Persona 4: The Foolish Priestess
Chapter 8: Friendship, Old and New
Author's Note: Once again, apologies for the late update. Summer vacation can take a toll on your body and soul, and getting hit with the flu is bad too. Still, working little by little, I managed to pull out. Anyways, sorry for the wait, enjoy reading, and I'll see you on the next (hopefully soon) update!
The first thing Yukiko happen to notice when she arrived at the Flood Plains was how abnormally calm the river was. The cloudy weather stream seem to dictate that rain would soon arrive, but the river seem to keep its normal stream pattern. This alone made Yukiko wonder why Chie would want to meet her somewhere out in the open where rain could pour at any moment, and when it came to that subject, Chie's dejected face continued to enter Yukiko's mind, making her even more worried.
When she reached the stairs of the riverbank, she glanced over to see her best friend making swift and seemingly weird movements with no one else near her. Chie, moving rather fast in a small area, was producing swift kicks into the air that could make it look like they were breaking apart the sound barrier. Her actions continued on while Yukiko observed, not wanting to break off Chie's concentration.
Wow. Chie's really giving her all, even if it's just practice. I wonder if she does this every day?
Chie's movements stopped suddenly, and when both of her feet were planted firmly on the ground, her gaze intensified itself on the tree near the bottom of the stairway.
"…You and me."
Her body turned towards the tree, a lone loin as if it was about to tackle its prey. Chie pumped her fists together, which she could hear the crackling of her finger bones when she squished her hands together.
Huh? What is she…?
Before Yukiko could grasp Chie's motives, Chie's body was already sprinting towards the tree, with a murderous intent in her eyes. Not long before she came inches away from physical contact with it, her body grinded to a halt, and made a complete 360 degree turn as her left leg lifted up into the air. With a single thrust…
"You. Are. OUUTA HERE!"
…Chie's left leg struck the tree in its center, causing the whole tree to shake violently, letting loose multiple leaves off the tree and onto the ground. Yukiko gasped at this, seeing as if Chie's kick could have knocked over the whole tree.
However…
*SMACK*
"OWWW!"
One of the loose tree branches near the top also lost its gripping on the tree's bark, and fell much faster than the green leaves. Right onto Chie's leg.
"Augh! God DAMNIT!" Chie couldn't help but screech as her body fell to the ground, with her arms trying to cover the brushed knee. "Of all my freaking luck, why a big tree branch!? Is this someone's idea of a joke!?"
"…Fu. Fufufu… Ahahahahahahah!"
Chie's expression turned from annoyed to being flabbergasted when she immediately recognized the loud laughter coming from the top of the staircase. "Y-Yukiko! Where you watching al that!?"
"Ahahahaha! W-What are the odds that…a giant tree branch would fall off? It's…It's like something out of a manga or something! *snickers* Ahahahah!"
Chie gave out a loud groan as her expression then turn red with extreme embarrassment.
After Yukiko had finished her hysterical episode, she quickly began healing Chie's bruise with some supplies she had in her purse. The both of them sat on the edge of the mini dock as Yukiko finished cleaning up the rest of Chie's bruise.
"There." Yukiko spoke reassuringly as she wrapped the bandage around Chie's knee. "That should do it. How do you feel?"
Chie spoke almost softly as she gently rubbed the bandage on her knee "Better, I guess. It hurt more when it actually landed on my leg, but I'll be okay. I'm surprised that you had a medical kit inside your bag, Yukiko. Is it for Inn training or something?"
"Not really. I've been trying to study on various types of remedies and healing prowls for when we get injured in the TV world, and I managed to convince Mother to buy me some supplies, saying it was for my health and fitness class. I wanted to my best to make sure everyone stays on their feet, even when I can't use my Personas, so I've been practicing in secret."
"Wow, I didn't see you as the 'doctor' kind of person, Yukiko. Heh heh! Though I bet Yosuke would buy me a dozen steaks to see you in a Nurses outfit!"
"W-Wha-! I would never…" She halted her waving hands as her mind began to process the image of what Chie had in mind, but in a rather different viewpoint. "…Nurses outfit…"
"Uhh… Yukiko…?"
"Doctor Narukami-san! P-Please wait! W-We shouldn't do this!"
"But Nurse, I deeply acquire your assistance. I've come down with a terrible illness and only you can help cure me."
"O-Only me? But… what are you diagnosed with?"
"Mania: a serious condition that causes great distress and anxiety when aroused, and the only known cure… is to mate with whom which caused it."
"D-Doctor! …Well, if you are that sick, as your personal assistant, I'll be happy to help in any way I can, however…"
"Yes…?"
"It's… It's my first time, so please… be gentle, okay?"
"Of course…Nurse Amagi…*SMOOCH*"
"Ahhhh… D-Doctor Naruk-k… Mmmmmmm…."
"AHHHHHH!"
"Y-Yukiko?!"
Yukiko's body suddenly swivel backwards towards the middle of the pier as she began shaking her head violently, trying to erase the depraved images in her head.
"W-Woah! Yukiko, calm down! It was a joke!" Chie tried to persuade the clearly shaken Yukiko. "I know Yosuke is sorta out there, but whatever you're imagining, I'm sure he has his limits-"
"N-NO WAY! I-I wasn't imagining those sort of things! There's no way Yu-kun is into that sort of play, and why were we role playing anyway!? We weren't even in a hospital!"
"Y-Yu-kun… you mean Narukami-san?
Yukiko quickly regained her senses as the atmosphere quickly changed around her. She looked up from the deck floor to find Chie's face turn sour.
"I see… so you were thinking about Narukami-san…" Chie's body turned towards the opposite side of the pier, with her head looking down at the flowing stream as Yukiko picked herself up. The tense air was similar to when they first meet each other in the morning, and Yukiko knew that she needed to break up the tension before they would end up dead silent.
