Chapter 18 - Momo Part 2
One sunny day in Momo's virtual garden.
A sea of flowers as far as the eye can see. Every flower and plant known to man or alien flourishes across the hundred acres of cool, green grass.
On a hilltop, Momo sits alone, gazing at her own little corner of paradise.
I'll never have to deal with those VMC doofuses again, thanks to Rito, she thinks whilst blushing. Why'd I have to go and give him the brushoff like that? I hate this. He and I never had issues communicating before. I wanna talk to him, but I don't know how. Oh, what am I gonna do?
"Momo," says a voice, startling her.
She spins around, and much to her surprise, Rito appears with a bouquet of flowers, no doubt a purchase from the vendor.
"Oh, Rito," she says, standing up.
"I, uh, brought you these," he says, offering the bouquet.
"Oh, thank you," she replies, accepting and smelling the bouquet. "They're lovely. Hey, you wanna see something cool?"
"Yeah," he responds.
Momo kneels down, and rests the bouquet on the grass. "Watch this."
A few moments pass, and then the roots beneath the grass come alive. They wrap around the bouquet, and merge it into the soil. Then all of the flowers from the bouquet sprout instantaneously out of the grass where Momo and Rito are standing.
"Whoa," he says.
"Any time a new flower is brought to the garden, it becomes a part of the garden," she explains.
"That's incredible," he says.
They trade smiles, but then they both go quiet.
…
"So, uh, what brings you here?" she asks.
"Oh, well, I, uh…I was just wondering…" he starts.
"Yes?" she asks, stepping forward which flusters him.
Wait, she thinks. Is this it? But I'm still not ready to…no. No, he came all this way. I should at least hear him out.
"Listen, Momo," he gulps. "Do you…have any plans tomorrow?"
Momo blinks twice, thrown off by such a random question. "Uh, I don't think so."
"Great!" he says. "Oh, I, mean, uh, ahem. In that case...would you like to go on a date with me?"
Momo blinks again, speechless and blushing. Then a bright smile widens her face, and she says, "Sure."
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The next day at the amusement park.
The streets bustle with cheerful families. Everything from rides, fair games, carnival shows and overpriced food are out in force.
Rito and Momo walk down the main street together. As much as he's enjoying himself, she's absolutely thrilled.
"It's breathtaking," says Momo.
"Yeah. So, what do you wanna do first?" asks Rito.
"Oh, gosh. I don't know where to start. How 'bout…everything?" she replies.
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As the day goes on, Rito and Momo do pretty much everything.
They scream and wave their arms as they ride the roller coasters.
They make funny poses in a hall of mirrors.
They jump around in an enormous bounce-house.
They consume delicious hot dogs with soda and cotton candy.
They compete in a baseball game, hurling balls at stacked cups. Rito misses every throw while Momo nails every shot. She scores a big teddy bear for a prize, and hilariously makes Rito carry it.
They slam into each other in bumper cars.
They enjoy a staged, comical reenactment of Rito's battle with Stem on the moon; Rito is played by some heartthrob actor, and Stem is played by Matt Damon.
They ride a log down a river, splash into the base, and get soaked. Both of them laugh like crazy. But Momo stops when she notices how close she is to Rito; the atmosphere becomes awkward, and Momo slides away. Rito scratches his head. They remain silent as the ride comes to an end.
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The beginning of sunset.
The date culminates with a ride on the Ferris wheel, where the pods are open-aired. Rito, still carrying the big teddy bear, and Momo board one pod; they're both dried off after the log ride. The wheel begins its ascent.
"Wow, what a view," says Rito.
"Hmm-hmm," laughs Momo.
"What's so funny?" he asks.
"Rito, you know you can fly. If you wanted, you could see this view everyday," she says.
"I know that, but, well..." he says.
"It's okay, I know what you mean. Truth be told, the view never gets old for me either. You like it too, don't you, Mr. Cuddlesworth?" she says to the teddy bear.
"Mr. Cuddlesworth?" asks Rito.
"What? I think it suits him," she replies.
"If you say so," he says.
"Alright, time for you to go home now," she says.
She activates her D-dial, and stores the teddy bear/Mr. Cuddlesworth inside. But then she realizes she and Rito are all alone again. And once again, the tension becomes awkward as the wheel continues to spin.
