The Journey of Momo Part 2: The Vampire Artist
Close to a mountain, a heavy blizzard has soon appeared. Fighting through the storm was Momo, wearing winter clothes and carrying a large backpack on her back. She was also using a stick to help her walk through the snowstorm.
She was walking through the snowstorm for a while now before she stopped and pulled the collar of her coat to check on Conny, who she was carrying with her arm in her coat.
"Are you alright, Conny?" Momo asked, and Conny shivers as he answers by whining. "Yeah, I know. I'm cold too. Don't worry, I'll find shelter soon."
Just as Momo was moving forward against the blizzard, Conny's nose picks up something before he barks and jumps out of Momo's coat and runs forward.
"Conny? Wait!" Momo calls out as she follows her dog companion.
Momo was following Conny while having trouble keeping up with him in this storm, and soon heard him barking before she stopped and saw the dog standing close to someone who was buried under snow.
Momo blinks to see that person before she understands that Conny must have picked up on their scent and brought her to help them.
Momo nodded before she knelt down and removed the snow from the person under it.
When she removed the snow, Momo saw the person's face.
It was a teenage boy around her age, who had long hair tied in a braid that hangs down to his shoulders. He was wearing winter clothes like her which also comes with a hood and has a large backpack.
But what really got Momo's attention was his silver hair and pale white skin, which only means one thing to Momo, that this boy was a…
"A vampire…" Momo said.
Momo notices that the vampire looks weak, she then looks around for some shelter before she spotted a cave that was close to them.
Momo picks up the boy by his arms and begins to drag him to the cave with Conny following them.
After bringing the vampire to the cave, she soon placed both of their backpacks on the ground, made a campfire using some dry wood, and removed both hers and the vampire's coats and placed the boy on a blanket on the floor.
Momo then checked his neck and felt he was still breathing but it was still weak at best. Momo nodded as she knew what she needed to do, she soon went into her backpack and brought out a knife.
After moving back to the boy, she soon uses her knife to cut her hand and brings it above the vampire's mouth, Momo then tightly squeezes her hand to give the boy some of her blood as it falls into his mouth.
After swallowing a small amount of her blood, the vampire coughs before he begins to slowly open his eyes before he slowly looks at his surroundings.
The vampire's vision was blurry at best, but he could tell that he was in a cave.
"Oh good, you're awake." Momo said in relief before his vision cleared up and saw her face.
The vampire was shocked to see that she was a human, he quickly got up and jumped away from her.
"What are you doing, human? And where did you bring me?" He asked in hostility before he became lightheaded and fell on his knee.
"Easy there." Momo said as she slowly approached the vampire. "You were buried under some snow, and you look weak. So I wanted to help you."
"Help me?" The vampire said in confusion before he noticed the cut on her hand. "Wait…Did you just give me your blood?"
"Yes." Momo nodded. "I figured you hadn't had blood for a while, so I thought it might have been the best medicine for you."
The vampire was both shocked and confused to hear that on why this human would help him like that.
The vampire then looked at the exit of the cave and saw the blizzard had become worse and would be unwise to go outside in the condition he's in. He then turned away from Momo as he sat down.
"Well, I appreciate it but don't expect any thanks for it." The vampire told her, and Momo just smiled before she sat down and gave him some space.
"It's fine. I was just glad to help you." Momo told him.
After treating the cut on her hand, Momo begins to warm herself up by having her hands close to the campfire before she breathes on them and rubs her hands together.
She then notices that Conny was sleeping beside before she smiles and begins to pet the pug dog. Momo then turns to the vampire as he continues to avoid eye contact with her.
"So…" Momo said, breaking the silence between them. "What's your name?"
The vampire blinks in confusion before he turns to her.
"Why would a human want to know my name?" He asked.
Momo turns to the blizzard outside.
"Well, it's not like we're going anywhere thanks to this blizzard." She said before she turned back to the vampire. "So, why don't we take the chance to get to know each other? I'll start first, I'm Momo, and this is Conny. And you are?"
The vampire thought about it before he sighed.
"It's Alexander. Happy now?" He asked.
