Doppelganger
by Karashi
Disclaimer: I do not own Pet Shop of Horros. I really wish
I did, but I don't. *sobs*
Author's
notes:
Me: I hope this story hasn't been used yet by the actual owner because I've
only read two volumes of the manga and saw only four episodes of the anime.
*sweatdrops* Oh, while this isn't my first fic, it is my first Pet Shop
of Horrors fic. So I hope no one will flame me for writing this.
Chapter One
Welcome to Chinatown, where the air is heavy with mystery and secrets. Almost anything can be found in one of the small shops hidden in the shadows. One such establishment is a petshop run by the enigmatic Count D.
"Good afternoon Miss Price." D greeted as a young woman dressed in a cream turtle-neck sweater (in spite of the summer heat) entered. She smiles back at the Count, her gray eyes shyly down cast. "You're just in time for tea."
"Thank you, Count D." she replied, seating herself across the raven haired man. "And please, call me Ronnie."
"How is the love bird you purchased last month? Has it begun to serenade you with its lovely arias yet?" D asked as he smoothly poured tea into two cups.
"Oh…" she stammered, taking the drink from the count's outstretched hand. "You see, my flat-mate didn't like it too much, so I had to give them away."
"That's the third pet you've had to give up, it seems that your flat-mate isn't very fond of animals." The raven haired man sighed.
"Yeah, Gerry made me give away the hamster I bought five months ago."
"And the goldfish four months prior to that if I recall correctly." D noted, pouring several spoonfuls of sugar into his cup.
"Don't worry, I made sure the animals were sent to loving homes." Ronnie added, her fingers nervously playing with stray wisps of her dark brown hair. "But this time it's going to be different, I'll be able to keep the pet I'm going to buy today."
"Your flat-mate wont make you give it away this time?" D asked with a glint in his violet eye.
"Oh no, definitely not! You see Gerry got a job offer in New York, and moved out. So I'm basically on my own. My flat is pretty big for just one person, so it gets kind of lonely." She explained.
"Aren't you going to rent it out to someone else?"
"I can pretty much handle the expenses by myself. I rent out the other bedroom because I like having company." The gray-eyed woman shrugged. "Anyway, I came over to give you this book. I doubt if you read romance novels, but I just wanted you to have this one."
"Another best seller of yours?" the pet shop owner smiled.
"Well I'm not sure if it will be as successful as my others, I used a… different style in this one." The writer hesitantly placed the novel atop the table. She suppressed a retch when she took a sip of the overly sweetened tea.
"I see." D nodded, finishing his own cup. "Do you have anything in particular you want to buy today?"
"Not really, just something bigger than a hamster and nothing furry. It might be difficult for me to clean up any shed hair." She laughed in embarrassment.
"I believe I have something you might like, it just arrived yesterday. Would you care to see it?" the count offered, his dual-colored eyes tapered into jovial slits.
"Certainly!" Ronnie exclaimed eagerly, grateful for an excuse not to finish her drink.
"This way, it's in the back." D's silky voice well matched his movements. He seemed to glide rather than walk, and Ronnie couldn't help but feel awkward as she followed him. She had never been past the small sitting room before, and was surprised to find the store was larger than it looked.
The enigmatic store owner led the writer down a long hallway. A light haze of incense enshrouded the darkened path, giving her a mild heady feeling. Inaudible whispers seemed to tug at her ears, but when she listened intently, only the rustling of Count D's robes could be heard.
"We're here." The effeminate voice interrupted her thoughts.
Ronnie saw in the dim light a large door carved out of mahogany looming before them. The raven haired store keeper lightly pushed the wooden portal open into a dark room. Wordlessly, Count D bade her enter. The gray eyed woman hesitantly stepped inside, peering into the darkness.
"Is it in here?" she asked, hoping to silence the uneasy feeling budding in her.
"Yes, it's a rather sensitive creature, any sudden change in its environment can upset it." He explained. As if on cue, light gradually faded into the darkened interior, and Ronnie could make out the shape of plush furniture. When the shadows attained more details, she noticed a silhouette lying comfortably on the sofa.
Ronnie's gray eyes grew wide when the light allowed her to see what lay on the plush furniture. The raven colored hair that shone like silk, the flawless alabaster skin, the fine asian features, the dark, Chinese robes, the dual-colored eyes.
It was Count D!