Title: Pure of Heart

Author: Hellsfire.scythe

Chapter: 7?

Chapter Summary: Even though the 'monster' is gone. More problems plague the factory and its owners! Even Count D gets his own troubles to deal with. What is the world coming to?

Summary: When Charlie turns eleven years old, 'What more does a boy want than a pet?' thinks Willy Wonka. Their trip to a local pet shop brings more surprises than 'just a pet' as competition begins to rear its ugly head. CatCF/PSoH

Time Setting: This is set a little more than one year after Charlie gets into the factory and a bit after volume ten of Pet Shop of Horrors.

Chapter Seven: Revelations

Squeeeeaaak. Squeeeeaaak. "Ficklegruber bought Vene-chan, but Count D said that it sounded as if Ficklegruber wasn't in this by himself." Wonka rocked precariously on the back two legs of his chair, his legs were propped up on the table and he stared at the two curly Ws that were imprinted on his shoes. "A conspiracy?" There was a moment of silence broken by the chair settling back down on all four of its legs. "Nah, I've been listening to Charlie too much about his school readings." Back up went the front two legs.

A knock sounded hollowly on the door. "Mr. Wonka?" Charlie's voice sounded quite muffled through the lovely rosewood. Wonka stopped chewing on his cherry-flavored pen and pressed a rather small button on his desk. The door swung open and Charlie toppled inside. Wonka watched as the boy picked himself up and stood in front of the desk.

"No need to be scared, silly." Wonka waved one of his gloved hands at a plush semi-sphere chair. "I don't bite."

"I'm not scared," Charlie declared as he settled down into the red and purple cushions. "I. . .I just wanted to tell you something."

"Of course! Why else would you be in here? It's an office, and what else are they made for than for boring grown-ups to discuss and scribble in?" Wonka swung his legs off of his desk and let the chair fall back on all fours again. "So, what is it, dear Charlie?"

Something unintelligible barely made it out of the boy's mouth and Wonka frowned. "You know, Charlie, speak up. I can barely hear a word you're saying." He gasped in mock-horror. "Don't tell me you're starting to talk like that Teevee kid!" That certainly grabbed Charlie's attention, and Wonka smiled back indulgingly. "Just kidding!" His hand casually grabbed a letter off of his desk and shoved it into one of the desk's many drawers in a flash.

"What was that, Mr. Wonka?"

"Oh, it's nothing, Charlie. I was just reading a letter from Dad."

"But he only sends letters―"

Quickly, Wonka pushed a button under his desk: a cacophony of noise blatted out without warning, startling Charlie further into his chair and making Wonka jump out of his seat. "Gee whiz, Charlie. What in the world was that?" he shook his head. "That simply won't do, won't do at all. Must get that fixed." All attention was turned back on Charlie. "So, what did you want to tell me?"

Charlie remained quiet for a moment and looked questioningly towards the chocolatier and then at the desk. Wonka just smiled innocently back. "Go on, Charlie."

"Do you remember that trip I took with my class? To the mountains?" Charlie started out simply, but his eyes flickered from the floor to Wonka every few seconds.

"That trip? The one where you were gone for days?" Wonka tapped a gloved finger to his chin. "Of course I remember that! You brought back Chruffles." He idly spun a large swirly lollipop near his desk. 'And you made me babysit.'

"On the way back, I met someone." The boy seemed to grow more and more fidgety as the time passed. Wonka looked back with a quizzical look on his face. "Mr. Slugworth stopped me."

The lollipop head went flying as Wonka spun it too hard. "You met who?" He could barely believe his ears. "Haha, good one Charlie, you really had me going there. I'll have to remember that next time. Heh, you meeting Slugworth."

"No, Mr. Wonka! I'm telling the truth. He told me he wanted to make me a deal." The outburst startled both of them and Wonka stared at the boy with wide eyes. Charlie slowly put his hands on Wonka's arm. "He wanted me to spy on you, Mr. Wonka." Those clear blue eyes looked down momentarily and he felt as if all the air had been knocked out of him. Wonka steeled himself for the worst.

"I told him no."

"What?"

"I told him that I would never spy on you, Mr. Wonka. Not for anything in the whole entire world."

A rather warm fuzzy feeling seemed to fill Wonka's chest and he carefully embraced the boy. "Wow. . . just wow." Slowly, he ruffled Charlie's hair. "I don't think that's ever happened before. I mean, every one those low-down no-good spies in my factory, they didn't even think of turning Slugworth, or Ficklegruber, or Prodnose, or― or any of the others down."

