Chibimamoru: Small Lady's Otooto-chan (Revised)
Chapter 7 – Spirit of Darkness
Author's Notes: Hey minna!! Sorry, it took me so long to update!! In Chapter 7, you'll find out a little more about Chibiusa's condition, and how Mamo-chan got lost. Plus, you see a little bit of Prince Damein's P.O.V. As always, PLEASE, REVIEW, REVIEW, AND REVIEW.
It just didn't make since. How? How could they have found him? He was dead. Prince Chibimamoru Endymion was dead. How could they have possibly found him? After racing from her parent's sitting room, Small Lady found herself outside in a nearby playground. She rocked slowly back and forth on the swing set as she pondered her little brother's sudden reappearance.
Sure, she felt sorry for her little brother. He must have been terribly lonely all alone at the orphanage, but he was dead. He died during the Nemesis attack. He was supposed to be dead, right? She couldn't remember exactly how he had died – only that he was dead. So, how could he be here now?
A dark shadow settled over Small Lady's eyes, and she stopped her swinging sitting stone still. He was SUPPOSED to be DEAD. Hadn't she gotten him to follow her all the way outside the boarders of Crystal Tokyo? T.J. promised he would kill the child. Why hadn't he killed him? Why?! He had managed to awaken her after over 1000 years, con the annoying daughter of Serenity and Endymion, and also protect himself from being exiled to Nemesis with his father and mother. So why hadn't he killed Mamo-chan? Certainly, the child wasn't strong enough to protect himself? And Small Lady certainly couldn't have done anything while she was in control.
Prince Damien narrowed his eyes. Silently, he watched Princess Small Lady from behind a well-placed Cherry Blossom Tree. There was so much negative energy radiating from the young princess, it was a wonder his parents hadn't come out to see what was going on. If only they would believe him when he tried to tell them how evil she was, but his mother would not hear a word of it. She would just start babbling about how she and Neo Queen Serenity used to be the same way. Not likely.
He had felt the seed of darkness as it began to grow inside her – changing her. He knew she had caused the Silver Crystal to disappear. He knew she had something to do with her brother's disappearance – even if he wasn't sure exactly what. He knew that the seed inside her was growing rapidly and – if not stopped – would come into full blossom sometime in the near future.
Prince Damien sighed with frustration. He had done his best to protect his friends and the other royal children from the evil developing inside their princess and had thus far been quite successful at it. If only he knew how the seed of darkness had been planted in the beginning, he might at least have a lead to follow. The Princess hadn't always been evil like this. When she was very young, Small Lady had been a sweet – albeit somewhat annoying – strawberry-blonde haired child. Then – about 8 months before Nemesis first showed up – she began to change. This was when he had first sensed the seed of darkness that had been planted inside her.
This was also when her long strawberry-blonde hair had changed into a deep cotton-candy pink. Perhaps the two were related – but how? How could he possibly help her when there were so few clues to follow? If only the Princess wasn't so damned naïve. Perhaps, the sacred flames would give him some sort of hint. There really wasn't much else he could do but sit and wait for the inevitable.
Toys. Lots and lots of toys. Daddy and Uncle Nicky-san bought me lots of toys. A train set and a racecar set and lots of blocks. Movies and videogames and legos and a basketball hoop too. Grinning, Mamo skipped down the sidewalk holding tightly onto his Daddy's hand. General Nicholas laughed. "I think it is official. Mamo has enough toys to last him the rest of his life."
"Daddy? When are they going to bring my toys, Daddy?"
"That boy will be spoiled rotten in no time." Nicholas commented pointedly – "Just like the Small Lady."
Endymion cursed his lips together. Perhaps he had gone a bit far spoiling his daughter in an effort to forget the loss of his son. Why, just this morning he had planned on taking her to town where she would have bought 3 or 4 more things (minimum) that she didn't need.
"Daddy?" Mamo looked back at him curiously.
Endymion looked down at his son. He was so sweet and innocent. The last think he wanted was to ruin that by spoiling him. "They should be here sometimes this evening or tomorrow."
"Kay!"
