Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction ❯ Little Lion ❯ Take it Back! ( Chapter 2 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: Cousin D 
Leon has a strange dream and a playground fight.
Anime/Manga: Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Supernatural | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.08.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
Leon has a strange dream and a playground fight.
Anime/Manga: Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Drama / Supernatural | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 01.08.2003 | Pages: 4 | Words: 3.5K | Visits: 1.4K | Status: Work In Progress
WARNING! LEON'S DAD HAS A POTTY MOUTH!
LITTLE LION
Chapter 2
TAKE IT BACK!
Written by cousin D
"Where the Hell have you been?"
Leon flinched at his father's harsh tone and ducked his head slightly, as if that could somehow protect him from his father. Leon's dad sat at the table in their small apartment with the newspaper spread out in front of him. He was a large man with muscles built from years working out at the gym, though he was now developing a beer gut from the booze and hours spent at the local pool hall.
"At school." Leon replied, keeping his voice deliberately neutral, giving his dad nothing to be angry about.
Leon's dad looked up from the newspaper with a scowl. "You getting yourself into trouble again, ya little shit?"
"No, sir." Leon said, setting his school bag down inside the closet and pulling off his sweater. "My teacher wanted some help cleaning the room and I told
her I'd do it." Leon had learned long ago that it was best to give his dad answers quickly and have simple lies ready. He knew his dad wasn't interested enough in what he did to call Mrs. Lisa and ask. He didn't even LIKE Mrs. Lisa.
"That damned Lisa?" Leon's dad growled, turning the page of his paper roughly enough to tear it. "That the one who called the cops on me? Saying I was
beatin' on you?"
Leon shook his head quickly. "No, sir. It was Mrs. Danolis, my art teacher." Again, another lie. But Mrs. Lisa was his nicest teacher, the one who'd given him the coat and the one who always tried to take care of him, and he didn't want to get her in trouble.
The man nodded approvingly. "You stay away from that Lisa bitch, boy. I don't want anymore trouble with the law, here me?"
"Yes, sir." Leon went to the TV and sat down on the couch to do his homework while watching whatever his dad had put on. Turned out to be the Playboy channel.
Leon wished he had somewhere else to do his homework, but his dad had the only bedroom and Leon slept on the couch. Leon didn't have a room of his own to escape to and he certainly didn't dare to change the channel. His dad wouldn't like that at all. Leon didn't like this channel much, even though his dad couldn't get enough of it. The shows were weird and gave Leon a funny, nasty feeling in the bottom of his stomach.
Later that night, Leon pretended to ignore his dad while he watched the news. He lay on the couch with a pillow under his head and his eyes closed as the weather man point out the ice storm that might hit in a day or so. He could hear his dad, still at the table, mumbling to himself about this and that.
-clink- The bottle rang against the edge of the glass.
-Clink- The bottle was set down on the table again.
'Dad's drinking again.' Leon thought while he lay quietly. Leon had long ago figured out his dad's habits and drinking before bed was one of them. 'That's three drinks. Just two more to go and he'll go to bed.' Leon kept his eyes tightly closed, knowing that if his dad found out he was still awake it might set the man off. 'I wish he wouldn't drink. It always makes him mad.' Leon knew that was the only reason his dad was sometimes a little bit mean to him. It was only because of the drinks. 'They said that on TV. Drinking things makes people get mad and do strange things. Things they don't mean to do, so it's drinking that makes dad act mean.' To Leon, his logic was absolutely perfect.
Two more drinks later, just as Leon had predicted, Leon heard a loud snore and he dared to peek over the back of the couch, so he could see his dad. Leon's dad was sound asleep at the table, his drink having been knocked over and was now dribbling onto the floor.
Leon stood and went to clean up the mess with a wet rag. The last thing his dad would want to see when he woke up would be a mess on the floor and Leon wanted to keep his dad happy.
It was nearly midnight when Leon was finally able to go to sleep. That night he had the strangest dream.
DREAM-
Leon was running, on all fours, chasing some kind of small animal that he knew would taste good if he could catch it. The sun was burning hot and he wasn't in a city anymore, but in field of tall, tall grass. Leon didn't know where he was, but he knew he was safe.
