Chapter Eight: Deliver Me from Darkness

"Usagi-san, please reconsider," Omi begged.

The young woman shook her head her mouth set in a thin line. "I won't run away again, Omi-kun… Gomen ne," her apology was soft but her tone unwavering.

Omi turned desperate eyes to his leader. "Aya-kun…"

The redhead only glanced briefly at the pleading Omi and shook his head slightly. "You're more likely to succeed if you transform but without the wings." he instructed. In mere seconds his request was fulfilled and the wingless heroine stood before him her eyes calm.

"If anything happens to her," Yohji quietly threatened. "I'll make you pay, Aya." It was a promise and both men knew it.

Sailor Moon fidgeted slightly as she waited for the plans to be revealed. "So I need to be picked up by one of his employees?" she asked with a faint frown.

Yohji nodded as he glared darkly at Aya. "We'll be watching you so you shouldn't get hurt…" He seemed doubtful of this however and it showed. "Once you're in Takatori's clutches it will get dangerous… Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?"

She smiled slightly at his concern but nodded. She well understood the risks involved with the mission and she was more than willing to take them.

"I'm ready," She reassured as she adjusted her skirt. The trip was relatively short and she was all but dumped in front of the building. She watched them drive away and couldn't swallow the lump of fear that they might not come back.

Squaring her shoulders she marked to the front and forced a pleading smile as she stared at the man behind the desk. She was suddenly having bad feelings about this. He had oily hair as if it had been recently slicked down with liberal amounts and his eyes stayed at her chest level never once rising to her own.

"Excuse me?"

"What do you want?" he seemed to be determined not to tear his gaze away.

"I'm completely broke… and I kind of borrowed some money off some people… A friend told me that I should try to get a job here."

His gaze dipped even lower and he smiled at what he saw. "I test all new recruits myself." He announced his lips curving upwards in a smile revealing his perfect teeth. "You'll have to follow me to see if you're –qualified- for the position."

Usagi forced herself not to shudder and meekly nodded. She hoped the others knew what they were doing. They didn't expect her to… She couldn't even think about the act and swallowed hard.

"Nice outfit," he was casually undressing as his eyes roamed her body. "The top is a bit too much material though. The skirt is perfect." His eyes loomed lower. "Boots will have to go and what's with that tiara?" he yanked it off her forehead and threw it to the ground. "Hair is childish but most here like that sort of thing…"

When he stepped closer and began to reach for her she winced. 'Please… no…'

'Need a savior, fraulin?' his tone was a strained neutral one as if he was fighting an emotion. 'I'll save you for a price.'

She whimpered audibly as her shirt ripped and stepped backwards. She couldn't do this. Why weren't the others there? 'Schu…' She stopped herself from calling out to him and forced tears of fear away. The others were counting on her. She deserved this for betraying the world.

"Don't run," snapped the irritated man. "Customers don't like women who run…" He smiled his eyes starting to glint with maliciousness. "They don't mind those that scream for mercy though."

Her skirt was the next item to fall prey to the greedy hands. "Stop it…" she pleaded. "I don't want to…"

"Too late," he smirked as he said it and reached for her his eyes unfocused in his lust. "After I'm finished I'll send you as a present to Takatori-sama…"

She quit resisting and felt herself being pushed to the floor. It would all be over soon. She'd be able to carry out Aya-san's request. It was the least she could do. She closed her eyes and waited for the assault to begin.

"I think not, Fraulin."

Her eyes snapped open and she stared at the irritated German. "Schuldich…"

His smile seemed forced and he hauled her off the ground by her arm. "We're leaving… Lose your transformation. You don't need to give any of these other freaks a show."

She nodded and within seconds stood beside him fully clothed. "I… What are you doing here?" if he was so much of a monster as the others claimed then why was he here?

"You were going to go through with it, weren't you?" he snapped completely losing his usually cool emotions. It wasn't funny that he was forced to feel things such as worry over one slip of a woman. Something was wrong with the universe. It had to be for him to care a speck about anyone else but himself.

 She glanced away her expression troubled. "Its my fault that the world is like this… I have to pay for my crimes…"

Schuldich snorted ignoring the man who was mindlessly bashing his head into the wall. Even this small matter of revenge wasn't helping him control his wild surge of emotions. "So you were going to let that," he pointed to the bruised and starting to bleed man. "Touch you?"

"What do you care?" She demanded. "Weren't you going to do the same?"

His eyes narrowed. "It would have been entirely different, Fraulin." He informed her coldly. "I'll kill Abyssinian for planning this.

"Aya-san?" she countered with a faint frown. "Leave all of them alone… They didn't know…"

"Are you so sure?" he whispered his tone a mix of sultry and fury. "Are you really that sure that your 'Aya-san' didn't just sell you so he could get a chance at Takatori?"

She nodded though she was starting to have doubts. "Of course I'm sure!" she retorted almost yelling in the taller man's face. "Besides… I made the choice. You have no right to interfere…"

Frustrated, furious, and the foreign sense of jealousy plagued the man and he stalked off leaving her alone as the man pulled away from the wall and studied her bleary eyed. "Perfect… Takatori will have as much fun as I had… you wildcat you," he mused before entering a quick number on the wall behind him before collapsing soundlessly to the ground.

'Schuldich must have did that… but how? I thought he could only see people's thoughts?'

'You have no idea of the scope of my power, Fraulin…. If you need help again call one of the kitties to help you. I'm through.'

She had never heard him so upset and ticked off before. The thought sent a shiver down her spine. Was she on the wrong side afterall? Timidly she started to walk down the hall when she heard voices in front of her.

"Takatori-sama…"

Usagi froze as her eyes widened. It couldn't be…

"Takatori-sama, we've done some research as you requested."

'Ami-chan… Rei-chan…' Usagi couldn't believe her ears and she took a step backwards. She couldn't face them like this. Not after what she had let happen to Mamoru.

She started to take a step backwards when she tensed. If her senshi were calling Takatori that then… She felt her heart freeze. Her senshi were betraying those that trusted them? She couldn't believe it! The shock was too great for the girl and she fell soundlessly to the floor.

**

'I can't believe that they're helping that man that hurt Aya-san…'

'Believe it, Fraulin.'

'Eh? Schuldich? Demo I thought you didn't want anything to do with me?'

'…' His silence unnerved her even in her dream. 'I'm not going to give you to Balinese that easily.' She had the distinct feeling that there was another motive behind it though. 'You're not going back to that place again. I'll make the kitty kats pay for their little plan.'

She chose to ignore him and waited impatiently for her self to wake up. 'Why'd I faint anyway?'

'Ah, that was my doing, Fraulin.' He coldly informed her.

'Nani?' She demanded as she tried pinching herself. 'What are you planning?'

She could feel him smirking. 'You'll see….'

She forced herself to remember the scariest moments of her life. 'I'm getting out of here…' She heard him chuckle but phased it out as she focused. She only hoped her nightmare would be enough to wake her up.

It was.

Usagi sat up fighting tears of tear and clutched the covers to her chest. She blinked slightly as she realized that she was only wearing a baggy shirt and a pair of panties. Feeling the first onset of panic creep onto her she slowly turned on the feather soft bed and her eyes widened in alarm at the sight of the shirtless one beside her.

"Yo," Schuldich greeted the smile on his lips a purely predatory one. "Welcome to your cage."