"I am sure your Onee-san will be eager to meet you." Mamo stopped dead in his tracks eyes wide. "What is wrong, Mamo-chan?" Endymion questioned of his son.
"Daddy, should I get something for Onee-san? She didn't get no new toys. Hai?"
Endymion smiled. "I think she would like that, Mamo-chan. Then, we only have one more place to go before we head home."
"Really?! What is it? What is it!"
"You will see."
"We're home!!" Mamo announced excitedly as they approached the Crystal Palace. "Hey, Daddy, it's Justin!" Mamo yelled running up to the front gate. King Endymion's eyes locked onto the young guard as his son stopped immediately in front of him looking up. "Hey, Justin!" Mamo greeted him happily. "Guess what? You was right. I got a Mommy and a Daddy now and my own room and toys and Daddy got me a puppy!" Grinning, Mamo held the puppy out for Justin to see. Feeling its owner's excitement, the puppy yapped.
Justin tensed feeling the king's eyes barring down on him. "Hey Mamo – ahm – Little Prince." Justin greeted stiffly keeping his eyes focused straight ahead. "General Nicholas-sama; Your Majesty." Mamo started to giggle hyperly as the puppy licked at his face.
"Should I know him?"" Endymion questioned of his general. Justin held his breath.
"Him?" General Nicholas raised an eyebrow. "That would be Justin, one of my lower guards. I sent he and his brother to look for the prince at Nephrite Hills earlier in the day. He located your son and brought him to my office."
"Did he?" Nicholas nodded. Endymion looked back at the young guard who gulped silently. "I will need to speak with you and your brother sometimes later this week."
"Of course, My Liege."
Endymion nodded watching the nervous guard expectantly. "Were you planning on opening the door?"
"Oh." Justin flushed. "Hai. Gomen, Majesty."
Pursing her lips together, Small Lady swung slowly back and forth in the swing. "Daddy, Daddy look at my puppy!" Hearing a small almost-familiar voice made Small Lady look up. "Yes, Mamo-chan. You must still give your puppy a name you know."
Standing up promptly, Small Lady ran through the gardens to meet her father on his way into the castle. She stopped suddenly just a few feet before her father. "Dad?" She question though her eyes focused past him at the little dark-haired someone that was causing all the uproar in the castle. "Uncle Nicholas?"
King Endymion and General Nicholas turned towards the voice that had called to them. "Ah. There you are, Usa-chan." Endymion greeted his daughter warmly. "Come meet your little brother, Mamo-chan."
Small Lady remained deathly silent starring at her little brother numbly. That was him. He was not dead after all. Moving closer to his Daddy, Mamo blinked innocently, starring up at his older sister. The new puppy swirmed yapping wildly as his new owner squeezed him tightly.
Mamo looked up at his Daddy. "Is that my Onee-san, Daddy?" Endymion nodded. "Where's the bag at, Daddy?" General Nicholas handed a large shopping bag down to Mamo. Placing the puppy down on the ground, Mamo took the large bag in both his tiny hands. Shyly, Mamo walked towards Small Lady who continued to stare at him. "I – I got this for you in town Onee- san."
Numbly, Small Lady took the bag from Mamo's small hands. "What is it?" She asked envisioning a frog or a snake or some other disgusting thing like the things the young Prince of Venus brought home for his mother. Shyly, Mamo looked down at the ground and shrugged.
Small Lady starred at the gift again. Whatever it was, it wasn't moving. That had to be a good sign. Reaching into the bag, Small Lady pulled out a large blue and white stuffed rabbit. "Daddy said you likes bunnies." Mamo offered as way of explanation. "I wanned a real one, but Daddy said 'no,' and Uncle Nicky-san says bunnies breeds faster that peoples on ferdiliby drugs." Endymion shot his friend a dirty look to which Nicholas grinned sheepishly.
Small Lady blinked. He had gotten this for her? A smile made its way cross her face. IT was so KAWAII!! Her little brother looked up at her with his hopeful midnight-blue eyes. "Thank you, Mamo-chan." Small Lady replied quietly. Maybe having her brother back wouldn't be so bad, though she'd still like to know how he'd survived the Dark Moon Attack all alone.
