Shiki knocked on the metal door listening to the hollow thud echoing into her room. He waited, then knocked again. Nothing but silence.

"Ruby? Are you in there?" After waiting a little longer, he announced, "I'm coming in."

Pressing the button, the door slid open to reveal in empty room. The bed was neatly made. Maybe she had already gone to the kitchen to join everyone for breakfast.

When he entered the kitchen, everyone was gathered a the table. Everyone except their guest.

"Where's Ruby?" he asked.

"She stayed in the Park last night," Weisz replied sipping his coffee.

"In the Park? Why?"

Weisz shrugged. "She wanted to look at the stars. She said she's only been into space once when her family went to Venus' Garden."

"Oh?" Rebecca raised an inquisitive eyebrow. "What else did you two talk about?"

"Nothing much," he said, pouring coffee into another empty cup. He pushed the steaming cup of black liquid toward Shiki.

"You know I don't drink coffee," he said.

"It's not for you. Why don't you take that Ruby?" Weisz suggested.

Shiki picked up the cup to be on his way to the Park. He found her still asleep on a bench. She lay curled on her side, her fingers gripping the sweatshirt under head serving as a makeshift pillow. Her cheeks were flushed from sleep. Her lips poked out in a pout.

"Ruby?" he called out to her. "Ruby, wake up."

"Mmmm," she groaned, moving around without opening her eyes.

Shiki lowered the cup of coffee, waving the steam toward her. He smiled when her eyes popped open wide after she caught a whiff.

"Oh, Shiki," she gasped, sitting up and swinging her feet down to the ground. "Good morning."

"Good morning," he returned, extending the cup of coffee to her while she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes in the manner of a small child.

"Thank you," she said, taking the cup from him. Holding it with both hands, she inhaled the scent deeply. She slurped loudly to suck in the hot liquid without burning her tongue. She moaned, "Mmmm, that's so good."

"Did you sleep well?" He took a seat on the bench next to her.

"Actually, I did," she answered, covering her mouth to hide her yawn. "It was so peaceful in here. I felt safe. I haven't felt safe in a really long time."

Silence stretched between them while she enjoyed her coffee.

"How did you end up there? On Venus' Garden...working in that nightclub," Shiki added to clarify. "Why did you warn us about the casinos?"

"We went there on vacation, my parents and I. I think we had a lot of fun. I was really little. Maybe five. We visited the water park. The theme park. On the last night, mom and dad wanted a date night so they left me with a babysitter provided by the service at the hotel. Next thing I know, mom and dad never came and I'm being given to this big scary guy who says he's going to be my daddy," she said, shuddering visibly.

Although she was not cold, Ruby tugged the sweater more tightly around her body. She raised the coffee cup to her lips, her eyes staring over the rim at nothing in particular while she drank.

"When I got older, the Boss told me my parents took out several loans in order to continue gambling at the casino. When they could not pay him back, I was given to him because I was used as collateral for their debt."

"That's horrible," Shiki mumbled.

"Now I have a question for you," she said to change the subject quickly. "What made you want to be my friend?"

"You just seemed so sad." His eyes met hers. "And lonely. That song you sang was from the heart."

"You think?" she scoffed, shifting her eyes away from his.

"I know," he said emphatically.

Ruby forced a chuckle in an effort to dispel the tension setting in which only managed to increase the awkwardness. She lifted the cup to take another drink then lowered it, exhaling with disappointment because it was empty. She sat it down on the seat of the bench next to her.

"You needed a friend. And I want to make as many friends as possible. Soooo," he said, dragging out the word while reaching for her hand. When her eyes met his, he added, "We were a perfect match. Don't you think?"

Her eyes blinked rapidly as if to push back the tears making them glisten and become bloodshot.

"I don't know what to think about you, Shiki. You're not like any man I've ever met." She placed her hand on his cheek. He was as warm as his words. "You're so sweet and sincere. You don't have any ulterior motives. You don't say nice things you don't mean or treat me nicely just to get something from me."

"Like what?" he asked.

Ruby scanned his eyes. Their depths were clear, not muddied with deception or insincerity. He was not being sarcastic. He genuinely had no idea what she was talking about. She snorted in her effort to hold back her laughter.

