(Just a note. Some of you might get upset with me because another story has Hanna owning a Neko shop, but instead it is Ciel who is the Neko. I apologize if you think I have stolen that idea. But really, I enjoyed the concept of a Neko store and took it to heart, but I assure you, besides the Neko idea, the Neko biting a girl's hand, and Sebastian taking the Neko out to buy clothes, my story is completely different. Once more, sorry, I'll make sure my other stories are more original. Please enjoy.)
Chapter One:
The Butler in Black
The Anthro Shop. It was a dreadful place, owned by a seemingly prestige woman named Hanna Annafellows. This wasn't your average pet shop, mind you. Only people of great wealth and high social status would dare enter this place. Inside you will find lots of adorable half-breeds. Over on the right is a large, circular arena-type enclosure where the you will find the most adorable Nekos (half cat/ half human), playing with yarn and mewing like crazy. On the left near the register is another pen filled with little Inus (half dog/ half human), there aren't as many of them as there were Nekos. In the back there are two incredibly large bird cages, both with an Angel (half bird/ half human) inside of each of them. Most Angels have dove wings, but the two in the back have raven wings, which appealed to lots of people.
As expensive as we were, the owner could not afford to dress us in normal clothing. Each of us had the same outfit, extremely large (stained, I might add) shirts and baggy shorts. I had the same outfit, except mine was cleaner. Mainly because I wasn't rolling around getting dirty like the other Nekos. Well, I wasn't getting dirty because I was in an entirely different cage of my own on the table behind the register.
Why, you ask? Well apparently a little girl who wanted me desperately, reached into the pen and started petting my head rather roughly. She kept pulling on my ears and my tail, making me rather upset. Not only that, but her shrieking voice pained my sensitive ears. Evidently I bit the little rich brat's hand. Of course, she started bawling and ran screaming to Hanna. Immediately I was moved into my own private cage, practically out of view from every customer that came through the door. Lucky me.
I didn't necessarily want to be adopted anyways. Sure it might be better than staying in the shop, but being a pet for some snobby child didn't appeal to me whatsoever. I didn't like that name either. Pet. Which meant they owned me. I have no freedom, and by adopting a pet, people believe they are freeing them and giving them a more open way of life. In reality, they are still being restricted. Then again, most Anthros aren't very intelligent, mainly because they spend their whole life growing up in a pet store, then soon being adopted and spoiled. Just like an animal.
I, however, am different from the others. I was raised in an underground sanctuary for Anthros who wanted to live on their own, like humans. We wore baggy clothing to hide our tails and hats to cover our ears. At age eleven my parents were impounded, after being caught on a windy day because their hats blew off. Then, it was if the world around me crumbled. Every day it seemed, people stopped returning to our little village. It was until there was only about a dozen of us, hungry souls, that I needed to escape. I couldn't bear living in there a moment longer. How nice it was that my timely escape was on the day animal control was searching the area. I was spotted and taken on the spot. Days later, a woman had adopted me and I fled while she was trying to shove me in her car (which reeked of dog).
Not long after, Hanna found me asleep in an alley and took me to her shop. Technically you aren't supposed to sell Anthros unless they are bred in a shop or on a farm that supplies the stores, but I didn't feel like mentioning it to anyone. What good would it do me, anyways? It would put me back in the pound, that's what it would do.
I suddenly heard the ever so familiar jingling of a bell, interrupting my train of thought. A tall man entered the shop. He didn't appear to be anywhere similar to the typical people who came waltzing through this shop, money burning holes in their pockets. This man was tall, and had hair as black as the midnight sky, and his eyes were like the color of wine. Or perhaps blood. Wealthy, he could be, by the appearance of his clothes and the way he walked into the room with such a refined manner. He wore black trousers, a tailcoat and a vest, all in black. Instantly I knew this man was not human. But even so, this man didn't seem to be an Anthro, that much I'd be able to tell.
I could tell that Hanna sensed something amiss about the strange man as well. "Can I help you find something?" She asked, flashing her rehearsed smile. So fake.
He turned and made a similar wicked grin that was as well completely phony. "I am looking for a Neko."
"Not to offend you sir, but you are a butler, are you not?" She replied.
Ah, he's a butler. Interesting.
"Yes I am. I am Sebastian Michaelis. My master graciously allowed me to come here to retrieve one of my liking." His voice was like silk, making me question even more what kind of creature he was. I tried to list every animal, beast, or half-breed I knew.
"I see,' Hanna said skeptically. 'Your master must value your opinion."
Nymph? No. Werewolf? No.
"Yes he does, I serve the Phantomhive family. You might be familiar with the Funtom company?"
Siren? No. Cyclops? Obviously not.
"I am quite familiar, they supply many toys that my child, Luka, is very fond of."
Vampire? Whoa… that might be it. But it still didn't seem right. He did have this powerful aura about him, very evil, but I wasn't sure. The way his eyes gleamed did seem almost like a blood-sucking parasite, but something was off.
"That's very comforting that a woman of such high class as you would purchase one of my master's products." He said. The intense flattery he put into that sentence made me want to gag. I could see her gushing and saying their toys were amazing, and the company was so popular and blah, blah, blah. Oh but what was that man? A sorcerer? No. I've encountered something called a reaper once. He wasn't wearing glasses, so that was a no.
The man walked over to the enclosure, peering in at the mewing Nekos, struggling with each other to get the man's attention. I snickered at the ignorant little things. This man was very distinguished, and it amused me that his master, Mr. Phantomhive or whoever, would be so lazy as to send his servant for such an important decision. I wanted to meet this haughty man now, it could be fun to annoy him. I suppose if Hanna moved her big rump out of the way and I got the butler to see me, I might be able to be adopted!
I started doing what Hanna hated most about me, gnawing on the bars of the cage. My sharp teeth scraped against it, making an unpleasant noise. Hanna turned around and slapped the cage, making it shake. The noise caught the attention of the butler and he walked over curiously. This is it. Come closer, fool.
"Excuse me,' He asked Hanna. 'Why is that blonde one behind the counter?" I could tell he wanted to come back to get a closer look,
"Oh, you don't want her. She's very aggressive and doesn't play very nice. She bit a girl once." Hanna said, her eyes glaring down at me. I couldn't have the butler thinking I was rude. Of course I was, but I didn't want him to think so. I tilted my head innocently and mewed. The butler Sebastian smiled and Hanna looked furious and confused. That made me happy.
"May I see her?" He asked.
Hanna sighed and walked over to the cage, lifting it with ease. Although most Anthros are light, only about ninety pounds, she could pick me up with one hand if she wanted to. But that's because she's a demon.
"Hello, little one." The man said as Hanna placed me on the counter. That's when it struck me. The evil presence, the hungry eyes, and the smirk that played on his lips. This man was no doubt a demon. A demon butler.