"You like it?" Mamo grinned excitedly.
"Hai. It's kawaii."
Cute again. What was it with girls and cute? He certainly wasn't cute. "Daddy bought me a puppy!" Mamo told his Onee-san excitedly. "Puppy, where are you?" Yap! Yap! Yap! The puppy barked excitedly running circles around the two children. Yap! Yap! Yap! Grinning, Mamo scooped the squirming puppy up into his arms. "Daddy said I could have a pets cause you got Diana for a pet, and he's gonna sleep in my room and be my friend and A.B.'s friend. You wanna be my friend too Onee-san?" Small Lady remained silent.
Onee-san. Onee-san has pink hair. Pink hair like the girl in the big window. The girl in the window was sad and lonely. I don't think she had no friends. She don't gots no friends cause she's lonely like me. I think Onee-san is the girl in the big window. Onee-san is lonely like me. You wanna be my friend Onee-san? Then, you won't be lonely no more. "Onee- san? You wanna be my friend Onee-san?"
"Sure, Mamo-chan. I will be your friend." Mamo grinned. He's so kawaii. Could we really be friends? Is he too little for that? It would be nice to have a friend to talk to here in the palace. Maybe having a little brother wouldn't be so bad. It might even be fun. A shadow flashed across Small Lady's eyes. That is – if he lived long enough to have any fun.
Late that night – well, late for a six-year-old – Mamo found himself sitting in one of the red cushioned window seats in his playroom. The lights in the playroom were turned down low making it easier to see the sky outside, while a gentle fire, started by one of the late night servants, made the whole room feel warm and toasty. Daddy. Do you love me, Daddy?
As he and A.B. starred distantly out the window, Mamo's mind wandered over the day's events. Just that morning he had been sitting in the hard wooden window seat on the 2nd floor of Nephrite Hills Orphanage. Now, he was sitting in the window seat of his own room. His pet puppy that he had yet to provide with a name had fallen asleep in front of the fireplace.
Somehow though, something still felt wrong. Somehow, he still felt empty inside. He still felt lonely. Would the bad feeling ever go away? How could he trust his family now? What if they left him alone again? Why hadn't his daddy protected him from the bad people? Would Daddy protect him if they came back? What if the bad people came back for him? What if he was all-alone again?
Mamo sighed heavily. Would he ever be able to trust his family again? Would he ever trust his Daddy again? "Not likely." He thought. Did Daddy really love him, or was he just lying like when he promised to protect him? Daddy. Do you love me Daddy?
Just then, a small click called Mamo out of his thoughts. He looked up as the door to his room swung slowly open. "Mamo-chan?" King Endymion called. "Are you in here?"
"I'm here, Daddy." Looking up, Mamo watched his Daddy as he came over to where he sat on the window seat. "Hi, Daddy."
"Hey, son. Why are you sitting here all alone?" Mamo didn't answered, but turned back to look out the window. Daddy. Do you love me, Daddy? "Mamo- chan?" Endymion placed a hand on his son's shoulder, which Mamo emphatically pulled away from. Endymion starred at his son surprised. Was something wrong with him?
Mamo shut his eyes tightly. Daddy didn't love him. If he did, he wouldna lied. He would have protected him. Why didn't his Daddy protect him? Why didn't Daddy love him anymore? "Daddy?" Mamo questioned quietly.
Endymion swallowed a lump in his throat. Why had he pulled away like that? "Hai, Mamo-chan?"
"Do you love me, Daddy?" Mamo questioned innocently.
A small smile crossed Endymion's face. "Oh course, I love you, Mamo-chan." He answered his son confidently.
Hugging A.B. tightly, Mamo turned away from his Daddy and back out the window. "I wish I could believe you." He replied quietly. Endymion starred at his son shocked. Shutting his eyes, Mamo wouldn't look up at his Daddy. After a few minutes, he heard heavy footsteps and the door to his room shut. Silently, Mamo started to cry. "Gomen nasi, Daddy." He whispered. Would the pain ever go away?