Chibimamoru: Small Lady's Otooto-chan (Revised)
Chapter 3 – I'll try (but can I trust you?)
Author's Notes: Sorry, it took so long to update. My job kept me pretty busy and I was sick for a few days. Hope its worth it though. Oh, and for those of you who are also reading "Mamoru's Journey," I am REALLY, REALLY SORRY. I hit a writer's block!! Don't you just hate those?! Grrrr!!!!!
Sailor-Earth13 – You really think so? I've been trying. Thanks for the encouragement!!
Usagi-ran – *grins* Evil? Chibiusa? NEVER! *Laughs evilly* No, really. I never said I was making her evil. Then again, maybe I am. BWAHAHA!!! Don't worry though. Chibiusa's part is going to be VERY interesting. The lines of good and evil are starting to gray. *Creepy music* Uh, oh. Said too much!! I'll be quiet now. Hehe –
Arianna Sunrise – Really? No kidding? I hope I can keep it up. Tell me if I slip ok? Once again, please tell me what you think of this chapter. Thanks a million!!!!
UsAgI-ChAn206 – I know. So so kawaii!!! I love little Mamo – chan!!!
Thanks for reviewing everyone!! I love reviews!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW!!!!!
**********
Standing in the center of the two guards whom he'd only met a short hour ago and a strange – yet frighteningly familiar – general, the impact of what was happening to him finally started to catch up with the small, frightened child. He had been pulled from the only place – Nephrite Hills was no home – he knew to live with some people he had never met – or at any rate couldn't remember – in a place that brought back a flood of unfamiliar memories – although he was sure he'd never seen the place before.
Everywhere he turned, strange adults were starring at him. At Nephrite Hills, no one paid him any mind unless he was in trouble or hurt, yet suddenly he was the center of attention. True. He had his friend with him, but in all honestly A.B. wasn't helping too much. Everything was happening so fast.
"Click." The sound of the heavy wooden door shutting behind the two guards, Jason and Justin – who were at a minimum more familiar than the unfamiliar General – snapped Mamo out of his thoughts. Slowly looking around the – now much larger – room around him, Mamo's eyes grew wide with fear. He'd been left alone – once again – with a stranger.
Closing his eyes in an effort to shut out the unfamiliar scene around him, Mamo did the only thing he knew to do in such a situation. He clutched A.B. as tightly as he could, fell onto his knees, and started sobbing. He didn't want to be here in this strange place anymore. He wanted to go home. Wait. He didn't have a home. Well, he just wanted – wanted someone – but there wasn't anyone familiar around.
Justin had said T.J. would be a million miles away and Miss. Carol was with T.J. That meant Miss. Carol was a million miles away too. He was alone – completely alone. No one was going to help him. Mamo sobbed harder – deep, heart wrenching sobs that shook his whole tiny body.
Snapping out of his almost–trance, Nicholas' paternal instincts kicked in almost immediately. Dropping all formality, he knelt down pulling the frightening child into his arms causing him to drop A.B. onto the floor. Rising with the child in his arms, Nicholas walked over to a large yellowish-orange couch he had had placed on the wall adjacent to the one his desk occupied.
Sitting down comfortably against the cushions, he laid the sobbing child gently against his chest. "Shh." He told him. "Calm down, son. You are alright." Mamo continued to sob, however, refusing to be comforted. Nicholas grew silent. This wasn't Micah, and he wasn't the child's father, he realized. His words meant nothing to this boy.
Nicholas racked his brain for a clue as to how to handle this situation. If this child really was the Missing Prince of Earth perhaps he could calm him the way he remembered Endymion doing it when the child just a baby? It was worth a try. Adjusting the child slightly, Nicholas rubbed his back gently with his free hand. Wasn't that what he'd seen Endymion do countless times? "Shh. Do not be afraid, little prince. You are not alone."