'I'm home.' The thought made Leon smile even while he chased after the small rodent in the tall grass. 'I'm finally home.'
Nearby, there was a large stone with a large white cat laying in front of it, watching Leon play. The eyes, such a brilliant blue, were filled with love while the cat watched Leon. On the rock, with one hand reached down to stroke the white cats' head, sat a man who watched Leon with a pleasant smile. The man, who had short, dark hair and a very white face, wore what looked like a flowery dress and black trousers underneath.
Two miss-matched eyes watch Leon, protecting him, as he played under the loving eyes of the white cat.
End Dream-
Leon woke suddenly. 'Why was I dreaming about that guy?' Leon wondered. 'That lying guy who says animals can talk.' Leon happened to look over at the clock on the VCR and jumped up, all thoughts of Count D vanishing. 'Darn! I'm late for school!" Leon noted absently that his dad was still snoring at the table and managed to get out of the apartment without waking his dad. Not that he didn't love his dad. Leon loved his dad; it was just that his dad was sometimes a little...rough.
At school-
"Take it back!" Leon screamed at Kenny during recess.
"I won't! Everyone knows your old man ain't nothing but a drunk. You live with rats and he's a bastard who beats you and steals. My mom said so! My mom says your dad must hate you!"
Leon attacked, his fists swinging, and caught Kenny in the stomach. Leon tacked the boy to the ground, crashing to the hard tar ground. They fought while a growing number of cheering and screaming kids gathered around. 'How dare he say that about my dad?!' Leon thought angrily.
Finally, when Leon had Kenny on his back and laying quite still, Leon raised his fist high, aiming for Kenny's face. 'I'll make him pay. I'll hurt him; I'll hurt him bad.' Kenny's nose was bleeding and his eyes were closed. 'I'll punish him like dad punishes me and he'll learn not to say bad things about my dad!'
Leon swung, but someone caught his fist. He looked up furiously and his face fell when he saw who'd caught his fist. Mrs. Lisa. She was looking down at him, angry and, worse, disappointed. Mrs. Lisa said nothing while other teachers came and gathered up Kenny to take him to the nurse. The other kids drifted away while Leon sat on his knees and Mrs. Lisa still held onto his wrist.
"I think we need to have a talk, Leon." She helped him to his feet and guided him to an empty bench where they could sit together. For once, Leon didn't
pull his hand away from Mrs. Lisa. He knew he was in trouble. Again.
Leon took a deep gulp. "He was saying bad things about my dad. He...he said my dad hates me. It's not true!" Leon looked at Mrs. Lisa desperately. "It's not true!"
Mrs. Lisa didn't let go of his wrist and put an arm around him to pull him in for a hug. Leon squirmed away, but only after a minute of letting her hold him. "That's no reason to hit someone." She shook her head and patted Leon's hand. "This is the third time this week, Leon. If you keep getting into fights, you're going to get expelled."
"Expelled?" Leon didn't like the sound of that word.
"You won't be allowed to come back to school." She told him in a dreadfully quite voice.
Leon's lip wobbled and his free hand went to touch the coat he was wearing. The wonderful wool lined coat with six pockets and shining buttons his teacher had given him to keep out the cold. She knew how much school meant to him. "You won't do that to me." Leon said, trying to convince himself. "You won't let them send me away."
"It wouldn't be my decision, dear. The school board can't let you stay if you're going to hurt the other kids." She pulled a tissue out of her pocket and
dabbed at his face, wiping away some blood that was dripping from his lip down his chin.
Leon felt like his world was falling down around his ears. He shook his head. "My dad'll get angry." Dad was always angry, for one reason or another, but if he had to stay home all day with dad...Leon didn't like where that thought led.
"I know." Mrs. Lisa said. "That's why you must be careful."
Leon started to shake. The thought of not being allowed to come to school, not seeing Mrs. Lisa, made his stomach hurt. He felt like crying. "But I didn't
mean it, I just got so angry!" He tried to defend himself, even though he knew there was no use. "You should send Kenny away, he's the one who was telling lies about my dad!"
"You have to try not to get angry. You're stronger than the other kids and they can't fight back when you try to hurt them. It's wrong to hurt people who
are weaker than you are. I know it's hard, but you must try to control your temper or I won't be able to convince the school board to let you stay here. If Kenny tells lies, walk away from him. Tell me or just don't listen to him."
