FIC: Daiki, Part 17 (of 22)

[geri_chan]

Title: Daiki, Part 17 (of 22)
Rating: R overall, but mostly PG-13
Pairing: Leon/D
Word count: ~9,000
Disclaimer: Characters belong to Matsuri Akino and Yumiko Kawahara. No money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
Sequel to: This can be considered a continuation of my earlier series of stories (Revenge, The Day After, Spirits, Blodeuedd), but it can stand on its own as my version of what happens after Book 10.

Thanks to: Spare from the Petshop discussion group on Yahoo, who planted the plot bunny in my head about the Dolls shopkeeper being Leon and D's child! ^_^

Summary: A crossover between Petshop of Horrors by Matsuri Akino and Dolls by Yumiko Kawahara. A wealthy man wants to obtain a special type of flower that can only grow on a Plant Doll; Chris arrives at the Plant Dolls shop seeking consolation. The first half of the story is based on "The Tiara of Melancholy," the fourth chapter in the fourth volume of the Dolls manga.

Part 1a, Part 1b, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, Part 6, Part 7, Part 8, Part 9, Part 10, Part 11, Part 12, Part 13, Part 14, Part 15a, Part 15b, Part 16

***

Melanie and Joshua Spencer were sitting in the entertainment room of an eccentric billionaire named Reynard. He was famous for collecting objects of beauty--his mansion was filled with rare and priceless paintings, sculptures, vases, and other art objects that would have been the pride of any museum. He also collected beautiful women, in a manner of speaking; he was often seen at high society parties with a beautiful model, actress, or heiress on his arm, a different woman every time. Melanie--better known to her friends and family as "Mel"--was blonde and beautiful, and was perfectly aware of that fact, with no false modesty. She crossed her long legs, showing them off to good advantage as her short skirt rode up slightly on her thighs, but Reynard took no apparent notice, maintaining a friendly but brisk and professional attitude.

Mel sighed inwardly; she hadn't really thought that a man like Reynard would be interested in the owner of a handyman business, but it was worth a shot. He was handsome enough, his dark curls falling forward across his face to give him a kind of rakish charm, and he was more than wealthy enough. But Mel wasn't too disappointed; if they could pull off this job, they'd receive a substantial chunk of Reynard's money, which was what she was really interested in, after all.

Joshua frowned at her disapprovingly--he didn't like it when she exploited her charms to manipulate men; he always had been a bit prudish. They were not unlike in looks, both with blonde hair and fair skin, but Joshua was shy, quiet, and a little dreamy. He had always found it difficult to socialize with people, which meant that he had trouble finding work, so Mel had recruited him to work in the handyman business she had started after getting a divorce several years ago. He had a knack for gardening, although he complained that she made him do all the hard work of pulling weeds. But that was how it should be; she was the brains of the operation, after all. It was the prerogative of a manager to delegate work, and anyway, despite all his complaining, Joshua hadn't bothered to look for another job, so it couldn't bother him all that much.

Mel took in all the audiovisual equipment in the room with a discerning eye, mentally adding up prices in her head. "My, what an impressive video room you have," she said to their host.

"Oh, no, it's full of old stuff," Reynard laughed in a self-deprecating manner. "It's embarrassing, really. Now, this is a rather old tape, so I'm not sure how well it will play..."

As he turned away to set up the video equipment, Mel murmured to her brother, "This is all top of the line, professional grade. He's a showoff, but casual about it."

"Casual?" Joshua asked.

"And he seems to part easily with money," Mel said happily, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Ah, it's working," Reynard said as the video began to play. "This is what I wanted to show you."

An incredibly beautiful little girl appeared on the projection screen. She had flawlessly smooth and fair skin, and waist-length hair that looked like it was made of spun gold; she was far too perfect to be a normal human child.

"Oh, how lovely," Mel gushed, since that seemed to be what their host expected. "What a beautiful Plant Doll! It must be of extremely high quality." She couldn't afford such a thing, of course, and had neither the time nor inclination to take care of a pet, but a couple of her wealthy clients owned Plants Dolls, so she recognized the doll for what it was.

"You have a keen eye," Reynard said approvingly.

The doll was dressed in an elaborate silk gown of dusty rose-pink and wore a small tiara on her head. "It could be a princess from a fairy tale," Mel said. "It's even wearing a tiara."

"Precisely," Reynard said with satisfaction, as if she had picked up on a key point. His expression remained genial, but a hint of intense emotion colored his voice--passion, perhaps, or avarice, or maybe both. "This is about the tiara. I would very much like to enlist your help in getting one."

"Oh?" Mel asked. "Then this Plant Doll isn't here in your mansion?"

"Unfortunately, no," Reynard said regretfully. "This one was owned by a friend of mine. And what's really unfortunate is that this particular Plant Doll no longer exists."

"Oh my, how unfortunate indeed," Mel said.

"The only thing that remains is this footage," Reynard continued. "Please watch the tiara closely. I will show it in fast forward." He sped up the film, and it was obvious that time was passing from the different outfits that the doll was clad in, and it was even more obvious that the tiara was actually some sort of plant. What appeared to be gold wire was actually thin gold stems and vines, and what appeared to be jewels were actually tiny flower buds. Hours and days flew by in seconds as the film continued in accelerated speed, and the buds began to bloom, sprouting into petals and larger buds, until finally the tiara exploded into a single huge flower, an exquisitely beautifully crown of deep coral-pink petals.

"Well, what do you think?" Reynard asked, pausing the video image.

Mel was stunned into speechlessness, and it took her a moment to regain her composure and reply, "That was...quite surprising."

"Was that...a real plant?" Joshua asked hesitantly.

