Act Two: The Picnic

(The curtain opens on the park of Los Angeles, where the police's annual picnic is taking place. Families and friends of police officers are sitting everywhere, enjoying the day and talking to each other. Chris and his three companions are still gathering leaves for Sofu D. On a small hill, a group of officers is sitting at two tables. They are about Leon's and Jill's age. The company of D, Sofu D and the two Chinese passes by the park in Li Xue Fa's limousine.)

Mephistopheles wriggled under D's skirt and the young kami chuckled a bit. It got him a reprimanding glance from his grandfather, who was listening to Li Xue Fa intently. The merchant indicated several buildings which belonged to him and tried to impress both kami. D hid a yawn behind his hand and felt the tomcat playing with the hem of his cheongsam.

"Mephistopheles!" he hissed.

Sofu turned round. "Did you say something, my grandson?" he inquired.

Quickly D placed a smile on his face. "It is very impressive," he answered. Sofu smiled, too, satisfied with his answer. D settled back and stopped listening to the boring small-talk. Instead he rejoiced that he was going to see Leon soon.

Then he sat up suddenly. "Grandfather, look, there are father and Vesca and Miss Jill!" he called out. The merchant looked out, too.

"Your grandson is right, Count D. Shall we pick up your son and his husband?" he asked, though his face betrayed he'd rather not have the disgraced Count in his car. But D clapped his hands and beamed at him before his grandfather could answer.

"Oh how very kind of you, Li-sama!"

The man knocked at the driver's window. "Stop!" he called. The limo came to a halt besides the three walking who startled for a moment, but then recognised them.

"Would you care to come with us?" the merchant asked and helped Jill and Dee inside, too. Vesca he simply ignored, an action which caused a raised eyebrow on Dee's side. His violet eyes darted between his father, son and the two Chinese men.

"How very friendly of you!" he chirped. "May I be so bold as to ask what event honours us with the company of one of Chinatown's most popular citizens and his son?"

Li Xue Fa was obviously mollified by the son's pleasant manner and indicated his own son. "Your grandfather and I are hoping your and my son might take an interest in each other," he explained.

"Oh really!" Dee exclaimed while Jill and Vesca tried not to look horrified.

The woman regained her senses again pretty fast. "Very interesting," she said dryly. "Well, he certainly is a good match for D, don't you think so, too, Vesca? I bet they'll have a lot of fun fighting with each other, as long as he can stand his ground to D. We all know that's pretty difficult."

Sofu D opened his mouth to protest, but his son was quicker. "Oh dear, Miss Jill, how right you are!" he twittered. "My son needs someone to stand his ground to him, he really does. He can be such a hot-blooded boy sometimes!"

The face of Sun Chen grew ever more doubtfully hearing this. Sofu D quickly started talking to Li Xue Fa to take his attention off his son's words, but the three continued teasing the Chinese youngster mercilessly while D bit back his amusement and tried to appear innocent.

"Yes, I can tell by experience how a D can be," Vesca joined in, too. "He requires very careful handling, and much attention. Sun Chen, you should always be ready to sacrifice your job and every last tiny bit of your time for your future husband."

The youngest hid a smile behind his hand. Sun Chen stuttered and sputtered. "But – but I am very busy with my work. This robot of mine, it's really important, I could win engineering competitions with it…"

Vesca waved it away. "Nonsense, boy! If you're married to a D, your first duty is to keep him happy," he said earnestly. Jill was trembling with laughter, and Dee's violet eyes sparkled mischievously.

But neither wanted to overstrain the boy yet. So Jill knocked at the window to the chauffeur. "Thanks for taking us along, but I've got to talk to the chief," she said to Li Xue Fa. "If you could just let me out here, please…"

"Of course, Miss Freshney," the Chinese merchant allowed, whose disrespect for the fallen Count did not include the detective.

Dee quickly nudged his husband. "We will accompany you, Miss Jill," he said and whispered to his son, "Don't worry, we'll tell Leon about the situation. We'll find a way, promise."

