Chapter 2

AN: And before anyone asks, yes this is pretty dark and yes this is pretty serious for how young and innocent I portrayed her in the last chapter. At the same time however she is a princess and there is a heavier burden placed upon her at that age than we could ever know. She would be a lot more mature than any average child at that age and yet hold a lot of her innocence as well. Which is why she responds so quickly to Demando's friendship. And Demando? Well... he's a gooey ball of wonder all on his own, we can't quite account for him (yet). But he's an eldest child and magical as well, so... let's just leave that there for now, shall we?

AN2: Also, let me reiterate that they're inspired by the music video and the characters of HP, but they're not HP characters. They are themselves as well just in a crazy mixed up world from the original SM-verse. Though I'm sure a few things won't surprise you but they're really not Lily, James, Petunia and Snape, they have a lot of elements that will be similar but since its not HP they can't be and I didn't want to slap different names onto the same characters. You'll notice several differences in this chapter alone. I hope. If I've made myself clear enough. The style is a little different than I usually do, so I hope you keep on reading and reviewing.

Chapter Characters: Usagi and Demando

In the mean time however, there were leaves of change and too much happened to merely skip over or even gloss. A few weeks after the previous event, Usagi found herself on a hillside overlooking the palace. Technically she was still on palace grounds. But she wasn't interested in the view, no, she was interested more in what nature had to offer her on this fine day.

She laid with her back against the grass and held up a perfect flower, freshly picked from the wild ones that littered the hills. She was looking at it, twirling it around in her fingers, memorized by the patterns it created. She turned it this way and that, curious and intrigued by what the light did to it.

There was a slight shift in breezes and suddenly the light wasn't shining on it anymore. In fact it had gotten rather dark. Her head lifted and turned and sitting beside her was that peculiar boy. "You lied about me. Why?"

"It's better that way." Usagi shrugged, lifting herself onto an elbow to face him. "The less people who know about you the better. Trust me."

"I do." He took the flower gently from her fingers and looked at it. "I've been noticing you, seeing all the things you do and say. There isn't anyone who is more genuine and brave and sweet in the entire kingdom."

"You have given me far too much credit." Usagi argued, laying back down and closing her eyes, soaking in the feel of the warm breeze. "I'm just a girl."

"A girl, but never just." He laid down next to her, his head almost touching hers, but as it was, their hair mingled together. When she opened her eyes, she eyed it curiously.

"Together like that, and it almost looks brown. I could be normal if I was a brunette." Usagi's eyes rose to his. "You question me about hiding your true nature, yet you hide your looks."

"My family agrees with you, it is better to keep who I am hidden, but that is because they're family and they are looking out for me. But you have no such allegiance or loyalties. Why did you lie." He turned so he was on his side looking at her and reached out a hand. "Why, when I could be a threat to you?"

"You're not." Usagi denied. "You'd never be."

"But you don't know me. You can't know that for sure."

"I don't need to know you to know that. And while I lack time, I don't consider myself in that camp either. I don't have to know you to know you."

"You are an interesting girl, Usagi."

"And you are a peculiar boy, Demando." She tossed back at him with a hint of a smile.

"Touche." He grinned. "Shall I show you what I can do? My own parlor tricks?"

"Er... and you're sure it doesn't harm you?" Usagi would never ask of him what others demanded of her.

"If it did, I would not show you them. Now watch." The flower he had taken from her, the one still in his hand started growing. It grew larger and stronger and brighter and Usagi almost squealed at how pretty it was. But when he handed it back to her, it quickly wilted and faded before turning to ash. Demando coughed. "I'm sorry, I still haven't gotten that part right. As long as I hold it, the beauty never fades, but as soon as I release it..."

"It dies." Usagi took up his hands. "Never let go of me then. I am only beautiful when you are there."

He shook his head and pulled his hands away. "That is something I will never mess with. You are beautiful without my help. How could you think anything else?"

Usagi collapsed back on the hill, looking up at the clouds. "I'm not like the others here. Nobody besides my family dares speak to me unless it is to ask for my help or to demonstrate what they think I can do. As for my family, only my father really understands me. But with you, I can be myself and you talk to me as if I were any other and there is no pressure, no demands made from you."

"My name is full of demands." Demando laughed, but he understood. "Your family loves you and the others, well they are adjusting because they're not used to seeing someone as bright and radiant as you. Given time they will see passed your coloring and see the heart and sweetness that you offer."

Usagi's lips pulled up just a fraction. "Would you like to see what I can do?" She asked, pushing herself into a seated position.

Demando shook his head. "Not if it hurts you. You were correct, I would never do such a thing to you."

"It might hurt, but I feel comfortable showing you." Usagi picked up the ashes that her flower had become and concentrated on it. Slowly the ashes bonded back together but it was not a flower that it created, instead sat a tiny green bird with multicolored wings and then it lifted straight up into the air and flexed its wings in a rapid beat before it darted away. Usagi fell back to the hillside with a huff, her energy zapped and she watched it go off.

Demando sat there mesmerized by the creation, not turning to look at her until after it was long out of sight. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Usagi sighed. "I'm just a little tired right now."

"How could you do that? Can you make anything come to life?"