"That's right," Reynard replied. "It's actually a parasitic kind of plant that can grow only on a host Plant Doll. It's a rarity of rarities; only a handful of cases have ever been discovered. And this is the only existing recording of one. It has not even been formally named, so we have been tentatively calling it the 'Tiara Flower'."

"I understand that you'd like to commission somebody for a job," Mel said, getting down to business. "Would you like us to find this plant?"

"No, that is not it," Reynard said. "I have been able to gain possession of one precious seed of the Tiara Flower seen on this video. What I am searching for is someone who can grow the tiara. Not just any tiara...but the Phantom Blue Tiara."

"The Phantom Blue Tiara?" Mel echoed.

"As you have just witnessed, this tiara has a brilliant coral color," Reynard replied. "All the other known cases have also been of this color. You no doubt know that love is what nurtures and enhances the beauty of a Plant Doll. According to the prevailing theories, tiaras that bloom on perfectly content Plant Dolls are always coral colored."

"Are you saying that in order for a blue tiara to bloom, the Plant Doll cannot be content?" Mel asked.

"No, not quite," Reynard said, shaking his head. "A discontent Plant Doll would wilt and the tiara would never produce a flower. But the higher the quality of the Plant Doll, the more it can absorb the subtle nuances of love. For example, say you have love filled with hidden layers of poignant sadness. The doll could learn to accept that as sweet melancholy. They say that only a tiara that is raised on this kind of sweet melancholy will bloom as the Phantom Blue Tiara. My most ardent desire is to see this blue tiara blossom, and to achieve this, I would spend my entire fortune without regrets."

***

"I want this!" Mel exclaimed, as she and her brother walked down the streets of Chinatown after leaving Reynard's mansion. "I'm definitely snagging this job!"

"What, you bought that story?" Joshua asked skeptically.

"Why not, don't you?" Mel asked. "What a boring guy you are!" It was a fantastic story, to be sure, but the video was proof that the Tiara Flower existed, and there was no reason for Reynard to waste his time spinning fairy tales for complete strangers. But more than logic, the hunger in Reynard's voice when he spoke of the flower convinced Mel that he was telling the truth.

"The way he sounded, I bet that success will be richly compensated," Mel said gleefully, already seeing dollar signs in her head. "This is our big break! A once in a lifetime opportunity! We can quit doing tiresome stuff like weeding."

"I happen to like weeding," Joshua muttered, sounding a little offended.

"Oh really?" Mel retorted. And after all the complaining you've done, you little brat! she added silently. "Then you can keep right on weeding," Mel continued aloud. "But just remember...I'm the boss, and you're just the errand boy." She grinned at her brother, and he just sighed and meekly followed after her.

"A lot of others showed up for the interviews, too," he pointed out.

"Whoever strikes first, wins," Mel said determinedly. "Come along."

"Where to?"

"To buy a Plant Doll, of course," Mel replied. "First we have to get our hands on a top quality doll. Without that, we have nothing."

"B-but..." Joshua protested weakly.

"Don't worry; we can take out a loan," Mel said blithely. "If need be, I'll just bat my eyes."

"I don't know," Joshua sighed, as Mel laughed confidently. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Just leave everything to your big sister," Mel said with a wink.

The Plant Dolls shop owner was a gorgeous blond man who was polite and attentive to his two new customers, but he seemed immune to Mel's eye-batting. Mel thought that might have something to do with the handsome dark-haired man he had been having tea with when they arrived. Judging by his clothes, the dark-haired man did not have enough money to buy a Plant Doll, so he must be a friend--or boyfriend--rather than a customer. Mel repressed a regretful sigh. Well, no matter--if they could get a top-quality doll capable of bearing a Tiara Flower, Reynard would cough up the money.

Upon being told that they were looking for a doll of the highest quality, the shopkeeper led them to a lovely blonde Plant Doll clad in a green, Chinese-style dress with a high Mandarin collar. Like all the other dolls in the shop, she was asleep and her eyes were closed, which showed off her long, golden eyelashes to nice effect as they rested against her milk-white skin.

"My recommendation at the moment would be this one here," the shopkeeper said. "This Plant Doll is named Jade. It is an extremely delicate item of unusually high quality."

"Hmm," Mel said, looking over the doll carefully. It was certainly beautiful and of good quality, but was it good enough for the Phantom Blue Tiara? "Is this your most expensive one?" Mel asked the shopkeeper.

"Well, let me see," he replied, thinking it over for a moment as he jotted down some figures on a small placard, using a calligraphy brush and ink bottle instead of a simple ball-point pen. Mel figured that was all part of the show, designed to convey the impression to his customers that this was really a high-class shop. "There is another Plant Doll, Coral, that I can recommend with utmost confidence," he said. "Would you care to look?"

"That name doesn't bode well, so no thanks," Mel said.

The shopkeeper gave her a puzzled smile, then said, "Is that so? The remaining possibility is a rather difficult plant." He led Mel and Joshua to a corner at the back of the shop where another sleeping doll rested, this one dressed in a white kimono with blue trim. "This is a rare item of the very highest quality. Its name is Moon Blossom."

It was quite different from the other dolls in the shop; most of them had golden hair, and a few were brunettes, but Moon Blossom was the only doll that had silvery-white hair--not like that of an elderly person, but as if moonlight had somehow been captured and spun into strands of silk to create her hair, which fell in a smooth cascade from the top of her head down to her ankles. Her skin was porcelain-fair and smooth, so pale and fine that it almost seemed to glow with an inner light.

"Oh," Mel gasped. "She's beautiful, this one. Don't you think so, Josh?"

"What...?" Joshua replied, as if he hadn't been paying attention. "Oh...yeah."