The youngest nodded and prayed that his father would think of something before the worst happened while the three departed again. Mephistopheles stuck his head out from under his cheongsam, and before D could call for him, he'd followed the humans. The youngest sat back, sighing deeply, and prepared himself for another round of boasting by Li Xue Fa.


Leon checked the bag again, but everything was in there. He had the lemonade for Chris, the water for his animal friends, and sandwiches for everyone. Good thing the eldest Count had sent the boy to the park, so they could at least spend their day together as long as Leon wasn't on duty. He grinned, imagining what they could do the whole day long. He'd also taken along the baseball things, perhaps his brother would be in for a round.

Smiling to himself, he set out to the park. Perhaps D had been able to convince his grandfather, too. That would be nice.


Chris stretched and sent a look around. "Ten-chan, where are you?" he called for his fox friend who promptly appeared behind a picnic table. The woman setting out things on it squeaked in surprise. The nine-tail took his chance at stealing a sandwich and returned to Chris, followed by some curses.

There he sat down and munched happily. T-chan nudged him. "Hey, share at least!" he claimed.

"I stole it!" Ten-chan defended his pray. Chris and Pon-chan exchanged a weary glance.

"Ten-chan, brother promised to bring sandwiches along," the boy reminded his friend.

The fox shrugged. "Who knows it he's gonna keep his promise?" he said and got another slap by the raccoon.

"I always keep my promises, fluffy-tail!"

"Brother!" Chris cried out in joy and flung himself at the elder Orcot who grinned lopsidedly and sat a big bag down.

"Here ya go, shorty, sandwiches, lemonade, water and a blanket. I even brought the baseball. Whaddya say, in for a round later?"

"Yeah!" Chris's face lightened up even more and Leon laughed contentedly.

Then he saw Jill, Dee and Vesca approaching. They seemed somehow worried. "Look, buddy, why don't you set up the table while I say hello to Jill and Dee?" the blonde asked and his brother nodded, getting to work immediately with the help of his friends.

Leon walked up to the three who greeted him relieved. "Leon, thank god we find you now!" Jill blurted at once. "D's grandfather is trying to marry him of to Li Sun Chen!"

"What?!" The young human gaped. "But that guy's dumb as shit!"

Dee laughed while Vesca shook his head sadly. "The only D who doesn't mind such language and I'm married to him," he murmured regretfully.

Dee shoved his husband playfully. "Oh Vesca, dear, don't be so mean to me!" he purred. "Anyway, Orcot-san, we have to do something. I know my father well enough to know he's going to sell my poor son off simply so you won't get him. That's not something I can let happen."

"Are they coming to the picnic?" Leon asked.

"Yes, they are on their way, but Li Xue Fa is still busy impressing my father with his worldly possessions." Dee's lips curled in dismay.

Leon, though, grinned. "Well, just make sure I can get a few minutes to talk to D alone, and then we'll find a way to stop that engagement." His blue eyes sparkled.

The kami tilted his head to the side and smiled, too. "I am glad you're not willing to give up so easily, Orcot-san," he said.

Leon shook his head. "Not me, dude. D said he's going to marry me, and so god help me, he'll do exactly as he said."

Jill opened her mouth to inquire further, eyes wide with surprise, but she was cut off by a cat's loud meowing. Mephistopheles and his female companions had managed to find their party in the park, and now they were trying to get a place on the blanket as well. All adults shook their heads and Leon went over to them.

"Now where did you come from?" he demanded, putting his hands to his sides. The tomcat glanced up at him.

"We didn't want to miss all the fun, that's all," he said casually and stretched, yawning.

Dee came over, too. "Mephistopheles, you know very well that you shall stay in the shop!" he reprimanded.

The detective nodded his agreement and shushed the cats up again. "He's right, little fellas, so get back to the shop now before anyone notices," he told them.

Laughing, the cats disappeared into all directions. Chris laughed, too, and clapped his hands. Leon shook his head again. "I'd like to know if we're ever gonna see them again," he remarked dryly.

