Mao Mao: Heroes of Pure Heart - Love & Lies

Chapter Two

Mika watched her older brother, Leo, play his new video game. She often did this, as she had no real toys of her own. Mika hopped onto the couch beside her brother. "Hey brother-" Mika began. Leo shhhhed her. "How many times do I have to tell you? Don't. Call. Me. Brother!" He hissed. Mika dipped her head apologetically. "Sorry..." she muttered sadly. "C-can I play your video game with you?" Leo snorted. "Ha! You wouldn't even know how to play." He sneered.

"Y-you could teach me," Mika told him. "Pfff- teach you? You wouldn't listen even if I wanted to. You don't know how to do anything! And you don't listen when we try to teach you how!" Leo snapped. He suddenly jerked his right arm, pushing Mika off the couch and onto the hard floor. "Pathetic. I can't believe Mother and Father had another child. We never expected one, you know. You were a mistake. Nobody wanted you to be born ever! Father only wanted one child and that's me!" He said.

Mika felt tears welling up in her eyes. She wanted to run to her father, tell them what Leo said and did, and they would punish him. But she knew her brother was right. Her parents didn't care about her and they never would.

Mika sat up and rushed into her room, not wanting her brother to make fun of her for crying again. She sat up on her bed and looked out her window. Mika closed her eyes... and dreamed of a whole nother family. One that was happy, one that appreciated and respected her, and most importantly... one that wanted her.

. . .

Mika lied awake in her bed. Mao Mao had told her that she could sleep in the guest room for a while, or until her ankle was healed and she could travel again. Mika felt a little bad about lying to them about being a "traveler", but she couldn't tell them the truth. Ever. They wouldn't understand.

Mika sat up and carefully hopped out of the bed to get some fresh air. Badgerclops had given her an ankle bracelet for her ankle, and said that she could walk on it, but to just be careful. Mika walked quietly over to the door, and crept out. The house was dark and silent. She made her way through the living room, dodging all the junk lying around, and made her way towards the balcony.

As Mika opened the door leading to the balcony, she noticed a shape sitting on the handrail. As she got closer, the shape revealed Mao Mao. He seemed to be meditating, as he was sitting criss-cross-applesauce with both his hands laying on separate knees, and his eyes closed. His red cape waved in the wind. He was silent, except for his rhythmic breathing. Mika began to back away, not wanting to disturb his deep and meditative state.

"I know you're there, Mika," Mao Mao said suddenly, not turning around. "Um... I'm sorry.. I-I'll leave if you're busy-" Mika began. "No no no, I'm not busy." Mao Mao told her, opening one eye. Then he patted the space beside him on the handrail. "Come, sit." Mika obeyed, silently limping over to the handrail. She heaved herself up, and carefully sat down beside Mao Mao.

Mao Mao looked over. "How's your ankle?" He asked. Mika shrugged. "It's doing better, I suppose. Badgerclops said I would be up and about in the next couple days." She told him. "So... you're gonna leave then?" Mao Mao asked, slouching back a little more and putting his hands to his sides.

For some strange reason, Mika detected a little sadness in his voice. "Umm... yeah.. I guess so." She said hesitantly. Then she put her hand on Mao Mao's. "But let's make the most of the time I have here, okay?" She added, looking into his emerald eyes. Mao Mao stared right back at hers. There was a long silence between them.

"Hey, where'd you get that bracelet? I like it," Mao Mao asked suddenly, breaking the silence. "Oh.. um.. my mom gave it to me. In fact, it was the last thing she gave me before..." Mika trailed off. "Before what?" Mao Mao asked before catching himself. "S-sorry, you don't have to answer that-"

    "No no no, it's fine," Mika reassured him. "Before... the accident." It always hurt when this came up in conversations, but it always did. "Me and my mom were going to the park for one of my friends birthday party, and we had to cross a street to get to the other side to reach it. I wasn't paying attention, and I crossed the street without looking both ways. A car was about to hit me, but my mom was fast and knocked me out of the way just in time, causing the car to hit her. We rushed to the hospital as fast as we could. She didn't make it."

"Oh... I'm sorry for your loss," Mao Mao said sympathetically. "It's fine really... I was a little too young to remember. All I remember is my heart-broken wail and the beeping of the heart monitor going silent." Mika told him. And then there was a long silence between them. "Hey.. um.. Mao Mao?" Mika asked, turning his direction. Mao Mao pricked his ears. "Yes?"

"If you don't mind me asking... how come you never show your tail? I mean, why do you always hide it under your cape?" She asked. Mao Mao blinked in surprise. "Oh.. um.. it's kind of hard to explain.." Mao Mao told her. "You see.. I don't have one. At least.. not anymore."

"Oh.. care to talk about it?" Mika asked, looking into his eyes. "Well, I wasn't always like... this. I was once cheerful and happy, and lived life without a care in the world. I was lonely most of my life.. well, until I met Badgerclops. But.. before Badgerclops, I did have one friend... Bao Bao. He was everything I thought a hero should be... strong, brave... until he betrayed me." Mao Mao explained, his eyes distant.

"We went looking in a cave for the Amulet of Borflagon, and after we got it, I held the cave entrance open for Bao Bao, and that's when it happened. Bao Bao ran off with the Amulet, and left me behind. I couldn't hold the entrance up for long so I tried to chase after him, but the entrance collapsed. I lost more than my tail that day. I lost.. my innocence."

Mika felt like crying just then. Without thinking, she wrapped her arms around him. Mao Mao seemed to be stunned for a moment before seeming to be thrown into an emotional corner, as his body began to shake. He began to sob, his body collapsing into Mika.

They stayed there for while, Mika clutching Mao Mao while he sobbed on her shoulder. After a little, Mao Mao sat up straight again. "T-thank you, for staying with me.." Mao Mao murmured, sniffing.

"It's no problem, really," Mika replied. "I'm sure nobody understands what you're going through as well as I do." Their eyes met, and staring deep into his emerald-green eyes, she saw pain. Even through all the barriers blocking it, she saw his pain. Pain cutting him so deep, it would take more than a hug to heal.