...
...
"Thank you, Momo," he says.
"Hmm?" she asks. "Where'd that come from? And for what?"
"For what?" he repeats, incredulous. "For…everything. For always being by my side. For supporting me through thick and thin. For Project Harem; it was all your idea. And it brought me closer to so many people, and made me realize I had feelings for them. For girls like Yami and Yui. And not only that, but it actually cured me of my…clumsy accidents."
Both he and Momo giggle.
"Three months ago, I had a horrible nightmare where I was hated by everyone I loved," he continues. "But you assured me that would never happen. You encouraged me to become a harem king, AND an actual king. Now look at me; I've got several girlfriends including Haruna, I've improved so much in school, and I'm even on my way to becoming the ruler of the universe. Me, Rito Yuki. How did I ever get so lucky? No, scratch that. It was all you, Momo. I can never repay you for what you've given me."
Momo allows herself to smile, truly touched by his words of gratitude. "You're welcome, Rito. I'm happy for you."
"And there's something else I wanna tell you," he says. "Something I haven't told anyone yet."
"Okay," she replies.
"Next year, after I graduate…I…I…I'm gonna marry Lala," he reveals.
As their pod reaches the top of the wheel, a few birds fly by.
"What?" asks Momo, starry-eyed.
"I mean it," declares Rito. "I'm gonna finish school, marry your sister, and take my place on your father's throne. Which will, technically be my throne, when the time comes-it doesn't matter. The point is I'm marrying Lala. Then I'm marrying the rest of the girls."
"Rito, that's wonderful!" she cheers. "But…are you sure? Don't get me wrong, I'm delighted. But marriage isn't the kind of thing you should just rush into unless you're ready. Knowing you, I thought you'd wait years before marrying Big Sis."
"Well, I did at first. And I know it seems a little soon, but after the fight with Stem, I realized I need to strike while the iron's hot," he says. "The whole universe just saw me fight and give that big, rousing speech. I've earned the people's trust and respect, so I need to act now while the momentum's still going. If I just wait idly by, I'm gonna lose their faith. Plus, I…"
"What? What is it?" she asks.
"I know how it feels to die," he says in an ominous tone. "Life really is too short, Momo. I'm done waiting, and I'm done keeping everyone else waiting."
"Rito...that was…really cool," she admits, smitten. "Though you probably should've said something more chivalrous like, 'I just really wanna marry Big Sis and the girls, because I really, really love them,'" she teases.
"Well, yeah, there's that too," he says, sheepish.
They both chuckle again.
"Momo…I'm still not sure how to be a king," he confesses. "I hate to ask more of you, especially after all that you've done-"
"Shh," she replies, placing her fingers on his lips. "Don't worry. I'll be more than happy to help you adjust to your new life and responsibilities as king. So will my sisters."
"Thanks, Momo," he replies.
The Ferris wheel begins another loop.
"Hey, Rito," she says.
"Yeah?" he asks.
"I'm having so much fun today," she says. "But if that's all you wanted to tell me, you could've just said so at home. There was no need to bring me out to the amusement park."
"Oh, well, that's because…" he starts, taking a deep breath. "Momo, there's one more thing I need to tell you. It's more important than anything I've said so far."
Oh, no, thinks Momo. Wait, I mean, oh, yes. Wait, no, no, I'm not ready. I love him so much, but I…I need to know why he…
Rito scoots closer to her, and says, "Momo-"
"Stop. I know what're you gonna say," she interrupts.
"Huh?" he asks.
"Yes, the harem plan was my idea. But despite that, for some reason…out of all the girls from your nightmare…I'm the last one you're speaking to," she says.
...
"Do you have any idea how much that hurts?" she continues. "Watching you parade around with all the girls when I was the one, as you said, encouraging and supporting you the most?"
"Yes, yes, you're right," he says. "But I-"
"I told you long ago how I felt, Rito," she says. "I told you I loved you from the bottom of my heart. And I didn't understand why it was taking you so long to respond, nor why you wouldn't reciprocate my feelings."
"There WAS a reason, I swear," he says.
"But then Stem killed you, and everything changed," she says, ignoring him. "When you died, I felt like I had died with you. And when you came back, I felt like I came back too. I know for certain the other girls feel the same. And that's when I told myself…when I decided that…that not being in your harem was better than not being in your life at all."
