Ranma needs to learn another new technique and decides he has to go up into an isolated forest to do so. He decides once again that instead of Akane - he is going to take Ukyo. This devastates Akane that he is going to leave her behind for Ukyo, again. The plan was he'd be gone a little over a month. Akane decides that she's going to have a little trip of her own, except it goes horribly wrong. Akane comes back changed forever. How will Ranma and Akane's relationship play out from here?

Akane:

"Listen, Akane I need to train and I don't want any crazy distractions. Last time when you traveled all the way up there all you did was cause havoc. Ukyo also can feed me without poisoning me! She won't beat the snot out of me every 5 seconds either. Hell! You're mad even right now. I think it would be good for us to have a little breather from each other anyway." Ranma says to me in an angry, but desperate tone. I was so mad I could've pounded him into a pancake. I am his fiancée and yet he chooses to go with Ukyo instead of me. "Ranma I only get furious with you when you're being a jerk and or your fiancés are slobbering all over you. If Ukyo wasn't along it would be fine! I am fine cook I just need a bit more practice!" I retort. Ranma lets out an exhausted-sounding laugh and says "Akane, you need a LOT more practice with cooking. I must be a jerk all the time because all you're ever doing is throwing things and hitting me". Heated fury is rushing through my veins like I'm in a warzone and I've just run into the enemy. I pick up the closest object to me which happens to be a telephone and whip it at his big stupid head. Ranma just steps to the side and dodges it. "How very original of you Akane" he spits out in clear frustration. "Whatever just go. I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU DO ANYMORE!" I yell at him with all my might.

In my subconscious I know this isn't helping. That if anything I should be calm and reasonably let him go. He's not mine, our marriage is arranged. Oddly enough both my dad and Genma want Ukyo to go with him as well. They want Ranma to master a new special technique because apparently there is a new threat in the martial arts world that may try to take the dojo. So at the moment they want Ranma to go with Ukyo because she's less likely to poison him with her cooking and more calm. So no one is siding with me and I'm alone... with my jealousy. Ranma has a look on his face of real irritation. Recently our fights have been more frequent. I'm always mad at him and I know why I am too. I am in love with him. My heart hurts just when I look at him because even though we are arranged to marry... he is so far away. Him not being mine and never reciprocating any sort of flirtatious advances from me makes my jealousy out of control. All Ranma says before he walks out of the room is "Thank god, now I can actually breath without receiving a beating"

I stand for a second and then walk to my room. Ranma & Ukyo will be leaving in the early morning. Because of this she will be spending the night at my home. I grumble to myself that I won't wake up to say goodbye to such a jerk. I feel a deep horrible envy of Ukyo and a heated pain of sorrow at being the "other" fiancé. I honestly wish I had never met Ranma because heartache was worse than any punch I had ever taken. I could hear Ukyo and Ranma talking from my bedroom window. "Sounds like Akane really isn't taking the news well that I'm going and she won't be", Ukyo says. I want to hate Ukyo but she is dainty with her words. Ukyo was no evil villain like Shampoo. I only envied the closeness Ranma & Ukyo shared. It didn't make me hate Ukyo. "When does she take anything well. Could tell her she's fantastic and she'd find a way to get mad! I need to leave... can we go to your shop? I'll lose my mind if I stay a minute longer" Ranma says and then Ukyo quickly responds with "Of course". I really regret hearing what he said. I don't look out the window to see them walk away for fear of one of them seeing me watching. I would cry, but it seemed likely I'd be caught since my whole family heard Ranma and my fight. So they're probably all intently listening especially Nabiki trying to find some way to blackmail me. Since it's the summer vacation I don't have any homework to distract myself with, so I decide to get an old textbook and do practice math problems for a couple hours. Math required concentration to figure out a problem so my mind wouldn't wander on unwanted thoughts.

Ranma didn't come back until dinner time. Ukyo was with him and they were both sitting at the table with my family eating. I walked over to my spot and sat down. I had a particularly difficult math equation written down on a piece of paper. I needed to figure out how to format the word problem and was hitting some roadblocks in my head. So while I ate I would try out tons of different equations to see if I could find the one that fit. I could feel glances from everyone at the table, as I sat there scribbling and sighing in frustration when I failed. "What are you doing Akane?" my father asked. Nabiki didn't give me a chance to reply before she added an answer that she knew would rub me the wrong way "She's probably writing a love letter to Ranma" her tone was incredibly coy. Usually either two things would happen 1. I'd blush and get mad 2. I'd just get mad. Thank god for math though because even though I heard her say those words it didn't register. I just rubbed my forehead and squinted my eyes at the ridiculous issue below. Then Ranma spoke "If anything she's just writing 100 different ways to kill me. Seriously, Akane what are you doing?"

