Arc 1, Chapter 19: Snowed In

"What do you mean? It is," Jotou took another look, thinking she was mistaken, "Winter must be coming early."

"No, Kria doesn't have winter," Hotaru took a good look standing next to Jotou as white powder began glazing onto rooftops and streets.

"The city's in the southern hemisphere, right?" Jotou remembered—the spark of her sword withered away.

"Kria has spring and autumn all year-round. It's the 16th of June. Autumnal transition isn't till the last week of June and the first of July… Even if it gets colder, it doesn't snow!" Hotaru grabbed Jotou's arm, "Come on, pack up, we better get inside."

"Relax, it's just some snow," Jotou began packing up.

Fumeko rushed up the hill. "What the heck is going on?" Fumeko peered to the rolling clouds—snow incoming. "It's not supposed to snow in Kria! Let's get inside!"

"You don't say?" Jotou gave a look.

"By the way… someone's gonna have to carry Asobi," Fumeko stated. Her face and Hotaru both glanced over to Jotou as Hotaru packed up.

Jotou glanced back to them both and tightened her lips, "…Fine."

_

They went back to the guild, streets already covered in a blanket of white. The frosting howl reddened their ears, Hotaru having to hold hers down.

Many members were already rushing through the giant wooden doors whilst snow piled up at the front and the sky grew hazier.

The party entered, hearing before they saw the hundreds of people gathered within. Like moths to a flame, people flocked to the light from the sudden cold.

Fire already crackled through braziers set at the sides of the room going up chimneys.

More people only pushed past after the four walked through. "Seems they were prepared for it," Fumeko raised a brow at the surroundings.

"I think you can put her down Jotou," Hotaru's words fogged the air till the door was shut. Asobi was being princess-carried by Jotou—her arms wrapped around Jotou's shoulders.

Asobi shook her dangling feet, "I can walk!" she grinned as Jotou dropped her to the floor… "My poor, ground-loving body…" she lied still—her clothes dishevelled in dirt, dust and wrinkles.

Jotou sucked air through her teeth, "Sorry, I thought you were gonna hop off."

"That's one of the high level parties," Hotaru noticed, their better adventuring gear clearly giving them away.

Fumeko grabbed Jotou's hand, "Hotaru, go with Asobi to get some information. Jotou, come on, let's go see if we can get something out of them. Something weird's definitely going on…"

"Why do I get her? No offense," Hotaru pointed to the ground.

"None taken!" Asobi lifted a thumb up.

"Simple. I've solved a lot more cases with Jotou by my side," she dragged Jotou away in haste, leaving Jotou to have no say in the matter.

'I wanted to go get some warmer clothes… Oh well…' Jotou went along.

Hotaru helped Asobi up, "Let me do the talking please."

"Sure-sure! Let's go!" Asobi dragged Hotaru the other way.

_

"What? Detective Namora couldn't do it on her own?" Jotou walked with her in a small grin.

"I don't know, it's like you're some good luck charm," Fumeko shrugged as they approached the high level party.

Four of them stood in a circle next to the fire, tanned skin, scars on heavy muscles—four tall men. A bald man with a staff and bluish-grey robes, another with untamed light-green hair and stubble, wearing plate armour.

A man with a violet mohawk and a freshly bruised eye, wearing normal attire. Finally, a man brandishing a short lance, silver-blonde hair flowing till his shoulders in grey armour that reflected the shine of the flame.

"Hello!" Fumeko chimed in, interrupting their conversation, "Would you mind if we asked a few questions?"

The green haired man turned, a blade of grass in his teeth, "Sorry kid, we don't have time to answer fans," he spoke, voice calm and low.

Jotou side-eyed Fumeko, knowing the detective. 'Think Jotou… She's not exactly the best at this. I need to try something I guess.'

"Uhm, sorry for our interruption, but we're not fans, we're adventurers. Certainly not master levels like yourselves, but we've dealt with our fair share of velatos in the city.

We were just hoping to meet the others who rival us," Jotou gave a pleasant smile. Fumeko's eyes darted to Jotou, furrowing her brows.

The men turned; the one brandishing his lance glanced over and squinted at the blonde. "I'm Jotou Howllett and this is our party… rogue, Fumeko," Jotou fumbled into a conversation.

The silver-haired man snapped his fingers, "The low-level party who killed a velatos with no magic," he recognized the blonde's name with a grin.

The man with the mohawk nodded his head, "We're Grayfence; I'm Bolset, pretty boy's Fexia, silent one's Itiro and grass hair's Keldow," he introduced, a gruff tone, but in a show of respect.

"Rivals huh?" Keldow snickered.

"Well, you are taking jobs we could take," Jotou peered over.

"So," Fexia returned to brandishing his lance, "How do you do it? You've made quite the splash in Kria for a party that didn't exist two weeks ago."

"I'm not actually sure about that," Jotou's eyes gazed to the ceiling. "I'm from another world, I woke up in a dead woman's body, killed a velatos with a stick and have a party somehow," she smirked.

