Momo yawned once more as I closed the door. She changed into her kitty pajamas, I did the same, and we got underneath the warm, thick blanket.    

“Captain?”   

“Yeah? What is it?”  

“I’m surprised you didn’t try to bite my head off,” I confessed, turning to my side.   

“Biting like that is more of a dog’s thing. I’m a singi, so I prefer to scratch. Why? Ya wanna feel my nails?” She faced me and made a cute paw pose.   

“I thought you’d be jealous of Cue.”  

“Me? Jealous of a dog? Is that how you see me?”  

“You did give me—”  

“Okay. Fine. I was. Cats and dogs are destined to be enemies, ya know? But Cue is such a cutie that I let it go. Besides… I’ve got you here beside me. I can safely say Cue doesn’t have that.” She snuggled close and held me tightly. “And remember what I said? It’s time for me to return the favor for letting me sleep in your lap.”  

“…”  

“What’s wrong? Ain’t got nothing smart to say to that?”  

“I…” My heart skipped a few beats.   

Why was I thinking of…the past now?   

“I…”  

Why did my secret force itself to the forefront of my mind?  

“I…”  

That conversation with Cassidy… Did she want to prepare me for this? I knew it was better to reveal my ‘truth’ earlier than later. I knew she didn’t know about my immortality—her advice was directed towards my actions in Canary—but it was helpful all the same.  

The hurt would be less.    

The sting of betrayal would be weaker.  

But…   

“What… Shit, I don’t even know how to say it.”  

“Err, I don’t like that tone. It’s too serious.” Momo sat up, but I pulled her down into a hug. I didn’t want to remove my hands from her soft back. It felt like she was about to float away if I didn’t hold her against me.  “Eh? It’s okay, Servy. Whatever’s bothering you… You can talk to me about it, okay?” Momo rubbed my head and snuggled closer. Our legs brushed together.   

“It’s about what I wanna discuss with you and Srassa. I…don’t know if I can…wait that much longer. It feels like it was a mistake to keep it in. It’s a secret…but it isn’t fair to you two. It really isn’t. And I’m kicking myself because I should’ve brought it up in Waveret.” The words flowed from my lips more readily than I expected—like a dam constructed around my heart was leaking more and more.    

“Servy? It’s okay. I swear it’s okay. I promise I won’t be mad or upset because I’m sure you had a good reason. You can tell me now if you want. Or you can wait until we’re back with Srassa.”  

“But it’s not fair to you! It isn’t!” My voice was more impactful. I didn’t expect it to carry that much weight.   

“And it’s okay that it isn’t fair to me. Servy, you’re…not the only one with secrets. There are things that I haven’t told you or Srassa. And maybe…that was a mistake. I’ve thought about it, of course. But I didn’t know how to approach it since I doubt anyone would believe me.”  

“But—”  

“But nothing.” Momo silenced me, placing a slender finger across my lips. Those sparkling blue eyes didn’t have…what I thought they would have. “It’s like I said. You can wait. Or you can do it now.”  

“And…you won’t hate me?”  

“Never.”  

“Even if it’s something you don’t like?”  

“Yep. You’re a kind girl. You have a good heart.”  

“And you aren’t mad I didn’t bring up Saline or Cassidy before?”  

“Why would I? You didn’t expect to see her again. If anything, I’m just happy you two reunited. You saved her life. You didn’t have to do that. You…could’ve left her to die, but you took her to Cassidy’s shop and helped her. And I was able to meet the cutest little doggy in the world—all thanks to you.”  

The way she talked about me…  

“Ehhh? Servy, you’re…glowing?”  

“What?!” I looked at my chest and saw a crimson glimmer. It spread faster than I could blink, swallowing Momo and me both.   

But it was warm…  

It was refreshing…  

And suddenly…after hearing the shattering of glass…  

I was standing near a familiar fountain…looking at a sea of blood…as an eternally dark, tranquil sky played host to a tower that stretched to the concept of infinity.  