"Alexander…" Momo repeated before she chuckled. "That's kind of a mouth full."
Alexander clicks his teeth before he turns away from her.
"Well, you were the one who asked." He grumbles.
"Right, sorry. But I'm glad we're starting to talk to each other." Momo said.
"Yeah, sure." Alexander mutters.
"So, Alexander, what brings a vampire all the way out here?" Momo asked, and Alexander simply eyed her.
"I could say the same about you. Shouldn't you be a human settlement where you can be safe from dangerous monsters like me?" He asked.
Momo hugs onto her legs.
"It's complicated. Also, you may find this odd, but I don't see you as a monster." Momo told him, and Alexander was a little surprised at first, but he simply huffed.
"Yeah, like I could believe that." Alexander said.
"Well, I didn't have any plans to convince you otherwise." Momo said.
There was once again silence between them, and Momo soon began to sing a song which got Alexander's attention as he turned to her.
"That song?" He mutters, and Momo turns to him with a smile.
"What? Did you like it?" Momo asked, and Alexander flinched before he turned away from her.
"D-Don't be ridiculous! I just found it surprising…I thought music was taboo to you humans." Alexander said, and Momo chuckles.
"Yeah, well, I just love to sing. Is there something wrong with that?" Momo asked.
"N-No, of course not. So…Is that a reason why you're not living with humans?" Alexander asked.
"I guess you can say that." Momo told him, and Alexander eyed her.
Even though he only heard for a short while, Momo's singing was really nice, and Alexander could tell there was love and passion behind the song.
Momo then notices that he was staring at her.
"Is something wrong?" Momo asked, and Alexander closed his eyes.
"No, it's nothing." Alexander said, before he sighed and went into his pants pocket. "But, since you've told me your reason for being here, suppose it's only fair to tell you my reason as well."
Alexander pulls out what appears to be a postcard and hands it to Momo as she accepts it and looks at it. Momo recognizes it as the postcard had a picture of Eden on it.
"Eden…" Momo mutters as she turns it around to see the map.
"You heard about it too?" Alexander asked, and Momo frowned before she nodded.
"Yes. In fact…I was there myself." Momo said, which really surprised Alexander.
"Really?! You have?!" He asked, and Momo nodded. "Then…Tell me…What is it like? Is it really the place the postcard said it was?"
Momo flinched before she said.
"Yeah, it was…on the surface." Alexander was confused by that.
"What do you mean by that?" The vampire asked.
Momo sighed and soon told Alexander the real truth about Eden.
"I see." Alexander said with a smirk. "So, Eden was actually a deathtrap for naive little vampires like me. Guess I shouldn't be surprised by that."
"You don't sound disappointed about it though." Momo said and Alexander turned away from her.
"Don't get me wrong, I am disappointed. But I'm not all that surprised, a place like that only exists in fairy tales." Alexander said.
Hearing that made Momo remember the last time when she had encountered her uncle, how he told her that humans and vampires will always be at war with each other and that places like Eden are only illusions.
But then she remembers her adventures with Fine, how she taught her how to sing and love music, but most of all how to love her life and how she told her how strong she really was.
Momo then smiles at the vampire.
"But you're still alive." Momo said, which was much to Alexander's confusion before he turned to her. "As long as you're alive, there's always hope."
Hearing that, Alexander couldn't help but chuckle.
"That's a cheesy way of saying it." Alexander said with a smirk.
"Hey, you didn't have to laugh about it." Momo said before she pouted, and then the two of them chuckled together. "So, Alexander, what was your reason for going to Eden?"
Alexander huffed as he leaned back on the wall.
"No reason, really. I just wanted to see what the place was like, and who knows maybe the peace and quiet can allow me to focus on my artwork." The vampire answered and hearing that got Momo's attention.
"Artwork? Wait, so does that mean you're an artist?" Momo asked as she leaned close to him, and Alexander was a little taken back by her excitement.
"Yes…That's right." The vampire answered.
"That means you can paint right?" Momo asked, and Alexander nodded. "That's amazing! Can you show me your paintings then? I rarely get the chance of meeting artists like you."
