Chapter 16: Madness Takes Its Toll

[Scene: The group had reached the landing leading up to the mansion. The rain is still pouring down just as hard as before. If anything, it's gotten worse.]

[Rei giggles as she clutches the remains of her beach hat over her wet hair and looks at Usagi's soaking pigtails and her dripping wet face. She grins.]

Rei: Usagi, you soggy.

Usagi: Oh, Shut up.

[Mamoru notices Zoi's tee is plastered to his tiny frame. He has taken out his hairtie and is slightly bluish and shaking like a leaf]

Mamoru: [puts an arm around him] You ok buddy?

[Zoi just nods his head as he continues to shiver.]

Minako: Stop milking it. It's not that cold.

Umino: Back off. He's from Arizona. This is like ten below zero where he's from.

[They arrive at the front door of the mansion and Motoki gives it a ring. The door opens to a crimson haired man with a crescent moon tattoo on his forehead. He's wearing a vest and harem pants]

Rubeus: What do you townies think you're doing here?

Motoki: Please, sir, we were down on the beach and we were caught in the storm. We just need some shelter until the rain stops.

Esmeraude: [from inside] That voice. Is that Motoki from Biology class? [peeks her head out the door] It issss! [laughs insanely] And I see he brought his sorry band of loser friends with him. Hahaha, you all look retarded!

Rei: Are you going to let us in or not?

Rubeus: This is private property. We could have you arrested. Or, better yet, shot.

Usagi: [starts bawling] That's so mean! How can you just stand there in your nice dry mansion and watch us get soaked to death? Let us in!

Demande: [From inside the house] Rubeus. Esmeraude What is going on out there?

[Esmeraude and Rubeus turn around and step to one side. Past them, the group can see a huge monitor with the image of a handsome young man with shaggy white hair, a white
and blue Hawaiian shirt, and Italian sunglasses sitting on high backed leather chair and holding a glass of red wine.

Esmeraude : There are a bunch of retarded kids from my school here.

Demande: Well, don't be inhumane, let them in, make them feel welcome, and bring them over to the Rivera Room so I can meet them.

Esmeraude : [snarls] At once, my prince.

Demande: And Rubeus, be sure to turn on the driers in the hallway. We don't want them to catch their deaths on the way over here.

[Rubeus snarls and flips a switch. Strong sheets of warm air blast directly down on them, drying out their hair and clothing with each step. As they walk, the girls all talk about how sweet, charming, and handsome Demande Blackmoon is]

Umino: [Whispers to Zoi] Don't you think Demande Blackmoon looks a lot like Kunzite?

Zoi: [scoffs] I think he wishes he looked a lot like Kunzite.

[After a few minutes they reach a huge chamber with a double staircase leading up to the upper walls are painted with frescoes and the ceiling is painted to look like the sky on a summer day. The floor is covered with several inches of a fine white sand and tropical plants are everywhere. Most everyone is wearing swimsuits and lounging on chaises under the sun lamps.

Demande Blackmoon watches over the scene from a high backed white leather chair on a raised dais. He is wearing long white swimtrunks, beach sandals, and a matching Hawaiian shirt. His brother Saffir sit on an ottoman near his feet. Both brothers have the now familiar crescent moon tattoos on their foreheads]

[The newly dried schoolmates stand in two rows facing the dais, girls in front, boys in back]

Demande: [His gaze sweeps across them. Welcome to Blackmoon Manor. I apologize for the rude way you were greeted by my cousins and hope you will not hold it agai– [When he comes to Usagi he stops as if spellbound] Oh, my. Who is this vision of loveliness I see before me?

[Usagi giggles and blushes as Demande removes his sunglasses, gazing right at her with his bewitching periwinkle colored eyes. Mamoru takes note of this and scowls.]

Demande: Never before have I beheld such beauty. I wouldn't have even dreamt it possible. You…

[points at Usagi, who points to herself with a questioning smile]

Demande: Yes, you, the one with the enchanting blue eyes and the flaxen pigtails, what is your name?

Usagi: [still giggling] It's Usagi.

Demande: Usagi, could you be a lamb and move off to the side a bit. I want to get a good look at the boy behind you.