“What the heck are we?! Servy?!” Momo gasped. She couldn’t stop looking around. She trembled, her steps narrow and quivering, but she jumped towards me and grabbed my hand for safety.   

“Oh? I didn’t know you—Wait, Momo? Is that you?! How did you get here? Servi?”  

I turned around and saw Itarr. She looked a little—no, she was bewildered. Albert shared the same perplexed expression.  

“Are you…the ring spirit? Are we inside the ring? Servy, were you telling the truth when you said you could speak to it? You said Albert returns to it when his time runs out, so I... I guess I expected to see him here, but…”  

And just like that…  

Any traces of apprehensive fear vanished when Momo saw someone familiar. It was like the tension faded from her cheeks.  

Maybe…  

Maybe this…would work out?   

---

I took Momo to the fountain and sat down. She was much more relaxed and thanked Itarr for saving her from the falling trees.    

“I hope you didn’t mind me rubbing the ring. I’m sorry if that offended you.”   

“Offended? No. It was the opposite. It felt like I was being hugged. And you’re very welcome, Momo!” And Itarr was in a good mood. She sat down and joyfully flashed a bright smile.   

“itarr’s someone I can trust with my life. She’s been with me since I awoke near the forest. But Momo, that’s what I want to talk to you about. The secret I harbor… It goes much deeper.”   

“I guess…this is something serious.”   

“It is. And…I waited too long.”    

I told her everything.     

And I meant everything.     

I didn’t leave anything out because Momo deserved to hear the truth.     

It took about forty minutes, and Momo listened to every little word.    

I was…so afraid she was going to abandon me. I was terrified of losing someone I could safely call my best friend, but…   

“You’ve held this in for a long time. And… And… Thank you…for telling me… I know…you trust me… You said you’d thought I’d fear you, but I’m not. You’ve always had this air of mystery around you, but that’s dispelled. I can see you for the real you…”    

“I’m immortal, Momo. I can’t die. Itarr’s a goddess, and we share a soul. That…makes me part goddess. And that’s why she looks like me. You do understand that, right?”   

“Uh-huh.”   

“I gotta be honest… I didn’t expect this reaction. I always thought the worst. When I told Dineria and Nimyra, I kept thinking about…the horrible ways this could’ve gone.”   

“It is surprising, don’t get me wrong. It’s hard to understand. And hard to believe, but you’re not the only one with a lookalike.”   

“What?” Itarr and I exclaimed.    

“Yep. There’s a me inside me. She looks like a fox version of me, with longer ears and a bushier tail. She’s been there with me since I was little. I can still feel her hands around my baby self if I think hard enough. She shows up to help me when I’m in need. Or when I’m confused. Or when I need someone to talk to. If I didn’t have her, then I would’ve reacted differently. But she doesn’t talk to me. I don’t know if she can or if there’s a reason why she’s silent, but I’m sure she’s helping me right now with my emotions. Servy.”   

“Y—Yeah?”   

“It’ll take much more than this to stop us from being besties. You have a good heart. And… I’m sorry, Albert.”   

“For what, Momo?”    

“Treating you like a kid. And picking you up that one time. And… What happened to you…”    

“There’s nothing to apologize for, my dear.” Albert sat and crossed his legs. “I much prefer being a revenant than serving Viridian or suffering from Virin’s [Geas].”    

“And you really are a cute kid, haha… But…” Momo looked at Itarr. “What…do I say to a goddess? I don’t…really know what to do because I honestly didn’t think you existed. Ah! I mean, I’m sorry about that! I didn’t mean—”   

“Hahaha!”   

“Waaahhh! Please, don’t smite me! Servy! Stop laughing!!”   

“Forgive me, Momo,” said Itarr, wiping her eyes. “You don’t have to treat me any differently. I’ve known you for as long as Servi has. You weren’t aware of me, but I…do wish to be your friend. If that’s okay, that is.”   

“A goddess as a friend? Yep. That’s okay with me if it’s okay with you!”   

That was easy.   

“Hey, how am I gonna tell Srassa?”    

