Custody War

Part 3

Ugghh! Where am I?

Yuu's vision clears up, and she sees a white ceiling.

I'm in a hospital. Wait...I'M IN A HOSPITAL!

Yuu jolts up with life, scaring the doctor and the few friends in her hospital room.

I've got to get out of here before I pay $20,000 for needed medical services! That's money I don't have!

Yuu jumps out of bed and runs out of her room. She dodges the people stopping her and dashes to the hospital door. Phillip tackles Yuu and holds her down.

"NO! NO! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME PAY YOUR OUTRAGEOUS PRICES FOR HEALTHCARE!" Yuu screams, struggling in Phillip's grip.

"Yuu, stop! Nobody is making you pay for healthcare! It's free!" Phillip exclaims, holding Yuu by the waist.

"Oh...that-that's great. Why am I in the hospital?" Yuu asks, calming down and going back to her room.

"Yuu, you fainted during our morning jog when your friends from NRC and Coach Vargas attempted to take you back. Your body couldn't take the physical and mental stress. The doctor said you need to rest and not put more stress on your body. Come, I'll take you to the RSA carriage, and you can sleep on the way," Phillip explains, picking up Yuu and carrying her princess style. "Neige and Thorne are already packing up the gifts people gave you in the hospital."

Yuu clings to Phillip's shoulders as he walks out into the hospital parking lot. He opens the door to the carriage and puts Yuu inside, and gets in next to her. Phillip knocks on the door, and the carriage starts to move.

"Phillip, what time is it?" Yuu asks, wondering if she slept through the whole day.

"1:30 PM. You were out for about an hour and thirty minutes. You'll be back in time for lunch," Phillip answers, letting Yuu rest on his shoulder. "Don't worry about Grim. He's still learning magic and getting fed."

"Yay..." Yuu whispers, falling asleep on Phillip's shoulder.

Yuu slept through the rest of the carriage ride, and Phillip carried her sleeping body inside. He goes to the cafeteria and places her next to Neige. Then he leaves to get food for her and him. Yuu wakes up to the sound of plates and looks at the food in front of her.

"Hi, sorry I woke you up. I got you baked chicken, rice, strawberry tarts, and a nice cold glass of lemonade," Phillip says, kissing Yuu's hand. "Eat up."

Yuu takes a fork and knife and begins to cut her chicken, only to be stopped by Phillip.

"Ah-ah. Didn't I tell you? From now on, you won't be lifting a finger. You need R&R," Phillip says, cutting Yuu's food.

~~~~~~

"UGGGHHH! I can't stand this Phillip fucker!" Crowley screams, using his magic to spy on Yuu.

"I know! He's so-so-so chivalrous!" Deuce yells, going back to his thug demeanor. "Why do our plans keep being foiled?!"

"Don't know! But why don't we get Malleus to transport Yuu back to Ramshackle dorm?" Crowley suggests, even though Malleus already got caught.

"Yeah, that might work. Besides, you can already see where Yuu is. We just have to tell Malleus when to teleport to Yuu," Ace says, looking at Yuu eating.

Crowley summons Malleus to his office, and the moment when Yuu goes to her bed to take a nap, he sends Malleus in. Malleus gently picks up Yuu and teleports her back to Ramshackle. Yuu stayed asleep for the rest of the day and into the night until she woke up freezing cold.

Why do the ghosts look so weird? They look less puffy and more human.

Yuu forces herself up and walks to the nearest mirror.

I look like Idia. My lips are blue!

"Hey, ghosts, what's wrong with me?" Yuu asks, looking at the concerned and sadness-struck ghosts.

"Yuu, you don't have much time left. Warm-up before it's too late," The sporty ghost says, feeling mercy for the poor girl.

Unfortunately, Yuu had been left out in the cold for too long due to Ramshackle having no heating. Now it's up to Yuu to survive or become another ghost in Ramshackle.

I've got to get out of here before I die.

Yuu runs out of Ramshackle and into the forest, hoping her body will warm up if she keeps running. She comes across the cottage and runs straight to the bathroom. She throws the shower onto hot and jumps inside, not caring that her clothes are on. The hot water delivers a painful sensation to her skin, and she screams.

Someone come and save me! Help me, please!

Yuu passes out in the shower, her body warming up. Warming up all alone.

~~~~~~

"Yuu...Yuu...Yuu!" Someone calls, shaking Yuu up.

Yuu's eyes open, and she sees the blurry figure of what looks like Phillip.

"Phillip..." Yuu mumbles as Phillip puts a towel over her.

"Yes, it's me, Phillip. Everyone was searching for you. Come on, keep your eyes open. What's your favorite song?" Phillip says, frantically trying to keep Yuu awake until everyone else gets there.

"Into the woods. I liked the movie and play version," Yuu answers softly. "Into the Woods, It's time to go, I hate to leave, I have to though. Into the woods-it's time, and so I must begin my journey."

"Into the Woods, And through the trees, To where I am, Expected ma'am, Into the Woods, To Grandmother's house- Into the woods, To Grandmother's house-" Phillip whisper-sings, putting his forehead next to Yuu's.

Yuu and Phillip sing the entirety of Into the Woods until the RSA staff come to get Yuu back.

~~~~~~

"Is Yuu going to be alright?" Phillip asks, sitting down next to Yuu in the nurse's bed.

"She'll be fine. She'll need extra rest and warm fluids," Ambrose answers, getting angry at what happened to Yuu. "Tell me when she tells you what happened. I've got a call to make."

Ambrose storms to his office, everyone steering clear of his path. The door to his office slammed, and Ambrose furiously dials Crowley.

"Oh, hi Ambrose. Why are you calling so late?" Crowley asks, putting his feet up on his desk.

"Crowley, you've gone too far! Did you even know where Yuu was today?!" Ambrose yells, shocking the birdman.

"As far as I know, Yuu's in Ramshackle. Why are you asking?" Crowley asks, wondering why the old man is so upset.

"Tell me why Yuu was found in Snow White's old cottage, shivering, lips turning blue! She was dying of hypothermia, and I had to lie to one of my students that Yuu might actually be ok! Yuu was going to be dead!" Ambrose yells, silence on the other end.

"I'm sorry..." Crowley says, hanging up the phone afterward. "I'm so sorry, Yuu. I'm sorry I failed as your guardian."