This is why I'm the brains of the operation, Mel thought to herself impatiently. "How can I put this?" Mel said, speaking to the shopkeeper, but the words were actually for her brother's benefit. She did not really care for dolls, but she always recognized quality when she saw it. "The air itself feels different. All the other ones were beautiful, too, but this one..."

"Indeed," the shopkeeper said, regarding Mel with a bit more respect. "But to tell the truth, I do not recommend this particular item to customers purchasing for the first time."

"Oh?" Mel asked, feeling rather put out. She was sure that Moon Blossom would be a perfect host for the Phantom Blue Tiara. "Why not?"

"You see," the shopkeeper explained, "this type of Plant Doll is moody and difficult to please. Even after awakening, this type tends to be slow to form attachments."

"Hey," Mel said in surprise as the doll's eyes suddenly popped open; they were a very vivid shade of blue.

"Oh...?" the shopkeeper said uncertainly, looking just as surprised as Mel.

Moon Blossom slowly looked around, then her eyes focused on Joshua, and she ran forward and flung her arms around him.

"Er..." a flustered Joshua said.

"So you were saying...she's hard to please, eh?" Mel told the shopkeeper with a sly grin.

"Aaagh, not this again!" the shopkeeper groaned, whacking his forehead with the placard he was holding. The dark-haired man, who had been watching quietly up until now, chuckled.

"It is rare, but occasionally people like this will be accepted unconditionally," the shopkeeper sighed. "We refer to this as 'being on the same wavelength'."

Mel lit up a cigarette and took a puff. She half-expected the shopkeeper to tell her to put it out, that the smoke was bad for the dollies or something, but either he didn't care or he was still distracted by the sight of Moon Blossom cuddling up to Joshua, giggling and squealing happily. Except for her extraordinary beauty, she almost seemed like a normal little girl. "Hey, this little Moon Blossom better really be a top of the line item," Mel said suspiciously. "She doesn't exactly act like it."

"This is a superb item that the artisan, a true master, has raised with the utmost care," the shopkeeper said, sounding offended that Mel would question the doll's quality.

"We can't make the mistake of buying a cheap one," Mel said firmly. "We need to make a tiara bloom."

The shopkeeper's expression suddenly changed from annoyed to troubled. "A...tiara?" he said slowly. "Is that what you said?"

"Oh yeah, of course you'd know about it," Mel replied. "It's your profession, after all. Good, then give us your expert advice. We want to make a blue tiara bloom."

"Ah, is that so?" the shopkeeper murmured. "A blue tiara...?"

Mel nodded. "Apparently it's prefaced with the word 'phantom'. Does it really exist?"

"I myself have never seen one," the shopkeeper replied. "But I have heard tell that it exists."

"You see, stupid brother?!" Mel cried triumphantly. "He said they really exist! So there!"

"Whoa," Joshua said, backing away nervously in the face of his sister's vehemence, although his movement was hampered somewhat by the Plant Doll that was still clinging to him.

"Okay then," Mel said, turning back to the shopkeeper, "one more question. This is important: could a tiara bloom on little Moon Blossom?"

"In terms of quality, she should more than suffice," the shopkeeper said, still looking troubled. "However..."

Mel didn't know or care about what was bothering the pretty shopkeeper; all that mattered was planting the tiara seed on Moon Blossom and collecting the reward. "So the rest depends on how we go about doing it, right?" she asked eagerly. "Fab! Could you prepare a loan, then? Or just write out the terms, and we can go ahead and charge it to Mr. Reynard."

"I beg your pardon," the shopkeeper said, "but to what extent do you know about the Tiara Flower?"

"I just know that we'll get loads of money once we make the blue tiara bloom," Mel replied with a grin, and the shopkeeper sighed and turned towards Joshua.

"How about you, sir?"

"What?" Joshua asked, looking startled; Moon Blossom was still clinging to him like a limpet. "Oh...it was very beautiful. Of course, all I saw was a video of it."

Mel took another drag on her cigarette, noting that the shopkeeper looked even more troubled than before, enough to make the dark-haired boyfriend take notice and ask, "Daiki? Is something wrong?"

Daiki--at least, Mel assumed that must be the shopkeeper's name--turned back to Mel and said gravely, "You do realize that the tiara is a parasitic plant?"

"I heard as much," Mel replied. "So what?"

"If you would allow me to explain," Daiki continued, "the tiara is a plant that grows using the Plant Doll for sustenance. The flower wilts after a single day. The reason is that there is a limit to the nourishment that the small body of a Plant Doll can provide. Most of the nourishment is already depleted by the time the flower blooms."

"Oh, is that right?" Mel asked in a bored voice, blowing a smoke ring into the air. Just great, she thought to herself. Bio 101.

"That means," Daiki replied, his voice growing a little sharp, not unlike a teacher with a less-than-attentive pupil, "when the Tiara Flower wilts, the Plant Doll wilts also."

"What?" Joshua gasped, his eyes going wide with shock.

"In other words," Daiki continued, "raising a Plant Doll with the intention of growing a tiara is tantamount to raising a Plant Doll to become sustenance for the tiara."

"Hmm," Mel said, taking a drag on the cigarette and then slowly exhaling. "How shocking. The things rich people dream up."

"The reason we do not see more tiaras is because they are destroyed by those who do not have the heart to make a Plant Doll wilt. True, it is a rare and beautiful flower, but..."

The shopkeeper's voice trailed off, and Joshua looked down at Moon Blossom, who smiled up at him trustingly, radiating such happiness that she almost seemed to visibly sparkle. "Um...excuse me," Joshua said, reaching for the placard that Daiki had written the prices of the Plant Dolls on. When he saw the figures, his eyes nearly popped out of his head. "What a...large sum," he said weakly, looking as if he was going to faint. "All that for a single day? For that one flower? The Plant Doll becomes food...?" His legs began to wobble and he had to reach out and grab the edge of the desk for support.

