Yuma's friends and family back away slightly as he starts breathing in deeply, color returning to his face. Eventually, he groans and opens his eyes, staring up at the blurry blue skies.

Astral starts trembling, unable to process all the thoughts and emotions he is feeling though it is predominantly joy. That energy courses through his body, tightening and tightening into a ball until he can't hold it in any longer. He shoots forward and clings to Yuma, tackling him into a hug. "Yuma!" he cries, feeling tears threatening to spill over his cheeks. "You're back!"

The hug completely wakes Yuma up. He is shocked to see and feel Astral hugging him tightly. He feels nearly crushed in the embrace but he can't help but also feel happy. He hugs his best friend back and pats him on the head. "What's with the excitement?" He teases. "I thought that was Dark's job."

"You were dead!" Astral exclaims, pulling away far enough to look at Yuma's face. Relief floods him when he sees the color has completely returned to his face.

Yuma just stares at him blankly. Dead? That can't be right. If he was dead, he wouldn't be here with Astral clinging to him for dear life. But as he looks around at the faces of his loved ones, at the looks of disbelief written on each and every one of them. He is forced to believe that yes, he was dead for a while. "Then how did I come back to life?"

At this Astral smiles. "Shing did it, she brought you back."

"Shing?" Hearing her name again brings a smile to his face, and he is about to call out to her, but she is nowhere in sight. "Where is she?"

The two boys look around until they spot her, walking away with the velvet sack in her hands. Yuma manages to push his way out of the crowd on unsteady feet, dragging Astral along with him.

"Hey Shing, come here!" he calls out. "I told you before that you're my friend." Yuma manages to catch up and put an arm around her, half for support and half to give her support. "Thanks for reviving me."

Shing twiddles her thumbs and averts her gaze. "How can you say that? I caused you so much pain and misery."

"Because I know you're a good person."

"You don't know me as well as you think you do…" The guilt she felt before comes rushing back, threatening to drown her in a sea of sorrow again.

Yuma of course is oblivious to it. "And? I befriended Shark didn't I?

Yuri catches up and gently pries Yuma off of Shing. He whispers in his ear, "She needs some time alone."

Confused, the boy doesn't understand why she would need time alone. After all, she looks like she could use some company. "Why?" he asks. "She shouldn't be alone when she is the one who brought me back."

"She still feels guilt." Yuri replies.

Yuma looks over Yuri's shoulder and notices Shing walking off into the woods. He wants to go after her and bring her back, but he knows that Yuri knows when she needs space, so he reluctantly nods. "Can she come over tonight? I have a feeling that I won't have a moment to myself today and I still want to talk to her."

"I'll try to get her to." With that Yuri takes the form of a panther, something none of them knew he coils even do, and chases after Shing to find her.

"Well you learn something new everyday," Yuma marvels. He turns back to Astral and smiles. "Let's go home. I'm sure it's been an eventful day."

"Of course," Astral replies with a soft smile. "We're all happy to see you back."

They boys both giggle and head back to the group, where Yuma is immediately smothered with love.

~.~.~

Shing finds a nice warm spring to bathe in, so she strips herself of her clothes and dips in, hiding among the rocks. She remains in there until her hands and feet wrinkle and her lips turn purple. By that time, Yuri manages to find her. He sighs when he sees that she isn't paying attention.

"You know this isn't going to help," he scolds. "Now please come get out of the water before you get sick."

But Shing remains silent.

"Please come out, I can hear you shivering." When he gets no response, he takes his human form and sits by the water's edge. "Well I'll just tell you the news from here. Yuma wants to see you tonight."

Shing groans when she hears that and sinks into the water more so that only her nose and eyes breaches the surface.

"I'm not going to force you to see him," Yuri reassures, "But Iwillforce you to get out of the water."

The girl sighs. Without a word, she comes out of the water, and Yuri wraps his cape around her so she won't get too cold. Still, she's shaking violently. Yuri leaves her there and scurries all the way back to Heartland City to get something to keep her warm.

~.~.~

While he is gone, Yuma finally has some time alone at night, laying in his hammock with Astral clinging to him and resting his head on Yuma's chest. Ever since they were alone, the spirit refuses to leave Yuma's side, as though letting go would mean he would die again. Yuma doesn't blame him; he is sure he would behave the same way if his best friend died and came back to life. As they lay in bed together, Astral is finishing up telling Yuma everything that happened since his death.

"I'm so sorry those things happened," Yuma whispers as he absently runs his fingers through Astral's hair. "I won't be so reckless again."

Astral gives a short choked laugh. "I'd be worried if you weren't reckless again."

"Well, I'll at least be more careful."

"I'd still be worried. You wouldn't be the Yuma I know."

"Whatever!" Yuma puffs his cheeks out. To his surprise though, Astral actually laughs. It is a refreshing sound he hasn't heard before, and he smiles at the innocence and beauty of it.

After that, they remain silent as Yuma drifts off to sleep. So much has happened that day that he doesn't even remember inviting Shing over to his house. He just wants to sleep. Neither of them notice a black shape wandering into the room briefly before taking a blanket; even Astral has drifts off to sleep, mentally and emotionally exhausted.