Wolf and New World
America, 2012
A clerk sighed, watching his large stock of movies going unnoticed. He cursed programs such as Netflix and Amazon video. To him, these direct to tv movies were inferior to the VHS and DVD versions.
"Movies should be watched from a physical medium. You can hold more on a disc than streaming a movie," the clerk said to no one in particular.
"True, but you know how life is. We all like things simple," a voice said. The clerk looked up and smiled.
"Well at least someone likes the classics," the clerk smiled. The woman shrugged.
"I watch what I can. Life can be boring when my brother is in the service," the woman said.
"Yeah, speaking of which, how is Dmitri doing?" the clerk asked.
"On deployment in Germany, but I am not here to talk about my brother."
"Of course, come with me," the clerk said as he led the women to a section of the store. "3 dollars each," the clerk said.
The woman picked up a movie. "Really, you're selling them that cheap. Truly, you are desperate." The man shrugged. That was one thing he thought was strange with the woman. Despite her grey knitted rastafarian-like hat, long plain collar skirt, and leathery vest she wore, he was always surprised at the level of intellect this women had. She looked like a hippy or a druggy, yet she had the knowledge of a professor. He had asked around to see if she worked. Everyone said that they never saw her go anyplace of work. Despite that, the woman always preferred to pay more for a cheap Disney or black and white movie from the 1930s to 40s.
"What is this?" the women asked as she picked up a disk.
"That's an anime," the clerk answered. The woman chuckled.
"I know that, but what is it?" she asked showing him the case.
"Ah… 'Spice and Wolf'. Good anime, never read the manga." The clerk watched the woman.
"Very close to the real thing. As usual, they got my tail wrong," the woman commented.
"Pardon?" the clerk asked, slightly confused about the tail comment.
"Nothing, just thinking too much," The women answered as she placed the dvd into her bag. A few minutes later, the woman went to check out.
"That's about 80 dollars, including tax," the clerk said.
"You know, I have seen you come to this store for many years, yet I have never asked what your name is. Mind if you tell me?" the clerk asked. The women smiled.
"Would you believe me if I told you?" the woman questioned back.
"Sure... what, are you voldemort or something?" The women looked outside, as if she was being watched but there was no one.
"My name is Holo Lawrence." The clerk nodded.
"Edward," the clerk replied as he extended his hand. As Holo went to shake the hand, she tripped.
"Are you o…k…a…y?" Edward said as he stared at Holo. Her hat fell in her fall, revealing the brown wolf ears. Edward was about to scream, when Holo covered his mouth.
"You will tell no one of my secret. Otherwise, the consequences would be high," Holo warned. Edward nodded his head. He had watched the anime and knew what the wolf was capable of. Holo took her hat and placed it back on her head.
"Is Dmitri..." Holo placed a hand up.
"Yes, but he is a special case," she said. Edward nodded as he stood back.
"Don't worry, you are not the only mortal who knows of my existence," Holo said as she left the shop.
"And, Edward, thanks for the movies," Holo said as she left the store. Edward sat back, almost like he was in grief.
"Did that just happen?" he asked to no one in particular.
Holo walked away from video store to her apartment. She had to admit, America did change rapidly. She remembered when the long skirts and formal clothing broke away to the hippy clothing of the 60s. She saw as the radio gave way to the TV. She even watched as the movies she watched changed from being original, to now ripping off other movies. She had seen events that changed nations. She was there when Kennedy and Oswald were shot, when Martin Luther King Jr. gave his famous speech, when Dmitri came home from Vietnam. It wasn't just America she saw change as she traveled all over the new world. She was there when Castro came to power, personally met CHE and was there when the rebel leader was assassinated, she watched when the Argentinians wanted the Falklands and lost to the British. She had to admit that a lot had changed in so small a time gap. Although she kept herself secret, there were people who knew her identity. Most became close friends to the wolf. A good example was Aesra Jefferson, her maid who got Holo associated with many civil rights leaders like MLK Jr. Others were like pen-pals who Holo entrusted her secret. A great example was former first lady Jackilyn Kennedy. And others were just regular people Holo met, Edward being a prime example. Holo found her apartment complex and checked the mail. As usual was her pension check from the Russian government and an unmarked check from an agency that Holo found did not exist officially.