"Well, I'm sure Reynard will pay for it, so it's fine with me," Mel said with an unconcerned shrug.

"What dissimilar siblings," Daiki muttered under his breath, and Mel was pretty sure he didn't intend it as a compliment, at least not to her. But she didn't care if he thought she was a cold-blooded bitch, so long as he sold them the doll. She felt a bit sorry for Moon Blossom, but it was only a plant, after all, and Reynard's reward would ensure that she and Joshua could live in comfort for the rest of their lives.

"So will you sell it to us or not?" she asked. "I've heard you won't sell to customers you don't care for."

"Since it has already awakened, I must ask you to take her with you," Daiki said in a resigned voice. "It would only end up wilting if you left it here." He smiled sadly at Joshua. "I have no choice but to entrust her to you, my customer."

***

"Are you really going to let them take Moon Blossom, Daiki?!" Raphael exclaimed, jumping to his feet as the Spencers left with the Plant Doll.

"As I told the customers, I have no choice," Daiki replied, sighing heavily. "She will wilt if I do not let the young man take her."

"But she'll wilt if they plant this tiara thing on her, anyway!" Raphael pointed out.

In spite of his obvious concern, Daiki smiled a little. "For someone who was willing to risk Rainy Moon's life with your portrait, you're very concerned about Moon Blossom, Raphael."

"Ouch," Raphael said, wincing as he smiled ruefully. "Okay, I suppose I deserve that. But if you stopped me from painting the portrait, isn't there some way that you can stop these people from planting the tiara? The fee hasn't been paid yet, so there's still time to stop the sale before it becomes official." The Spencer siblings did not have enough money to pay Moon Blossom's asking price, of course, so Daiki had drawn up a contract for them to give to their employer.

"The contract is only a formality in this case," Daiki said. "The real transaction took place the moment that Moon Blossom opened her eyes and saw Joshua Spencer. Regardless of whether the fee is paid or not, I cannot separate Moon Blossom from her owner without causing her to wilt. As for the fee, while I do not know Mr. Reynard personally, I know of him by reputation. He is said to be a man who honors his promises, so I have no doubt that he will send the payment if he believes that Moon Blossom is capable of bearing a tiara, which unfortunately, she most certainly is."

Raphael nodded in reluctant agreement. He knew of Reynard by reputation, too--well, just about everyone in the entire country knew who he was, since the billionaire playboy regularly appeared in all the gossip magazines and tabloids. But Reynard was also well known in the art world as a patron of distinguished tastes, and he had purchased a few pieces from the gallery where Jason worked, and Jason had said that Reynard could be ruthless when he had his mind set on obtaining a particular piece. If someone else owned a painting or other art object that Reynard wanted, he had no qualms about bribing or blackmailing the owner into giving it up. But to his credit, once he gave his word, he always honored it, and he always paid fair market value to the previous owner, even when he coerced the person into selling. Reynard had enough money to purchase Moon Blossom several times over, and he wouldn't hesitate to use her as fodder for the Tiara Flower.

"So what will happen to Moon Blossom?" Raphael asked softly.

"There are three possibilities," Daiki replied. "First, Moon Blossom might turn out to be incapable of bearing the Phantom Blue Tiara, in which case Reynard would have no use for her, and would probably release the Spencers from their contract."

"What would render her incapable?" Raphael asked.

"If she were of insufficient quality to grow the flower," Daiki replied. "However, she is the highest quality doll that this shop has to offer, so I find that rather unlikely. And if she were raised to be perfectly happy and content, the Tiara Flower would be coral-colored when it blossomed, and apparently Reynard wants a blue flower, which can only grow on a doll raised on sweet melancholy, or love laced with sadness. But I do not think that Joshua Spencer is the sort of person who could feel no sadness knowing that the doll he is raising is destined to die. His sister, on the other hand, could blithely and cheerfully ignore such a fact, but she would never be able to bond with a Plant Doll in the first place. A Plant Doll must be raised on love, and Melanie Spencer truly loves only two things in this world."

"And those would be...?" Raphael prodded when Daiki paused for dramatic effect.

"Money and her brother," Daiki said. "Which doesn't necessarily make her a bad person, but she does not have the generosity of spirit required to bond with a Plant Doll."

Raphael wondered that Daiki was able to speak of the Spencers' inner feelings and motivations with such certainty when he had only just met them today. He wondered if it was a kami ability, to be able to read minds--or hearts. And if that were true, Raphael wondered, a little nervously, if Daiki had ever looked into his heart, and if so, what he had seen there.

"Is something wrong, Raphael?"

"So what's the second possibility?" Raphael asked, sidestepping Daiki's question with one of his own. "You said there were three."

"The second possibility is that Joshua will love Moon Blossom enough to find the strength to save her--to run away with her, perhaps, or destroy the tiara seed, or find some other way to rescue her."

"Takes a lot of guts to go up against a rich guy like Reynard," Raphael said doubtfully. "I've heard he can be pretty ruthless, and I'm not sure that Spencer kid is up to it. Not to mention that he'd probably have to take on his sister as well as Reynard."

Daiki nodded. "And of course, the third possibility is that he will, however reluctantly, follow Reynard's orders and raise Moon Blossom to bear the tiara, and she will wilt."

"How can you stand it?" Raphael asked in helpless frustration. He was already going crazy with worry himself, and he was merely fond of the Plant Dolls, while Daiki had raised them from seedlings, tenderly caring for them as if they were his own children.

