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The great ruby landscape stretched before their future. It was a land of glistening beauty, red as roses, but also reminiscent of death. The ruby land seemed to be doused in blood, a true land of horror. What had happened to the demons of Rubiihoppou? To their priestess? They were a mystery. The Rubiihoppou priestess was condescending… Kevin had met them once… Had they been able to reach the box? Could she even unseal it? And what about Topazuseihou? Did their demons arise at the same time? Did their priestess? Were the two girls competing for the box? Then did both fail? The entire box was shrouded in a fog of mystery. Where was it? Why was it hidden in the first place? And why were its contents sealed? Were they dangerous? Were they something to fear? Minako grasped the nearest column of the gate and drew in a breath.

“The rose of death…” Brian stood beside her with his arms crossed and nodded.

“A rose… of death?” Minako questioned.

Brian nodded, “Such a beautiful land, but only the demons can see it stained with blood. The death and sorrow in this land is… undeniable…”

“But the box is there, so we need to go.”

“So it would seem…”

Minako unlatched her hands from the column and turned to Brian as she clenched one fist. “We’ll go there together. No matter how far, no matter how hard we struggle, we have to go.”

Brian chuckled, “Of course you are right, Pandora… Minako...”

Minako smiled for a moment, but then frowned and put her hand to her heart, “It’s difficult for me to even imagine how much we’ll struggle, but… Obviously it’s something that is extremely important. What it means to live… To die… To struggle from a cage… Is this what the others felt? Is this what Renee feels? All these intense feelings of what it means to continue forward, is that what it means to be a priestess?”

Brian smiled and shook his head, “I don’t really know, though I sometimes grapple with similar questions of existence. I think all demons spend some time worrying about where they are, where they’ve been, and where they’re going.” He shrugged, “But it seems pointless to turn back now. There’s only one demon left, right?”

Minako nodded.

“Then we can’t leave him alone.” Brian smiled as he put his hand on her shoulder.

“How horrible it must be, to feel you are part of something greater and then never be assimilated…” a male voice broke in.

Minako and Brian turned around to face the calm, green eyes and smiling face of Kevin. Minako stepped back a little in alarm, and quickly shut her eyes.

Kevin took in a breath, “To search for your purpose and to die without enacting it must be very painful…” He put his hand to his bare chest and smirked at Minako’s shaking hands over her face, “I apologize for the inconvenience, but I will change now. If a fully clothed demon is frightening… I cannot imagine my circumstances… I am sorry I did not attend to it sooner.” He chuckled quietly.

Minako nodded and turned away quickly, hands still covering her eyes. His body was that of a statue, but embarrassing to look at in his minimal, flowing clothing. These were some of the most forward men she had ever met. Kevin disappeared down the winding path of a spiral staircase in the center of the tholos. Minako took a deep breath and turned back toward the red valley.

“So…” she started.

Brian blinked and turned to follow her gaze, “Yes?”

“Is it right to call you men?” she turned to him, “What’s the difference between a demon and a human? Nick always just tells me that they hate each other.”

Brian shook his head, “If only it were that simple… Humans are the progeny of the earth, demons are the progeny of the sky. Humans only know what it means to be grounded, to stand on their own two feet. To be a demon, means to reach for the stars, to forever grasp at the unattainable.”

Minako turned back to Rubiihoppou. Her eyes grew downcast. “That seems almost sad.”

Brian gave her a warm smile, “It’s impossible to be sad when you know nothing except what you’ve experienced. We will never understand what it means to be human, as you will never understand what it means to be a demon. The two do not coincide.”

“But Nick… Then… why is he sad?”

“He was exposed to something other than his darkness. If the women from your world had not woken up, then he would not have seen a void in his existence. And more than that, you rescued him from the darkness and filled his world with more.” Brian smiled as he turned his head toward the tholos, “Is there a void now?”

Minako followed Brian’s gaze, her eyes landing on Nick. He leaned against a column across the gate as he stared at the shadow of Safaiananpou, the sparkling serene and sapphire darkness that stretched for miles across the horizon. His crossed arms rose and fell steadily with his chest as he breathed. His eyes followed the darkness across the landscape, as though he was never letting it escape his sight. But then, he took a deep breath, leaned his head back against the column, and shut his eyes.

Minako blinked as a few droplets formed in the corners of her eyes. Was there a void now? When I first met him, he never breathed so easily. His heart had been cold and his eyes were stained with anger, hatred, and fear. Now his face had begun to soften and the ice that constantly surrounded him began to melt. He’s different from before. But… is he happy now? Had he filled the void in his heart? The void had originated from the empty space in his heart. He had lost something precious and with no way to fill it, he had turned to the darkness to console him. Was it filled now? Was he happier to have all of them with him? She smiled as Kevin reemerged.

“Well, Nick,” Kevin smiled, “It seems we are opposites…”

Nick turned to face him. It was true. Kevin wore a short white tunic with white pants. A sapphire sash was tied around his waist and he wore sapphire shoes. He heavily contrasted with Nick’s stark black clothing.

