Title: Sin and Repentance
Questions? aolia_chan@hotmail.com, demeter_chan@hotmail.com we are two people, not one insane schizophrenic.
Rating: R for premeditated murder and sexual situations.
Season: Modern day Tokyo-A/U (A/R) whichever
Disclaimer: We do not own Sailormoon/ Sailor Moon or any of the characters affiliated with Sailormoon/ Sailor Moon.
Story line: Three board members of Tsukino Enterprises, Mamoru Chiba, Damian Aubigne, and Setsuna Meioh decide to terminate Kenji Tsukino and take over the company. What happens when both the men are seduced by the innocence of Kenji's daughter, Usagi Tsukino?
Notes: our beloved Mamo-chan is not an insane chainsaw murderer. Damian is Demando (Diamond), Jade is Jadeite, and Kazuo is Kunzite. This will not be a Senshi/General *romance.*
******This is completely AU therefore there is quite a lot of OCC-ness, grammar isn't perfect when you have a history major and a bio major writing, and please (PLEASE) don't e-mail either one of us stating how much you hate the Sets/Mamo pairing.*********
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"Are you sure that girl saw nothing?" Setsuna asked, her magenta eyes intent as she clasped both Mamoru's hands with hers. She did not flinch as she peered into the indigo fire of his eyes.
Mamoru laughed, the lines formed a gleeful expression. He tilted his head to look into her eyes. "Think I could have been careless, Sets?" His voice, however, was expressionless.
Setsuna's brows furrowed. She could not tell what he was thinking when his voice sounded so mild. His laugh had an uneasy edge to it that sent shivers down her spine. "No," she said, controlling her shivers, refusing to let him disturb her peace, "I was merely curious."
"She heard nothing," Damian said, cutting into their conversation. He leaned back into the overstuffed black leather sofa, letting the couch support his tension. They had left for Tokyo right away and congregated in Mamoru's apartment located in the Ginza district.
Damian sat up after a few moments to pour himself his third glass of merlot. Taking the wine glass to his lips, he relaxed into the sofa, letting it support him once more.
"Drinking will not calm your soul, Damian," Setsuna spoke from across the room. She smiled as she saw his angry eyes glare directly at her face. "Are you that weak?"
Damian gulped down the remainder and poured himself another glass. "You should be the one to talk, mon ami," Damian said, baring his teeth in a wild grin. "You were the one who could not face punishing Kenji for his crimes."
Setsuna paled. Her weakness sickened her to some degree. Forcing her tensed temperament to calm down, she gazed serenely at Damian. "Your eyes are beginning to turn red, Damian," she said softly. "Can you not handle your liquor?" She emulated Mamoru's tone, his style.
Damian rose, his gait shaky. "Setsuna-"
Mamoru, who had been all too amused at both his friends, finally rose. The azure in his eyes twinkled with bemusement and his lips curled up to a blithe smile. "Damian sit down," he interrupted the drunk man. "The alcohol has started affecting you and I suggest you keep quiet before you say anything you will regret." He looked at Setsuna, who was sitting next to him. "Do not tempt him, Sets," he said, "you will not like his anger."
Setsuna thought of arguing but chose not to. Arguing with fools was no basis for a real argument. She turned her cold magenta eyes toward Mamoru. "Who killed him?" she asked, feeling proud of not stammering. She kept all emotion out of her face as she looked at her fiancé.
The amusement in Mamoru's face died down. His eyes dulled as the azure blaze faded. "We don't know," he said simply, his brows were raised and his forehead had high lines giving him a quizzical look.
Setsuna laughed, this was an answer she had not expected. Since when was Mamoru ever unsure of anything? "How?" she asked.
Mamoru smiled when he heard her laughter. Apparently, she was not as weak as Damian classified her. "We each had a gun," he said, "she the girl opened her door, one of us accidentally shot Kenji; we were both shocked enough to not know which one of us shot the bastard." His smile widened as Setsuna's expression turned from amusement to that of mild shock. "We decided not to find out whose gun shot the bullet…"
"Where are the guns now?" Setsuna interrupted him. Her eyes turned sharp, almost acerbic.
