The Journey of Momo Part 4: The Girl Who Lost Everything

It was snowing in the forest and walking in it was a little girl.

She appeared to be at least 12 years old with dark orange long hair tied in a ponytail with matching color eyes. She was wearing dirty and ragged clothes with cloth wrappings around her hands and feet, she was wearing a cloak on her shoulders as well.

As the girl was walking, she had a hollow look in her eyes.

The girl took a moment to rest as she was seated on the ground and leaned on a tree. She then took out a small and old wind-up music box, she then began to turn its key to play some music.

As the girl was playing with the music box, she smiles in comfort before she remembers some dark memories from her past of a man who caught her playing with that very music box.

"I keep telling you to stop playing that crap!" He shouted as he slapped it out of her hands and would often slap her.

The girl stops playing the music box as she flinches.

"Music is a monster's culture! If you keep listening to it, you're no better than them!" He shouted.

The girl drops her music box and hugs on her shoulders.

"Are you a monster?! Are you?!"

"No! I'm not!" The girl told him as she began to cry.

"Good."

The girl continues to cry as she still remembers that man's words echoing in her mind.

"Now you see…This is what those monsters are capable of. Never forgive them…Avenge me…Chloe."

"Daddy…" She mutters.

The girl then heard something in front of her, she looked up and saw a van driving past her.

The girl blinks before she picks up her music box and follow the van.

Alex and Conny were sleeping on the backseat together while Momo continued to drive the van before she stopped, Alex and Conny woke up to feel the van shaking.

"Oh, sorry about that, you two." Momo told her two companies. "You can go back to sleep if you want."

Alex yawns as he sits up and rubs his head and Conny stretches out his legs.

"No…It's fine…In fact, I need a moment to stretch out my legs." Alex mutters.

Then Momo, Alex, and Conny step out of the van. Momo took a moment to stretch out her arms, and Alex took a moment to stretch out his back after lying on the backseat for a while.

"You know, after traveling in that hunk of junk for weeks, I thought I'll get used to how uncomfortable the seats are." The vampires mutter and Momo chuckles.

"Yeah, I guess I can agree with that. But it's at least better than lying on the ground." Momo said.

"Maybe…" Alex said before he took a moment to study the area.

They were now in the forest with a river that was close to the van, and Alex saw that the sun was rising to reflect its light on the river to give it a more beautiful appearance.

"Beautiful…" Alex mutters, and Momo chuckles.

"Yeah. I figured this spot is perfect for setting up camp. And we were running low on fresh water." Momo said.

Momo was getting the water tanks out of the back while Alex was making a frame with his hands to view the landscape in front of him to make it into a painting.

Alex then turns to Momo as she carries two water tanks in both of her hands.

"Hey, if you want, I can gather the water for you?" Alex offered and Momo shook her head.

"It's fine. You just watch over the van, and you're free to work on a painting if you want." Momo told him.

"Alright, if you're sure." Alex said. "But just call out to me if you're in trouble."

"I will, don't worry." Momo said before she turned to Conny. "Let's go, Conny."

Conny barks before both him and Momo walk away to gather some freshwater.

"Well, since I'm here, I might as well take a moment to paint." Alex said before he gathers his art supplies from the van.

Alex soon set up his wooden easel and placed a blank canvas on it and brought out his brushes and paint along with his palette and palette knives.

Alex took the moment to sketch out the landscape of the trees, river, and sun. Alex paused as he hummed.

"Hmmm…something's missing…" Alex mutters.

The girl had caught up to the van as she hid behind the trees and bushes, she was spying on Alex who continued to sketch on his canvas and then looked at the van as the back door was still open and the girl saw it was filled with supplies.

The girl was stunned to see those supplies before her stomach began to growl showing she hasn't eaten anything for a while.

She then looks at the hooded Alex, while she knows that he might not give her much but maybe if she asks nicely, he'll spare some food for her.

