(Human Form)
Momo wondered if not taking a cab all the way to the address was a good idea. She struggled with the heavy bag of breads and pastries, gritting her teeth under the strain of balancing it and walking down the uneven path to the house at the same time. She carefully dug around in the pocket of her dress, pulling out a crinkled slip of paper and running her eyes over it quickly, returning the paper to her pocket before the bag started to tip. “Oh, I wish Nanao hadn’t asked me to do this by myself. This bag is so heavy.” She puffed out a large breath, narrowly avoiding skirting a rather large rock in the road. As she reached the end of the path, a small, very well groomed and quaint little cottage came into view. Momo forgot her woes in favor of staring in awe at the adorable abode. A bright smile lit up her features, and she giggled; ‘This is the kind of place I’d like to have someday,’ she thought to herself, hiking the bag up further and trudging towards the door.
When she reached it, she knocked abruptly using a very quaint looking little knocker. After a few moments of waiting (and jostling the heavy bag) an elderly woman appeared at the door, a smile on her face. “Yes, can I help you dear?” Smiling just as brightly, Momo dipped her head and hefted the bag in front of her. “I’m Momo, miss. From the ‘Everdream Bakery.’ I’ve brought your order.” The woman’s face brightened, and she welcomed Momo in through the door. It didn’t take long at all for Momo to help the woman put away her goods, and even have a cup of tea, graciously provided by the hostess. She declined a rather large tip, waving it off and saying the tea was payment enough, and quickly went on her way. As she strolled down the path, she turned and waved over her shoulder, her eyes crinkling with her smile. The woman waved back from her door, and with a little skip, Momo headed back into town. It only took her half the time it’d taken to get there, and she ended up back in the quaint little village, wondering when a bus would come through back to Nabias, or she could call a cab.
In the meantime, she decided to stop at one of the local cafes and order a chilled drink. Sipping it casually, she strolled down the sidewalk, meandering through the steadily darkening town as she made her way to the bus stop. She was certain there’d be another one coming through town, and if not…Momo patted the bag on her back. She always came prepared to stay an extra night in a local inn if need be, so she wasn’t too worried. Of course, finding her way to said inn could be another problem, and Momo quite quickly found herself lost. “I should’ve asked for directions,” she mumbled, tossing her cup into a nearby waste basket. The sound of footsteps behind her caused her to turn slightly, and she was startled to see a small group of three men approaching her, looking rather curious. “Good evening, miss,” their apparent leader called, an Momo, ever the trusting, smiled brightly as they approached. “Oh, hello!” she called amiably.
The men stopped just short of reaching her, their eyes flashing in the dark. “Are you lost?” they demanded, almost in unison, and Momo’s smile brightened. “Oh yes, I am, actually. If it isn’t too much trouble, would you be so kind as to direct me to the nearest inn?” The three men’s eyes seemed to glow with interest at the information, and their ‘leader’ wrapped an amiable arm around Momo’s shoulder, which didn’t seem all that strange to the naïve, unassuming girl. “Sure, sure. But how about you join us for some drinks first? I’m sure you’d enjoy it.” Momo blinked, looking confused. “I-I couldn’t, I’m sorry. I have to get back to work tomorrow and I’ve got to get up early to catch a cab so I couldn’t possibly-” She waved her hands, shaking her head with an embarrassed smile and a blush on her cheeks. “No, no, I insist!” the man replied, a leer sharpening his smile. “Drinks are on me.”