Immortality

Humans are so annoying, so stupid! D thought as he smiled at the new pet owner until she was out of his shop. Turning back he went into his kitchen where he began to make tea. Setting the herbs out and preparing the cups were so familiar to his hands that his mind went back to his anger. Humans always wanted more power, more money, more life, more something! They were never satisfied with what they had, they had to get more even if it meant killing – oh, don't even get him started on their violent natures!

He was immortal. As long as he wasn't killed, D would live forever. It was part of his race, one part that separated him from humans. He knew the pain of living forever, watching as his beloved pets died or were killed and as humans slowly conquered the planet without care for anyone else. And to hear of some mid aged lady talk about her wishing to live forever- how could she! She had no idea what it was truly like!

He watched year after year as the beautiful hills were carved to make flat roads, as the rivers polluted with trash collecting in piles on the banks, with the sky bright with colors that shouldn't be there but were because of the smog. As his beloved creatures died when no land was left after humans built their stinky cities. As the outward shell of humans changed, more and more indecent – especially in recent years, and ruder as well. Watching them, he better understood why his grandfather wished to kill all humans.

The door opened and Leon pushed through, sighing before ungraciously dropping onto a couch.

D looked up angrily. He wasn't in the mood today, though his face was in the mask of a smile. He didn't feel like being pleasant to another pathetic example of the ambitious and greed driven humans.

Leon sighed as he allowed himself to drop onto D's couch. He ignored everything else, for once not caring if the animals watched him strangely alert or if D had drug's hidden under the cages and in the incense. He was tired. It had been a long day at work and tomorrow promised to be another long one.

Leon threw a box of some type of special chocolates onto the table, "Almost forgot," he murmured to himself. He had stopped at the corner store just before Chinatown started and had blindly picked up a box. Like he said, it had been a long day.

D came over, movements as smooth as ever, and picked up the box. For a moment he looked let down before his usual smiled came back and looked up at Leon, "How kind of you."

Leon waved his hand, not caring. "Sorry, I know, I know. Not the usual fancy shit. It's just been a long day."

D set down the chocolates again to bring the tea over, pouring a cup for both of them and handing Leon's his first. "What made today so different? Not another animal attack, I would think you'd be energetic." D forced himself to relax so he could deal with Leon, this is what made him and the humans so different, humans couldn't control themselves.

Leon shook his head, "Nah, it's worse, much worse," He ignored the Count's raised eyebrow, "There's a new serial killer, fucking insane." He waved his hands about, as if to show something but just let them drop after a second. "He's been picking up children, fucking children, and… killing them."

D frowned gently as he interrupted, "It couldn't be just killing, you've seen dead before."

Leon looked up at that in disbelief, "Just killing. There is no such thing as just killing D, especially with children involved!" D looked a little startled at Leon's anger, but Leon waved it off. "Sorry, I know that's not what you meant," His tone was saying 'it better not be what you meant,' "But it's an open case and I can't share the details with you. At least, not this time."

"Well, perhaps you should drink your tea before it gets cold," D said, gesturing to Leon's untouched cup.

Leon took a sip as directed, eye's glaring off into space, "What's with immortality? Why's it so-" Leon waved his arms around, not knowing quite what to say, "You know? Why do people think it so damn important!"

D remained quiet for a second, slightly surprised by the abrupt change of topic. Immortality? The same line of thought he was following himself earlier. What did this have to do with Leon's case, "I assume the thought of all the power they could gain-"

"Power?" Leon snorted, interrupting but not caring, "Power? Can they be so stupid? Just 'cause you live longer doesn't mean you're automatically going to get rich. Doesn't mean pain will go away. You are just as likely to have the same trouble you have now, only magnified." Leon fell silent for a moment. When he spoke again, it was closer to a soft whisper, "And to kill children to achieve it?"

D raised his eyebrows but didn't comment on the last statement, so the killer was seeking immortality? "Perhaps," he said carefully, "It's because they want to make up for past mistakes. There are many whose loved ones died early, and if they were immortal then that problem would have been resolved."

