Ashes of Love and War - TodoMomo

||Chapter 30 ~ Part 2||

Daylight was beginning to filter through the treetops when the party finally ended. The cart was too small to comfortably fit all four women and three men. So it was decided that the women would sleep in the back of the wagon, and the men were left to find shelter under the trees.

Momo settled down beside Kyouka and pulled a blanket around their shoulders. Kyouka was warm, and her body heat seeped into Momo, making her sleepy. But Momo didn't want to go to bed yet. She was too happy to sleep, and there was still so much they needed to catch up on.

"That was so much fun!" Hagakure said with a big yawn, flopping down onto the floor of the cart and pulling a blanket around herself. "It's been a long time since I danced that much."

"Me too." Kyouka cleared her throat. Her voice was slightly hoarse from singing.

"Do the gods not party up on Olympus?" Kendo asked, propping her head up to look up at Kyouka from the cart's floorboards.

"They do... But their parties aren't anything like how the nymphs can party," Kyouka said, glancing at Ashido, who was spread out in the back of the cart, sleeping soundly. She turned back around and gave them a wry smile. "Everyone is so old and snobby up there. Besides maybe Apollo, they'd never lower themselves to singing and dancing."

"So what do they do?"

Kyouka shrugged. "Just eat, drink, and gossip, mostly."

"I wouldn't mind that." Hagakure grinned sleepily. "All the wine and grapes and figs and lamb that I could ever want." She cupped her cheeks. "I'm drooling just thinking about it."

Kyouka chuckled. "Yeah, but it gets boring pretty fast. Trust me."

"Do you not have any friends there?" Momo asked, turning to look at Kyouka next to her.

"I do..." Kyouka hesitated a moment. "Just not really among the gods. They aren't that into letting humans in their 'circle.'"

Momo frowned.

"But haven't most of them slept with humans?" Kendo asked, sitting up.

"Yeah -" Kyouka snorted and rolled her eyes. "But they don't like talking about it. Associating with humans is beneath their godly asses. And most aren't pleased that Kaminari married me. Only All Might and Aphrodite are friendly. But it's fine. We usually don't hang out with those old buggers anyway, so it's not that big of a deal." She shrugged, grinning.

Momo wrapped her hand around Kyouka's arm. "Are you really okay?" she asked, staring at Kyouka.

Kyouka glanced at Momo and gave her a warm smile that made the edges of her eyes crinkle. "Don't look at me like that, girl." She squeezed Momo's hand. "I'm really good. It's almost weird to say, but I don't think I would have found any other man I enjoyed being with as much as Kaminari."

"Really?" Hagakure asked. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she straightened and stared at Kyouka.

Kyouka laughed. "Sure, he has his faults. He's a bit slow. But I mean, at the end of the day, I'm happy, and he appreciates me and treats me well."

Momo searched her face, but Kyouka didn't appear to be lying. "I'm really glad," Momo said finally, letting out an unconscious breath.

"What about you and Todoroki?" Kyouka asked pointedly. "I have to admit, I was worried when you took off after him earlier. He didn't do anything, right?"

Momo blushed but couldn't stop her lips from pulling up into a bashful smile as she remembered their kiss. "No, Todoroki didn't do anything."

"He -" Kyouka started. She hesitated and searched Momo's face. "He hasn't ever hurt you, right?"

"No!" Momo jerked her head up, eyes widening in alarm that Kyouka could even think that. "Todoroki would never. He-he isn't like that. He's only been a gentleman to me. He even protected Tokoyami." Her heart pounded against her chest in indignation.

Kyouka's sighed. "That's a relief." Her shoulders relaxed. "I was really worried when Kaminari told me what happened. Todoroki is a son of Ares and all. I know Tokoyami would have protected you, and Kaminari promised me that Todoroki was a good guy. But still — you're my naive, good-natured Momo." She tilted her head to lean against Momo's shoulder and squeezed her hand again. "I can't help but worry for you."

Momo smiled. "I know."

"Of course." Kyouka nodded. A silence stretched between the women.

"I wish we had longer," Momo whispered after a while. "I'd like to hear more about your life."

"I know," Kyouka said, in a soft, wistful voice. "I wish I could bring you back to Olympus with me."

Momo snorted and wrinkled her nose. "Even if we were allowed, Todoroki would never agree to live that close to the gods."

"True," Kyouka smirked. "I can't blame him. Like I said, most of the gods are old curmudgeons stuck in their ways. I'm glad we were able to get this vacation."

"Where else are you two going?" Kendo asked.

Kyouka tilted her head in thought. "Tomorrow, we plan to take Ashido back to her forest and then visit Tokoyami."

"What?" Momo asked, straightening. "Really?"

"Yeah, of course." Kyouka chuckled. "I can't come down to earth and not see him too."

Momo's shoulders dropped. "I wish I could go with you."

"I know." Kyouka reached up and patted Momo's head. "I wish I could bring you or that we had more time, but Kaminari could only take a few days off. We'll stay longer next time." She looked back up at the others. "What about you all? Are you going to continue heading back to Sparta right away?"

"No."

Momo's eyes widened, and her gaze darted towards Kendo. Kendo gave her an apologetic smile. "Tetsu-Tetsu and I were discussing departing tomorrow to go up north."

"What?" Momo asked. "You aren't going with us?"

"Sorry," Kendo said. "We have some friends up north that we are going to stay with until everything in Dicaea blows over. Besides," she looked down at the floor and knocked lightly against the wooden panels. "I don't think this rickety old cart will make it up those steep mountains, at least not with all our stuff."

Momo pouted. "I understand. So just Hagakure, Todoroki, and I will leave for Sparta, then."

"Actually..."

Momo looked at Hagakure. Hagakure gave her a guilty smile and clapped her hands together as if in penance. "Sorry, Yaomomo, don't be mad, but I plan to go with Kendo and Tetsu-Tetsu. My clothes are too thin for winter weather, and I want to see if I can find any more survivors from my village."

Momo nodded slowly. It made sense, but — "It's sad to be parting so soon."

"We'll meet again. This isn't forever." Kendo gave a bright smile and held out her hand.

"We definitely need to have another party, so we can't wait too long." Hagakure agreed, placing her hand on top of Kendo's. "It's a promise, then?"

"Yeah," Kyouka grinned and placed her hand on top of Kendo's. "Sounds good to me. I'd love to see you all again."

The frown on her lips melted away, and Momo grinned. She placed her hand on top of the others'. Heat flowed up Momo's arm into her chest. "Yes, let's promise to meet again."