[Usagi frowns with indignation as she steps aside to reveal Zoi, whose tee is still stiff against his body and whose hair has has lost its curl and is hanging glossy and straight as a result of the driers]

[Demande rises from his chair saunters over to Zoi. He flashes a brilliant smile and looks over Zoi appreciatively.]

Demande: This is miraculous. You are clearly a boy, yet you are prettier than any girl I've ever laid eyes on. You must be a fairy changling, since someone this lovely could hardly be human. Your face is divine, your body, ethereal.

Esmeraude: [Looks angry enough to bite through steel] I don't know if I'd go that far.

Demande: I just did [turns to Zoi] You're Zoi Midori, aren't you?

Zoi: You've heard of me?

Demande: Word travels. Especially around here. I'm Demande Blackmoon. [holds out his hand and they shake] Would you like some wine?

Zoi: I don't drink.

Demande: Good. More for the rest of us. This is my younger brother Saffir, and all these other beauties you see before you are my cousins, near and far. You have biology class with my first cousin Esmeraude. [puts his arm around Zoi's shoulder in a brotherly way and leads him away from the group] So how do you like life in Hen Tie?

Zoi: It's ok.

Demand: That good, huh? Let's see what I can do to liven things up for you. You want to see someplace truly amazing?

Minako: Oh, my gawd. Someone tell me that Demande Blackmoon will not raise the velvet rope so that runt can crawl into the grotto.

[Demande leads Zoi over to a door and stands in front of it, while a beam of light appears at eye level. The door opens with a clang]

[Rei and Minako, stare at each other in shock. Then start screaming, biting their nails, and then waving their arms around like fangirls]

Rei and Minako: Oh my God! He's going to the grotto! He's going to the grotto! Someone in my gang got into the grotto! [They both run over and kowtow to Zoi] We're not worthy! We're not worthy!

Minako: Ha! One of my very best friends got invited into the grotto. I can't wait to inform all the stuck up bitches at the modeling agency!

Rei: Take your time in there! Tell us everything! We need to know every detail!

Minako: Leave nothing out! No matter how stupid! We need to rub some seriously snooty skank noses in this!

[Zoi just stares back at them like a deer in the headlights. He has a feeling Kunzite wouldn't approve of this, not one bit. He considers backing out, until Esmeralde snarls at them and Saffir rises from his ottoman with a look of fury on his face.]

Esmeraude: No way! No effing way!

Demande: Cousin Esmeraude, I'd like it if you went up to your room until you can manage to be civil.

[Esmeraude leaves]

Saffir: Brother, you said it was my turn in the grotto.

Demande: Saffir, behave yourself, we have guests.

Saffir: [balls up his fists and goes red in the face] But it's my turn. You promised. I've been waiting for three weeks now. This isn't fair.

Demande: [walks over to Saffir to comfort him] Saffir. Look at me. You're my brother. I can take you into the grotto any time I want. Zoi doesn't live here. If I don't show it to him today, he has to come all the way back here. That might be very inconvenient for him, don't you think?

Saffir: *sulks*

Demande: I'll let you play in there all you want first thing tomorrow morning. First, I want to show it to Zoi. Is that ok?

Saffir: *sulks*

Demande: Can I have a hug?

[Gives Demande a stiff armed hug then sinks back onto his ottoman with his face buried in his hands]

Saffir: [mutters] You broke your promise. It was supposed to be my turn.

[Demande goes back to Zoi and Zoi relaxes. After all, if Demande's own brother is throwing a temper tantrum about having to wait a few hours to get into the grotto, it must be completely innocent and truly extraordinary, like something out of Willy Wonka]

Demande: Rubeus, go whip up a few pitchers of blended drinks for our new friends. And cook up some appetizers as well. And keep them coming. Even if the rain stops, you're all welcome to stay as long as you'd like. In fact, I insist you all stay for dinner. We always cook enough to feed an army and tonight is prime rib night. If we aren't back beforehand, be sure to save a couple places for us at the middle of the table. I'm sure Zoi will want to talk your ears off about all the wonderful things he discovers when the two of us get back.

Demande: Ready?

[Zoi nods]

Demande: [pulls the vault door closed behind them, revealing a stone corridor carved directly out of the stone] What you're about to see will change your life, I swear it.