Hello again!

So this one shot is particularly disturbing in the fact that I'm basically harming the youngest of the Koopalings, Bowser Jr. But I've read a few one shots with Dark Bowser and once I did a little research, I realized he would make one awesome villain in one other story I'm planning. This is both for practice of D. Bowser's sadistic character and also to show the soft side of our favorite Koopa King with his child when he's in mortal danger. Father/son fluffy ahoy!

Please enjoy and do leave any comments on how to improve, a review or favorite! I own nothing but the plot. Rating is for child abuse/torture and blood.

Broken Innocence

It was cold and dark and damp. At that point in time, it was all the baby of the Royal Koopa family could do to keep his eyes open and his head up. But it was so hard when he was so terrified that he would never see his family again...

Bowser Jr. had no idea how he had ended up here. One moment he was finally allowed to go and conquer his very first kingdom, the next, he was up against a dark-clocked figure who bore a familiar resemblance to his father though Junior never noticed, and after that... nothing.

Until he woke up here and the hell began.

Junior let his eyes lower ever so much, his blood dripping down one of them from a gash on his forehead. His body was covered in various gashes from Dark Bowser's claws, some smaller than others, but bleeding profusely all the same. With the injuries he sustained, no normal Koopa would have survived as long as he did.

Junior didn't even get how he lived this long. But he wanted to go home.

He struggled to take in one deep breath, to fill his tiny chest cavity with oxygen his foggy brain so desperately wanted and needed. It stung his severely burned and injured chest and side and he whimpered as he tried to breathe, only to cough and gag with each attempt.

It hurt so much... but he knew he couldn't sleep. Not yet. How he wanted to get away from here, to have his father save him, hell, even Ludwig would be better than this! And how long had he been trapped and used to his captor's sick expense was Junior's guess.

'I... I wanna g-g-go home... Papa...'

Just as sleep nearly pulled the youngest Royal family member under, he was blinded momentarily by a bright light that poured from what he assumed was a door. Not too long after, a large figure's shadow filled the entrance, turning light into darkness. Junior whimpered, shaking so badly his chains began to follow suit, making a noise that was music to the captor's ears.

"Ah, my little pet. I see you have awaken once again." The voice was NOTHING at all like his father's, Junior's half awake mind finally told him. It terrified the young child even more as the smooth voice seemed to be closer to him than it was before.

"Aww, what's the matter? Scared of a monster, Junior?"

Now within arm's reach, Dark Bowser calmly reached out and, with one smooth motion, wiped a few tears from Junior's cheeks. He smiled, but the smile seemed... mocking, as if he was taunting him.

"You should be."

Out of the blue, Junior's right cheek stung with overwhelming pain. His head rung as he felt his brain rattling around in his skull from the massive impact, and he nearly dry-heaved when he tasted metal and realized his cheek now had three new gashes on it.

Unable to fight back, he weakly asked, '"W-Who... are y-you..."

Dark Bowser said nothing, but his evil grin grew as he watched Junior's blood leave a thick trail down his neck and chest where one of many nasty gashes now adored his head. Junior's half- lidded eyes stared upwards at him for a second before they soon trailed towards the ceiling.

Those eyes... they haunted him now. They terrified him, and he couldn't look into them, not now, not ever. He just wanted to sleep, or rather, he wanted to forget this whole nightmare altogether... but how could he?

Junior realized he was trapped. His father didn't know where he was, who had him, and even if he did find out, there was not much hope Junior had left that he would survive anymore of his torture.

A calm feeling washed over the young koopaling as he eyes fought to stay open. 'I wanna sleep so bad right now, I... I can't... stay awake...'

Junior barely felt a large claw grab at his neck until he realized he could barely breathe once again. The feeling broke into utter fear as he used the little strength he had left to break free from Dark Bowser. He didn't hear the large koopa speak, either, too engrossed in gasping for air to comprehend anything around him.

"I wonder... what does Royal blood taste like... let us find out, shall we, Bowser Jr.? " he asked. Junior froze in place as a rather wet, cold and sandpapery tongue licked at the wound closest to his exposed neck.

"Hmm... it tastes sweet... you are but a child, so I expect that. I wonder what your father would do when he finally sees his youngest child dead in my hands?" Dark Bowser taunted the now semi- conscious Junior, who had went limp from exhaustion in his claw.

"...me go... p-please..." Junior's weak pleas were barely heard. His eyes finally closed, far too tired to keep them open any longer. He felt dampness everywhere, and with a sickening realization, he figured out it was his own blood from previous and current injuries.

'I'm scared, Papa... I'm so scared...'

Junior couldn't be sure, but right before he completely blacked out, he thought he heard his father telling him to wake up. But that couldn't be right... he wasn't here with him... right?

"Junior? Oh Stars, can you hear me? Junior!"

It sounded fuzzy to the young prince as he struggled to find himself. He felt strange. One second, he could hear and feel every last thing; pain, nausea, dizziness, sounds, noises. The next, there was nothing, not even pain, to let him know he was alive.

