Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon, or the quotes.
I know a bank where the wild thyme blows,
Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows,
Quite over-canopied with luscious woodbine,
With sweet musk-roses and with eglantine:
There sleeps Titania sometime of the night,
Lull'd in these flowers with dances and delight;
And there the snake throws her enamell'd skin,
Weed wide enough to wrap a fairy in:
And with the juice of this I'll streak her eyes,
And make her full of hateful fantasies.
- Oberon, A Midsummer Night's Dream
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The rich smell rose from the pot, and greeted Demando. Leaning over the bubbling concoction, he inhaled deeply. A fury of tingles shot up his spine, the power of the potion dizzying.
One more ingredient, and it would be flawless.
Twisting the red flower between his fingers, Demando brought the soft petals to his nose.
A delicate, sweet scent filled his senses; a night blooming jasmine flower. Just the right ingredient to make the potion strong. Dropping the flower into the mixture, it sank slowly into the red liquid. Demando looked into his creation with satisfaction. Saffire had been right. He had not been qualified for this particular task. Demando wondered how he and his brother were related at times- Saffire was a scientist, calculating, figuring and organizing every minute detail into a perfect theory. Himself? He was bored by science. It could explain how the flower grew, but could it explain why it pleased him to smell it? Or feel it's petals against his skin? When Demando found he could not be appeased by Saffire's scientific explanations, it was time to take matters into his own hands. The Moon family had called it sorcery. Demando called it truth. The world, and all living things in it could be altered, and manipulated to one's will- if one had the knowledge.
This knowledge he felt had proved too great a threat to the Moon family- the black scar on his forehead a constant reminder.
The Dark Moon family looked on Demando's religious keeping of the old ways trifling- they were enchanted by the new technology and advancements humans made to explain existence. Demando found it revolting. Did they not understand that if one spends their entire existence questioning it, existence becomes more powerful than they are?
His thoughts calmed, as the potion smoothed into a pure red colour. It was ready. Draining the contents of the stone pot into an empty wine bottle, Demando inspected it carefully. Reaching into the red stained bottle with him mind, he felt for any imperfections. Only the smooth, endless sea of emotions spread out before him. Lust, devotion, compassion- all mixed together to make a perfect blend. Demando had to draw himself back from the feelings he reached out to- they made him almost blind with hunger. Satisfied that the potion was in proper order, Demando then poured off a small amount into a vile. It was no bigger than a thimble, and looked like a locket. Placing the vile around his neck, Demando replaced the bottle on a table that usually held his wine. It would be safe there. Not wasting another moment, Demando disappeared in a flash of black light, leaving his court room truly empty.
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For the first time in centuries (well...ever), Saffire felt like dancing. There was a definite bounce in his step as he made his way from the empty courtroom, and his duties. No more school. No more homework. No more gym. No more pommel horse. The list went on, and as Saffire reached his own quarters, he stopped. Turning back towards the court room, he decided he would celebrate. After all, had he not brilliantly escaped final exams? It was too perfect! Demando had taken to the idea of finishing the research for himself, and Saffire was free from the ball and chain of human existence for good. Reaching the court room, Saffire pushed the immense doors open. They rumbled in protest. The first thing Saffire noticed was how vacant the courtroom felt without his brother's presence. Walking towards the throne, Saffire felt a slight unease at it's emptiness.
The King will not be long...' he reasoned, picking up a bottle of red liquid from it's place by the throne's side. Saffire had never understood what compelled his brother to engage in human activities, such as drinking. As he lifted the bottle from it's separate table, Saffire noticed a strange board with black and white squares on it's surface. Beside the strange board was an open case- holding a contraption made of wood and thin, sharp strings.
Another human activity,' he thought with a grimace.
What does he find so fascinating about them?' The pattern was almost hypnotizing- and Saffire puzzled over it as he filled his glass with thick, red liquid. Bringing the glass to his lips, Saffire took a cautious sip. Then, a hardly gulp; and did not take a breath until the whole glass was drained. Tearing the glass from his mouth, Saffire tried to breathe deeply, but the air refused to remain in his lungs. Staring at the bottle with wide eyes, Saffire couldn't help but relish the feel of the hot wine racing through his body. It was thrilling! Every drop sent his taste buds reeling in extacy!
Without a second thought, Saffire reached for the bottle again.
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Demando stared darkly at the thin curtains which separated himself from the golden nymph who had disappeared behind them. They were an awful shade of green, and felt like sand paper beneath his fingertips.
Sumimasen, Sir!
No sooner had Demando touched the irritating barrier that kept him from her, then a firm hand tugged urgently on his sleeve.
