Shuu sighed as he walked out to the balcony. He looked back sadly, watching to see if Eri followed him. To his surprise, she was, however, she still didn't look quite right. He yearned to walk over to her, to hold her again. He couldn't tell if tears of hers or of his would spark the life back into her eyes. The dull, lifeless eyes that stared at him hollowly from her blank, expressionless face. She hadn't even blinked.
"Eri, come over here." He said quietly. She wandered over, not even questioning his every command. He thought of moments when that could've come in handy, but now was not one of those times. She was lost to him in the death of her companions. Their companions. He stroked her cheek, and watched, hope sparking in his eyes as she raised her hand to hold his to her cheek. He almost cried as he felt her warm, soft hand brush his. He looked into her eyes, the light coming back into his for just a moment, hoping, pleading with God for her eyes to be lively, and full of the love he had cherished. But, her hazel pools were vacant of all emotion.
"Please, love, speak to me..." He begged. "Please, I need to hear you..."
"Why? Why are you so afraid?" She murmured. "I'm only a girl, and you are a great warrior."
"No!" Shuu cried and dropped her hands. Painfully, he recognized the scene she was speaking from. "Eri, don't you know who I am?!"
"Stop! Don't hurt me!" She backed away, and dashed through the center of the room.
"ERI!" Shuu threw his hands up, and started to go after her. He stopped suddenly, and dropped his hands. He turned to the stars, and screamed. "Why'd you take her from me?! Give me back my girlfriend!"
His only answer was the whisper of the breeze caressing his face. "But why...why did you take her? I need her! But she's dead now. She's as dead as the others...there is no reason for me to live." He wiped a tear from his cheek and walked back inside, closing the balcony doors behind him.
***
"Shuu Rei Faun!" The demon looked happily at the Ronin. "It's nice to meet you after such a long time of hearing about you from Ryo...he just went on and on..."
"Ryo?" Shuu looked around warily. "Where is he?"
"Oh, do you want to see him?" She inquired, glancing at him curiously.
"Yeah." Shuu got ready to power up just in case.
A light came on. There was the warrior of virtue, sitting in a chair, looking tired and weak. "Shuu?" He barely whispered.
"Ryo, buddy! What the hell happened?!" Shuu rushed over. "Oh my God!"
"Listen, don't trust her!" Ryo muttered hurriedly, "She's a demon! She killed everybody! I swear-" He was cut off, and disappeared.
"W-w-where'd he go?!" Shuu looked around, suddenly scared. "Hey, what'd you do with him?!"
"Nothing. He just had to disappear. Listen, Shuu, I'm not going to hurt you. I want to make a deal with you."
***
A dark, shadowed figure sat on a chair next to the black-haired teenaged boy. They reached out and stroked his hair. "I'd like to be close to you forever, and I would treasure every minute. I swear to you, I will be there." They stood and walked out.
***
"Shuu, how would you like to make your deepest desire come true?" The young woman offered him. "It comes with a price, but I can make you the happiest man ever."
"Can you?" He replied sourly.
"Let me find out what you want, Shuu! I can give you it!"
The thought of Eri with life in her eyes again made Shuu's heart wring. "Do it."
The demon closed her eyes and slowly crept into his mind. Memories floated by her, but she paid them no attention, as she searched for the one thing that would give him true happiness. Was it money? Was it marrying a supermodel? She gasped as she saw exactly what it was he wanted. A girl with an emotionless face, then the same girl with life in her eyes, happy and alive again. She opened her eyes and looked at him, almost sadly.
"I'll do it."
"What's the price?"
"I'm going to kill you. No protests, no nothing. I'll make it as painless as possible."
"Will you save her?"
"I promise." She placed a solemn hand on her heart. "Okay?"
Shuu could've cried. Eri would be alive! She could live again, take care of everything! And he'd see her in the after life...if there was one. Wait, what was it that Ryo had said? "I'm ready." He spread his arms out and lifted his head. "Proceed."
"Don't do it!" Ryo's voice cried out. But it was too late.
Pain ripped through every fiber of Shuu's body as a fire spread through his veins. He screamed as his body trembled, his eyes rolling back in his head. Everything whirled around him, it almost seemed like he was the only thing standing still! Then it all stopped. He fell on his back, spread-eagled. Everything was red and blue stars, until it all faded into black. His last thought was of a smiling, laughing teenaged girl. His lover, his girlfriend. The young woman who would've been his wife, had he not agreed to the demon's deal. And now, he was gone, with no hope of ever seeing his sweetheart again.