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Long ago, when wishes often came true, there lived a king and queen who together had one beautiful daughter. The queen passed shortly after her birth, but the king loved his late wife too dearly to remarry, and so, his only daughter was brought up to one day rule as queen, as was her mother’s desire. She learned from the best teachers in the kingdom, sharpening both her intellect and leadership skills until none could argue she was unfit to rule.
However, when she wasn’t busy with her studies, she enjoyed venturing outside of the castle grounds, journeying into the nearby forest which many claimed to hold magics and curses beyond comprehension.
And this is where we find our princess now.
With a book in one hand and a basket hanging from her arm, Momo sets off for the woods. The castle sits just at the edge of the forest, making it all too easy to sneak away when no one is looking. Her father scarcely has time for her, and now that she is old enough to care for herself, the servants in charge of watching her in her childhood no longer hover over her shoulder, observing her every move.
And in the woods, she is completely free from all watchful eyes.
It’s not that Momo is dissatisfied with her life; she counts herself lucky and knows it is a great and honorable duty to be next in line for the throne. But sometimes, it…can be a lot. Sometimes, she needs to get away—to breathe. Sometimes, it’s nice to simply be a girl rather than a princess.
Her feet trace the familiar path from the edge of the forest to where there sits an old well in a small clearing. It’s a nice place to rest, and so this is where she stops. She places her basket in the grass, then perches on the edge of the well and settles in to read. Birdsong and the rustling of leaves in the wind provide pleasant background noise, creating the perfect peaceful atmosphere.
For a forest that supposedly houses great evils, Momo finds it surprisingly calm. Throughout all her time spent here, she has not once seen any signs of wicked magic. She’s beginning to think it’s only baseless rumor, though Mina insists she once saw a dragon when cutting through the woods on her way home.
Momo reads two chapters of her book before her eyes tire, and she swaps the book for a snack. Tucked into her basket, alongside the cut fruit and cookies, is a golden ball. A simple, small toy, which Momo has had since she was a small child—a souvenir from a trip to a neighboring kingdom. While her father discussed treaties and business deals with the other king, Momo was placed under the care of his eldest daughter, who took Momo and the king’s youngest son out to the market with the promise to buy them each a toy. Momo picked out a straw doll while the boy chose the golden ball. But before Momo and her father returned home, she and the boy agreed to switch toys, so they could have something to remember the other by.
Momo has kept the ball safe all these years, in an effort to keep the promise to remember her friend from so long ago.
She plays with it idly as she snacks, tossing it up and catching it in one hand. Her teachers have always said hand-eye coordination is an important skill to train when it comes to displaying the proper grace and dignity of a princess, and she’s found simple games like this are a wonderful way to keep up on practice in her down time.
Until—
The leaves rustle, louder than what can be explained by simple wind, and Momo starts. Her focus slips, gaze torn briefly to where the noise had come from. It’s only a split-second, but without the ball in her sights, she loses track of it, and she can’t wrest it back into her sights fast enough.
She grabs for it, but it bounces off the tips of her fingers, her movements a second too slow, and—
“No!” Momo cries, despairing. She lunges again, but it’s too late.
The ball falls down the well, into the darkness, so deep she can’t even see the bottom. Nor can she hear when it hits the bottom—if it even does. For all Momo knows, this well may not have a bottom at all. Perhaps it is a bottomless pit in disguise, tearing a hole down through the earth, and anyone or anything that falls in simply falls forever.
“No, no, no!” Momo buries her face in her hands, a hollowness settling in her chest. She’d been so careful with the ball for so long, and this is far from the first time she’s played with it like this while seated by the well. But she let herself be distracted, and now—
Now it’s gone.
It’s a silly thing to be upset over, in the grand scheme of things. But Momo still feels tears well up in her eyes at the loss. She knows she could have a thousand near-identical golden balls delivered to the castle if only she asked, but it wouldn’t be the same. None of them would be from the first friend she ever made.
She sniffs, wiping her eyes, determined not to let any tears fall. She can be sad, but she has to present herself as strong and unshakable—no one wants a queen who cries over such trivial matters.
And then, through her sniffling, she hears…
A soft croaking noise?
She freezes, looking around. Is it the same thing that was rustling in the bushes earlier? A wild animal, maybe? It could be a deer, or maybe a squirrel. Hopefully something harmless… Momo isn’t sure she could outrun a wolf.
“Is someone there?” she calls out. Her gaze flits down to the basket, still harboring snacks. Maybe she could use them as an offering, then make her escape. If Mina was telling the truth, and there really is a dragon living in these woods, who knows what other sort of magical creatures may be lurking? She could be about to face anything from a unicorn to the dragon itself.
