Pet Shop Of Horrors Fan Fiction ❯ Shop Choice - Pt 4 - The Final Chase ❯ One ( Chapter 1 )

Title: Shop Choice - IV - The Final Chase

Main pairing: Leon/D, possibly others

MY Inspiration: Pet Shop of Horrors (all media types), Pet Shop of Horrors: Tokyo (various media types), unfinished story found at www dot adultfanfiction dot net (“The PetShop's Chosen”, by Katus Kaijou, a WIP: only 2 small chapters, posted 2006/10/23 and last updated 2006/10/25), Antique Bakery (all media types)

Disclaimer: This is my standard disclaimer; I don't own anything in regards to the sources of MY Inspiration. All publically recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

All the characters, worlds, base concepts or general ideas are just a bit food for the writing bug. This story is pure fiction and is in no way meant to copy or reflect real life, events or people, should this happen then obviously it is pure coincidence.

Author's Note: After the last Manga of the original series, please discount the tiny epilogue of a future Chris and Count D's supposed son. This story will by AU or AR, however you feel about Alternate whatevers... I will deem this one, an AC - Alternate Continuation story. Hmm....I think I like that term, never seen it used before, so from here on however I'm inspired to writer alternative endings, I believe that AC is an appropriate acronym for fanfiction. (LOL)

Summary: Part IV - There is still a Pet Shop in L.A.'s Chinatown, only it's not run by who you think. The changes are complete and the shop is now willing to let her chosen leave to seek out his mate, but he still had to come back to her, with or without him.

Speech Legend: (This is the standard by which I write most of my stories and therefore you will not see this repeated in future chapters)

“Normal”

`Thoughts'

(…Other Languages/Mind Speak/Alternate Speech Patterns like sign language…)

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

THE FINAL CHASE - Part I

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

Chris' History

Chris Orcot's life had been seriously altered by his association with Count D, his pet shop and by the new career path that his older brother had turned to after having retired from the Los Angeles police force.

He had chosen his own career path early after that. Although he still had a fondness for the law and everything to do with it. It's just that he'd learned a love for animals that superseded his need to `make things right' in the world by being a cop or a federal agent or something of that nature.

Instead he began his studies as early as he could. It was around the age of eleven when his Mom and Dad had graciously permitted him to live with his big brother for one whole month every year during his summer vacations from school. It was living and working in his brother's shop that he had learned about caring for animals and he re-learned much of what he'd lost when his memories had been taken from him.

His older brother was still cool as seen through the eyes that only a little brother can see through. He was gently encouraged to follow his dreams and one day when a young twelve year old Chris announced, “I'm going to be a Vet,” his brother didn't laugh at him, like his older `sisters' had done. He didn't tell him that it would cost too much or scare him away because it would be full of hard work.

Leon only said, “If that makes you happy, we'll find a way so don't you worry about money.”

After that Chris, only worked hard on his studies and programmed his learning with his teachers in order to skip a couple of grades based on his summer works. He'd been able to finish up his high school requirements, when he was still only sixteen years old, but he began his college studies as soon as he could sign up and pay for the program.

His parents were still fighting against his choice by trying to delay the young man's entry, but his big brother spoke to them about it. They confessed that they felt that Chris was growing up too fast, but it truly was their son's choice. They didn't stand in his way and with their nephew's help, their son had someplace to get his hand-on training a lot faster than many of the other student.

“Four years,” Chris said to his parents. “It might take me four full years to pass the College and University requirements, maybe less because I've already passed a few of those with the highest marks in the class.”

“You're still young,” his mom said. “Are you...”

“Yes,” Chris said with that same stubborn look his older brother had. It was the same look that his biologically mother had and it was a look that his current mom knew all too well.

She smiled and said, “You look just like your mother.”

“Like you, you mean,” Chris said, pulling the aging woman into his long gawky teenage arms. “You're my mom and if I look like someone else it's still you, you know.”

Her husband knew exactly what his son was saying. “He's right,” he said. “Now we need to let him spread his wings. It's our turn to receive him during his summer holidays.” He looked at his son and said, “It'll be good practice for us, empty-nest wise, as your sisters are also moving on with their lives.”

“You know that you both are welcome to visit us,” Chris said. However he knew that they wouldn't because of a scare they'd had when he was only six and living in another pet shop.

“You visit us,” his mother said, handing him his shoulder bag. “You keep your passport up-to-date and you visit us.”

“Yes mam',” he said with a mocking salute and a final hug to both before he had to board the plane to leave.

“Scamp,” she said with her final hug and a couple of tears in her eyes.

The man he'd always called dad was stoically holding himself steady, but there was a look of pride at the thought that his son was following his dreams.

It was a better one than they had thought and it turned out that their nephew had not influenced his baby brother's choices at all. It was just something that fell to Chris naturally and that was how the young man's career path began.