Leon glared up at her suddenly. It was easier to be angry than scared, especially when Leon knew he wouldn't be able to do what she said. His temper was to bad, he just knew he wouldn't be able to just walk away. "You'll leave me alone!" He tugged his wrist out of her hand. "You'll make me go
away. I don't care what you do! I don't need you anyway!" Leon jumped to his feet and ran, straight off the playground and away from school.
Leon ran and ran, not really caring where he was going. If he was going to get kicked out of school anyway, what did it matter? Mrs. Lisa would leave him and he'd never see her again if he weren't allowed to come to school. She wouldn't care about him if he wasn't in her class anymore. She wouldn't bring him candies or let him ride in her car. She wouldn't smile at him.
It would be just him and dad at home. Alone.
It wasn't long before Leon realized he'd come back to Chinatown where he'd met that lying Count D. Count D whom had said he could talk to animals and whom Leon had dreamed about last night. Without knowing quite why, Leon made his way to the pet shop and walked down those dimly lit stairs until he found himself in the front room again. This time, though, Count D himself was there and smiled kindly at Leon.
"Ah! My Little Lion. I was wondering when you were going to come back." He came a little closer and looked at Leon. "Poor Little Lion, you've been crying.
What has happened?"
Leon wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I wanna see Bombay."
Count D thought for a moment but then nodded. As if by a silent command, Bombay came strolling out from behind one of the cages and went straight to Leon. Leon picked up the cat and just held him for a minute, rubbing his face in Bombay's soft fur.
"Perhaps you'd like to sit, so you won't drop Bombay." Count D suggested and he motioned to a sitting area with a coffee table set for tea. "You look tired, Little Lion. Would you like some tea?"
Leon sat, as Count D suggested, just so he wouldn't drop Bombay, of course. He sat quietly while Count D poured out some tea and then sat next to him. It was completely silent, save for Bombay's loud purring, for a few moments. Count D said nothing, merely handing Leon a lemon cookie and a cup of tea, but that was all. Bombay licked Leon's cheek once before settling down to sleep in his lap while Leon patted him and drank his tea. It was a very silent until,
"Leon!"
Leon looked up at his name being shouted and saw Mrs. Lisa standing in the doorway of the pet shop. Leon looked away, angrily, back at his half-empty teacup. He didn't want to look at her.
"Good afternoon, madam." Count D stood up and approached her, putting himself between Leon and his teacher. "May I help you?"
"I'm here to get Leon." She told him. "Leon," She looked around Count D to look at Leon. "I'm sorry you're angry, but you can't just runaway. It's not the answer. I'll try to help you learn to control your temper, but you need to work with me, honey."
"You'll leave me." Leon said in a small voice.
"I won't."
Leon turned for the first time to glare at her. "You said they won't let me stay at school and then you'll leave me. You don't want me in your class."
"Now, that's not true and you know it!" She snapped. "Even if you aren't allowed to stay in our school, I'll always be here for you." Her tone softened. "Come back to school. Please."
Count D, who'd been pretty silent though the conversation, went to Leon and picked up Bombay. He said, as he leaned down to pick up the cat, "Perhaps it would be wise to go with your teacher, Little Lion."
Leon looked up at Count D. "You don't want me here?" 'No one wants me.'
"After school, you may come as often as you please. Now, you have responsibilities. You must go to school. Later, Bombay will be waiting for your to visit." Count D smiled kindly. "When you come again, I will have some sweets for you."
Count D sounded like he knew what he was talking about and Leon knew that he was right. Reluctantly, Leon put down his teacup and went to Mrs. Lisa where, to his surprise, she held out her hand to him. Leon stared at her hand for a minute.
She wanted to hold his hand after all the trouble he'd been?
Leon cautiously stuck of his hand and put it in hers. He was almost afraid that she'd jerk away when he touched her, but she didn't and wrapped her fingers securely around his. Normally, Leon hated it when people touched him, but...it was all right now.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Leon said timidly.
Mrs. Lisa smiled back. "Forget it, kiddo. Just don't do it again, huh?"