Charlie looked back up and stepped away. Wonka was startled to find a trace of hurt in those eyes. "You thought that I would spy on you." It wasn't a question. It was a statement, an almost-not-really-just-barely-kinda-almost true statement.

"But I don't now!" Wonka tried to give the boy a cheering smile, but small shoulders slumped even further. "Look, my dear Charlie. I. . . I wasn't sure what to expect. You know? I―"

"I would never do anything to you like that, Mr. Wonka," interrupted Charlie. "I hope you'll keep that in mind now."

Awkward silence filled the room and Wonka slowly nodded, his mind still a blur. Charlie reached into his backpack and pulled out a long white envelope. "I got another letter from him, today." The thing was unceremoniously thrust into Wonka's gloved hands.

"But, Charlie. This is from your teacher." He finished peering at the previously opened envelope.

"No, Mr. Wonka. Read the letter."

Why hello Charlie,

I just heard the most terrible news this morning from a rather excellent source. Apparently you were attacked by some sort of monster. I do say Wonka's factory seems to be becoming more and more unsafe and unsanitary by the minute.

But I do digress. This is your last chance, Charlie. I'm offering you safety this time, and I highly doubt Mr. Willy Wonka can give you that with what's going to be coming. Come to me and you can tell me all of his candy-making secrets and I'll make sure nothing comes to hurt you or your family.

This is the last time I'm going to be offering this to you. Think it over. Your family's life might depend on it this time. I'll give you a week to think it over. One week. Meet me at the factory gates a week from now with your family, and you will begin a whole new better life.

-A good friend

"I won't do it! I won't go to him no matter what. I promise that." Clear blue eyes glimmered truthfully and Wonka smiled for the first time in many days. But the feeling was soon crushed when the letter crackled in his hands.

Wonka quelled the urge to throw the letter, envelope and all, into the quite open and receptive trash bin. Instead he refolded the crisp piece of paper and tucked it away into his coat. "I hope you won't be needing this, dear Charlie." The boy shook his head. "Good, I'll keep it for a bit. Toodles, now."

"But. . .what should we do?"

"Let me think about it for a bit. Now get going and finish your homework."

As soon as the door closed and Wonka could hear the sound of the elevator rushing away at break-neck speeds, he pulled the letter from his coat and retrieved the one that he had hidden in the drawer.

"Those no good, rotten, thieving, scheming Vermicious Knids!" He stared at the letters, one from Slugworth, one from the Health Authorities. Slowly, Wonka sank into the chair that Charlie once occupied. His eyes scanned over both letters once again.'What am I to do?'

Fingers raked through his chocolate brown hair as Wonka clutched his head, his mind was working frantically to think of a solution.'How has Charlie gotten tangled up in this mess? My mess.' No, Charlie wasn't going to get any further involved in this. Slugworth was right; the health authorities were right. The factory just wasn't safe for the boy and his family at the moment. This problem was Willy Wonka's, and he would find a way to deal with those rotten eggs on his own.

A pristine white business card lay innocently on his desk and Wonka carefully picked it up. "Heh, wow, won't he be surprised," a nervous grin spread across his pale face. He cradled a rather old-fashioned phone on between his chin and shoulder as he dialed the number on the card.

The dial-tone rang and rang. It sounded three times before someone on the other end picked up.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"Hi!"

Break.

Welcome back to my pet shop." Count D's eyes followed a man's tall form impassively. An elegant eyebrow rose when a few more followed after. "What service might I be to you this time?" In the depths of his shop he could hear various creatures growling and hissing at the intruders. Murderers...

"The snake you sold Mr. Ficklegruber is missing," pronounced the tallest, stepping closer so that he looked down on the shorter being. Count D's responded with an unfathomable smile, undeterred by the other's looming presence.

A veil of black hair obscured the Count's venomous expression as he backed away from the man to restore his personal space. "Missing? How in the world could that have happened? Perhaps he's out hunting, and if he is, no doubt he'll return in time."

"Don't play games with me," the man growled threateningly. "We had a transmitter planted on that thing. I saw with my own eyes as the dot came to your shop. Sources tell me that Willy Wonka came to your shop with a large bag. Where did you put it? You shouldn't try to toy with the Slugworth Candy Industry."

"Who's playing games now, Mr. Slugworth?" Mismatched eyes narrowed into what looked like a smirk. "As a matter of fact, Mr. Wonka did bring your snake to me."

"Then where is it!"

A hiss interrupted the conversation and Count D lifted his forearm calmly. Ficklegruber and the other man gasped and backed away as a brightly colored coral snake coiled slowly around his wrist. Slugworth flinched but remained where he was.

