Dolce, and His Master

Template:Book Dolce and His Master (ドルチ ～ダイ・ハード・ザ・キャット～, Doruchi ~Dai Hādo Za Kyatto~, lit. "Dolce: Die Hard The Cat") is a short story included in the Under Execution Under Jailbreak tankōbon. The story was originally published in Allman Magazine #11-12, 1996.

Summary

After five days of isolation on a yacht, a man and his cat are starving, trapped in the vast ocean and surrounded by sharks. Dolce, the cat, Masago Ayashi, a first class architect, and the body of a drowned woman. Masago repeatedly tries to use his radio without an answer. Dolce is on the deck near the woman's corpse, playing with a bottle of water. He tries fervently to open the bottle, but breaks two claws off. The woman's rotting body is surrounded by flies.

When cat and master meet, at first they are happy, as through Masago's insanity and boredom he has crafted an extravagant spotted outfit. While putting the outfit on, with Dolce's resistance he claws around the seats and uncovers a piece of candy between the cushions.Dolce finds a piece of candy between the cushions. Masago snags the candy, while Dolce swings at it to attempt to get it for himself. Masago Conjures a bet; they both roll two dice, and whoever gets a higher number wins. Masago rolls an eleven. Dolce pounces at the board and 'rolls' the dice to twelve. Dolce wins the candy, but Masago refuses by saying Dolce "doesn't understand numbers," and steals the prize. Dolce finally eats the candy and escapes from his altered master, who, after finding out the woman's body was eaten by sharks, wants to eat the cat instead. Masago eventually manages to catch the cat, but then hears him talking and Dolce forces himself inside Masago's mouth and into his throat, claiming that, if Masago wants to eat him, that's what he will get. Masago believes its just his mind playing tricks on him, but dies soon after. Moments later a rescue helicopter  passes by and sees Dolce riding above birds, but thinks its just a illusion.

Author's Note

“

When your page numbers are limited, the story is directed so that the characters and settings are also limited. This is a work that began from that sort of thinking. My editor at that time went as far to say I love cats so much. They're the hope of my heart in my daily life .
and my reply was :
But I bet you would eat them if you got lost in the Andes Mountains.
My little teasing gave birth to this work.

”

—Hirohiko Araki

Trivia

• The name of the manga is referencing Salvatore Adamo's hit, Dolce Paola. The second half of the title may be referencing the song's record label, His Master's Voice.
• Masago's death via forced-consumption of his cat is potentially a reference to the 1990 film Tales from the Darkside: The Movie