The fact that he was talking to me made me feel relieved. His voice melted my insides with an almost desperate want for him. I was afraid of losing the resolve of calmness I kind of had at the moment. "Just a difficult math problem is all" I had responded curter than I had wanted to, but I was happy I didn't burst into tears and or throw him through the wall. I could feel the blank stare he was giving me and then he said "Well at least you're not throwing everything around, who does math when school's out?!" I never took my eyes off the problem. I was terrified of even looking at Ranma. I was afraid that every bit of what I try so hard hide would be written across my face. I desperately didn't want to lose my temper all the time. My jealousy was incredibly hard to control and I knew that was no excuse for my behavior. Ranma could never love me when I treated him like a punching bag and the house as my jungle gym. I wanted to respond to Ranma. I wanted to be friendly and sweet so before he left... the name Akane wouldn't give him a bitter taste in his mouth. I just couldn't manage to put any words together. So I just kept rubbing my jaw while staring directly down at the problem. I had lost my focus though and was now completely aware of my surroundings. Nabiki began to speak "Guess she's giving you the silent treatment after that comment" without missing a beat Ranma grumbled out "Seriously Akane you're mad at me again?" before I even had a chance to think my mouth took a mind of its own "What makes you think I ever stopped being angry?". I could've kicked myself! You have one job Akane Tendo control yourself... that's it! I chastised in my head. I didn't move though and my voice had come out cool and calm. Still I regretted it terribly. How can I love someone so much and yet do nothing, but make them miserable? Ukyo then had to speak... and be the sensible one that I desperately wanted to be "Ranma, it's the day before we leave let's all just play nice" he responded with very obvious anger "Play nice? Are you kidding me? Akane is always the one who blows everything out of proportion! I'm tired of everybody just blaming me. I always have to apologize first when Akane gives into a fit rage!" then he looks at me "Akane, you know you are like family to me! Can you just let this go!? Hell I'm doing this to fight for your dojo!" My soul began getting that familiar feeling of being on fire. All I want within that second is to smash his face against the table. How can he have no idea how much this would hurt someone? How can he not see that him leaving to go on another trip with Ukyo would hurt me? Logic is swimming in the back of my mind whispering to me to calm down. That Ranma is making sense, that all I should I do is apologize. I even know I have been acting poorly. All I'd have to do is admit this to Ranma and say I was sorry. If I was just a little more honest about my feelings would our relationship be as broken as it is now? The fire in my soul is too hot though, burning any bit of logic away. "RANMA, Shut up! I don't care what you do! Don't talk to me! Do whatever the hell you want! I want to help with my family's dojo, but instead I'm pushed aside and you and some outsider have the fate of the dojo in your hands! How do you think that makes me feel as a martial artist?! Go have fun with your little girlfriend! See if I care!" I slam my hands down onto the table shaking all the dishes, stand up and walk out before anyone has a chance to say anything. Then I slam my bedroom door as though I am a small child...

My stomach growls and I instantly remember I didn't eat much of anything. I rub my forehead in frustration. I lay down on my bed and put my arm over my eyes. I lay in silence distracting my mind from the events of the day. I think of nothing but the red dots I see on the back of my eyelids. It felt like I'd been laying like that for hours, when I hear a light tap at the door. I sit up I walk to the door and open it. Ranma stands at the door looking at me. His expression completely unreadable "Akane, Ukyo was going to sleep in your room tonight is that still okay?" I respond blandly "Yes...that's fine" I watch him slightly bite his lip... His eyes betray him by looking at me as though he desperately wants to say something. Then Ukyo comes ramping up those stairs. Before I know it she is by my bedroom door with her sleeping materials. I look back to Ranma and the look he had just been wearing was gone replaced by a look of ease. "Ahh Ukyo, Akane says you can still sleep in her room." Ranma says. Ukyo looks over to me and politely smiles "Thank you Akane". I step aside to let her into my room. She gladly takes the opportunity. When I turn back to maybe get a second chance at reconciliation with Ranma he is gone. A dark coldness fills my heart and I hear my inner self whisper "He doesn't love you Akane Tendo...not like you love him" I swear I could hear the shattering of my insides and the freezing of the blood in my veins, at what felt like a realization. Almost uncontrollably I mutter "I hate you Ranma Saotome".

I slid into bed

Closed my eyes

And begged for sleep.

When I awoke it was almost 8:30 am. I felt a sadness creep across my skin knowing that Ranma and Ukyo had already left. I expected Ranma to still say goodbye to me even after all the fighting. Ranma always tried to fix everything even with people he didn't necessarily like. "That's saying something...he didn't try to fix anything with you Akane" I hear my inner self say. I slowly lumber into the bathroom and take a bath. Where I finally let loose and silently cry till my brain thumps and aches with pain from the congestion of my snotty nose. I look in the mirror and say to myself that Akane Tendo is strong! I lean against the wall with a towel wrapped around me and I just let my mind wander all over the place. I begin to think of how much I don't want to be here when Ranma comes back. I don't want to be expected to be warm and welcoming. That I want to be gone when he comes back. "Why? Do you want him to miss you? Yearn for you... like you do him?" Inner Akane says. I rub my head to soothe the ever increasing headache pain. "I don't know", I say out loud as an answer to my inner thoughts.