Again Leon snorted, "Resolved? Hell no. If you were immortal I bet grudges would be held longer. For instance, let's say family one killed the son in family two. Family two would be pissed as all hell for a long time. Why? Because if they're immortal they can hold a grudge. Especially for a family member that they should have had all eternity with." Leon leaned back against the couch again, "I know half the reason I even bother with apologies is 'cause of how short a time I have with some people."

D looked thoughtful, but didn't say anything. Leon looked up curiously at the lack of words, his expression clearly saying what? "Nothing, just I never expected such words of wisdom from you."

"Words of wisdom," Leon made a face, "How about this then. It would probably get worse the longer you lived, I mean, rules of societies change and all that." He leaned forward again, resting his elbows on his knees, "Just think about America in it's short life. Back when we were first exploring the west we hanged people as a usual solution, not just for murder or whatever. Now, most states have outlawed the death sentence. That's only a hundred year difference or thereabouts. An even better one is think of England in their old ways according to movies. All prim and proper, right?" He didn't wait for a nod, "So many clothes, showing ankles were indecent! How would they get along today where short shorts and tank tops are common wear? You see, humans handle the change 'cause we keep changing out. Every couple of years the 'outdated,'" his fingers made vague quotes in the air, "ones die and the new shiny one brought in ready to accept whatever and go with it as a matter of course."

D looked taken aback, "Well, I would suppose some of what you're talking about is just culture shock-"

"Culture shock, time shock, whatever! Something, only worse over time because you think you know enough to recognize things but it's all different."

D frowned at Leon's interruption but went on, "But, but don't you believe time changes slowly enough that they would adjust?"

Leon shrugged, "I wouldn't know, but according to my high school text books, the previous years the changes have been extremely fast. Besides, it doesn't matter how adaptable you are. As you grow older you don't want things to change. You get more used to what you have, you have more things you don't want to lose, I mean, you've earned what you got so far, you did your bit. Once things change enough from what your used to, how can you have a home? How can you live day-to-day aware of things? You wouldn't be able to handle how much things change after awhile. Maybe at first you approve of the changes, then it's all good, but then things you don't like will start happening. Homosexuals are now being recognized and allowed," He said it sarcastically, Leon was one to think marriage was beyond gender, "to marry, when they used to be hunted down and killed.Women," Again sarcastically, "are allowed to take leadership positions. Both things I agree with, but what about when in a few years they make it legal to, to, to take heroin? Or if they allow cloning? I don't know about you but I don't ever want children to be nothing but clones. Part of that is the values I grew up with, individualism. But in another hundred, thousand years, will individualism still be popular? How do you survive when the very things you hold deep and close are looked down upon?"

Leon sighed and it seemed as if the fight left him, he collapsed against the couch and left his head fall back and his eyes close.

"That is a lot of things to think about," D murmured.

"I should go if I don't want to fall asleep here," Leon said, making no effort to move.

D nodded, "I've given you countless invitations to spend the night," a sly smile, "perhaps you should take it up tonight?"

"Yeah, yea-no. I really shouldn't." Leon stood and stretched. "Thanks."

D watched as Leon walked out, weaving a little. Once the door closed behind Leon, D set the cup down and sighed. How interesting. Whoever would have thought Leon would have had answers he had been seeking himself?

As he had listened to Leon speak his own opinion on immortality he had felt his anger drift away. It was refreshing to hear his own thoughts echoed. But then Leon had begun to speak as if he knew exactly what and who D was. The sharp look in his eye, the way he looked at him, the very words and examples he used.

"How is it," he murmured to his pets, "that a man so ignorant and blind, can understand things so easily and clearly."

End

AN: Just as a note, I've never actually read Petshop of Horrors. If something is off, I apologize. I had this story sitting on my computer for awhile and felt I might as well put it up. Hope you enjoyed.