Chapter 6: Visitation!
A few days have passed since Mayumi's funeral. Her and Lena spend their time watching the goings-on of everyone, and just being lazy.
The blue sky casts overhead as Lena and Mayumi sit on top of her school. The wind is heavy today but it doesn't have an effect on their nonphysical forms. Mayumi looks up at the sky.
"I feel like a stalker."
"Come on, it's nothing like that."
"I'm an invisible person floating around and watching people's shit they do all day. Sounds like stalking."
"You can make anything sound bad if you try."
Mayumi absent-mindedly rummages around her pocket and pulls out the egg, staring at it in her hand.
"I think I've had enough complaining about this thing. It's just dumb we have no idea when it'll hatch."
Lena looks over and smiles.
"I don't have much to complain about. I'm getting paid for nothing basically. Easy case."
Mayumi shoots a side eye to Lena.
"Glad you're getting paid for pissing me off all day."
Lena sticks her tongue out a little.
"You always say I 'piss you off' but you never try to make me leave. I think you like my company."
Mayumi scoffs and looks back at the egg.
"Yeah, because I'd want to be all alone as a ghost with nothing to do all day. At least I can talk to you."
"Hm."
There's a quiet silence between them for a little while. Lena perks up a bit and looks over at Mayumi again.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot, I need to tell you about something."
Mayumi looks over lazily.
"What?"
"You know, I think you being around your friends so much is giving them spiritual awareness."
Mayumi raises an eyebrow and looks at Lena like she's stupid.
"Again, what?"
Lena groans and buries her face in her hands, muttering to herself.
"Always the stupid ones I have to explain stuff like this to." She raises her face from her hands and clears her throat. "Look, you have to have noticed that if you float around your friends you've been 'stalking' according to you, that they get a little on edge or look in your direction?"
"Yeah, obviously."
"Well, that's likely them actually feeling your presence. I'm sure you could tell that even though you like to be so oblivious."
Mayumi's face sours a bit.
"Stop taking jabs at me. And I could tell. What about it?"
"Alright, alright. Look, this is a common phenomenon among humans who are around ghosts and such. Normally, humans can't see or sense spirits."
Lena points at Mayumi.
"But because you're around all your friends so much, I think they're starting to be able to feel your presence. Especially that Youko girl, she seems especially adept in spiritual awareness. She has a gift."
Mayumi smirks a bit at that last part.
"We all just thought she was crazy. We'd make bets on if she'd sense something dumb when we went to places we heard were haunted or whatever. We'd do it to mess with her."
Lena pouts and has a disapproving look spread across her face.
"How mean! She has an actual gift and you all just mess with her! You're all terrible!"
Mayumi stands up and stretches a bit.
"Yeah, well how were we supposed to know? No one believes in ghosts or whatever anymore. Hell, I can tell Youko doesn't believe Kumiko saw me in her dream. She looked at Kumiko like she was stupid when she told her. She doesn't even care that my heart's beating again. She's stupid."
"Why don't you visit her in her dreams then?"
Mayumi thinks about it for a few moments before sighing.
"That's not a bad idea, but she might just take it as her dreaming about me and not take anything I say for real. I don't really have a choice though, not like I have any other way to talk to her."
Lena's face twists to false surprise.
"Oh my! Lena actually had a good idea? Who knew?"
Mayumi's face immediately turns unamused again.
"Okay, don't push it. Like I said, it probably won't even work."
"You-!"
The bell to signify the end of the day rings, and they both stop themselves. Mayumi walks over to the edge of the roof and looks down.
"Guess I'll walk home with them today. See what's going on."
She jumps down and floats before she hits the ground, with Lena floating behind. Mayumi looks back at her.
"I'm gonna go sit by the front gate. Youko's probably gonna take 50 years to grab everyone anyway."
Lena shrugs and follows Mayumi, both waiting by the gate and watching people walk by and talk for a while. Lena smiles softly.
