(V1) I Know What You Did Last Isekai - Chapter 3

Each time I think I have a plan for how I want this to progress the characters just laugh at me and run off to do their own thing. XD

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A grinning monster looked down, his blade slick with crimson blood.  He laughed as he pushed, sending everything into freefall.  Heather leaned over the edge, reaching, yet cold darkness claimed—

Kimberly shot up with a gasp, panting in the dark.  Cold sweat clung to her as she clutched the blanket tight and took in her surroundings.  The curtain was drawn, but light still spilled past the thick fabric.  Across from the bed, at the base of the window, was the desk that she had moved her study materials to after she and Viola spent far too much time going over. 

Right, she was in Viola’s home.  Last night she had died and found herself waking up in the body of some poor girl on a stone slab surrounded by corpses.  Kimberly couldn’t wait until that one showed up in her nightmares.  The whole getting her throat slit and falling into the murky waters thing was bad enough. 

Wiping a hand down her face, Kimberly let out a soft and sardonic laugh.  

It was all so absurd, and some part of her had hoped it all ended up being some fucked up dream.  Well, that ship had apparently sailed.  Kimberly shivered against a cold that wasn’t quite real.  Probably best to avoid any aquatic similes or metaphors given how she died.  At least for a while.  She could dip her toe—

Nope. 

Can’t even manage that one.  

Deciding it is better to get up than to wallow in her own misery, she does just that.  A quick stretch leads to some satisfying joint cracks that would have made Heather wince.  

“No, don’t go there again.”

It’s painful, but Kimberly forces herself to keep moving, though she comes to a stop only a few steps away at the foot of the bed.  There’s a large chest there, and atop it is a stack of clothes neatly folded.  Picking up the shirt, it looks like it should fit her.  Beneath is something similar to a sports bra and a pair of underwear made of cotton.  The worst part is that everything fits perfectly.

She can’t help but blush at the implications.

Had they come from Kimbree’s home, or had Viola somehow gotten her measurements so exacting?  Either option presented an angle she didn’t care for, though was it really right to be embarrassed if Viola picked up things from that girl’s room?  It wasn’t hers, it belonged to Kimbree, not Kimberly. 

Yet, how much difference was there between them? 

They looked nearly identical, down to the same birthmark on their right arm.  It wasn’t much, just a single pale line, but it was familiar in a way that should have set her at ease.  Instead it only brought up more questions.  Yet, answers would have to wait until she knew more about the language and could actually hold a proper conversation.

Now changed, Kimberly exited the room and was greeted by Viola with a wave and a single word she had come to understand meant hello.  At least, Kimberly hoped that was correct.  She fully intended to continue her work with Viola if she allowed it.  Someone of her power probably held an important position somewhere, which meant responsibilities that weren’t just focused on some poor girl who fell victim to some fucked up cult level nonsense. 

Oh god, it probably was cult nonsense, wasn’t it? 

Without a primer on the religions common in the world, she can’t know for certain, but it sure as hell felt like she had woken up in the middle of a human sacrifice ritual.  Given the presence of guards and the general suspicion, it couldn’t be considered normal. 

Putting those thoughts aside with a forced smile and a casual wave, she joined Viola in the kitchen where something was brewing.  More tea, though this blend seemed different from the one she had last night.  Hopefully there was something similar to coffee out there, because tea had never cut it during those morning scrambles to class. 

After sharing a cup of the oddly floral tea that contained a hint of citrus, Viola grabbed her cloak and pulled it back on, then offered Kimberly a second.  She took it with a bit of confusion, then was offered a pair of boots made of high quality leather that would have made any renfaire kid green with envy. 

She slipped them on, surprised once again by how well they fit.  Were they also recovered from the home, or…  Wait, she could try asking.

“Viola,” she said firmly, getting the woman’s attention.  She then pointed at her feet.  “Here.”  Then to the ground by Viola’s feet.  “There.”  And again into the distance.  “Over there.”  And finally she looked around then held up her hands and feigned confusion.  “Where?” 

Viola’s eyes lit up in hopeful understanding and she repeated the exercise and added the words she hoped meant the same in this new language.  Kimberly nodded along, kicking herself for not bringing anything to take notes with, but that could easily be fixed later. 

She held up the second boot, pointing at it and repeated the new word for ‘where’ and gave that same gesture of confusion before pointing at the boot and wiggling her foot a bit to hopefully show how good the fit was. 

Unfortunately, confusion answered her as Viola mulled over her question.  Such were the consequences of a language barrier with no known translation help between them.  A sudden snap jolted Kimberly from her thoughts on language theory as Viola gestured around and spoke a single word before pointing at herself. 

She then repeated that word, pointing at Kimberly, then at the boots and repeated the word for ‘there’ as she did.  Kimberly couldn’t help but smile as she pointed at herself.  “My home?  You got them from Kimbree’s home!” 

The last word had been the word from Viola’s language, and she couldn’t help the welling excitement at having figured all that out just from trial and error and the two of them working together.  Viola laughed, grinning wide and pulled her into a one-armed side hug.  She then gestured at the remaining boot, speaking through her chuckling and gestures.