The voice repeated. What was this odd woman on about? Did she not know to whom she was speaking? It should have occurred to Demando to tell this woman exactly who he was, but one thought pounding through his veins- Usagi. Ignoring the woman's protests, Demando parted the curtains with a sweep of his arm. The world crashed to a halt- and Demando feasted his eyes on the most beautiful sight he had ever seen. She was standing in what looked like a closet, but even in such an unattractive place she took him away to somewhere warm and radiant. There was a full-length mirror along the back wall, and Demando could see her bending forwards, fidgeting with the straps on her shoes. She was wearing a long robe, which looked utterly exotic to Demando. It seemed to wrap about her in the most enticing of places- and leave bare what was even more intimate. It had no sleeves, leaving her shoulders exposed. His eyes took in her image fully, and he realized with delight it had no back either. Her smooth skin was illuminated in the shaft of light that crept into the small room as Demando held the curtains back. Her slender back rippled with muscle as she straightened herself, to look into the mirror. What she saw was far from expected.
Usagi gasped sharply, as she found two dark crimson eyes locked onto hers. Her hand caught the cry that threatened to escape her throat; a cry of fear, surprise, and something else that she could not name. The image reflected in the mirror did not move. He was pale- his skin smooth, like ivory. His features were sharp and so well defined Usagi wondered if he was actually made of flesh and blood, and not of stone. His hair was a tangle of silk that fell to his shoulders. It was startlingly white. A single strand fell across his temple, as if deliberately disobeying the rest. Usagi's hand fell from her lips, staring at the image with as much fascination as it was at her. He was a creature of unearthly beauty, caught within an average clothing boutique.
Usagi whispered, praying that the clerk had not abandoned her with this strange and ghostly man. Then, the image did something she had not expected; it smiled at her. It was not an apologetic smile, or even an embarrassed smile. It was a slow, deliberate smile. A rush of fear shot through her as his eyes roamed shamelessly over her body. His smile became wider as his eyes traced down her bare back, to where the dress was yet to be closed. Usagi felt her skin flush with a sudden heat, as his intense gaze traveled back up her body. His eyes were too intense, and Usagi felt her stomach flip painfully. Those eyes spoke clearly to her; demanding, yet confident that they could simply take what they wanted. It made Usagi shiver. Suddenly, his hand dropped the curtains, and he took a step towards her. Frozen to the spot, Usagi watched with growing alarm as his body moved closer. He was overwhelming, and Usagi found herself reaching for air. The breath caught in her throat as he lifted one pale hand, his fingers inches from her bare shoulder. Glancing up into his face, Usagi saw that the smile had vanished. When his fingertips touched her skin, Usagi drew in a sharp breath. Biting her lip hard, Usagi found that she could not move- or speak. His eyes fell from hers, and followed his fingertips as they drew down the length of her arm. The touch was so light, Usagi felt the urge to lean further into it, if just to feel more. Demando hadn't noticed the irritating clerk's absence, and right now the only sensation he felt was pure fire. Her skin was soft. When she bit her lip, Demando wanted nothing more but to replace that bite with one of his own. She was hypnotizing- and Demando knew that now he had felt her breath on his skin he would be under her power eternally. Her cool blue eyes rose to meet his. Words welled up from deep within his chest, burning his throat and making his mouth dry. Demando knew there was something he wanted- needed to say to her. But with her so near, the words only surfaced in fragments. Beauty, pain, fire, hot, taste, want...
Excuse me, Sir. This is a restricted area. If you will come with me-
He's a pervert! Miss, oh Miss are you alright!?
Suddenly, Demando's hand was unceremoniously slapped away from Usagi's supple, inviting skin.
You should be ashamed of yourself! Spying on innocent girls! The clerk did not flinch as Demando turned his head to regard her murderously.
Get him out of this store, at once! She shot at the rather bemused security guard, who noted the look of flushed pleasure that radiated from the girl. She turned confused blue eyes on the white-haried man in question, who looked back at her steadily.
You'll have to come with me, Sir. The security guard placed a firm hand on Demando's arm. For every action, there is an equal reaction; and Demando's reaction left the security guard protruding from a rack of fluffy and terribly overpriced coats. The clerk shrieked, the shoppers gawked and Demando smiled with satisfaction. Before the struggling security guard had a chance to reach for his walkie-talkie and request a tranquilizer gun, Usagi had slipped from the change room and grabbed Demando's hand. Pulling him from the store, Usagi did not notice the look of desire that followed her.
A/N: Okay. How the heck do you spell e-x-t-a-c-y? Yup. School's paid off. -_-;