Vesca grinned. "Not before they've done enough mischief to upset the whole city, my boy," he answered. "Anyway, have a look over there. If that's not Mr Li and future family, I don't know."

The Chinese merchant had spotted them and came over, greeting them friendly. "My dear Count, your son requested that you come to our table, too. Would you honour us with your presence?" he said and smiled falsely. Leon's eyes met D's and they smiled shyly at each other.

Dee looked at Jill and Vesca. "My dear Li-san, I am honoured by your thoughtfulness, but I think I shall stay here with the boy," he replied.

Leon cut in. "Yeah, someone's gotta look out for Chris while I'm on duty."

The merchant abruptly turned his back to him while Sofu D glared unfriendly at both his son and Leon. D looked disappointed, but it was only about to get worse. Li Xue Fa turned back to him and his son. "Say, Sun Chen, why don't you go and say hello to the other Chinese families here?" he asked and nudged him a little bit more to D's side.

Sofu D smiled his agreement and whispered something into Li Xue Fa's ear. The merchant nodded vigorously and continued to talk. "You could take young Count D along and introduce him to your friends," he suggested. Sun Chen grinned at D foolishly. The young kami looked everything but happy, but managed to favour him with a strained smile. Xue Fa patted his son's back and praised his qualities.

D leaned closer to Sofu D. "Do I really have to marry him, grandfather?" he whispered, sounding as unhappy as he could. The eldest smiled and slightly pushed him to the side of Sun Chen, who took his hand immediately.

"My dear D, it is an honour to meet you! I – I mean, to accompany you. We've already met, and – and – well, it is a pleasure," he stammered.

D leaned back to his grandfather again. "And why can't I marry Leon then if I've got to marry?"

"Nonsense. Who would take a mere police officer when he can have a fine young man like Li Sun Chen?" Sofu answered and pushed him until D was right beside the foolishly grinning Chinese youngster. Sighing deeply, the youngest gave in and followed him to a blanket.

Sofu D and Li Xue Fa watched for a moment until they were sure Leon was not following him, then they walked away in the direction of the mayor's table satisfied.

Jill, though, went hastily after the couple. "Li Sun Chen, wait a moment!" she called, tugging Dee and Vesca along. "We will come with you. I've got friends here, too."

She smiled at him disarmingly and the poor boy nodded, not able to take his eyes away from the pretty woman. He didn't even notice that Leon had sidled up besides D and was just hugging his lover, who leaned into him trustingly.

Unfortunately, Sun Chen managed to tear his gaze loose and turned back to his future husband. Leon jumped back and hid behind Vesca and Dee, who gladly provided cover.

"They can come with us if they want to, can't they, D?" Sun Chen asked, not sure if the youngest was okay with the arrangement and visibly relieved he wouldn't have to be alone with his future husband then.

D nodded and smiled brightly. "Of course, Sun Chen," he answered sweetly and followed a few steps. Leon came out behind Dee and Vesca.

Jill walked up beside the Chinese youngster again. "Wait a second, Sun Chen, you've got some kind of insect on your shoulder…" she said innocently. The boy froze. She extended a hand and pretended to shush an insect away. He followed her movements as if hypnotized. Leon finished kissing D and Jill drew back again, smiling. "There you go, it's gone," she chirped.

"T-thank you, Miss Freshney," Sun Chen stuttered. Dee giggled and Vesca suddenly coughed.

"Over there are your colleagues, aren't they, Miss Jill?" the kami asked and steered the whole party into the direction of Jill's and Leon's colleagues, who welcomed them noisily.

"Hey, hey, what an honour, two Counts at once!" one of them called. Li Sun Chen was forced to let go of D's hand while he greeted the humans. He didn't notice that Jill was spreading the word amongst them.

Then she and another woman came up to him and started talking to him, pretending to be interested in what he was doing. Dee and Vesca gathered round him, too. Li Sun Chen tried to look over their heads to find his fiancé again, but there were just too many people. He could only see one tiny bit of the blue cheongsam.

