Reincarnated Into A Dead Woman's Body In Another World-Chapter 132: Arc 3, - 42: Frozen Tears Part I

"Fine, I’ll get her. You get thirty minutes," Fumeko stood by the door.

"How about, I’ll tell Asobi to come get you once I talked with her?" Jotou smirked, "No need to be jealous; I gave you my answer, didn’t I?"

"Ugh! Fine!" the door did not slam, though the brunette gave a little smile as she left.

Jotou took a deep breath, "Okay Jotou, one person left. And yet somehow, the least and most complicated..."

’I wish I could say I know Asobi as well as Fumeko or Hotaru, but I can’t. Much of her past is a mystery to even herself; orphaned, picked up by that circus ringmaster who turned out to be an asshat.

Everything she’s said is who she is. Maybe, I shouldn’t try and look deeper than that? Asobi can be very simple, but also, difficult to predict. A weird mix of maturity and naivety.

And yet, I’d still call her more mature than Fumeko sometimes. Everything she’s done in the first reset was just whatever made her happy; it’s not that different in the second.

Once we put the idea that she should think for herself is when she started acting out more. Maybe that’s a good thing? There’s not much I need to say to her to make sure she’s okay.

It feels, disingenuous. Asobi’s not a blank slate, she’s a fully complicated person in her own right. I just need to figure her out; or, just accept her and try to help however I can.’

The door opened and the raven-haired elf poked her head in, "Jotou?"

"Come on in. You’re the last person I need to talk to about all the time resets."

"Are you, okay?"

’Difficult to predict, check.’ "I’m okay now Sobi," Jotou slowly stood up, "I just had a lot of things on my mind; like sardines packed in my brain and I had no room to think."

"Oh, I get that!" Asobi stepped in, closing the door behind her. "Is it my turn to try and make you happy?"

"That’s not what’s happening. I just want to tell things to each of you. Things I found out about you, but didn’t want to say with everyone; you know, privacy."

"Of course I know about privacy, but Jotou?"

"Yeah?"

"I don’t mind if the others heard what you had to say about me. I think it’d be great!" Asobi beamed.

’Her smile really can brighten up any room.’ "No, Sobi this is personal. So could you please listen? It’s a story about you after all," Jotou relayed.

"Well, since you asked so nicely I can’t refuse. But I can go tell them, right?"

"That’s up to you. So, first time loop. Not much hanging out with you... Uh, I’ll just skip to the important part then. When, Fumeko, went poof; you froze in place, crying rainbows."

"Oh... I’m sorry," Asobi gripped her wand.

"No, no, nothing to apologize for. But, second time loop, you did the same when Hotaru went down. I sense a pattern; why do you do that?"

"You mean, freeze in place and... cry rainbows?" the elf asked as if she herself was confused.

"Yeah. You said once that there were bad memories. Could you, describe any of those memories? If you want that is; I’m just curious, you don’t have to."

"I, I just remember, people being gone. There’d be, blood everywhere and Master Zayexiwovu would clean it up and ask me to stay still and not to say anything about it," Asobi slumped and sat down onto Fumeko’s bed as the springs lifted her back up.

Jotou walked over, sitting down next to her with the same bounce, "That adds up a bit. The second time, I scolded you not to ignore the problem like you always do."

Asobi faced the blonde, "I don’t ignore the problem!"

"You do. You go into that catatonic state and all you can do is cry. Someone as expressive and as magical as you, it makes no sense you’d just become a statue like that. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Me, Hotaru and Fumeko scream or go crazy and angry and sad; in fact, a lot of soldiers did for their friends. But you’d stand, in the line of fire."

Asobi stared into Jotou’s eyes for a moment, "You have really pretty eyes."

Jotou blinked, "Asobi, you’re doing it again."

Asobi shook her head, "No, I wasn’t, I just never told you that before. What do you mean by rainbow tears?"

"Huh? How have you never noticed, when you cry your tears are rainbow-coloured?" Jotou tilted her head.

"I don’t look at my own tears. Silly Jotou."

"I, I guess you have a point there. Anyway, you do; any idea why?" ’Is it because she’s an elf? I don’t remember that ever being said about elves, but this world works on it’s own rules, not mine.’

"No, I don’t know—sorry."

"It’s okay. I should be sorry for not asking you sooner. You should tell me or Fumeko or Hotaru about those stories someday. As much as it may hurt."

"Oh, I told Hotaru about one of the times. You remember madam Mevina, right!?" Asobi threw her wand out and created the illusion of her.

A woman dressed in red, appeared—orange in her hair. She was muscled and lifted heavy weights like they were feathers. Jotou peered, "Yeah, you showed her on the roof that day."

"That was such a pretty night, thank you for taking me up there!"

"I-" Jotou sighed, "You’re welcome. Now, madam Mevina?"

"Yes, yes! She died when I was really tiny. She was one of the first performers we had other than me. She died because a tall dumbbell rack fell on her. She used to call me, little butterfly."

"That makes a lot of sense. All the butterflies you make."

"Hm? Oh, yeah, yeah! I do like butterflies a lot, they’re really pretty. One time I caught one and saw it up close and it had really creepy eyes! My butterflies are better," the illusion popped into white butterflies.

’Okay... She doesn’t see the possible trauma link there? What am I? A psychiatrist? Focus on what you want to say Jotou.’ "Okay, back on topic. To the third time reset."

Asobi gulped—her wand gripped tightly as she faced Jotou. She shivered slightly, "You mean, when we all died...?"

’I need to calm her down before she freezes again. Or maybe I should keep going and trust that she can handle it. Only one way to find out...’