They were halfway up the stairs to the street level when Leon turned and saw Count D standing at the bottom of the stairs with Bombay in his arms. "I'll come back to visit later, sir. OK?"
Count D smiled back. "I will be expecting you as will Bombay. Please, call me D."
One week later-
Leon easily made his way through the busy streets of Chinatown, looking for the pet shop and hoping D could help him. Naturally, at midday, the streets were filled with people, but today, everyone gave the skinny, blonde eight-year-old a wide berth.
"Oh, my god."
"Is that kid holding what I think he's holding?"
"The smell! I gotta get outta here!"
Leon did his best to ignore the comments, but his anger was building as he stalked down the sidewalk holding a rather large skunk. 'Dummies.' Leon thought. 'They don't even know a hurt animal when they see one!' Leon patted the soft, furry animal in his arms to calm it as best as he could. The poor thing didn't like all the noise and the people.
It didn't help Leon's temper that this little errand had taken him all morning and he hadn't had time to play with his new friend, Jill. Jill was Mrs. Lisa's niece who'd come for a visit and, even though she was older than Leon, she'd liked him right away. Plus, he smelled icky and his eyes were watering from the
smell of himself.
'I've tried everywhere else!' Leon thought unhappily as he finally came to the petshop he'd been looking for. "Hello?" Leon called out, clutched the skunk to his chest. "Count D, are you here? D?"
D appeared, as he had the first time they'd met, and came toward Leon. He knelt in front of Leon and put a friendly hand on the skunk's back. "What's wrong with your skunk?"
Leon smiled at the kindly tone and felt instantly more at ease. "Will you help him? He's hurt." He shifted the skunk around so the Count could see the blood on the skunk's leg. "A dog was chasing him around the dump near my house and I think he bit him."
"May I hold him?"
Leon nodded, but he warned the D, "You can if you want to, but he smells something awful. He sprayed it all over me, too, and I was only trying to help him." He couldn't help but feel a bit resentful for that.
D didn't seem at all bothered and took the skunk easily. "He was only frightened and he thought you might hurt him like the dog did. He won't do it again." He patted the skunk, running his strangely long fingernails thorough the skunks' black and white fur. "You were very brave to help him."
Leon shrugged and tried not to blush at the compliment. "No one else would. I took her all around the city and no one would help." Funny how D could make Leon feel so good with one little compliment, like he would burst inside.
D regarded him for a moment and Leon started to squirm under the attention. "You should have brought her here first. Why did you go all over the city instead of to me?"
"I didn't want you to get all smelled up by her."
D seemed pleased by his answer and his purple painted lips curved upwards in a soft smile. "So," D stood and started toward one of the curtained off doorways. "Would you like to wash the smell off before you go home, Little Lion?"
"The bathroom is right here. When you come out, I'll have your clothes cleaned." D told Leon before opening the door of the bathroom. Leon's eyes grew wide at the sight. The bathroom was sparkly clean. The walls were green and there were plants everywhere, so it looked like the bathroom was in a jungle. There were no windows, but there were paintings of zebras, elephants, and one of a tiger. "You may take a bath if you wish." It was only when D told him this that Leon noticed the bathtub. IT WAS HUGE! Leon would have bet that he could almost swim in it!
Leon soon found himself in heaven. D had let him fill the bathtub to the very top with hot water and had even put in some kind of oil that made the water
smell nice. Even D's soap was fancy and smelled like lilacs. Leon closed his eyes and let himself soak in the hot soapy water. It was the best thing he'd
ever felt in his life!
To be continued...
Lil' Demoness: "You know, I just realized that 'Bombay' sounds awful familiar."
Evil Little god of Writing: "Yeah. Someone's been watching to much Weiss Kruez."
Cousin D: "Aw, give me a break! I needed a cat name and Bombay sprang to mind. What did you want me to call him, Farfie?"
Evil Little god of Writing: "Hee, Hee. I LIKE Farfie! He's fun!" Pauses for a minute. "OHHHHHHHH! I have a great idea. Let's do a Farfie fic, showing him in all his glory. We'll kill Omi and Nagi and cut off Aya's ear tails. Slaughter Ken's soccer team. Then...oh, Youji will be fun. We can..."
Lil' Demoness: "Stop it! Don't you dare encourage her to write a horrid fic like that! If we're going to do Weiss Kruez then..."
