"Since you insist on fighting, Innya, then I will show you no mercy!" Aysu stated as she got ready for battle.

Innya raised her white guns and started to shoot at Aysu, who dodged with slight difficulty due to the hole in her leg. As soon as Aysu found an opening, she swung her whip at Innya relentlessly. Innya dodged as best she could, but managed to get a scratch on her arm. Without even flinching, Innya immediately shot one of her guns, which grazed Aysu's cheek. The two jumped away from each other, and stood there staring at each other while they thought about their next move.

"You really are out to kill me...." Innya stated sadly. "I can tell you aren't holding back at all."

"The only reason I'm fighting you all-out is because you challenged me, and I know how strong you are. Don't confuse it with this imposter's lies." Aysu stated as she glanced at Desya, who responded with a smile.

"You're the one who's lying! And don't you dare call my brother an imposter!" Innya shouted as she shot at Aysu, who avoided it. However, she stumbled a little, as moving around like this only made the wound in her leg worse. And besides that, the bullet could have been poisoned. Aysu knew she had to end the fight quickly.

"Innya, listen to me. I know he looks like your brother, but think about it; would Desya really have asked you to do something he knew would hurt you so much? Besides that, we both saw his corpse. I'm sorry, but Desya is dead."

"Just shut up!" Innya yelled at her friend. "The Desya that was killed was a clone, it wasn't Desya! Desya's right here! And as soon as this is over, we can finally live together in peace! I won't let a lying backstabber like you stop us!"

"Ridiulous...." Aysu said with a frustrated sigh. "I knew sooner or later something like this would happen. You and your emotions were always so fragile. Especially when it came to Desya. It was only a matter of time before someone realized your one weakness and used it against you."

(7 years ago, Innya 10yrs, Aysu, 12yrs)

"Look, kid. You're good, I'll give you that, but I can't let you go on missions alone. Besides the fact that you're too young, you're a girl! Seriously. If you can find a partner, we'll let you handle jobs, but not until then. Okay?"

"Fine..." Aysu said, with an upset tone. She knew he was only saying this cause no one would partner up with a kid, let alone a girl. Not that Aysu cared. None of the people around her were worthy of being her partner anyway.

Aysu walked through a large forest alone, thinking about what to do about the partner situation. She could always just threaten someone.... But before she could continue her thoughts, another kid around the same age came running up. The kid stopped abruptly, surprised to see someone else. Aysu examined the kid closely. It looked to be a boy with short brown hair, black torn clothes, and blood smeared all over his face. Though after a moment, Aysu realized that this kid was actually a girl.

"Who are you?" Aysu asked curiously.

The boyish girl hesitated for a moment, then answered, "Innya's my name. What about you?"

"Aysu. What's with the blood? Did you kill someone?" Aysu asked with a smirk, expecting the answer to be no.

"That's right. I killed my parents. What are you going to do about it?" Innya said firmly. Aysu stared curiously. She could sense a strong bloodlust from this girl, and Aysu could tell that she definitely had talent in the art of killing.

"I don't really care that you killed your parents, actually." Aysu replied with a shrug. Then she thought of something. "Say.... You wouldn't happen to be interested in killing for a living, would you?" Innya stared wide-eyed. "You see, I need a partner in order to be qualified for the job, but I'm not gonna settle on just anyone. I need a powerful fighter. Think you can handle it?"

Innya's mouth spread into a childish smile. "Sounds like fun." Aysu smirked. Finally she would be able to do what she loved most: killing. Not to mention she could teach those assassin-wannabes how to really get the job done.

Before the two girls could continue talking, an older boy came running towards them. "Innya! Wait up! Don't leave me behind!" He yelled.

"Desya!" Innya exclaimed with a smile. "Sure took you long enough!"

Aysu stared at the boy, who could have been Innya's twin. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is my brother Desya. Desya, this is my new friend Aysu. We're gonna be partners and kill people for a living!" Innya exclaimed happily.

"Haha! Sounds like a job that suits you!" Desya laughed as he patted Innya on the head. "Aysu, huh? Nice to meet you." Desya said, holding his hand out to shake with Aysu. But Aysu didn't retutn the gesture.

