Love Potion No. 19
Alicia Blade
Hooray, something NEW! I love posting new stuff! I sincerely hope you'll enjoy. Reviews adored and welcomed.
The chapters for this are pretty short, so I'll try to keep updates coming regularly.
Thanks, as always, goes to the lovely and talented Stormlight, for her fabulous editing skills.
Love Potion No. 19
Chapter 1: Love is Sharing
It was orange.
A pretty orange, like buttercups or poppies or a very fresh jack-o'-lantern carved and glowing from the inside. Looking at it was like looking into the sun when it is close enough to the horizon that it takes a fiery red-gold tone and you think it should make your eyes hurt, but it doesn't.
It was beautiful.
A beautiful, translucent orange liquid.
The bottle itself was clear glass—perhaps crystal—with a chiseled diamond design that caught the dusty light of the tiny store and reflected it in orange-tinted rainbows. The wood cork was topped with a simple gold charm shaped like a heart. It was no larger than a film canister.
A little card beside it read, in calligraphy and gold ink, "Love Potion No. 19."
"Lovely, iz it not?" the shopkeeper asked and Minako jumped from her trance.
"Does it work?" she asked, tugging nervously on a strand of blonde hair as the woman walked closer and peered over her shoulder.
"Ov course."
"Is this a typo? Shouldn't it be 'Love Potion No. 9'?"
The woman grinned a closed-mouth, secretive grin. The black hair, ivory skin, and heavily-lipsticked smile made her look like a China doll. The thought creeped Minako out a bit, so she decided that perhaps the woman looked like Snow White, instead. Snow White with brown eyes and manicured nails and so many bells and ornaments stitched into her clothing that she jingled when she moved.
"Zere are different types ov love potions, my child. Number Nine vas a kissing potion: ze drinker would feel compelled to kiss anyone and anything zey came in contact with. Nineteen iz much more effective."
"What does it do?"
"It amplifies feelings ov affection. Friendship becomes devotion. Attraction becomes lust. Adoration becomes love. And love becomes . . . air."
"Air?"
"You can't live vithout it."
"Oh." Minako thought about her cute chem-lab partner. She thought about the flirty boy who always sat next to her on the bus. She thought about the sexy new teacher who had made his way straight from college to her homeroom. Then she thought of the beautiful light-haired Adonis who made the most heavenly chocolate milkshakes on this side of Azabu—the boy she couldn't take her eyes off of but found herself peculiarly shy around: Furuhata Motoki.
"I'll take it."
The woman grinned again and took the bottle from the shelf. Turning, she retreated behind the counter and began wrapping it in tissue paper, but as she did so, two chattering monkeys suddenly appeared and scampered to her shoulders, each wearing a scarf tied securely around its neck. Minako gasped and took a step back, but the woman only chuckled and reached up to scratch the furry pets on their heads. "Zis is Pulguitas y Frijolito. Do not be afraid. Zey only come out for customers zat they like."
Minako giggled nervously and inched closer, but froze as the monkey in the blue neck tie began screeching.
"Aah, yes, zank you for reminding me, Frijolito." She smiled at the monkey, but her expression became serious as she faced Minako again. "I vill give you one warning, child: drinking ze full bottle vill make ze effects eternal. But even a drop less and ze potion vill only last a few days."
Minako nodded, watching the woman slip the potion into a velvet bag and slide it across the countertop. She handed her a wad of cash and glanced at the little plaque beside the cash register that read, "Señorita Leilani's Gifts and Magic Things gladly welcomes Master Card and Lady Visa."
"Er, thanks, Señorita Leilani!" She exclaimed, feeling like she should curtsy, but instead she turned and ran from the small gift shop, grinning like an idiot.
The arcade was packed as Minako walked inside, the glass vial still wrapped in tissue paper and cradled safely in her hand. Dodging a couple children running amuck and waitresses carrying trays, Minako reached the counter, out of breath and smiling mischievously.
"Hi, Motoki-san!"
"Oh, hey, Minako-chan. How are you?"
"I'm fabulous, thank you. It sure is crazy in here today."
He chuckled, passing a few sundaes over to customers. "You can say that again. What can I get for you?"