Mamoru put his arm around her shoulders as he sank into the sofa, very much as Damian had. Placing one of his hands on her hair, he softly massaged her head. "The guns were cleaned of any possible fingerprints and disposed into the dumpster behind the office building. From what I've heard, the police has already found and identified them as belonging to Mes Yamamoto."
Setsuna's eyes narrowed. So their plan had worked. They were going to get away with this grisly and somewhat ridiculous murder… Everything she had ever wanted was coming true. She would get to be a Senior Board member, she would gain four percent of company stock, and she would finally marry her fiancé. Nevertheless, why was she not satisfied? Moreover, what was it about the girl that had made her jealous? Mamoru loathed Kenji and the entire Tsukino family with a fierce passion; he would never have anything to do with that girl…
"Thinking something?" Mamoru asked her, his other hand slid off her shoulders and onto her back, rubbing ever so slightly.
Setsuna reached behind her body and stopped his hand. She smiled as she saw a slight flame of surprise pass through the azure fire of his eyes. "Something important, Mamoru," she said.
"It was not Kenji's daughter, Usagi, was it?" Damian spoke, his voice somewhat slurred. He daintily raised the wine glass to his lips, sipping the liquid.
Damian was sprawled on his back, the whiteness of his hair contrasting sharply with the ebony colored sofa. His wild and unruly hair was ruffled in every direction, giving him an almost vulnerable look. Damian's glittering china-blue eyes gaped serenely at the ceiling and his legs were stretched across the sofa. He looked like an exquisite statue, almost unreal.
Setsuna, however, was not impressed. She bluntly stared at him before speaking. "Mamoru tells me, Usagi was the girl you met earlier today Damian, how convenient for you."
Damian rose sharply, shaking his head as the silvery mane clouded his eyes. "Convenient for what?" The slur in his voice was gone, leaving him fully alert.
Mamoru put a hand on Setsuna's shoulder, quieting her. His eyes pierced into Damian's, commanding his attention. "You do realize that the girl possesses a potential threat toward us do you not?"
Damian frowned, his brows daintily scrunched. "I thought we already established that she did not see anything."
Mamoru raised his brows, a bit amused that Damian would defend the Tsukino girl. "Perhaps the shock has delayed her senses. That does tend to happen sometimes, Damian."
Harshly placing his wine glass on the coffee table next to the sofa, Damian glared at Mamoru. His friend was correct, as usual. Usagi's senses could have been delayed. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, his eyes intent.
Mamoru sighed; his eyes took on his mild expression. Tilting his eyes, he looked at Damian. "I want you to talk to her; I want you to gain her trust."
Setsuna breathed in slowly, she was not beginning to like Mamoru's plan. Regardless of what Kenji had done, that girl was innocent. Something in her could not let these men destroy that innocence… But then, what could she truly do? Though she had not physically murdered Kenji, she definitely was an accessory to murder. Setsuna clamed herself, she would do what she had to do.
Damian smiled, his eyes looked dazed as he sat back down, sinking into the sofa. "Gain her trust?" he asked, the slur returning in his speech. "That is not all that you want me to do, is it, mon ami?" Damian asked, a sly smile forming on his lips.
Mamoru smiled back at Damian's perceptiveness. "She is sixteen, Damian, how hard can it be for you, Damian Aubigne, to gain her confidence?"
Damian leaned forward as he picked up the wineglass. "If you insist," he said before drinking the remaining wine in one drunken gulp.
Setsuna rolled her eyes as she muttered something that very much sounded like 'men.' Looking into Mamoru's eyes, she smiled. "You would do that to a child of sixteen, Mamoru?" she asked, her voice as mild as his.
Mamoru did not smile back; there was a flash of emotion in his eyes as he looked back at Setsuna. "What do you suggest?"
Setsuna abruptly stopped smiling. "I suggest nothing Mamoru, this was your plan. It is up to you, how you choose to execute it." She arose as she made her way to the apartment door. Turning back, she looked at her fiancé. "I will leave now," she said, her voice perfunctory. "Keep Damian here tonight. He isn't fit to drive."
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Jade lay his sister on her bed, gently touching her tear streaked face. She looked so tired. Even in her sleep, her brows seemed constricted with hidden tension. Sighing softly, Jade left her room, making sure to close the door noiselessly.