"It's interesting seeing how much society changes through the years. I remember when cannons would be fired off to signify the afternoon, that's when my break started."
Mayumi looks dumbfounded and turns to Lena.
"Wasn't that in the 1800s?"
"I believe so."
Mayumi bursts out laughing.
"Damn, you're an old hag!"
Lena's face twists into pure malice. She quickly puts her hand out, summoning her oar and smashing it over Mayumi's head with a giant crash.
"I'm not some old hag! We just age differently!"
Mayumi begins shouting as she reels from the hit.
"Does that give you an excuse to smash me over the head with your oar!? You better be glad we're both spirits or I'd-"
Suddenly Mayumi and Lena turn as they hear Kumiko, Youko, and all the girls in her gang begin walking up to the gate. Kumiko's voice sounds almost pleading.
"...No! Don't do that! I told you that Mayumi-"
They all walk past the gate into view of Mayumi and Lena. Youko turns and cuts her hand through the air at Kumiko to cut her off.
"Shut up! Just because you saw her in a dream, doesn't mean anything! I've been dreaming of her too! Everyone's shaken up about it!"
Kumiko leans forward with angry, but pleading eyes.
"But this was different! I could still feel the warmth on my hand from where hers was! She's coming back, don't do this!"
Youko looks down and her hands begin to shake, before she quickly closes them into fists. Her face looks up at Kumiko's and their eyes meet, staring deep into each other's souls. Youko yells at her like she's about to break down, but holding it all in.
"She's not coming back, she's DEAD! There's no point in acting like anything can change that, so stop telling us that bullshit!"
Everyone around them goes silent and stares. Kumiko's hands ball into fists as they shake, she's holding in crying, putting on a tough face. She snaps a little, shouting.
"You never listen to anything! You should've followed her when she left, you said she was fighting with you, right!? she's dead because you weren't there! You always fought with her over nothing!"
Youko's face twists into more anger, but it's not placed towards Kumiko.
"Do you think I don't know that!? You think I don't feel that eating away at me!? I'm trying to make this right in our own way! Stay the hell out of it!"
"Getting into some stupid fight with the Nagoya guys isn't going to bring her back, or make her happy! Just wait for her to come back! Her heart's beating again, she's alive, you d-dumbass!"
Her cuss comes out like a kid fumbling out a swear they're not supposed to. Mayumi just watches dumbfounded, she barely ever hears Kumiko yelling, let alone swearing and fighting with someone. Youko quickly turns around and motions for all of the other girls to follow her as she walks off. She responds in an icy cold, smooth tone.
"We don't know if she'll ever wake up. I'm not going to wait on what if's."
Kumiko just stands there with a heartbroken and angry expression, frustration painted all over her face as she feels powerless to do anything. But for Mayumi, it's a different story.
Mayumi looks frozen but her eye suddenly twitches. She looks over at Lena
"Lena. Please tell me there's some other way to communicate with someone. I don't care what it is."
Lena blinks a few times curiously.
"Why? Isn't fighting just something you all do?"
Mayumi looks like she's holding in a giant fit of rage and panic all at the same time.
"Youko doesn't exactly know when she's gone too far."
She points over at the chains hanging from the right of Youko's skirt almost like a lasso.
"She's going to bring weapons. And she probably told everyone else to as well."
Lena's eyes widen a little as she realizes.
"She's probably gonna-"
"SHE'S GONNA KILL THEM!"
Both of them panic, and dash at each other. Lena begins shouting and both of them talk in a frantic and panicked tone.
"Why are all your friends crazy!? Spirit World doesn't have anyone else from your group or theirs in the books to die either! None of this should even be happening since YOU shouldn't be dead! This'll make my life way harder!"
"Why the hell would I know!? None of that's my problem, the last thing I need is her and everyone killing them over me! They're gonna ruin their lives!"
Lena raises a finger and smiles suddenly.