But when the croaking noise sounds again, it comes from…
the well?
Kero, kero.
Momo looks into the well. “Hello?”
Her voice echoes, bouncing off the walls and fading as it travels deeper and deeper underground.
Kero. This time, it’s followed by a splat sort of noise, and then—
A frog hops out of the well, onto the ledge beside Momo. She yelps, throwing herself away from it, not wanting to touch something so…slimy and gross. She may regularly venture into the woods, but never has she dared to touch such a creature. Worms, bugs, frogs, and snakes are not befitting companions for a princess.
“Um,” she looks around. “Hi?”
And then the frog speaks.
“Hello, kero.”
Momo’s eyes widen. She wants to believe the voice came from somewhere else, but there’s no one around apart from herself and the frog, and she saw the frog’s mouth move in time with the words.
Before she can think of how to possibly respond to a talking frog, it continues speaking. “Why are you so sad? I could hear your distress even from where I was sleeping deep in the well.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you!” Momo wipes the last of her tears away. “It’s just… I dropped my ball in the well, and now it’s lost forever. It was a gift from an old friend, so it was very special to me.”
The frog croaks again, sounding almost thoughtful. “Maybe…I could get it for you?”
Momo gasps. “Could you?” She clasps her hands together. “Oh, I don’t know how I would ever repay you! I suppose a frog wouldn’t be interested in gold or jewels… Is there anything your heart desires?” She places a hand over her own heart. “I promise I will do my best to fulfill whatever it is you wish!”
“I don’t really have any use for jewels,” the frog agrees. “But do you think…you could be my friend?”
Momo hesitates. She did offer anything the frog asked for, but she was expecting a request for something physical. A nice home, maybe. Transportation to the finest swamp in the land. Or an endless supply of bugs for food, which Momo could easily hire bug catchers to provide. Truthfully, she hadn’t expected to see the frog much after today at all.
But to promise friendship…
(The memory of her friend’s smile floats to the surface of her mind. Soft, uncertain, as he held the ball out to her. Two-toned eyes hesitant, yet determined.)
“Deal,” Momo agrees. “If you retrieve my ball, I will give you my friendship in return.”
“Kero!”
The frog leaps back down into the depths of the well. Momo listens to the splat, splat sounds of it hopping down the inner walls, until it has travelled so deep she can no longer hear anything at all. Slowly, she sits down once more, returning to her earlier spot on the well’s edge, and she waits.
Time ticks onwards. She worries her bottom lip between her teeth.
She starts to wonder if the frog will return at all.
But, soon enough, she hears the tell-tale sound of it climbing the well. It leaps over the edge, landing beside Momo, golden ball in its mouth.
“Oh, thank you so much!” Momo exclaims. She holds her hands out, and the frog deposits the ball into her cupped palms. It’s wet, and dirt clings to it, but she knows that once she returns home and washes it off, it will be good as new.
“You’re welcome!” The frog seems to almost smile.
Momo pulls a cloth napkin from her basket and wraps the ball in it before tucking it safely away. She won’t risk losing it again, especially not when the frog went through so much trouble to retrieve it for her.
Speaking of—
She turns back to the frog, doing her best to ignore the dread now settling her stomach at the reminder of what she promised. But a princess must remain true to her word, and the frog held up its end of their deal. So Momo must uphold hers as well.
“I suppose, since we’re friends now, we should know each other’s names,” Momo says. “My name is Momo, and I am the king’s daughter.”
“My name is Tsuyu, but since we’re friends, you can call me Tsu,” the frog replies. It bows its head, sort of. “It’s nice to meet you, Momo-chan.”
Momo bows her head to the frog in return. “It’s nice to meet you too, Tsu-chan.” Her gaze catches on the basket at her feet, still holding an assortment of snacks. She’s unsure if frogs like cookies and fruits, but since she and Tsu are friends, she figures it’s only appropriate to offer.
She hasn’t had very many friends over the years. There was the boy she met as a child, who gave her the golden ball. And there’s Mina, the daughter of the palace’s head maid, who is about the same age as Momo—though she may only be a friend because of forced proximity and obligation. Most of the people who could be considered Momo’s friends are the palace staff and guards, and they have no choice but to be nice to her.
And now, she’s friends with Tsu only because of a promise made in a moment of distress. Perhaps this is merely karma.
Still, Tsu has been nice to her. So Momo will be nice in return and be a friend in the only way she knows how.
“Would you like a snack?” she offers. She lifts the basket into her lap. “I’ve brought fruit and cookies, if either of those are to your liking.”
“Fruit sounds good,” Tsu answers. So Momo pulls out her selection of fruit and lets Tsu pick which she would like best. They eat in companionable silence, for a while, until Momo decides to strike up a conversation.