They had spent four hours in the Osaka police department, four unnecessary hours of questioning. Usa had had to relate her story a thousand times before the police let them leave. Even then, Jade had had to threaten them with a lawsuit. His sister had been through enough hell and he would not have the police or anyone else trouble her further.
Instead of going to their mansion, Jade had chosen their former house in the Juuban district for security reasons. If killing their father was the plan of the junior board members, then there was no way he would let Usa out of his sight.
He felt himself smile as his mind clouded with bitterness and anger. How convenient that Mamoru and Damian happened to be near the murder scene.
"Jade?"
Jade turned back to see his sister open her bedroom door. "Usa, I'm sorry I woke you," he said quietly, "go back to sleep."
Usagi looked at him, her eyes questioning, "why did you bring me here?"
Jade smiled, he walked up to her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "We will be safer here, Usa," he said, calming her with the warmth of his hands.
Usagi leaned her head against his chest as she let his warmness soothe her mind. "I cannot sleep in this house, Jade," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "It reminds me of her… They're both gone… gone…"
Jade sighed; he had been a fool. Why had he not thought of that? This was the house they had lived in until their mother's death. Usagi did not need to be reminded of her right now of all times.
Jade wrapped his arms around Usagi, cradling her with his assurance. "We still have each other right?"
When Usagi did not answer, Jade pulled back and lifted her head as he looked into her eyes. "We have Shingo as well," he said, smiling.
Usagi returned his smile weakly. "I'm not sure that is a good thing," she said with attempted humor.
Jade smiled as he placed his arms around her once again. "I have called his school; he should be arriving in the Tokyo International Airport at eleven o'clock in the morning."
"I wish she was here, Jade," Usagi said, her voice muffled against his chest. "She would have-"
"She's gone, Usa," Jade's voice came out a little harshly. "There's no point in dwelling in the past."
Usagi sighed, she hated facing reality. Jade was right, she was gone and would never return. "I'm sorry Jade," she said, her voice shaky, "I miss her so much."
Jade sighed as he held her tighter. She was much younger than he was, so of course, she did not understand these things properly. "I'm sorry, Usa. I shouldn't have snapped at you," he led her back into the tiny bedroom that had been hers years ago. The pink bunny sheets on the bed almost made him smile. His sister had always had this insanely ridiculous obsession with bunny rabbits.
Usagi leaned on her brother as he sat down on the bed beside her. She closed her eyes, unsuccessfully trying to hide from the dead haunting memories of her mother. "She refused to leave this house didn't she?" Usagi asked suddenly.
Jade stared at the wallpaper decorated with moon and stars. "Yes, she did. When father's business partner and his wife died, he had insisted that we buy a bigger house, but mother refused to leave this one."
"Father had a business partner?" Usagi said, her voice weighted with sleep. Now that she had Jade next to her, her anxiety disappeared, leaving her tiredness to overtake her body.
"That was a long time ago Usa, when the company had just started. Go to sleep." Jade kissed her forehead softly before laying her back to sleep. He stared at her sleeping form for a few seconds before walking out of the room.
He descended the stairs and walked into the living room, his eyes haunted with dead memories… His sister with her hair in those ridiculous Odangoes, running wildly around the house like a mad juggernaut until Jade chased her and made her stop. His mother, singing softly as she painted her beautiful pictures. His father in a baseball cap, teaching him how to throw a ball. All that had ended after the death of father's business partner. Not much later, she had died as well…
Jade sighed as he sat down on the living room sofa. His father was dead, and that was that. Mamoru might have planted evidence against Mes Yamamoto, but that would not work in the end. Jade smiled even though his eyes remained bleak, he would make sure Mamoru Chiba, Setsuna Meioh, that bastard Damian Aubigne paid for their crime. In the meanwhile, he could use this situation to his advantage. With his father dead, he would become the company president…
Jade shook his head of innovative ideas as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small cell phone. Pressing the buttons, he awaited for his friend to pick up the phone.
"Kazuo Yamamoto."
Jade smiled. Kazuo never said hello on the phone. "This is Jade, Jade Tsukino."