"Momo," he says.
"I've been watching you, Rito," she confesses. "I've been watching you this whole time. Every moment you were with a girl, I seized the chance to push you both closer. Even before your nightmare, I was trying to make your harem a reality. And then you finally, FINALLY chose to go along with it. I thought I'd be happy, watching you willingly charm one girl after another. But...I wasn't happy. True, you were completing Project Harem on your own, as you should've; I only interfered to lend you the occasional hand when it was necessary. But it turns out…you didn't need my hands, or my help, at all."
"No, you're wrong," he says.
"You got all the girls all on your own," she says. "On the one hand, I was so proud of you. But on the other, I felt sad. And useless."
"Momo!" he yells. "I literally just said I only made it this far because of you."
No matter how hard Rito tries to get a word in, Momo's not letting him.
"That's sweet of you to say," she says, tears filling her eyes. "But listen, Rito…if you really don't love me, that's okay. I'd rather be in the harem because you love me, and not out of convenience."
"Momo, just listen," he begs.
"This is what I deserve," she interrupts. "I deserve to be the last girl you're speaking to. Or...maybe I really don't deserve to be in your harem at all. It would be a fitting punishment for me."
"Punishment?" he asks.
"Rito, do you know why I began Project Harem in the first place?" she asks. "It wasn't to make everyone in your life happy. That was a lie, a cover for something far more selfish."
"I don't understand," he replies.
Momo grabs his face with both hands, and confesses, "I love you, Rito Yuki. I love you so, so much. But I know full well that you love Haruna and Big Sis the most. So if I had any chance of earning your love, I'd have to create a harem for you."
…
"What?" he asks.
Momo drops back into her seat, deflated. "A harem would've benefitted us both. You would've had Haruna and Big Sis, and I would've been able to include myself into the mix. But it'd be suspicious if it were just me. That's why I sought out as many girls as possible, and nudged their hearts in your direction. With more girls in your harem, I could easily disappear into the crowd without standing out. I thought I was trying to make everyone happy, but the truth is I was just manipulating their feelings. I didn't consider how any of them actually felt. I used them, AND you. I'm a horrible, horrible person."
"Don't say that," he says. "You just did what you thought was right. And it turns out, you were right, Momo. Everything worked out. I've never been this happy before. I don't think any of the girls have either."
"It doesn't matter. It was still wrong of me," she argues. "Especially since…"
"What?" he asks. "Since what?"
"Since I eavesdropped on your confession to Haruna," she confesses.
The Ferris wheel begins another loop. Patrons are getting on and off, but Rito and Momo remain, too deep in their conversation to bother moving.
"That day, when the two of you were alone in the school supply shed, you told each other how you felt," says Momo. "And instead of being happy for you both…I was mortified."
"Momo…" starts Rito.
"I wanted to be your best girl, Rito!" she admits. "Me! Not Haruna, not Big Sis, not anyone else. Me! I wanted you to love me the most. I wanted to be at the top of your harem. THAT'S why I created the harem project. It was all for me. I really am a selfish, horrible person. And because of that, of course, you wouldn't love me, and it's NOT your fault at all if you don't. But if by some chance you do...if you carry even the tiniest speck of love for me at all...I should be grateful for that alone. But I'm not. I know it's wrong, but I want more from you."
She buries her face in her hands as all the tears she's been holding back spill from her eyes.
Rito steps forward, and touches her shoulder. "Momo…"
"I am so, SO sorry, Rito," she weeps. "I appreciate you trying to make me feel better, but I…I just can't!"
Suddenly, she spreads her wings, and launches into the sky.
"Momo! Wait!" yells Rito.
But she doesn't wait. In no time flat, she's already cleared across the amusement park and heads for the city; where she's going is anyone's guess.
Rito looks down at the operator working the Ferris wheel. "I'm sorry," he says before spreading his own wings, and propelling himself into the sky.
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On one of the city rooftops, Neme and Mea sit side-by-side on the ledge, enjoying snacks.
"I never get tired of this view," says Neme.
"I never get tired of these snacks, hmm-hmm," jokes Mea.
As both girls laugh, something in the air catches Neme's attention, stirring her to stand up.