It doesn't matter though whatever the subconscious reason I have. All I know is I am going to leave. So I sit in the bathroom and formulate a plan. That I will leave two days before Ranma is scheduled to get back and I'll be gone for an about a week or so. I don't want to make my family worry for my safety so I decide I will buy a ticket to a hot spring and say I won it in a raffle. I'll tell them I won more than one and that I am going with my school friends. Really I just want to be alone so in reality I'll go to the hot spring resort by myself. I'll have to say I won it in a raffle so they won't make such a fuss about me leaving right before Ranma comes home. I walk to my room and get dressed. I just have to be convincing that I am not bothered by Ranma's absence. I go down for breakfast and sit with my family and make small talk while watching morning programs. Nobody says much of anything. Thoughts of Ukyo and Ranma hanging together laughing, talking, and enjoying each other's company creep into my thoughts. I go into the bathroom and splash my face with cold water. "This is going to be a long month", I say quietly out loud to myself.

4 Days till Ranma's Arrival Day

The month went by painfully slow. Almost every day something would remind me of Ranma.

Everyone seemed so excited for Ranma to come back. Shampoo & Kodachi were planning on making lots of food. A welcome home party was being planned. Ukyo had written a letter saying that Ranma was practically finished learning all the new moves he needed and they would most likely make it home on time as had been planned. The letter was very chipper, which gave me the feeling they must have had a good time together. I had purchased my hot spring resort ticket and tonight at dinner was when I was going to tell my family. I was nervous because I knew that my words were covered in lies. There is no honor in lying, but I just had to get away. I didn't want to be a part of the party. Watch all the fiancés hang on Ranma, while I sit back on fire with jealousy. My pride crushing my will to be affectionate too. Time passed by quickly and before I knew it Kasumi was calling me down for dinner. I walked slowly...ticket in hand...running my dishonest words through my head. My hands shaking... "God, you're a terrible liar Akane how are you going to pull this off," said my inner self. I have to do this! I have to leave I need to run away from welcoming him home... I am a coward...!

I reach the dinner table; everyone was sitting down. I tried to pull off the happiest voice I can. "Guess what!? I won a raffle!"

Kasumi with her soft spoken voice says "Oh? What did you win Akane?" "I won a trip to the Khwãm Ngãm hot springs resort!" I practically yell in response trying my best to replicate excitement. "Akane, that is wonderful. How many people can go with you?" Genma asks. "I can only bring one other person" I answer. Before I get a chance to say more Nabiki adds some commentary "Ooolala what she really means to say is she's planning on taking Ranma. How long is this little romantic trip?" before I get a chance to respond Genma and my father began bouncing around happily. "Oh a trip alone for the two of you is a fantastic idea Akane!" my father says as though he is describing a wonderful fantasy. "No, no, no I won these tickets a while ago & I already asked a friend of mine to go with me. I have to leave in 2 days' time... I know this is short notice, but I was procrastinating telling you in fear of you telling me I can't go. Since I won't be here when Ranma gets back..." Nabiki looks plenty surprised and says "You want to leave right before Ranma's welcome home party?" Her voice clearly has an edge of suspicion in it.

I can see in her eyes that the gears in her brain are turning. She's trying to figure out if there is more to the story than what I am saying. So I decided to be slightly genuine in my words to make my acting more realistic. "I have greatly missed Ranma and I would like to be here, but there will be plenty of people here for him. I'm only going to be gone for a week or so, I'll give him a great big welcome home hug when I return. Please let me go, this is a really high-end resort!" It's clear that my dad and Genma are not happy with me by their expressions. But then... My dad looks at Genma and says "Might as well let her go or she'll be angry and miserable the whole time. We'll just have to explain to Ranma what happened. (Turns to me) So yes...Akane you can go." Overwhelming relief floods through me and in my elated happiness I slapped my hands together and gave a very low bow. "Thank you so much daddy!" Before anyone can change their minds or make any other side comments I rush out of the room to begin packing. I was so happy that I was escaping a humiliation that was bound to occur at Ranma's party. I wouldn't have my whole family watching my every move and giving me advice on how to be a loving "welcome home" fiancé. Their constant pressure along with the constant fiancé competition, that would surely be there, would just make me angry and miserable. Probably ending up in a Ranma beating or me crying. Both of which I wanted to avoid.

I searched my room for my most attractive clothing items and figure fitting swimsuit and packed my suitcase. I wanted to feel pretty and desirable on this small vacation. I needed to boost my confidence and I felt that strutting around on a break from my family might just give me that. I felt so happy I could barely contain from screaming. This would be a long two days until I could depart.