"What?" Shiki chuckled nervously, his eyebrows connecting over the bridge of his nose as his confusion deepened. "I didn't say anything funny."

"No, no you didn't," she agreed. "I have another question for you. Is Rebecca your girlfriend?"

"Oh, no, our relationship is nothing like that," he said, letting go of her hand to give a dismissive wave.

"How did you two meet?"

"She was exploring where I lived on. She was making a video when I met her. She's a famous B-tuber you know."

No, I don't know, Ruby thought bitterly. The Boss never allowed her to have any kind of communication device or access to anything that would allow her to learn about a world beyond the one he made for her.

"She was the first human I ever saw. I lived on a planet full of robots."

"Robots?" she murmured, marveling at the idea of robots taking a human child and raising him.

"When I asked her to be my friend, she turned me down flat. Didn't even hesitate," he remarked, frowning deeply at the recollection. "But she's my best friend now."

"That's sweet. You're quite an amazing guy, Shiki. What's your last name?" she asked.

"Granbell. I didn't have one so I took the name of the planet I lived on."

"Oh, I see. I don't think Ruby Venus or Ruby Garden sounds too great," she said, wrinkling her nose in disgust. "It sounds too much like the names of some of the exotic dancers at the Pink Palace."

"Exotic dancer?" he queried, cocking his head like a confused puppy.

Oh, my god! He's adorable!, her inner voice shrieked with excitement. She had refrained from saying stripper choosing to use the more advertising friendly term.

"Uhm, yeah. They get paid to take their clothes off for men and dance," she said, her eyes narrowing with suspicion when he seemed to be processing her definition.

"Women really do that?" he asked, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Uh huh. And actually get paid a lot."

"Wow," he gasped. "Did you do that?"

Her face burned with embarrassment.

"No. I didn't. The Boss wouldn't allow it. I guess I should be thankful for that small respite," she sighed.

Working as a stripper, a hostess, or a prostitute were the few humiliations the Boss had shielded her from. He had been forced to share her attention but was far too selfish to share her body with another man.

"What was that man to you?" Shiki asked.

His curiosity knew no bounds. He was forthright and straightforward. If he wanted to know something, he asked. The way he had boldly, but politely, came to her at the stage asking a simple question, captivated her. He did not try to use some stupid line or act like she should be thrilled he deemed her worthy of his attention.

"Well, I guess he was a parent first," she said, toying with the handle of the cup.

She purposely did not use the term "daddy" like that man had used upon their first meeting. He never really was a parent but The Boss was all she had. He provided the basics, a roof over her head and food for her belly. The women he employed acted as make-do caretakers but only because they wanted to get close to him and gain his favor by taking care of this annoying little brat he doted on like some kind of royalty.

Although he indulged her, he was not fond of free loaders. The Boss put her to work in his nightclub at the age of six washing dishes in the back where she would be hidden, kept safe from perverts, avoiding greedy, wandering eyes and hands. All kinds came to Venus' Garden.

Many people like her parents had been lured there with the fake promise of an "economical and memorable family vacation." It was memorable all right. She would never forget it. The few family friendly venues were there to bring in unsuspecting parents with children in order to receive a constant source of free child labor. The children would subsequently be raised up to work in the casinos and bars and brothels. It was easier to train a child than to break an adult.

And train he did. At the age of thirteen after she developed breasts and curves, the Boss stuck her in a bunny girl costume and had the other servers teach her how to work the customers to order the most expensive drinks. They were salesman not only of cocktails and beer but also the services offered by girls at the brothels and massage parlors.

As a bartender, she was taught to water down the alcohol and add extra mixers and juices to further thin out the drinks. Since it took longer to get inebriated, the customers would order more to get that buzz. Plus it kept the bunny girls coming back to their table giving them another chance for a pinch or a grope.

Then one fateful night the Boss heard her singing while cleaning up the bar area at the end of her shift. He had a whole new scheme. His songbird would use her silky voice to serenade the customers, further getting them in the mood to loosen their wallets by depressing them enough to buy more drinks or seducing them into purchasing a night with a lovely lady to assuage their loneliness. Any girl was up for grabs for a price - just not her.