"Yes?"
"My father has been found dead and your uncle, Mes Yamamoto has been taken under questioning, Kazuo," Jade related, his voice bleak of any emotion. He knew Kazuo would care for neither his uncle nor Kenji. Hell, Kazuo had smiled at his own father's funeral. The man was devoid of any emotion; his heart was almost as solid as the stone kunzite.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to come here and take his seat in the Senior Board, as the new president, I do have the power to let you take his seat," Jade replied, his voice firm. "A few other board members may be trying to frame him and I need your help."
"Fine."
Jade frowned. Kazuo did not speak much, but sometimes his terse speech tended to trouble Jade a bit. "Meet me in my office in the Accounts building at seven tomorrow morning, and we will discuss things."
Jade clicked the phone shut without bothering to say goodbye. His lips twisted in a tight smile as he wondered what Kazuo would have answered back if he said good-bye before hanging up.
Jade's smile remained on his lips as he reclined on the sofa. With his father gone, he would have the freedom to change Tsukino Enterprises as he saw fit.
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Usagi awoke as sunlight streamed into her face. She immediately sat up on the bed, surprise dawning on her face. Frowning, she picked up a note, placed on her comforter.
"Dear Usa," she read aloud, "I will be back shortly-Jade."
Usagi lay back down on her bed. The horrors of last night still fresh in her mind…
Sitting up quickly, she re-read Jade's note. Scrunching the note into a small paper ball, Usagi made up her mind. She did what she always did in a serious situation, she convinced herself to block out any references to the situation.
She would not think about last night, she would not think of her father or her mother. Determination filled her cerulean eyes, making them somewhat hard. Thinking about their death would definitely not be wise on her part.
Climbing out of the pink bed, Usagi walked to the ridiculous excuse of a closet that had been hers once upon a time. She dragged the door open, smiling slightly as she saw the contents inside.
Usagi pulled out a bathrobe from one of her pink plastic hangers. She gently peeled off her rumpled clothing, eyeing her pink pencil skirt distastefully. Silk could look dreadful if one slept in it… Only Serenity could sleep in a nightgown made of pure silk and still look perfect.
Usagi shut her eyes and clenched her fists, not flinching as her nails cut deep into her skin. She slowed the rhythm of her breathing to match her hear until she wiped the image of her mother from her mind.
Hastily putting on the light pink bathrobe, Usagi made her way into the bathroom across the hall from her room.
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Damian walked with his head positioned straight ahead; his dispassionate eyes stared into the distance. He frowned slightly as he reached for his cell phone. Dialing Mamoru's number, Damian rethought their plan about the Tsukino girl.
"Mamoru," he said, wincing as he held his other hand against his head. The pounding in his brain reminded him of the plentiful amount of alcohol he had consumed the other night.
"Yes," came the cold voice on the other end of the line.
Damian took no notice of Mamoru's tone. "I do not think this is a good idea, it is not even legal…" Damian paused as he heard Mamoru's bitter laughter.
"You know Damian, you may correct me if I am wrong, but murder isn't exactly legal either," Mamoru's voice was perfectly poised as if he was simply engaged in a frivolous conversation.
Damian sighed, "No Mamoru, even I cannot do certain things."
"Very well, just visit her today and do what you can. I will handle it from there."
Clicking the phone shut, Damian walked up to the two story house, which looked like the one Mamoru had shown him. How strange that Kenji Tsukino lived in Juuban before his major success. Damian's face furrowed as his eyes lost themselves into pools of confusion. What would he saw to Usagi? How would he… gain her confidence (as Mamoru put it)? Damian sighed as his frown deepened. Raising his hand, he knocked onto the brown door. What could he say to a sixteen year old child? He probably could manipulate-
Damian's thoughts were interrupted as the door clicked open. Shaking his head, Damian averted his eyes to the girl standing on the door way. His eyes widened as his breath caught on his throat.
Usagi was dressed in a robe that seemed too small for her body. Hence, the garb was draped tightly across her petite body. Her loosely flowing blond hair seemed disheveled as it fell loosely on her shoulders.
"Damian?"
