Lacrimosa Pt. 2

Mrs. Yamamoto tucked Momo in her queen-sized bed. Momo’s room was filled with anything and everything that has the word ‘Queen’ or ‘Princess’ in it. There were dolls wearing royal dresses, there were toy scepters and tiaras adorning her shelves. The room was pink and white.

“What do you want me to read you tonight, Momo-chan?” her mother surveyed the bookshelf.

Momo hugged her worn out Rainbow Brite [Princess Edition] doll and sniffed. “I’m reeely tired oka-sama. How about a rhyme, instead?” she asked. Mrs. Yamamoto sat down beside her daughter. The soft light coming from the bedside lamp accentuated Momo’s rosy cheeks and her bright, black eyes. Mrs. Yamamoto smiled, oh how proud she was of her beautiful daughter!

“That one about Mary and her garden oka-sama” Momo murmured with her eyes already closed. Mrs. Yamamoto stroked Momo’s hair as she cooed and nodded.

“Mary, mary quite contrary..” her mother started.
“how does your garden grow?” Momo continued smiling, still with her eyes closed.
“With silver bells and cockle shells” her mother said.
“and pretty maids—” Momo drifted off to sleep.

“— all in a row.” her mother finished slowly, letting each word roll out of her tongue. She then turned off the bedside lamp and closed the door shut. Unlike other 5-year old girls, Momo actually hated leaving the door open when she sleeps. It scares her more if her room, her sanctuary, was so open to everyone who can get in.

And then, out of the darkness, Rainbow Brite spoke. It mentioned Momo’s true name. It also said something commendable about the rhyme. I love that rhyme. One of the best. Always makes Bloody Mary happy, the voice said.

Momo’s eyes shot open. Excitement bordering on delirium was seen through her bright, black eyes. She turned the bedside lamp on and looked at her Rainbow Brite doll. The doll looked back at her through beady eyes. Then it opened its mouth.

“Lacrimosa.” it repeated.

“Yes sir? Mr. Lucy, sir!” Momo’s grin spread all throughout her face. To be called by Mr. Lucy was reserved for the highest forms of demon. Normal demons like her don’t even get calls from the Dukes of Hell, but now, NOW MR. LUCY HIMSELF CALLED! Momo was giddy.

“How are things?” the voice from the Rainbow Brite doll did not belong to just one person. It was a mixture of a thousand different voices. Like a sum of all the screams of tortured souls in hell. It was music to Momo’s ears.

“I have converted most of the Japanese people into our side sir! Whoever was assigned to wrath and pride did a good job of influencing the Americans to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki. They are miserable enough as it is.” Momo paused. “I just gave them the means to finally jump over to our side.”

“Excellent, Lacrimosa. I have always believed in you” (but that was a lie. Nobody in hell actually believed anybody. Paranoia was a standard rule)

“The angels are coming, Lacrimosa.” Rainbow Brite said.

Momo’s grin wavered. Her face twitched and her grip on the doll tightened. “What? What are they going to do, then?” Momo said, her voice giving away her demon blood. Lacrimosa was a pure bred demon. She wasn’t a fallen angel, she wasn’t the product of a fallen angel and a pure demon; She was pure evil through and through and as such, her heart and soul was bound to Hell. And she delighted in it.

“The bastards are not just relying on their Sacraments anymore. They are coming to directly influence the humans themselves. This cannot be.” Rainbow Brite said.

“OF COURSE!” Momo stood on her bed in anger. “I’ll KILL THEM ALL!” she growled and for a while, her shadow warped, showing her true form.

Mr. Lucy chuckled. “No no, Lacrimosa. That is not how the game is played. But I admire your instincts. What you will do now is, you go to America and you use your talents there. They will hold the elections soon. Do you know who Benedict Yomama is? He will be the next American president. If we can pull him over to our side…” Momo could not see Mr. Lucy but she can tell that he was smiling.

“…It will bring us to a great advantage. We will also try to convert not only the humans but even the angels into submission to our side. So when the time comes… when Armageddon comes, we will surely win. Do you think you can do that?”

“YES! YES OF COURSE!” she said.

“Perfect.” and then Rainbow Brite stopped talking.

—

The next day, Mr. Yamamoto announced that the whole family will be going to America because he was reassigned there.

Momo, who was attacking a bowl of cereal, let out a muffled “I–fpphh — Lo–ffv-e –” a gulp, and then, “I’d love that!” she said.