"Well, I'll take a chocolate milkshake for myself and why don't I treat you to one as well? You've been working so hard, I'm sure you're parched."
"Aw, thanks, Minako-chan, that's very sweet of you, but I think I'm okay for right now."
"Oh, but I insist! I never drink alone."
Motoki quirked an eyebrow, but then shook his head and shrugged. "Alright, if you insist. Thanks."
"Of course!"
He returned a moment later with two chocolate milkshakes, one topped with whipped cream and two cherries, while the other had none. Minako knew that Motoki knew that she loved cherries, and had given her his own. She sighed dreamily as he passed the shake to her over the counter. "Thanks, Motoki-san!"
"No problem. I need to run and finish up something. You'll watch this for me until I can go on break?"
"It would be an honor!"
He smiled and disappeared into the employees' back room. Without hesitation, Minako tore the tissue paper off of her hidden vial, popped the cork, and let the syrupy, orange liquid drizzle down into the shake. With the straw, she scraped out all the remaining bits that she could, then stirred the shake up to eliminate all of the swirling orange traces. Not ten seconds after Motoki had gone, the love potion had been securely distributed into his drink and Minako sat back with a sigh and a proud smile upon her lips.
"Minako-chan, you pig!" a teasing voice said from behind her and Minako turned to see Usagi bounding up to the counter. "Do you really need two milkshakes? Honestly! Can I have one?"
"Er, no, the other one is Motoki-san's," she said nervously, wondering if Usagi had seen her put the potion into Motoki's drink. But her friend seemed completely oblivious to any suspicious behavior and only continued to eye the chocolate drink hungrily.
"Really? Perfect! He won't mind if I have some, then," she said, taking the glass into her hand.
Squealing, Minako immediately yanked it from her friend's hand and pulled it behind her back. "No!"
Usagi raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter? Motoki always lets me have sips of his stuff. Besides, he can make another one if he wants."
"Well, it's just that… er…. There's a cold going around! And if either of you are infected, I would hate for it to spread. Or… what if… you have mono or something? That'd be awful!"
Giggling, Usagi tried to reach behind her friend. "Don't be silly. Motoki's as fit as a fiddle and I have the immunity of a… a… well, something with really good immunity!"
"Yeah, but you don't want BOY germs, do you?"
"Boy germs? What grade are you in, Minako-chan?"
"I… er… oh, never mind. But here, why don't you have some of mine, instead? There's still whipped cream on it, and I'll even let you have one of my cherries!"
Usagi's attention was immediately diverted to the forgotten shake still on the counter and, the bargain struck, she smiled and reached for the straw. "Thanks, Minako-chan!"
"God, Odango Atama, can't you wait for two extra minutes and order your own?"
Usagi's cheerful countenance vanished and was just as quickly replaced by flushed cheeks and a fiery glare. Swiveling in her stool, she came face to face with Chiba Mamoru, a college student who lived to torment her and was known as her loathed enemy throughout the Juuban district.
Breathing a sigh of relief at the interruption, Minako put Motoki's shake back on the counter just as he returned from the back room. It only took him a moment to survey the scene before he rolled his eyes. "Not again," he mumbled beneath his breath.
Minako smiled sweetly at him and shrugged innocently, sliding his shake toward him. He paid it no attention, though, waiting for a proper moment to step in to the pending argument between two of his closest friends.
"WHAT did you call me?" Usagi erupted, balling one fist and holding it threateningly toward Mamoru.
He chuckled. "What? Was your stomach talking too loud for you to hear me, Odango Atama?" The hated nickname was drawled sardonically as his blue eyes flashed in anticipation of her reaction. He was not to be disappointed.
"How dare you call me that, you pompous, egocentric, grimy, ignorant scum?" she seethed.
Cocking an eyebrow, Mamoru had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at the stream of insults. He knew she'd probably been practicing that all day long.
"My, my, that's quite the vocabulary you've gained, Odango. Now let's see you try to define all those big words."
"Easy! You look any of them up in the dictionary and you'll see your picture beside it!"
"Hey, guys," Motoki interjected, "can't you two try to be civil for one day?"
