Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 128: Arc 3, - 38: Our Moments Part I

With the door closed, Jotou checked the sword in her sheath. Stood alone with the redhead, the light of the morning turned to afternoon through the windows.

"So," Hotaru looked to Jotou, a pensive smile as her tail swayed rhythmically from left to right, "What did you want to tell me?"

"Well, I’ll go through any moments I’ve had with you over the course of the four time loops so far and see if there’s some detail I missed," Jotou pondered.

"Alright, where do we start?"

"I guess, the first loop, after Aviv told us about our trip being delayed because of the ban."

"Aviv?"

"Oh sorry, the driver’s name. I picked it up."

"Hm, go on then."

"You got really distraught about it, but we eventually just decided to see what’s around Hartamat. Asobi and Fumeko were melting in the heat so we tried to cool them off.

We went through the city, exploring till we found a barber shop and Fumeko ran in there, taking Asobi for fashion advice. We were left outside.

You bought a blue parasol, it had little red flowers on it and it caught your eye immediately. While you stood under it, you called me over since I hated the heat.

You said, not to worry, that the province of Cravolta and Cravolta City aren’t this hot. Only Galuvit and Alsham are primarily. And that Northern Cravolta’s actually colder than Kria.

And I asked, did the umbrella come with a geography lesson?

You said no, but you wouldn’t deny payment.

I said, with all our money you keep? Sure, you could bury us six feet under and run away with all of it.

You wouldn’t dare invoke the might of the Thundering Blade. And it brought up the fact that I still use an outdated measuring system in this world.

I said that I used it in my old world and kinda made fun of you for not teaching me everything. To which, you splashed my face with a rejuvenate spell.

I zapped you a little with spark and you acted hurt only to get me by hiding a giant water ball and ’cooled’ me off when I fell for your trap," as her story went Jotou caught herself smiling.

Hotaru could only smile in return, "It does sound like something I’d do," she giggled.

Jotou peered to her, "You asked why Meko would choose Sobi and I said Meko’s probably just jealous, since you’re really beautiful and responsible and kind... Or at least that’s what my paranoia thought."

Hotaru’s eyes narrowed, "If you were thinking about what’s she was thinking... Then those things you said, you must think that of me?" she blushed, her tail beginning to wag faster.

"Uh..." Jotou chuckled and looked away, "That’s, I think what you said too, word for word..."

"Really? Then, what did you say?"

"Yeah, before I could say anything Fumeko and Asobi came out; Fumeko had her hair combed, had it cut and turned into twin-tails."

"I, never thought I’d see the day."

"I know right? Anyway, we split up after so that we could go find the reason for the ban and see if we could get out. I chose to go with you.

We found the police station after asking some locals and the police directed us to the minister. That’s also when I learned that Galuvit’s the chocolate capital of the world."

Hotaru’s eyes widened and her ears bristled to those words alone, "And... wha-what did I, say after that?"

The blonde’s lips curled into a sinister grin, "Oh nothing." ’Yet.’ "You said we should get a pass and I suggested the other way. You told me we’re not in Kria and I said it’s up to a party vote.

You, asked, if you could sway my vote to a no. I said you can try and you said you have your ways for sure and skipped away.

Which I still never got an answer to. It was still you, any idea what you meant by, ’your ways’ to sway my vote?" Jotou crossed her arms

"Oh, uhm," Hotaru peered to her right, the door closed for stopping a quick escape from the situation... "Probably just a joke. What happened next?" she squeaked, her lips wriggling into a smile.

Jotou leered... "Fine, keep your secrets. We waited for the minister and they provided chocolate," she grinned slowly, that mischievous tone on every inch of the blonde’s face.

Hotaru’s ears fell, her tail simply stopped. She stared into Jotou’s soul, "No, don’t, don’t tell me..."

"You couldn’t control a single part of yourself as you laid waste to the plate of chocolates all on your own," Jotou shook her head dismissively.

"Noooo..." Hotaru held her ears, "No, no, no!"

"Oh, yes, yes, yes. Didn’t even leave one for me or the minister. You looked so satisfied with yourself."

"Stop it! I know what you’re doing, stop it!"

Jotou laughed, childlike, "I’m sorry. You looked really happy doing it, really. Till you realized you were. Anyway, then you went full-lawyer and basically had the minister on the ropes; impressive as always."

"Oh," Hotaru calmed down, "That’s, that’s better to hear."

"And, that’s when we got commissioned and we accepted, after considering the fame we’d get for our party’s reputation and the twenty armite."