She was about to step out of her hiding spot and call out to Alex but stopped as she saw the artist had picked up a jar of blood and drank some of it.

"Vampire…" She mutters before she angrily glares at the vampire.

The girl then brings out a handmade knife with a sharp but rough blade with pieces of cloth on the grip. She then slowly and silently approaches the vampire as he resumes sketching his portrait.

But she accidentally steps on a tree branch as it snapes under her foot, which he heard due to his sharp hearing before she looks down as her eyes widened in fear.

Alex blinks to hear that before he turns around and sees the girl standing behind her while she is hiding her knife behind her.

"A girl?" Alex said to see the girl and noticed she was hiding something from her back.

The girl lowered her head as she was afraid that the vampire in front of her was going to jump and attack her to suck her blood.

"Are you lost?" Alex asked, and the girl blinked before she looked up at him. "Did you get separated from your parents?"

The girl blinked in confusion before she answered.

"Y-Yes…I can't find my mom and dad…" She told him.

Alex hummed before he stood up and walked to the girl.

"Alright, I'll help you find them. They couldn't have gone too far." Alex said before he knelt down to the girl to reach her height.

When he was close enough, the girl brings out her knife and stabs at him but Alex stops by grabbing onto her wrist, much to the girl's surprise.

"Nice try, but I'm not that stupid." Alex said, and the girl glared at him. "So how about you drop the knife and I'll help you find your parents."

The girl then pulls out another knife with her other hand to stab the vampire once again, but Alex stops it by grabbing onto her other wrist and then throws the girl to the ground and holds her in place.

"Now, if we're done with that, how about you calm down so we can talk about this peacefully." Alex told her.

The hateful glare in the girl's eyes turned to a fearful look as tears appeared on the edge of her eyes.

"N-No! Got off of me! I don't want to die! I don't want to die! Don't eat me please!" The girl demanded in fear as she tried to break free.

"H-Hey!" Alex said as the girl continued to struggle to break free.

"Don't suck my blood please! Please don't kill me!" The girl demanded.

Alex wonders what he should do to calm this girl down.

"Alex?"

Alex looked and saw that both Momo and Conny had returned with the freshwater.

Momo then saw the girl on the ground as Alex held her there.

"What happened? And who's that girl?" Momo asked.

"Well, I'm not sure myself." Alex said. "Anyway, can you help me out here? I don't think I can calm her down."

"Right." Momo nodded before she put the water tanks down.

Momo then moves to the girl and knelt down to her and grabs hold of her wrists as Alex lets go of her before the girl sits up.

"No! No! Don't eat me!" The girl said as she now struggles to break free from Momo's hold as she thought that she was a vampire.

"Hey! Calm down. Just look at me." Momo requested in a kind tone, and the girl opened her eyes and saw that Momo was a human.

The girl begins to calm down as Momo smiles at her.

"See? I'm a human, just like you." Momo told her before she let go of her and the girl blinked.

"You…You're really human?" She asked, and Momo nodded.

"Yeah, that's right." Momo told her.

The girl then turns back to Alex who was looking at her before she moved away from both him and Momo much to their surprise and confusion.

"Th-Then why are you with a vampire?" The girl asked in fear.

Momo then turns to Alex before she turns back to the girl with a smile on her face.

"Because, he's my friend." Momo answered, much to the girl's surprise.

"B-But he's a monster…" The girl said which offended Alex.

"Hey! You should watch what you say to me!" Alex said loudly, which made the girl move away some more before she hid behind a tree.

Alex flinches before Momo turns to him.

"Alex!" Momo said before Alex lowered his head and rubbed his hand on the back of it.

"Sorry…" Alex mutters.

Momo then turns to the girl with a sympathetic look as she could tell that she was terrified of vampires. Momo then notices something on the ground before she picks it up and it was the girl's music box.

The girl's eyes widened to see her music box in Momo's hand before she checked her pockets and felt they were indeed empty.

"This is…" Momo said as she looked at the item in her hands before Alex looked at it.

