Pet Shop of Quixotic Horrors - Episode One: Silent Sorrow
Summary: He ignores the screams of those around him, the smoke covering the city as the flames roar beneath it. It's become a melody as he wraps his arms around her, his ever present beloved pet.
This is the first "episode" of a little series I've specifically made for Valentine's, including a variety of pairings and fandoms mixed with Pet Shop of Horrors. I hope you enjoy it!
It's a dull ache,
Becoming ever more present,
When the lights in the house,
Flicker out,
One by,
One.
And as he steps,
Into that school,
It's starting again,
Clutching at his heart.
He's new,
Not approached by a single student,
Because of his Reserve Course status,
Like the rest of them,
He is alone.
But as the semester drags on,
The rest of them,
Form groups,
While he walks home,
By himself.
He stops at a shop sign,
Count D's Pet Shop,
Knowing the lights will be dark again,
When he gets back home,
Hajime opens the door.
It is dark,
The water ripples,
Over her skin,
As the little ones squirm,
Crying beneath the surface,
For release.
She wants them,
To be free as well,
But it's not permitted,
Not unless,
He says so.
She wants to see,
The whole world burn,
Just burn,
In a mix of bright sparks:
Yellow,
Orange,
And red,
Highlighted with pink flares,
That touch the grey clouds above.
That is,
The image she paints,
For herself,
When she will be free,
From this dark room.
A bell sounds in the distance,
And a Chinese man,
Opens her door.
"It's your turn,"
He says,
And she grins,
Perfect teeth flashing,
In that glimmer of light.
A man,
Dressed in exotic fabrics,
With bright colors,
Greets him,
Asking what pet he is looking for.
With every suggestion,
A point of a finger,
At a dog,
Cat,
Lizard,
Bird,
He shakes his head.
It's hard to explain,
What he is looking for,
But then that man,
Count D,
Says something interesting,
"Would you like something more exotic?"
And he is led down a hallway,
Away from the storefront,
Deeper into the shop,
Past numerous displays,
Of exotic animals,
Until he comes to a pond,
Where a teenage girl sits,
Braiding strawberry blonde hair.
"Is this some sort of joke?
"That's a girl,
"Not an animal!"
His voice echoes down the hall,
When he screams at the owner.
Who merely smiles at him,
"That's a Dziwożona,
"Quite rare,
"But no one has bought her,
"Or really looked at her before."
There's a tug at his heart,
At those words.
Was she alone then?
Like him?
Blue eyes stare back at him,
Clear as a drop of rain,
As if she's asking him,
"Please,
"Let me out,
"I promise,
"I won't ever leave you."
It's like an echo,
In his mind,
The words he imagined,
Repeating over,
And over again.
He pays for her,
To take her home,
Listening carefully,
To Count D's instruction.
One:
Do not let anyone else see her.
Two:
Keep the water for her pond fresh,
But do not look beneath the surface.
Three:
Only feed her once every day,
Fruits or vegetables, no meat.
Do not break the terms of the contract,
Under any circumstance.
The pet shop will not be held liable,
If you ignore these rules.
"Her name is Junko.
"Please take care of her."
"I will,"
He had promised.
It was easy,
Too easy,
To get her situated in the house.
In the room,
Right next to his,
Was her habitat,
The water cleaned,
And circulated,
With a filter.
The pond,
Had a ring,
Of stones around it,
Helping to obscure his view,
So he wouldn't see beneath the surface.
Every day after school,
Or work,
He would give her a plate,
Of vegetables or fruit,
And watch her eat,
Before she moved,
Towards him,
And rested her cheek,
On his shoulder.
As the moonlight,
Spills across the floor,
They writhe,
Beneath the water.
And she takes them,
One by one,
Out into the night,
Setting them in a crib,
Down the street,
Removing the prior occupant.
She listens,
As the child,
Gasps in the water,
Its cries growing weaker,
Until all she hears,
Is silence.
The first time,
He hears a scream,
It sends his heart pounding,
Only to slow,
When her arms,
Wrap around him.
That smile,
Settles his nerves,
As the sirens,
Fade into the distance.
They spread her wish,
Her desire,
As she watches them,
From that room,
Making her vision,
A reality,
The world steadily,
Falling into despair.
Except the one,
Her owner,
The boy,
That took her in.
He doesn't even flinch,
As a building crumbles in the distance,
The mob continuing on its path,
Cries of the dying,
Fall from his ears.
Despite the world,
Beyond his window,
His home is quiet,
But he's not alone.
She is constantly there,
His pet,
Dziwożona,
Junko.
Keeps her promise,
To stay by his side,
And he keeps her healthy,
Safe in that room.
The entire house,
No one else,
Has entered,
For months.
Junko is depicted here as a Dziwożona.