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Questions? aolia_chan@hotmail.com, demeter_chan@hotmail.com we are two people, not one insane schizophrenic.
Rating: R for premeditated murder and sexual situations.
Season: Modern day Tokyo-A/U (A/R) whichever
Disclaimer: We do not own Sailormoon/ Sailor Moon or any of the characters affiliated with Sailormoon/ Sailor Moon.
Story line: Three board members of Tsukino Enterprises, Mamoru Chiba, Damian Aubigne, and Setsuna Meioh decide to terminate Kenji Tsukino and take over the company. What happens when both the men are seduced by the innocence of Kenji's daughter, Usagi Tsukino?
Notes: our beloved Mamo-chan is not an insane chainsaw murderer. Damian is Demando (Diamond), Jade is Jadeite, and Kazuo is Kunzite. This will not be a Senshi/General *romance.*
******This is completely AU therefore there is quite a lot of OCC-ness, grammar isn't perfect when you have a history major and a bio major writing, and please (PLEASE) don't e-mail either one of us stating how much you hate the Sets/Mamo pairing.*********
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"Are you sure that girl saw nothing?" Setsuna asked, her magenta eyes intent as she clasped both Mamoru's hands with hers. She did not flinch as she peered into the indigo fire of his eyes.
Mamoru laughed, the lines formed a gleeful expression. He tilted his head to look into her eyes. "Think I could have been careless, Sets?" His voice, however, was expressionless.
Setsuna's brows furrowed. She could not tell what he was thinking when his voice sounded so mild. His laugh had an uneasy edge to it that sent shivers down her spine. "No," she said, controlling her shivers, refusing to let him disturb her peace, "I was merely curious."
"She heard nothing," Damian said, cutting into their conversation. He leaned back into the overstuffed black leather sofa, letting the couch support his tension. They had left for Tokyo right away and congregated in Mamoru's apartment located in the Ginza district.
Damian sat up after a few moments to pour himself his third glass of merlot. Taking the wine glass to his lips, he relaxed into the sofa, letting it support him once more.
"Drinking will not calm your soul, Damian," Setsuna spoke from across the room. She smiled as she saw his angry eyes glare directly at her face. "Are you that weak?"
Damian gulped down the remainder and poured himself another glass. "You should be the one to talk, mon ami," Damian said, baring his teeth in a wild grin. "You were the one who could not face punishing Kenji for his crimes."
Setsuna paled. Her weakness sickened her to some degree. Forcing her tensed temperament to calm down, she gazed serenely at Damian. "Your eyes are beginning to turn red, Damian," she said softly. "Can you not handle your liquor?" She emulated Mamoru's tone, his style.
Damian rose, his gait shaky. "Setsuna-"
Mamoru, who had been all too amused at both his friends, finally rose. The azure in his eyes twinkled with bemusement and his lips curled up to a blithe smile. "Damian sit down," he interrupted the drunk man. "The alcohol has started affecting you and I suggest you keep quiet before you say anything you will regret." He looked at Setsuna, who was sitting next to him. "Do not tempt him, Sets," he said, "you will not like his anger."
Setsuna thought of arguing but chose not to. Arguing with fools was no basis for a real argument. She turned her cold magenta eyes toward Mamoru. "Who killed him?" she asked, feeling proud of not stammering. She kept all emotion out of her face as she looked at her fiancé.
The amusement in Mamoru's face died down. His eyes dulled as the azure blaze faded. "We don't know," he said simply, his brows were raised and his forehead had high lines giving him a quizzical look.
Setsuna laughed, this was an answer she had not expected. Since when was Mamoru ever unsure of anything? "How?" she asked.
Mamoru smiled when he heard her laughter. Apparently, she was not as weak as Damian classified her. "We each had a gun," he said, "she the girl opened her door, one of us accidentally shot Kenji; we were both shocked enough to not know which one of us shot the bastard." His smile widened as Setsuna's expression turned from amusement to that of mild shock. "We decided not to find out whose gun shot the bullet…"
"Where are the guns now?" Setsuna interrupted him. Her eyes turned sharp, almost acerbic.