The afternoon turns towards evening, and Momo loses track of time as she and Tsu talk with one another. It begins with simple topics, such as the foods they like best and their favorite activities. But as time wears on, Momo finds herself opening up to Tsu, admitting she hasn’t had many friends before, and she’s worried she may not be a good one.
“I think you’ve been a great friend so far,” Tsu tells her sincerely. “I had a couple of close friends some time ago, but I haven’t seen them in a while.” She sighs. “I hope they’re okay.”
“I’m sure they are,” Momo responds. “And I hope you get to see them again someday soon!”
“Thank you, Momo-chan.”
As the sun begins creeping closer to the horizon, Momo knows her time with Tsu is coming to an end. If she isn’t back home by nightfall, a guard will come out looking for her, and she’ll likely be banned from ever returning to the forest.
So, she bids Tsu a heartfelt farewell and promises to see her again soon.
Meanwhile, deep in the heart of the forest…
Ryuuko returns from the mountains, wings tucked tightly against her back, cloak draped over her form and hood covering her head. She knocks on the cabin door thrice in quick succession before letting herself in.
“Ryuuko-san!” Nejire greets with a smile and a wave. “Ochako-chan is gathering firewood; she should be back soon.” She pauses, like she’s hesitant to ask her next question, but ultimately continues on anyway. “Is there any news of Tsu-chan?”
“I’m afraid not.” Ryuuko’s face falls with her words. It has been many long months since they last saw her, and no amount of tracking spells have been able to trace her location. Which means she’s been taken out of range, or her curse accounted for her friends attempting to find her.
Still, they won’t give up. She must be out there somewhere; they just have to keep looking.
Much to Momo’s dismay, in the days following her befriending Tsu, her lessons seem to triple in intensity. She hardly has a chance to breathe, let alone make another trip into the woods. And as more time passes, Momo grows to worry that Tsu will think she’s forgotten about her, when in fact, quite the opposite is true. The two may have only known each other for a single afternoon, but Momo cannot seem to get the little frog out of her head.
Mina pulls her aside after dinner one night, chewing on her bottom lip as she bows her head. “I’m sorry for intruding,” she says, “but you’ve seemed sad these past few days. Is there anything you need?”
Momo sighs. It’s been a full week since she met Tsu, and her affection has only grown in Tsu’s absence. She feels a bit silly for it, but Mina is perhaps the least likely of all the palace staff to judge her for a fast-blooming friendship; Mina has an incredible ability to get along with just about anyone instantly.
“When I went into the forest last week,” Momo starts slowly, “I got into a bit of trouble. Thankfully, this kind frog helped me out. In exchange for the assistance, I agreed to be her friend, but I’ve been so busy that I haven’t had a chance to go back and visit her since!” She looks to the ground. “I’m afraid I’m not being a very good friend at all.”
“Well, it’s not like you’ve purposefully been avoiding her, right?” Mina asks
“Of course not!” At the beginning, Momo was certainly put-off by the frog. But now, she hardly even remembers what about Tsu’s appearance she found unpleasant in the first place. After shaking her initial hesitation, Momo found that she was…sort of cute, actually. In a very frog-like way.
“Then just tell her that when you do see her again!” Mina advises. “If she’s really your friend, she’ll understand!”
“I suppose you’re right,” Momo relents. “But…it may still be several days. I don’t want to wait that long! I miss her dearly.”
A scheming smile crosses Mina’s face. “I guess we’ll just have to come up with a plan to get you some free time tomorrow, then.”
—
True to her word, Mina devises a plan to disrupt Momo’s lessons and allow her a few hours to herself. Momo thanks her tremendously before rushing off into the forest and heading straight for the clearing with the well.
“Tsu-chan?” she calls out, looking around. “Tsu-chan are you still here? I’m sorry it took me so long to return.” She crosses over to the well and peers down inside of it, though the deepness and darkness has not changed. Momo squints, but it’s no use. If Tsu is in the well, she can’t see her. “Please?” she tries. “I brought more berries.”
A soft kero sounds from Momo’s left. She whips her head around, to find Tsu hopping along the ground, towards the well.
“Tsu-chan!”
“Hello, Momo-chan. Kero.”
Momo rushes over, scooping Tsu up into her hands without a second thought. “I swear, I tried to come back as soon as I could, but my teachers all seemed to increase my workload at once. Even now, I fear I’m only limited to another hour before I must return home.”
She sits on the edge of the well, placing Tsu beside her. Then, she removes the berries from the pouch hanging from her belt, carefully wrapped in a cloth, and sets them down between herself and Tsu. “It’s not much, but I’m afraid I didn’t have time to gather more today.”