“You really do resemble an angel,” Brian began laughing. He stopped momentarily and pondered, “Therefore Nick is… the Devil’s consort.” Brian laughed again.

Nick growled, “I’m not some common whore…”

“I’m sorry, that was mean of me to joke.” Brian continued to laugh as Howie walked over to Nick. He held out a pile toward him.

“What’s this?” Nick questioned.

“The Oracle felt your clothing was improper for protecting Pandora in this next journey, so we procured a new set to bring to you.”

Nick blinked. Howie was not dressed normally either. He wore a sapphire calf-length tunic over cream colored pants. His shoes were also sapphire colored and the ribbon was also cream colored. His hair was tied back into a ponytail with a small cream ribbon.

Nick pulled an item from the top of a pile and held it out. Its sides were curved and a hole stopped the top from being completely covered. “What’s this?” he questioned, slipping it over his hand, “A hand warmer?” He removed it from his hand and put it to his ear, “An ear warmer?” he put it on top of his head and smiled, “A hat.”

Minako giggled quietly as she crossed the gate to stand at his side, “It’s a shoe, Nick.”

“Shoe?” Nick questioned.

Minako nodded and held out her foot toward him, placing her hand on his shoulder to steady her balance, “It goes on your foot.” She pointed to her own shoe.

Nick looked down at his bare feet and blinked. The claws rested lightly on the ground and the heels lifted from it slightly -- he stood with perfect balance. “Why?” he questioned.

“That’s just what they’re made for.” She smiled as she removed her hand from his shoulder.

“Isn’t it uncomfortable?”

“No.”

Nick pulled it from his head and stared at it intently. It looks uncomfortable. It looks like it will swallow my feet whole.

Minako and the other demons blinked as they stared at his confused look.

Nick picked up both shoes and quickly handed them back to Howie. “I don’t mind the clothing, thanks, my pants were a little tattered to begin with… But I’ll pass on these foot coverings.”

Howie took the shoes and nodded, “I suppose it’s what you’re most comfortable with, but… the country of Rubiihoppou is cold and its capital is much farther north than that of Emeradotouhou, can you handle the freeze without something to cover your feet?”

Nick untied the cream ribbon from his waist, “The coldest thing in the world is darkness. Other than that, things like heat and cold don’t affect me.” Nick began to remove his tunic, his pale, muscular form emerged from beneath the fabric. Minako blushed violently and turned her head.

Kevin put a hand on Nick’s shoulder. “Perhaps it would be better if you followed me.” Kevin motioned toward the spiral staircase he had descended down earlier.

Nick blinked, “Oh, but I’m--”

A brief smile broke Kevin’s serious demeanor, “Not for you, I know you’re fine. But… Ruby is not a flattering color on our sapphire priestess.”

Nick turned to Minako and his lips slowly curled into a warm smile. “Of course you’re right. If only her cheeks were sparkled with sapphires, then she would resemble a goddess.”

Nick and Kevin descended down the staircase. Minako turned to look, if only for a moment, as they disappeared from sight. If only we were alone… I would have liked it if held me in his strong arms. Never being alone was almost the most important thing to me. Before when I only had Renee, I was sure we were destined to be together forever and always hold each other close… But now, this mysterious world has reversed everything and Renee is a mirror image of herself. Hateful, vengeful, maniacal… She wants suffering and death… and sadness… If she saw me now, she would know that her wish came true, that my heart is filled with only sadness and nothing else. Or it would be if I only had Renee… except I have Nick now… There is still someone who can hold me close in their arms and help me forget all my sadness. I’m still surrounded by friends and there is someone who loves me as much as Renee. But… this world is not my world. In the end, the other priestesses died and I may follow in their footsteps. And, if I live, will I be sent back to my own world? The demons sought the box, claiming it as their lone treasure and the key to their lives. But the box is also a curse, it will kill our friendship. Minako turned back to Rubiihoppou and looked over the fields of the rose of death. The box is there, shrouded in blood, but I have made up my mind. Neither God nor the Devil will keep me from the box. My wishes are set. First and foremost, I will wish for the peace of the demon world and the happiness of everyone to keep my promise to Howie. Second, I will wish that Renee and I are friends again and that Renee is returned to our world to keep my promise to her. Third… and most importantly… I will wish to become a woman within this world to let Nick have my wish, even though he said he doesn’t want to wish for anything. Then, none of us will be separated and I can keep my promise to Nick to stay with him. Minako put her hands to her heart as the sounds of footsteps roused her from her thoughts and she turned quickly to see Nick and Kevin ascending the staircase.

Kevin smiled as he gestured to Nick, “He looks like a whole new demon, doesn’t he?”

Minako cocked her head a little. Did he? True, his pants are no longer tattered and he looks so much nicer in sapphire than in black, but his gentle smile is the same.