They watched the teenager wave at them one last time before moving along with the other passengers heading west to follow their dreams.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

Chris had one year left of studies before he could work for a year or else take the state exams in order to be able to practice his skills as a Veterinarian of general and slightly exotic pets. He'd taken a few courses in the studies of exotic animals and base zoology, which actually was a bonus because of the number of exotic species in his brother's shop.

His older brother had a treat for him for his nineteenth birthday and his parents, having gotten used to their young son's absence had agreed to allow the boy's older brother to treat him to a European tour of a few cities. The tour would end in Japan, where hopefully the final leg of his older brother's search for the mystery man in their synchronized dreams would be complete.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

They had been living in close proximity to each other, within Orcot's Pet Shop. The shop, itself, had decided that some of their shared memories would be relived as shared dreams to aid Chris' veterinary studies.

The first time it had happened Chris had been frightened and the brothers had a disagreement, until the next time it had happened and Leon stated that he knew that the dreams were actually memories. It only happened a few times when the contracts came back fulfilled or unfulfilled that these dreams occurred.

Chris had asked once, “Do you see people or animals?”

“A little of both,” Leon told him truthfully and then he asked. “What about you, what do you see?”

“Right now just animals,” his little brother told him with his head falling into the crook of his crossed arms that rested on the table. “In my dreams I can see them as people and I can understand them too. Will I ever get that back?”

Leon only ruffled the bent head and said, “I don't know. Maybe one day, if you choose a shop like this or even one that only mends the pets or offers them safe retirement, you never know. Just follow your dreams for now.”

(...Thanks Big Bro...) The sleepy teenager had thought to his brother as he'd done when he'd been six and had been traumatized to speechlessness.

“You're welcome,” Leon answered as though he'd heard him, like he'd always done.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

“Are you excited to visit these places,” Chris asked Leon, as he looked out of the window.

“I am,” his older brother confessed. “I've travelled so little and the most exotic place I've ever been when I was still a Detective had been to South America.”

“Why did you go there,” Chris turned to look at his brother. “Do you remember?”

“I think I was following along,” Leon said jogging his near twenty year old memory of Count D. “We were following a jaguar,” he paused and then nodded. “Yes, that was it. We were following a jaguar to some supposed sunken Mayan treasure or City of Gold, when a miracle happened and the dead lake came alive with fish.”

Chris smiled and looked back out of the window, taking in the landmarks and the fact that they were flying from China to Japan. Japan was the last planned portion of the trip to find the man that had run away from his brother. He sent up a small prayer in hopes that whoever it was still remembered them.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

Chris found a small Patisserie shop in a not so common location of the city. It was called “Antique” and held a lot of wonderful scents. Some were sweet and some were savoury, but they blended in lovely harmony. Having found this out of the way place, he made his plans in conjunction with his brother's needs.

The two planned their day, a Thursday, in which Leon would begin to search the conventional locations for pet shops and Chris would join him later when he had obtained a full bag of “Antique” sweets from the small store. The store only opened at noon, which allowed the still studying teenager to sleep in.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

There was a mall in the Shinjuku part of Tokyo, called Neo-Chinatown and had all manner of items, exotic and possibly borderline legal. However the mall's manager, Woo-Fei Rau, was clean and he ensured that whatever happened or was sold in his mall would never draw the attention of the police force towards them.

The Pet Shop had only been there for almost a year. It suddenly showed up on his tenant list of businesses and the irritatingly beautiful Chinese owner was still evasive about what the merchandise truly was. As manager of the mall, he felt responsible whenever the police were confused about the animal related attacks and the potential link that the shop had, however for the time being he couldn't do anything about it. Still he fervently wished that the shop would move and leave his mall be.

It was in this mall that Chris was sitting at a fountain display when he smelled it. He closed his eyes and without conscious thought he stood up and followed that scent. His eyes were still closed when he bumped into the person he'd been unconsciously followed.

“Oops,” he said opening his eyes and was further shocked when a pair of guards backed him into a wall so that a taller man could address him. “I'm sorry,” he said quickly. “I'm sorry for disturbing you...” However in his mind he showed, (...Big Brother, help...)

(...Where are you?...) Leon projected his thoughts, hoping his brother would be able to hear him.

Chris felt the question more than he heard it. (...Up one flight and a corridor to the left, across from...) He frowned at the image and then projected in an embarrassed tone, (... I'm across from a store that sells, um, sex stuff...)

Leon chuckled having noted some of names of the shops in this particular mall. They were no different from the shops that could be found around his own Pet Shop in L.A., but that was another matter for another day. He followed his brother's frantic thoughts and soon saw what was going on.

“Please,” Chris said in English. “I'm sorry for bumping into you, but don't you think that this is extreme.”

(...Foolish American...) Woo-Fei said in his own language. (...What do you mean by bumping into me like that? Thieves will dealt with...)

(...Hold it right there buster...) Leon said in the same language. (...What do you think you're doing to my little brother?...) He walked up to the men holding them and eyed them until they released his brother's arms. The two men shuffled to stand behind their boss who was looking at them like they were about to pay dearly for their disobedience.