“I was starting to think you wouldn’t come back,” Tsu admits, her voice cracking. Momo’s heart breaks at how sad she looks. “I’d been watching you come to this clearing quite a bit, but was always too scared to talk to you, so I know how much you love it here. I was afraid maybe…” she croaks forlornly. “I didn’t want to have scared you away!”
“Oh, Tsu-chan, of course not!” Momo cries. “I’m so sorry I worried you. But I promise, as long as I’m able, I will come visit you in the forest as often as I can.” She places a hand over her heart. “And a princess never breaks her promises.”
Though Tsu is only a frog, Momo swears she smiles. “You really are a good friend, Momo-chan.”
They spend the next hour eating berries and catching up with one another. Momo leaves when she must, though she does so with a heavy sadness. But Tsu says she’s sure they will see one another again soon with such sincere conviction that Momo can’t help but believe it too.
—
For the next several months, Momo continues visiting Tsu. She brings snacks, and they talk about anything and everything, enjoying one another’s company for hours on end. Tsu proves to be a dear friend, and Momo does her best to be a good friend to Tsu in return. And as time goes on, she becomes more and more grateful that she dropped her ball down the well all those weeks ago. Because that was what led to her meeting Tsu in the first place, and meeting Tsu was, perhaps, the greatest thing that has ever happened to her.
But the peaceful friendship they found with one another could never last forever.
When the weather starts to turn colder, and the leaves on the trees fade from green to an array of oranges and reds, Tsu begins acting more distant and distracted during their conversations. At first, Momo thought perhaps she was just having a bad day, but when her strange moods only seem to get worse, she decides the best thing to do is to ask Tsu about it outright.
“You’ve been acting different lately,” Momo says as she sits on the edge of the well beside Tsu. “I’m worried. Did I do something wrong?”
Tsu shakes her head. Sullenly, she tells Momo, “It’s getting colder. Soon, I’ll have to go into hibernation, and I won’t be able to see you anymore.”
Oh, Momo thinks. She wasn’t aware frogs hibernated, but she supposes it makes sense. She can’t recall ever having seen one hopping around in the snow. But it’s not as if that’s something Tsu can change—she’s a frog. She has to act as frogs do.
“Don’t worry, I’ll wait for you through the winter.” She pats Tsu’s head, and Tsu keens under the affection. “I’ll miss you too, but I promise to come back once the snow has melted and the flowers have begun to bloom.”
“Thank you,” Tsu croaks, “but…it’s not just that.”
Momo frowns, tilting her head. “What is it, then?”
“Do you remember when I said I had other friends who I haven’t seen in a long time?”
“I do, yes.”
“I was hoping…” Tsu sighs. “I was hoping to find them again before another winter came to pass. You see, I was cursed and separated from them, and I was searching fervently when I ran into you. I believe my other friends are the only ones who can break my curse.”
“…Cursed?” Momo asks. She isn’t foolish enough to doubt the existence of magic, but it is never something she has interacted with directly—to meet a creature who has been cursed is about as likely as seeing a dragon. Even these woods, which are said to be a place of wild and dangerous magic, have never once felt that way to Momo. In all her time coming here, Tsu is the only magical being she has come into contact with.
“Kero,” Tsu affirms. “I had an unfortunate encounter with an evil witch. She cast a spell to trap me in this form.”
Momo can feel her eyes growing wider with every word. Curses, witches— the implication that Tsu wasn’t always a frog? It’s too much to wrap her head around, sending her world spinning off balance.
Still, Tsu is her friend. She can’t run just because of a little magic.
“Do you know where your friends are?” If they live nearby, perhaps Momo can help return Tsu to them, and they can break the curse, and Tsu won’t have to go into hibernation over the winter. She could reunite with the people she lost!
Momo tries not to think about how Tsu returning to her old friends will likely also mean the end of these lovely afternoons spent together at the well. To be a good friend means to be willing to make sacrifices, and Momo would give up even her own life to see Tsu happy.
“They live in a cabin deep in the heart of these woods,” Tsu answers. “Deeper than you’ve ever journeyed. But the distance is too far for me to cross on my own; I’ll dry out if I’m away from the water for too long. That’s why I’ve stayed so close to this well.”
Momo lifts her gaze, looking out into the depths of the forest that lie before her. She’s never gone much further than this well, not wanting to risk losing her way. Not to mention, if the stories are to be believed, the magic in this forest gets darker the deeper into its clutches you go. And now that Momo knows with certainty that there is magic here…
She swallows thickly.
“Tell me about your friends,” Momo says. She knows what she must do, but before she can fully commit to it, she needs to know more. She needs to convince herself she will be doing the right thing.
“Okay,” Tsu agrees.