"Jussst one bite. . .intrudersss..."

Count D tenderly unwrapped the snake from his wrist and set it on the mesh resting above one of the fish tanks. Its hisses never stopped but it took its instruction and remained coiled on the mesh. Other creatures gathered around in the shadows in their animal forms. Eyes glowed all around and the men clearly became uneasy.

"Tear them apart."

"Feast on their flesh."

"Disgusting humans."

Making no move to placate either the men or animals, Count D poured himself a cup of tea and coolly sipped the aromatic liquid. "It's quite a curious thing, Mr. Slugworth. Mr. Wonka actually brought the corpse of the snake. It seems that it had tried to attack young Charlie Bucket. How intriguing that it ended up in Mr. Wonka's factory."

Ficklegruber turned livid. The unknown man at Ficklegruber's side did the exact opposite, flabby jowls shaking as the man turned pale and gaped. But Slugworth's expression remained the same, save for the look of contempt that flared into his eyes. 'Detective Orcot could learn a lesson or two in patience from this man, but nothing more.'

"L-look, now we know what happened to it. Let's go," stammered the round man. "T-this was j-just a bad idea. I mean, if Wonka gets wind that we're all―"

"Shut it, Philus!" Ficklegruber shouted.

In one swift movement, Slugworth grabbed the Count's wrist and twisted it behind the kami's body, pressing him firmly down on a nearby table. The cool barrel of a gun pressed against D's temple. "This has gone far enough!" Count D winced as Slugworth roughly pulled him back up, gun still in place. "One false word, Count, that's all it takes. One false word."

"Wait! Please! No violence!" Fake tears welled up in his eyes as he pleaded with his captors. Inwardly, dark pleased feelings burned like fire. "I'll give you something even better than before." Slugworth's hands slowly released D's wrist. The Count turned around and made a show of rubbing his throbbing wrist as he ignored the gun trained at his head before smirking. "Call it a replacement." His voice was once again cool and considering.

"Give me one good reason to trust you." Slugworth stated coldly.

Count D smiled back and spread his arms out. The brilliant silver serpent emboss on the black silk of his cheongsam stirred subtly as the cloth shifted with D's movements. "Give me any reasons you have not to."

Cautiously, Slugworth lowered his gun. "Take us to it."

"Follow me."

Distrust and fear radiated off of the men as they followed the Count further towards the back of the shop. Perfumed incense created hazy trails of smoke in the air, curling, creeping, all around. Painted lips curled in satisfaction when he stopped in front of a large gilded door. "Beyond this entrance, you will find a creature most willing to carry out your commands." Unhurriedly, the doors swung open, the men gaped at the sight. "This is a very rare creature. I was fortunate to find one lurking in America. It has the face of a human, horns and body of a sheep, eyes on its chest, and fangs of a tiger. It is the flesh-eater of Ancient China, though this one is still young."

"What sort of joke is this? You were describing a monster, but you're selling us a human boy? He's not even out of high school!"

"On the contrary, this is a totetsu, or taotie as they called it in China." Count D entered through the doorway and gently stroked T-chan's auburn hair. His manicured finger glided lazily over the outline of a horn. T-chan fixed a cat-like eye on Slugworth and grinned, showing off his razor-sharp fangs. "He's quite adequate for your needs. Killing humans has been something he's been doing for years."

After a moment of silence, Slugworth nodded. "We'll take him."

"That's a good choice, Mr. Slugworth. Now, if you will sign here," Count D pulled a piece of paper out of his sleeve, "You must abide by these three rules. If any of them are broken, then the shop holds no responsibilities for the troubles that occur, is that understood?"

Ficklegruber snatched the paper out of Count D's hand and pulled a pen out of his pocket. "What the hell? It'll just be like last time with that great big brute of a snake, won't it?" He finished signing his name and looked at the direction on the contract. "Burn incense for it daily. Easy enough. Do not aggravate or disturb it. Can do. Feed it six times a day with fresh meats or live animals. . ." the man chuckled. "We can take care of that." He tore off the copy of the contract and handed the original to Count D and received a ball of incense.

"Take him to the car. I'll meet you there in a minute." Slugworth tucked the contract into a pocket and waited as Ficklegruber and Prodnose led the totetsu away. The Count remained seated in an ornate chair and watched the man evenly.

When the distant sound of tinkling bells rang through the shop, he found the gun leveled towards his chest. A look of mild surprise crossed Count D's face. "May I ask what you will be doing with that, Mr. Slugworth?"

"Think of it as your payment, Count D."

A gun shot rang through the shop and Count D doubled over onto the floor. Footsteps faded away as Slugworth began walking back towards the shop entrance.