"I have no choice but to trust in the choice of the doll," Daiki replied, smiling although he still looked a little worried. "Like the pets in my Papa's shop, the dolls always choose their owners, not the other way around. If Moon Blossom has faith in Joshua, then I must hope that he will prove himself worthy of her trust."

"I don't know," Raphael said, shaking his head. "That's a pretty heavy burden, and like I said, I don't think--"

Just then, the phone rang and Daiki said, "Excuse me a moment, please," and answered the phone. "Plant Dolls shop," he said in his professional courteous voice, then said with more sincere warmth, "Oh, hello, Papa. Yes, I'm fine, and so is Raphael. Tet-chan? Yes, he's here. I believe that he'll be staying the night; I hope that won't inconvenience you too much. You already ordered take-out from the Eastern Garden? That's good. Yes, I've noticed that Tet-chan has been moody recently....yes, around the time that Raphael was able to see the pets in their human forms. Tet-chan and I have always been close, and he may be feeling a little left out. Don't worry, Papa, I'll look after him and give him lots of attention, and let him know that he's still my best friend. Yes, we'll try to stop by for dinner tomorrow. Give my love to Dad. Goodbye, Papa." Daiki sighed as he hung up the phone. "Papa is worried about Tet-chan. He thinks that Tet-chan is feeling left out because you and I are a couple now, so I let him think that Tet-chan is staying over so that I can give him some extra attention to reassure him. I hate misleading my parents, but I promised Tet-chan that I wouldn't tell them about his feelings for Chris, and I promised Chris that I wouldn't tell them about the young Count."

"I'm worried about the little beast, too," Raphael said, glancing under the couch where Tet-chan lay sleeping. At least, Raphael assumed that he was asleep, since he hadn't uttered so much as a growl, and was lying so still that he could easily be mistaken for an orange dust mop; the Spencers hadn't even noticed that he was in the room. Ever since he had learned about Chris and the other Count, Tet-chan had been spending most of his time at Daiki's shop, and he was too miserable and listless to try to bite Raphael even when his ankle was temptingly close within reach. "I almost wish he'd bite me, if it would make him feel a little better," Raphael said, only half-jokingly.

Even that statement was not enough to draw Tet-chan out from under the couch, and Raphael and Daiki exchanged a concerned look. "I've never seen him like this before," Daiki fretted. "He's barely eaten anything since Uncle Chris's visit. I don't think that even human flesh would tempt him now. I don't know what to do if he keeps on like this; you can't exactly take a sick Tou-Tet to the vet."

"He's not suffering from anything that a doctor or a vet could treat, anyway," Raphael said with a sad smile. "There's no cure for heartbreak that I know of, except maybe time."

"Tet-chan," Daiki called out in a gentle voice, "won't you please come out and have something to eat?" When his question was answered only with silence, Daiki cajoled in a charmingly mischievous voice, "Well then, I'm rather hungry, so would you please make something for me, Tet-chan? I would really love some of your mock-birdnest soup." But the Tou-Tet still did not stir, and Daiki sighed heavily.

The door to the shop opened, and Daiki turned to greet the customer, saying, "I am sorry, but we are just about ready to close--oh, Uncle Chris!" Daiki's voice was filled with pleasant surprise as he greeted his uncle, but his tone quickly changed to one of alarm as he asked, "Why Uncle Chris, what's wrong?"

Chris's eyes were red, and his eyelids were swollen, as if he had been crying, and there was a look of abject despair on his face. "The Count," he whispered miserably as he sank into the closest empty chair. "He's found someone else." Beneath the couch, the orange dust mop twitched slightly.

"What?!" Daiki exclaimed. "Who? No, wait--let me get you some tea, and you can explain everything to me."

Raphael smiled as he watched Daiki bustle about preparing a fresh pot of tea; only Daiki's family could get the serene blond shopkeeper so flustered, and Raphael found it endearing. He also found it amusing that whenever someone was upset, Daiki's first impulse was to offer them a cup of tea, a habit that Raphael suspected he had picked up from Count D.

Raphael didn't know Chris very well, having met him only once, and felt as if he shouldn't intrude on such a personal conversation, so he sat on the couch and watched from across the room as Daiki fussed over Chris and made him drink some tea, heavily flavored with sugar and milk. He offered Chris a plate of cookies, but Chris grimaced and shook his head, pushing the plate away. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I don't mean to be rude, Dai, but I can't look at any sweets right now; it just reminds me of him..."

"Oh, of course," Daiki said remorsefully. "I'm sorry, Uncle Chris."

"Don't be, Dai," Chris said, sounding a little guilty. "It's not your fault. It's just...it hurts so much. I thought I had a chance with D, and then that guy walks in and they look into each other's eyes, and it's just love at first sight!"

He began to weep, and Daiki frowned, looking puzzled and concerned. "Who walked in, Uncle Chris?"

"Vesca," Chris replied, still weeping. "Vesca Howell, only it's not really Howell. He's been reborn, like the Count's...your Papa's...father was."

Between sobs, Chris told Daiki a very confusing and not quite coherent story about how a private detective, who was apparently the reincarnation of the slain F.B.I. agent Vesca Howell, had turned up at the San Francisco petshop, and he and the Count had fallen in love at first sight, like something out of a fairy tale. Or rather, the love that they had felt for each other in their previous lives had reawakened when they met face-to-face--or something like that, anyway. Raphael didn't quite understand all the details, but he did understand one thing: the young Count had fallen in love with someone else and rejected Chris.

"Tet-chan!" Raphael hissed. "Did you hear that? Chris is a free agent now!"