Many years ago…
Tsu pulls her threadbare cloak tighter around her, though it does nothing to block out the fierce wind and rain. She has nowhere left to go, having been run out of her village after she and her family were declared to be witches. In her mind, screaming above even the roaring wind, she can hear her mother’s voice pleading with her to RUN! DON’T WORRY ABOUT US, JUST SAVE YOURSELF!
She forces another step. If there weren’t still people milling about despite the weather—rushing for home, presumably—she would simply shift. A frog is far more suited for this rainstorm than a human is. But Tsu can’t risk exposing her secret once again. It would make her mother’s sacrifice meaningless.
So she continues onward, searching for someplace to wait out the storm.
Finally, just as she’s about to collapse, she stumbles upon a tavern with light spilling through the windows. She has no money, but perhaps she can find a table in the corner and hide in the shadows long enough to warm herself.
She reaches for the door, but—
A voice stops her.
“Um, hey, miss? I really wouldn’t recommend going in there.”
Tsu blinks. She looks up and finds herself staring at a girl who can’t be much older than she is. A girl with long blue hair half-hidden beneath the hood of her cloak. But the most startling thing about her is not the oddly-colored hair; it’s the fact that the downpour has not left a single drop of water on her.
In the middle of a storm, she’s completely dry.
“They don’t like our kind,” the girl continues. She skips over to Tsu, holding her hand out. “My name is Nejire! You’re a witch, right?”
“Not exactly…” Tsu takes Nejire’s hand, hesitant, only for Nejire to shake her arm up and down with such force that it seems to rattle Tsu down to the bone.
“Oh, really?” She leans in closer. “What are you, then? I can sense magic on you, but you’re definitely not a fairy.”
“My parents called us shifters.”
Nejire’s eyes widen. “That’s so cool! Hey, if you don’t have anywhere to go, you should come with me. I’ve been training under someone who’s also a shifter—and a witch, too. My parents sort of kicked me out after I accidentally displayed a proficiency for magic, and I was totally lost until I met Ryuuko-san. She took me under her wing—literally! And actually, we have another girl living with us now who’s probably about the same age as you. I bet you two would get along great!” She claps her hands together. “So? What d’ya say? Come with me?”
Tsu glances towards the tavern. It looks so warm and inviting.
But she knows she would be safer with someone like Nejire.
“Okay,” Tsu agrees. “But can you carry me?”
Nejire tilts her head. “Carry you?”
Tsu doesn’t explain what she means aloud—instead, she shifts, shrinking down into her frog form. Understanding crosses Nejire’s face.
“I see.” She grins, crouching down across from Tsu. She holds her hands out. “I can carry you, but only if you’re alright with flying.”
“Yes, kero.”
“Perfect!”
Nejire carefully scoops Tsu into her hands, and then, she takes to the sky.
—
Nejire throws the cabin door open, proudly announcing, “I’m back! And I brought a friend! Ochako-chan, can you get some blankets?”
From her perch on Nejire’s shoulder, Tsu sees a girl with short, brown hair poke her head around the corner. Immediately, her eyebrows knit in confusion. “A friend? I don’t see anyone else…”
“Oh!” Nejire lifts Tsu from her shoulder, placing her on the ground. She steps back, allowing Tsu space to shift back into a human. “She’s a shifter,” Nejire explains.
“Woah,” Ochako mumbles.
“Blankets?” Nejire reminds her.
“Right!” Ochako ducks back out of view.
In a matter of minutes, Tsu is swaddled in blankets in front of the fireplace, a steaming cup of tea in her hands. Nejire sits pressed against her right side while Ochako is on her left, both of them offering their body heat to warm her faster.
And Tsu knew, from that moment on, the three of them would always be close friends.
At the end of Tsu’s story, Momo swears, “I will help you find your friends.” As loath as she is to let Tsu return to her old life—her life before she and Momo met—she knows that is what a true friend would do.
“Kero. You will?” Tsu looks up at her in disbelief.
“Yes.” Momo nods, determined. “If you show me the way, I can carry you there.” It won’t be an easy task, Momo knows this. It will require sneaking out, and she might have to spend several days in the depths of the forest. But her mind is already made up.
A true princess would do anything to aid a friend in need, no matter the cost.
(Deep in the forest, some time ago…
“WHAT DID YOU DO TO HER?!” Ochako screams, hands fisting into the witch’s robes.
The witch’s grin only widens, showing off sharp fangs. She grabs Ochako back, though her actions are not fueled by rage. She holds Ochako like she cares for her. “I told you,” she giggles. “It’s only a temporary trap. Any curse can be broken, if you know the trick.”
“We can’t break it if we can’t find her!”