"But I'm not so sure…" Alexander mutters before Momo gives him a pleading look on her face.
"Please…" Mom requested.
The vampire's mouth was twitching before he sighed and opened his backpack.
"Fine." Alexander said and Momo was both happy and excited about that. "I don't have any paintings right now, but I do have these."
He soon brought out a few pieces of paper and handed it to Momo. She soon accepts them and looks at them one at a time.
They were sketches of different things, one was a landscape of a forest, the other was a landscape of mountains, and one sketching was a pair of rabbits rubbing their heads against each other along with many other things.
"Oh wow…these are really good." Momo said as she admired the sketches, and Alexander was surprised by that.
"Really?" He asked and Momo nodded. Alexander's cheek turned red before he turned away from her and coughed in his hand. "Well, it's nothing to be impressed about. Those are only sketches at best. Normally, I'm going to paint those very pictures."
"In that case I hope to see them one day." Momo said before she handed the sketches back to him.
"Yeah, but who knows when that will happen." Alexander said, and Momo then understands his reason why he's here all alone.
"So, was painting the reason why you're alone?" She asked, and Alexander flinched before he sighed.
"You're a lot sharper than you look. Well, it's part of the answer, but it's not the whole reason. " Alexander said.
"What do you mean by that?" Momo asked.
"Do you really want to know?" Alexander asked, and Momo nodded. The vampire then looks up at the ceiling. "Then you better brace yourself, it's not going to be pleasant."
Alexander then remembers his old settlement.
"I used to live in a small vampire settlement in the far west. It wasn't exactly the best place to live in, but we managed somehow." Alexander told him.
"Did you have any family there?" Momo asked.
"I did…once." Alexander said before he remembered his father. "My mother passed away when I was very young, so it was just me and my father. But he was killed by humans."
"I-I'm sorry to hear that." Momo said, and Alexander huffs.
"If you think that's saddening, wait until you hear the rest." Alexander said before he remembers time how his father had raised him. "You see, ever since I was a child, my father had always told me to never forgive humans and that I should always hate them. You see during the early days of the war against humans and vampires, my grandfather, his father, and even his father before then had fought in the war for years. So naturally, my own father was raised to hate humans with a passion, and he wanted me to be just like him."
"I see. Do…Do you still feel that way now?" Momo asked.
"Well, I would be lying to say that it didn't affect me somewhat. But I simply ignore and forget what he told me." Alexander told her, and Momo was surprised by that.
"Really?" Momo asked, and Alexander nodded as he remembered the times when he practiced his artwork.
"Yeah. If anything, I was more focused on doing art than fighting or hating anyone. My mother was quite the artist when she was young, so I felt a certain bond with her through it and overtime I grew to love art myself." Alexander said before he sighed as he remembered a bitter memory. "But my father wouldn't stand for that, he tends to smash up my paintings and that I should focus on my combat training."
Momo was saddened to hear that as she remembers that her mother had treated her pretty much the same way as Alexander's father.
"That's sad to hear." Momo said, and Alexander simply smirks.
"Yeah, but that wasn't the worst part." Alexander said before he remembers those of his settlement had discovered a human camp. "Around a year ago, the people of my settlement had discovered a human camp. Naturally, most of us saw it was an opportunity to get human blood and make humans our blood bags. So, we decided to raid the camp and not surprisingly my father forced me to come with him, despite my wishes of staying home instead."
Alexander sighed.
"But then, when we raided the camp, everything went to hell." Alexander said before he remembers how the humans had ambushed him and the others. "You see, somehow and someway, the humans had set a trap for us. They used lights that were harmful to us vampires, and they gunned us down one by one without mercy or remorse."
Alexander then remembers how himself and his father were able to escape that massacre but were still wounded.
"My father and I were barely able to escape with our lives. But we could tell the humans were hunting us. Knowing only one of us could escape, my father forced me to go on ahead and leave him behind to fight the humans all by himself. And I was a coward back then, so I didn't bother to argue. My father's last words to me were this: 'Remember, Alexander! This is what humans are like! Never forget this moment! Never forgive humans! Never stop hating them!'" Alexander chuckles to remember that. "Even to the end, he still wanted to drill his lessons into me. But, thanks to him I was able to escape."