"I bet she won't kill anyone, and neither will your friends! You all fight people all the time right? You all know how to hold back from that!"
"When we fight, it's usually not because someone we know just died! None of them are in a good enough mental state to be fighting!"
Lena's finger curls and her face is covered in worry again.
"Okay, okay! I didn't want to mention this because it's really a bad time, but this is a last ditch thing! You need to possess her body!"
"What!? Why the hell didn't you tell me I could do that earlier!?
"This might be your last chance to ever talk to anyone as a ghost!"
"What, so I am going to die!?"
"Are you stupid or something!? When did I ever even say that!? Just go do it before she finds the Nagoya people!"
Mayumi quickly darts over to them and jumps into Youko, phasing through. She waves her arms around at Lena and begins yelling.
"How do I even do this!?"
"Calm down! Let me do my job!"
Lena floats above Youko quickly and flicks her right index finger up. Suddenly Youko's eyes go wide and she stops moving, slumping over a bit. Mayumi sees a ball of light fly up towards Lena and stop.
"I have her soul, what are you waiting for!? you only have 30 minutes in her body!"
"You could've told me that you bitch!"
She jumps into Youko again and in an instant she's suddenly looking somewhere else than she just was. She darts her head around and looks at her hands and they're a bit calloused. She talks but her voice is raspy. It's Youko's.
"I really am in Youko…"
One of the girls in their gang looks confused and walks up to her side, and puts a hand on her shoulder.
"You okay, Youko? You froze up there…"
Mayumi blinks a few times and suddenly steps back and away from them. She points at them.
"Change of plans, we're fighting them some other time! I gotta go, uh… study!"
The other girl's faces all turn completely dumbfounded. They all look at each other and then back at Youko a few times.
"But we all-"
"GO THE HELL HOME! I TOLD YOU WERE NOT DOING IT TODAY!"
All the girls panic and yell, darting in different directions like scattering mice, shouting that Youko's lost it.
Mayumi panics a bit when they all run away.
"Oh god dammit, I forgot to ask what Youko's address is! I haven't been over in like 2 years!"
Mayumi looks around and notices a slightly scared and confused Kumiko looking at all the girls running away. She bolts over, gently grabbing her shoulders. Kumiko's head quickly turns and looks Mayumi in the eyes.
"Kumiko, where does Youko live again!?"
Kumiko's eyes widen and she looks dumbfounded. Her lips tremble a little.
"...M-Mayumi…?"
Mayumi shakes her head and speaks a mile a minute.
"Yeah, it's me! I only got 30 minutes in Youko's body! You remember where she lives!?"
Kumiko suddenly snaps out of her thoughts and realizes the gravity of this whole situation.
"S-She lives by that ramen place we go to, right!? I don't remember the exact address!"
Mayumi sighs and shakes her head.
"How did I forget that!? Whatever, thanks Kumiko. Also, thanks for actually believing what I told you, unlike this jackass. I'll be back soon."
Mayumi quickly lets go and runs off in the direction of the shop. Kumiko reaches out to her but gently pulls her hand back with a weak smile.
"I know you will…"
Mayumi runs like a marathon runner through an alley, turning a corner and skidding across the cement. She thinks as she runs.
"Youko has a lot of stamina, thank God for that. It's surreal being back alive… kinda."
She looks down at the uniform.
'Never thought I would just… be Youko. At least she takes care of the uniforms I make, there's not even a rip in it… why am I even focusing on this!?"
She turns another corner and smashes her face into someone. She reels back and before she can shout obscenities at them, she sees it's a group of girls, and they all point at her.
"Hey, that's her! The leader of that group we fought a few weeks ago!"
Mayumi recognizes the school uniforms.
"You're those dumbasses from Kazama! Get out of my way, I'm not-"
"What, scared!? We're gonna beat you up so bad even kittens won't even look at you!"