“I’ll be there with you, Servy. I won’t say it’s gonna be easy, but we’re friends. We’re better than good friends. And you had reasons to keep it a secret. And Srassa will definitely understand that.”    

“But what if she hates me? I don’t have that many friends. And I shouldn’t have lied to you for so long—”    

“Come on, Servy, don’t talk like that.” Momo frowned and squeezed my hand. “You thought I would blow up and do all this crazy stuff, but I didn’t. But I admit I know where you’re coming from because of the fox-like me. But we won’t be alone when we tell Srassa, right?”   

“That’s right.”    

When I told Momo about Srassa’s father, it shattered her whole image of him. And when it came to me killing Fisher, she saw it from my point of view.    

But I was a cold-blooded killer.     

I even told her it was hard to feel anything when I killed, but that didn’t scare her away. She said she knew I had a good heart—and that I wasn’t some evil slayer of innocents because I wanted to protect those who couldn’t defend themselves. When my failure with the monotonia dens came up, she held me while I recanted the tale. She heard the sadness in my voice—and she knew I hated myself for how dumb I was to not take any precautions.     

Momo… She was really too good for someone like me. It felt like a thousand pounds were lifted from my heart.     

And this felt like a dream. If it was, I didn’t want to wake up.      

“Hey, where were you going to tell Srassa and me?”    

“Dineria’s. She knows spells to keep out unwanted scrying. And barriers to seal our voices from escaping. I was thinking of a little get-together at her and Claire’s house.”    

“That sounds fun.”   

I nodded.   

“But wow… No wonder you handled my tough workout with ease. But… I don’t like that you died a lot. Immortality or not, it doesn’t change the fact that dying hurts.” Momo stood, skipped, and turned around, her arms behind her back.     

“But if it means saving—”   

“I guess that means we’ll have to be strong enough to not be put into that position. No more recklessly dying, okay?!” She pointed a finger at me. “That’s your captain's orders.”   

I smiled. “Yes. I understand, Momo.”    

“You’re calling me Momo consistently now.”   

“I guess it’s because I feel closer to you.”   

“That’s sweet of you!” Momo sat beside me. “But I’ll miss being called captain.”   

“Why don’t I mix it up a little? The best of both worlds?”   

“Yeah, I think I’d like that. Well, that’s another order from your captain, ‘kay?”   

“Order received.”   

We shared a laugh. Albert smiled, and Itarr was satisfied things were going well. She knew how much I had dreaded this moment. Looking back now… I almost felt stupid for worrying so much.    

I had a problem with my cynicism. It was something I really needed to work on.    

I brought up [Ichor’s Blessing]-- an uncomfortable topic. Momo had difficulty finding the right words. She didn’t think she was experienced enough to really rack her mind about it. She also didn’t know if it was a choice she even deserved to make. Immortality...definitely wasn’t something you could decide on a whim.     

Momo had a fox-like doppelgänger inside of her, so what did that entail? Albert hypothesized that she’d get a ring and become immortal. If so, she’d likely be placed within [Pantheon]. She’d be the first. Momo could then visit my soul world whenever she wished? That was the running theory, at least.   

That discussion would be heavy—it wouldn’t be anything else—so we shelved it for later and chatted about Fisher and his family. Momo felt for the late lieutenant. She knew what he had done after I told her. Nothing he could ever do or say could excuse his actions as the self-proclaimed Lando’s Reaper.     

But his tale was sad. Arnold groomed him into being the perfect killer while destroying his self-worth and confidence. Fisher thought he had nothing else. But then Marissa showed up. The sweet woman didn’t know any hint of the truth. Neither did his daughters.     

So…    

I seriously didn’t know if bringing him back was a good idea. His death could be reversed. But turning him into a revenant was only an option if I wanted to torture him with what he loved the most.    

I didn’t want that.    

He was a murderer, but he didn’t deserve to suffer like that. The best thing I could do was take care of his family.     

“So… You were talking to Itarr whenever you were looking at your phone?”   

