(The person responsible for this knows who he or she is)
Her ears twitching, Mystia focuses a steely eye on her grill in the pale light of her lanterns. Before her lie three strips of filleted lamprey, sizzling away and quietly leaking clear oils. She focuses on the sizzle, ignoring the omnipresent crickets, waiting for the pitch to just change just so. There's a music in the sound of sizzling meat, one that she has grown to know as well as her own voice over the years. The distinctions between beef, venison and fish; the difference between frozen meat, thawed meat, and fresh meat; all practically genres in themselves to the ear of the experienced chef. She waits, waiting the juices slowly pour from the until they obtain just the right consistency. Then she closes her eyes, for they will no longer avail her. She listens as the sizzling slowly reaches its crescendo, arcing her head back to better let the interplay of meat and spice waft to her nostrils.
Almost...almost....there!
With a deft motion, she scoops up the three pieces of meat and deposits them on a plate. Following with a quick series of stabs, she places them on a skewer. Bringing the meat just below her nose, she inhales the aroma slowly. Just right. Exactly perfect. Hopeful, she takes a small bite from the topmost strip. Chewing it slowly, her face falls. She swallows, then sighs. Almost, but not quite right. The texture was close, properly crispy but still too chewy. The flavor just a little too sweet, a little too strong. Sighing again, she sets the skewer back on the plate. So close, yet so far. Does it need less spice? More spice?
"Oh B Vitamins~" comes a woman's sing-song voice from behind.
Mystia starts from the sudden sound, then slumps. "God. No."
Two arms clad in blue silk close around Mystia's waist, hugging her against the woman behind her. "Oh yes, my little Creatine," says the voice into her ear, "I could feel your disappointment from across the netherworld, and I couldn't just leave you alone here~"
"So you were spying on me, Yuyuko?" says Mystia, not turning around. She relaxes herself a bit, there's no point in fighting it now.
"You seemed very busy and it would be terribly impolite to have interrupted you," says Yuyuko, as she squeezes Mystia, "wouldn't you agree, my dear Protein?"
"But afterward is fine, then?" Mystia replies. She would give Yuyuko a sidelong glance, but being a night sparrow rather than an owl denies her the necessary range of motion.
"Why, it's only that you seemed like you needed a hug after your disappointment," says Yuyuko, squeezing harder. Seeing no point in trying to struggle any longer, Mystia leans back against her assailant. "But I must know, my little Niacin, whatever were you trying to make? It smells perfectly delicious."
Silence hangs in the air. Mystia closes her eyes, considering. "Are you alright, dear?" says Yuyuko.
"Yuyuko," Mystia says slowly, "I have the hunger."
"Oh my!" says Yuyuko.
Mystia stiffens and cries out as she feels the ghost princess' teeth gently bite into her ear. "N-not that, dammit!"
"Mmm, one thing at a time, my Riboflavin," Yuyuko mumbles through a mouthful of ear.
"No, I mean it!" Mystia says, gently twisting her head to remover her ear from Yuyuko's reach. "I...I haven't eaten anyone in years, and I can't stop thinking about it."
"It's better that way, my Thiamin," says Yuyuko. Mystia stiffens again as she feels her assailant's fingers trace along her stomach in a curious pattern. "It's so much better that way, don't you think? Isn't it nicer to have friends than meals you don't even need?"
Mystia sighs again, her breathing coming a little faster. "I know, I know. Everything you said is exactly right." And it was: since the bad old days came to a close, her customer base has surged. Not only that, it was wasn't so easy to eat someone after they had sincerely kinds words, or complimented one's voice. "But...I can't stop thinking about it. I can still taste it sometimes..."
"We'll do something about such niggling memories, my Pyridoxine," says Yuyuko. Mystia feels the ghost princess' left hand hand start to unbutton her dress, while her right continues its ministrations. "We'll do something about that right now~"
"Why can't I quit you?" Mystia answers through a shuddering breath as she feels Yuyuko's hand slip beneath her dress and continue to trace along her torso in teasing loops that work their way lower then higher.
"Oh, you should stop trying to fight it, dear Biotin," says Yuyuko. Mystia sighs as she feels the ghost princess' hands trace their way upwards and cradle her chest. "Isn't it so much better to sit back and enjoy things? Isn't that what we've learned since the old days? But the hunger is such a pain, isn't it? Let's do what we can for it, shall~" Mystia moans a little in response to the ghost princess' fingers, feeling it expresses her thoughts better than anything. "Though to be honest, wouldn't it be alright to just make a deal with a certain human? After all, it's not like they're going to use it once they're gone and-"
Mystia's suddenly opens her eyes, Yuyuko's hands forgotten. "That's it! Yuyuko, you're a genius!" Wasting no time, she disentangles herself from the ghost princess' grasp and starts running toward the human village. It's perfect, so simple and so elegant. If they could bring the fighting under control and make it beautiful, why not do the same with the hunger? And she knew just the place to start...
****
"Wait!" Yuyuko shouts as Mystia runs. "Wait! Or at least button up your dress!" She sighs, knowing her words weren't reaching Mystia. "Confound it, B vitamins, you weren't supposed to look into that until we were done..." She heaves a frustrated sigh, then takes the forgotten skewer in hand. "Oh well, it's a good thing I was saving you for later anyways..."