Mayumi feels all her anger from the past while boiling over. She decides a few minutes couldn't hurt…
"I have been having a REAL bad set of days! I'm gonna rip all your damn teeth out!"
Mayumi makes the first move, running towards the leader, instantly grabbing her hair, and flinging it down straight into her knee and punching the top of her head at the same time.
"I am not having a repeat of my last group fight!"
After a few minutes of beating everyone up…
"Dammit, I got Youko all hurt… group fights aren't my thing. Whatever, she can deal with that herself. What she gets for not being choosy with her fights."
Mayumi quickly walks down the street, trying to find Youko's place.
"Look for the motorcycle- there it is!"
Mayumi's face lights up and she darts towards the two story house with a motorcycle out front. She quickly flings the door open and bolts in, running for the stairs.
That is, until a fist smashes down on the back of her head. She reels and looks behind her. Before she can yell at them, she freezes.
It's Youko's big brother.
"Take your shoes off! You've been so damn annoying lately! And I can see all those bruises, stop fighting with everyone!"
Mayumi realizes she has to act normal. But she has no idea what that even means for these two. She quickly just tries to throw together what she imagines Youko would say.
"Y-You don't have to hit me! Damn! I'm going!"
She thinks to herself, "Damn I'm good!"
Her brother just sighs and goes back to the kitchen. Mayumi quickly walks back to the door and kicks her shoes off, setting them next to Youko's brothers. She then bolts up stairs.
She quickly gets into Youko's room and closes the door. The room is full of American rock and roll memorabilia. Posters of bands and singers are plastered on every wall, with tapes and records strewn about everywhere messily. Mayumi practically flings herself over to Youko's desk, and opens drawers like a madman trying to find some paper and a pen.
"There!"
She quickly puts the paper down and begins writing.
"Youko, I had to possess your body to make you stop being a dumbass. Stop riding your high horse and thinking that I need you of all people to avenge me, especially when I'm coming back. Kumiko has told you 80 damn times I've talked to her, and now I'm apparently using one of my last chances to talk to anyone while I'm dead on this bullshit. Stop being stupid. And listen to Kumiko. This should be proof enough."
Mayumi drops the pen and flicks her hand, it getting cramped from writing so fast. She sighs and her head crashes down onto the desk. She feels exhausted. Being in someone else's body just isn't for her.
"How much time-"
Suddenly she's standing behind Youko. She blinks a few times and looks around.
"I guess that much time."
Lena is standing over Youko, panting. She looks over and shoots a death glare at Mayumi.
"I had to hold her soul extra long! You know how hard that is!? You should've just avoided fighting those girls!"
"How did you want me to do that!?"
They're both cut off from the arguing by Youko shooting up in her seat. She panics and looks everywhere, stammering. Her eyes land on the paper, and she quickly grabs it and reads it. Her face morphs from panic, to unadulterated anger.
"GOD DAMMIT MAYUMI! I'M-"
Suddenly her door is kicked open by her brother, it sounding like the lock broke.
"WHY ARE YOU YELLING LIKE SOMEONES KILLING YOU?"
"SCHOOL STUFF!"
"STOP YELLING! IT'S TOO LOUD!"
"OKAY, I'M SORRY! JUST GET OUT OF MY DAMN ROOM!"
"OKAY!"
He smiles so gently you'd think he could heal all that's wrong in the world, and then closes the door gently. Youko turns to the bed and grumbles.
"I'll show you, Mayumi. You better come talk to me in my sleep! I don't care if you used up one of your last chances! I can feel you in here!"
She quickly plops down on her bed and closes her eyes, somehow doing that aggressively.
Mayumi and Lena just stand there. Absolutely dumbfounded. They stare blankly at the mirror above the desk. Lena talks quietly.
"...How do you go to sleep aggressively?"
"...I don't know."
"...Youko's got an interesting brother."
"...Yeah."
