with a directness that matched her emotions.

Continuing, Kusa articulated her concerns, her voice carrying a trace of hurt. "Why do you keep pulling me into situations without even asking? I am a sentient being, capable of understanding right from wrong. Being swept into unwanted adventures that I haven't consented to is quite unsettling." Her words conveyed the depth of her discomfort and the sense of being treated as a mere object, a sensation she found troubling.

Marisa's expression softened as she listened to Kusa's words. She hadn't anticipated the impact her actions had on the grass spirit. Taking a moment to process what Kusa had said, Marisa replied with a more thoughtful tone, "Kusa, I didn't realize you felt that way. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable."

She paused, choosing her words carefully. "I guess I got carried away by the excitement of discovering something new and interesting. But I should have considered your perspective and feelings. You're right, you're not just some object to be dragged around."

Marisa sighed, her gaze sincere. "I appreciate your honesty. If you want, I'll make sure to ask for your opinion before involving you in anything from now on. And if you truly dislike being around me, I won't force you to stay."

Kusa's voice held a touch of warmth as she responded, "Thank you, Marisa. I'll remember that." She nodded appreciatively as Marisa gently placed her on the ground.

Marisa watched as Kusa made her way toward the bushes, a mixture of understanding and acceptance in her expression. "Goodbye for now, Kusa," she called out, but her words were carried away by the wind as the tiny girl disappeared into the foliage.

There was a sense of closure in the air, a shared understanding that their paths might cross again someday. As Kusa vanished from sight, Marisa couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for the grass spirit and the journey she had begun. With a wistful smile, Marisa turned and continued on her path, leaving behind a moment of connection and growth in the heart of the forest.