Chapter Seven: Deliver Me from Corruption

Usagi froze and stared at the solemn redhead. He was serious. She wasn't leaving this room until she had satisfied his curiosity. Deciding that if she didn't transform back Omi would be completely out of it she concentrated for a moment and sat on the bed with a thud. "Fine," she wearily gave in. "Ask away."

Aya didn't smirk in triumph or show any signs he had won. Instead he glared at her for a long moment. "What exactly was your husband's relationship with Takatori Reiji?"

Usagi scowled and stared at the ground. "I don't know…"

Aya's eyes narrowed. "I don't believe you."

Usagi's head jerked up and she glared at the red head. "I told you I don't know," she fairly growled at him, all the tensions and strain of the day getting to her.

Aya didn't seem disturbed by it however and just glared at her for along moment. "Another question then… Why were you locked up like some animal?"

Usagi paled. She hadn't expected him to know that. "Nani…"

Aya ignored the tears that appeared in her eyes as he pushed on. "Why? Why were you married so young? Was your husband some sort of pervert?"
Usagi shook her head, "No! Mamo-chan was never like that!"

"So you deny he locked you away the day you were married?" Aya countered retaining his cool composure.

Yohji frowned, "Quit it, Aya," he demanded as protectiveness welled inside him. His tenshi was near tears and shaking badly. Obviously Aya was bringing up bad memories.

Usagi's eyes remained riveted to the floor. Her mind had been thrown back into her few years of married life. "I wasn't locked away…"

~Like a beautiful bird,~ mused a disturbing voice. ~Soon to be my beautiful bird~

Usagi growled. How dare they all pry. "LEAVE ME ALONE!" she screamed as loud as she could.

"That's enough, Aya-kun," Omi interrupted. The raw look of pain in Usagi's eyes had him fiercely protective.

Aya wasn't finished however and pushed the protesting blonde to the side as he advanced on the shaking girl. "Why is your ankle healed?"

Usagi sighed. "The Ginzuishou healed my ankle…"

"The what?" Aya repeated. Finally she had answered his question.

Usagi opened her locket and revealed the glittering gem inside. "This… The Ginzuishou."

Everyone stared at the hypnotizing jewel and then at the girl who controlled it. "Usagi… What is that?" Omi asked as he shivered.

Usagi didn't answer and remained head bowed. "Any more questions?" she demanded of Aya.

"Why did you abandon everyone as Sailormoon and let such corrupt people ruin this world," Aya demanded. He remembered SailorV stood against common criminals so naturally he assumed all sailor senshi did. "Well?" he pressured. 'If she had been around then and stopped Takatori.. my parents… Aya-chan…. They'd still be alive.'

Usagi closed her eyes. "We.. We were never meant to fight humans… Only youma."

Aya felt a slow flame consuming him. "So because these monsters are humans… You won't stop them?"

Usagi opened her eyes and studied him confused. "Nani? You sound… You sound like you expect me to stop them now… Isn't it too late?"

The other three members of the room were forgotten as the two stared at each other. "No," Aya added. "You can still help."

Ken realized what his teammate was talking about and stared at him shocked. "Aya… You don't mean… You're not inviting her?"

Aya glanced over his shoulder at the youth. "If she wants the same revenge on Takatori as I do then she'll help," he announced as he stepped away. He glanced over his shoulder as he got to the door and paused for a moment well aware of the eyes of his teammates.

Before he could speak Yohji was in his way his eyes narrowed. "No, Aya… She has no business there. She's a tenshi… She doesn't need that kind of life style."

Aya ignored him and simply stared at Usagi. "If you want to stay here… You're going to have to pay… Either leave now or meet me later," he uttered before stalking off.

Omi shook his head. "Don't go, Usagi-san," he pleaded before following after Aya in hopes of talking some sense into the redhead.

~Ne, Fraulin do you realize it now? Do you realize what they are? Or shall I spell it out for you?~

Usagi winced at the voice. 'Leave me alone…'

Ken sat beside the silent Usagi. "Usagi-san…" He noticed Yohji's death glare and froze. It was pretty apparent the playboy didn't like Ken so close to his 'tenshi'. "Usagi-san… Omi's right. You don't have to go… Aya isn't completely in charge."

Yohji reluctantly nodded. It pained him to agree with Ken. "Ken's right… Don't do it, tenshi… It's not the kind of life you want to lead."