"Neme?" asks Mea.
"Look," responds Neme, pointing to the sky.
Mea follows her finger, and stands up when she sees Momo soaring through the distant air, with Rito chasing after her.
When they disappear, Neme and Mea trade looks.
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The sun begins dipping beneath the horizon.
Momo flies as fast as she can over the cityscape, but Rito's right behind her.
"Momo, wait up!" he calls out over the wind.
"Stay away from me!" she yells back. "It's better for everyone if I'm not around anymore!"
"I won't let you!" he yells.
"I'm selfish, twisted and manipulative!" she yells. "Project Harem was wrong!"
"You said you did it out of your love for me!" he yells. "There's nothing wrong with that!"
"I also said I didn't consider your feelings!" she yells. "Or those of the other girls! Just stay away!"
Just as she increases her velocity, Rito does the same, giving himself a boost of speed.
"I'm not letting you-wait-what? Oh, nooooooo!" he screams.
Not having as much experience with his new power, he loses control of his flight and jets through the air like a missile, screaming his head off, and on a collision course with Momo. The situation switches from dramatic to hilarious.
"Momo, I can't stop!" he screams.
"Huh?" she gasps, turning around. Then she freaks out, waves her arms in a panic, and yells, "Rito, hold on! Just focus and-AAAYYYYYY!"
Rito crashes into Momo, and they both go screaming, spiraling and plummeting towards the ground. Just before they crash into the earth, Rito hits the brakes on his wings, and brings them in for a safe, albeit rough, landing.
They hit the ground, and go rolling across the grass, holding each other. After a few moments, they finally come to a stop, and remain still.
…
"Ow, ow, ow," mumbles Rito with something in his mouth. "Momo, you okay? Huh?"
He realizes he's hunched over Momo with both his hands groping her breasts, and her tail in his teeth. He instinctively gives her breasts a light squeeze and her tail a quick lick with his tongue; she coos in ecstasy.
Rito crawls away quickly, panicking as he says, "Gah! Momo, I'm so sorry! That was an accident, I swear. And sorry for crashing into you too; I didn't mean to. Are you alright?"
Momo sits up, and stares at him blankly. Then she covers her mouth as she bellows with laughter. Rito tilts his head in confusion.
"Rito...you touched me," she says. "You haven't done that in a long time."
"I did? Oh, yeah, I did! Wait, no. No, no, no! Ugh, and here I thought I was cured," he complains.
"Well, maybe you are," she says, standing up and dusting herself off. "Maybe that was the last accident you'll ever have."
She approaches and offers her hand.
He smiles and takes it as she helps him up. "I hope you're right."
They smile at each other, still holding hands. Rito's afraid to let go, worried she might fly off again. But he knows better, and releases her. They stand in awkward silence again. She twirls her hair while he looks around.
"Hey," he says, taking in the sights and starting to laugh. "Of all the places we could've landed."
Momo realizes where they are; it's the same spot by the river where she first confessed to him. While the initial realization fills her with nostalgic joy, she lowers her head in dismay. Rito catches on, and thinks up something quick.
"There's, uh, a bench over there," he says, gesturing to a nearby bench. "Why don't we have a seat?"
Momo nods her head, walks to the bench and sits on one end without another word. Rito sits on the other end. While the physical distance between them is minimal, the emotional distance feels like a chasm.
…
…
…
"Momo," he says.
She looks at him, listening in earnest.
"You have nothing, NOTHING to apologize for," he says.
"Rito," she starts.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you wait so long," he interrupts. "But I did have a reason. A reason why I waited to speak to you until now. An awful...super...embarrassing reason."
Momo leans forward; she's all ears.
At last, the sun disappears beyond the horizon, and the sky darkens.
Rito inhales and exhales before he speaks. "I do love Haruna and Lala the most. But…but…"
"Yes?" she asks.
Rito's face flushes red, and soaks with sweat. He bites his lip, and clenches his fists on his lap. It appears he might die from saying whatever it is he's trying to say. Momo appears anxious.
"I wanna make love to you the most!" he yells.
…
A fish leaps out of the river, and then splashes back into the water.
"Eh?" balks Momo, face flushed.