The men stared… before erupting in laughter, "Good one blondie," Bolset laughed, the others finishing their little chuckles.

"Nice one," Keldow rested his hands in his pockets.

"It was?" Fumeko stared between Jotou and the party.

"Why would she share her secret to her success to us? It's quite understandable," Itiro conveyed.

Fumeko began to understand Jotou's plan, both of them knowing she just spouted out the absolute truth. Jotou folded her arms, "So, know anything about the sudden snowstorm?"

"Baldy says it's magic," Bolset nodded over.

"A sudden shift in the weather like this, so drastic, it cannot be natural," Itiro stated.

"Huh, good to know it doesn't usually snow around here," Jotou tried to place her elbow on Fumeko to try and lean in an attempt to look laid-back. Except she only managed to lean against her neck as Fumeko recoiled sideways.

"Can't wait for it to go away and get back to getting those velatos," she continued, standing back up from Fumeko, who nudged Jotou back up and off of her in confusion.

"Oh, you're gonna have your hands full on that one Howllett," Keldow turned his chin down.

"Why? Too hard for you guys?" Fumeko joked, following Jotou's lead.

Bolset gave a chuckle, "Not in the slightest purple."

Fexia finished polishing, "Haven't you heard? The reward for the velatos went from one armite to one platinum."

Fumeko's eyes widened… "Really?" Jotou asked.

"Moren Mataya himself announced it a few hours ago," Itiro affirmed.

"Bulhebedin and Inoxinon already left, but we got caught by the snow," Keldow snickered in a frown.

"Only you and the Lexokodac got dibs," Bolset added.

Fumeko rested her elbow on Jotou, "Jotou'll handle those velatos with her eyes closed; mostly because she's scared," she smirked.

The men gave light chuckles, while Jotou glared back to Fumeko's elbow on her shoulder… 'Shout my name one more time Meko, we'll see who comes for you.'

"Ah… Heads up Howllett. Word is, the guild in Hefaloss is offering five to ten platinum per magma-lizard kill," Fexia informed.

'Do they not care about the safety of the people? Money over heroism I guess.' Jotou glanced back, "You guys don't stick around till the job's done?"

Keldow cocked his head, "Careful blondie, your newbie's showing."

"We're adventurers. You stay in one place too long you start settling. Gotta move where the price is to keep your head from sinking," Fexia advised.

"It is truly rewarding the stories we hear and places we see," Itiro reminisced in a smile.

"Thanks for the advice!" Fumeko cheered.

"Well, our friends are probably drunk somewhere, so we'll get back to them. Bye!" Jotou turned with a wave and a smile, hooking Fumeko by her arm and making her follow.

"See you around blonde and purple," Bolset bade as the party went back to their chatter.

_

Fumeko looked up to Jotou's eyes. "You got what you wanted?" Jotou queried, glancing back to her.

Fumeko blinked, looking back to the people crowding the place, "And, a lot more… thanks…"

They got back together with a dead-eyed Hotaru and an Asobi.

"You guys got anything?" Jotou asked.

"Take a guess…"

"Ooo, ooo!" Asobi raised her arm, "The answer's no!"

Hotaru wiped her face in annoyance, "She was too busy trying to show off her tricks."

"You said to entertain them!" Asobi defended.

"I didn't mean it like that…"

"Better luck to get Jotou next time," Fumeko gave a smug grin to the tired Hotaru; the lack of sleep was catching up to the part-human.

The evening went by, unable to tell dusk to night without a clock. Jotou and Fumeko tucked into bed. Their curtains closed to the howling frost smacking against their window.

Jotou was sat up, looking at her sword. "Spark," the sword glowed. "I think I got this magic thing down," she spoke.

Fumeko sprang up from her sheets, "How d'you do it?"

"Hotaru taught me-"

"No, not the magic. Earlier, how did you talk to them so easily and got so much information?

You told me you were an introvert who was afraid to buy food because you had to talk to the cashier," Fumeko scrunched her face.

"I don't know why I said that to you… but, I don't really know how to answer that. You know, introverts have to put on a mask to socialize," Jotou put the sword down next to the bed.

"So, it was an act?"

"Kind of," she shrugged a shoulder. "More seriously, we did know some things about them and could use that to get something in common quickly. Trying to be friendly would ease them to talk and remove awkward tension.

In that way, I could ask critical questions like you, sweettalk and cover it with indirect words like Hotaru and entertain them like Asobi," Jotou answered.

"Wow… You strategized an entire conversation before we even started? I don't know if it's intelligent manipulation or paranoia from social anxiety," Fumeko giggled as she mocked.

"Hey!"

"Whatever your methods, it worked," the bed puffed around as Fumeko fell in.

Triple layer blankets, nestling up within them to prevent the cold. Every snow drop hit the window, harder and harder than the last; like ice rather than powder.

"You have to still be sincere and friendly to strangers… You never know when you'll see them again," Jotou fell onto her pillow.

"Spoken like a true paranoiac," Fumeko snuggled up in her blanket.

"Whatever."

Fumeko snickered, "Goodnight Jotou."

"Night Meko…"