"So apparently despite my eternal youth, the Russians still send pension. Oh well, I get to live without worry," she said as she checked her mail. The strange thing was that even when she moved, she always received the pension and the unmarked check. She knew someone was watching, but had no idea how they were watching. Still, Holo felt a calm coming from the fact that she was being watched. At least, she did not need to watch her back.
Holo opened the door to her apartment. Despite the large amount of money from the government and Holo's expensive tastes, she lived rather simple. Her apartment was small, meant for 2 people. Most of the decorations were bland and not really that interesting. She had no fancy china set or tea set, and her furniture was often second hand. Because of her travels, she didn't have the luxury of owning a lot of personal items. The only items that was consistent in her areas of living was a box that featured a few things. Holo walked towards the box and opened it. She lifted an old hat and shawl that she wore when Lawrence was alive. Somehow, these articles of clothing survived years in the Finnish tundra. She examined the clothes before placing them back in the box. Next, she lifted a medal, the medal of valor she received from the former Soviet Union. She also lifted an old Mauser C96 Dmitri gave to her in Berlin. She also examined an old set of clothing that Boris gave her. Holo felt the clothes, and wondered who created such clothing. She, then, placed the items back in the box. Lastly, there was a stack of letters. Most were from Dmitri when he was drafted into the military during Vietnam. Others were from former first lady Jackylyn Kennedy. What Holo prized the most was the thank you letter from Martin Luther King Jr. Holo chuckled as she remembered that dream speech. She did not write the speech or inspire it, but simply gave her opinion to MLK when he practiced it. Holo closed the box, the story of the items would be told another time.
Holo went to the kitchen of her apartment and opened a recent letter from Dmitri. The stamps on the letter indicated it was sent from Germany. Holo chuckled.
"Oh Dmitri, you almost died in Berlin, only to be working in that country. How funny." Holo took a knife and opened the letter and read.
"Dear Holo,
As usual, Germany is the same. The beer is ok, the climate cold, and the people still as German as you can get. Nothing like Vietnam or the Eastern Front, but you already knew that. Now, I do have some good news. I am on leave for the next two weeks starting in May-"
Holo stopped reading and placed the letter in a stack. It was more or less the same. "Can't he find something else to write about other than the base and leave. Really, I want to know news. All I get from that wolf is child's play," Holo said as she sighed. She got up and went to her refrigerator and looked at what there was to eat.
"Let's see, a pizza, Chinese take-out, and a package of old fish," Holo said in despair as she sighed at her limited selection.
"I need to go shopping tomorrow," she commented as she took the fish. She took some bread and made a sandwich. Not the best for a wolf, but it would do. Holo walked to her living/temporary bedroom, and sat on her couch. She skipped the news, knowing that there really wasn't anything new or exciting. She turned her DVD player on and popped the Anime in. As she watched, she had to admit that the anime was the most accurate depiction of the Spice and Wolf story. Holo had seen numerous other adaptations of the fable, but there was always a problem with the adaptation.
"As usual, my tail is inaccurate. Still, these situations and character designs are extremely familiar," Holo mused. Holo only watched the first couple of episodes before stopping the player and placing the DVD on a shelf. She already knew the fable, and she had no reason to continue watching. Holo laid down on her couch and stared at the ceiling. She said and thought nothing as she stared at the fan that lazily span for a couple of moments.
"Why, Holo, are you doing nothing? The day is warm and there is not a single cloud in the sky. The fields are still not cut, so you could run in them. The forest is cool so you may rest from the sun in the evening… clearly, I have domesticated myself, as I would never think or say these thoughts if I was wild," Holo sighed, she often considered buying a collar and wear it to represent her domestication. She never did buy the collar, but still considered it. Holo sighed as she pulled a blanket over herself. The day was still young, yet Holo had no idea how to use it.
"Curse my lazy self," Holo said as she closed eyes and slept.
At an airport, Dmitri was being frisked by TSA personnel.
"I am telling you, that dog is smelling the gun powder residue from my work in the military," Dmitri said
"Sorry sir, but it is required that we do a full body pat down," the agent replied.
"But I am a soldier; we work for the same employer," Dmitri argued as he turned around for handheld metal detector.