“Yep. I can’t speak to Itarr via thought, even though I can hear her. I’d have to talk out loud, but texting is a little loophole. She’s working on a feature to add voice communication.”   

“I’m not gonna lie. I didn’t understand most of what you said.” A little lecture later, and she was amazed. Communication magic existed, but it required expensive materials and catalysts.    

“So…” continued Momo. She happily swung her feet as we sat on the fountain’s edge. “I guess you were never really kidnapped.”   

“Yep. And you two were worried about me. But really—”   

“There was no need for us to worry?” I nodded. “Dummy. It doesn’t work like that. You can be the strongest in the entire world, or you can be a goddess.” She pointed at Itarr, who finagled with her phone. It was cute seeing her so focused on her work. “But there will still be people worrying about you. That’s a fact of life—simple as that—and it won’t change.”   

“I guess you’re right.”   

“Yep. I’m right, after all.” Momo suddenly yawned again. She wiped her eyes and stretched, her tail extending all the way up before wrapping around her waist. “How is it? Not needing to sleep. How do you even fall asleep if you’re not sleepy?”   

“I’ve never thought about it, but I guess I just close my eyes and wait? I come here and hang out with Itarr and Albert sometimes.”   

“What about when I slept on your lap?”   

“I stayed outside. If I did pop in here, it was for a minute or two.”   

“But you were awake the whole time? And your back didn’t get sore? Ahh… That’s right. I guess this'll take a little bit to get used to.”   

“It’s like what I said. I don’t get tired or hungry. I don’t need to breathe, and I can’t freeze or burn to death. I can eat a thousand meals and not gain weight. And I can drink the Scale Shredder Ale without a problem. Nothing…can ever kill me... Not at all… Not even—"   

“Hmm… Servy?” Momo’s voice was monotone. I turned to her, and she sandwiched my cheeks between her hands. “Stop it.”   

“Stop what?”   

“This. Stop what you’re doing. You’re trying to validate what you thought would happen. You seriously had this grand, vivid imagination of the worst way I’d take this, and you’re using your tone to try and steer it toward that way. Haven’t you noticed it? You could've said that a hundred different ways, but no. It had to be specifically like that."  

“…” I didn’t have a good retort. I looked at Albert, and his subtle nod told me Momo was right.    

“You said you were cynical. And okay, some people are like that. And okay, you’re kinda like that. But don’t let it…steer something happily unexpected into something predictively negative. You’re feeling weird, aren’t you?”   

“…yeah. I’m trying to hide it, but it… Maybe it’s me, but it feels awkward. I…don’t know how to exactly react. It’s funny, huh?” I rubbed my arm and nervously chuckled.    

Nimyra’s a knowledgeable, experienced elf a few hundred years old. Dineria’s a trained warrior with a hardened mind from her time at Warden. If anyone would accept it… quickly… it’d be them... Right? But Momo…   

  “I’m sorry. I…”   

“There’s no sure-fire way to fix what you’re feeling. But it’s totally valid. I won’t lie. Things are probably going to be weird before we’re back to normal. My grampy said that sometimes…you’d feel—we’d feel like this.”   

“We?”   

I guess she was hiding it.     

“Uh-huh. Some things can only be fixed by time, and it’s okay to let it work its magic because it’s almost always our friend. Grampy also said sleeping is a way for the mind to reset itself. What we experience throughout the day needs time to be organized or something, and you almost always feel better when you wake up than when you went to bed. And I think that’s what you need the most, Servy.”   

“You think so?”   

“I know so. So… Umm…how…do we leave?”   

“I just have to think about it, but I don't know how you’re even here.” I asked Itarr, but she was lost.    

“I presume you’ll return to your bodies after you wake up,” she suggested. “You two can use my room in the tower.”   

“Is that okay?” asked Momo.    

“Definitely.” I loved Itarr’s cute smile. She escorted us to her intimidating tower, guided us to her room, and bid us a goodnight before returning to the fountain. Momo looked at the bed and didn’t think something so comfy could exist.    