"Junior, please... open your eyes for me, my son..."

'Wait... what? My son...?' But he wasn't Dark Bowser's child! Unless...

'Papa... h-he... I...'

Struggling to find the strength to open his eyes, the true King of Koopas himself couldn't help but let tears fall as he watched his youngest son finally able to open his eyes. He let out a huge breath he forgot he was holding, and gingerly, he began to stroke the bandaged child's head.

"P-Pa.. pa..." Junior croaked weakly, his voice nearly gone from screaming for who knew how long. He suddenly felt an onslaught of nausea, and whimpered as he tried to move. Bowser shushed him, being as gentle as he could.

They were on the King's personal airship, Bowser's claws coated in his evil counterpart's blood. Bowser Jr. lay in his own father's strong arms, although he was far too disoriented to tell at first. He was confused and in obvious pain, despite the large amount of pain killers he had nearly force fed as he lay on the brink.

"Papa... Papa..." Junior kept calling out, delusional. Bowser had realized at some point Junior was practically on fire, and felt his heart stop when he was told his son had devolped a nasty fever. It had gone down since the four hours they had been on the ship, but its effects still lingered.

Junior's cries for his father soon gave way to sobbing, still thinking he was going to die. At one point, Junior tried to push from his father's massive chest, whimpering until he nearly choked on his own saliva and blood. It wasn't until he opened his mouth to try and scream, and felt extreme pain from every which way as he did so, that he had gone limp and collasped against his father's chest.

Bowser didn't rush him. He kept a steady yet firm grip on his son, and like his wife did when he had been born, hummed a little tune to calm Junior's nerves... and in a way, his own.

"It's alright, Junior. Shhh, Papa's here. It's going to be alright..." Bowser kept cooing softly as he slowly rocked his child. The feverish koopaling opened his eyes once again, trying to sort out what was around him.

"Papa... w-where... are you..." Junior whispered, his vision fading. He felt something slip into his tiny hand and he grasped it as tightly as he could, a faint smile soon spreading on his face.

It was at that point something broke through Junior's haziness. It sounded like a loud bass drum to him and he didn't know what it was. But it was nestled right next to his left ear, and the sound... it was consistent and... almost soothing.

Junior couldn't tell it was his own father's heart he was hearing. But he simply didn't care. He liked this sound.

"I'm right here, son. Papa's right here. It's over. Go back to sleep, alright?" Bowser nearly choked on his own tears, his heart now completely shattered by the nearly glazed look in his once hyperactive child, the tears that still hadn't dried on his round cheeks, the fragile body he held that felt as if it could break on its own.

What the hell had that evil bastard done to him?

"...thank you... Papa..." Nestling even closer to that soothing sound, his eyes closed and he allowed himself to fall limp in his father's arms once again. Soon, deep breathing followed. Bowser smiled despite his tears and the obvious congestion from Junior's lungs.

Junior finally understood. He understood that he was safe and sound and going home, away from that horrid nightmare.

Once Bowser was completely certain Junior had fallen asleep, the King didn't bother placing him back in the cot and allowing him to sleep on his own. Instead, he leaned against the wall where he had been sitting for some time, keeping Junior as close to him as he could without jostling his injuries. Absently, one claw gently stroked Junior's head as he slept, leaving Bowser to think about his actions.

'That damn bastard went TOO far. He kidnapped my son and held him captive for almost three weeks?! Then had the nerve to torture him?! Oh, what I gave him was NOTHING... he deserved NO MERCY!' he angrily thought.

A small whimper sounded below him. Bowser quickly looked down and realized he was holding Junior far too tight, and was probably shooting pain everywhere from his fresh wounds.

"I'm sorry, Junior... shhh..." he whispered to him as he fell back asleep once again. Brushing away a lone tear on his round cheek, Bowser chuckled quietly.

"You stayed strong, Junior. I know you must've been hurting so badly, but even so, you kept fighting until we found you. I'm sorry you had to suffer for so long, I'm sorry I never tried to find you sooner... you wouldn't have been nearly killed if I hadn't..."

He cut himself off, taking in the innocent sight below him, sleeping away as if nothing was wrong, still holding his father's fingers, his face flushed but finally relaxed. "It's over now, my son. You fought hard. And I'm proud of you."

Junior smiled a little more, even though he didn't know why. He didn't quite hear what his father had said, but maybe that wasn't important. Something told him, deep inside his heart, he would pull through. His Papa saved him, and he didn't stop fighting. He knew his father would be proud.

Father and son slept peacefully the remaining trip home. Neither one suffered from a nightmare that night.

END

And complete!

Yeah, so this was just to get a taste of what I would think Dark Bowser would be like. He's seriously evil, and he makes Bowser look like a good guy! But it was still awesome to learn and to try and portray him. I'm sorry I made you suffer, Junior! And hopefully your father won't try and have my head again... darn... oh well.

I think this came out alright, but please tell me what you think! Reviews, tips, improvements, they are all welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to read my random one shot! Until next time!