"That is what makes us suspicious," the guard lied. In reality, the TSA guards were doing this because of the gun powder residue.
"Sir, you need to come with us. If you want, we can-" The agent stopped as he checked his bluetooth.
"Oh… I see, well there has been a change for you. It seems you are allowed to be passed through," the guard said. Dmitri nodded, he had an idea who saved his secret.
Dmitri thanked the guards as he picked up his one bag. From behind, Dmitri was a followed by a woman. She went through security without a hitch. She picked up her own baggage and followed Dmitri.
"So, does your sister know we are coming?" the woman asked
"I sent a letter, of course she knows," Dmitri answered
"And about our relationship," the woman asked. Dmitri chuckled
"I like to surprise her, so... no" Dmitri said. The woman giggled.
"Considering how you say she expects the unexpected, causing her problems might be interesting."
"That would be interesting," Dmitri said as he hailed a cab. The cab stopped for the two. Dmitri gave the cab driver the address to Holo's apartment.
"Dmitri, you said that your sister dislikes shepherds… why is that?" the woman asked.
"Long story," Dmitri said. He had not told or showed his girlfriend his tail and ears, nor of Holo's true self. The woman laid her head on Dmitri's shoulder as she began to rest. Dmitri simply looked out the window, and waited.
Holo slept for most of the day on her couch. She began to wake up, yawning.
"It's always good to rest," she said as she stretched. She looked at the clock she had and sighed.
"Six pm… I slept for Four hours," Holo sighed.
"At least, I had no mind game dreams," she said as she got herself out of her groggy state.
"Let's see, what can I eat. I can hunt, but the woods have barely any game. I could go to the market, but I what will I buy other than food. Hmm… I am starting to think Like Lawrence, how nice," She sarcastically said to herself. The bell rang, startling Holo. She walked to the door and undid the locks. She yawned as she opened the door.
"What do you want?" Holo said as she yawned.
"Wondering why you are so tired," a voice said. Holo paused for a moment, then slowly opened her eyes.
"D- Dmitri ?" she said with a hint of a shock.
"You sound surprised, did you get my letter?" Dmitri asked
"Yes, but you said you would be coming in May. 'Ti- It's still April," Holo said. Dmitri smiled as he pointed to the calendar.
"No, it's May," he pointed out. Holo turned around and stared at the calendar. Just as Dmitri said, it was indeed May.
"So, I forgot... do not patronize me," Holo groaned. Holo, then, began to smell a scent.
"What is this smell. It is so familiar," Holo thought. Dmitri began to laugh.
"What is so funny!" Holo demanded.
"Just seeing you confused is funny," Dmitri laughed. He suddenly felt a searing pain in his foot. Frozen, he looked down and saw Holo's foot crushing his. Dmitri squealed in pain.
"Who's laughing now?" Holo said as she smiled. There was a giggle, a giggle that sounded familiar to Holo.
"Who's laughing!" Holo demanded. From behind Dmitri, a young woman moved from her hiding place. She was rather short, about Holo's height. Her hair was a light blonde, almost sand color. The hair was weaved into a simple weave that fell from the back of her head. She wore blue jeans that were obviously too big for her. She wore what zip up hoodie, though the hood was down. Holo stared at the woman's face, and recognized her from her memory.
"Norah," Holo said as she collapsed in shock. Moments later, Holo opened her eyes and saw she was on the couch with Dmitri sitting across from her.
"Are you ok, Holo?" Dmitri asked.
"Yes, I am fine. I had a dream, you were in it, and there was this girl that looked like the shepherdess," Holo explained taking in a breath.
"How do you know so much about me?" the woman said as she entered the room. Holo tensed up.
"Who… Who… Who are you?" Holo said as she moved into her couch. Dmitri chuckled as he stood up.
"Holo, I want you to meet my fiancé….Nora Ivanoff."
"It's a pleasure to meet you Holo," Nora said as she smiled and offered her hand to the wolf. Holo was calming down and shook the hand.
"I knew a Ivanoff… are you related to a Sasha Ivanoff?" Holo asked. Nora nodded.
"He is my grandmother" she answered. Holo's mouth dropped. She stared at Dmitri in shock. Dmitri chuckled.