“She’ll find you.” The witch spins them around, pressing Ochako’s back against a tree. The scent of blood drips from her breath. She looks at Ochako like she wants to devour her. “Don’t you get it? It’s all to make a good story—a tale of true love for the ages!”
“What is your PROBLEM?!” Ochako shoves the witch off of her. “What is wrong with you?! Tsu-chan isn’t some pawn in a game; she’s my friend! It’s like— It’s like you don’t even see her as human!”
The witch’s eyes grow wide and watery. She stumbles a step back.
“Ochako-chan,” she says seriously, “do you see me as human?”
Ochako opens her mouth to respond, but no words come out. The witch looks at her, expectant, desperate, and yet—
Does Ochako see her as human?
…She doesn’t know.
Her silence must serve as an answer itself.
The witch turns away. “Your friend can be saved by an act of true love,” she says. “If you ever manage to find her again, that is. I banished her far away from here, and a frog can’t travel such distance without water.” A laugh bubbles up in her, then spills out as if ripped from her throat. It comes out sounding like blood. “If you want her saved, she’ll have to meet someone who views her as an equal.” She tosses one final glance over her shoulder, eyes red, half-mad. “She’ll have to find someone who sees her as human.”)
Momo prepares as thoroughly and as quickly as she can. She catches up on her schoolwork, and then works ahead, so she won’t fall far behind while she’s gone. She gathers up a collection of food that will not spoil and she swipes a knife from the kitchens in case she should need a weapon. She packs clothes, food, and other necessities in a bag.
And she brings an extra waterskin specifically for Tsu, to prevent her from drying out during their journey.
She leaves early in the morning, arriving at the well just as the sun is beginning to rise. Tsu is waiting for her as promised.
“You came!” she exclaims.
Momo smiles, leaning down and holding her hands out so Tsu can hop into them. “Of course I came. You’re my friend.”
“Kero. I’m so lucky to have a friend like you, Momo-chan.”
And with that, they set off on their journey.
According to Tsu, the cabin where her friends live is hidden with a glamour to protect them from being found by anyone who may wish to bring them harm. But Tsu can see through it, and it is highly likely that Tsu’s friends will find Momo before Momo finds them.
“They won’t hurt you,” Tsu promises. “Especially not once they see I’m with you.”
Momo still has some doubts about seeking out witches who live deep in the forest, but she trusts Tsu. So she puts on a brave face and continues walking onward.
The further she goes, the thicker the trees and brush get, until the skirt of her dress is torn from thorns and branches. She debated asking Iida to borrow pants, but had he discovered her plan, he would have felt it his duty to expose her secrets to her father. And Momo could not risk that.
It felt wrong to steal his clothes, too, so she settled for wearing an older dress with a layered skirt, much better suited for travelling through the woods than her nice gowns.
Still, she feels woefully overdressed.
Around noon, they take a break to eat. Momo rations out the food carefully, unsure how long it will take to reach their destination. She gives some to Tsu as well, and makes sure she has plenty of water. They eat quickly, not wanting to lose much time, and then they set out once more.
They talk and play word games to pass the time, and Momo finds herself having fun as she always does when she’s with Tsu. But looming over her head and settling heavy in the pit of her stomach is the reminder that after this journey ends, she will likely never see Tsu again.
—
Just as Momo is about to suggest they stop for dinner, the sky begins to rumble.
At first, she fears a thunderstorm has approached without her noticing. But there is no rain, and when she looks up, she can’t make out any clouds between the foliage—only clear, darkening blue.
And then a shadow falls over her.
Tsu exclaims, “It’s Ryuuko-san!”
“Who?!” Momo demands, because all she can see is a vast darkness blocking out what little sunlight is left. She brought a lantern, though she hadn’t been planning to light it until necessary, and by her calculations, she should have been able to wait until they sat down to eat.
“Ryuuko-san,” Tsu repeats. “She’s the shifter who took on Nejire-chan, Ochako-chan, and I as her apprentices.”
Shifter. Right. Tsu is a shifter. But Tsu shifts into a frog that can rest easily in Momo’s cupped hands. And whatever this is, it’s big enough to completely cover the sun.
“Um…” Momo takes a step back, though she doubts she can outrun something this massive. “What…what exactly can Ryuuko-san shift into?”
“A dragon,” Tsu chirps.
Momo’s first thought is: WHAT?!
Immediately followed by: Oh, dear. Mina was right.
Before she can think much more than that, there’s another rumble, which Momo can now attribute to the dragon above them. She isn’t sure if it’s anger towards her or not, but she figures she has no choice other than to attempt to talk to the dragon. She did promise to return Tsu to her friends, and now they’ve found one.