"So what?" Tet-chan asked lethargically. "It still doesn't do me any good."

"What are you talking about?" Raphael demanded. "Sure, he's brokenhearted right now, but it's a perfect opportunity for you to comfort him! I think it was more of a crush than true love, anyway. This is your chance to let him know how you feel about him."

Tet-chan poked his head out from under the couch and glared at Raphael; fortunately, Chris was too distraught to notice their hushed argument about him. "For one thing," the Tou-Tet growled, "he can't understand what I'm saying. For another thing, do you really think that he wants to play kissy-face with a sheep?"

"You told me that you weren't a sheep or a goat, but a Tou-Tet, the most fearsome beast in China," Raphael retorted. "Chris knows that you're not really a sheep, and anyway, I wasn't suggesting that you try to get physical with him in that form, just that you should let him know how much you care about him."

"Oh?" Tet-chan asked in a voice dripping with sarcasm. "And how, pray tell, do you suggest that I do that when Chris can't understand what I'm saying? You know, for someone who thought that I was a pet goat up until recently, you sure are full of unwanted advice!"

"I didn't know that you were a Tou-Tet, but I knew that you weren't just an ordinary goat!" Raphael snapped. "And you don't necessarily need words to communicate--as an artist, I know that better than anyone. My portraits can't speak, but I can make them convey love and happiness with a gentle smile or a poignant look in their eyes." Raphael smiled wryly and pulled up the cuff of his pants to expose the small scars on his ankle left by Tet-chan's teeth. "You certainly managed to express your dislike for me most eloquently without any words."

"Oh, so you think I should bite Chris?" Tet-chan asked sarcastically.

"Only if that's what he's into," Raphael quipped, and hastily pulled his legs up onto the couch, out of reach of Tet-chan's sharp teeth. "Good, at least you're finally showing some reaction instead of lying there imitating a dust mop!"

"I'll show you who's a dust mop!" Tet-chan growled, but both he and Raphael were distracted when a Plant Doll lying on a small couch at the back of the shop suddenly sat up and yawned, stretching her arms. It was a doll with long, golden-brown hair, the one that Daiki whimsically referred to as "Sleeping Beauty," because she had gone into hibernation after her original owner died. She had not woken even once since that day; Daiki fed her and bathed her and tended to her as he did to the other dolls, but she had remained asleep through it all--up until now.

Sleeping Beauty jumped down from the couch, then walked across the room to where Chris was sitting. She gently placed her little hand over his, and gazed up at him with a look of gentle compassion in her sky-blue eyes.

"Oh!" Daiki exclaimed.

"Wha...what is this?" a startled Chris asked, tears still running down his face.

"This is Sleeping Beauty," Daiki said, giving Chris and the doll a shrewd and thoughtful look. "She has been at this shop for some time. She is previously owned, you see, and most customers shy away from buying used."

"What happened to her first owner?" Chris asked, peering down at the doll curiously. She smiled at him reassuringly, and reached up to brush away his tears with her hand.

"Alas," Daiki sighed sadly, "he died of an illness, and left instructions for her to be returned to the shop after his death. Most Plant Dolls do not survive the deaths of their owners, but I was able to put her into hibernation and prevent her from wilting. I was hoping that a prince would come along and awaken her, but as I said, most of my customers do not like to buy used merchandise."

"She's not 'merchandise'!" Chris said indignantly. "She's a person, a little girl, even if she is also a plant. How can people be so cold-hearted?" The doll smiled up at him anxiously, and Chris gently laid a hand on her head. "She's so beautiful; how could anyone think of her as 'used merchandise'? Don't worry, little one. I'm sure that a prince will come along someday, someone worthy of you, who will appreciate your kindness and your beauty."

"Oh, I'd say that he already has," Daiki said with amusement.

"Huh?" Chris asked, as the doll laughed joyfully and clambered up onto his lap to embrace him.

Daiki smiled and shook his head. "No offense, Uncle Chris, but you can be a little dense at times," he said with gentle affection. "I'm sure I've told you before that a Plant Doll awakens only for its owner."

Chris stared at him blankly for a moment, then his eyes widened and he said, "Uh...you mean...?"

"Sleeping Beauty has chosen you as her prince," Daiki finished with a smile. He picked up a placard from a nearby table. "Let's see...her price is thus...but she is used, after all, so I shall give you a discount of this much...and then another small discount since you are family..."

"Wait a minute!" Chris shouted. "You're going to charge me for her?!"

"Why, of course," Daiki replied matter-of-factly, without looking up from the placard. "Let's see, that brings the total to..."

"But it's not like I came here intending to buy a doll!" Chris protested.

"That doesn't matter," Daiki said serenely. "Now that she has bonded to you, it is impossible for me to sell her to anyone else. Therefore, you must compensate me for her loss. Don't worry, Uncle Chris, it only comes out to this much." He held up the placard.

"Gah!" cried Chris. "I'm a government worker, Dai, not one of your rich, aristocratic customers!"

"But you make a fairly good living as an F.B.I. agent," Daiki argued persuasively. "And you live alone, with no dependents, so you have more disposable income than someone with a family to support. And you don't have to pay for travel expenses, because Papa always gives you airline tickets for Christmas and your birthday. And--"

"That's not the point!" Chris interrupted. "Look, my work schedule is unpredictable, and I don't have time to take care of a Plant Doll! The dolls have to be fed three times a day, and like you said, I live alone, so who's going to feed her while I'm at work? What happens when I have to stay out all night on a stakeout? I just can't..." His voice trailed off as Sleeping Beauty's eyes filled with tears and her lower lip began to quiver. "Oh no," Chris groaned. "Please don't look at me that way! It's for your own good, I'm telling you!" But even as he spoke, he was wrapping his arms around her and holding her tenderly. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked helplessly.

