Chapter 0050

“You’re back.” Jean said.

“Yeah.”

Jean waited.

Tempest hesitated.

The two were in a nonverbal standoff. It was like those old western movies when two cowboys meet on the main street at noon for a shoot down. Tempest always thought it was stupid. The night before the shoot down, she’d sneak into the opponent’s room and kill them then and there. No fuss, no muss.

Honor? Dignity? Can you eat that? No. Then shoo.

Now that she’s in a similar situation, she might as well surrender. Her life isn’t at stake.

“I want the Star Soul Mantra and the Moon Soul Mantra.”

Jean immediately stiffens. There are only two people who knew she had both mantras, she and Amber. She was sure she never said anything about having both the mantras, and she was sure Amber will never tell another soul. It affects her more than it did Jean.

“How did you know?” Having gotten to know the weird red mage a bit, Jean felt brave enough to outright ask.

They weren’t friends.

They can be friends.

Tempest studied the aloof princess. Think blond hair cascading down her back in an elaborate hairstyle composed of intricate braids, cold grey eyes watching the world with cynicism and calculation adorn a charming face. The woman before her is not as beautiful as some of the movie stars back on Earth; she’s too voluptuous for the masses who think anorexic skinny is beautiful but she has a certain aura that attracts the eyes.

Jean stood tall and proud, confident she can handle any situation tossed her way.

She’s not the tsundere closet otakus rave about. Tempest can understand those tsundere. They’re very shy. Jean isn’t shy. She’s more of the scheming villain. A mastermind behind the scene. A multi-facet enigma.

Jean did try to save a complete stranger though they were the best of friends in their previous life. It shows a large amount of courage and loyalty.

If Tempest was going to tangle in the complex web they call love, then she might as well pick a side. The princess seems to be the better choice. The other two are idiots who mess up their lives six times already, while the other one is a homewrecker.

“You are not the only one with memories of their past life.” Tempest let out her secret. Trust had to start somewhere. Jean offered her trust when she promises to teach her the Moon Soul Mantra. Tempest should reciprocate in kind.

“That’s why you are so ignorant of the norms and values of this world.”

“No need to rub it in.”

“It slipped okay.” Jean finally was able to piece the puzzle together. The strange behavior, the dazed look and Aria Se Jivock’s interest in her.

Jean’s inheritances are the memories of her previous life. The current her can’t even lift a finger to fight off the previous her should the previous her want to take over the body and live again. She was lucky. The previous her made too many mistakes. She didn’t want to live a new life mired in those mistakes. The guilt and regret will eat her alive. Worse, she might make the same mistake she made in the past, causing her friend to redo her past mistakes.

The previous Jean can afford to make some mistakes. Amber doesn’t have the luxury. Since this is the seventh life time they mess up, the consequences are much harsher than a build up of hatred and karma.

The previous her didn’t want that. Therefore, Jean inherited the knowledge and memories of the previous her, but none of the inclination and emotional connection except her deep friendship with Amber, a friendship she can choose to either renew or ignore.

If the previous her were to take over, then she’d need time to acclimate herself to norms and values of this world.

“How…” Jean wanted to dig deeper. Another person with similar experiences as her can help shed some light on her situation.

“How did I regain the memories of my previous life? I don’t know actually. I don’t have the memories of this body, but I do know this body would have died or is already dead if I haven’t taken over. I wasn’t in the best place or the best condition when I woke up.” Tempest grimace at the recalled memories.

“Then how do you reconcile your previous self with your current self?” This was the crux of Jean's problem. The previous her had a deep friendship with Amber. To the current her, Amber is a stranger, but she was able to affect her emotions. The previous her lived an interesting life filled with happiness, heart ache, pain, suffering and joy. To the present Jean, those memories are not hers. She's like a ghost watching the world pass her by, unable to interact with the world yet knowing everything that happened.

She doesn’t know what to do.

“It was easier for me because I didn’t receive the memories of the body. I can continue living the life I always wanted. This world isn’t the world I grew up in. It is completely different.” Tempest studied Jean. She knew the answer wasn’t what the other was looking for, so she elaborated, “First, I accepted that I am alive. Second, the past is just that, the past. My family and friends in the other world aren’t here. I don’t have to worry about it like you do. If I were to see them again, then I’d be very happy and try my best to get close to them. I have to acknowledge the them in my past life isn’t the them in this life. Therefore, I’d make the effort because I believe at the core, they are the same people then and now, just shape differently due to their circumstances. If they accept my friendship then great! If not, then I would move on. The world is big. I’m sure there are other people, many other people, I can befriend. And lastly, I am a different person than my previous self. What I would have done back then, I wouldn’t do right now; what I wouldn’t do back then, I can do now. Tempest isn’t the name of my previous self. It is the name of the person I want to be.”

Jean digests everything Tempest said and compared it to her own situation. She realized that Tempest was three steps ahead of her. Jean hasn’t gain the three acceptances Tempest laid out.

Tempest waited for Jean to comprehend her words. A few times Jean made a move to speak, yet had stopped herself.

“Is this girl the legendary tsundere?” Tempest thought in her heart.

No. She’s a confused girl who found herself in a situation where she doesn’t understand anything.

“I didn’t say that out loud did I?” Tempest spoke to her spirits.

No. It’s written all over your face.

“Okaaaay.”

Think puberty and you’d understand what the girl was going through.

“Hey, I didn’t go through puberty.”

Crazy revenge time.

“That was not puberty.”

Taken directly from the internet back on Earth, 11 emotional problems a female experience when going through puberty.

1.

Mood Swings - Emotional Surges, Bouts of Crying, Aggression Identity Crisis Change in Relationships

5.

Your Child May Feel Weird and Confused Uncertainty and Indecisiveness

8.

9.

Contradictory Thoughts Your child might want to be alone.

“You left out number 1, 5, 8 and 9.”

Those don’t apply to you. 7 out of 11 emotional changes you experience during the crazy revenge time. I’d say you went through puberty.

“Where did you get the list from?” Tempest was very curious about the spirits. Most of the time, they are unobtrusive unless Tempest need information, then they are a veritable gossip queen. Tempest interact with Ventus most of the time. What do the other spirits do in their spare time?

Momjunction.com

“Is that even a real website?” Ah browsing the internet in their spare time. A most notable pastime discourage by all employers due to decrease productivity, however they are unable to stop.

It is a real website. It might not be 100% accurate. It is the internet after all.

Tempest realize something, “Did we go on a tangent?”

No. Treat Jean as a hormonal teenager and you should be about right.

“How am I supposed to do that?” Most people know how hormonal teenagers act. They either were the hormonal teenager, or if they were lucky enough they had a disposition where their hormones didn’t affect their personality much, then they were able to observe it first hand when they went to school. Tempest was considered insane. All her hormonal tendencies were attributed to insanity and not the teenager regular rebellious stage. Then there was school Tempest never got the chance to attend.

She tried to recall the drama she watches about teenagers, but those were fake. It might be applicable to reality, but she’s not on Earth anymore. She can’t use the morals and values of Earth and apply it here.

Treat Jean they way your mom treated you when you went through your crazy revenge time. Ventus suggested.

“My mother introduced me to the people who took advantage of me.”

Ventus Uh….

Jean interrupted the awkward moment, “You’re back.”

“Yeah.”

Jean waited.

Tempest hesitated.

The two were in a nonverbal standoff. It was like those old western movies when two cowboys meet on the main street at noon for a shoot down. Tempest always thought it was stupid. The night before the shoot down, she’d sneak into the opponent’s room and kill them then and there. No fuss, no muss…

“Ahhh… I'm not going through this again,” yelled an irate red mage.