"A brother, huh? Could be a problem...." Aysu muttered to herself. Innya and Desya stared at her. "Are you sure he won't.... Get in the way?" Aysu said to Innya.

"Don't worry about Desya, he'll be fine! Now tell me more about this job that involves killing people."

Aysu nodded, but still felt uneasy. She didn't like the idea of her partner having a dependant, but what could she do? She probably wouldn't find another worthy partner for years. Well, there was nothing she could do now. Besides, it's not her brother. If anything happens to him, Innya could take the fall for it, and Aysu would just have to find a new partner.

(End flashback)

"I always knew he'd be your undoing." Aysu said with a regretful tone.

"Shut up!" Innya yelled as she raised her guns again and shot.

Aysu went to dodge, but her wounded foot sent her falling to the ground. Luckily, none of the bullets hit her as she fell, but now she couldn't walk on her right foot. This was bad. Innya walked up beside Aysu and pointed one of her guns at Aysu's head.

"Desya may be my weakness.... But I love him!" Innya stated with tears flowing out of her eyes. "And someone like you, who doesn't have the capacity to love others, can't possible understand!"

"You know damn well why I don't get personally involved with anyone! And part of that reason is exactly what's happening to you right now!" Aysu yelled angrily at Innya.

Innya smirked. "Oh yes, I'd nearly forgotten. You used to have feelings outside of hatred and greed.... Before your family betrayed you." Aysu gritted her teeth. "Funny, huh? Your own family sold you out to the Black Market for a bit of money, and now you've been trying to kill me for your own profit."

"Don't you dare.... Put me on the same level as those bastards!!!" Aysu screamed with a furious glow in her eyes.

Despite her leg, Aysu kicked Innya's gun out of her hand. As Innya, who was surprised by that action, went to shoot with the other gun, Aysu jumped to her feet, grabbed Innya's arm and twisted it behind her back, causing Innya to let out a yelp of pain. Aysu grabbed the remaining gun from Innya's hand, and put it to the back of her neck.

"Aysu...." Innya said in a voice that showed she was in pain.

"Shut the fuck up! This game has gone on long enough! Seeing as you won't listen to reason, and since you decided to make it personal for me, I'm going to have to kill you." Aysu stated with no hesitation whatsoever. In fact, she sounded eager to take Innya's life.

"Stop, or you die." Came a voice from behind Aysu. Aysu turned her head to see Desya right behind her, holding Innya's other gun to her back.

"You son of a bitch..." Aysu said in a low, murderous voice. Desya smirked.

"Hold it, pal." Came another voice. Desya turned his head to find two swords at his throat, wielded by Kurogane and Syaoran. Desya, Aysu and Innya looked to the back of the room, where Fai stood with Mokona on his shoulder and a bunch of men cloaked in black unconscious on the floor.

"You managed to break out of that cage so soon?!" Desya said with surprise.

"This madness has gone on long enough. Tell us the truth about what you are, and why you're making these two fight each other." Syaoran demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Desya said with a smile.

"We've been listening to you guys talk the entire time, and it's pretty clear that you're not the real Desya." Fai stated, with a serious tone.

"Look, you either talk now, or your head comes off!" Kurogane challeged.

For a few minutes, everyone stood there in silence waiting for Desya to repond. But then the sound of a door being open could be heard, and everyone's attention went to the main entrance of the room. When it was completely open, the group could see a well-dressed young man with green eyes and blonde hair holding Princess Sakura at knife-point.

"Princess Sakura!" Syaoran exclaimed with worry.

"Damn...." Kurogane muttered.

"Wait.... Aren't you... The crowned Prince?!" Innya inquired with surprise.

"Yes I am." The Prince replied. "Now I suggest you strangers remove your swords from Desya's throat. I don't think I need to tell you what will
happen to the girl if you don't." The Prince pressed the blade of the knife closer against Sakura.

Reluctantly, Syaoran and Kurogane did as instructed. The Prince put on a small smile of satisfaction.

"Now, Desya, come with me. We're leaving this place." The Prince commanded.

