Chin in hand, arms crossed—footsteps echoed back and forth. Her feet halted for a moment, looking over to the one platinum piece placed on the kitchen counter like it was loose change.
'Just one platinum… Ten gold for all of that? At this rate, we'll have more money than life. Doesn't matter for now.'
Jotou sighed facing the floor, "A lot of things for me to do…" As a door creaked behind, the blonde's gaze swivelled, "Is she sleeping?"
The door gingerly closed by her hand, "Yup!" Asobi whispered with a smile, "Meko said she wanted to be there for a bit longer; something about slapping her when she wakes up."
"Right…" Jotou could not hold in a giggle, "That girl," she shook her head. "I'll stop that in the morning. Aru was really tired when we talked to her…"
Asobi tilted her head walking forward, "Your smile is so nice," the hat she usually wore was kept away in her room.
"Thanks," her arms unfolded in the unlit living room.
"Are you going to bed?"
"No, not yet. I normally stay up late. Well, I used to, but I've had to become an early bird in this world. The night really gives me peace," a sense of tranquility flowed over her as Jotou reminisced her nocturnal habit.
"Hm, I like that too! I don't sleep long, so I stay awake doing some magic!" butterflies fluttered out of her open hand.
"How are you anyway? You seem as giddy as usual given everything today. Fumeko said it was a blur in the moment, but she thinks she heard you say… 'Not again'?"
"Oh, I did, didn't I?" she faced the floor, holding her wand in both hands. "Seeing Hotaru about to get eaten," both her hands covered her face as her voice cracked. "Just bad memories," she revealed her face with a smile.
"Did you, lose the elves a long time ago?" Jotou's voice, gentle like a breeze.
"Huh? Oh, these," one hand went up behind her ear, flicking the pointy bit past her silky hair, "No, I don't know any other elf. I forget I'm an elf almost all of the time."
"Probably because your hair covers your ears. They say elves are incredibly beautiful and wise; living within nature throughout their immortal lives," Jotou smirked.
"Who's they?"
Jotou, "You know," her eyes went up to the ceiling, "I have no clue," she let out a little laugh. "Still, some things about that's true. Who did you actually lose, if you don't mind me asking?"
Asobi's arms fell to her sides, "A lot of people… The circus is amazing! And fun! And so magical! But… a lot of people can just go… poof," she shrugged, "Or splat… or crunch…"
"Sorry to hear that," Jotou's eyes fixated above. She walked over, grabbing a broom. Asobi's gaze watched the blonde as she held it to the ceiling and push a latch open at the top.
"Knock!" Jotou caught the trapdoor that fell inwards with the end of the broom. A rope ladder unravelled and fell down with a "Thud."
"Care to explore the house a little bit more?" Jotou turned to Asobi.
_
Silvering-white light beamed down upon the roof and the grass which had been dewed, like little droplets of stars across the ground. A little cluster of white flowers reflected the moonlight.
The dark and weathered wooden roof held up well, becoming home to patches of bright green moss. Little critters sang throughout the night.
A hand reached down, aiding the elf up the ladder. Asobi looked into the night sky, shimmering against the jade-green of her eyes.
"Woah…" was all Asobi managed to say walking away from the hatch. Jotou made her way to a flat end at the top and sat down to admire the stars.
"It's… so much more. Has it always been like this!? I've looked at the sky so many times in the circus," Asobi stood next to her in watching.
The stars dazzled from blues to purples, reds to gold. Like thousands of freckles upon the night sky without a cloud to hide away its face.
Streams of milky clouds stretched like veins and a fast-flying dot was not too rare to be seen. Jotou gazed and gazed, "This sky's definitely not mine.
Can't find Orion, or Crux, the Dipper," she uttered, "And that Moon, definitely not Luna. Earth's moon has craters so precise that when you look at it, it looks kinda like a yin-yang."
Not to mention the fact that it seemed closer. It was full, gleaming down amongst the stars and was a silvery-white. Asobi's mouth was wide open, in silence.
Jotou then gazed at the elf, mesmerized by the moonlight which reflected against her skin and raven black hair, which was parted gracefully to the right and usually hidden by her hat.
"You probably didn't get to see the sky like this for the same reason I didn't. The light pollution from city lamps and I assume circus lights," Jotou softly pulled the elf beside her to sit down.
Asobi sat, swinging her legs. She looked back to Jotou, "Pollution? That's like, when water rises too high and floods right?"
"Uh, not exactly… It's more like when there's too much of something that it ruins or breaks something else. When there's too much light, it makes the stars less bright."
"Oh! I get that, it's like my illusions! If my light isn't brighter than the lights around, then it's easy to see through it!"
Jotou gave an amused grin, "You don't even have to try. You're too bright as it is… How do you do it? Your magic is so, wonderful and childlike, but… you've, seen a lot of death?"
Asobi smiled to the compliment and hummed to her question.
"It's not that I don't understand, believe me death doesn't faze me much either. It's constantly happening, even as we speak," Jotou tried not to seem harsh.
"They're all still with me, duh!" Asobi replied with a cheer.
"Huh?"