**********
Mamo cried into the strange general's chest as he held him close. No one had held him like that in a long time, but that didn't matter. He hadn't been so frightened and confused in all the three years he remembered. Then again, he was six years old. Just remembering back to last week was an almost impossible task in itself.
Why was this happening to him? Mamo was so absorbed in his sorrow; he hardly noticed when the unfamiliar general adjusted him in his arms. He did notice, however, when a firm hand began rubbing his back. It felt so – familiar. Slowly, Mamo's sobs began to die down. Why was the strange man holding him so close? No one paid him this much attention at Nephrite Hills. "Shh. Do not be afraid, little prince. You are not alone."
**********
Mamo was crying softly now holding a fistful of the general's shirt in his hand. General Nicholas said not a word but continued rubbing the child's back until his tears stopped. Sniffling, Mamo turned his head to the side. His bloodshot midnight-blue eyes wandered silently around the room as if quizzing it. General Nicholas' desk sat near the far right corner of the room. On the back wall, next to the desk was a window that stretched from the floor almost to the ceiling. Filing cabinets, bookshelves, and such were spaced around the room. A large chair sat next to the wall near the general's desk – placed specifically so that his wife could sit near him should she decide to visit while he was working.
Mamo grew very quiet. He didn't move. He was almost afraid to breath. No one had held him like this in a very long time. A warm feeling filled him and he didn't want it to go away. It was almost like a fairy. If you moved too fast, you might scare it back into hiding. Ever so slowly, Mamo looked up at the general who had given him that warm feeling. Nicholas smiled warmly at the child. "Feel better?" Mamo nodded mutely.
"Tired?" Mamo thought about it. It had been a rather long day. His nerves and his emotions both were tied up in knots. A heavy weariness began to set over him. Groggily, he nodded again.
"You have had a very trying day." Nicholas commented reaching over to adjust one of the pillows on the couch. This one pillow was softer than the others lying on the yellow-orange couch, because his own 4-year-old son used it whenever he was sick or just felt like napping in his father's office.
Standing up, he lay wearied child gently down on the couch, head against the pillow. Without fighting, Mamo lay where he was put starring up at the general. Nicholas rewarded him with another warm smile. Reaching under the couch, he pulled out a large quilt blanket. Nicholas covered the midnight-blue eyed child with the warm quilt tucking it in around him just as he would have done for his own young son.
As he watched the boy's midnight-blue eyes droop shut, Nicholas saw a contented smile cross his face. He grinned. "He looks just like Serenity when she falls asleep on the couch in Endymion's and her sitting room." Brushing the child's hair from his face and giving him one more look over, Nicholas left the child to rest.
On his way back to his desk, Nicholas noticed A.B. still lying on the floor where the child had dropped him. Picking the A.B. toy up, Nicholas stared at it for a moment. It was damaged almost beyond repair – that is ALMOST. Certainly between his own computer knowledge and Sailor Mercury's genius, they could find a way to fix the thing. For now though, he sat the toy down on the floor next to the couch – next to the no longer missing Prince of Earth.
**********
"Huhm." Mamo sighed contentedly as he drifted in the space just between sleep and consciousness. He hugged his soft pillow and snuggled under the warm quilt. For once, he wasn't chilly as he awoke from his afternoon nap. Mamo took a deep breath. He really didn't want to get up. It was so warm and cozy underneath his quilt, but then the nap charged him with so much energy, he couldn't possibly sleep any longer.
Opening his eyes reluctantly, Mamo was surprised. Where the cold bare wall of the 3-8 year old boys room should have been was a tall bookshelf and a finely painted wall. Where the old hardwood window seat should have been was a floor to ceiling window that looked over the gardens out the Royal Castle at Crystal Tokyo. That's right. There was no more Nephrite Hills. He lived here now – but what was "here" like? Better yet, where was the strange general? Wiggling out from under the heavy quilt, Mamo threw his legs over the side of the couch and began to rub the last remaining sleep from his eyes.