Rito clasps his hands over his mouth and spins around, terrified someone may have heard him. Much to his relief, it's just him and Momo by the river. He inhales again, and continues speaking.
"I mean, when it comes to romance, I want Haruna and Lala. But I am sexually attracted to you more than the other girls, and I...I wanna have sex with you the most," he says, balling himself up in shame, feeling like a disgusting pervert.
"I, uh, dah, gah, but, what?" she stutters, flattered, but also disturbed.
"Every night, you crawled into my bed. And every night, I held myself back. And you always showing up wearing next to nothing didn't make it any easier," he confesses. "I'm a healthy young man pumping with hormones, and you're a stunning young woman oozing with sexual appeal. I've always found you beautiful and sexy, especially whenever I wake up to see you in my bed."
Momo grips her head, her mind swimming with thoughts. So he's been wanting my body this whole time? More than Haruna's or Big Sis'? He thinks I'm sexy? And beautiful? That's…that's great, she thinks.
"But I couldn't make a move on you," he continues. "Not until I straightened things out with Haruna and Lala. Besides, at first, I thought you were seducing me just to prepare me for Lala. Or because you just liked to tease me. I didn't think you actually had feelings for me. But then…you told me you loved me…right here on this spot."
He rises and walks to the edge of the slope.
"I was so happy, but more than that, I was confused," he admits. "Then I resolved to go through with your harem plan. My goal was to speak to Haruna and Lala first, naturally. But then by circumstance, I ended up speaking to Run next. I was going to speak to you afterwards, I really was, but then I got invited over to Risa's house. And then Stem came along, and-no! No, no more excuses."
He takes another long deep breath, and collects himself.
"Momo," he says.
"Yes?" she asks.
"To be honest, and I know I'm gonna sound like a complete ass for saying this…I…I kinda...didn't think I HAD to talk to you," he admits. "Since Project Harem was your idea, I sorta figured you were already a part of it. I can't apologize enough for that."
"Rito," she says.
Rito turns around and faces her, his face bright red. "And well, because I wanted…because I wanted to have sex with you the most…I thought I should wait. Like you said, I should want you in my harem, because I love you, not because I wanna sleep with you."
"That's why you didn't speak to me before? Why you...'saved' me for last?" she asks.
"I wanted my intentions to be pure, just like they were with the other girls," he reveals. "I wanted to bury my lust, and include you in my harem for the right reasons. But it was just…taking too long for me to pull my heart together. And I know that wasn't fair to you. After all, you've been by my side, both figuratively AND literally, the most. And while Project Harem sounded extreme, even though you wanted to become my best girl, you still always had my happiness at heart."
"Rito…I did so many terrible things," she says.
"Oh, like I'm any better?" he counters. "I treated you like you were already part of the harem. I'm the one who's selfish and horrible. I especially shouldn't have made you wait so long to tell you I…"
Momo gives him a look, then slowly rises from the bench. "Tell me what, Rito?"
Rito relaxes his muscles, stands up straight and gives Momo a smile.
A few cherry blossom petals blow past them in the wind.
"Momo…I love you."
…
…
…
A single tear slides from Momo's eye, down her cheek and splashes onto a cherry blossom petal on the ground.
"What…what about me do you love?" she asks.
"Where do I begin?" he replies. "I love your hands. They're soft and delicate. I love the warmth they bring me when you hold my own hands, or when you run your slender fingers through my hair. I love the sound of your voice. I can feel butterflies in my stomach whenever I hear it. I love the way you walk, like you always have a bounce in your step whenever we take a stroll together. And the cute way your tail sways when we walk…I love that too. I love the way you sleep. Watching you rest so peacefully brings me comfort. I love the way you're considerate of my feelings. How I can always come to you whenever something's wrong. Even when I'm at my lowest or most vulnerable, I love how you make me feel safe. Like I can share anything with you without worrying about getting hurt or feeling judged. I love your eyes. So full of determination when you set your mind to something, and so soft whenever you show kindness to someone. I love how despite who I am, how I've treated you…you still chose me. You still waited for me. And you still loved me. You've given me your everything, and I've been an idiot for taking that for granted. I love everything there is about you, Momo. I truly, deeply love you."
Another gust of wind carries more cherry blossom petals past the bench.