"Look!" Asobi pointed her wand as a woman dressed in red, appeared, orange in the shades of her hair. She was muscled and lifted heavy weights like they were feathers.
"Asobi, how are you little butterfly?" the woman turned to Asobi as Asobi gave a wave.
"I'm good madam Mevina! Careful on the dumbbells," Asobi replied.
"Heh, I'll be fine. Take care butterfly," the woman disappeared under the moonlight and another form took her place.
"Asobi! When are you gonna be on the rope?" a man, in a tight acrobat's suit, stretched.
"You know the Master. I'm supposed to be on the ground doing my tricks. Make sure to the ropes are connected, alright?" Asobi responded cheerily.
"Ah, that man. He should let you have a child's life, not this… but you make it look so easy," he smiled and waved as he disappeared as well.
Asobi stopped waving her wand, "See? All it takes is a little magic and I can talk to any one of them. I even talk to you sometimes!"
Jotou's smile lessened, but her lips were still curled up, "Those memories live with you… and I guess you can see and hear them."
"Uh huh!" Asobi cheered, "I know they're not actually there… but I know what they'll say, how they sound, how they move. Whenever I'm not talking out loud, I talk to them!
So, nobody's actually gone till I forget, but I haven't yet! I think…?" her smile fell as her eyebrow raised in pondering… "Have I?"
"You know, I don't think you would," Jotou's head tilted slightly.
"Yeah, I wouldn't!" Asobi created another illusion, a dark-haired woman with tan skin—dozens of swords strapped on her body.
"Remember Asobi, broccoli eats monkey to the Sun be carrot and puppy," the illusion stated before it disappeared.
Asobi slanted her head, "Uh… maybe not some things," she let out a little chuckle. Jotou laughed alongside her, encouraging Asobi to chuckle along a little brighter.
Their laughter filled the air of the near-silent night under the stars, city in the distance and trees behind.
"You do really good sounds too you know. Aside from the visuals, your voices and mimicking are amazing," her yellow locks felt to her front as her head ducked further.
"You mean like the time I did Meko!?" Asobi mimicked Fumeko's voice.
"Yeah," Jotou giggled, "It's a pretty neat talent to have."
"Well Jotou, it takes a lot to be a good actor," her voice fell deep, as she fluttered her eyelashes, "I can do a lot more voices, I've heard many in my time~" she flaunted.
Jotou's eyes widened and she gulped, "That one was uh… seductive to say the least…" skin blushing, a nervous blonde replied.
"What's sir duck-tiv mean?" upbeat and squeaky, she spoke in her usual tone.
"Ah, there's the usual Asobi…" she inhaled, "It means well, attractive, I guess," she winced an eye.
"Should I use it more often then?" that voice returned.
"Uh," Jotou was at a loss for words, "Just use whatever's easier…"
"Okay!" squeaky once more. "Your story you told me that day probably will make me remember you the most. Another world definitely beats juggling wildcats," she assessed.
"Speaking of which…" Jotou's eyes darted away, "I should apologize for what I said that day. It was inappropriate and I shouldn't talk about things like that."
"Uh…?" Asobi tried to remember, "Oh right! Something about size and doing something in your room while Meko was away? I didn't really understand what you guys were talking about."
Jotou pouted to the ground, "Even if you don't understand, doesn't mean I shouldn't say sorry. I'll tell the others too although they may've already forgotten.
But everything I say keeps me up at night sometimes. I need to be proper and careful with what I say now. I can't be that guy anymore; especially now." Jotou looked at her hands, then felt the blonde hair tied behind her shift with her head.
Asobi closed her eyes in thought, bouncing her head from side-to-side, "Well, I know you were a boy and now you're a girl; what's changed?"
Jotou blinked at the thought, "My body for one…" but not many reasons followed after… She could say her hair or her height, but they were the same reason.
"I guess, nothing much really… I'm still a petulant smart-ass, who's introverted and extroverted when need be and huh," she stared into the night sky.
Asobi faced her with an inquisitive look. Jotou glanced at her, "I guess you already said the only thing that changed… other than that, nothing," Jotou was struck with realization, her eyebrows knitted.
Asobi swung her legs, "The way I see it," she waved her wand around as she spoke, "Jotou Howllett is Jotou Howllett. That's who I met and that's who you are."
"Heh…" Jotou verbalized before giggling, "That was really simple… And Meko calls you stupid," she spoke before she shut her mouth immediately. Jotou looked to Asobi, "Sorry Sobi-"
"Huh? Sorry, I was trying to process what 'Sun be carrot and puppy' meant. I think it's some sort of life lesson. What did you say?" Asobi's eyes bubbled.
Jotou sighed and smiled, "I, meant that she said cute- I mean, I think you're cute," she hid her previous statement. 'Dodged a bullet…'
"Aww! Thanks Jotou, that means a lot from you."
"About time I complimented you back for calling me pretty so many times."
"I always have to say things I want to say, like pretty; that includes you! Otherwise, I may never get to say it again. No regrets!" Asobi beamed, rivalling the moonlight.
The night wind howled as Jotou stood up, "I have to be better; a better Jotou Howllett," hands on her hips.
"You're already the best Jotou I know!"