-Departure Day-

I woke up feeling great, it was the same kind of feeling I got when I was missing a day of school. I was filled with glee. I was going to sidestep a moment that was anxiety inducing. I laid in my bed for a while daydreaming Ranma being shocked about my absence. It made me feel all fuzzy on my insides. I had already packed my bags so I really didn't have much to do other than be on time for the subway. I decided to go downstairs and eat something even though it was clear I had missed the breakfast meal with everyone. Kasumi came in and cooked me some of the leftovers. Are you really sure you want to miss Ranma's coming home party? I'm sure he'll be very hurt you're not here. Imagine if you had been away for a while and he wasn't home when you got back? Kasumi said in a comforting like tone. I jumbled a bunch of excuses and made sure for her to pass the message to Ranma that I had missed him but I couldn't pass up this opportunity. From Kasumi's eyes, I could tell she thought I was being incredibly insensitive and really I was. But, I just couldn't bring myself to stay. To me, I would rather be missed than dismissed which I knew would happen if I were to stay. All of his other women surrounding him and slobbering all over him like a bunch of rabid dogs looking for a juicy steak. "Shampoo will definitely use this opportunity to talk some serious slander on you to Ranma because of your absence the day he gets back" I hear Nabiki say from behind me. I can tell from her voice she is trying to figure out my mindset. Why would I ever leave right before Ranma gets back? Especially if the other fiancés would be here for his welcoming home party.

Deep in my mind I knew she was at least somewhat aware that I had some sort of feelings for Ranma, but I ignored the idea. Nabiki was the worst person I knew to ever reveal secrets to, so I would continue to deny if it were her asking forever. I answered curtly "Ranma can believe whatever he wants about me I don't care" My brain instantly made me think Ranma was right behind me or somehow KNEW I said that and he was about to leap out to say something hurtful in response, but nothing came. Probably because it had happened so many times previously I was now paranoid. Nabiki responded with a creepy slowness as though she had figured me all out or had just read my mind and knew my whole plan "Uh huh… I see" she then gave a small wicked smile that sent chills down my spine. Why did I get stuck with a sister like that…? Time passed slowly with my anticipation to leave. Though the hour to leave finally arrived. My family gave me hugs and wished me a safe trip. I rushed to the subway in fear that somehow I would end up late. I gave my ticket and found myself a seat near a window. As I sat there doubt crept into my head… was it really a good idea to have left? What if I actually did really hurt Ranma? Or somehow that very night Ukyo convinces him that she would make a far better wife to him than the absent Akane Tendo. That this decision could, in turn, obliterate my relationship with Ranma.

The fear was sinking into me like an animal caught in a tar pit. I made an inaudible grunt to alert my subconscious to shut up. It was a trick I came up with many years earlier that anytime my brain started going in a direction I didn't like, that I could make a noise to interrupt my thought process and cease it from continuing. It worked well enough so it was almost a habit. I now would do it without even thinking about it, it always would shut inner Akane up right away. I began to steer my head toward this being a good choice. I daydreamed all different scenarios of Ranma's reactions when he got home. Maybe he wouldn't enjoy the party or the food that all the fiancés made for him. Maybe he'd actually wish for me to have made some horrendous meal for him because he hadn't seen me in so long that it wouldn't even matter how it tasted as long as it had been me who had made it. I really know that was wishful thinking, but it's my own fantasy I could do whatever I wanted with it.

The softness of the subway train lulled me to sleep and I didn't wake until it was my stop. I had almost slept right through it, but I woke up just in time and rushed off. I went into the hotel and gave the clerk my last name. Ahh yes, Sakura will show you to your room he said smoothly. Then a small beautiful woman came over swiftly directing me down a yellow hallway. I was shown a cute Japanese style bedroom. I was brought a fancy red yukata and I loved touching its soft cotton fabric. I laid down for a while debating if I should go to the bath now or not, in the end, I decided I should try it out tonight. It didn't seem like this place had very many customers because as I walked about there wasn't really anyone around. Which creeped me out slightly. I walked out into the big beautiful mixed bath. The whole thing was outdoors and absolutely beautiful! So I leaned slowly into the water with my little towel and let the warm water soothe my skin. I looked at the gorgeous stars and wondered if I could just live right here in this spot forever. Then I heard a light splash noise that gave me a startle from my fantastical daydreams. I turned to the side to see a silver haired boy looking right at me with a big handsome grin "hi" he said almost shyly. I felt very awkward, I only came to the mixed bath because I thought there wouldn't really be anyone out since the hotel seemed so vacant.

So here I was in a tiny towel with this striking boy. "Uhm hello, nice night out huh?" I said trying to not give away the fact that I was feeling uncomfortable. "Oh it's absolutely stunning out tonight, I mean look at those stars. I just want to float up there and stay with them" There was so much emotion in his words it almost felt like I would be swallowed by what he said. It appeared as though it truly was his dream in life to be amongst the stars and I found this to be incredibly touching. He also had a very graceful face, one that made his words sound even more heartwarming. I didn't notice that I was just staring at him until he said: "Am I so pretty that I am distracting you from the sky?" His tone was so farcical that I didn't feel even slightly ashamed at my behavior. I just giggled lightly and apologized for my rudeness. He shrugged it off and said "Well it's okay because I think you're beautiful" then a low blush crossed his face and it caught be so far off guard my jaw literally dropped open. This man looked like a model! I was the girl Ranma always said was built like a brick! A low pang of pain thrummed in my chest at the thought of him saying that. I smiled weakly and said "You are quite a stunning young man and thank you for your compliment, but I have a fiancé. Although he is a major jerk and you wouldn't catch him dead ever giving me a compliment" I didn't mean for my words to become so negative, it appeared that, that was all that ever came out of my mouth anymore. "Ahh, I'm sorry that took a turn for the worst" I floundered trying to make myself not sound like such a moron. His smile never faded though in fact it seemed to get more bright and without missing a beat he said "Oh my, I didn't mean to make you feel like I was coming onto you. I just like to tell the truth. May I ask why you're marrying a man that does not tell you what a beauty you are?"