Momo stands frozen. She hasn't moved a muscle since Rito started talking, but her eyes have been crying nonstop the whole time. She starts choking, unable to breath. She calms herself and controls her breathing, but the tears don't stop. Her mouth quivers repeatedly before finally curving into a smile. She's so happy, her body's almost forgotten how to react. She grips her chest as if to stop her heart from shooting out into the night sky. She wipes her eyes, but the tears still won't stop.
"Rito…Rito…" she weeps.
Rito approaches her, and takes her hand. Then he gets down on one knee, much to her shock. His eyes and smile full of confidence, he asks, "Princess Momo Deviluke…will you marry me?"
…
…
…
Wh-What? Is he...PROPOSING to me!? she thinks. He literally just confessed his love. Now he's asking for my hand in marriage? No, that's not it. The real kicker is…he hasn't done this with any of the other girls. I would've known if he had. So that means…I'm the first girl he's proposing to? Even before Big Sis or Haruna? I mean, technically he did propose to them and the other girls. But not like this. Not the traditional way. Oh, if this is a dream, please don't wake me up. He loves me. Rito loves me. And he wants to marry me.
"Uh, Momo," he says.
"Hmm?" she asks before realizing he's still down on one knee holding her hand; she's been leaving him hanging while lost in thought for the last minute or so. "Oh, sorry."
Wait, thinks Rito. Oh, crap! I haven't done this with the other girls. I mean, no, I did, didn't I? I think I did. But not like this. No wonder her head's in the clouds. Now mine is too.
He shakes his head, and comes back to reality.
"So…" he inquires.
"Oh, like you have to ask," she teases.
"Yes?" he asks.
"Yes," she replies.
"Yes?" he asks, getting excited.
"Yes," she repeats, also getting excited.
"Yes?" he asks, just to be sure.
"Oh, for crying out loud, you doofus! Yes, I will marry you!" she yells, tackling him to the ground.
The two roll around in the grass, giddy and happy beyond belief. The full moon beams down on them. He lays with her on top of him. She caresses his face with her hand.
"I love you, Rito Yuki," she says. "I'd be happy to be your bride, your queen, your wife, your anything, your everything. Just promise...promise we'll always be together."
"Of course, we will," he says. "Together for the rest of our lives."
"Rito," she says.
"Momo," he replies.
They bring their faces closer, and overlap their lips beneath the full moon. Tears of joy continue spilling from Momo's eyes. She and Rito hold each other tightly, and deepen their kiss; the first of many to come.
They break away, and bask for a moment, overwhelmed with happiness. As they bring their lips in for another kiss-
"No fair!" yells a voice.
Rito and Momo become startled, and quickly stand up.
Suddenly, a group of people hiding behind a tree collapse onto the ground; it's Neme, Mea, Yui, Nana, Risa, Mio, Run and Kyouko.
"Gah! What're you guys doing here?" asks Rito, embarrassed.
Then another group of people hiding in the bushes reveal themselves; it's Rin, Saki, Aya, Oshizu, Mikado and Tearju.
"Hey, there, Yuki. Sorry, but we were watching too, hmm-hmm," says Mikado.
"You what?" asks Rito.
Finally, a third group of people approach the bench; it's Lala, Haruna, Mikan, Celine and Yami.
"Neme and Mea called us. Said something big was happening," says Yami.
"Sorry, but we just couldn't help ourselves," says Mikan.
Celine speaks her gibberish in agreement.
"Congratulations, Rito and Momo!" cheers Lala.
"I'm so happy for the both of you," says Haruna.
"You were all spying on us? Seriously? Wait! How long have you guys been there?" asks Rito.
"Oh, we all arrived just in time to see you confess your love, Rito, and not a moment too soon. Or late. Or, ah, whatever," responds Risa.
"You did, huh?" says Rito.
Phew, he thinks. So none of them heard me say that stuff about wanting to sleep with Momo the most. If they had, I'd be dead.
Run charges right up to Rito, and takes his hands. "Rito, will you please propose to me like that too?"
"Huh?" asks Rito.
"Ooh, ooh, me too," says Mea.
"Come on, Rito. Propose to all of us," says Neme.
"Now, hold on just a second, you guys. I...uh...Momo?" asks Rito.