Mamoru put his arm around her shoulders as he sank into the sofa, very much as Damian had. Placing one of his hands on her hair, he softly massaged her head. "The guns were cleaned of any possible fingerprints and disposed into the dumpster behind the office building. From what I've heard, the police has already found and identified them as belonging to Mes Yamamoto."
Setsuna's eyes narrowed. So their plan had worked. They were going to get away with this grisly and somewhat ridiculous murder… Everything she had ever wanted was coming true. She would get to be a Senior Board member, she would gain four percent of company stock, and she would finally marry her fiancé. Nevertheless, why was she not satisfied? Moreover, what was it about the girl that had made her jealous? Mamoru loathed Kenji and the entire Tsukino family with a fierce passion; he would never have anything to do with that girl…
"Thinking something?" Mamoru asked her, his other hand slid off her shoulders and onto her back, rubbing ever so slightly.
Setsuna reached behind her body and stopped his hand. She smiled as she saw a slight flame of surprise pass through the azure fire of his eyes. "Something important, Mamoru," she said.
"It was not Kenji's daughter, Usagi, was it?" Damian spoke, his voice somewhat slurred. He daintily raised the wine glass to his lips, sipping the liquid.
Damian was sprawled on his back, the whiteness of his hair contrasting sharply with the ebony colored sofa. His wild and unruly hair was ruffled in every direction, giving him an almost vulnerable look. Damian's glittering china-blue eyes gaped serenely at the ceiling and his legs were stretched across the sofa. He looked like an exquisite statue, almost unreal.
Setsuna, however, was not impressed. She bluntly stared at him before speaking. "Mamoru tells me, Usagi was the girl you met earlier today Damian, how convenient for you."
Damian rose sharply, shaking his head as the silvery mane clouded his eyes. "Convenient for what?" The slur in his voice was gone, leaving him fully alert.
Mamoru put a hand on Setsuna's shoulder, quieting her. His eyes pierced into Damian's, commanding his attention. "You do realize that the girl possesses a potential threat toward us do you not?"
Damian frowned, his brows daintily scrunched. "I thought we already established that she did not see anything."
Mamoru raised his brows, a bit amused that Damian would defend the Tsukino girl. "Perhaps the shock has delayed her senses. That does tend to happen sometimes, Damian."
Harshly placing his wine glass on the coffee table next to the sofa, Damian glared at Mamoru. His friend was correct, as usual. Usagi's senses could have been delayed. "What do you want me to do?" he asked, his eyes intent.
Mamoru sighed; his eyes took on his mild expression. Tilting his eyes, he looked at Damian. "I want you to talk to her; I want you to gain her trust."
Setsuna breathed in slowly, she was not beginning to like Mamoru's plan. Regardless of what Kenji had done, that girl was innocent. Something in her could not let these men destroy that innocence… But then, what could she truly do? Though she had not physically murdered Kenji, she definitely was an accessory to murder. Setsuna clamed herself, she would do what she had to do.
Damian smiled, his eyes looked dazed as he sat back down, sinking into the sofa. "Gain her trust?" he asked, the slur returning in his speech. "That is not all that you want me to do, is it, mon ami?" Damian asked, a sly smile forming on his lips.
Mamoru smiled back at Damian's perceptiveness. "She is sixteen, Damian, how hard can it be for you, Damian Aubigne, to gain her confidence?"
Damian leaned forward as he picked up the wineglass. "If you insist," he said before drinking the remaining wine in one drunken gulp.
Setsuna rolled her eyes as she muttered something that very much sounded like 'men.' Looking into Mamoru's eyes, she smiled. "You would do that to a child of sixteen, Mamoru?" she asked, her voice as mild as his.
Mamoru did not smile back; there was a flash of emotion in his eyes as he looked back at Setsuna. "What do you suggest?"
Setsuna abruptly stopped smiling. "I suggest nothing Mamoru, this was your plan. It is up to you, how you choose to execute it." She arose as she made her way to the apartment door. Turning back, she looked at her fiancé. "I will leave now," she said, her voice perfunctory. "Keep Damian here tonight. He isn't fit to drive."
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Jade lay his sister on her bed, gently touching her tear streaked face. She looked so tired. Even in her sleep, her brows seemed constricted with hidden tension. Sighing softly, Jade left her room, making sure to close the door noiselessly.