This accomplished, he hopped down off the couch almost tripping over his friend who rested on the floor beside him. "There you are, A.B. It's time to wake up now." Mamo told him taking the white cathead toy into his arms.
Curiously, Mamo looked around the room once more. It hadn't changed since he'd fallen asleep. That was a relief. With all the changes he'd seen already that day, he half – expected to wake up somewhere else. The only difference though was that the strange general wasn't in it. Where had he gone? Would someone else come after him this time? How come everyone always had to go away? What was he supposed to do until they – that is whoever "they happened to be" – came after him?
There really wasn't anything there of interest to a small boy – files, cabinets, papers – that window. What was outside that big window? His curiosity getting the better of him, Mamo walked over to the big window. Why was it so big anyway? Outside the big window was a beautiful garden where nicely dressed children played.
Mamo's charity-donated blue shirt looked shabby compared to what those kids wore, but he didn't care. He was just interested in the children. A large group of them ran and played together. Outside the group next to a nearby tree, a pink-haired girl sat by herself. "Why is she all alone?" Mamo wondered. "Does she need a friend?" (Author's Notes: Like his mother, yes?)
He watched as the group stopped in front of the pink haired child. Some of the kids yelled at her. She yelled back. The larger group of kids yelled; some stuck out their tongues. She stuck her tongue out back at them. The larger group laughed and ran off. Mamo blinked. Maybe there was something wrong with her. Getting up, the pink haired girl stormed away.
"Click." The door to the study opened with its familiar clicking sound. Mamo looked up to see the strange general coming in the door. "Ah, so you finally decided to wake up? I thought you were going to sleep all afternoon." Nicholas joked shutting the door behind him. "I hope you were not afraid being in here all by yourself."
Coming across the room, Nicholas sat down in his desk chair turning it to face the child before him. Mamo blinked starring at the strange man. The general smiled another of his warm smiles. "I suppose you are wondering who I am, hai?" Mamo nodded mutely. "I am General Nicholas, and you are – Mamo-chan, right?" Another nod.
"How old are you Mamo-chan?"
"Six." Mamo hugged A.B. tightly. "Are you one who was lookin' for me?" He asked curiously – almost hopefully.
Nicholas thought about this. How was he going to explain this? "I have been helping your parents look for you."
Mamo's eyes grew misty. "I don't got parents."
"Yes you do, Mamo-chan."
"NO, I DON"T!!" Mamo yelled angrily turning away to face the window. His old parents left him at stupid Nephrite Hills. He was an orphan now, and orphans didn't have parents – less they got adopted. "Orphans don't got parents." Mamo informed him with venom.
Reaching over, Nicholas picked the little child up setting him on his knee. Mamo crossed his arms stubbornly refusing to look away from the window. "Mamo-chan, look at me."
"NO."
"Mamo-chan, do you want a time out?" No. He didn't. Reluctantly, Mamo turned to look at General Nicholas.
Placing his hand under Mamo's chin, Nicholas forced the child to look him in the eyes. "You are NOT an orphan, Mamo-chan." He told the child with all the force of a high general. "You have two parents that love you very much."
Mamo snorted. "Nuh, uh. Then, how come they left me at Nephrite Hills?"
"They did not leave you on purpose, Mamo –"
"They left me alone!!" Mamo cried out with all the fury of a six year old. Swirming his way off General Nicholas' lap, Mamo turned back to the window. "Mommy and Daddy and Onee-san left me all alone."
"Mamo-chan." Nicholas pleaded with him. What could he say? This wasn't the happy child who had left them 3 years ago. This was a hurt and angry child who had spent half of his life growing up alone in an orphanage. "Mamo-chan, your Mommy had been put to sleep by the bad guys and your Daddy –"
"Daddy said he'd protect me." Mamo spat out. "Daddy's a liar."
Nicholas sighed shutting his eyes. He didn't know what to say. "Mamo- chan." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "People make mistakes, Mamo- chan. Your Daddy is really sorry you got lost. He has had us searching for you for three years. Could you not just give him a chance?"