Momo stands with her head down, her fists clenched, and the hottest of fiery auras engulfing her. She stares everyone down with the coldest of eyes. It's terrifying for them, but hilarious to anyone watching from afar.
"You," hisses Momo, about to explode. "Do you all have ANY idea how LONG I've waited for this one magical moment?"
"Now, now, Momo, just stay calm," pleads Lala.
"Yeah. Don't forget how many times YOU'VE spied on everyone else here, hehe," says Nana.
Her sisters' words only increase the intensity of her aura, frightening everyone further.
"Uh-oh," says Neme.
Momo charges towards a skittish Lala.
"Big Sis," she hisses.
"Y-Yes, Momo?" asks Lala, comically sweating.
"Give me your D-dial," demands Momo.
"Okay," says Lala, handing over her D-dial.
Momo snatches the D-dial, fishes the warp bracelet out of it, returns it to Lala, seizes Rito by the arm, and yanks him back to the bench.
"Dah, Momo, what?" he asks.
Momo activates the warp bracelet, and a light fills the area, blinding everyone.
A moment later, Rito and Momo are gone.
"Where'd they go?" asks Yui.
"Wherever they are, maybe it's better we just leave them be," suggests Kyouko.
"Oh, fine. Rito can propose to us properly when he's ready," huffs Run.
"Yes, we did kinda interrupt his precious confession," says Haruna.
"You're right. Although I wonder why Momo took my warp device," says Lala.
"Well, she wanted to continue her moment with Rito somewhere else, right?" insists Mikan.
"Well, I know that, but look," says Lala, pointing to the bench.
Much to everyone's surprise, Rito and Momo's clothes are sprawled all over the bench, including their underwear.
"Wait, Big Sis, don't tell me," worries Nana.
"Yep. Momo grabbed my old warp device, the one that only teleports flesh," says Lala, fishing her newer warp bracelet out of her D-dial. "I think she meant to grab this one, but she was in such a rush to leave, she grabbed the other one by mistake."
"Oh, my, fufu," says Neme.
"You mean..." starts Haruna, her face getting red.
"Yuki and Momo are..." starts Tearju, also getting red.
Within no time at all, everyone's faces are flushing; some amused, others flustered.
"How shameless!" yells Yui.
"Big Sis, why would you still keep that old one?" asks Nana.
Lala just giggles, and innocently rubs her head. "Oops."
000000
It's night at Rito's house.
Inside Rito's bedroom, Rito and Momo both materialize out of thin air.
"Wait, we're back in my room," notes Rito who's down on the floor.
Momo sets the warp bracelet on the desk. "Honestly, those guys. True, I may have spied on them every now and then."
"Uh, Momo," says Rito, his cheeks flushing rosy red.
"But that was all for the good of Project Harem," she continues.
"Momo," he repeats, covering his eyes with one hand, and his groin with the other.
"Anyway, Rito, picking up where we left off," she says with a smile.
"MOMO!" he yells.
"What?" she asks.
It's only then she realizes both of them are naked.
...
...
...
Her whole body goes red, steam erupts from her head, and she covers her breasts and pelvis with her arms.
"AAAAYYYYY! What the heck?" she squeals. Then she notices the warp device. "Wait, this isn't the new one Big Sis made."
"It's fine," says Rito, looking away. "Just go grab some clothes from your room."
"Right," she replies.
She runs for the door, but then stops before she touches the doorknob.
Wait a minute, she thinks. What am I getting all embarrassed for? I've flaunted my naked body in front of Rito so many times. Then again, that was before he and I...confessed our love. Not only that, but...he said he'd want to have sex with me more than the other girls. Oh, I really should leave. If I stay...neither of us will be able to hold ourselves back.
"Uh, Momo, are you still there?" asks Rito, going for his closet with his eyes still covered. He blindly fishes for some clothes to put on.
...
"Rito," she says.
"Y-Yeah?" he asks.
Momo smiles, turns around and tackles Rito onto the bed. Her naked body now rests atop his own.
"Gah! Momo, what're you...?" he squeals.
Momo presses her lips against Rito's, and forces her tongue into his mouth. The kiss is so passionate that when she pulls away, a trail of saliva follows her lips.
"Momo..." he says.
"Shh. Just kiss me," she says.