"And what happened after that?" Momo asked.
"After I managed to return the people of my settlement, the leaders and even the friends I grew up with, all viewed me as a coward. So as punishment, I was banished in disgust. I gathered most of the things I needed along with my art supplies and left my settlement." Alexander said.
"That's terrible. I'm sorry to hear that." Momo said, and Alexander simply smirks.
"Thank you for your sympathy. But truthfully, I somewhat felt grateful for it." Alexander stated and Momo blinked to hear that.
"You are?" She asked.
"Yeah. I always hated living in that place where we're always at odds with humans, and I hated the things my father taught me. So, I thought that my banishment was a blessing in disguise. And I was finally free to travel and go wherever I want, and to finally work on my art in peace." Alexander said, and Momo smirks to hear that before she frowns.
"And that's when you heard about Eden, right?" Momo asked, and Alexander sighed.
"Yeah. I found a music box and that's when I found that postcard. A place where humans and vampires are free to sing and play music together. Don't get me wrong, I was skeptical at first, but I wanted to see what the place was like. But Eden's gone now, right?" Alexander asked.
"Well, I'm not sure what happened after the submarine was destroyed. But I doubt there are still people living there." Momo told him, and Alexander looked down.
"I see." Alexander said before he turned back to Momo. "So, what's your story?"
Momo blinks in confusion.
"Don't get me wrong, I could care less what it is. But I told you my story, so it's only fair you do the same." Alexander told her, and Momo smirks before she hugs her legs.
"I suppose that's true. Have you ever heard of a place called Central?" Momo asked, Alexander blinked to hear that.
"That's a stupid question to ask. Of course, I've heard about it. It's apparently the only largest human settlement that's protected by a tower of light." Alexander said, and Momo nodded.
"Yeah. In fact, I used to live there myself." Momo said, and Alexander was surprised by that.
"What? Really?" He asked, and Momo nodded.
"I used to be a soldier for the army, and my mother happens to be a general, in fact she was the commander in chief." Momo told him.
"Huh…Sounds like you had an easy life going on there." Alexander stated, and Momo shook her head.
"I wouldn't say that. Don't get me wrong, I thought vampires were dangerous like anyone else, but after I experienced my first battle, I was left horrified by the bloodshed and violence. Not to mention I was always pressured by my mother to be the perfect daughter for her. Eventually, I've gotten so tired of it I just wanted to disappear. So, I've decided to run away from all of it. The war, Central, my mother, everything." Momo said.
"I see. It must have been tough for you, being all alone like that." Alexander said, and Momo smiles at him.
"Well, I didn't escape alone." Momo said, and Alexander blinked to hear that. "Believe it or not, when I ran away that's when I met a vampire who helped me escape."
Alexander was shocked to hear that.
"What? A vampire helped you?" He asked, and Momo nodded.
"Yeah. Her name was Fine, and she taught me so many things. How to sing, how to dance, how to love music, how to play the piano, and most of all, she taught me how to love my life. She saved me so many times that I've lost count. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Fine. It was thanks to her I was able to live my life, the way I want to live it." Momo said as she placed a hand on her cloak.
Alexander eyed on that cloak and could tell that it was made by other vampires based on its design and pattern. Alexander could tell that cloak was important to her, like it was a last memento from this Fine.
"Did…Did she die?" Alexander asked, and Momo flinched before she sadly nodded. "I see. I'm sorry to hear that."
"Thank you. After I buried Fine, I decided to head out on a new journey, not sure where I want to go. And now here we are talking to each other." Momo said with a smile, and Alexander smiled back.
"Yeah, a human and a vampire chatting like it's normal?" Alexander chuckles and Momo chuckles as well.
"Anyway, what sort of places did you visit on your journey?" Momo asked.
Alexander hummed as he folded his arms.
"Let's see…" Alexander said.
The two of them continue to talk as the blizzard continues to fall outside.