Usagi suddenly had a rapid flash of images pushed into her mind. Scenes of the four men she now lived with. Scenes of them soaked in others blood… scenes of them killing. "You.. You're all…" she closed her eyes. Schuldich was right. "You're all assassins," she whispered softly.

Yohji and Ken stared at her horrified. How had she found out? "Usagi…?" Yohji tried.

Usagi ignored him. "You lied to me," she whispered softly. "You all did…" She paused. "No.. Aya-san didn't." she got to her feet and before the other two could stop her she ran out of the room and in search of Aya.

**

"Aya, you can't be serious!" Omi objected. "Usagi-san can't be one of us… It's too dirty!"

Aya ignored him. Because of that girl and the rest of the senshi… He and Aya-chan had been fans before all of this. How could they all betray those they swore they protected? No… she would pay with her innocence. Aya would make sure of it. Heroine or not… she would pay.

"Aya-san?"

Aya looked up not letting the fact he was startled show. He hadn't expected her to agree… He had expected to drag her out. Isn't that why the senshi had not helped after all? Because they were cowards? "Follow me," he instructed.

Usagi nodded and silently followed. Aya was right. She and the other senshi had abandoned the people. Just because the monsters and demons had gone they had retired. But… The world wasn't any safer. People still strove to take it over but just from a different point.

"Down there," Aya instructed. Usagi followed him down a set of stairs and didn't realize that the others were silently following. "Welcome to mission headquarters, Sailormoon," Aya announced as he threw a folder at her.

Usagi caught the folder and slowly opened it. For some reason the hair on the back of her neck was standing. Her eyes widened in horror and she struggled to keep her stomach. "What… What is this?" she weakly asked as she stared at gruesome pictures.

Aya glanced over at her a flicker of fury in his normally calm eyes. "This is the work of monsters you and your senshi let escape…"

Yohji frowned deeply. Usagi was not only shaking now but had paled and looked like she'd fall over. "Leave her out of this, Aya," he demanded.

Usagi shook her head, "Iie," she whispered stopping any more arguments. "Aya-san is right… We let this happen… We could have stopped them…"

Omi shook his head. "Please, Usagi-san… Don't do it! Don't become like us…"

Usagi studied the pleading boy for a long moment. "Gomen, Omi-kun… It's partially my fault that such people are running around…" She paused. "No… It's all my fault… If only the future had been what it should have… these kind of things would have never happened." She didn't even realize she was talking aloud to herself.

"The future?" Aya asked as he realized she was opening up new questions for him to ask.

Usagi however was frozen. She was studying a picture. "This… Is this one of those monsters?" she asked as her fingers traced the face.

Yohji glanced over and scowled. "That's the worst kind," he confirmed. "Schuldich did some pretty rotten things to everyone…"

"Oh," She weakly responded. 'So… You're one of them too? A killer? A monster?... I wasn't wrong when I thought of you as the devil then…'

His laughter filled her mind. 'You sound so upset, dear sweet fraulin. But don't worry… I'll rescue you from the killers shortly… After all they're after your morality.. I'm only after you.'

Usagi turned a faint pink and battled the emotion away. 'Just stay away from me… They're not killers.'

More laughter. 'Believe what you want, fraulin… I'm at least honest and unlike them I only kill when necessary. They claim to fight against the corrupt out there… But take a good look at the group of them. They're far worse then I.'

Aya brought her out of the mental battle as he asked again. "What do you mean about the future?"

Usagi sighed. "The future was supposed to be set… My marriage to Mamoru would form Crystal Tokyo… The Ginzuishou would purify every man, woman, and child on Earth and the world would become a utopia."

Aya realized if her future would have gone as planned then everything that had happened to him would have never came to be. His parents would have still been alive and his sister safe and healthy. "I see… So what happened? Why wasn't this miracle future formed?"

Usagi looked down. "I…" She swallowed back the tears. "I was too afraid… When the time came… I ran away."

"So that's why the senshi disbanded," Omi thoughtfully pondered.

Usagi winced. "Hai… It's all my fault…"

Yohji frowned. "You were expected to rule the world at sixteen?" he asked.

Usagi nodded. "Hai.. I failed everyone… I ran away and Mamoru found me… We were wed then."

Yohji shook his head, "Sweetheart, no one blames you for running away. You were still just a kid. You weren't ready for that responsibility."

Ken nodded in agreement. "He's right, Usagi-san… We don't blame you."

Aya remained quiet. His teammates might have forgiven her… But he did not. "It doesn't matter now anyway does it?" He demanded. "You're going on our next mission with us. You'll help us slay the beasts hiding in the dark."