Momo clears her throat, then calls out, “Um, Ryuuko-san? I am Princess Momo of the Yaoyorozu family. I believe I have a friend of yours!”
For a moment, when no response comes, Momo fears Ryuuko didn’t hear her.
But then, the darkness draws back. There’s a rush of wind followed by thick silence.
And a woman emerges from the trees.
She wears a deep red dress with golden accents and matching jewelry. Her hair is light, chin-length, and bangs cover half of her face. Her visible eye is narrow, and when she opens her mouth to speak, her teeth are sharp.
“State your business,” she orders.
“Ryuuko-san!” Tsu exclaims.
Ryuuko gasps. She takes half a step closer. “Tsu-chan?”
Momo lifts Tsu from her shoulder. “I promised I would help Tsu-chan find her way back to her friends,” she explains. “She told me she’d been cursed, trapped in her frog form, and she couldn’t travel all the way back to you on her own without drying out. She wanted badly to find you again before winter forced her into hibernation.”
“You came all this way to bring her home?” Ryuuko asks.
Momo nods.
“Momo-chan has been so kind to me these past few months,” Tsu chimes in. “I’m so happy we became friends.”
Momo smiles softly down at Tsu. “I am too.” With a deep breath, she looks back up to Ryuuko. “Tsu-chan said she believed you could break her curse,” she continues as she crosses the distance between them. She holds out her hands, with Tsu resting in her palms. “I will miss her dearly, but I know she’ll be happier at home with you.”
Ryuuko reaches for Tsu, but before she can touch her, Tsu begins to glow. As if wrapped in magic.
She leaps out of Momo’s hands, and by the time she hits the ground, she has transformed into a girl. She stands quite a bit shorter than Momo, with long hair, such dark green it almost appears black. Her eyes are big and her smile wobbly as she looks up at Momo. The clothes she’s dressed in are stained with dirt, and yet—
She’s beautiful. The most beautiful girl Momo has ever seen.
“Oh!” Momo gasps. “Tsu-chan, you’re—!”
Tsu looks down at herself in confusion. “Ryuuko-san, you didn’t perform any magic just now, did you?”
“I did not,” Ryuuko confirms. “It seems as though Toga told Ochako-chan the truth.”
Tsu tilts her head.
“The truth?” Momo inquires. “About what?”
“The curse,” Ryuuko explains. “She said it would be broken by an act of true love. I assumed she meant a kiss, but…” She meets Momo’s gaze. “Your willingness to separate with Tsu-chan in order to save her was itself the savior. You have an immeasurably kind soul.”
Momo’s cheeks grow warm. Tsu croaks, eyes flitting to meet Momo’s briefly before settling on the ground.
Oh, Momo thinks. Of course. It seems so obvious, looking back.
“Momo-chan.” Ryuuko inclines her head towards her in a slight bow. “Join us for dinner, and then I will ensure you are returned home safely. It is the least I can do to thank you for all you’ve done.”
Momo looks to Tsu and finds Tsu already watching her.
“Please, come back with us,” Tsu requests. “I’m not ready to say goodbye to you yet.”
“Okay,” Momo agrees easily. She isn’t ready to bid Tsu farewell yet either—not when she’s only just recognized her own feelings for what they are. Something deep in her heart wants to simply stay with Tsu and her friends in the forest forever.
But she knows she cannot forsake her duties as a princess.
So she will have to settle for allowing herself just this one night more.
—
The cabin isn’t a far walk, and when they arrive, two girls—who Momo assumes must be Nejire and Ochako—rush to meet Tsu, pulling her into a hug. Momo watches the heartfelt reunion from afar until Ryuuko offers her a change of clothes, noting that her dress is tattered.
Momo shakes her head. “I brought extra clothes. But…is there somewhere I could change and wash up?”
“Of course.” Ryuuko points her towards the bathroom.
The cabin is large, but cozy, and Momo can feel the magic buzzing through the walls. The glamour protects its inhabitants from potential living threats, but other spells must keep it insulated against the autumn chill. She wants to ask Tsu about it, because she’s certain there must be even more about the magic and its effects that she’s missing, but she doubts she would be let in on all of Ryuuko’s secrets as a stranger.
She changes quickly, and when she emerges back into the main room, she’s immediately bombarded by a girl with blue hair and sparkly eyes. “You must be Momo-chan!” she exclaims. “Tsu-chan was telling us all about you—she said you’re a princess? That’s so cool! Do you have a crown? You live in a castle, right? What’s it like? Is it super huge? Do you have servants? What do you even do all day if you have servants to do all of the chores for you? Oh, I’m Nejire, by the way! It’s nice to meet you!”
Momo blinks. “Um.”
“Let her get settled, kero,” Tsu chides, coming up behind Nejire.