“And the room looks different than from the outside.”   

“Everything here was stolen from Viridian during the raid,” I said, pulling back the covers. “He’s a man who flourished exorbitant wealth, so it lucked out in our favor. I have those jewels and jewelry resting in my ring. I don’t know how to sell them without arousing suspicion.”   

“That’s something we can worry about for another time.” We hopped into bed, and Momo immediately grabbed my hands. “Just remember what I said. I’m gonna be here, okay? I’ll be right beside you—inside the ring and outside in the real world. Close your eyes, Servy, and rest until morning comes. I promise you’re going to feel much better.”   

“Right… Okay… Good night, Momo.” I closed my eyes. Momo pulled me slightly closer and rested her chin on my hair. Our legs brushed once more, and…   

I was out.    

Slumber came for me faster than ever before. 

---

 

“Yeah, I figured this was coming.”   

Momo found herself in a world of dreams. The beautiful fields of rolling green grass were home to a woman who looked too much like her. She eyed the fox-like doppelgänger and skipped to her side, noticing she was wearing the same pajamas as Momo.      

“Nothing bad has happened, but awful things don’t need to happen for us to meet. Ah, I hope those jammies are okay. I dunno if they make fox versions, but I can look for ‘em if you want.”   

“…”   

“Still not speaking, huh? That’s okay.” Momo walked a few steps and sat on the hill. The breezy gusts knocked her hood down, sending her hair into a gentle tumble.    

She wore a bright, confident smile on her pretty face as the fox woman joined her.    

“I never expected Servy to be…you know…a goddess. And I didn’t expect the other things she told me. I guess...she gave a hint since Albert kept his name after becoming a little boy again.”    

“…”   

“I’m still wondering why I accepted it so easily. I mean, if you think about it… I had all the right reasons to be afraid. Or scared. Or even upset that Servy kept this a secret. And her fear of telling me was valid. It’s one thing to say, ‘Oh, I have this woman who looks like me chilling in my ring,’ but that other stuff? The…qualms about how killing comes so easy to her?”   

Momo waited for a response that she knew wouldn’t come.    

“She’s…not the only one…responsible for senseless deaths… I could’ve told her what happened to Grampy and the village…” Momo looked up at the endless blue sky. She didn’t want to compare it to Itarr’s soul world—so she didn’t. The two places had unique twists on beauty and were charming for different reasons. “I have my own skeletons in the closet. We all do. But I don’t want to relive that day. I don’t want to bring that mistake up because…that means it’s real… And it really happened…and there’s no going back… Servy says she can eventually—probably— return the dead to life, but…you can’t come back…when there’s nothing left. Even...something like [Necromancy] must have its limitations.”   

Suddenly, the woman gently cradled Momo’s hand. The lookalike's touch was soft—like velvet. Her thin fingers lightly scratched the back of her palm. “Haha… Grampy used to do that to me when he sensed I was nervous. Hey… Are…you a goddess?”   

“…” Momo closely watched, but she only ever perceived a smile.  There wasn’t much else Momo could infer from the fox-like woman's facial expressions.  

“You can’t answer, huh? I never thought I’d meet anyone like me. It makes me feel good, though. I had no idea how I was gonna tell Servy and Srassa. For all I thought, they’d look at me like I was crazy. But… I’m sad. Servy’s immortal. She’ll stay the same. I won’t. Srassa won’t. Like, yeah, that means…After ten or twenty years, we’ll have wrinkles. Our bodies will be sore and tired. We won’t be as fast…or as strong. But Servy’s only gonna grow stronger.”   

“…”   

“But I don’t know if I want to live forever.” Momo felt the tears well up in her sparkly azure eyes. She quickly wiped them and tried to keep her growing anxiousness of the future away. “A lot of people have died…because of me… So…is it…something I deserve? And what about Srassa? I don’t wanna leave her behind. But I don’t know how she’d feel about this. So…yeah. I understand Servy’s hesitancy. But it took a lotta courage for her to confess it. I know it wasn’t easy for her. She tried to ease into it by bringing up forbidden skills. Even... then… Servy didn’t know how I would take it. It was a gamble—a major one—and it paid off. And just that alone makes my heart feel all fluffy… And the butterflies in my stomach are swarming…”   

“…”   

“I mean, you can understand it, right? Servy trusted me so much that she agonized over telling me her secret. You wouldn't do that if you didn’t care about the person in question, right?"  