"Well, if you absolutely refuse to take her, I can't force you," Daiki said, sighing dramatically. "But I fear that Sleeping Beauty's heart will be irreparably broken by a second loss, and this time I may not be able to save her from wilting..."

"All right, all right!" Chris exclaimed, throwing up his arms in defeat. "You win; I'll take her!" The doll's tears instantly vanished and she smiled up at him radiantly. "You know, I think you both ought to win an Oscar for your acting skills," he grumbled to the doll and his nephew. "But I want a bigger discount, and you're going to have to help me find a baby-sitter to look after her while I'm at work."

"You drive a hard bargain, Uncle Chris," Daiki said approvingly, and began to draw up a contract.

"Look at that!" Raphael said triumphantly to Tet-chan. "That little Plant Doll managed to make her feelings known without uttering a single word! Are you going to let a doll get the better of you?"

"It's not the same thing," Tet-chan protested. "I want him to look at me as a lover, not a child or a pet!"

"I'm not saying that you should act like a Plant Doll!" Raphael said in an exasperated voice. "I'm just saying that you don't need words to express your love for Chris. Look, instead of wasting time arguing with me, why don't you get over there and tell him how you really feel? I think it was my love for Daiki that allowed me to finally see your true form. Maybe your love will help Chris regain his Sight."

"You don't know that," Tet-chan whined uncertainly, retreating back under the couch.

"Fine!" Raphael said sharply. "I never thought of you as a coward, Tet-chan, but you can hide under that couch for the rest of your life, for all I care. But just remember one thing: Chris might be heartbroken now, but eventually he'll move on; it's only human nature. Eventually some other man, or maybe a woman, will come along and catch his eye. And he's a charming, good-looking guy; I'm sure there are a lot of people out there who would like him for a boyfriend. So don't come crying to me if Chris shows up at the shop in a month or two with a new boyfriend or girlfriend--"

Before Raphael could finish his sentence, a bundle of orange fur came flying out from under the couch, and with an anguished howl, it launched itself into the air. Daiki had just barely enough time to pluck Sleeping Beauty off his uncle's lap before Tet-chan's body slammed into Chris's.

***

Chris's teacup went flying and Chris himself was knocked off his chair as Tet-chan pounced on him. Chris hit the floor, landing on his back with a jarring thud, and the Tou-Tet landed on his chest, knocking the breath out of him.

"Tet-chan!" Chris wheezed, gasping for breath. "What the hell's gotten into you?!"

His old friend growled, baring his sharp teeth as he glared at Chris, his yellow eyes boring intently into Chris's eyes. Chris stared back at him, bewildered, feeling as pinned down by that intense golden gaze as he did by the weight of the Tou-Tet's body. What on earth had he done to anger Tet-chan so badly? Could Tet-chan be angry that he had been associating with the young Count? Perhaps he thought of the young Count as an enemy, since he had been at odds with his son in his previous incarnation as Count D's father. But if that were the case, why hadn't Tet-chan expressed his anger during Chris's last visit, when he had told Daiki and Tet about meeting the Count in San Francisco?

Chris heard Daiki say, "Tet-chan," in a concerned voice, and then heard Raphael murmur, "No, Daiki, it's all right; leave them alone." He wondered why Raphael would say such a thing, but he wasn't afraid that Tet-chan would hurt him. They had scuffled on occasion when Chris had been a child, and he had suffered a few bruises during those scuffles, but he knew that Tet-chan would never really harm him. He hadn't forgotten how Tet-chan had saved him from that girl who had been seeking revenge on Leon for killing her boyfriend.

Chris couldn't tear his eyes away from Tet-chan's; they seemed to be desperately trying to communicate something to him, but he wasn't sure what. There was anger in them, and frustration, and something else that Chris couldn't quite put his finger on. Tet-chan leaned in closer, until his face was only an inch or two away from Chris's, and continued to stare at him unblinkingly, until his golden eyes filled Chris's entire field of vision and he could see nothing else.

"What is it?" Chris whispered. "What are you trying to tell me? Why are you angry with me, Tet-chan?"

"You stupid human!" Chris heard a gruff, familiar voice shout--except that it had been so long since he'd heard it that he didn't recognize it at first. "I never thought I'd say this, but you're even more thick-witted than your idiot brother! I'm angry that you'd be so shallow as to fall in love with Count Junior's pretty face, without bothering to check if there was any substance behind it! Junior isn't anything like our D; he doesn't care about humans, and he doesn't give a shit about you! To him, you're nothing more than a trained monkey who brings him sweets! And you gave your heart away to him like it was nothing!" That gruff voice cracked with pain, and continued unsteadily, "You just ran off to the new Count's shop like we meant nothing to you, like the shop and all of us--me and Pon-chan and Ten-chan and the others--were a broken toy that could be replaced when something better came along! Did you ever care about us at all, Chris, or did you just care about your precious Sight? I thought you wanted to get your Sight back so that you could see me--see us--again, but it seems like you were pretty quick to forget about us and try to set up house in the new shop! Are the animals there better than us, huh? Do they have any pets as cute as Pon-chan or as clever as Ten-chan? Do they have anyone there as fierce as me? Damn you, Christopher Orcot, is there anyone there who would take a bullet for you?! Is there anyone there who loves you as much as I do?!"