Mamo frowned continuing to look out the window. He wasn't sure he could trust his parents now. What if they left him again? What if he was all alone again? Were they even sad when he was gone? "Was they sad?" Mamo questioned.
"Nani?"
"Was they sad when I was away?"
"Of course they were Mamo-chan. They talk about you all the time. Come on. They will be really upset if you will not even talk to them."
Mamo frowned. He didn't want his Mommy and Daddy to be sad. He didn't like people to be sad. Besides, what if they got angry with him for making them sad? They might send him away again. "Ok." Mamo agreed.
Nicholas smiled. "So, you are going to give them a chance?"
Mamo grew silently. "I'll try." He whispered looking down at the other children again. Would he ever be happy like that? Would the pain ever go away? Would he have to be lonely forever?
**********
Nicholas sighed. He would try. Well, that was a start. At least he didn't say he. Taking a deep breath, he pressed a gold – colored button on the communicator on his desk. There was a short pause before a deep voice picked up. "This better be an emergency. King Endymion, here." Mamo looked back at Nicholas and the communicator box curiously.
"Sorry to bother you again, Majesty." Nicholas apologized still feeling a bit guilty about the boy from the other orphanage. This would certainly make up for it though.
"Nicholas-kun?" Endymion sighed. "Can this wait? I am really not in the mood –"
"It is about your son, Majesty." No answer. "I promise you will not be disappointed this time."
Endymion sighed with frustration. This was hopeless. "You found ANOTHER orphanage? Nicholas, I know you are only trying to help, but –"
"I found him." A pause ensued followed by a gulp.
"Nicky-chan, are you sure?" Serenity's ever-hopefully questioned coming through the speaker.
"He is here in my office, Sere-chan." Nicholas assured her. "A.B. is with him." He added as an afterthought.
Silence.
"Serenity? Endymion?"
"Meet us in the Throne Room in five minutes." Endymion told him firmly.
**********
Chapter 3 – I'll try (but can I trust you?)
Author's Notes: Sorry, it took so long to update. My job kept me pretty busy and I was sick for a few days. Hope its worth it though. Oh, and for those of you who are also reading "Mamoru's Journey," I am REALLY, REALLY SORRY. I hit a writer's block!! Don't you just hate those?! Grrrr!!!!!
Sailor-Earth13 – You really think so? I've been trying. Thanks for the encouragement!!
Usagi-ran – *grins* Evil? Chibiusa? NEVER! *Laughs evilly* No, really. I never said I was making her evil. Then again, maybe I am. BWAHAHA!!! Don't worry though. Chibiusa's part is going to be VERY interesting. The lines of good and evil are starting to gray. *Creepy music* Uh, oh. Said too much!! I'll be quiet now. Hehe –
Arianna Sunrise – Really? No kidding? I hope I can keep it up. Tell me if I slip ok? Once again, please tell me what you think of this chapter. Thanks a million!!!!
UsAgI-ChAn206 – I know. So so kawaii!!! I love little Mamo – chan!!!
Thanks for reviewing everyone!! I love reviews!!! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONTINUE TO REVIEW!!!!!
**********
Standing in the center of the two guards whom he'd only met a short hour ago and a strange – yet frighteningly familiar – general, the impact of what was happening to him finally started to catch up with the small, frightened child. He had been pulled from the only place – Nephrite Hills was no home – he knew to live with some people he had never met – or at any rate couldn't remember – in a place that brought back a flood of unfamiliar memories – although he was sure he'd never seen the place before.
Everywhere he turned, strange adults were starring at him. At Nephrite Hills, no one paid him any mind unless he was in trouble or hurt, yet suddenly he was the center of attention. True. He had his friend with him, but in all honestly A.B. wasn't helping too much. Everything was happening so fast.