Cousin D: "Um, guys? Why don't we finish the dozen or so we've all ready started before starting a new one. Although Farfie IS my favorite character."
Lil' Demoness: "Oh no."
Till next time...
LITTLE LION
Chapter 2
TAKE IT BACK!
Written by cousin D
"Where the Hell have you been?"
Leon flinched at his father's harsh tone and ducked his head slightly, as if that could somehow protect him from his father. Leon's dad sat at the table in their small apartment with the newspaper spread out in front of him. He was a large man with muscles built from years working out at the gym, though he was now developing a beer gut from the booze and hours spent at the local pool hall.
"At school." Leon replied, keeping his voice deliberately neutral, giving his dad nothing to be angry about.
Leon's dad looked up from the newspaper with a scowl. "You getting yourself into trouble again, ya little shit?"
"No, sir." Leon said, setting his school bag down inside the closet and pulling off his sweater. "My teacher wanted some help cleaning the room and I told
her I'd do it." Leon had learned long ago that it was best to give his dad answers quickly and have simple lies ready. He knew his dad wasn't interested enough in what he did to call Mrs. Lisa and ask. He didn't even LIKE Mrs. Lisa.
"That damned Lisa?" Leon's dad growled, turning the page of his paper roughly enough to tear it. "That the one who called the cops on me? Saying I was
beatin' on you?"
Leon shook his head quickly. "No, sir. It was Mrs. Danolis, my art teacher." Again, another lie. But Mrs. Lisa was his nicest teacher, the one who'd given him the coat and the one who always tried to take care of him, and he didn't want to get her in trouble.
The man nodded approvingly. "You stay away from that Lisa bitch, boy. I don't want anymore trouble with the law, here me?"
"Yes, sir." Leon went to the TV and sat down on the couch to do his homework while watching whatever his dad had put on. Turned out to be the Playboy channel.
Leon wished he had somewhere else to do his homework, but his dad had the only bedroom and Leon slept on the couch. Leon didn't have a room of his own to escape to and he certainly didn't dare to change the channel. His dad wouldn't like that at all. Leon didn't like this channel much, even though his dad couldn't get enough of it. The shows were weird and gave Leon a funny, nasty feeling in the bottom of his stomach.
Later that night, Leon pretended to ignore his dad while he watched the news. He lay on the couch with a pillow under his head and his eyes closed as the weather man point out the ice storm that might hit in a day or so. He could hear his dad, still at the table, mumbling to himself about this and that.
-clink- The bottle rang against the edge of the glass.
-Clink- The bottle was set down on the table again.
'Dad's drinking again.' Leon thought while he lay quietly. Leon had long ago figured out his dad's habits and drinking before bed was one of them. 'That's three drinks. Just two more to go and he'll go to bed.' Leon kept his eyes tightly closed, knowing that if his dad found out he was still awake it might set the man off. 'I wish he wouldn't drink. It always makes him mad.' Leon knew that was the only reason his dad was sometimes a little bit mean to him. It was only because of the drinks. 'They said that on TV. Drinking things makes people get mad and do strange things. Things they don't mean to do, so it's drinking that makes dad act mean.' To Leon, his logic was absolutely perfect.
Two more drinks later, just as Leon had predicted, Leon heard a loud snore and he dared to peek over the back of the couch, so he could see his dad. Leon's dad was sound asleep at the table, his drink having been knocked over and was now dribbling onto the floor.
Leon stood and went to clean up the mess with a wet rag. The last thing his dad would want to see when he woke up would be a mess on the floor and Leon wanted to keep his dad happy.
It was nearly midnight when Leon was finally able to go to sleep. That night he had the strangest dream.
DREAM-
Leon was running, on all fours, chasing some kind of small animal that he knew would taste good if he could catch it. The sun was burning hot and he wasn't in a city anymore, but in field of tall, tall grass. Leon didn't know where he was, but he knew he was safe.
'I'm home.' The thought made Leon smile even while he chased after the small rodent in the tall grass. 'I'm finally home.'