"But...." Desya tried to protest as he looked at Innya, who was still being held by Aysu.

"Don't disobey me. I said come."

"Yes...." Desya said, reluctantly.

"Wait, Desya! You're not really going with him, are you?! I know you, you have no reason to obey him! Please... please stay with me!" Innya begged with tears in her eyes.

"Oh, Innya... I'm sorry." Desya said mournfully as he followed the Prince, who took Sakura with him as they left.

"No.... Desya...." Innya said as tears flooded down her face.

"You see, Innya.... I told you.... That wasn't...." Aysu said as she fell to ground unconcious.

"Hey, are you alright?!" Syaoran exclaimed as he and Kurogane went to help the assassin.

"What's wrong with her?" Kurogane asked.

"It's.... a poisoned bullet." Innya said through her still-constant tears. The whole group gasped.

"We have to do something fast, or she'll die!" Fai exclaimed with true worry. "You must have an antidote...." They all turned to Innya, who was sitting on the floor, with her face buried in her knees.

"Yeah...." Innya replied in a voice that was no more than a whisper.

"Well then hurry up and give it to her!" Syaoran exclaimed. But Innya didn't move.

"Damn it, you stupid woman!" Kurogane yelled as grabbed Innya by her shirt, and pulled her to her feet. Innya stared at him, shocked by the action. Kurogane proceeded to go through her pockets, searching for the antidote. He pulled out many bullets, among other things, until he finally found a tiny vial containing a purple liquid. "This it?"

Innya just looked away. That was enough for Kurogane to know that the liquid was indeed the antidote. He let go of Innya and proceeded to administer it to Aysu.

**********

Aysu woke up in a bed inside a small room that contained nothing else. There was a window on the side wall, and a door on the wall opposite of where the bed was located. She got up and went through the door, which led into the kitchen, which was a slightly larger room with a table and chairs, counters, stove and refrigerator. Sitting at the table was the group of travelers, minus the girl who was taken hostage.

"Ah, so you're finally awake." Fai said with a smile and a wave.

"What the hell are you all doing here?! This is my place!" Aysu shouted at the group of people she really wasn't in the mood to deal with.

"Well, we couldn't stay in that mansion any longer, especially with you in the condition you were in, so we asked Innya to take us somewhere safe. She led us here, then left." Syaoran explained.

"Tch. Figures!" Aysu said as she took a seat at the table with the rest of them. Dreading whatever conversation was to follow.

"Now would be a good time for thanks." Fai said to the assassin.

"Huh? Why do you say that?" Aysu said, eyeing the magician.

"Well, if he hadn't forcefully taken the antidote from Innya, you'd be dead." Fai replied, while pointing to Kurogane, who just looked at the assassin with his usual expression.

"Whatever...." Was all Aysu would say. And with that, everyone went silent for a while.

"In any case, how shall we go about rescuing Miss Sakura?" Fai said with a smile.

"Well, since the Prince took her, wouldn't it be right to assume that she's being held in the palace, or wherever the royal family lives?" Kurogane said.

"That's right." Aysu replied. She had now put her feet up on the table and closed her eyes.

"So now we gotta infiltrate the palace and break out the princess." Kurogane stated with a smirk. He seemed to be enjoying his time here.

"That sounds about right." Fai said with a smile.

"While we're there, we can get the feather too. After all, it was the Princess who took it." Syaoran added.

"Good thinking. Mokona will lead us right to it." Fai stated.

"Oh? And how do you plan on getting inside?" Aysu said curiously, while slightly opening her eyes.

"Well.... We were hoping you'd help us out." Fai said with a smile.

"Why would I help you?" Aysu said, though she figured the blond guy probably already had a plan to sway her.

"Well, because if they have a feather, then the other Syaoran will be heading there as well. And once we have the feather, he'll come after us. You still want to catch him, don't you?" Fai replied with his usual smile. Aysu truly despised him.

"No point in arguing." The assassin said as she stood up. "But first we have to find Innya. Despite all that's happened, she's still my partner, so I have to include her on this. Especially since she still has to exact revenge on that strange child for killing Desya."
"Sounds like a plan. Now let's go!" Kurogane with excitement.