"Click." The sound of the heavy wooden door shutting behind the two guards, Jason and Justin – who were at a minimum more familiar than the unfamiliar General – snapped Mamo out of his thoughts. Slowly looking around the – now much larger – room around him, Mamo's eyes grew wide with fear. He'd been left alone – once again – with a stranger.
Closing his eyes in an effort to shut out the unfamiliar scene around him, Mamo did the only thing he knew to do in such a situation. He clutched A.B. as tightly as he could, fell onto his knees, and started sobbing. He didn't want to be here in this strange place anymore. He wanted to go home. Wait. He didn't have a home. Well, he just wanted – wanted someone – but there wasn't anyone familiar around.
Justin had said T.J. would be a million miles away and Miss. Carol was with T.J. That meant Miss. Carol was a million miles away too. He was alone – completely alone. No one was going to help him. Mamo sobbed harder – deep, heart wrenching sobs that shook his whole tiny body.
Snapping out of his almost–trance, Nicholas' paternal instincts kicked in almost immediately. Dropping all formality, he knelt down pulling the frightening child into his arms causing him to drop A.B. onto the floor. Rising with the child in his arms, Nicholas walked over to a large yellowish-orange couch he had had placed on the wall adjacent to the one his desk occupied.
Sitting down comfortably against the cushions, he laid the sobbing child gently against his chest. "Shh." He told him. "Calm down, son. You are alright." Mamo continued to sob, however, refusing to be comforted. Nicholas grew silent. This wasn't Micah, and he wasn't the child's father, he realized. His words meant nothing to this boy.
Nicholas racked his brain for a clue as to how to handle this situation. If this child really was the Missing Prince of Earth perhaps he could calm him the way he remembered Endymion doing it when the child just a baby? It was worth a try. Adjusting the child slightly, Nicholas rubbed his back gently with his free hand. Wasn't that what he'd seen Endymion do countless times? "Shh. Do not be afraid, little prince. You are not alone."
**********
Mamo cried into the strange general's chest as he held him close. No one had held him like that in a long time, but that didn't matter. He hadn't been so frightened and confused in all the three years he remembered. Then again, he was six years old. Just remembering back to last week was an almost impossible task in itself.
Why was this happening to him? Mamo was so absorbed in his sorrow; he hardly noticed when the unfamiliar general adjusted him in his arms. He did notice, however, when a firm hand began rubbing his back. It felt so – familiar. Slowly, Mamo's sobs began to die down. Why was the strange man holding him so close? No one paid him this much attention at Nephrite Hills. "Shh. Do not be afraid, little prince. You are not alone."
**********
Mamo was crying softly now holding a fistful of the general's shirt in his hand. General Nicholas said not a word but continued rubbing the child's back until his tears stopped. Sniffling, Mamo turned his head to the side. His bloodshot midnight-blue eyes wandered silently around the room as if quizzing it. General Nicholas' desk sat near the far right corner of the room. On the back wall, next to the desk was a window that stretched from the floor almost to the ceiling. Filing cabinets, bookshelves, and such were spaced around the room. A large chair sat next to the wall near the general's desk – placed specifically so that his wife could sit near him should she decide to visit while he was working.
Mamo grew very quiet. He didn't move. He was almost afraid to breath. No one had held him like this in a very long time. A warm feeling filled him and he didn't want it to go away. It was almost like a fairy. If you moved too fast, you might scare it back into hiding. Ever so slowly, Mamo looked up at the general who had given him that warm feeling. Nicholas smiled warmly at the child. "Feel better?" Mamo nodded mutely.
"Tired?" Mamo thought about it. It had been a rather long day. His nerves and his emotions both were tied up in knots. A heavy weariness began to set over him. Groggily, he nodded again.
"You have had a very trying day." Nicholas commented reaching over to adjust one of the pillows on the couch. This one pillow was softer than the others lying on the yellow-orange couch, because his own 4-year-old son used it whenever he was sick or just felt like napping in his father's office.
