Momo: A Jinx in Pure Heart

Chapter 12: Jinx's Night Out

The seven were getting closer to the town areas of Pure Heart Valley, getting a better glimpse of the brightly lit streets awash with radiance emanating from the hung lanterns strung from window to window. The playful voices of other Sweetypies faintly reached the group's ears as they grew louder with each step closer taken; the same was said about music and the jingling of toys.

"Sounds like the pie-cutting ceremony's coming very soon," Momo notified her friends and the Sheriff's Department. Her frog and fox friends, plus Adorabat, were rather giddy at the anticipation of pie. Baderclops was in a similar mood, but leaned more to the salivating side.

"I can't wait," the badger shuddered in a pseudo-whisper. "Let's go."

At the same time, the little ghost that was disguised under the modified bedsheet was excited as well. This was going to be the first time it was going to see an actual Sweetypie celebration, one where people would live and behave happily without fear of anything else coming to ruin the lively mood – the ghost hoped it would be able to live among them without fear as well. It also inwardly praised Adorabat and Badgerclops for their help in giving it the best Harvest Moon costume suited for it. It never would have imagined that it could have just gone as itself.

The seven were just within reaching distance of Town Square, where all the other Sweetypies had gathered in preparation for witnessing the pie-cutting event, when Momo spoke up in a worriedly frantic tone.

"My hat! Where's my hat?"

Everyone's attention was turned to Momo who was currently bent over and looking left and right across the grass and surrounding shrubs, her breathing rapid as indicative of a panicking state of mind. As she just asked of everyone, the top of her head was completely bare of her pointy hat that she was wearing as part of her costume earlier. Everyone watched her look long enough for her to get on her knees and look further to the ground.

"Did you lose your hat?" Mao Mao asked her, not caring that he just stated the obvious.

"Of course, I lost it!" Momo blurted without nary a moment to reconsider her answer. "I'm absolutely sure it fell off somewhere around here! I need to find it!"

Mao Mao immediately felt concerned for Momo's situation, considering how she expressed her worry about such a thing happening to her. He couldn't imagine how he'd feel if he ended up losing his sword and had to look for it in the darkness – he would definitely be much louder and more demanding if he had to get other people to help him search. He turned to the remaining five standing behind him. "Everyone, look around. Momo's hat has to be here somewhere."

As everyone, both the fox-frog pair and Badgerclops and Adorabat, got down to search for where Momo's hat fell, the costumed ghost floated for a bit. It looked left and right, briefly examining each of the others searching for the hat. It floated past each and every one of them to take careful examinations of the neighboring shrubs, grass, and even a few trees...and then its eyes were caught by a distinct sight. There, sitting on the grass and nestled at the base of a dark green bush, a bright yellow pointy hat was present within the leaves. Without no other reason to hesitate, the ghost picked up the hat and drifted back to where Momo was.

Momo was just about to have another panicking fit when she noticed a presence next to her. She looked up to see that the mysterious costumed Sweetypie kid was in front of her, holding in both hands the hat she was looking for. The ghost-dressed costumer lifted and extended the hat out to her. Momo couldn't have been happier. "You found my hat? Thank you!" she told the ghost happily, which made the spirit feel a little flutter in its transparent chest. Momo turned to the others who were still looking around. "Everyone," she called to them and waited until she had all their attention, "The hat's been found. We're all clear."