I tightened my towel around my body and wasn't sure how to answer that question "Oh well... we are arranged, so I don't really have a choice and neither... does he". His smile faded slightly "Hm, I see...well is he with you tonight?". "Ahh no he isn't with me I came here alone to get away from everything" and boom just like that his smile was back. "Oh well, that's good. Personally, I don't agree with arranged marriages I think love marriages are that way to go" his boyish grin was so incredibly charming I just felt so distracted. I couldn't believe someone as pretty as this was giving me such nice attention. A feeling I hadn't felt in a long time and after getting left behind by Ranma and Ukyo... The boy's sweetness was very inviting. "Do you like sage leaf tea?" he asked suddenly "Uhm yeah I do" the boy was kind of random, but it might be because I am acting awkward and making him uncomfortable. "I love making tea would you mind coming to my room just for a moment so I could pour you some? Then we could come back out here" His words were innocent enough and it wasn't like I was going to sleep in his room… Ranma freaking stayed out in the wilderness with another woman for over a month so this wasn't even remotely bad comparatively. "Sure sounds nice. Thank you for the offer" Was my response to his kind invitation. I went back to my room to change into my yukata. He had given me his room number and I didn't want to keep him waiting so I rushed accidentally tearing my yukata slightly. I decided it was a small rip and barely noticeable so I went to his room with no more fuss.

His room was in a red themed hallway and was clearly a more expensive section than where my room was located. When I entered his room I was astonished by the exquisiteness. Every which way I turned I was being enchanted by the passionate colors and heartfelt style of the place. I was transfixed by the unique mix of culture the room was combining. The bed frame was brown and low to the ground like a wealthy Japanese person's bedroom. The bed was sunken into the frame, but that is where the cultural familiarity ended. The rest of the bed frame seemed almost a mismatch of Japanese style and old English vintage. It had four-bed posts which I had seen in magazines but usually held a canopy or curtain. These stuck straight up and held nothing, they also were very far spaced apart and not aligned with the mattress making the whole thing look extremely wide, reminding me of a football goal post. Then the headboard was sloped like the upside down English letter U, with the whole headboard being a mirror. It was also absent of any kind of footboard. The wall right behind the mirror headboard was white but painted with red Japanese lanterns. The most amazing part was the heron…. There was a heron shadow painted amongst the lanterns. The whole bird was black and you couldn't see any distinguishing features other than the obvious body style of a heron. Which made my mind think of it as a heron's shadow.

The way its body was weaved behind the lanterns was enthralling. I felt I was being mesmerized by the remarkable designs that had been crafted together. "Wow, this room is… amazing" I exclaimed breathlessly. I turned around to a sincere smile and his words were covered in what I can't really describe other than euphoria. "I designed this room, and I am very moved by your reaction to my creation". My heart was swelling just by looking at the pure joy on his face. The way this room made me feel was indescribable… my soul was melting and I couldn't believe what a profound effect this room and the young man were having on me. I could feel myself tearing up and heat was rushing to my face in such an emotional rush. "Your art...is exquisite" I choked out. "I love to paint, design, and make tea. I am a romantic to the core. From your body language, it would appear that you are as well." He said while smiling ear to ear with a warmth to it that could replace the sun. I couldn't say anything I was racking my brain for a response but I was blank. My head was captivated by the heron. The plain, bland, shadow heron.. and yet it gave me a deep impression of iniquity. The bird had no eyes and yet it gave off wickedness… I couldn't understand how it was possible to be this moved by art. Never in my life had I been so affected by something like this. Finally, I was coming back to my senses and managed to say "What is it that you do?" His eyes were dazed as though his own art was having the same effect on him that it was on me. "Ahh, I am an artist or more like an interior designer - I mostly work on resorts and restaurants. This room is my most favorite work I have ever created, so I decided that I wanted to stay here for my vacation to be mentally ensnared by my work. Maybe get some new inspiration for my next project. Hopefully, that doesn't sound too arrogant. Also here is your tea, and may I ask what is your name?" I was surprised to find that I didn't know this boy's name either. I felt like I really knew him by just looking at his art which was a bizarre realization. "No it isn't arrogant... because this room is true...art. So that means you have made many rooms like this? I would love to see them I am sure I would be in love with them all. My name is Akane Tendo and yours? Thank you for the tea." I took the warm teacup graciously it was a gray cup that looked as though it was made from stone but felt like porcelain. Everything around this boy was charming including himself. "My name is Ichiro Sato," He said politely while taking a sip of his tea. I began to drink my tea while I gazed at the shadow heron. There was a comfortable silence as we both admired his work.