Both Momo and Alexander were sleeping in the cave, and Conny was awake as he began to wake Momo up by licking on her face.
"Hmm…" Momo humbles before she sits up and rubs on her eyes. "I'm awake, Conny…"
Conny barks at her and to the exit. Momo blinks before she sees it was morning outside and that the blizzard has passed.
Momo soon stood up and left the cave, she soon smiles to see the outside before she calls out Alexander.
"Hey, Alexander! You have to see this!"
Alexander grumbles before he sits up and rubs the back of his head.
"Honestly…" He mutters before he stands up and puts up his hood and leaves the cave as well. "You might be a morning person, but we vampires are…"
Alexander stopped as his eyes widened, they were looking at forest below the mountain as the sun was rising. The light of the sun was helping the snow on the trees begin to glitter almost like they were tiny little stars as the sun was behind a mountain from afar.
"It's beautiful, don't you think…" Momo said before she saw Alexander had quickly taken out an old sketchbook and a pencil as he began to draw, no doubt sketching the beautiful landscape they are seeing right now.
Momo could see the focus and passion in his eyes and seeing that caused Momo to chuckle.
After Alexander had finished his sketch of the landscape, they soon put on their coats and picked up their backpacks.
"Guess this is where we part ways." Alexander said as he pets Conny.
"Maybe. But Alexander, where do you plan on going?" Momo asked before the vampire artist stood up.
"Well, since Eden is now a dead end, literally. I'm not sure where I want to go. I doubt I can live with other vampires. Especially since I can't fit in with my own kind anymore." Alexander said, and Momo looked at him in sympathy.
"I see." Momo mutters before she comes up with an idea and smiles at Alexander. "Then how about you come with me and Conny?"
Conny barks in agreement before Alexander turns to her in shock.
"What?"
"We're on a journey ourselves. And since you don't have anywhere to go, then it's better that we travel together. Besides, I want you to teach me more about art. I love singing and dancing, but I want to learn all sorts of things that are forbidden by humans. And in exchange, I'll let you hear me sing. It's a fair deal, don't you think?" Momo asked.
Alexander was further stunned by this.
"Y-You can't possibly be serious?! I mean I'm a vampire!" Alexander shouted.
"I know, what's wrong with that?" Momo asked.
"What's wrong…? You're not at least concerned about that? I mean I might betray you and attack you. Worse, I might lose control of myself and hurt you." Alexander told him.
"It'll be fine. Don't forget, I used to travel with a vampire. And you don't seem like a bad person either, and if you do lose control I'll just find a way to help you." Momo said, further stunning Alexander.
Momo turns and walks forward.
"Just like how you can't fit in with vampires anymore, I doubt I can live with other humans myself. So, I guess we're similar in a lot of ways." Momo said before she turned to him with a smile on her face. "Besides, it's better to travel together than travel alone. Don't you agree?"
Alexander was looking at her in confusion before he puffs and begins to laugh.
"Hahaha! I swear! You are by far the most naive and foolish human I've ever met!" Alexander said as he continued to laugh.
Momo pouted to hear that before she turned away from the vampire artist.
"You didn't have to say it like that?" Momo mutters.
"But…" Alexander said and Momo turned to him. "I'll admit, it does sound better than traveling alone. So, I guess I'll go with you and the dog."
Momo smiles and Conny barks in happiness.
"Really? You mean it?" Momo asked, and Alexander nodded. "Alright, then I look forward to traveling together, Alexander."
Alexander sighed before he reached out his hand to her.
"If you want, you can call me Alex. It's what my friends used to call me." Alexander tells her and Momo's smiles grew brighter.
"That's great!" Momo said as she grabbed onto Alex's hand. "It's nice to meet you, Alex."
"Y-Yeah…" Alex mutters.
"Alright, then let's go." Momo said before she walks forward and Conny barks as he soon follows her.
As Alex watches her, he couldn't but smile how trusting and honest she was towards him despite being a vampire.
"Honestly. She truly is an odd one." Alex said before he followed Momo, and the three of them set out on a journey together.
There you have it, I hope that you like it. Please review to tell me what you think.