Right, get the other boot on and then they were probably going somewhere.  Given she didn’t see any food set out, Kimberly couldn’t help but hope it was somewhere to eat.  When they step out, the sun is high in the sky.  Not quite noon, but close enough that she doesn’t expect any breakfast fare to be on offer. 

“There,” Viola said, pointing down the road. 

Nothing more was needed for Kimberly to follow along, taking in the sights.  Viola lived in a fairly standard home for the area; akin in size to a classic Ranch style back on Earth.  The actual architecture was decidedly different, with what looked to be stone brickwork and shale roofing tiles?  It was hard to tell, but it matched the other homes on the street well enough.

Speaking of the street, she hadn’t been able to see it in the rain and darkness of night, but the stone tiles were arranged in patterns.  Looking at them, they almost appeared to glow faintly in the light of the sun.  Putting that thought aside for later, Kimberly took in the sights of the city itself.  The residential district she found herself in didn’t seem to be overly large now that she was out in it, and the view of the city was simply breathtaking.  She’d never been to Europe, but it was how she imagined a European capital. 

Hundreds of buildings came together and extended out and around streets that were set in clear patterns all the way to an outer wall.  From there, more structures extended out, growing sparser and less elaborate as they went.  That was at least three miles out, which really sold the scale of the city. 

In the opposite direction a large domed structure stood tall over the rest of the city.  Probably the palace or something similar.  That or a religious building.  Kimberly didn’t want to consider how a religion might view someone like her, and that wasn’t even getting into the whole reincarnation deal she was still wrestling with. 

Viola led her down a set of stairs that descended further into the city, and towards a row of stalls.  Several had smoke rising from them, others were stacked with fruits, vegetables, and other assorted foodstuffs.  They passed sellers of beans and grain, fish sat out in the sun but somehow remained cool despite the growing warmth of the day.  Viola stopped, then laughed.  She pointed at some strange symbol carved into the wood and said ‘this’ and mimed a shiver. 

Did that mean the symbol had some sort of magical effect?  If it kept things cold, then that was an incredible thing for food preservation given the apparent technological level of the civilization.

One vendor had some frozen concoction being offered that further reinforced that perception.  

The woman selling it offered a bright smile to everyone glancing her way.  Kimberly included.  That hadn’t escaped Viola’s notice as she stepped over and paid for one of the cups with a couple of brown coins.  She tried to parse the pleasantries but it was done with a practiced swiftness she couldn’t follow.

Then the cup was being put into Kimberly’s hands as Viola waited in anticipation.  Not one to disappoint, she took the wooden spoon and gave it a taste.  Fruit flavor dominated the bite with an undercurrent of cream that didn’t quite match up with anything she had ever tried before.  The lack of overwhelming sweetness was a surprise after a lifetime of American deserts, but it was still delicious.

Kimberly was just about to take her second bite when a kid ran into her shoulder first.  She was knocked off balance, and quickly caught herself before falling.  It was only then that she realized that she had dropped her frozen treat!  Glancing about, she couldn’t find it splattered on the ground, and when she turned to look for Viola she found the woman holding a kid by the wrist.  And in his hands was her dessert! 

The boy tried to pull away, kicking and screaming, and the girl that had been with him wailed on Viola’s leg to no effect.  The mage stared down at the boy impassively as she took the dessert from him and it was then that Kimberly took note of their clothes.  Both the boy and girl were wearing little more than rags, and their feet were wrapped in worse rather than wearing shoes.  Those rags did little to hide how they were both skin and bones either.  As good as that desert probably was, it wouldn’t do their stomachs any favors.

Worse, the entire mess was attracting a crowd of gawkers that kept rubbernecking.  With a sigh, Viola dragged the kid back over to Kimberly, and handed her the still intact dessert.  The little girl had stubbornly followed despite how much of a scene was being made.  That didn’t stop Viola in the slightest as she dragged the boy along towards a different vendor and dropped a handful of coins on their counter, gesturing towards the two kids as she spoke.

Both of the children ceased their struggles, staring up at her with incomprehension.  Even the man behind this particular counter seemed surprised before a stern glare from the woman sent him into motion, spooning up something thick and warm into bowls that looked to be made from leaves. 

Two guards pushed their way through the crowd, but seemed to stop cold when Viola turned her gaze upon them.  Kimberly couldn’t be sure, but word must have gotten around about what happened the previous night.  Back on Earth, the cops would have held a grudge over someone strong-arming them like that, and she wouldn’t be surprised if these armed guards were much the same when it came down to it.

Both children took the bowls and tried to scurry off, but Viola caught both of them before they managed it.  More words were exchanged, then they were walking over to a bench.  Kimberly followed, watching with interest as Viola sat them down and got them eating.  She even chastised the boy when he started shoveling it down his throat. 

Kimberly couldn’t help but smile at the display.  Even when they had stolen from them, Viola showed compassion to the less fortunate.  Even the kids were opening up as Viola teased the young girl by wiping a bit from her face.  The boy laughed, and it brought a feeling of deep warmth to her that she hadn’t felt since waking up in that blood soaked basement.

It was an easy decision really.  Stepping up to them, Kimberly gave Viola a significant look.  “I want to help them.”