The boy took a deep breath. "Excuse me, Miss Freshney, but my father said I should show the youngest D around," he said and tried to get past her. Dee innocently glanced to the side and shoved the woman. With a squeak, she fell right into Sun Chen's arms. The youngster grabbed her in reflex and she squeaked again. He went beet-red in no time.

"I – I am so sorry, Miss Freshney! I did not want to do this!" he stammered while he helped her to her feet again. The whole bunch of officers crowded around them, most biting back their laughter as Jill struggled to her feet laboriously.

When he came to himself again and remembered what he'd wanted to do a second before, D was gone. He looked around in confusion and slight horror. "Where has he gone to?" he wailed.

Innocent faces greeted his remark. "Who do you mean, Sun Chen?" Dee asked with wide violet eyes.

"Count D!" the youngster cried.

Everyone looked at Dee.

"Not this one! The youngest! Oh, where can he be? Father will be so angry with me!"

Jill put a finger to her lips and pretended to think. "You know, perhaps he was worried about Chris, now that we're all here and no one's with the boy," she suggested. "If I were you, I'd go over and have a look there."

The young Chinese stared at her for a moment. Then he turned and hurried away, clearly afraid of what would happen if he didn't find his fiancé again. Dee, Vesca and Jill stayed with their colleagues and tried to bite their laughter back until he was out of sight. Only then did they allow themselves to become breathless.

"Chris, do you want to play with me?" Pon-chan offered the baseball to her friend and looked at him with wide eyes.

"Yeah, sure," he conceded.

T-chan stood, growling. "I'll come along," he said. "One has to look out for you two."

"And as I am the only one who can look out for you, I will of course join you, too," Ten-chan added with mischievously sparkling eyes. The totetsu grumbled while the other three laughed, but they went over to the free grass beside their blanket and started to play, running after the ball quite happily.

They were disturbed by Li Sun Chen running up to them, panting hard. "Have – have you seen the Count?" he asked, breathless. Chris stopped, ball in his hand, confused.

"But he went with you!" he said. The Chinese nodded.

"I know. But he disappeared somehow," he replied and looked so miserable Chris felt sympathy for him for a moment. But then Sun Chen's face lit up. "Oh, you're playing baseball! Let me show you how this is done!"

He grabbed the ball before the boy could even blink in surprise. Tetsu growled while Ten-chan looked alarmed. "Hey!" Chris protested. Sun Chen patted his head in a fatherly manner.

"I'll show you how to play baseball, young Chris," he said.

The younger Orcot glared. "I know how to play baseball. Brother showed me how to."

Sun Chen sighed. "Your brother is a fool. At least that's what my father says," he enlightened the boy, who was trembling with rage now. Sun Chen threw the ball up into the air a few times.

Chris jumped and tried to catch it. "Brother's not a fool! Gimme back my baseball!" he cried. His three animal friends surrounded the human, too, and tried to snatch the ball away.

But Li Sun Chen enjoyed having the upper hand too much to give in, especially because this was the boy Count D loved so much, and the brother of his beloved detective. "Why should I? I can do this better than you," he teased and yelped as Pon-chan scrambled up his back, pushing her claws through his clothes into his back. Arriving on his shoulder, she leaned forward and caught the ball. She threw it instantly at Ten-chan, who caught it and ran away a few steps. Then Sun Chen managed to shake her off him, going after the nine-tail.

"Hey, give that baseball back!" he yelled angrily.

Ten-chan threw it to Tetsu, who darted off into the opposite direction. "Yeah, you'd like that, wouldn't you? But I'd be damned before I give you back that ball!" he called, throwing it to Chris.

Sun Chen started running after the ball, but the four friends were much quicker than he was and took a delight in waiting until he was barely a few steps away before they threw the ball away. And while Sun Chen started sweating uncomfortably, they started laughing and playing again.