Oddly I began to feel drowsy, which I thought was strange because I had slept on the subway train ride here. Very quickly though my muscles were feeling kind of like jelly and I leaned against the wall and slid down to the floor to get ahold of myself. "Ever heard of organic Quaalude Tendo-san? Although I bet you're feeling a bit out of it to be able to answer that question." The feelings were not ones I had ever had before. The way I wobbled as Sato-san helped me to the bed reminded me of drunkenness that I had only seen in movies. I knew he had spoken to me but I couldn't really understand what he was saying. I began to make out words but I wasn't sure if I was just dazed and hearing things wrong. Never in my life had I ever heard of the words organic Quaalude. So I was feeling that it was likely my brain was compensating for what it couldn't understand - creating fake words. I soon couldn't fight it anymore and just closed my eyes. My heart said that the sweet Sato-san wouldn't mind if I fell asleep here.

The light was shining in my eyes causing me great discomfort, but I couldn't seem to be able to get my body to move out of the way so my face wouldn't be directly in the sun. So I ended up having to open my eyes, even though I really wanted to get more sleep. I was consumed by mental exhaustion. I squinted my eyes and saw the curtains drawn back and the sun glaring at me cooking my skin. I tried to turn away but I just couldn't... I looked at my body and I was completely naked. That wasn't the worst of it, though... my ankles had handcuffs around them and a chain that stretched to the bedposts... which just happened to be quite far away. Making my legs stretched out in an unnatural and uncomfortable way. Causing the thigh muscles to ache considerably. I tried to sit up but once again I was unable. I glanced to the side seeing that both my wrists were handcuffed to bed-posts as well. My arms were asleep and it made me feel an even worse discomfort than my aching thighs. I sat up as far as I could go and shook my shoulders slightly trying to get at least a little bit more blood circulation going... And then it hit me like a whole house had fallen on my chest. Never had I panicked like that before. I began viciously pulling at my non-working shoulders and my legs. I yanked and yanked thrashing around. I didn't care about the pain my wrists or ankles felt. In all honesty, I didn't feel anything at all. I was consumed in a panic to the point that I did the unthinkable. I began to scream. I wasn't a screamer it wasn't a natural response to me. As a martial artist fear was the most controlled emotion. More than that, though, that just wasn't my normal response when I got scared. I react with my body or fists, not with my vocal cords. When I was angry I used both, but when I was truly scared it was all body. After about two to five minutes of illogical thrashing, the pain began to set in.

My ankles were bleeding from the sharp metal being pressed against my skin so hard from my pulling. I looked up to see Sato-san sitting on a chair facing the bed. "Good Morning Tendo-san. How did you sleep?" My head was all frozen up. Like thoughts couldn't come through. Just a blackness. Then a strong overwhelming feeling crawled into my heart. Shame. I was naked. I was completely naked. I couldn't cover my body in the slightest. I couldn't even bring my legs together. My pride felt shattered and instantly I started to just let go and cry. Fear from not being able to move. Pain from my bleeding ankles. Shame from being naked. All combined making an overload of emotion that resulted in sobs. "From the moment I met you, I thought you might be a cry baby. Cry and scream all you want I'm the only one who will hear you" his voice had changed. Nothing like the voice I remembered from the previous night.

I wouldn't exactly call myself calm but I had gotten enough of my sobbing under control to look at him. He was smiling, but it was like the shadow heron's absent eyes, just plain wicked. My whole mind wasn't coherent enough to form full thoughts on my situation. So I rambled around on what I was to say. Through shaky breaths, I said, "What's going on here?" Sato-san responded fast "Inspiration my dear. Art is happening". His response calmed me down considerably. Like what was going on may have some sense to it. "You're an art piece Akane... not in any real danger. You're safe everything is okay" Inner Akane soothed. Logic, on the other hand, was screaming like it was in enormous pain telling me nothing but to run. Of which I was unable to do, but it didn't stop logic from screaming it to me. Sato-san just sat for a while and didn't say anything while I rambled quietly to myself nonsensical words. My mental state was in a shambles. My brain workers were in such a rush to glue everything back together that they ended up having to yank pieces out when they made a mistake in the construction of my psyche. Causing me to go into bursts of insanity where I would do nothing but yell at myself. Inner Akane just wouldn't stop bothering the brain workers so I needed to scream at her!

Eventually, my mental status went back to being what could be considered as moderately sane. "I must say I have never seen a girl react to this situation anything like you. The screaming, fear, and crying are standard of course but your rambling is quite unique. I expected bargaining from you not the loss of your mind. I haven't even touched you yet and you're already losing your head." My heart thumped tremendously! Faster than any jog I'd ever taken. "tttouch me…?" I stuttered out. Logic stopped screaming "run" and instead I heard only the ticking of rummaging thoughts. "He is going to rape you Akane," it said.