Usagi glanced at the redhead. "Hai… I'll help you, Aya-san." She could feel the tears building but kept them away. "Gomen," she whispered before running back to Yohji's room.

Ken studied Aya for a long moment in thought. The other guy had shocked him today. 'Why… Why was he so insistent about her joining? He's not usually like this… What do you have against her?' he silently wandered.

Usagi was curled up on the bed in tears once more. 'I'm such a coward…'

'So will you be hunting me down, fraulin? Can you bring yourself to kill me?' instead of mockery the voice sounded serious. 'Can you?'

Usagi thought of the orange-haired man and shook her head. She knew she couldn't. 'No…'

Silence greeted her and she thought he had left when his voice suddenly filled her mind. 'I'm coming back for you, fraulin… What Abyssinian plans I'll put a stop to. I won't let you go through that, fraulin…'

Usagi was completely shocked. What she was hearing couldn't be right… If he was so much of a monster why did he sound so worried? A shiver ran through her as she realized he was serious. He would come here with the others here or not. She knew he would. Her thoughts were interrupted as someone entered the room. She looked up and began to scoot backwards as she realized it was Aya. He shut the door behind him and slowly advanced on her.

"Aya-san?" she squeaked as she pushed herself against the wall. What was wrong with him?

"You… You're the cause of everything I loved being destroyed and tarnished," he all but growled. His usually emotionless face was flaming with anger. "If it weren't for you being such a coward they would all still be alive and here today… I never would have been forced into this all."

Usagi had nowhere else to go and settled for curling herself into a ball as she watched Aya came to a stop. His hands were on either side of her head and his eyes were staring into hers. "You… you hate me don't you?" Usagi asked in a small voice. She could see it in his eyes.

"Iie," he responded. "I want to though."

Usagi blinked at him confused. "Want to hate me?" He simply nodded. She slowly relaxed her muscles and tilted her head so she was staring up at him. "Gomen nasai, Aya-san…I… I didn't mean to…"

Aya wasn't listening however. He was thinking about his sister. "She would have ran too," he admitted his eyes losing some of the fire. "I can't blame you… Takatori is to blame. He'll be the one I kill." He paused and stared deep into her eyes, "You're going to help me."

Usagi swallowed and licked her suddenly dry lips. "Demo.. What can I do?"

Aya actually smirked. "You're going to be bait," he responded. "After our next mission… You're going to be used to lure Takatori…He's as much of a pervert as your husband was."

Usagi frowned. "Bait?" She glanced up at him confused. "You don't mean…?"

Aya nodded then scowled. "Why can't I hate you?" He demanded.

Usagi flinched and looked down. "Gomen…"

Aya cursed. "Yohji is rubbing off on me…"

Usagi looked up at him once more confused. "Nani?"
Aya shook his head then noticed how close they were. "Just… This," he announced before leaning over the extra inch and sealing his lips over hers. He ignored her shocked look as he closed his eyes. What in the world had come over him? He could swear he could almost hear his sister's laughter at what he was doing…. His first kiss with someone he wanted to hate?

"Ahem," coughed a voice from behind the two. Aya slowly pulled away and Usagi could almost swear a streak of pink was creeping over his face. Slowly she and Aya turned to see a less than pleased Yohji by a shocked Omi. "Care to explain, Aya?" Yohji demanded his jade eyes flashing with challenge.

Aya turned away and got to his feet. "It's none of your business, Yohji," he informed his voice once more cold and emotionless. He walked out of the room leaving the shocked group behind. 'Baka…' he scolded himself. Of all the things he had planned.. That hadn't been one of them.

**

That was the last straw. He could handle any of the others touching her… But not *that* one. Enough was enough. He wouldn't let her finish her next mission. He was going to take her far away from all of the bickering fools. It was time for her to return to where she belonged.

**

Yohji stood trembling with suppressed rage. "Omi," he all but growled.

The boy looked up. "Hai?"

"Leave us alone for a bit…I need to talk to Usagi."

Omi winced but nodded. "Hai…" He glanced at Usagi and mouthed good luck before leaving and closing the door behind him.

"Gomen nasai, Yohji-kun," Usagi whispered as soon as the door was closed.

Yohji didn't answer and merely sat beside her. "Tenshi…"

Usagi glanced up at him. "Hai?'

"I'm not mad at you… I could never be mad at you."

Usagi felt her cheeks flame and her eyes dropped. "Demo… You are mad."