To comfort up the rigidity air, Yukiko spoke up.
"Chie… listen. I know that you called me here to talk to me about Yu-kun, and I think I should be the first to say that… if you harbor any feelings towards him, I will understand. Just say the word, and I'll tell him that we shouldn't go out. I know he'll understand that I don't our whole friendship to be jeopardized over a silly love-triangle, and we both want to continue to be great friends with you. Just please… don't shun me out, Chie. Please…"
The quiet sound of the water current only temporarily masked the stiff mood Yukiko had set up, and she continued to look at Chie's discomforted body, waiting for a reply. However, Chie's continued silence made Yukiko fear that whatever had made Chie so discomforted that settled in her completely, and that thought alone made her upset as well.
"…Well, you're about half-right."
Chie's voice was the first to break apart the edgy air, making Yukiko lift up her head in surprise. With both of their bodies facing each other, Chie's expression eased up as she spoke to Yukiko again. "I have to admit, it did kinda shake me up a bit to find out that you guys were going out, but I didn't think it would happen so soon."
"Chie…"
"Listen, Yukiko… The reason I called you out here is…" Her fist began to slightly clench, and as if to burst out her emotions, she drew a quick breathe and shout out to Yukiko.
"…is because I wanted to know that you have my full support! One hundred percent!"
A short gasp came from Yukiko, drawn a little back by Chie's shout. The answer was somewhat expected to her, but the seriousness in Chie's voice made her feel overwhelmed by the sincerity Chie was presenting.
"C-Chie!" Yukiko finally managed to speak up. "Are you saying that you're okay with me having Yu-kun over you?"
"T-that's not what I meant! I never said that I liked Narukami-san in that sense! What made you think that?"
"Oh! W-Well, you were acting really depressed when I mentioned Yu-kun and me being together, and when we were holding hands, so I thought…"
"Wow, haha…" Chie said awkwardly, scratching the back of her head with a slight smile. "I guess I really am the type of girl you don't expect to handle these kind of situations very well." She threw a few nervous chuckles into the mix before she regain her composure. "Ya see, I knew that you guys sorta had an interest in each other ever since you joined the team, but I kinda noticed something else about you too. Whenever we hanged around Narukami-san, you always had this look of perseverance and determination in your eyes, like you wanted to prove something to him, but I didn't think it that it had a romantic interest in it too. Ugh… to think that Yosuke managed to spot it and I didn't."
"Where you surprised by the fact that we decided to date?"
"Well, yeah! Anyone would be surprised to find out that their best friend had found the person of their dreams, but I guess everybody goes through it at some point in their lives. It's just, well… a first for me, ya know?"
"I think I do." Yukiko spoke in a solemn voice. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it earlier to you, Chie. We only confessed our love to each other recently, and I've had my hands full trying to understand this new power of mine…"
"What are you talking about?!" Chie spoke loudly. "You don't anything to be sorry for! If anything, I should be sorry for making you worry!"
"C-Chie, I…!"
"Listen, Yukiko." Chie spoke with confidence as looked directly at Yukiko. "If I made you worry about me, don't be. What's going to make me happy is knowing the fact that Narukami-san has the best girlfriend he could ever ask for. Besides you're my best friend. There's no way that I would wish for anything cruel like trying to steal away her first boyfriend. As long as you're happy, I'm happy and that's all that counts!"
Yukiko could hardly hold back the small tears flowing from her face, and after a few moments wiping them from her face, Yukiko's body lunged onto Chie. "Thank you, Chie. I'm really glad to hear you say that."
"Hehe. Geez, you're really overemotional, you know that?" Chie spoke as she returned Yukiko's hug, with a growing sensation in the both of them they had not felt before.
*FLASH*
Thou art I… And I am thou…
Thou hast established a new bond…
It brings thee closer to the truth…
Thou shalt be blessed when creating Personas of the Chariot Arcana…
T-That voice…
Yukiko's eyes shot wide open as she immediately recognized the voice in her head and the sudden faint energy flowing into her heart; the same type of energy transfer after she talked with Adachi.
Ah, I see…
As the energy of her newly established bond settled into her heart, Yukiko realized what had just transpired. A new bond had been born between her and Chie, something to which would spark something new and bright in the both of them.
"Hey! I just thought of something!" Chie suddenly spoke excitedly as she stepped back from their hug. "Now that we're here, I defiantly try it out!"
"Huh? Try what out?"
"Training! I've been coming here recently to hone my kicking skills for battle since I couldn't do it at home. Ya know, when I told you about the time I kicked a hole in the shoji?"
"Oh right, I forgot about that. You mom was quite angry about that right?"
"Haha, yeah… I sure got a scolding for that." Chie's expression darken at the memory of her mother's fury before she dismissed it. "A-Anyways, I thought about asking Narukami-san, but now I think that teaching you all my secrets would be a way better experience for us both, so let's do it!"
"W-Wait a second!" Yukiko tried to resist, backing away from Chie nervously. "I'm not the 'Kun-Fu' type, and besides, your leg is still healing!"
"Oh, no worries! It's just a flesh wound!" Chie said with a beaming smile as she grabbed Yukiko's arm, making her give off a small "Epp!" of edginess. "Besides, if your Narukami-san's girlfriend, then I know you have what it takes to take a few kicks. Now, c'mon! First thing I'm gonna teach you is how to block off the most sensitive parts of your body!"
"Ehhh!? W-Wait, Chie!"
Despite Yukiko's pleads and wails, the two best friends spent the rest of the afternoon training by the riverside. Chie's wild kicks and Yukiko's frightened screaming could be heard throughout the entire flood plains, and even though Yukiko found herself growing a little stronger by the end of the day, she shivered at the thought of going though multiple sessions of Chie's special training.