"He was an employer. Mentor. Manager. He was a lot of things." She purposely avoided mentioning the Boss had proposed, an offer she was not allowed to refuse a week ago. She would have become his wife in three short days.

"Ruby."

Shiki's voice was soft when he spoke her name but it was enough to bring her attention back to him.

"You said you can't remember your real name. Why did he call you Ruby?"

She smiled. "When he took me away from my parents, I was wearing a necklace with flower pendant on it. The petals were oval shaped rubies."

Her hand self-consciously rubbed her bare neck. The Boss had taken that necklace away from her, snatching it off her neck when she would not stop crying.

"Forget about your past. That life no longer exists. You no longer exist as that person. You're mine now." He opened his large hand to study the small necklace laying in his palm. "I'll call you Ruby."

"Hey, would it be possible to get some more coffee?" Ruby asked, feigning a cheerful demeanor.

"Sure. Follow me," he said, standing up while she gathered Weisz's sweatshirt.

"How long before you drop me off somewhere?" she inquired as they walked down the metal corridor.

She wanted to know how long she had with them. No matter how long she would be on this ship, she should refrain from entangling herself too much emotionally. It would only hurt more when they got rid of her.

"Well, I need to find a suitable safe place for you first," he remarked, rolling his eyes upward as if trying to remember a mental checklist. "Then we need to check it out for ourselves to make sure you will be safe. Get you settled in and all that. So it will take a while. A few weeks. Maybe even months."

Maybe even months, the words repeated over and over in her head.

Ruby flushed from head to toe with pleasure. It made her feel like a worthwhile human being to know he had been seriously considering her predicament and taking into account what would be best for her and not just what would be easy for them.

"Besides, this will be an adventure," Shiki announced. "We're adventurers after all."

"Shiki," she said, grabbing his hand and pulling him to a stop. "I am so grateful to you and everything you are doing for me. I know you don't have to do anything this and - "

"Hey," he interrupted her, cupping her cheek with his hand. "That's what friends do. We take care of each other. Help each other."

The warmth in his palm radiated into her skin, heating her entire body. She chewed her lower lip as he stared into her eyes with those gentle eyes of his. It was as if he could see clear into her soul, and she did not mind at all. He was the first man she did not feel ashamed when he looked at her. He saw her as a human being, not as something to be used and thrown away or a servant meant to please his every whim.

"But I can't do anything for you in return," she confessed, a bit embarrassed by the admission.

"Yes, you can. It doesn't cost anything to be my friend. Share meals with me. Walk with me. Talk with me. Laugh with me. Cry with me. Just care about me," he said, taking a step closer to her.

"Oh, you're making that incredibly easy," she murmured.

"Good. Because I care about you."

Ruby could feel his body heat reaching out to her, touching her as tangibly as his words touched her heart. His eyes meandered downward from hers, focusing on her lips briefly. She thought he intended to kiss her. Then he dropped his hand from her face and pivoted away from her.

"Let's get that coffee!" he exclaimed, pressing the button the panel by the Eden's Kitchen door.

"Ugh," she groaned. That was twice she had been denied a kiss. The disappointment left her feeling a bit deflated like a balloon that been poked but only enough to allow the air to slowly escape rather than popping it entirely.

"Hey! There they are!" Weisz announced when they entered the kitchen.

Ruby went to stand beside him, placing the neatly folded sweatshirt down on the table in front of him. A hush fell over the group as everyone ceased their conversations to watch the interaction between the two of them.

"Thank you so much for letting me borrow this. It made a great pillow."

"You're very welcome. I'll give you the shirt off my back anytime," he said, laying his hand over hers which rested on the table top.

"Oh, my God," Rebecca said, lifting her cup to take a drink.

Although whispered, her statement had been as loud as a shout in the room so quiet one could probably have heard an actual pin drop.

"Weisz has really upped his game in the cheesy pick up line department. I'm actually impressed," Homura murmured.

"Dammit, you two!" he exclaimed unable to ignore them when everyone else broke into giggles. "I'm really trying to be good here."