"Surprise," Dmitri simply said. Holo stared at the two in shock. Never had she thought that the drunkard would have ever conceived, and yet here was Sasha's grandchild.
"Nora, are you a shepard?" Holo asked. Nora nodded.
"My family owns a farm. I usually care for the sheep. So, yes." Holo looked at Dmitri.
"Nora, may I speak with Dmitri," Holo said. Nora nodded as she went to the kitchen.
"What the hell are you doing!" Holo said in a concerned voice. Dmitri shrugged.
"We met and went off on a good start. Things went smoothly, and I proposed," Dmitri said. Holo slapped Dmitri.
"You stupid wolf. She is mortal. She will die in a blink of an eye!" Holo exclaimed. Dmitri looked away.
"Look, my actions are my own. Nora is a good woman and will make a good wife," Dmitri defended.
"Does she know your secret?" Holo asked. Dmitri shook his head, which prompted Holo to slap him.
"And what do you think she will do when she finds out. Dmitri, you can hide your ears, but not your tail. She will find out," Holo explained. Dmitri said nothing.
"And if she does not find out from you, she will learn from her children. Dmitri, you have just set yourself down a path of sadness," Holo said. Dmitri stood up.
"I don't care. Nora and I are close. She will understand and continue to love me," Dmitri said. Holo's anger boiled. Her face became red with anger.
"AND IF SHE DOES NOT?" she screamed. There was a silence between the two. The two wolves sensed another being in the room. Turning their heads, they saw a shaking Nora holding a plate with food.
"What's wrong Nora?" Dmitri said as he stepped forward. Nora stepped back
"Why, why do you have ears?" Nora asked in shock.
"Well, we're humans, why els..." Dmitri noticed his hat on a table. Looking up, he saw that his ears were out.
"I- I can explain," Dmitri panicked. Nora became red, before passing out. The plate fell on the ground.
The next day, Nora woke up on the couch in Holo's apartment. Looking around, she was wondering if she had dreamed that whole fiasco.
"Was... was it a dream?" she said. A grey wolf with a white underbelly was looking at Nora.
"I had no idea Horo had a pet," Nora said as she offered a hand to the animal. It moved forward, nuzzling her hand. Nora giggled.
"It must have been a dream, there is no way a human has ears like a wolf," Nora assured as she looked into the eyes of the wolf. Something about them was familiar. The wolf jumped up and laid its head on Nora's lap.
"Very friendly," she said as she pet the wolf's snout.
"So soft," She said as she petted the wolf'shead . Nora noticed someone in the doorway of the room. It was Holo. "Dmitri never told me you had a pet."
"That's because I never had one," Holo answered.
"But then, why is there a dog in your apartment?" Nora asked. The wolf's tail stopped wagging.
"Thats because that wolf you called a dog, is really Dmitri." Nora laughed.
"Oh come on, that's just absurd."
"But it's correct," Dmitri said. Nora looked for the voice. She then looked at the wolf, who was staring at her.
"I am really a wolf," Dmitri said solemnly. It took time for Nora to realize what was being said. She became red, as was about to scream. Holo placed a hand on Nora's shoulder. Nora looked up and saw Holo with her ears and tail out. Nora was even more convinced to scream.
"Don't scream. Your fiance and I have no reason to hurt you." Holo looked at Nora. Nora was blue as a berry.
"For heaven's sake woman, breath!" Holo commanded with force. Nora took a breath. Holo took a seat next to Nora. Nora moved as far from Holo as she could.
"Now, then, I am sure you have many questions concerning why Dmitri and I have ears and tails." Holo smiled.
"All in good time, Nora. Until then, I believe it is best you calm down. Why, your grandfather had a inclination for acting infront of his common sense," Holo said. Nora simply nodded. Dmitri left the room and became human. He placed his uniform on and left the building.
"Where is Dmitri going?" Nora asked.
"To get some groceries. Until then, I believe you and I should chat a little." Nora nodded. What the two spoke about and the revelations made that day is, however, a story for another time.
The end of Wolf and War. I must say, It feels good to have finished my first fanfic. Starting from nothing, and ending with a story. I could not have done this withough my beta rader Gemralts. I also want to thank True Kimochi. He has offered to proofread the my fanfic. I thank you in advance for your work.