"It's an old wind-up music box." Alex said and Momo turned to the artist.

"A music box? So it plays music?" Momo asked, and Alex nodded.

"Yeah. Just use that key to play it." Alex told her.

Momo then turns the key to play the music box, she smiles that it does work.

"Oh, wow, you're right." Momo said as she continued to play it while smiling.

The girl was left confused on why she likes that small music box so much.

Momo then begins to sing along with the music box, and the girl was shocked by that which Alex notices before he taps on Momo's shoulder to make her stop singing.

"Hey, Momo, I think that's enough. Besides, it's pretty obvious that it's hers." Alex told her.

"Oh yeah. Good point there." Momo said before she moves to the girl and knelt down offers her music box back. "Here. This is yours, right?"

The girl looked at her music box in Momo''s hand before she shook her head.

"No, it's not." She told them, much to their confusion.

"What? But you were looking at it like it belonged to you." Momo said, and the girl shook her head once again.

"It's not! Music is for monsters! And I'm not a monster!" The girl shouted in denial, surprising Momo and Alex some more.

Then Momo and Alex moved away from the girl to discuss this matter in private.

"So, that girl tried to attack you and that's why you pinned her to the ground." Momo said, and Alex nodded.

"Yeah, that's about right." Alex said before he turns back to the girl who continues to hide behind the tree. "She said she was separated from her family. When I offered to help, she was about to stab me with a knife."

"I see." Momo said. "But that was a lie, wasn't it?"

"Yeah." Alex nodded. "And given her reaction towards me, I doubt her parents are still alive."

Momo frowns in understanding before she turns to the girl.

"Then, what should we do? We can't just leave her here." Momo said.

"Well, we can't bring her with us either. She's terrified of vampires, and she thinks that music is for monsters. There's no getting through to her." Alex stated.

Momo continues to look at her, seeing her like that, it reminded her of herself when she first met Fine. At first, she was hostile to the Vampire Queen, but overtime Fine had become her best friend and taught her so many things.

"No." Momo said, and Alex turned back to her. "I don't want to believe that. I'm going to at least try."

Momo then approaches the girl, and Alex watches in worry.

"Wait, Momo-" Alex said, and Momo showed him a determined look.

"Just leave this to me." Momo told him, and Alex stood down.

Momo was now a few inches away from the girl who continues to hide behind the tree before she knelt down to her.

"So, what's your name? Mine's Momo." Momo said, and the girl blinked before she answered.

"I-It's…Chloe…"

"Chloe, huh. That's a pretty name." Momo said with a smile. "So, Chloe, what are you doing here all alone? Where are you parents?"

Chloe lowered her head.

"My…My Daddy is dead…" Chloe said and Momo was saddened to hear that.

"And your mom?" She asked, and Chloe shook her head.

"I-I'm not sure…She died when I was little…" Chloe told her.

"I see. I'm sorry for asking." Momo said.

"I-It's alright…" Chloe said.

"But, Chloe, what are you doing here all alone?" Momo asked.

Chloe lowered her head before she answered.

"M-My home was attacked…by vampires…I'm not sure if anyone else got away." Momo and Alex frown when they hear that.

"I see. But tell me, do you really hate music?" Momo asked.

"Of course, I do. Daddy said that music is for monsters. And I'm not a monster." Chloe said.

Both Momo and Alex could understand that given their past history with their own parents.

"Then, why do you have this?" Momo asked as she showed Chloe her music box.

Chloe flinches to see that before she turns away from Momo.

"I-I don't know…" Chloe mutters.

"I see. You really don't know much about yourself." Momo said in understanding. "That's understandable. I was like that myself a long time ago."

Chloe then turns back to Momo.

"Y-You were?" She asked, and Momo nodded.

"Yeah. But I had a friend who help me. In fact, she taught me to do this." Momo said.

Momo then begins to play the music box and sings along with it, surprising Chloe some more before she stops.

"Well, what do you think?" Momo asked.