Nearby, there was a large stone with a large white cat laying in front of it, watching Leon play. The eyes, such a brilliant blue, were filled with love while the cat watched Leon. On the rock, with one hand reached down to stroke the white cats' head, sat a man who watched Leon with a pleasant smile. The man, who had short, dark hair and a very white face, wore what looked like a flowery dress and black trousers underneath.
Two miss-matched eyes watch Leon, protecting him, as he played under the loving eyes of the white cat.
End Dream-
Leon woke suddenly. 'Why was I dreaming about that guy?' Leon wondered. 'That lying guy who says animals can talk.' Leon happened to look over at the clock on the VCR and jumped up, all thoughts of Count D vanishing. 'Darn! I'm late for school!" Leon noted absently that his dad was still snoring at the table and managed to get out of the apartment without waking his dad. Not that he didn't love his dad. Leon loved his dad; it was just that his dad was sometimes a little...rough.
At school-
"Take it back!" Leon screamed at Kenny during recess.
"I won't! Everyone knows your old man ain't nothing but a drunk. You live with rats and he's a bastard who beats you and steals. My mom said so! My mom says your dad must hate you!"
Leon attacked, his fists swinging, and caught Kenny in the stomach. Leon tacked the boy to the ground, crashing to the hard tar ground. They fought while a growing number of cheering and screaming kids gathered around. 'How dare he say that about my dad?!' Leon thought angrily.
Finally, when Leon had Kenny on his back and laying quite still, Leon raised his fist high, aiming for Kenny's face. 'I'll make him pay. I'll hurt him; I'll hurt him bad.' Kenny's nose was bleeding and his eyes were closed. 'I'll punish him like dad punishes me and he'll learn not to say bad things about my dad!'
Leon swung, but someone caught his fist. He looked up furiously and his face fell when he saw who'd caught his fist. Mrs. Lisa. She was looking down at him, angry and, worse, disappointed. Mrs. Lisa said nothing while other teachers came and gathered up Kenny to take him to the nurse. The other kids drifted away while Leon sat on his knees and Mrs. Lisa still held onto his wrist.
"I think we need to have a talk, Leon." She helped him to his feet and guided him to an empty bench where they could sit together. For once, Leon didn't
pull his hand away from Mrs. Lisa. He knew he was in trouble. Again.
Leon took a deep gulp. "He was saying bad things about my dad. He...he said my dad hates me. It's not true!" Leon looked at Mrs. Lisa desperately. "It's not true!"
Mrs. Lisa didn't let go of his wrist and put an arm around him to pull him in for a hug. Leon squirmed away, but only after a minute of letting her hold him. "That's no reason to hit someone." She shook her head and patted Leon's hand. "This is the third time this week, Leon. If you keep getting into fights, you're going to get expelled."
"Expelled?" Leon didn't like the sound of that word.
"You won't be allowed to come back to school." She told him in a dreadfully quite voice.
Leon's lip wobbled and his free hand went to touch the coat he was wearing. The wonderful wool lined coat with six pockets and shining buttons his teacher had given him to keep out the cold. She knew how much school meant to him. "You won't do that to me." Leon said, trying to convince himself. "You won't let them send me away."
"It wouldn't be my decision, dear. The school board can't let you stay if you're going to hurt the other kids." She pulled a tissue out of her pocket and
dabbed at his face, wiping away some blood that was dripping from his lip down his chin.
Leon felt like his world was falling down around his ears. He shook his head. "My dad'll get angry." Dad was always angry, for one reason or another, but if he had to stay home all day with dad...Leon didn't like where that thought led.
"I know." Mrs. Lisa said. "That's why you must be careful."
Leon started to shake. The thought of not being allowed to come to school, not seeing Mrs. Lisa, made his stomach hurt. He felt like crying. "But I didn't
mean it, I just got so angry!" He tried to defend himself, even though he knew there was no use. "You should send Kenny away, he's the one who was telling lies about my dad!"
"You have to try not to get angry. You're stronger than the other kids and they can't fight back when you try to hurt them. It's wrong to hurt people who
are weaker than you are. I know it's hard, but you must try to control your temper or I won't be able to convince the school board to let you stay here. If Kenny tells lies, walk away from him. Tell me or just don't listen to him."