(...Who are you...) Woo-Fei asked turning back to the taller blond man. (...I deal with all thieves in this mall. Who're you to interfere?...)

(...I'm his older brother and if you'd even bothered to listen to him you'd know a mistake was made...) Leon said.

“Why would I believe the words of a foreigner,” Woo-Fei replied in English.

“Look at him,” Leon said pointing to Chris' shaking arms. “What reason would he have to thieve, as you put it?”

The manager looked at the younger man and noted the slight fear and defiance that he had in his foreign blue eyes. They were eyes similar to the taller one standing before him. `A foreigner in a Cheongsam,' he thought about the older of the two. `No wonder my men backed away. This person carries it well and in such a way to imply danger. You're clever foreigner!'

“I'm sorry sir,” Chris said. (...Sor-ry...) He said again in the slow speech of someone just learning the language.

“Faster Chris,” Leon said. “Don't hesitate, just say it.”

(...Sorry...) Chris said with a tiny bow, but he never looked down. It was something that his brother had always reinforced never look down because it implied weakness.

“Why, then were you following me,” Woo-Fei asked the younger of the two.

“You smelled,” Chris said. Quickly he blushed, as the two guards chuckled quietly at that and then stammered out something like, “Clinging smell... scent... memory...I'm sorry.”

Woo-Fei looked at Leon with an eyebrow quirked up.

“Scent memory,” Leon said softly and the nodded. He looked at his brother and said, “You were right, today's the day.” He turned to look at the mall's manager and said, “There is a scent about you that triggered a memory in my brother. He might have followed you, only to find out where you'd been that had that scent.”

“Yes sir,” Chris said in earnestness. He was still clutching his bags of “Antique” baked goods in front of him. A quick look showed that nothing had been disturbed by the manhandling he recently received.

“Scent,” Woo-Fei said with a frown.

“Some shops may be using incense to sweeten the air,” Leon said. “Have you been in one that uses this technique perhaps that is why a scent memory was triggered in my little brother?”

“Scent memory,” Woo-Fei said with a frown. It sounded like a positively cracked up reason for bumping into someone or even just following them.

“Yes,” Leon said. “Have you never noticed that some scents will trigger memories? For example the gun oil surrounding your bodyguards, have triggered some fond memories for me and are reminding me of the days when I used to work as a detective in America.” His look was calm, but the guards somehow sensed that this man was dangerous.

Woo-Fei Rau was tired of the whole conversation and in trying to put it out of his mind he said, (...There is a tenant that I had just come from visiting. It's a shop one floor lower and to the right of this location. I wish you luck with that owner. If you can convince him to leave, I'd appreciate it...)

Leon just looked at the mall manager with a questioning look.

(...Tell your brother to be more careful next time...) Woo-Fei said and turned to his bodyguards with a tilt of his head to tell them to get going.

(...Thank you...) Leon said. The two brothers looked at the receding back of the business man and then they looked at each other. “You be careful next time.”

“I'm sorry,” Chris said. “At least the treats are fine, see...,” he held out the bag to show the box inside. “In the box they didn't get squished.”

Leon sighed and kept a hold of his own purchase. He still couldn't handle conventional or confectionary sweets, so he'd needed to pick up something in its natural form that he could handle. “Shall we check it out,” he asked. “Or do you want to give that up and continue on with our plans to visit the temples in the outer lying areas?”

“Today is the day,” Chris said in the same tone that he'd used this morning when Leon had shaken him awake to let him that he was stepping out. It was the reason that his older brother was wearing the deep blue Cheongsam with the black silk pants.

“Very well,” Leon said. “Let's go and you go in there first.”

“Why,” Chris half whined in a play.

“Because he's less likely to throw you out and you can block that annoying goat-creature for me,” Leon said, still remembering the fact that his legs and butt were used as a chew toy by a Totetsu. He can defend himself now, but still... why borrow trouble.

Chris chuckled and said, “Okay.”

The foreign blond-haired brothers, who looked so much alike now that youngest one was older, were causing twitters of giggles and hushed conversations among some of the teen-aged girls that were in the mall to window shop for fun. They were ignored in favour of getting to the strange Pet Shop that had haunted their dreams for so long.

“You really did chase him all this way, big brother?” Chris asked pulled the sliding door of `Count D's Pet Shop' open.

“Seems like it,” Leon replied following his baby brother into an incense filled shop. “I was always one step behind him, but I believe that this is the end.”

They both stopped to inhale that lost scent, when Chris felt large tears forming in his eyes. A handkerchief was placed in his hand as big brother took hold of the bag of confections. His memories came forward and it was nearly all he could do not to collapse with the onslaught.

The shop registered their arrival. Only it registered a human and an animal, so D was quite open in his greeting until he looked up from his bow to see who was there. His jaw dropped, rather unattractively in an open gaped mouth form of surprised.... O.

Leon O - Count D - Leon O - Count D

TBC...