"It would’ve been pointless for us not to, though, with the insight you have now..." Hotaru’s ears folded.

The smile wiped away from the blonde, "Yeah... Okay, what’s next, uhm, we met with the general, then, oh yeah!" Jotou snapped her fingers, "A kid tried to steal your purse."

"And then we had to go to the police station?" Hotaru furrowed her brows, trying to guess.

"Uh, no actually. Fumeko caught the kid and we were going to, but then we stopped and talked to the kid. He told a sob story and you gave him two gold pieces and told him not to steal and find a job... then he ran away."

"Hm," Hotaru looked to the floor, "I suppose, I would’ve thought, putting him in jail would be pointless. You said it’s a just a kid, right? Better to make him think about it than punishing him like a convict."

Jotou stared at the redhead just as she stared back at the blonde. ’She always takes great care in her decisions. Does that mean, last loop, her decision was to completely follow me?

And I led her into a mess like that... Even so, that kid was a thief for some other reason; he lied to us. Do I... tell her that?’ "The kid, he was lying; I found out last time. He seemed well off." ’No more secrets.’

"Oh," Hotaru blinked, "I, wouldn’t have known that I guess."

"But you can’t control that. You can only control your decisions and how they might affect others," Jotou repeated, barely a blink. A conversation under the stars upon a roof reflected in her memories.

A smile crept up on Hotaru, "Yes. I’m, glad you remember that..."

"I didn’t," Jotou pouted, "All through the mess of being thrown back in time and seeing you, die... It completely slipped my mind; like everything, I just, threw away everything and tried to change the future."

Hotaru placed a hand on the blonde’s shoulder, "Well, you remember now, don’t you? Try not to forget it."

"I’m sorry I ever-" Jotou shook her head, "Thanks; I will. Let me, uhm, continue with the story."

"Right," Hotaru removed her hand, "This is, when..."

"There’s actually, a moment before that. Which I, in the mess of everything... We were at the place, under the tent and you, checked how long my nails were."

"They are a little long," Hotaru peered to her hands.

"I said, you can just break them off and heal them and that you’re really good at that. Like you’ve, practiced... You agreed after an awkward moment. You said it’d hurt."

"It does."

"But it feels kinda nice since it’s from you," Jotou blushed, looking away, causing the same effect on Hotaru.

"Then...?"

"Then, Meko and Sobi were doing something and I said, they were like kids and you asked what was wrong with that. Which led you into asking me if I would want to have kids," Jotou gulped, "And then, we can go to the second loop-"

"Hang on," a flushed Hotaru looked back, "What did you answer?"

"Uh." ’You have to tell, everything Jotou... This is for the sake of ending these loops, you can stomach a little embarrassment.’

"I said... maybe and that I haven’t put much thought into it because I’m not good with kids."

"That’s a lie."

"Hey! Who’s telling the story here!?"

Hotaru let out a chuckle, "Fine, fine, what did I say?"

’This is revenge for the chocolate thing isn’t it?’ "You said exactly that," Jotou’s eyes glazed over. Hotaru grinned to the statement. "Anyway, you asked me how many I would have and I said zero, one or three.

You asked where’s two and I- I, I gave away that I have put thought into it; I’m just, paranoid, alright?" 𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

"That, you might have a child?" Hotaru’s brow raised.

"UGH! StoP!" ’How have I been the reason for dozens of slaughters? But she has the right to know all of this! Even if it hurts me!’

"It must’ve been a fun conversation. Though, you looking like a ripe tomato almost makes me feel like I’m in that moment," her tail wagged.

"Are you sure you’re not part fox?" Jotou glared.

"I had that same doubt about you," Hotaru beamed, her ears bristled.

Jotou groaned and sighed, "Moving on, you gave me a taste of my own medicine of being a smart-ass. There was only one other person who could keep up with me in the past.

You said you’d just have to beat whoever that is at my own game. It was, a challenge. Though, before that outcome could continue... After all of that, I woke up."

Hotaru’s ears fell, "Well, now that you’ve told me. I’m not backing down from that challenge."

"Hmph, the gall."

Hotaru chuckled, "Says Ms Stubborn herself."

’That’s right. I’m a determined idiot who’s stubborn and can’t take a hint. Hmph.’

Jotou smiled, "Moving on." ’They may not have their memories anymore. But as long as they believe me, I can give those memories to them. I have to tell everything, no cheating; the good, the bad and the ugly...’