"Yeah, we've noticed," Sister spoke up amid her chuckling. "I guess Shiki bringing her aboard wasn't a completely bad idea after all. You seem to be wanting to turn into a real human being, Professor Pervert."

Weisz hated that even the androids had taken to calling him by that awful nickname Rebecca had saddle him with.

"Says the humanoid android. The irony is laughable. Ha, ha, ha," he muttered irritably.

"Let me take that," Shiki said, indicating the empty coffee cup she still held in her other hand.

"Take a seat," Rebecca invited her, vacating her chair across from Weisz.

"Oh, you didn't have to move. I could have sat somewhere else."

"It's fine. Sit," she urged her, tapping the back of the chair before walking away to sit on the other side of Homura.

"What is happening here?" Pino asked Happy as they watched the humans from across the room.

"I'm honestly not sure," he replied, more than a little bumfuzzled by their behavior himself.

"The readings I am getting from Weisz indicate he is something besides sexually aroused. There is a distinct rise in dopamine, norepinephrine, and serotonin in addition to testosterone. His heart rate increased from a resting rate of 78 beats per minute to over one hundred and twenty beats per minute when Ruby entered the room. I do not understand," she said, running more readings and calculations.

Shiki placed the coffee cup down in front of her. Ruby placed both hands around the mug, giving him a grateful smile when he sat down at the head of the table to her right.

"Does anyone have plans for today? I am going to be searching nearby planets and solar systems for place Ruby can call home," Shiki announced.

"Well, Homura and I talked last night about taking Ruby to the training deck and teaching her a few basic self defense moves," Rebecca said. She peeked around Homura at Ruby. "If she would like to do that."

"I would love to do that. I need to know how to protect myself since I will be alone," she said, quickly raising her cup to her lips to hide her frown.

"That's a great idea," Weisz agreed.

"Glad you approve. Would you like to come be our training dummy?" Rebecca inquired sweetly.

"No, no I would not. Besides, I have a new weapon I've been working on. I'll be busy with that. Enjoy beating the shit out of each other ladies," he said as he walked toward the door. "I hate that I'm gonna miss that show."

"We will be doing our usual duties," announced Witch.

Their usual duties included running system checks, routine maintenance, upgrades, updates, and general care of the ship not to mention scanning and watching out for nefarious threats in the form of other ships carrying unknown enemies. And chronophages. The time dragons popped up suddenly and without warning. They always had to be on the lookout for those damn things.

"Let's go to the dress factory to get changed," Rebecca suggested.

"Can I go?" Hermit inquired, glancing at the other two androids. "Only for a little while. I promise I will get to my duties quickly. Please."

"Sure kid, go ahead," Sister replied.

"I have no objections," Witch added to give her consent.

"Is there anything in particular I should wear?" Ruby inquired, finishing off her coffee.

"Something that allows freedom of movement. You don't need to have your arms or legs limited in any way especially since you're learning," advised Homura.

"The Boss taught me a few techniques in order to handle unruly customers should they get too handsy," she said, making the grabby motion with her hands.

"Well, that's good to hear. At least we know you can fend off Weisz," Rebecca said, leading the way to the wardrobe room.

"Actually, he was a perfect gentleman last night," Ruby countered. They had flirted and traded innuendos but he had kept his hands, and his lips, to himself. "He never laid a hand on me in a lascivious manner. He was very sweet really."

"Huh...well, that is shocking," the blond woman murmured thoughtfully.

"In a good way," chimed in Homura.

"Can I help you pick out your outfit?" Hermit asked Ruby as they entered the Dress Factory.

"Sure. I have no doubt you will know exactly what I need," she enthusiastically replied. Seeing the androids beautiful blue eyes light up and the smile on her face, made her happy too.

Rebecca and Homura choose their workout clothes, then went to get changed in the curtained dressing rooms lining the hall. Hermit stepped up to the computer with Ruby. Once again, she was bombarded with limitless choices which left her overwhelmed and clueless. She found it embarrassing not being able to make the simplest decision of what to wear.

"What about this?" Hermit suggested, showing her the screen.

The human silhouette made of blue lines turned in a three hundred and sixty degree circle to show the clothing from all angles. It was a black skin tight bodysuit covering her from her neck to her wrists and down to her ankles. The dancers called these catsuits.