"Te...Tet-chan!" Chris stammered, as it finally dawned on him that it was Tet-chan talking, which meant that he could understand the Tou-Tet's speech for the first time since he had left the petshop to live with his adoptive family. He reached up with trembling hands to touch Tet-chan's face, and felt smooth skin, wet with tears, instead of fur. He let his hands move up and run through Tet-chan's long hair until they touched his horns. And using the horns as a grip, he pushed Tet-chan's head back far enough to get a good look at his face. He had been so caught up in Tet-chan's golden stare, that he had not noticed the precise moment when Tet-chan had transformed from animal to human form, but he was definitely human now. He looked exactly as he had the last time Chris had seen him as a human...no, not exactly the same. He had seen Tet-chan get angry at him many times in the past, but he had never seen Tet-chan weep before. He had never seen the fierce Tou-Tet's face contorted in an expression of such grief and pain. And then he felt guilty, because he realized that he was the one who had hurt his dear friend so badly, although he hadn't meant to.

"Tet-chan, I'm so sorry," Chris whispered, gently brushing the tears from the Tou-Tet's face with his fingers. "Please forgive me, I never meant to hurt you. I never forgot about you. It was always because of you--and Pon-chan, and Shukou and the others, but most of all, you--that I wanted to get my Sight back. But when I met the Count, I kind of lost sight of my goals--no pun intended." He laughed, a little bitterly, and a little ruefully, as he finally admitted the truth to himself. "I was never really in love with the Count. I just saw my lost childhood in him, and I was trying to recreate the past through him and his shop, but it was only an illusion. God, I'm an idiot!"

Tet-chan stared at Chris in shock. "You...can see me?" he whispered, his voice trembling as if he hardly dared to believe it.

"Yes, Tet-chan," Chris said, a smile of pure joy slowly spreading across his face. "I can see you." Tet-chan laughed and wept at the same time, and then he abruptly leaned down and kissed Chris--not a gentle or tender kiss, but a kiss that was fierce and passionate and possessive, like an animal claiming its mate. Chris was too startled to either resist or return the kiss, and he just lay there stunned for a moment, then gasped in surprise. And then he gasped again, but it came out as more of a muffled moan as he felt Tet-chan's tongue thrust between his lips, hot and wet and demanding, and Chris was no longer a passive participant, but was returning the kiss eagerly without really thinking about it. And then he became acutely aware of the weight of Tet-chan's body sprawled out across his own. In his sheep form, Tet-chan had merely been lying on Chris's chest, but his human form was much larger, and he could feel Tet-chan's chest pressed against his chest, Tet-chan's hips resting against his own, and Tet-chan's legs entangled with his--and to his surprise, Chris found this close contact extremely arousing.

Daiki's right, he thought to himself. I really am dense. I never dreamed that I could think of Tet-chan this way, or that he could think of me as more than a little brother. He broke off the kiss and cradled Tet-chan's face in his hands, staring at him in wonder, feeling as if he was seeing Tet-chan for the very first time.

"What?" Tet-chan asked belligerently, but Chris could hear the nervousness beneath the belligerence. "Have I got something on my face?"

"No," Chris replied with a smile. "I was just noticing how handsome you are."

The Tou-Tet's face turned bright red. "Hmmph! Well, it's about time!" he blustered, trying to regain his composure.

Chris just laughed, "Well, Daiki did say I was dense! But in my defense, it's been over twenty years since the last time I saw your human form. I wasn't really thinking of you as a potential romantic partner back then."

"Uh, yeah, me too," Tet-chan mumbled. "I mean, I didn't think of you that way back then, either. I'm not a pervert."

"I know," Chris said. "So will you forgive me for being so dense, Tet-chan, my dearest friend?" He ran his fingers through Tet-chan's fiery-colored hair and sighed, "Mmm, you have such beautiful hair."

Tet-chan's face turned red again, nearly matching the color of his hair. "Well, if you keep saying things like that," he said in a husky growl, "then I guess I'll forgive you." He kissed Chris again, gently nipping at his lower lip. "You're an Orcot, after all, so you can't help being a little dense." Chris laughed, his fingers still entwined in Tet-chan's hair, and pulled his face down for another, much longer kiss.

***

"Hey, should she really be watching that?" Raphael asked with a grin, motioning towards Sleeping Beauty. "I feel like we ought to cover her eyes or something." Daiki was still holding the Plant Doll, who was staring down at the pair on the floor, pouting a little because her new owner was lavishing affection on someone else.

Daiki laughed and gently kissed Sleeping Beauty on the top of her head. "Don't sulk, little Beauty; it doesn't become you. Chris still loves you, but Tet-chan is a very important part of his life, too. And he is a wonderful cook, so I am sure he will prepare some very delicious milk and cookies for you." Down on the floor, Chris laughed as he ran his fingers through Tet-chan's hair, and the doll smiled a little. "Yes, that's right," Daiki said approvingly. "Tet-chan makes Chris happy, and you do want him to be happy, don't you?" The doll nodded. "Good," Daiki said. "Don't worry, Chris won't forget about you, and despite his complaints, I'm sure he'll be spoiling you rotten in no time. Well, not quite rotten--we don't want him giving you forbidden foods and turning you into an adult, but I'm sure that he'll pamper you like the princess you are. But for now, we need to give Uncle Chris and Tet-chan a little time alone. And as Raphael says, I don't think that your young and innocent eyes should be looking upon a scene such as this." The Plant Doll giggled, a sweet, musical sound like the chime of a bell. "Let us go to the kitchen, and I shall warm some milk for you. I'm sure you must be hungry after your long nap."

***

Afterword: Thanks to N. Ranken from the Pet Shop Fanfiction Yahoo Group for the suggestion that Tet-chan should pounce on Chris, sit on his chest, and glare into his eyes! ^_^ It worked out very nicely.

Part 18, Part 19a, Part 19b, Part 20a, Part 20b, Part 21, Part 22a, Part 22b