“Oh, right, right! My bad! I’m just so curious—I’ve never met a princess before.”
“How about we talk over dinner?” the other girl—Ochako, presumably—suggests. “I’m sure it won’t be as fancy as what you’re used to, but hopefully it won’t be too bad.”
Momo smiles gratefully. “I’m sure it will be lovely. Thank you for welcoming me.”
“Well, duh!” Nejire exclaims. “You brought Tsu-chan back home!”
“And you broke her curse,” Ochako adds. “Which, actually, I have some questions about that.”
“But we’re going to eat first,” Tsu insists.
As if on cue, Momo’s stomach grumbles. She laughs nervously, placing her hand over it in hopes of quelling the noise. “Yes, I would like to eat now, if that’s alright.”
“Of course, kero!” Tsu smiles at her, and the hollow hunger in Momo’s stomach suddenly erupts into butterflies. She ducks her head, valiantly attempting to suppress the flush in her cheeks.
Dinner passes in a flurry of conversation. The food is good, despite Ochako’s worries, and Momo makes sure to tell her as much. She answers Nejire’s questions about what her life is like as a princess, and she does her best to explain how the curse was broken to Ochako, though she’s still a little unclear on the whole thing herself. After all, she only knew Tsu was cursed at all for less than a week.
But Ochako confirms what Ryuuko said earlier: that the witch who cursed Tsu insisted the spell would be broken by an act of true love. Perhaps that sentiment should scare Momo—true love is a rather big commitment, after all—but…it feels right. It feels like something Momo has known deep within her heart for some time, though she only now has words to describe the feeling.
And when Tsu reaches for her hand under the table, entwining their fingers together, Momo can’t help but wish with all her heart that she could have this forever.
—
Momo spends the night at the cabin in the forest, and in the morning, Ryuuko makes good on her promise to see her safely home.
“I can fly you to a clearing near the palace,” Ryuuko informs her. “After that, I’m afraid you will be on your own. It is too dangerous for any of us to go closer.”
“I understand.” Momo bows her head. “I’m grateful for whatever you can do.”
Ryuuko gives her and Tsu distance then, to bid one another farewell in private. Instantly, Tsu is throwing herself into Momo’s arms.
“I wish you didn’t have to leave!” she cries. “I’ve had so much fun getting to know you these past few months, kero. I’m really going to miss you.”
It hits Momo, then, that Tsu truly won’t be a constant in her life anymore. She’d been living in a blissful fantasy of denial, unable to imagine going back to what her life was like before she met Tsu. But now, she cannot pretend for any longer. Not when Tsu is hugging her so tightly, body trembling as she says goodbye.
Momo runs her fingers through Tsu’s hair, throat aching with unshed tears. “I’m going to miss you too, Tsu-chan. Promise you’ll come visit me? Even if you can only go as far as the well.”
Tsu nods. “I promise.”
She pulls back then, breaking the hug, then pushes herself onto her toes. She cups Momo’s face with one hand, guiding her face down so she can kiss her cheek sweetly.
Momo’s breath hitches.
“Tsu-chan,” she whispers, hand coming up to cover Tsu’s where it still rests on her cheek, preventing her from stepping away. “Can I—?”
Tsu nods.
Momo leans down, pressing her lips to Tsu’s. It’s a bit strange to think how enamored she is when she’s only known Tsu as a human for less than a day. But the truth is, early on in their friendship, Momo stopped thinking of Tsu as a frog and began thinking of her as simply Tsu-chan, her friend. And so, of course Momo loves her. How could she not?
“We will see one another again soon,” Momo swears as she breaks the kiss. She takes Tsu’s hands in hers, squeezing them gently. “I’ll make sure of it!”
Tsu grins. And while she still can, Momo kisses the top of her head before drawing Tsu into another hug. She knows they have only a few moments left, but until Ryuuko returns and informs her it is time to leave, she will hold Tsu close and thank the whims of fate and magic for throwing them into each other’s lives.
Long ago, when wishes often came true, there lived a princess who was the lone daughter of an honorable king and his late wife. The princess had a love for the forest which bordered the palace grounds—a place which was said to hold magics and curses beyond comprehension.
And it was in this forest where she found true love.
Nearly a month after parting ways, as the first snowflakes of winter were drifting to the ground, the princess returned to the place where she met her love. She found her waiting there, with a thick cloak draped over her shoulders and snowflakes decorating her hair.
“You came,” the princess breathed out, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
Her love smiled. “I promised, as long as I’m able, I will come visit you as often as I can,” she croaked. “And I never break my promises.”
The princess giggled before bringing her love into a tender kiss.
And this is where we leave our princess, with the promise of her happily ever after.