“Minako…” Nick smiled, running his hands down his abdomen and smoothing the tunic, “Does it look alright…?”

Minako nodded shyly. He wore a sapphire tunic that ended at his upper-thigh over white pants. The tunic was tied with a white ribbon and fastened across the left side of his collarbone and chest with three black knot clasps that lead to a high collar wrapped tightly across his neck.

Brian chuckled slightly, “What took you so long?”

Kevin shook his head, “Apparently, he’s never worn clothing with clasps.”

Minako smiled. Nick had once told me that he began life alone and had expected to end it alone. That he had never known another living soul existed, but when they began appearing before him, he had to learn about the world. That he had always tried his best to gain knowledge and an understanding of devices, places, and his own emotions in that dark space. The more time we spend together, the less sure I am that he only knew darkness, but... while the other three demons chuckle at the idea of not understanding what a clasp is, I’m sure that to Nick the achievement is more important than anything.

Nick looked down quietly, then lifted his head slowly toward Safaiananpou again. His serious eyes gazed across the darkened glowing land and his blue orbs reflected its image. Minako wrapped her arms around his shoulder and pulled his arm close to her. Nick turned to her quickly, flinching slightly, but then smiled warmly and relaxed within her touch.

Minako smiled, “Why are you looking back now?”

Nick turned back to Safaiananpou, “I left my home, I’ve seen more than the darkness, I even discarded my clothing. There are people who speak to me as if I’m more than just the demon hiding in the darkness… And you...” he shut his eyes, “It just seems like a dream.” He opened his eyes slowly, “But if it were only a dream, I would feel only sadness when I closed my eyes, but I don’t… I’m actually really happy... So, I don’t want to forget it. Who I am… Where I came from… It’s all a part of me. I’m never allowed to forget the pathetic creature I was.”

Minako held his arm tighter, “You’re not pathetic… Not at all… Everyone starts from somewhere, but now that you’ve realized that there is something more powerful than the darkness you can breathe the air of higher places.”

Nick turned to her, his eyes wide, “Something more powerful than darkness… What is it…?”

Minako smiled, “You tell me, it’s making you happy.”

Nick let out a cheerful laugh.

The other demons turned to them and gaped at Nick’s action. There was something that could chase away the darkness that shrouded the heart of those in despair. There was something that could wipe the sadness from his face. Something very powerful could cause the lonely to smile, what was it?

Minako smiled, “Don’t just stand there staring, let’s go to Rubiihoppou.”

Howie smiled as well, “Pandora is correct, we shall begin this journey.”

Brian and Kevin followed Howie’s exit through the gateway to Rubiihoppou. They began to traverse the blood red land in the darkness, the box seemed closer to their reach than before. Minako continued to smile and proceeded to follow them.

“Come on Nick,” she called, “let’s go get the last one and the box.”

Nick latched his arms around her and pulled her back toward him. Minako blinked as Nick tightened his grip and rested his head on hers. “Nick…”

Nick’s steady breathing brushed against her cheek as he shut his eyes, “Just a little longer…”

Minako closed her eyes as Nick kissed her cheek softly. A small smile crossed his lips.

“Minako…”

“Yes?” she gripped his hands.

He kissed her cheek again. “Incase you didn’t think so, I wasn’t playing around. I meant what I said.”

Minako turned to face him and brushed her hand against his cheek lightly as she smiled brightly, “Nick, of course I believed you. I just wish you didn’t get so hurt before you told me.”

He lowered his head, “I tried to tell you before… After we flew for the first time and when we were at the inn… And in the emerald palace too, actually… But I could never get the words out…” He tightened his grip around her, “I was worried that you wouldn’t return my feelings… I guess, even now, I worry that if I don’t tell you, it will be like it never happened.”

Minako hugged him tightly, “You can tell me as many times as you want, but I will always return your feelings. So you can be more confident in them.”

He leaned down and kissed her gently. “I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

He pulled her into a series of gentle kisses that seared her lips with his warm breath as he smiled.

Minako smiled into his smile as well.

He ran his hand on the back of her head. “I can feel your worry. I didn’t get a chance to tell you, but I tried as hard as I could to get Renee to come with us, probably longer than was safe for me.” He leaned against her head, “But she wouldn’t come with us, I’m so sorry…”

Minako pulled him closer to her, “Thank you.” Tears streamed down her cheeks.

Nick pulled back and frowned as he raised his hand to her face, catching her tears with his finger. “Minako…”

She smiled up at him, “I’m sad, but… I’m also happy that you’re working so hard to make sure I’m happy.” She lowered her head, “I wish I could do things for you too…”

Nick kissed her forehead, “You’ve done plenty of things for me to make sure I’m happy.” He smiled down at her. “I promise.”

Minako’s smile grew wider as she looked up at his face.

Nick’s smile grew as well. There was something more powerful than the darkness… Minako’s smile would light up their journey through the bloodstained country of Rubiihoppou.