She shook her head. "No, only things that were once living themselves and its not always quite in the same form that it started as. Sometimes I do it on purpose and other times, well I have no control over it."

"Humans too?"

"I do not raise humans from the dead." Usagi warned. "I would be sacrificing my own life to do so. If that were the worst problem with it, I might even consider that lucky."

"No, that is not something anyone should ask of you." Demando agreed, a chill going through him at the thought of losing her for someone else.

Usagi was watching him, weighing his words and trying to understand. Eventually she shrugged. "The people always ask it of me. That day you last saw me, those were the worst. There was a woman who had lost her daughter, she had heard of me and my abilities and asked for me to reunite the two of them. How could I tell her that the only way it would be possible was in death? Everyone that day had lost someone or many someones. When Rei asked, I let her think it was only parlor tricks. It appeased her and didn't make her worry. I've been asked that before in her presence."

Demando just laid down beside her, not sure what they could talk about now, unable to console her with words. But his presence seemed enough and she trustingly curled into him and rested her head against his shoulder. "Thank you." She whispered. "Thank you for understanding and just listening."

"It isn't a problem, princess. I'll always be here for you."

"And I for you."

A few weeks later and Usagi was biting her lower lip as she started her first day of real school. There were no more half days and the classes were split up between different teachers. There would be no telling that anyone in this class would be someone she had with the year before or if she would even recognize anybody.

Rei stood behind her, she had to pass the first year classes and second year to get to the third years down the way. She pushed Usagi into the room with an annoyed grumble and Usagi tumbled in and onto her knees. A hand reached out in front of her face and she took it before her eyes lifted to see who offered her the hand. A huge smile stretched across her features as she recognized the boy. It was none other than Demando.

The other students weren't used to Usagi's presence and Demando instantly got cool marks. Either for being the first one to interact with the odd one out or for being a nice guy. He was instantly welcomed into many circles, a few disagreed with him, even if she was a princess. She was still different and right now different was bad. They obviously couldn't recognize that his hair was too dark, that it wasn't natural and he really didn't fit in at all. Even the ones that let him in, didn't always include her. Those were generally the ones that thought he was brave to step out and interact with her.

He tossed her a few apologetic looks as he was lost in the crowd and she was ignored. Eventually he found his way over to sit with her and she was happy that he came back to her. They collaborated on projects and created some interesting pieces for art, they were pretty smart individually and together they bypassed all the other students in the other subjects. Only one subject held them back and that was communications. When they were alone and practiced together they were brilliant, even her mother agreed. Rei never paired him with the boy who had frightened her, so he was allowed over whenever he pleased. All were happy that Usagi had a friend, that even took some of the edge off on Rei, who had been the only one in that role until now. But it added a new dimension too, she was jealous that she was no longer Usagi's sole friend, that she had somehow, however remotely been diminished in importance in some way. And instead of taking it out on Demando, she took it out on Usagi too, claiming an importance, somehow back. Not realizing it was driving a further wedge between sisters.

Alas at home when she was surrounded by people who had to love her, frightened some days, maybe, but always loved her, she could wow and awe those watching with her brilliance but every time she stepped foot in front of the class, she clammed up and refused to say a word. All their eyes were judging and disapproving of her before she even spoke. It terrified her, her silence, she felt like it was just confirming and making things worse, but she feared that speaking was just as bad if not more so. So eventually, even the teacher agreed that she could sit it out.

That first day when the teacher had come in and had looked over the class, there had been smiles all around and then when her eyes caught Usagi in the front row, there was a falter and then the smile disappeared altogether. With a short bow to acknowledge that she had seen the girl, the teacher studious refused to look upon her again.

When praises were given out, Usagi got a short good job while they were lavished upon her partner. And when the teacher finally broke silence and told Usagi she could be excused from the presentations, Demando had been paired up with another person. The students didn't like it, didn't like that she got special treatment and she huddled into her jacket, knowing that she was just making things worse by being there.

Months after school began she begged her mother and was refuted, begged her father and was waylaid, begged anyone that could do anything not to force her to go to school anymore. She had only the one friend and she'd see him anyway. She hated school, hated all the disgusted looks and distrustful stares. She knew she was special, nobody else needed to make a big deal out of it.

But by then Rei was having friends over all the time, and they'd all clam up whenever Usagi entered a room and then just as she was leaving they'd all start giggling and talking in a hushed manner. Even at home it was uncomfortable and she was no longer as welcomed as she had hoped. Home wasn't a safe haven and neither was school. The only time she felt welcomed was when she was alone or with only Demando or her father.

But her father was busy and Demando was slowly pulling away from her as the months progressed, but he was also always her friend, he was always there for her and would show up every day to play with her. Demando was the only person she could count on, even if he had other friends, ones who all gave her a varying form of response. He never invited her to join them though, always hanging out with her separate from the others.

She refused to believe anything of it, as his behavior towards her never changed and they remained strong together. She was invited into his home and they were guarded but as accepting as her mother and sister. Not quite understanding the difference, but having to deal with it because a family member was different.

In secret they worked on their magic, away from all prying eyes. Usagi felt less and less exhausted with every time she perfected it and Demando was able to keep things living for longer and longer after he changed it.

Years passed and their friendship only grew stronger.