burningblossoms | Recolle Inbox

Great. Thanks Yukiko.

If you find a game just bring it we'll find time to play.

Well, I'm not so easy to rattle I guess.

[That's about all she can say.]

You okay now, though?

[Eleanor didn't seem to know how to answer, and after a few seconds gave a half-shrug.]

Not really. But I can't imagine I'm going to be for a while.

[This was just going to take some adjustment. But they couldn't just keep standing here in an empty parking lot while she tried not to let herself start panicking again.]

...But I'll manage. [She smiled finally.] Want to go get an ice cream or something? I don't want to go home yet.

[Yukiko nods, taking a quick breath and patting Eleanor on the shoulder.]

Yeah, that's fine. I don't really feel like heading home either. Mom and dad are working late, and all that. So, ice cream it is.

Thanks.

[Eleanor started to move back towards the van, then stopped, hesitating, before she closed the distance between her and Yukiko and suddenly wrapped her in a hug, pressing her face into the other girl's shoulder.]

Seriously. Thanks.

[Yukiko holds on a little, patting Eleanor's head and nodding.]

It's fine, really. I'm here for you.

And I need that. [Okay. She honestly felt better now. She tugged away from the hug and started towards the van.]

You're kind of all I've got with this. Usually I would talk to my mother but-

[How would she explain any of it?]

Anyway. Ice cream. And talking about anything else please.

I think so. My uncle wants me to get checked out by a doctor just in case. I'm just not sure what to do about school.

Keep going? It's not the end of the world.

I wasn't going to stop going...

I don't like the idea of people staring, but there might be nothing for it.

Nope. There probably isn’t any helping that, but eh, they’ll get over it. You are still you.

... thanks, Yukiko-san. That's kind of you to say.

[ It's...it's nice being full-sized again. Like, really nice. SUPER nice. Yosuke always wished he was a little bit taller, but he's never been so happy to be regular Yosuke-height before. School is also infinitely more bearable, though it's driving him partially crazy that some of the teachers haven't noticed or even cared about the change. What is this world coming to...

Well, it's Friday. Which means weekend! So that puts Yosuke in a higher mood than he might be otherwise. As he's walking towards the bike rack, he spots a familiar head of long black hair. ]

Hey! [ He waves at Yukiko, forgoing his bike for the moment as he trots over to her. ] Looks like everyone's back to normal.

[Being able to get back in the van, take Al out for walks, and just generally not deal with the fact that she was five inches tall and killed a dragonfly with a glowing woman is nice too. Yukiko's never been so ecstatic to be able to sit in her seat normally.

And, weirdly? To hear that voice. Turning, she smiles over her shoulder and regards him.]

Looks like. You made it through alright?

[ He's always liked Yukiko well enough. Sure, she can be a little...intense at times, but for the most part she's been nice to him. So why wouldn't he? Even if he's (mostly) accepted that he's got zero chance with her, that doesn't mean they can't be friends, does it?

He comes to a stop and adjusts the strap of his bag on his shoulder. ]

Yeah, but there were definitely some close calls. I'm never going to look at a miniature poodle the same way again, let me tell you...

[ He...doesn't want to think about it. ]

But it's kinda frustrating to know we went through all of that but people don't seem to care, you know?

[Not a chance in heck, Yosuke. But friendship, well, that means more to her than romance anyway.]

Really? Al was pretty well behaved the whole time. I rode him around town.

[Pugwagons...]

But you're right. It's like nothing happened to the...uh...sleepers at all. I guess that's what they're like. I mean, they feel like they're asleep, you know? Oblivious.

You--...

[ Okay, that would've been kind of cool... ]

...well, I don't have any pets, so...missed opportunities, I guess.

[ He's not sad. (He's a little sad.) ]

"Sleepers"? Ahaha, man, that's totally what we should call them!

[Yosuke...]

I think so too. It fits quite well, I believe.

[She also feels glad someone else thinks it's cool because she's been trying to come up with a word for them for days.]

Um. did anything extraordinary happen to you, other than the shrinking? More hallucinomemories?

Yeah. Kind of makes me think of some sort of survival horror video game. Though...hopefully that's not what this is going to become.

[ Just putting that out there, universe. If you're listening. (Please be listening.) ]

Hm? Um, no, not really.

[ Yosuke shakes his head. ]

Wait, are you saying you did?

Um. Yes. memories and other stuff.

[Looking around the school, she frowns and nods towards the exit.]

Let me...show you something.

[This is seriously weird. But he's been in her visions, and she's seen him inside the TV. So...]

I don't want to freak out the sleepers though. So let's go the old practice field. It should be empty this time of year.

The practice field? Okay...

[ Okay, he's a little curious so to what she wants to show him, but he'll keep it on the DL.

So they make their way to the practice field, passing a few students who are leaving for the weekend, but just as Yukiko had hoped, it's empty. ]

Is everything okay?

[Yukiko nods very seriously, stepping out onto the field and turning around to face him once she's a few yards away.]

It's not just memories that've started happening, Yosuke.

[Spreading her arms wide, palms upturned towards the sky, she smiles and closes her eyes in concentration. Here's where things get weird.]

Please don't freak out.

[Curling her fingers upwards, she calls on that inner self, that spark deep down inside her. It's getting easier and easier with time and practice, becoming almost instinctive. After a moment, when she does make that connection...fire appears, little ping-pong ball sized balls of flame flickering to life above each palm.]

But...this happened.

[ Yuuko just calls her out of the blue one fine morning, as Yuuko does. ]

Yoohoo, Yukiko! You thought I disappeared from the face of the earth and assumed I was on hiatus, but it's not a hiatus if I don't officially announce it, is it? [ Is she breaking the fourth wall? Who knows... ] Anyway, are you free? Let's play a game!

[This is a little out of the blue, but Yukiko picks up.]

I...thought you were just busy, Yuuko. [You know, as you do.]

But I'm free, yes. What sort of game?

[ Please don't freak out, she says...

Does she know who she's talking to?

Yosuke is, admittedly, very curious. He knows that things have happened like hair and eye color changing, people suddenly speaking new languages, etc. But he isn't at all prepared for this.

He watches intently, eyes suddenly going wide when she goes all X-Men on him. Yosuke jumps. ]

...Holy shit!?

[ Yeah about that not freaking out... ]

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