Yohji nodded. "I'm mad at him… Are you okay? Did he hurt you?"

Usagi shook her head, "I'm fine…"

Yohji scowled. "You're not fine.. He pried into your life and caused you to cry. Then he showed you some of our most gruesome cases… You can't go out there with us, tenshi. It will destroy you."

Usagi studied him for a long moment. "You're really worried about this… Aren't you?"

Yohji nodded. "I can't just let you be tainted like all of us.. Tenshi don't go."

She sighed and looked away and was startled as Yohji gently grabbed her chin. "I knew he'd hurt you…" he whispered softly as he studied her.

Usagi weakly turned her head away. "Please… Just stop it," she pleaded.

Yohji shook his head. He really couldn't do what she asked. "Gomen, tenshi," he whispered as his lips covered hers for the briefest of moments. Just the thought that Aya had touched the soft heavenly lips had Yohji furious. He pulled away and noticed Usagi crying. "Tenshi?"

"How could you?" she whispered softly before slapping him and running out of the room. How could he be so inconsiderate? Wasn't it enough she had been kissed by Aya? She didn't realize whose room she had ran into until she realized Ken was fast asleep on his bed. She paused and started to back away when she ran into someone else.

"Usagi-san?"

Good it was only Omi. "Hai?" she struggled to not let her emotions show through her voice.

"Daijoubu desu ka?"

She closed her eyes and nodded. "Hai, of course… Why shouldn't I be?"

Omi frowned deeply. "Gomen nasai that they've hurt you, Usagi-san… You can sleep in my room if you wish."

Usagi glanced over her shoulder and gave the boy a thankful smile before doing as he suggested. As she lay down on the covers in the clean room she couldn't help but inhale the sweet scent on the pillow. And as her mind drifted into a deep slumber she unconsciously let the thought of how a kiss from Omi would compare to the others drift through her mind.

Seconds later Usagi was sitting upright a hand pressed against her mouth in horror. She hadn't thought *that* … had she? 'You did it, didn't you, Schuldich?' she growled in fury.

A sleepy mental voice answered her. 'Did what, fraulin?'

Usagi froze. 'Nani… You've been asleep?'

A yawn. 'I've had a rough day… But now that you're talking to me it's all worth it… shall I come get you now?'

Usagi shook her head. 'Iie…'

Schuldich cut off the connection before laughing. She was too easy to fool. Though he had to admit… He wasn't really happy about giving her that thought. He lay down on his bed and closed his eyes. Now the real fun with her would start.

Usagi frowned and tried to shake the offending thought out of her mind. How could she think about the sweet boy like that? She forced herself to lie back down and that sweet scent that seemed to belong only to him enveloped her. Her eyes slid closed and her dreams ranged from each of the men she lived with to Schuldich and back.

**

"Aya."

Aya glanced up and saw Yohji standing in front of him fists clenched. "It's none of your concern."

"Bull," Yohji all but spat. "Why did you do it?"

Aya froze and looked away. "None of your-"

He was cut off as Yohji threw his weight behind a punch. Only because of his training was Aya able to sidestep it and remain unharmed. "It is so my business when you cause my tenshi to cry," he growled jade eyes sparkling with anger.

Aya snorted. "You don't care about her," he retaliated. "To you she's just another conquest. If anyone is hurting her it's you."

Yohji paused. "You're wrong," he whispered but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself. With a final glare at the redhead he stalked away to think.

Aya sat down on his bed and leaned his head back against the wall. He just knew if his imouto had been around she'd get the greatest pleasure out of teasing him over all of this. Suddenly he frowned. He was letting the young woman cloud his thoughts. If this continued he wouldn't be able to pay back Takatori for everything he had done. He let a finger gently trace his earring as he let his mind wander back to that day.

"He won't get away with it," Aya whispered as the scene finished replaying in his mind. He remembered for just a moment the cherry flavor Usagi's lips had been and groaned. He was pathetic.

'She'll help you get your revenge though, won't she?' a voice mockingly asked. 'Despite in doing so she'll probably die… But you don't care do you?'

 If Aya had been his normal self he'd have realized the voice was not his own. 'I'll do whatever it takes to destroy him… '

'Including sacrificing someone who you gave your first kiss to?'

'Yes.'

'Honestly?'

'…No…'

Laughter filled his mind mocking him. 'Face it… You're falling for her just like the rest are.'

Aya scowled. 'I'll stop Takatori no matter what…'

'We'll see,' the voice laughed. 'We'll certainly see.'