“…”   

"What...do you think would've happened if the circumstances were different? We don't know why I entered her soul, but... What if we had been attacked on the road, and Servy died? And I saw her lifeless body? And... Knowing what I know now... I'd probably panic because I don't like to see her in pain. But if I was still in the dark about it? I'm...afraid...because... Oh, geez... Here you are, Momo, doing the same thing you told Servy not to do. I...can't believe it. But..." Momo found herself talking in circles. She didn't know where her wayward thoughts led her, but Momo didn't like it. Her mind kept imagining the worst-case scenarios. And how her reactions could've damaged a fragile girl. If Momo had run away? If she had screamed and called her precious Servy a monster? If she had smacked away a hand that wanted to reach out to a friend after her secret was forced out? Just how would that have shattered Servi's mind? Just what would the lookalike thing about it? Would she have stepped in? Momo's mind ran a thousand miles an hour, and as her expression solemnly twisted and churned, she felt the tears coming on...  

It hurt her because that Momo existed. One that would've acted like that and hurt a girl she greatly cared about. And just because she was taking it okay now...didn't mean that others would. She had told Servi she'd be there when they brought Srassa into the loop, but Momo couldn't make promises on her noble friend's behalf. Momo figured she was taking it so well because she could relate to Servi on a core level. Yes-- she probably wasn't a goddess-- Momo had no idea what her lookalike was-- but she knew that the woman who had been her for as long as she could remember was helping her. One merely had to look into her bright blue eyes to see how her influence helped Momo remain calm. 

“I wonder what you sound like?” Momo suddenly asked, changing the subject. “Itarr sounds like Servy, so do you share my voice?” Momo’s ears twitched as she asked a few more questions. “Or maybe you’re the woman I’m meant to be? I’ve always been partial to cats and kittens, but foxes and kits have their own allure. I can’t deny that your ears and tail are much fluffier, but singi have their charm, right?”   

“…”   

“And if Itarr’s been seeing through Servy’s eyes, then… She probably saw the fun…we had with Srassa… And you’d think I should feel shame or something, but that would be dumb since I spied on Servy, aha… And if they share a body, then Itarr probably has a…thing between her legs. They’ve… probably done a lot together. She’s super cute, and I know they’ve held hands and hugged...and done other stuff. You can easily see that in how they look at each other. Hey… Have you…ever thought about kissing me?” Momo looked at her lookalike. She suddenly leaned close and kissed her cheek, and Momo’s heart softened before embarrassment flooded her blissful face.    

“…”   

“Man, I was hoping that was enough to make you speak, ha! But I don’t feel jealous about Itarr and Servy. There’s…no need to.” Momo began rambling, sprouting whatever words came to her mind. She often did this since the lookalike always loved to listen to her. “They’ve probably gone all the way. So I guess it means Servy’s not a virgin. I dunno. Maybe I’m being the weird one for thinking about that. Hey, would it be rude if I asked her about this?”     

“…”     

“Maybe. I wonder if I’ll be as close to Itarr as I am with Servy and Srassa. I hope so. Having some more friends wouldn’t hurt. But I do feel lost. I feel a bit unsteady about what’s gonna happen. I hope that sleep will do us some good. Maybe our minds will be more organized when we wake up. I don’t want to lose Servy. I’ve…never been close to anyone since I left the village. It’s just been…wandering and wandering… Continuing until I reached Canary. I had plans to work there until I had some money saved up to sail across the ocean, but my accomplishments were noticed by Srassa’s family. I still don’t know why they hired me. There must’ve been a thousand better picks than someone like me. But I shouldn’t complain, huh?" 

