Across The Borders Chapter 4
Yukari was scrambling through the kitchen to try and keep up with Youmu. Somehow, her two halves could move independently and were making all sorts of breakfast foods from every culture. There was bacon, croissants, miso, hash browns, pancakes, fruit and some things Yukari couldn't even name. Yukari could never have done all this, so Youmu had her making omelettes to round out the breakfast. Yukari would have asked how Yuyuko could consume so much food, but then she remembered about what Youmu said about her trying to eat her phantom half if she wasn't full.
After four hours of work and what Yukari estimated would be several thousand dollars in groceries, Youmu proclaimed they were done, and they started to move everything out to the main room where Yukari had first met Yuyuko. As they laid the food out, Youmu started up a conversation since they had some time. "So, do you know what you're going to talk to Mistress Yuyuko about?"
Yukari smiled. "I think I have an idea. As long as I don't focus on her, or what she is, then I should be able to handle this."
Youmu gave her a friendly smile. "Good luck. I should go wake up the Mistress now." As Youmu left, Yukari sat down and began to nibble on a slice of toast. As a spirit, eating wasn't needed, but it was still habitual for her and everything smelled so good, she just had to try something.
Yukari raised her head as she heard a loud yawn. Directing her gaze toward the sound, she saw a sleepy Yuyuko shuffle forward, her eyes half-closed. Youmu went outside, and she had two swords on her. Yukari didn't know where she got them, but she did say she was Yuyuko's swordplay teacher. She just have picked them up on her way.
Yuyuko's eyes began to open as the aroma of the food wafted over to where she was, and she began going at the food like it was her last meal. Yukari sighed. It must be great to be able to eat all that and still keep a figure like that… No, she was losing focus! She needed to keep a conversation going to show Yuyuko she conquered her fear.
She was still terrified, but she had a plan. She looked at Yuyuko as she worked up the nerve to start talking. "A-are you p-p-planning on eating all o-of that..?" She asked hesitantly.
Yuyuko finished the bite she was chewing, wiped her mouth and grinned. "Of course I am. If you're in the afterlife, you have to make the best of it."
Yukari smiled. She could keep this going. She just focoused on the one thing that would help her through this. "What if I told you there was a living person who could eat all that, maybe even more, and look exactly the same?"
Yuyuko spat out the bite of waffle in her mouth straight across the table. Yukari ducked just in time to keep herself clean and reappeared as Yuyuko cried, "You're lying! Who could possibly eat so much!?"
Yukari was calm as she kept her mind focoused, just barely registering what Yuyuko was saying. "Minato Arisato. He's quite possibly the best at eating and sleeping anywhere." She wished she was lying, but the boy she had fallen for slept through almost all his classes and never got caught, and he had a bottomless pit for a stomach.
Yuyuko was intrigued. "Really? Tell me about this "Minato" character. He seems like quite the charmer."
Yukari giggled. "You have no idea." Her face took on a pensive look as she began talking about him. His looks, his intelligence, how he always knew the right thing to say. The only time she stopped was when Yuyuko had a question, but Yukari never faltered in her speech.
Yukari finished at about the same time Yuyuko finished her breakfast. The Ghost Princess smiled. "Well, that was quite a conversation, though you did most of the talking. I suppose you did complete the task I set before you. You're free to go. Youmu!"
The human/phantom walked back in. Was she right outside the door the whole time? "You called Mistress?"
"Show Yukari where the gap is please." And to Yukari, she said, "I enjoyed having you here. Be sure to stop by next time you die. And bring Minato as well. I want to meet him."
Yukari chuckled. "Sure thing Yuyuko." She walked out with Youmu to the gap. It was at the bottom of the endless flight of stairs, so Yukari had her Persona make two cyclones, so they both could ride down in style. Once they reached the bottom, Yukari hugged Youmu. "Thank you so much for everything! Without you, I don't think I would be leaving now. I'll miss you."
Yukari knew that Youmu was blushing and her phantom self was pink instead of white. "I'm happy to help you, Miss Yukari. I hope to see you again someday."
And with her farewell said, she hopped into the gap and began floating in space again. She would never get used to this feeling. Considering the area was a void where she couldn't tell up from down, she did the only thing she could think of.
"YUKARI, GET YOUR BLONDE BUTT OUT HERE TO GET ME HOME!"
The blonde appeared in front of here. "Geez, no need to shout. I assume Yuyuko let you go free?"
Yukari glared. "Would I be here if she didn't?"
Blonde Yukari tapped her chin in thought. "Well, you could have found the gap on your own, but then Youmu would've cut you into itty-bitty ghost pieces for escaping, so no." She then began to concentrate. "Are you sure you want your old body? I could give you any body, provided it lacks a developed soul. There's plenty of babies being born right now. Ooh, there's even a robot or two out there in your world!"
Yukari let her prattle on for a bit before giving an exasperated sigh. "No than you. I want my old body. The body I died in is the body I want to live in."
Blonde Yukari shrugged. "Suit yourself. If you ever want to change, just take another lightning bolt to the face. I'll be sure to catch you."
It was certainly an odd experience, having your soul returned to your body. The best way Yukari could describe it is like waking up from a dream, and realizing you slept on cinderblocks. She was not comfortable. She had been officially dead for over twenty-four hours and her muscles had started to degenerate.
She was thankful she was in a hospital and not buried. She lay down as the instruments hooked up to her kept track of her vitals. As far as she could tell, they looked normal enough. She gave herself a quick once-over and couldn't help but notice there was no lasting damage from the lightning strike. Someone must have kept casting healing spells that repaired any physical damage.
She heard a pair of footsteps coming down the hall. The voice speaking sounded like that of an older man. "Yes, I can let you see her, but I don't understand why you're paying for her to stay here. She was pronounced dead and won't be coming back anytime soon, I can promise you that."
The voice stopped speaking as one of the doctors and Minato both walked in. Yukari tried to speak, only now realizing how dehydrated she was. "Min… A… To?" She croaked out. The doctor stared at her in shock before quickly walking out, pretending nothing unusual or impossible had just happened.
Minato handed her a bottle of water which she opened with a great amount of difficulty. "Geez Yukari." He said, teasingly. "I didn't think you were that weak."
She drained the entire bottle on two large gulps, before sticking her tongue out at him. "You try dying!" She shot back, a smile plastered on both of their faces.
He hugged her tight. "I'm so glad you're alright." He gave her a stern look after he separated himself from her. "Don't you ever do something that stupid again. The last thing we need is you getting a Messiah complex."
She couldn't help but laugh a little at that. "Don't worry. I don't see that happening in the near future."
Minato found her laugh infectious, and chuckled a little as well. Once they both settled down, he asked her "So, what was dying like?"
Yukari's smile faded. "Oh, you wouldn't believe me if I told you."
He gave her an indignant look. "Every night, we spend a hidden twenty-fifth hour of the day fighting Shadows with figures of mythology by shooting ourselves in the head. I'll believe anything."
Yukari gave him a playful smirk. "Compared to my story, that'll seem as normal as writing tests. Now sit down, because it's quite the tale…"