"The fabric is stretchy and will allow you to move easily while keeping you fully covered," Hermit explained as if she needed to justify her choice.

"Okay then. I'll go with it," she stated gamely, going to the third dressing room.

Once again, the weirdly involuntary process took place of her being stripped then redressed by an unseen force. It was much better than being manhandled, being pinched and pulled by numerous hands while being shoved into clothes she did not choose and did not want to wear. She stepped out to see Rebecca and Homura waiting for her.

Homura was dressed in her usual short kimono, this one in royal blue with red edging and gold flowers decorating the vibrant blue fabric. Rebecca had donned a suit much like Ruby's but in white with no sleeves and lime green and black accents along the collar and zipper. They both wore boots. She was barefoot.

"Should I - "

"No. You're fine," they said in unison taking her by the arms to lead her to the training room.

The training room consisted of blue mats on the floor and red mats on two of the walls. One of the walls was nothing but mirrors. The floor in front of it was highly polished wood. There were wooden dummies for martial arts and silicone dummies molded to look like men.

"There's a separate workout room with weights and treadmills and equipment like that," Rebecca informed her.

"Wow," Ruby breathed. "This ship really has everything."

"Oh, just wait. You haven't seen the best part yet. After this we will have to go to the Spa of Eden," she said.

"Spa of Eden?"

"It's a giant bath. It's so hot," Homura whined, hugging herself and shuddering. She still had not gotten accustomed to that hot water.

"The ceiling is glass so you can see outside," Rebecca added.

"Oh, I can't wait!" Ruby exclaimed, thrilled with the prospect of being able to gaze out into the expanse of space while luxuriating in a hot bath.

"Shall we get started?" Rebecca cupped her hand at her ear. "I can hear that bath calling our name already."

Homura placed her hand by her ear and listened. "I don't hear anything."

All three women laughed. Rebecca and Homura removed their shoes before stepping onto the mat.

"Okay, Ruby, why don't you show me what you know," Rebecca said, standing in front of her.

"Uh, how do we do this? What do I do?" she asked, rubbing her sweaty palms along the soft stretchy fabric on her hips.

"I'll grab your wrist like I'm going to pull you along," she replied, seizing Ruby's wrist.

Rebecca expected the woman to twist her hand to free herself from the grip then run away. Instead, Ruby clamped down on her wrist in return, pushing her thumb in between the tendons. Pain shot through Rebecca's hand with such ferocity, she cried out in pain. Her fingers weakened instantly releasing her 'victim's' wrist.

Ruby stepped forward, pulling Rebecca toward her to unbalance her. Thrusting the heel of her hand upward, she stopped short of smacking her fake assailant in the nose.

Rebecca stumbled forward, catching herself before she fell flat on her face.

"That was great," Rebecca complimented her.

"It was enough to get me out of a few sticky situations." She grimaced, self consciously scratching her cheek flooding with pink color. "Thankfully the bouncers were always close by for the times when that didn't work."

"That's a promising start. It shows we have a lot to work with."

"You have a lot of potential, Ruby," Homura said to encourage her.

"I have potential? Potential for what?" Ruby inquired, casting a glimpse at one woman then the other.

"For being a strong fighter. You could become as strong as we are. We can teach you so many things," Rebecca said.

Ruby vibrated with excitement. For the first time in her life she would taught something truly useful. She would be able to not only protect herself but others. She would no longer have to idly stand by, frozen in fear, and watch someone get beaten to a bloody pulp or die for no reason.

~\'/~

When the girls did not show up for lunch, Weisz and Shiki both went to the training room first to search for them. The room was empty. And completely wrecked!

"What the hell happened here?" Shiki mumbled as they glanced around the messy room.

One of the wooden training dummies had been completely dismantled. Another reduced to splinters. The mats were laying haphazardly as if they had been picked up and thrown. There was a broken mirror; not just cracked but completely shattered, the reflective pieces scattered on the wooden floor like confetti. One of the silicone dummies had been beheaded.

Weisz massaged his throat while staring wide eyed at the head of the dummy lying on the exercise mat not too far from his feet.