“…”    

“Nah… I shouldn’t. I’m happy, Foxy Me… I’m really…happy right now…knowing I’m not alone. Oh… The tears are coming back.”    

The lookalike did something she hadn’t ever done. She stood with the grace of a refined woman and raised her hands. A flash of light illuminated behind her. It shattered like glass, revealing a magnificent, regal mirror almost taller than a kobold. It looked like it would’ve sold for millions of dupla. An aura of light fluttered from its polished, reflective surface, causing the grassy plains to bloom. Patches of iridescent flowers sprang from the ground, gently lifting the crying girl to her feet.     

“Wha—” Momo was too flabbergasted to speak at the odd sight. She let her lookalike pull her into a hug, then they fell backwards onto a large Lily flower that sprouted underneath them like a bed.     

“Eh?” Momo’s voice was partly muffled. Her lookalike wrapped one arm around her back while the other supported her huggable head. They laid together—side by side. “Why…now? Why…not before?”    

The question was innocent, but she didn’t get a response. Momo knew this woman likely had her reasons. The trust she felt from her eclipsed what she felt towards her grandfather. And that bond wasn’t something anyone could surpass.     

Momo truly loved and respected her grandfather. She believed him to be the strongest, coolest, and best man in the whole wide world.     

But she felt more for this woman than him. It was like an intrinsic union that couldn’t ever be shattered.     

“Hey… Are you lonely? You’re within me, and Itarr’s within Servy, so… Wouldn’t you like to have some more friends?”    

“…”    

“You’re in here all alone. It isn’t fair to you, Foxy Me. It really isn’t. I don’t know how I entered Servy’s soul, but if I did it once... I can do it again. And you gotta go with me.”    

“…”    

“I guess that’s a no? You’re hugging me harder… Maybe… You can’t for some reason.” It almost felt like the woman was crying, but Momo couldn’t move. She assumed the doppelgänger didn’t want to be seen like this. “Then…one day. I swear I’ll introduce you to Itarr and Servy. Itarr’s trying to find a way to manifest. She has a body—she just can’t leave Servy’s soul. But if she can... And once she does... I'm sure you can do it too. Wouldn’t you want to see Srassa? And Dineria? And Claire and Nimyra?”    

“…”    

“If you don’t talk, I’ll take it as a yes.”    

“…”    

The hugging tightened. The woman’s whimpering was almost audible. Momo didn’t need to hear it to know what was happening.     

“I’m sorry… I shouldn’t have pressed the issue. But I love you, Foxy Me. And I appreciate you for everything you’ve done. I want to repay your kindness. But I dunno how to do that. You’re always there for me. And I dunno how to be there for you. Now… Even now, you’re supporting me…and I should be the one supporting you. Just…tell me what I must do. And I’ll do it.”    

“…”    

Again…    

It was silence.     

Silence.     

Silence.     

And more silence.     

The quietness became Momo’s lullaby. She somehow found it enduring, even if she would’ve proclaimed otherwise. For she feared the day that her doppelgänger would part her pink lips and speak…because it would mean something so drastic had occurred that it necessitated that.      

A sweet slumber was awaiting Momo, and she didn’t dawdle. Being in this woman’s arms reminded her of what a mother’s embrace would feel like.     

Momo didn’t have one. She only had her grandfather. He had to be everything a child would usually have.     

But she wouldn’t have changed that. Her grandfather just said her parents had passed when she was younger. She didn’t know them—she didn’t even have any drawings of them. It was difficult to miss people she hadn’t ever known.     

Perhaps the lookalike knew that? Momo could never tell what she was thinking. She could only infer based on her feelings and bias, and she was sure she wasn’t always right on the dupla.     

But Momo believed she would forgive her.     

After all, this woman had been with her since the day of her birth—from when her little lungs took in their first gasp of air and cried.     

She was there when Momo learned to crawl and talk—when she held a sword for the first time.     

She was her biggest supporter and fan—this woman loved Momo more than life herself…because of how closely they were destined to intertwine.