Standing up, he lay wearied child gently down on the couch, head against the pillow. Without fighting, Mamo lay where he was put starring up at the general. Nicholas rewarded him with another warm smile. Reaching under the couch, he pulled out a large quilt blanket. Nicholas covered the midnight-blue eyed child with the warm quilt tucking it in around him just as he would have done for his own young son.
As he watched the boy's midnight-blue eyes droop shut, Nicholas saw a contented smile cross his face. He grinned. "He looks just like Serenity when she falls asleep on the couch in Endymion's and her sitting room." Brushing the child's hair from his face and giving him one more look over, Nicholas left the child to rest.
On his way back to his desk, Nicholas noticed A.B. still lying on the floor where the child had dropped him. Picking the A.B. toy up, Nicholas stared at it for a moment. It was damaged almost beyond repair – that is ALMOST. Certainly between his own computer knowledge and Sailor Mercury's genius, they could find a way to fix the thing. For now though, he sat the toy down on the floor next to the couch – next to the no longer missing Prince of Earth.
**********
"Huhm." Mamo sighed contentedly as he drifted in the space just between sleep and consciousness. He hugged his soft pillow and snuggled under the warm quilt. For once, he wasn't chilly as he awoke from his afternoon nap. Mamo took a deep breath. He really didn't want to get up. It was so warm and cozy underneath his quilt, but then the nap charged him with so much energy, he couldn't possibly sleep any longer.
Opening his eyes reluctantly, Mamo was surprised. Where the cold bare wall of the 3-8 year old boys room should have been was a tall bookshelf and a finely painted wall. Where the old hardwood window seat should have been was a floor to ceiling window that looked over the gardens out the Royal Castle at Crystal Tokyo. That's right. There was no more Nephrite Hills. He lived here now – but what was "here" like? Better yet, where was the strange general? Wiggling out from under the heavy quilt, Mamo threw his legs over the side of the couch and began to rub the last remaining sleep from his eyes.
This accomplished, he hopped down off the couch almost tripping over his friend who rested on the floor beside him. "There you are, A.B. It's time to wake up now." Mamo told him taking the white cathead toy into his arms.
Curiously, Mamo looked around the room once more. It hadn't changed since he'd fallen asleep. That was a relief. With all the changes he'd seen already that day, he half – expected to wake up somewhere else. The only difference though was that the strange general wasn't in it. Where had he gone? Would someone else come after him this time? How come everyone always had to go away? What was he supposed to do until they – that is whoever "they happened to be" – came after him?
There really wasn't anything there of interest to a small boy – files, cabinets, papers – that window. What was outside that big window? His curiosity getting the better of him, Mamo walked over to the big window. Why was it so big anyway? Outside the big window was a beautiful garden where nicely dressed children played.
Mamo's charity-donated blue shirt looked shabby compared to what those kids wore, but he didn't care. He was just interested in the children. A large group of them ran and played together. Outside the group next to a nearby tree, a pink-haired girl sat by herself. "Why is she all alone?" Mamo wondered. "Does she need a friend?" (Author's Notes: Like his mother, yes?)
He watched as the group stopped in front of the pink haired child. Some of the kids yelled at her. She yelled back. The larger group of kids yelled; some stuck out their tongues. She stuck her tongue out back at them. The larger group laughed and ran off. Mamo blinked. Maybe there was something wrong with her. Getting up, the pink haired girl stormed away.
"Click." The door to the study opened with its familiar clicking sound. Mamo looked up to see the strange general coming in the door. "Ah, so you finally decided to wake up? I thought you were going to sleep all afternoon." Nicholas joked shutting the door behind him. "I hope you were not afraid being in here all by yourself."
Coming across the room, Nicholas sat down in his desk chair turning it to face the child before him. Mamo blinked starring at the strange man. The general smiled another of his warm smiles. "I suppose you are wondering who I am, hai?" Mamo nodded mutely. "I am General Nicholas, and you are – Mamo-chan, right?" Another nod.
"How old are you Mamo-chan?"
