Yuletide Yukiko Reunion

Aimi’s cafe was dressed up for the holidays. Christmas decorations were plentiful from gingerbread houses at every table to special colored candles at the front counter. Chris, the Fictional Traveler, walked in the cafe revealing the wreath that was set up at the front door. “Happy holidays,” he chirped to Aimi.

Aimi with her pink hair and tall busty figure turned around. “Ah, Chris,” she greeted him, “Same to you! Come and take a seat.”

Chris delightfully did as he was told. His fox tail raised up as his anthropomorphic self plopped down onto the chair at a table near the center of the cafe. He adjusted his glasses.

Aimi tilted her head and asked, “No Chrissy tonight?”

“Nah,” Chris answered, “She’s busy helping Ashley keep things in line at the bookstore. Though, we did share some Christmas cookies back at home.”

“That sounds so sweet, Chris!” Aimi pulled out her notebook and pen. “So, what are we having this evening?”

“The usual,” Chris answered, “The Eggnog Special!”

After Aimi penned his order, two more customers came in. One was an anthropomorphic hyena with explorer shorts ripped at the bottom and a jacket with gray tank-top underneath. The other was a shiny Zorua that had glasses just like Chris. He also had a collar with a red sphere hanging down that looked like a ball gag. “Happy holidays,” the hyena exclaimed.

“Misty, Marrow!” Chris waved to his friends and invited them over to his table. As they sat across from him, Aimi asked for their orders too.

Misty told her, “I’ll take an iced coffee.”

Marrow told Aimi, “Espresso for me.”

“Okay,” Aimi nodded, “I’ll get right on it!” As she finished writing the orders down and began her trek into the kitchen, the front door opened one more time.

“Merry Christmas, bestie!”

Aimi stopped in her tracks and turned around to the sound of the voice. She gasped.

There was a girl wearing shorts, green Sketchers, and a black & white hoodie that was cropped at the front with a tank-top underneath of the same colors. She had glistening gray hair and sparkling blue eyes like Aimi’s.

“Yukiko,” Aimi said softly, “Is it really you?”

Yukiko nodded. “I’m home, Aimi!”

Aimi dropped her notebook and pen, running up to Yukiko and hugging her tightly.

Marrow gagged at the reunion. Misty smiled warmly.

“It’s been so long,” Aimi asked, “What have you been doing all this time?”

“Oh, y’know,” Yukiko explained, “Roller-skating, olympics training, cross-country, and more. I had to keep my physique up somehow. More importantly, Aimi, what have you been up to? I see you’ve got a cafe and some customers by the looks of it!” Marrow, Misty, and Chris waved.

“Oh,” Aimi said, “These aren’t just customers. They’re some friends I’ve made here in Zoruopolis! Chris, Marrow, and Misty.”

Yukiko winked. “Sounds like you’ve been doing more than I thought,” she said, “So, are you planning on coming back to Buffer Beach for the summer?”

Aimi nodded. “You bet. We could both use another vacation next year,” she said.

“Another?” Misty asked them both. “You mean this isn’t your first time?”

“We do this every year,” Yukiko elaborated, “She flies over to Buffer Beach and we get together. We go on jogs, watch movies, hang out at the actual beach, and more!”

“I’ve been there too,” Chris spoke up, “And didn’t they add a boardwalk with some rides near the coast recently?”

Yukiko nodded and said, “It’s been open for a month now. I haven’t gotten to try any of the rides yet, but I totally want to go on the ‘Super YoYo Swing’ ride when I do go. It swings at--”

“--One-hundred and twenty miles-per-hour,” Chris interjected. Yukiko smirked.

“Well, aren’t you astute,” she said to him, “Are you sure you haven’t gone there in secret?”

“With Chris,” Marrow quipped, “He probably read so much about it that it plays back in his brain.” Everyone got a laugh out of that, even Chris. After a few more minutes of conversation, they all gathered around at the cafe to have their drinks and some candy Yukiko brought for the trip. Chris and Marrow both ate piece by piece with Chris taking sips of his Eggnog-flavored milkshake after almost every bite. Aimi and Yukiko gobbled their share of candy down. Misty could wait on her candy as the sight of the two girls gobbling their candy down like animals was entertainment enough for her, so she just focused on her iced coffee.

All of a sudden, the doors flew open to the cafe. Glodis the alien from Globarb, Sophia the pink rabbit, Aqua the waterbender, and Gladys the alien rabbit-like space traveler all peeked their heads through the door. “Earthlings,” Glodis exclaimed, “The tradition with lights and flying is about to begin!”

---

Outside of the cafe in the main Zoruopolis streets was a spectacular light show. Neon lights across the buildings and a gigantic Christmas tree in the heart of the city. Everyone was present and accounted for with this celebration.

Glodis pointed to the top of the tree. Folklore stood proudly there with a glowing red nose. Riding on their back was a being of cosmic proportions; blue streams of energy flowed like water from their scarf. Cosmo the anthropomorphic Cosmog.

Folklore nodded their head towards the tip of the tree. Cosmo held out the palm of their hand to it. Their hand was covered by a beautiful glove, and it began to emanate a river of galactic and wholesome life to the giant tree. The tree became aglow with red and green lights with a cosmic holographic star spinning slowly at the top. The crowd below erupted into applause as Cosmo and Folklore bowed.

Christmas was alive.