"I see Rebecca and Homura had an unusually fierce training session today. What could have..." He thought for a minute. "You don't think Ruby did this do you?"

"I don't. They probably went flat out to show her their skills. I'm sure they want to inspire her to be as strong as them. To be someone better than she is today."

"They do have a way of inspiring people to be a better version of themselves," Weisz agreed.

"I said better not hornier," Shiki quipped, punching him in the arm as he walked by.

"Asshole," he muttered, rubbing his arm. "Like you're one to talk. You're as bad me. You just hide it better."

"Come on, let's keep looking."

Weisz noticed the sweat stains on the mats. There were also a few blood droplets. Impressive. One of their battling beauties drew blood during a friendly sparring match.

"I think I know where they are."

~\'/~

The women were in the Spa of Eden as Rebecca had named the luxurious bath. After showering off, they stepped into the giant bathing pool surrounding the gorgeous tree growing on the platform in the middle where the water originated. The water flowed down into the pool in several small waterfalls to the keep temperature at a constant 107.6 degrees.

Ruby giggled at Happy when he floated past her. She picked up one of the fat red berries with a leaf attached to it in order to examine it more closely. The berries were floating around everywhere in the pool. She lobbed it at Rebecca. It landed with a splash, sprinkling her with water.

"Hey!" she exclaimed, laughing. She threw one of the berries back at Ruby who caught it and threw it back, purposely making it land in the crevice between her massive breasts that bobbed in the water.

"Five points!" Ruby shouted, thrusting her arms in the air victoriously.

Homura shied away from the drops of water flying through the air at her. She pressed her back against the cool tile on the side of the pool, gritting her teeth to bear the temperature of the steaming water.

"I'm so jealous," Rebecca said, wading over to Ruby.

"Of what?" the woman chuckled.

"Your breasts are so small," she replied bluntly.

Ruby self-consciously covered her breasts with her hands to hide them and sank down in the water up to her chin. Her face was already red from splashing around in the hot water so no one could tell she was on the verge of dying of embarrassment.

"Uh...thanks?"

"It is a good thing," Homura assured her. "You don't have back aches do you?"

"Well...no."

"You don't have difficulty finding clothes that fit well either I bet. Have you ever accidentally popped a button or broken a zipper because you inhaled too deeply?" Rebecca asked.

"No, I haven't. I guess men are the only ones who really want women to have ginormous breasts because they aren't the ones who have to deal with all of that," she remarked thoughtfully never having considered the downside to large breasts. She dropped her hands from her breasts, no longer ashamed they were not size F and finding a new contentment with her C cup size.

"They're just the right size," the blond said, reaching out to cup Ruby's breasts. She held them in her hands as if to test their weight. Then she took her hands away. "Absolutely perfect."

Ruby was not stunned or offended at all by the fast and unexpected groping. It was not the first time she had been touched by a woman that way. As a matter of fact, her first kiss came from a woman.

"Have you two ever had a slumber party?" Ruby asked.

"Slumber party?" the other two asked in unison.

"We wear pajamas, eat junk food, tell secrets...that kind of thing."

"Sounds fun. Let's do it!" Rebecca exclaimed. "Homura?"

"Maybe we can have a fashion show in the Dress Factory," she suggested to show that she was in as well.

"Oooh, that's a great idea," Ruby said, clapping her hands happily. "This is going to be so much fun."

"Yes it is!" Weisz's voice suddenly rang out.

"You idiot," Shiki hissed, punching him in the arm.

"Where are you two perverted idiots hiding? Come out so we can beat the hell out of you!" Rebecca yelled angrily, standing up at the shallower edge where the water only reached her waist.

"Go, go, go," Weisz muttered, shoving Shiki toward the door.

They had snuck in and been crouched behind the group of showers closest to the door. They appeared briefly in the gap between their hiding place and their escape route. They were out the door before the women could get out of the pool to come after them.

"Morons," Rebecca grumbled hearing the door close with a whoosh behind them.

"They most likely got in when you two were throwing the berries at each other and making so much noise laughing," Homura theorized.

"Yeah, probably so," Rebecca agreed with a sigh.