Dread was instantaneous… seeping into every part of my brain until I was consumed in a type of fright that was nothing like anything I had ever felt before. The realization caused a new panic that dashed through my system. Every instinct all started shrieking. I once again began flailing about in my limited mobility. Twisting and jerking my wrists. Wrenching my legs every which way in a desperate attempt at escape. I could feel my muscles twitching in exhaustion. Then pain took over my left leg as my calf muscle constricted in a powerful cramp. I screeched in an uncontrollable agony. It was clear I was dehydrated and I knew if I didn't get water soon the cramps would get much much worse. When it passed my whole body felt exhausted. I laid back…and cried and cried and cried. All the while Sato-san just sat in his chair watching every little struggle I made. After what felt like days, Sato-san began to speak "Yes Tendo-san touch you, ever been touched by a man before? I suppose so since you have a fiancé." He began to undress then, but in a creepily slow manner all the while never taking his eyes off of mine. I couldn't turn away not because he was enticing… but because I was scared what he would do if I turned away. His eyes were menacingly dark. As if invisible arms came from them and were here to drag me to hell.

He walked over to the right side of the bed dragging his finger along my leg. While looking at him I saw his mouth twitch itself into a smile. His top lip was thin and barely visible when his mouth curved into a smile. His bottom lip was considerably thicker and stuck out slightly as though he were pouting. The smile he was producing had a darkness to it that would turn anyone's blood straight to ice. I couldn't help myself, as a very visible shiver crossed through my body. His eyes told me that he had misinterpreted that shiver as an invitation that I was enjoying his touch. I couldn't think of words instead all I let out was a whimper. He grabbed an object on the bedside table that I couldn't see with the way I was chained. "I knew from the minute I saw you, that you wanted me. You can deny it all you want, but I can read people Tendo-san and you are going to enjoy this vacation"

I was the girl everyone knew as strong, tough, and prideful. Hell, I was those things! I didn't shy away from any kind of fight. May it be a verbal or a physical fight I wouldn't give up… but this was different. I had been ripped from my high horse…. I was the slave stable boy now.

"Don't give up Akane!" inner Akane yelled. She was right I wouldn't let this sick depraved man dare lay a hand on me. I turned my head to face him and grimaced. "You would have to be a fool to ever think I would want you to touch me!" I raised my head slightly and spit right onto his face. I would never lay down! I was a martial artist. My act of defiance seemed to light up his eyes in a familiar joy I had seen previously. They were the same eyes as when I had told him I loved his art. Then his icy piercing laugh filled the whole room. Burrowing into my ears and booming like it came from a giant's voice. He wiped the spit from his face with his index finger and then licked his finger in what he must have considered being seductive. I, on the other hand, was filled with unbearable disgust. "Sicko" I muttered in response. He began laughing… and said "I wonder why faces twisted in fear excite me so much. I want to sew that sloppy mouth of yours shut with neat tidy stitches. You dare spit on me?... You will come to regret that." I wanted desperately to be strong, but his threat made my stomach turn in terror. I could feel my throat tighten from me trying to hold back the urge to cry. I am not weak...I am not weak...I am not weak. I am strong! I chanted to myself. I continued to stare at him which took every ounce of bravery I had. All I wanted was to turn away from the evil aura that surrounded Sato.

I heard an odd ripping sound that reminded me of when you pull the tape from a roll. Then another tear sound. It was definitely tape. In what seemed like lightning speed he was on top of me tapping my mouth closed. He put his hands on either side of my head tightly, holding my head in place. He stared directly into my eyes for a brief moment. Then he began his defilement of me. There aren't enough words for hatred, anger, and pain in any language that could describe how cracked my heart had become. I wanted nothing more than to reach up and strangle the man on top of me. I wanted to squeeze his neck till I broke every bone to smithereens. I wanted to slam a knife so far into his eyes it came out the other side of his skull. Then take his spine and jam it down his mutilated corpse. As soon as his actual assault of me started he didn't look at me. As though he was far too above me to look into the face of his victim. Instead, he looked at his own reflection from the mirror headboard. Grunting in satisfaction as he violated me.

He stared at himself with an enjoyment that was sickening. When he was done my whole body hurt. I ached. Everything ached. Even the bed creaked from its aching springs. His rape of me had gone on for what felt like an eternity. He'd finish but then start back up again. It felt like the horrors would never stop. The sun had gone down. He'd been at it all day. I was dreadfully thirsty. My lips were cracked and my tongue felt like a dry sock. Sato who I now would refer to as 'the monster' had left into the room's bathroom. Referring to him as something evil for some odd reason gave me a small sense of ease. I heard a shower going. This was my chance to get free. Maybe if I somehow broke the headboard it would damage the bedposts and I could slip my hands free. I filled with hope and I started to rock back and forth gaining enough force to slam into the headboard. Then my hope drained away as fast as it had come at the realization that the headboard wasn't connected to the bedposts. The bedposts were connected to the frame…... not the headboard.