"I-I don't understand. Why would you sing like that?" Chloe asked, and Momo smiled at her.

"It's simple really. It's because I love to sing." Momo answered, and Chloe was even more surprised.

"Y-You do?" Chloe said, and Momo nodded.

"Yeah. It doesn't matter if I'm a human or a vampire, I just love music, and it's as simple as that." Momo told her.

"B-But my Daddy told me that…" Chloe mutters.

"That music is for monsters?" Momo asked, and Chloe nodded. "I guess I can understand that. My mother told me that music is a vampire's culture, and that I shouldn't indulge myself in it. But I had a friend who told me this, 'This war will never end, and that both sides will eventually become monsters'. That's why I ran away from my mother, and from this senseless war."

"B-But don't you miss her?" Chloe asked, and Momo hummed.

"Well, I would be lying to say that I don't. But she was free to live her own life and I wanted to do the same, away from her." Momo said, and Chloe was even more surprised by this as she looked at her.

Momo then reached out her hand to Chloe.

"Me and Alex are going to set up camp. You're free to join us if you want." Momo told her. Chloe was surprised at first but wasn't sure what to do.

"But…" Chloe said before she looked at Alex.

"Don't worry about Alex. I know he looks a little mean, but he's a nice man." Momo said, and Alex was offended by that.

"I-I'm not mean looking." Alex grumbles.

"Just don't worry about the small details and come join us." Momo told her.

Chloe thought about it before she slowly accepted Momo's hand before they walked back to Alex and Conny.

(Later at night)

Momo and Alex soon set up camp, and started a campfire to cook dinner, and they soon ate together with Chloe and Conny. Chloe kept her distance from Alex and stuck close to Momo for comfort.

While the others eat their meals, Chloe could only look at the dish in her hand before Momo turns to her.

"What's wrong? Aren't you hungry?" Momo asked.

"I-I am…But…" Chloe said before she looked at Alex who was eating his food while drinking some blood.

"Hey, you shouldn't worry about it. You should just eat before it gets cold." Momo told her.

Chloe then looks down at her food before she begins to, and her eyes widened after her first bite.

"It's good…" Chloe said, and Momo smiles to hear that.

"I thought you might like it. It's something I learned from a friend." Momo said.

Chloe then begins to eat the rest of it by eating fastly and soon begins to tear up.

"Hey, there's no reason to cry." Momo said.

"I-I just hadn't had a warm meal for a long time…" Chloe said as she continued to eat.

After they had finished dinner, Alex was washing the dishes using the clean river water, Chloe was leaning her head on Momo's shoulder as they were seated together.

"So did you enjoy the meal?" Momo asked, Chloe nodded.

"Yes, it was delicious." Chloe said before she frowned and asked Momo a question. "Momo…I have a question."

"What is it?" Momo asked.

"D-Do you think it's okay for me to like music too?" Chloe asked.

"Why would you ask that?" Momo asked.

"It's just…every time I played my music box, my Daddy would often yell at me and hit me for it. He keeps on telling me to stop playing it, and that music is for monsters." Chloe said.

Momo frowns to hear that, and Alex overheard her words and felt sorry for the girl as it reminded him of himself with his own father.

"When he did…He told me that vampires are capable of, and that I should avenge him…" Chloe said. "But after hearing you sing like that…I wonder…is it okay for me to like music too?"

Momo then grabs hold of Chloe's hand before both girls look at each other.

"Is it okay." Momo told her. "I know this might sound heartless, but you shouldn't let what your father told you get to you. He lived his own life, but you're free to live your own. Just like me and my mother."

Momo then places Chloe's music box in her hand. Chloe blinks to look at her before she looks up at Momo.

"Here. Just play it and you'll find your own path." Momo told her.

Chloe thought about it before she nodded. Chloe then begins to play the music box, but after a few seconds she could hear her father's words once again as her hands shake.

Momo then grabs onto her hands and Chloe turns to her.