Leon glared up at her suddenly. It was easier to be angry than scared, especially when Leon knew he wouldn't be able to do what she said. His temper was to bad, he just knew he wouldn't be able to just walk away. "You'll leave me alone!" He tugged his wrist out of her hand. "You'll make me go
away. I don't care what you do! I don't need you anyway!" Leon jumped to his feet and ran, straight off the playground and away from school.
Leon ran and ran, not really caring where he was going. If he was going to get kicked out of school anyway, what did it matter? Mrs. Lisa would leave him and he'd never see her again if he weren't allowed to come to school. She wouldn't care about him if he wasn't in her class anymore. She wouldn't bring him candies or let him ride in her car. She wouldn't smile at him.
It would be just him and dad at home. Alone.
It wasn't long before Leon realized he'd come back to Chinatown where he'd met that lying Count D. Count D whom had said he could talk to animals and whom Leon had dreamed about last night. Without knowing quite why, Leon made his way to the pet shop and walked down those dimly lit stairs until he found himself in the front room again. This time, though, Count D himself was there and smiled kindly at Leon.
"Ah! My Little Lion. I was wondering when you were going to come back." He came a little closer and looked at Leon. "Poor Little Lion, you've been crying.
What has happened?"
Leon wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "I wanna see Bombay."
Count D thought for a moment but then nodded. As if by a silent command, Bombay came strolling out from behind one of the cages and went straight to Leon. Leon picked up the cat and just held him for a minute, rubbing his face in Bombay's soft fur.
"Perhaps you'd like to sit, so you won't drop Bombay." Count D suggested and he motioned to a sitting area with a coffee table set for tea. "You look tired, Little Lion. Would you like some tea?"
Leon sat, as Count D suggested, just so he wouldn't drop Bombay, of course. He sat quietly while Count D poured out some tea and then sat next to him. It was completely silent, save for Bombay's loud purring, for a few moments. Count D said nothing, merely handing Leon a lemon cookie and a cup of tea, but that was all. Bombay licked Leon's cheek once before settling down to sleep in his lap while Leon patted him and drank his tea. It was a very silent until,
"Leon!"
Leon looked up at his name being shouted and saw Mrs. Lisa standing in the doorway of the pet shop. Leon looked away, angrily, back at his half-empty teacup. He didn't want to look at her.
"Good afternoon, madam." Count D stood up and approached her, putting himself between Leon and his teacher. "May I help you?"
"I'm here to get Leon." She told him. "Leon," She looked around Count D to look at Leon. "I'm sorry you're angry, but you can't just runaway. It's not the answer. I'll try to help you learn to control your temper, but you need to work with me, honey."
"You'll leave me." Leon said in a small voice.
"I won't."
Leon turned for the first time to glare at her. "You said they won't let me stay at school and then you'll leave me. You don't want me in your class."
"Now, that's not true and you know it!" She snapped. "Even if you aren't allowed to stay in our school, I'll always be here for you." Her tone softened. "Come back to school. Please."
Count D, who'd been pretty silent though the conversation, went to Leon and picked up Bombay. He said, as he leaned down to pick up the cat, "Perhaps it would be wise to go with your teacher, Little Lion."
Leon looked up at Count D. "You don't want me here?" 'No one wants me.'
"After school, you may come as often as you please. Now, you have responsibilities. You must go to school. Later, Bombay will be waiting for your to visit." Count D smiled kindly. "When you come again, I will have some sweets for you."
Count D sounded like he knew what he was talking about and Leon knew that he was right. Reluctantly, Leon put down his teacup and went to Mrs. Lisa where, to his surprise, she held out her hand to him. Leon stared at her hand for a minute.
She wanted to hold his hand after all the trouble he'd been?
Leon cautiously stuck of his hand and put it in hers. He was almost afraid that she'd jerk away when he touched her, but she didn't and wrapped her fingers securely around his. Normally, Leon hated it when people touched him, but...it was all right now.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." Leon said timidly.
Mrs. Lisa smiled back. "Forget it, kiddo. Just don't do it again, huh?"
They were halfway up the stairs to the street level when Leon turned and saw Count D standing at the bottom of the stairs with Bombay in his arms. "I'll come back to visit later, sir. OK?"
Count D smiled back. "I will be expecting you as will Bombay. Please, call me D."