Chris jumped up and caught the ball right in the air. Sun Chen tried to hold him, but Pon-chan sidled between his feet and he stumbled forward. The boy squealed with excitement and threw it away. "Tetsu, catch!" he called. The totetsu did a somersault, mocking Sun Chen, who'd just managed to scramble to his feet again and was helplessly reaching for the toy.

"Too slow, too slow!" T-chan rejoiced and Ten-chan actually hopped over Sun Chen's shoulder to catch the ball. The youngster stumbled again and Chris and Pon-chan shrieked with laughter.

"What is going on here?"

Sofu D's voice put a stop to their fun. Caught, all four stopped and stared at the eldest kami with wide eyes. He'd crossed his arms and was tapping his foot impatiently, waiting for an answer.

Sun Chen stopped besides the kami and his own father, who regarded him unbelievingly. "I – I just wanted to show the boy how to play baseball, but they started mocking me!" he complained in a whiney voice.

"That's not true!" Chris protested, but Sofu merely shook his head in disappointment.

"Oh Chris, are you taking on your brother's bad manners already?" he sighed.

The boy silenced and his face contorted. He sulked. "It wasn't like he said!"

"Come, Count, let's get back to the mayor's table. Your grandson will join us surely in a moment," Li Xue Fa cut in, taking his son's arm firmly. They left again.

Chris glared at their backs. "The Count's never going to marry that idiot!" he growled. T-chan patted his back.

"That's the spirit, boy! Now let's go look for your brother and the Count to warn them, okay?"

D and Leon had meanwhile returned to Leon's colleagues, guessing that would be the last place where Li Sun Chen would look for them now. They were sitting at a table, close to each other, and listened to Jill's tale of Li Sun Chen's adventures laughing. From time to time, D leaned his head onto Leon's shoulder, and then the blonde tightened his arm around the kami's shoulder.

Dee sighed softly and leaned back into Vesca, too. "Aren't they cute?" he murmured into his husband's ear. Vesca chuckled. "Just as cute as you and I, I should guess," he answered.

Then he harked up. "Isn't that Chris?" he asked and loosened his grip around the kami to glance over his shoulder.

It was indeed Leon's younger brother, all of his friends in tow, who came running up the hill. "Brother! Count!" he cried. Everybody turned to look at him and Leon stood.

"What's the matter, buddy?" he asked, concerned. "You okay?"

The boy nodded, breathless and Jill handed him a glass of water. "The Count's grandfather and this Li guy are looking for you!" he got out.

"Not again!" Leon sighed deeply and turned to his beloved. "C'mon, D, let's get away before he comes and finds us," he started to say, but was stopped by one of his colleagues calling out.

"Too late, Leon! There he comes!"

"Quick, get behind my back!" Vesca hissed. Leon and D obliged at once. The police officers formed a line in front of them. Sofu D stormed up the hill and stopped in front of the wall of officers.

"Where is my grandson?" he demanded angrily.

"But father, wasn't he with Li Sun Chen?" Dee asked innocently and the eldest shook an enraged finger in front of his face.

"You know very well he took off, probably with that detective!" he spat. "And I bet anything that you know exactly where your son is!"

His furious golden eyes pierced the assembly in front of him. "Aha! I knew it!" he shouted and started forcing his way through them. Leon tugged D along trying to evade him, but it was no use. The eldest was faster.

"Did I not tell you to stay away from him?!" he called angrily, parting them and shoving Leon away. D tried to follow him, but was held back by Sofu's hand around his wrist.

"Grandfather!" he complained.

"You are not going to marry him, not over my dead corpse!" the eldest scolded, ignoring his son muttering, "Well, that could be arranged, father."

"You're coming back to Li Xue Fa's table with me now. Sun Chen is waiting for you there, he is sick with worry about you!"

"He's only sick with worry for his strange algorithm," the youngest protested.

Jill's eyes fell onto the picnic basket besides her. An idea flashed through her mind. "Quick, get me that basket!" she hissed. Vesca complied, though he looked doubtful. She ripped it open and carefully produced a wrapped parcel.