"Shall we kill him?"

"Eat his flesh!"

Weakly, D waved the suggestion away. "Leave him be. . . they'll all get as they deserve in due time." He pulled his hand away from his side and stared in fascination at his red-tinted hand. Blood was barely visible as it began to well through the black silk that framed the wound. "In due time…"

Break.

"Mr. Wonka! You can't do this! You can't!"

"It's just a bit of a vacation, dear boy! Don't you fuss about it, Charlie." Wonka ushered his heir and his family into the Great Glass Elevator. "I've just been working you so hard this whole year! It's time to relax." Quickly he pressed a button and they all went shooting through the factory.

Charlie frowned at Wonka. "A vacation at your dad's house?"

"Exactly, Charlie. It's out of the way, not many people out there. Plus, he says the field looks oh so beautiful in the spring. Flowers and birds and butterflies! Wow, I'm surprised I'm not staying there myself!" Wonka exclaimed as the city faded from view. He edged away as Feng Huang bounded over and hung around Charlie's shoulders. The image of her bare-handedly tearing Vene-chan to bits still lingered in his mind. He shuddered and shook his head. It wasn't as if he wasn't thankful for the little kid saving Charlie's life but. . .couldn't it have been less gross?

The boy looked as if he was about to say something, but was interrupted as Feng Huang pulled him away to look at the clouds. Wonka gave a sigh of relief and felt quite a bit lighter as they approached the lone building in the middle of a large meadow.

"Look! Butterflies!" cooed Grandma Georgina as she latched onto Wonka's arm.

Dr. Wonka was waiting on in the doorway as they approached. "Ah, Willy, I'm glad you took action over your responsibilities. I assure you that they will be safe here."

"Heh, thanks," Wonka managed to squeak. Charlie glared in his direction and he felt as if parts of him inside were shriveling up. No matter, the boy would understand later that this was for his own and his family's safety. How can you have an heir to a chocolate factory when the heir was gobbled up by something large and obnoxious? But a pang of sadness hit him when he realized he didn't know how long Charlie and his family were going to have to stay here.

"Please, Mr. Wonka. Don't do this," begged Charlie. "We can both figure this out."

Wonka shook his head and kneeled down so he was at Charlie's level. "I'm not risking anything, dear Charlie. Don't worry about me! Those snozzing snozzwhangers will never get to me!"

"You have to promise then, Mr. Wonka. Promise that you won't get hurt."

"I promise, cross my heart and be eaten by hornswogglers if I don't," Wonka replied softly. He started when Charlie reached into his purple and red coat pocket. Violet eyes widened when the boy extracted a perfect, flawless Promise.

"I'll keep it then, and make sure you don't break it." Carefully, Charlie tucked it into his own pocket. Suddenly, Wonka found himself on the receiving end of a frantic hug. He fondly rubbed the boy's back and returned the hug. "Be careful, Mr. Wonka."

"I will, Charlie, I will."

"Willy." The chocolatier turned to see Mrs. Bucket looking at them with an unidentifiable expression on her face. "Thank you."

A few minutes passed as all of the Buckets said their goodbyes. As Wonka picked his way back to the glass elevator, he could hear the conversation on the stairs.

"You're a handsome fellow, aren't you?" came Grandma Georgina's voice.

"Uh, thank you madam," replied Dr. Wonka's faltering voice.

"That's my wife you have there!" Grandpa George complained loudly.

Wonka watched from the elevator as the old man attempted to pry Grandma Georgina off of Dr. Wonka's arm. The accosted man just stood there as the rest of the Buckets attempted not to laugh. 'Good job,' He congratulated himself. That was one more thing checked off of his list of things to do. Now, he had to take a more drastic action and his heart was heavier as he sped back to the factory.

Break.

April 14th, at eight o'clock am, the city was in complete shock.

The big bold letters on the headline spelled the most unbelievable and thing to ever have happen for twenty long years. People wandered in the streets, staring in wonder, hoping that the paper was wrong. But, no more smoke trailed into the sky and the smell of melted chocolate was blown away by the wind.

Wonka's Factory is Closed

To be conintued...

Note: The reason why Slugworth and Co. can see T-chan in human form is because of the special incense that Count D burns. That's the incense that he gives to them.

They shot Count D? Wonka's factory is closed? Charlie is at Dr. Wonka's place! What in the world? grins I hope this chapter was satisfactory. It sure gave me plenty of trouble than the others have before.

Also, I'm so glad I got some people to take up reading the PSOH series! Alright!

-Hellsfire.scythe