Mayumi and Lena walk up to the side of Youko's bed. Mayumi crouching a bit to look at Youko.
"She's stupid if she thinks she can just sleep like tha-"
"My, she's already asleep…"
Mayumi groans and looks at Youko. Lena looks over and perks up, speaking quick.
"Before you talk to her, let me tell you about the whole 'maybe last time' thing! Look, the rules about this don't take effect until tomorrow night. Enma Jr. wanted to cut you a little slack! He made the rule say it's only people you're close to that you can't talk to from now on, so everyone else will still be free game. That's just how these tests work."
"I guess kissing ass can have its advantages sometimes. Anyway, go tell guys that they're gonna die or whatever you like doing for a while. I have a feeling Youko is gonna be a handful."
Lena sighs and shrugs with a smile.
"Part of my job is hanging around, even if you don't need me. I'll be close by, just ring me up if you need me!"
Mayumi waves her hand behind her to dismiss Lena and closes her eyes, focusing on Youko. She feels herself become lighter and reopens her eyes, to be greeted with a white, semi-pastel orange void. She turns in every direction to see if she can spot anything.
"...aayyuMIIII!"
Shouting from the top of Youko's lungs can be heard in the distance and she darts at Mayumi. Mayumi turns and puts her hands out in a panicked attempt to stop Youko.
"Calm down! You told me to come here!"
Youko's running turns more into a fast paced and aggressive walk as she comes up to Mayumi. Mayumi keeps her angry expression on, despite her confusion, and Youko grabs her uniform collar, pulling her angrily towards herself. Her voice has an angry but quiet tone, she speaks firmly.
"Do you have any idea how much Kumiko seeing you dead affected her? The way she broke down and held your body? The words she was saying to you?"
Mayumi's eyes widen and she keeps her eyebrows furrowed. She looks away and can't look Youko in the eyes.
"Like I wanted to see you all looking at my body-"
"Look at me."
The anger in her voice drew in Mayumi, her head turning to allow her eyes to slowly meet Youko's again. Youko stares deep into her eyes, speaking with absolute sincerity and anger.
"You didn't want to see us looking at your body? Do you think we wanted to FIND IT? You always do this, every. Damn. Time. You get into some problem, and NEVER ask anyone for help. If you just came back to the lot-
"Don't you even START , Youko. Did your dumbass little brain forget what you told me when I left? To not come to you crying about my problems? Did you ever think that might make me not want to come to you for help, you shithead!?"
"You know DAMN WELL we don't mean that! How many times have we had stupid little fights that meant nothing!?"
Mayumi pushes off of Youko, sighing with her eyes closed.
"Listen. Let's not spend our whole time here arguing. I don't need you going and getting into fights to avenge me or whatever. That's not what I want."
"I let you die."
Mayumi's eyes open and widen a bit as she hears the almost broken tone of Youko's voice.
"What kind of leader am I? I'm supposed to be there for everyone. To bring all of you up, help us stick together. And I let you go and die like that."
Her face scrunches up a bit and her hand moves up to cover it.
"...I'm sorry, Mayumi…"
Mayumi just stares for a few moments at Youko trying to not break down. She sighs and walks over, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.
"Hey. It's okay. I don't know why you and Kumiko keep blaming yourselves over what I chose to do myself, but you need to stop. I especially don't want you going and getting yourselves killed. Especially when I'm gonna be back."
Youko tries to suppress a sniffle and rubs her face a bit. She has a genuine but sad grin on her face.
"You either say the stupidest shit I've ever heard or make everything feel better, there's no in between with you."
Mayumi laughs a little.
"What's that supposed to mean!? I'm never consoling you again!"
Mayumi spends the next while explaining the situation and what she has to do to come back.
"...A toddler gave you an egg as a test? You should've come up with something better if you're gonna bullshit me."
"Shut up. I know it's stupid. I don't even know what's in this thing."