They had spent four hours in the Osaka police department, four unnecessary hours of questioning. Usa had had to relate her story a thousand times before the police let them leave. Even then, Jade had had to threaten them with a lawsuit. His sister had been through enough hell and he would not have the police or anyone else trouble her further.
Instead of going to their mansion, Jade had chosen their former house in the Juuban district for security reasons. If killing their father was the plan of the junior board members, then there was no way he would let Usa out of his sight.
He felt himself smile as his mind clouded with bitterness and anger. How convenient that Mamoru and Damian happened to be near the murder scene.
"Jade?"
Jade turned back to see his sister open her bedroom door. "Usa, I'm sorry I woke you," he said quietly, "go back to sleep."
Usagi looked at him, her eyes questioning, "why did you bring me here?"
Jade smiled, he walked up to her as he placed his hands on her shoulders. "We will be safer here, Usa," he said, calming her with the warmth of his hands.
Usagi leaned her head against his chest as she let his warmness soothe her mind. "I cannot sleep in this house, Jade," she whispered, tears forming in her eyes. "It reminds me of her… They're both gone… gone…"
Jade sighed; he had been a fool. Why had he not thought of that? This was the house they had lived in until their mother's death. Usagi did not need to be reminded of her right now of all times.
Jade wrapped his arms around Usagi, cradling her with his assurance. "We still have each other right?"
When Usagi did not answer, Jade pulled back and lifted her head as he looked into her eyes. "We have Shingo as well," he said, smiling.
Usagi returned his smile weakly. "I'm not sure that is a good thing," she said with attempted humor.
Jade smiled as he placed his arms around her once again. "I have called his school; he should be arriving in the Tokyo International Airport at eleven o'clock in the morning."
"I wish she was here, Jade," Usagi said, her voice muffled against his chest. "She would have-"
"She's gone, Usa," Jade's voice came out a little harshly. "There's no point in dwelling in the past."
Usagi sighed, she hated facing reality. Jade was right, she was gone and would never return. "I'm sorry Jade," she said, her voice shaky, "I miss her so much."
Jade sighed as he held her tighter. She was much younger than he was, so of course, she did not understand these things properly. "I'm sorry, Usa. I shouldn't have snapped at you," he led her back into the tiny bedroom that had been hers years ago. The pink bunny sheets on the bed almost made him smile. His sister had always had this insanely ridiculous obsession with bunny rabbits.
Usagi leaned on her brother as he sat down on the bed beside her. She closed her eyes, unsuccessfully trying to hide from the dead haunting memories of her mother. "She refused to leave this house didn't she?" Usagi asked suddenly.
Jade stared at the wallpaper decorated with moon and stars. "Yes, she did. When father's business partner and his wife died, he had insisted that we buy a bigger house, but mother refused to leave this one."
"Father had a business partner?" Usagi said, her voice weighted with sleep. Now that she had Jade next to her, her anxiety disappeared, leaving her tiredness to overtake her body.
"That was a long time ago Usa, when the company had just started. Go to sleep." Jade kissed her forehead softly before laying her back to sleep. He stared at her sleeping form for a few seconds before walking out of the room.
He descended the stairs and walked into the living room, his eyes haunted with dead memories… His sister with her hair in those ridiculous Odangoes, running wildly around the house like a mad juggernaut until Jade chased her and made her stop. His mother, singing softly as she painted her beautiful pictures. His father in a baseball cap, teaching him how to throw a ball. All that had ended after the death of father's business partner. Not much later, she had died as well…
Jade sighed as he sat down on the living room sofa. His father was dead, and that was that. Mamoru might have planted evidence against Mes Yamamoto, but that would not work in the end. Jade smiled even though his eyes remained bleak, he would make sure Mamoru Chiba, Setsuna Meioh, that bastard Damian Aubigne paid for their crime. In the meanwhile, he could use this situation to his advantage. With his father dead, he would become the company president…
Jade shook his head of innovative ideas as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a small cell phone. Pressing the buttons, he awaited for his friend to pick up the phone.
"Kazuo Yamamoto."
Jade smiled. Kazuo never said hello on the phone. "This is Jade, Jade Tsukino."