"Now that's one word I don't think is in HIS vocabulary," Usagi snorted.
"Usagi-chan," Motoki sighed, shaking his head.
"What? He started it!"
"Oh, now that's a mature response."
"Shut up, Mamoru-baka!"
"I'll make you a deal!" Motoki said, grabbing his milkshake. "If you stop bickering, I'll give each of you a free chocolate shake!"
Her attention piqued, Usagi turned to see the shake held out toward her invitingly. Minako squealed, her eyes widening fearfully as she watched her friend snag the dessert. "Well I can keep that bargain! But if he starts anything…"
"Wait! But… that's… Motoki-san, that's your shake!" Minako breathed as the straw inched toward Usagi's lips.
"Aw, I don't mind. I'll just make more. What do you say, Mamoru-kun?"
Mamoru shrugged. "Thanks, but I'll just have coffee. I'd hate to end up like her."
Usagi glared at him from the corner of her eye. "I'm going to let that one slide, because I'm getting free chocolate."
"Doesn't take much to impress you, does it?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Only that…"
"I'll even give you free coffee for a WEEK if you cut it out!" Motoki cried desperately.
Mamoru chuckled at his best friend, then glanced at Usagi's pouting face and shook his head. "Hardly worth it," he confided, but the insults did stop as a mug of the steaming brew was set before him.
Seemingly content that her enemy's ammunition had presently ceased fire, Usagi grinned at the as-of-yet untouched milkshake and once again pulled the straw toward her mouth. Minako watched with horror, looking between Usagi's opening lips to Motoki's proud stare and back again, feeling helpless as her friend's mouth closed around the straw and the thick, dark liquid was pulled up through the plastic tube, as if in slow motion. She chewed her lip as the first mouthful was gulped down Usagi's throat, before sighing heavily and burying her face in her hands, knowing that her mission had failed.
"Mmm! This is delicious, Motoki-san! It tastes sweeter than usual. Did you switch to a new brand of ice cream or something?"
Motoki chuckled and fixed himself a new shake. "No, Usagi-chan, it's the same as always."
"Oh, well it tastes spectacularly excellent this afternoon." As the milkshake had melted enough to no longer pose the threat of brain freeze, Usagi devoured over half of it within moments.
"Geez, take a breather, Odango Atama. The shake's not going anywhere; you don't need to inhale it."
"I'm just enjoying one of life's simplest pleasures. Can't you leave me alone for five minutes, baka?"
"I'm just looking out for your well-being. You obviously don't have enough common sense yourself, and I would hate for you to die of ice cream inhalation."
"I know how to drink a freaking milkshake, jerk! I'm not stupid, you know!"
"Could have fooled me."
Motoki hopelessly rolled his eyes and resigned himself to spending the rest of his working days watching their arguments without interference.
Usagi's eyes darkened as she slowly turned to face Mamoru and rose steadily from her stool. Her knuckles grew white as they clutched around the glass, her face became redder, and her breathing heavier. Mamoru watched with amusement, turning himself to face her unspoken challenge with a smirk on his face. He prepared himself for whatever onslaught of insults was coming, ready to match her attacks with the sarcasm he was known for.
However, she did not scream or yell or even cry. Instead, Usagi pursed her lips, inhaled a long, steady breath, held out the shake, and calmly tipped it over Mamoru's head.
The chocolate goop slipped out of the glass and oozed over Mamoru's perfect black hair. He gasped, too stunned to even move as the ice cream remains dripped over his forehead and down his neck.
With a proud smile, Usagi set the glass back down on the counter.
"Inhale that, jerk," she taunted, then turned haughtily on her heel and began to saunter defiantly away.
However, she'd barely managed two steps before Usagi felt suddenly very ill. The floor began to spin beneath her feet, the lights became painfully bright, and it felt as if sparks were shooting off in her brain. Whimpering, she clutched one hand to her head and slammed her eyes shut.
"Usagi-chan!"
Minako's scream was the last thing Usagi heard before she collapsed to the ground.
BIG NEWS! I'm going to be published! My debut novel, CINDER, is scheduled for release in Spring 2012 under my real name, Marissa Meyer. Please see my profile for more details!