"Six." Mamo hugged A.B. tightly. "Are you one who was lookin' for me?" He asked curiously – almost hopefully.
Nicholas thought about this. How was he going to explain this? "I have been helping your parents look for you."
Mamo's eyes grew misty. "I don't got parents."
"Yes you do, Mamo-chan."
"NO, I DON"T!!" Mamo yelled angrily turning away to face the window. His old parents left him at stupid Nephrite Hills. He was an orphan now, and orphans didn't have parents – less they got adopted. "Orphans don't got parents." Mamo informed him with venom.
Reaching over, Nicholas picked the little child up setting him on his knee. Mamo crossed his arms stubbornly refusing to look away from the window. "Mamo-chan, look at me."
"NO."
"Mamo-chan, do you want a time out?" No. He didn't. Reluctantly, Mamo turned to look at General Nicholas.
Placing his hand under Mamo's chin, Nicholas forced the child to look him in the eyes. "You are NOT an orphan, Mamo-chan." He told the child with all the force of a high general. "You have two parents that love you very much."
Mamo snorted. "Nuh, uh. Then, how come they left me at Nephrite Hills?"
"They did not leave you on purpose, Mamo –"
"They left me alone!!" Mamo cried out with all the fury of a six year old. Swirming his way off General Nicholas' lap, Mamo turned back to the window. "Mommy and Daddy and Onee-san left me all alone."
"Mamo-chan." Nicholas pleaded with him. What could he say? This wasn't the happy child who had left them 3 years ago. This was a hurt and angry child who had spent half of his life growing up alone in an orphanage. "Mamo-chan, your Mommy had been put to sleep by the bad guys and your Daddy –"
"Daddy said he'd protect me." Mamo spat out. "Daddy's a liar."
Nicholas sighed shutting his eyes. He didn't know what to say. "Mamo- chan." He put his hand on the boy's shoulder. "People make mistakes, Mamo- chan. Your Daddy is really sorry you got lost. He has had us searching for you for three years. Could you not just give him a chance?"
Mamo frowned continuing to look out the window. He wasn't sure he could trust his parents now. What if they left him again? What if he was all alone again? Were they even sad when he was gone? "Was they sad?" Mamo questioned.
"Nani?"
"Was they sad when I was away?"
"Of course they were Mamo-chan. They talk about you all the time. Come on. They will be really upset if you will not even talk to them."
Mamo frowned. He didn't want his Mommy and Daddy to be sad. He didn't like people to be sad. Besides, what if they got angry with him for making them sad? They might send him away again. "Ok." Mamo agreed.
Nicholas smiled. "So, you are going to give them a chance?"
Mamo grew silently. "I'll try." He whispered looking down at the other children again. Would he ever be happy like that? Would the pain ever go away? Would he have to be lonely forever?
**********
Nicholas sighed. He would try. Well, that was a start. At least he didn't say he. Taking a deep breath, he pressed a gold – colored button on the communicator on his desk. There was a short pause before a deep voice picked up. "This better be an emergency. King Endymion, here." Mamo looked back at Nicholas and the communicator box curiously.
"Sorry to bother you again, Majesty." Nicholas apologized still feeling a bit guilty about the boy from the other orphanage. This would certainly make up for it though.
"Nicholas-kun?" Endymion sighed. "Can this wait? I am really not in the mood –"
"It is about your son, Majesty." No answer. "I promise you will not be disappointed this time."
Endymion sighed with frustration. This was hopeless. "You found ANOTHER orphanage? Nicholas, I know you are only trying to help, but –"
"I found him." A pause ensued followed by a gulp.
"Nicky-chan, are you sure?" Serenity's ever-hopefully questioned coming through the speaker.
"He is here in my office, Sere-chan." Nicholas assured her. "A.B. is with him." He added as an afterthought.
Silence.
"Serenity? Endymion?"
"Meet us in the Throne Room in five minutes." Endymion told him firmly.
**********