Rath- We're back. Oh, I do hope we didn't keep you all waiting.

Set- Translation- "We did enjoy watching you all writhe in anticipation of the next chap."

Rath- Affirmative. Thank you for the reviews, by the by. They do not go with out a piece of our dear appreciation. Well, I do like this new chapter, enjoy.

Set- *bows*

We didn't, don't and will never own Pet Shop of Horrors-

No. Pulse. Leon cleared his throat and swallowed, mouth open trying to search for words, this was wrong. D, no pulse, dead, most definitely not right. Leon tried again, pressing his fingers deep into the flesh of D's neck, but still nothing came. He panicked now, taking a step back to look at the body. He was dead. The wrinkled sheets indicated there might have been some struggle but not much… He bit his lip and went over to the body again. This time he turned D on his back and closed his eyes.

Dammit, this, this is so weird, he was fine last I checked… What the fuck happened here? I'll have to turn this in… Perhaps a drug deal gone bad, a rogue Asian gang? The possibilities for the reasons of his death were of infinite numbers. He sat on the floor and leaned his head against the side of the bed, his fingers playing with a piece of white smooth cloth that hung from the curtain. He closed his eyes for a moment, only meaning to rest them. He didn't get much sleep last night; there was a tapping on his window that was driving him to the brink of insanity. It sounded more like a chirp actually than a tap… Leon came to the conclusion, cursing birds in his mind. He heard a soft rustling above him just as a breeze from the window blew in. A rush of flower-scented air flew in and tingled his senses.

It felt so relaxing. All he needed was some music to soothe him to sleep… Leon liked to have the breeze brush his face, ever since he was a child. He began to hum then a song his mother used to sing to him. He swayed his head slightly, forgetting he was in a mysterious room in an alternate dimension with a dead body.

He stopped then, when there was more rustling from behind him.

" Why did you stop? It was quite a lovely song." A soft voice asked. Leon opened his eyes.

" THE FUCK?!?!" He screamed, falling to his side and crawling away from the body that hung over the side of the bed. Count D was lying on it, smiling at him, perfectly fine, as if he had merely woken from a short catnap.

" Oh, well, hello to you too, Officer. Are you alright?" He asked, tilting his head and smirking.

" You're supposed to be dead and you ask if I'm alright?!" Leon yelled, making random movements with his arms, completely forgetting about making sense.

" Dead? Oh, dear, how scary! Why would I be dead?" D asked, eyebrows up, and a hurt expression on his face.

" But you! And I! Came in! The teacup and you! No pulse bad, dead, you!" Leon managed to stammer; now pale and feeling as though he was going to puke up his lunch.

" Wait a moment, how did you enter this room?" D asked now, getting off the white bed and standing in front of Leon, with his hands on his hips, towering over the blond that was currently dumb-founded on the floor.

"Don't change the damned subject! You were dead!" Leon pointed an accusing finger at him, now he was just mad, all surprise and worry gone out the window.

" I wasn't dead, I was asleep!" D retorted, pointing back.

" PEOPLE DON"T FRICKEN SLEEP WITH THEIR EYES OPEN!!" He yelled, jumping to his feet so that he could be taller than D.

" All Asian people do." D said, crossing his fingers behind his back, hoping the officer was gullible enough to buy such a story.

" They do?" Leon asked, now a bit confused and hoping to make some sense.

" Yes, they do." Nodded Count D, matter-of-factly.

" But that still doesn't explain the teacup and why there was no pulse…" Leon added, hand rubbing the back of his neck, and looking down.
" I slow my heartbeat when I sleep and had some tea earlier and probably T-Chan knocked it down. Now will you please calm down?" The Count scolded Leon. He looked over at the clock with a dragon pendulum that ticked in a corner of the room. With a smile, he turned back to Leon.

"Officer, would you like to join me for some tea?"

" No, I would not like to join you for some tea! I'm goin' now, later." He murmured, turning around to walk out of the room.

" Wait." D's voice said, commanding rather than requesting. Leon turned a curious eye towards him, arching an eyebrow is mock attention. D moved his hair from his right and eye and it stared at him, with its sharp yellow.

" Forget this. You never came here today, you were at home, with Chris and you fell asleep. You will forget all this." D said, the eye growing brighter and brighter, pupils dilating to that which they were barely visible. The room collapsed into the light and Leon fell to the floor.

…At Leon's apartment…

" Big brother! Big brother! Wake up!" Chris's thoughts rang in Leon's mind. He sat up and looked around, ignoring the headache that pounded in his brain. He layback down and place his arm over his eyes.

" I had the weirdest dream…"

… Count D's Pet shop…

Count D closed the entrance door and sat on the sofa, pouring himself a new cup of tea, leaving the shattered one on the floor. He wished to calm his nerves before continuing with his daily business. He went to the incense burner nearest him and looked inside. Nothing. Nothing was there, suspiciously… But something had to be. D put one aside and then began to fill the rest with new incense and burned it. After a few moments, the shop became lively again, sounds of panic and anger resounding through the room.

" What the hell was that?"

" What happened? I'm so scared…"

" D, would you care to explain…"
" Will the mean man come back?" Voice after voice asked Count D. He bit his lip, then raised to hands, meaning to silence everyone.

" Calm yourselves, nothing has happened, it was just a minor sleeping incident. A wrong incense put in, do not worry. Now, please go attend to your usual business." He yelled over the squawking, chirping, growling, meowing and so on and so forth. The room cleared slowly and left was Totetsu and Pon-Chan.

" We know it wasn't a wrong incense, D. Why didn't you tell anyone?" T-Chan asked, irritability building up.

" And why didn't you tell Leon?" Asked Pon-Chan, tugging at his sleeve. D sighed, and then looked aside, thinking of his answer for a moment, even he was not sure why he didn't tell Leon.

Rath- There we are. Don't worry, the story's not over yet. There is still a bit more to this yarn.

Set- Hm, yes.

Rath- Well, do be patient in waiting for the next chapter as I am very busy and will remain so for the time being. Well, thank you and ja ne.

Set- Later.