Momo was reaching for the hoe under her bed for she was about to till the land to plant a new crop, the other three were waiting for her outside, as Momo took a hold of the hoe, she can’t seem to pull it out as if it was stuck. She tried to see under, but she was suddenly enveloped by darkness dragging her into oblivion as soon as she looked. Once she opened her eyes everything was dark, it felt like she was floating but she can’t move nor lift a finger- fear started to gnaw her being.

“I’m surprised that the sly fox princess hasn’t told you the truth yet” Momo heard the familiar voice of the grim. “Release me!” Momo speaks glad that her voice wasn’t taken from her as well. “Don’t worry, I am not here to harm you~” It laughs. “I just want to enlighten you of the things the fox princess seems to be hiding from you.” It said earning nothing but a scoff from Momo. “Do you really think that I’d believe a word you say?” The grim laughs again. “I will not force you” It replies before the dark surrounding into the time when Momo came home, the day where her whole family was slaughtered- a scene that Momo doesn’t want to remember. She watched her younger self enter the house. “Please stop! Don’t show me this!” Momo pleads, tears glistening her eyes as she was forced to watch her dark past. Momo badly wants to close her eyes but she can’t. “Now focus on this, you will finally see the face of the demon that you hated the most.” As it shows the demon's face and Momo couldn’t believe her eyes… for it was Mina, the grim told her. She felt her stomach turn, seeing how Mina was covered in blood- that couldn’t possibly the Mina she knows, the Mina that always protects her… the Mina that she grew to love. “No! That’s not true! Mina couldn’t possibly be- Mina couldn’t-“

“Like I said, I will not force you to believe besides… you can ask her yourself” The grim said before everything disappeared and she was back to her house desperately catching her breath. “Why are you taking so long to-” Mina couldn’t continue after seeing Momo on the floor, catching breath and looking pale as she entered. She rushed to her, “are you alright? What happened?” Mina did not fail to notice the way Momo had flinched when she touched her, causing her to worry even more. Momo turned to face Mina with fear in her eyes. “P-please tell me i-it’s not true” Momo speaks as she cried, and Mina is so worried at the same time confused as to what is happening with the latter. “What do you mean Momo?”

“Who killed my family?” Momo finally asked causing Mina to be frozen in shock that she couldn’t reply, she looked down. “The demon who slaughtered my whole family, who was it?” Momo asked again and it felt as if a lump of wood got stuck in Mina’s throat, she couldn’t look at Momo as she remained her focus on the floor, in a low whisper she responded. “It- it was me… I am the demon.” Upon hearing those words came out of Mina’s mouth, Momo’s world shattered right before her eyes, and she doesn’t know how to properly function as the information is just too much for her to handle. She broke in to painful tears hands covering , she backed away from Mina. “H-how could you!? How could you act as if all things were normal when you murdered my whole family!? You used me!! How could you be so cruel!?” Momo shouted as she throws all the things her hands land on at Mina who didn’t move and just received all of it, the night lamp crash onto her head causing her to bleed.

“Why did you come here in the first place?? Were you planning to kill me too after you toyed with my feelings??” Momo asked sounding so wounded. Mina looked up, every word she hears from the other stings so much. “I could never hurt you-“ “YOU ALREADY DID!” Momo shouted, overwhelmed by her emotions, overwhelmed by hurt. “You already did Mina… you already did..” Momo mumbled in exhaustion and Mina badly wants to run into her to embrace her, to tell her how sorry she was, how she hated herself for being cursed but that wouldn’t do, what she did was so horrible that it doesn’t deserve any form of forgiveness.

“All of you, get out of my house and never show your faces ever again… you make me sick” Momo muttered in spite and Mina didn’t need to be told twice as she stood up and left the room, Momo cried her heart out. As Mina got out, Sana and Tzuyu looked at her with worry, they had overheard the exchange between the two. Mina smiled at them as she walked ahead, only for her knees to buckle, luckily Sana was quick enough to catch her. “I’m fine, we’ll carry on as planned,” Mina speaks as she stood straight, looking as calm as ever but she could never fool Sana who could see through her. Mina turned to Tzuyu with a sad smile. “I’m trusting you to end all this.” She said before disappearing out of their sight, leaving Tzuyu shocked.

“She knew…”

Momo never went out of her room the whole day, curled in a ball, thinking how fate could be so cruel on her, as her tears never seem to stop. “Momo-“ Momo heard Sana’s voice but she was quick to cut her off. “Get out! I don’t wanna hear anything from you.” Sana sighs but she couldn’t blame Momo for feeling this way, Sana walks towards her but still minding her distance on the latter. “I know it’s not my place to speak but it wasn’t Mina who killed your family, she has no control over the demon Momo, and I will bet my life that Mina could never do such a thing.” Sana told her not earning any reply from Momo who refused to hear her out. “We need your help to defeat the demon and free Mina, Momo… we need you.” Momo took out the hairpin she got from the spirit queen and threw it to the floor towards Sana. “Go find someone else, I’m done with all of your bull. If she has finally turned into a demon tell her that she’s free to kill me.” Momo speaks coldly causing Sana to curl her hand into a fist and clench her teeth as she picks the hairpin up. “You have no idea of the pain and suffering Mina had been carrying for centuries,” Sana muttered before she left as she got out she found Tzuyu standing in front of the house and waiting for her, she walks towards her and handed the pin. “I hope you won’t regret your choices…” She said before leaving Tzuyu there.

--

Tzuyu found Mina seated in an open field, in a few moments the blue moon would appear. She approached her, Momo’s hairpin in hand. Feeling the presence Mina turn to her, face stained with dry tears. “You’re here” Mina chuckled. “I never really want to go this way… but what can I do, my fate is sealed.” She said looking up at the dark sky. “Just so you know, I’ll forever be glad that you were by my side.” Sana, along with Chae and all the spirit guards has arrived as well, just as they planned. As soon as the demon came out they will all simultaneously attack and try to bring it down or at least slow it for an openin