Mayumi holds it out and they both lean in to look at it. Youko raises an eyebrow.
"What even lives in Spirit World that could be hatched from an egg? You said there were ogres, and that Lena girl is a Grim Reaper. But there's no way they come outta this thing."
Mayumi's face twists into concern and she groans a little.
"Think this is like, Koenma's pet or something and he's gonna make me raise it since he doesn't wanna?"
Youko's face turns into dumbfounded curiosity and she looks at Mayumi.
"Man, that sucks. You gotta babysit some weird Spirit World animal to come back to life. I don't envy you."
"You really think that's what they're making me do?"
Mayumi raises the egg to her eyes.
"I don't even know how long that'd take. I hope that isn't what he actually is having me do."
"Hey, speaking of which. That Lena girl."
Mayumi looks back at Youko.
"What about her?"
"You better not be playing Kumiko."
Mayumi becomes visibly angry.
"What's your problem!? I'm not interested in a Grim Reaper! And I'm not dating Kumiko! She's a girl!"
Youko shakes her head and closes her eyes. She puts her hand on Mayumi's shoulder.
"Just admit it. It'll be better than your shitty act of hiding it."
Mayumi's face is both blushing red and angry. She smacks Youko's hand away and crosses her arms.
"We're done talking about this."
Youko shrugs.
"You're so stupid it hurts."
Mayumi quickly tries to change the subject and points at Youko angrily.
"I got a question myself! Why do you have my sewing machine!?"
Youko raises an eyebrow and stands up. Her desk materializes behind her.
"This thing?"
She points at the sewing machine. Mayumi stands up and walks over to it.
"Yes, that thing. How did you even get it!?"
"I thought you said you were there at the wake. You didn't see me ask your dad for it?"
Mayumi raises an eyebrow and looks over at Youko.
"No. I left before that. Why did you even want it?"
"Who else is gonna fix up our uniforms when they get all ripped up? I had to take it. …And I wanted it to remember you by. Like a memento."
Mayumi just looks at her and back at the sewing machine. She feels a little touched by that sentiment.
"...You're so cheesy."
"Screw you! That's the thanks I get!?"
Mayumi waves her hand dismissively and sighs.
"Do you even know how to use this thing?"
Youko freezes for a moment and sighs.
"...No. I've been trying to learn but it's stupid."
"You're the stupid one. It's the easiest shit ever. I'll teach you, cmon."
She sits down in the chair and beckons Youko closer.
Mayumi spends the rest of her time with Youko teaching her how to sew. It's 11:59, and they both stand there with melancholic expressions.
"..It was nice talking to you, Youko."
"Yeah. Thanks for getting me back to my senses. You're always the one picking up after our messes."
They both laugh. Mayumi smiles and Youko shakes her head.
"It's stupid that they won't let you talk to anyone you're close to after tonight."
"I know. They want me back but make it so stupid and hard."
Youko puts a hand on Mayumi's shoulder.
"Don't push yourself. We're all waiting for you, no matter how long it takes. Especially Kumiko. Expect her to be all over you when you come back.
Mayumi sighs and her cheeks turn a little pink.
"I should kick your ass for saying stuff like that. …But thanks. I look forward to it."
They both smile and Mayumi begins to fade away slowly.
"Guess it's time. See ya, Youko."
"See ya."
Youko puts her hand up in a slow wave as Mayumi has a grin spread across her face. She fades away, for the last time anyone will see her until she comes back. Youko puts her hands in her pockets and softly tears up, shakily sighing.
Notes: This one took longer than I wanted to write. Hopefully its length makes up for it. I updated the first few chapters and added some art I commissioned during the downtime! Thanks for reading! Next chapter shouldn't be as long of a wait! I had a manga page for the beginning of the series commissioned, its on the AO3 version of this story! If you're interested in seeing it, look at it there. It's in chapter 2. I'd put it here, but you can't upload images unfortunately. Thank you for reading!