She leans closer and shuts her eyes, but doesn't connect her lips; she's waiting for him to do it. Though they've laid in bed like this a million times before, doing so now strikes a greater impact on them both. Against Rito's better judgement, he overlaps their lips, and holds her naked body in his arms.
Momo welcomes his contact, and opens her mouth. As their tongues twist and dance, they cuddle gently and begin their foreplay.
Rito snatches her tail, and slowly strokes it. Momo coos and whines in pleasure. He picks up the pace, stroking her tail rougher and faster. Momo bites his shoulder; her legs squirm beneath the blankets; she can't take it anymore.
"Wait, Rito," she says.
But he doesn't wait; he brings her tail to his mouth, and begins licking it like a lollipop.
"Ah, da, erm, ah," she moans, enjoying every last bit of his touch.
He rolls atop her, kneading her left breast with one hand, her right butt cheek with the other, and still licking her tail; she's being stimulated into overload.
"Ah, ah, AAAAAHHHHH!" she cries out.
...
"Okay. That's enough for now," he says.
"Y-Yeah," she says, panting.
Rito finally releases her, and lays next to her. She wraps her arms around him, and snuggles close. They both lay still, and catch their breath.
"I cannot WAIT to marry you," she says, seductively.
"Me neither," he responds. "When I do, we're gonna make love for real."
"I'll be ready," she says, kissing his cheek whilst smiling.
They remain still, basking in each other's warmth.
Out the window, a few shooting stars zoom through the night sky.
"Can you believe how much has changed? How far we've come?" he ponders.
"I know. Crazy, isn't it?" she answers.
"That nightmare I had…it feels like a lifetime ago," he says.
"And a fear that will never come to pass," she says. "You will never be alone, Rito. And you will always be loved."
"Momo, I truly can't thank you enough," he says.
"I'm the one who should be thanking you," she says.
"Me?" he asks.
"Yes. Thank you, Rito, for loving me," she says. "For coming back to me after Stem took you. For completing Project Harem. For becoming my king."
"You're welcome. Though I haven't done that last part just yet," he says.
"You will," she replies. "And you're gonna be a great king."
Rito doesn't respond.
"Rito?" she asks.
"Sorry. It's just...everything's gonna change," he says.
With that, Momo mounts herself onto Rito, though she's careful to avoid connecting their sensitive areas. With the way she's sitting, smiling down upon him with the moonlight filling the room, she appears like an angel.
"I know it'll seem scary and overwhelming at first. But I told you before, you won't face it alone," she encourages.
Rito smiles, wipes a few tears from his eyes, and caresses Momo's face.
"Momo...I love you," he says.
Momo lowers herself, kisses Rito again and rests her body on top of his.
"And I love you, Rito," she says. "I always will."
They smile, embrace and let themselves drift off to sleep.
Author's Note: Hello, readers!
Well, there you have it. Momo has FINALLY earned Rito's affection, and now, she's got her happy ending. To be honest, she could've been the third or fourth girl added to the harem. But as a writer, I've learned one of the best ways to keep readers invested and entertained is to not give them what they want; at least, not in the beginning. It may feel forced, but I wanted to save Momo for last, dangling that plot thread of when she and Rito would get together, because it kept patient readers like you coming back to the story, dying to see them get together. Of course, I also needed Rito to have his own reason why he saved Momo for last. It may seem anticlimactic, but given the spirit of the To Love-Ru franchise, I think his reason fits. Anyway, thank you for your patience, and I hope the chapter lived up to the hype.
Project Harem is complete, Stem is gone, and Rito will at last become king. With all that said, it's time for the story to come to an end. Fear not, there WILL be two final chapters. That being said, again, this is NOT a lemon series. In fact, I almost didn't write the bedroom scene between Rito and Momo because it seemed too steamy. There will be loves scenes in the next chapter, but they'll be clean.
And lastly, I would love to see what this fanfic would look like in manga and anime format. Hey, I can dream, can I? Or at the very least, if anybody draws fan art as a hobby, I am curious what Stem would like like; both his original blue form, and his upgraded red form. Oh, well. Just gonna have to imagine it.
Hope you all enjoyed the Matt Damon bit; he loves doing cameos, so I thought, "Why not?" Haha. Thanks again for all the support, everybody.