****
Up head, in the clear light of the waxing moon and stars, Mystia could see a outline of a farm house. Some distance outside of town, in the old days it would have been a tempting target for any hungry youkai. But now it is more of a target for mischievous faeries; she notes a badly concealed bucket resting atop a partially open barn door. A lone light shines through the one of the windows. Pausing to catch her breath and re-button her dress, Mystia considers removing the bucket for the residents. Then the light in the window goes out. "Gah! No! Wait!" she cries, and hurries across the field while fumbling with her last few buttons. Reaching the door, she gives it a solid knock before the occupant can go to bed. She finishes with her last button as the door opens.
A small, thin woman in a coarse nightgown peers out the door. Her hair is short and mussy, giving her something of a ratty look, while her tanned and weathered face makes her look a little bit older than she should. The woman regards Mystia with raised eyebrows, then says, "Did I leave something at the stand?"
"No no, nothing like that," says Mystia. "But I need to talk business with you. Right now. It's important."
"Thea?" comes a voice from inside, "Who's there?"
"It's Mystia from the lamprey stand, dear," answers the human woman, looking back into the darkened house. "We need to talk a bit; I'll come to bed in a little while."
"Alright," replies the voice, as Thea steps out and closes the door behind her. She sits down on the front steps, groaning a little. Mystia stares for a moment, trying to ignore her mouth watering. But she's right there, all nine or so stone of her. Enough for days of good eating. With just a little lemon and pepper rub, or maybe some chili juice if there's any to be had. And then the leftovers, minced and baked into a bun, and...No!
"Are you alright?" Thea asks.
"It's nothing," says Mystia, as she has a seat on the ground next to the stairs, looking toward the stars and away from the temptation. "Thea, I know this is sudden, and that you're just a regular and stuff, but I want to make a deal with you."
"I sold all my herbs for the day," says Thea. "You'll have to wait til tomorrow for me to get any more. Though if there's something you're looking for, I'll be happy to keep an eye out for you."
"No no, it's not about herbs," says Mystia, waving her hands and looking over toward Thea. "Well, it kinda is, but it's not about buying them. But it's important."
Thea nods. "I figure it'd have to be important to send you running up here in the dead of night with your dress buttoned wrong."
"Ack!" Mystia glares down at her dress for a moment. Stupid treacherous garment! And stupid ghost for taking it off to begin with! "Okay, just pretend you didn't see that."
Thea cackle a thin and reedy cackle. "I didn't see a thing. Now let's hear what you want."
Mystia turns the words over in her head for a moment, then says. "I want to buy your body."
There is silence. Mystia counts three heartbeats before Thea says, "...I'm happily married."
"No, not like that," says Mystia. "I've got more than enough of those problems already without making things even more complicated. What I mean is, well, you're going to die someday. And when you do, I want to take your body."
"What in the-" says Thea, before cutting herself off. Her voice hardens. "Wait. Wait. You want to eat me, don't you?"
Mystia nods. Thea starts to stand up. "Wait! Let me finish!"
"What is there to finish?" Thea asks, glaring down at Mystia. "I'm not some lump of meat for you!"
"Just let me say everything, first, okay?" says Mystia, "I'm not going to kill you or anything! And I'm not doing it for free!"
"Tch, fine," says Thea, sitting back down. "But I'll have you know if the shrine maiden ever gets wind of this, she'll beat your head in with one of those balls."
"Oh, I know that better than you could possibly imagine," says Mystia, frowning memories of the flower incident. "Anyways, this is what I was planning. I'll give you money now. And when you die, I'll come get your remains."
"I'm supposed to be buried, you know," Thea says, looking away from Mystia toward the ground. "It's important."
Mystia nods, as she hugs her legs to her chest. "Yeah. What I was thinking is this. We'll have the funeral, I'll even attend if you want, and then I'll take your remains with me. But I'll leave your bones in one piece. Don't worry, I'm really good at that. I debone fish all the time. Then, when that's done, I'll take them back and we bury them with all the proper rites."
"I still don't like it," says Thea. "Why did you ask me, anyways? Why not, I dunno, someone in town?"
"It's because of what you do," says Mystia. "You gather up herbs. So you have to do things like climb the mountains. Stuff that's dangerous. So, you have a high chance of being in an accident. Which means, well, you'd be in better condition than someone who went due to age. I mean, it's not a nice thing to say, but you're in more danger than most people."
Thea gives a nod and looks back to the sky. "Still don't care for it, but I see where you're coming from. Now I'm kinda wondering just what you were thinking to bribe me with."
"Well..." says Mystia, as she pulls out her purse and shows Thea the offer she had in mind. Silence dominates the air.
"So," Thea says at length, "will you expect me to drink soy sauce?"
****
It is late, uncomfortably close to sunrise, as Mystia reaches her stand and her home just behind it. Still, she can't help but sing a cheery song; it takes all of her self control not to jump and kick her heels together yet again! It worked! It actually worked! There's an end in sight now! It's one thing to deal with a craving that would never be sated. But now, it's only a matter of time. Perhaps it won't be as fresh as she'd like, but that's why one learns to be a chef to begin with. No more futile experiments that will never fill the hole. All that needs to be done with wait. She opens the front door of her house and walks inside. Closing it behind her, she kicks off her shoes and lets her eyes adjust to the gloom, and-
Woosh. Slam!
Mystia finds herself pinned against the door. In front of her, staring into her eyes, is the pink-haired ghost princess, her hands pressed against the door as she leans close to Mystia. She can feel Yuyuko's presently bare chest against her own, pushing her against the door as the Yuyuko leans in. "I've been waiting for you, B Vitamins," she says, smiling in a way that makes Mystia's stomach uncomfortable. "I hope you have tomorrow free, for we have a great deal of time to make up for. With interest, my dear little Folic Acid. My time is very valuable, and one must expect to pay heavy interest on such things..."