One week later-
Leon easily made his way through the busy streets of Chinatown, looking for the pet shop and hoping D could help him. Naturally, at midday, the streets were filled with people, but today, everyone gave the skinny, blonde eight-year-old a wide berth.
"Oh, my god."
"Is that kid holding what I think he's holding?"
"The smell! I gotta get outta here!"
Leon did his best to ignore the comments, but his anger was building as he stalked down the sidewalk holding a rather large skunk. 'Dummies.' Leon thought. 'They don't even know a hurt animal when they see one!' Leon patted the soft, furry animal in his arms to calm it as best as he could. The poor thing didn't like all the noise and the people.
It didn't help Leon's temper that this little errand had taken him all morning and he hadn't had time to play with his new friend, Jill. Jill was Mrs. Lisa's niece who'd come for a visit and, even though she was older than Leon, she'd liked him right away. Plus, he smelled icky and his eyes were watering from the
smell of himself.
'I've tried everywhere else!' Leon thought unhappily as he finally came to the petshop he'd been looking for. "Hello?" Leon called out, clutched the skunk to his chest. "Count D, are you here? D?"
D appeared, as he had the first time they'd met, and came toward Leon. He knelt in front of Leon and put a friendly hand on the skunk's back. "What's wrong with your skunk?"
Leon smiled at the kindly tone and felt instantly more at ease. "Will you help him? He's hurt." He shifted the skunk around so the Count could see the blood on the skunk's leg. "A dog was chasing him around the dump near my house and I think he bit him."
"May I hold him?"
Leon nodded, but he warned the D, "You can if you want to, but he smells something awful. He sprayed it all over me, too, and I was only trying to help him." He couldn't help but feel a bit resentful for that.
D didn't seem at all bothered and took the skunk easily. "He was only frightened and he thought you might hurt him like the dog did. He won't do it again." He patted the skunk, running his strangely long fingernails thorough the skunks' black and white fur. "You were very brave to help him."
Leon shrugged and tried not to blush at the compliment. "No one else would. I took her all around the city and no one would help." Funny how D could make Leon feel so good with one little compliment, like he would burst inside.
D regarded him for a moment and Leon started to squirm under the attention. "You should have brought her here first. Why did you go all over the city instead of to me?"
"I didn't want you to get all smelled up by her."
D seemed pleased by his answer and his purple painted lips curved upwards in a soft smile. "So," D stood and started toward one of the curtained off doorways. "Would you like to wash the smell off before you go home, Little Lion?"
"The bathroom is right here. When you come out, I'll have your clothes cleaned." D told Leon before opening the door of the bathroom. Leon's eyes grew wide at the sight. The bathroom was sparkly clean. The walls were green and there were plants everywhere, so it looked like the bathroom was in a jungle. There were no windows, but there were paintings of zebras, elephants, and one of a tiger. "You may take a bath if you wish." It was only when D told him this that Leon noticed the bathtub. IT WAS HUGE! Leon would have bet that he could almost swim in it!
Leon soon found himself in heaven. D had let him fill the bathtub to the very top with hot water and had even put in some kind of oil that made the water
smell nice. Even D's soap was fancy and smelled like lilacs. Leon closed his eyes and let himself soak in the hot soapy water. It was the best thing he'd
ever felt in his life!
To be continued...
Lil' Demoness: "You know, I just realized that 'Bombay' sounds awful familiar."
Evil Little god of Writing: "Yeah. Someone's been watching to much Weiss Kruez."
Cousin D: "Aw, give me a break! I needed a cat name and Bombay sprang to mind. What did you want me to call him, Farfie?"
Evil Little god of Writing: "Hee, Hee. I LIKE Farfie! He's fun!" Pauses for a minute. "OHHHHHHHH! I have a great idea. Let's do a Farfie fic, showing him in all his glory. We'll kill Omi and Nagi and cut off Aya's ear tails. Slaughter Ken's soccer team. Then...oh, Youji will be fun. We can..."
Lil' Demoness: "Stop it! Don't you dare encourage her to write a horrid fic like that! If we're going to do Weiss Kruez then..."
Cousin D: "Um, guys? Why don't we finish the dozen or so we've all ready started before starting a new one. Although Farfie IS my favorite character."
Lil' Demoness: "Oh no."
Till next time...