"Now stop complaining and come with me!" Sofu raged, tugging a resisting D along.

Jill called out for him sweetly. "Oh, but Count, we just wanted to start with the cake!" she chirped.

Dee assisted at once. "Yes, father, we hoped you would join us. It is delicious!" he cried with that enrapt voice every D got when confronted with candy.

Sofu D stopped. D stopped resisting and turned back. Golden and violet eyes scanned the parcel greedily. Jill placed it on the table. "Such a shame that you don't want some of it!" she sighed. "I made it especially for today, with crème and candy cherries, and just a few candied roses…"

"Well, I guess I could stay a moment longer," Sofu allowed hesitatingly, already inching closer to the table again. D followed as if mesmerized. Jill continued to lay out the bait.

"I tried that recipe my mom gave me. She won quite a few bakery competitions with it."

Sofu D sat at the table before she'd finished talking. "If you would be so kind to give me one slice, Miss Jill," he purred.

The woman's lips quirked. "But of course, dear Count," she answered sweetly.

Dee slipped onto the bench besides his father. "Me too, Miss Jill." He batted his eyelashes at her, eliciting a raised eyebrow from his husband. D still stood, staring at the cake as if mesmerized. He didn't even notice at first that Leon had sidled up behind him again and was tugging at his arm.

"C'mon, honey, we don't have that much time!" he whispered urgently. D turned pleading mismatched eyes to him.

"But Leon, the cake!" he gave back whiney. Leon tugged more.

"What do you love more, me or the cake? Jill's gonna make another one just for you on the day we marry, I promise."

D sent a last glance at the cake, sighed deeply and followed his lover silently while his grandfather was distracted.

Their escape, though, didn't have the intended result. They'd walked barely a few steps when suddenly Leon stopped again, confused. "Did you feel that?" he said and looked up at the sky, only now noticing that it had grown dark and threatening.

D followed his gaze. "Oh no, a thunderstorm!" he called out.

Before he'd even finished speaking, a blow of wind made everyone shriek in surprise and confusion, closely followed by lightning and thunder. Leon quickly wrapped his jacket around his beloved. "C'mon, let's get back to the shop!" he called and they went running while the people around them hurriedly gathered their picnic baskets and other things.

Li Xue Fa and his son, who'd just joined the two other Counts at the table, tried to keep their hats on. A red blaze bolted out from under the table and settled on Sun Chen's shoulder, becoming Mephistopheles. The tomcat was hissing and clinging to the youngster with all claws available. Sofu D immediately tried to pry him loose, but the cat was faster. He gave the Chinese a last scratch before he ran off, a cursing Sofu at his heels.

"But Chris?" D gasped and turned to look back at the boy Dee was just ushering under the umbrella Vesca had produced out of nowhere.

"He's fine, don't worry!" Leon gave back. "Your father's not gonna let anything happen to him!"

D, soothed, gave in and followed his beloved. They had almost made it back to Chris's blanket when the storm stopped for a second. The blonde wiped away wet hair from his face and took a deep breath. "Almost there," he told D reassuringly. The kami smiled up at him. But then his face darkened.

"Leon, what are we going to do now?" he asked helplessly. "Grandfather has set his mind on marrying me off to Li Sun Chen. What shall we do?"

The young detective looked around. "Well, we could simply run off together," he suggested hesitatingly. D firmly shook his head.

"Leon, I cannot just leave the shop and my animals behind, not to mention father and Vesca," he replied softly. "And you don't want to give up your job either, do you? And then there's Chris and Miss Jill…"

Leon sighed deeply and placed a kiss on the kami's forehead. "You're right, lovely," he asserted. "We'll have to find another way. But don't worry, marriages aren't arranged that quickly. We're gonna think of something in the meantime."

Thunder crashed above and they ducked as the next shower of rain met them. "Now we should just get you home!" Leon yelled through the thunder and they set out again to the pet shop.

(The curtain falls on the scene of the park with all people still busy getting away from the rain.)