Ruby leaned back against the side of the pool, looking up at the glassed in ceiling.

"Why do you like space so much?" Homura inquired.

"I guess because it represents freedom to me. To escape that awful place, I had to come out here. Look at all of the planets and stars and suns and moons. There's so many places to go, so many things to see and do...so much to experience," she gushed breathily.

"Sometimes I forget just how wonderful it is to be an adventurer," Rebecca said, gazing at the glowing dots above them with a refreshed interest.

"I can't take it anymore!" Homura yelled, standing up and wading to the steps to get out.

"She really is sensitive to this heat, isn't she?" Ruby asked.

"She never has been able to get used to it. I'm getting hungry. We should get out too," Rebecca suggested.

They dressed in the clothes Hermit brought to them: Rebecca a blue miniskirt with a black stripe down the side and a matching crop top; Homura another kimono in red and gold; and Ruby in pink shorts and a white top with tiny pink and red butterflies all over it.

"Well aren't you three pretty," Shiki complimented them when they entered the kitchen.

"You've got a hell of a lot of nerve," Rebecca snapped. It did not matter if he was the Captain or the Demon King. He had been a peeping Tom, and she was angry about it.

"You're still mad about that?"

"Yes, I'm still mad! It's been like five minutes!"

"You two should be ashamed," Homura admonished the men in her soft voice.

"Do you have anything to add?" Weisz asked Ruby.

She shook her head.

"Are you sure? Out with it," Weisz challenged her, waving his fingers in the 'bring it on' gesture.

"I'd really rather not."

"Oh, come on. Weisz is used to it. I think he likes it," Rebecca said only half joking.

"Okay. If it will make him feel better." Ruby inhaled deeply. Her eyes narrowed as she leaned over and slapped the table in front of him making Weisz jump in his seat. "You disgusting, filthy little maggot. You should get down on your knees and thank the universal gods that we allow you to breathe the same air we do."

Weisz's mouth dropped open. His entire face turned crimson red, the color creeping downward to the collar of his shirt.

Sister threw back her head and laughed heartily. She slapped Weisz on the back.

"You asked for it, and you got it!" she roared. "I'm really beginning to like this girl."

"Moscoy!" exclaimed the robot standing against the wall behind her.

"Oh!" Ruby gasped, running over to him. He looked like a robotic sumo wrestler in a suit. "Who is this? What's your name?"

"Moscoy! Moscoy! Moscoy!" chanted the robot excitedly. He leaned over to get a better look at the woman staring up at him.

"Who? Him?" Sister Ivry hooked her thumb at him. "He's no one special, but you'll see him around here a lot so don't be afraid."

Ruby was far from afraid as she circled the big robot studying him in the way someone does an unusual art piece at a gallery.

"Do you want a curry burger or a pizza burger?" Shiki asked Ruby.

"Uhm...a pizza burger," she replied taking a seat beside Weisz for a change.

"Sure you don't want to sit somewhere else? You're not afraid of catching pervert cooties?" he remarked.

"If there was such a thing, I'm afraid I would be terminally ill with them at this point. Don't forget the environment I came from," she reminded him.

"Oh, right," he murmured. "Hey, would you like to meet in the Park later?"

"Sure. If I can find it again," she sighed.

"I'll come get you at your room around nine and walk you there." He placed his hand over hers that rested on the table between them.

Ruby looked down at their hands, watching his fingers curl around her hand to clutch it. Her eyes moved back to his. She could not stop the smile from forming on her lips.

"That would be great. This ship is huge. I don't know how all of you find your way around."

"We've been sailing through space on this ship for a few years. We've had a lot of time to get to know every nook and granny. Adventuring isn't all spine tingling thrills and death defying escapes."

"That's good though isn't it? It's nice to just have some down time to relax and hang out with your friends right? Everyone needs a break from someone trying to kill them."

"I suppose so," he returned with a chuckle, squeezing her hand.

"Here ya go," Shiki said, placing the plate with the burger in front of her.

"Thank you."

"It's my favorite. I hope you like it."

"I'm sure I will."

Ruby nibbled on the burger, observing all of the people around her. They were not just friends. They were a family.