"Yes?"
"My father has been found dead and your uncle, Mes Yamamoto has been taken under questioning, Kazuo," Jade related, his voice bleak of any emotion. He knew Kazuo would care for neither his uncle nor Kenji. Hell, Kazuo had smiled at his own father's funeral. The man was devoid of any emotion; his heart was almost as solid as the stone kunzite.
"What do you want me to do?"
"I want you to come here and take his seat in the Senior Board, as the new president, I do have the power to let you take his seat," Jade replied, his voice firm. "A few other board members may be trying to frame him and I need your help."
"Fine."
Jade frowned. Kazuo did not speak much, but sometimes his terse speech tended to trouble Jade a bit. "Meet me in my office in the Accounts building at seven tomorrow morning, and we will discuss things."
Jade clicked the phone shut without bothering to say goodbye. His lips twisted in a tight smile as he wondered what Kazuo would have answered back if he said good-bye before hanging up.
Jade's smile remained on his lips as he reclined on the sofa. With his father gone, he would have the freedom to change Tsukino Enterprises as he saw fit.
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Usagi awoke as sunlight streamed into her face. She immediately sat up on the bed, surprise dawning on her face. Frowning, she picked up a note, placed on her comforter.
"Dear Usa," she read aloud, "I will be back shortly-Jade."
Usagi lay back down on her bed. The horrors of last night still fresh in her mind…
Sitting up quickly, she re-read Jade's note. Scrunching the note into a small paper ball, Usagi made up her mind. She did what she always did in a serious situation, she convinced herself to block out any references to the situation.
She would not think about last night, she would not think of her father or her mother. Determination filled her cerulean eyes, making them somewhat hard. Thinking about their death would definitely not be wise on her part.
Climbing out of the pink bed, Usagi walked to the ridiculous excuse of a closet that had been hers once upon a time. She dragged the door open, smiling slightly as she saw the contents inside.
Usagi pulled out a bathrobe from one of her pink plastic hangers. She gently peeled off her rumpled clothing, eyeing her pink pencil skirt distastefully. Silk could look dreadful if one slept in it… Only Serenity could sleep in a nightgown made of pure silk and still look perfect.
Usagi shut her eyes and clenched her fists, not flinching as her nails cut deep into her skin. She slowed the rhythm of her breathing to match her hear until she wiped the image of her mother from her mind.
Hastily putting on the light pink bathrobe, Usagi made her way into the bathroom across the hall from her room.
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Damian walked with his head positioned straight ahead; his dispassionate eyes stared into the distance. He frowned slightly as he reached for his cell phone. Dialing Mamoru's number, Damian rethought their plan about the Tsukino girl.
"Mamoru," he said, wincing as he held his other hand against his head. The pounding in his brain reminded him of the plentiful amount of alcohol he had consumed the other night.
"Yes," came the cold voice on the other end of the line.
Damian took no notice of Mamoru's tone. "I do not think this is a good idea, it is not even legal…" Damian paused as he heard Mamoru's bitter laughter.
"You know Damian, you may correct me if I am wrong, but murder isn't exactly legal either," Mamoru's voice was perfectly poised as if he was simply engaged in a frivolous conversation.
Damian sighed, "No Mamoru, even I cannot do certain things."
"Very well, just visit her today and do what you can. I will handle it from there."
Clicking the phone shut, Damian walked up to the two story house, which looked like the one Mamoru had shown him. How strange that Kenji Tsukino lived in Juuban before his major success. Damian's face furrowed as his eyes lost themselves into pools of confusion. What would he saw to Usagi? How would he… gain her confidence (as Mamoru put it)? Damian sighed as his frown deepened. Raising his hand, he knocked onto the brown door. What could he say to a sixteen year old child? He probably could manipulate-
Damian's thoughts were interrupted as the door clicked open. Shaking his head, Damian averted his eyes to the girl standing on the door way. His eyes widened as his breath caught on his throat.
Usagi was dressed in a robe that seemed too small for her body. Hence, the garb was draped tightly across her petite body. Her loosely flowing blond hair seemed disheveled as it fell loosely on her shoulders.
"Damian?"
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