"It's alright. I'm here for you." Momo told her with a kind smile.

Chloe blinks before she continues to play the music box, and Momo begins to sing to match its rhythm. Chloe looks at her before she speaks to the girl.

"Why don't you sing with me?"

Chloe was surprised before she lowered her head.

"B-But I don't know how…" Chloe mutters.

"It's alright. Just follow me and the rhythm." Momo said before she sings with the music box once again, and Chloe thought about it before she began to sing with Momo which was much to her surprise at first.

"See you got it." Momo said before the two continued to sing with Chloe playing the music box.

As Momo and Chloe continue to sing, they smile at each other as the words from Chloe's father begin to fade away. Alex was watching with a smile on his face.

(Next day)

It was now morning, Momo and Alex began to gather their camping items and load them to the van while Chloe was playing with Conny as the girl was chasing the dog.

After putting the last of the stuff in the van, Momo closes the back before she turns to Chloe and Conny.

"Alright, Conny, it's time to go." Momo said, Conny barks before he runs to her and Alex.

Chloe was saddened to hear that.

"Wait…You're leaving already?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, Chloe. But we have to move on from here." Momo said.

"But I…" Chloe said before she lowered her head.

Momo then turns to Alex, and the vampire artist just sighed.

"Go ahead. Don't let me stop you." He told her, and Momo smiles before she turns back to Chloe.

"Okay, how about you come with us?" Momo asked.

Chloe was surprised by that before she looked back at her.

"What? You want me to come?" Chloe asked.

"Of course." Momo said before she moved to Chloe. "You don't have anywhere to go, right?"

Chloe nodded.

"Then it's all the more reason you should come with us. No one should be left alone. And I want to teach you more about music." Momo said.

"But…" Chloe says before looks at Alex and Momo turns to him as well.

"If you're worried about Alex, then don't be." Momo said before both girls turned back to each other. "He won't hurt you I promise. Look at me, I've been traveling with him for months, but there's not a bite or scratch on me. Also, the one who taught me how to sing and love music, was a vampire too."

Chloe was surprised to hear that.

"Really?" She asked, and Momo nodded.

"Yeah. Her name was Fine, she was the one who taught me how to sing. She was the reason I'm on this journey right now." Momo said.

"T-Then where is she?" Chloe asked, and Momo frowned.

"S-She died." Momo answered sadly, and Chloe flinched.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Chloe said, and Momo shook her head.

"It's alright. Even though she died, Fine would want me to keep on going and to keep on singing. That's why I'm going to continue to move forward, to honor her memory and the things she taught me." Momo said before she offered her hand to Chloe. "And that's why I'm doing the same thing that Fine did for me, to ask you to come with me."

Chloe thought about it before she nodded and grabbed onto her hand.

"Alright…I'll go. I want to learn more about singing and music, and I want you to teach me." Chloe said, and Momo smiles to hear that.

"Alright! Then let's go." Momo said as she and Chloe moved to the van.

Momo, Alex, Conny, along with their new companion Chloe entered the van as it now drives on the street.

Momo was seated on the driver seat with Alex seated beside her in the passenger seat and Conny was sleeping on the back seat.

Chloe was seated on the far back of the van, most likely to keep her distance from Alex.

Alex was looking at the girl before he turned to Momo.

"Are you sure it's wise to bring that girl with us?" Alex asked.

"Honestly, I'm not sure myself. But I couldn't just leave her by herself, especially since I just promised to teach her how to sing." Momo said.

"And I can understand that. But don't forget, she tried to kill me." Alex told her.

"I know. But I'm willing to give her a chance." Momo said before she turned to the vampire artist. "I mean, I gave you a chance, remember?"

Alex clicks his tongue before he turns away from her.

"Yeah, but just don't blame me for what happens next." Alex said, and Momo chuckles before she turns her attention back on the road.

"Don't worry, I won't." Momo told him.

There you have it, I hope that you like it. Please review to tell me what you think.