The amount of despair that enveloped me was a destruction of the person I was. Akane Tendo was gone and what replaced her was a timid rat. I would do, say, and be anything to get free. I cried at the loss of myself. I cried because I knew my heart was broken and the corruption was seeping in. When he came back out he looked very pleased with my state. He had a cup of water in his hand. He walked over with a strut that bellowed confidence. I didn't care, though. I'd do anything to be able to drink that water. My mouth hurt from dryness. Instinct told me I would die if I didn't get him to give me that water. His slimy thin hands caressed the side of my face as he fiddled with the corners of the duct tape. Suddenly and with no warning, he ripped it off my face. I bit down on my lip to keep from yelping in pain. "Do you want this water Tendo-san?" he asked. My mouth felt like sandpaper and my throat felt raw. So I just nodded to save me the humiliation of being unable to speak with the confidence of Akane Tendo. I didn't want to hear the shriveling weak voice that was sure to be what I sounded like now. He smiled widely. He tilted the cup to my mouth and let its contents flow. Cursing myself for the water droplets that were rushing out of the corners of my mouth. He left soon after without saying a word. Hunger was tying knots into my stomach. Growling with the ferocity of a beast. Inner Akane began to talk "What if he doesn't come back and he's leaving you here to die?"

I couldn't bare the thought of dying like this. Whoever found me would know what had happened. My family would have this marked on their names forever. Their martial artist daughter defeated and subjected to the worst humiliation. The defilement of the Tendo name. I was so weak with hunger any attempt at escape was futile. My thoughts consisted of nothing but food and water. Escape plans were nothing but a distant mirage now. At some point in my misery, I had drifted off to sleep only to be awoken to a terrible horror. At the end of the bed, the monster stood with a coquettish smile and a large knife in his left hand. Goosebumps rippled across my skin. I could feel the racing of my heart as it pointlessly prepared me for what was to come. "Go ahead… GO AHEAD AND CRY! LIE TO YOURSELF!" His deafening vehement yelling was unbearable. His voice turned to a whisper as he got to my ear "Lie to yourself… Tell yourself this isn't happening. Deny that you are now trash. I have made you worthless. I own you. I will forever own you. I'll make sure you won't even be able to look at yourself without remembering me. You're my next art piece Akane-san… enjoy the honor…" I soaked his words into my very soul, and I believed them…

"If you cooperate Akane-san, I will let you go… do you like that deal?" Never had I understood how many different types of fear there really were. How the brain truly reacts. This time, though I was going to die. To think I had ever been upset -about shame or the Tendo name. My life was going to end. I screamed so desperately. Screamed for anything. Whatever the monster was going to do was going to hurt. It was going to hurt real bad. "Please… please oh my god please I'll do anything… please don't hurt me. I don't want to die... please have mercy". I laid there chained helplessly to the bed looking at the eyes of the man who was going to steal my life away from me. "I'll give you anything… please don't hurt me. I am begging you!" Tears flowed down my face like tiny rivers. I used to find crying to be so shameful. I hated to cry. In this moment though the crying was easing the burden of the terrible fear in my brain. It was keeping me from utterly losing my mind. I was on the edge of Akane Tendo snapping and being nothing more than a ghost. I had to cry or there would be nothing left of my poor mind. "Hush Akane-San as long as you do as you're told - I'll let the little bird out of her cage." the monster whispered. I whimpered in response.

He went to the bottom of the bed then and began unscrewing the right bedpost. Once he had unscrewed it, it was completely unattached to the bed frame. He held the bedpost for a moment… and then let it drop to the floor. It was incredibly heavy. I yelled in pain. It felt like my right leg was on a medieval stretch torture device. He then did the same thing to all the bedposts. I was so weak and they were so heavy - I couldn't do much of anything. It was like they were anchors sinking me to the bottom of the sea to drown. He then proceeded to flip me over and re-screw the bedposts to their opposite sides. Now I was facing the bed and my back faced the ceiling. The monster began to rape me again. This went on for hours. Wherever he could enter, he would go. My blood was all over the sheets. I couldn't feel my arms because I had lost all blood circulation. I cried, but I was dehydrated... no water came from my eyes. It was just crying noises. The entire time he enjoyed himself with my body - he had the cold knife just laying on my back. He finally seemed to be exhausted. For the next couple of hours, he told me stories of the previous woman he had raped. How each new room he designed he had gotten from the inspiration of women he had defiled. He explained that the shadow heron represented the last girl. How he had beaten her black and blue like that of a bird's shadow. At first his talking had been comforting, in the fact, that the monster wasn't raping me, but his stories were so horrific that I felt I'd rather him just beat me to death. It was like he was telling me what was to come but through his other victim's stories. "Don't worry Akane-san I never kill my victims; I only maim them." His tone was sickening.

I felt the coolness of the knife's blade enter the skin of my back… then there was nothing but pain. My mind was gone. Thought nothing but pain. Was nothing but pain. I was nothing but a pain sensor. All of my existence was agony. I was biting into the sheets of the bed to distract my soul, but it provided no comfort. I wished for death. The fact that I had ever feared death was a mystery to me now. Death was a gift. There would be no greater offer than to be blessed with the coldness of being dead. To be nothing. To feel nothing. There couldn't be anything more beautiful than that.

Finally, it stopped. I felt a wet cloth softly wiping across my back. "It's over Akane-san, now you'll never forget who owns you." He took the handcuffs off of my ankles and wrists, and picked me up and put me on a chair covered with towels. He had a huge garbage bag at the edge of the room. I was so weak I could barely move and my back was raw. I was overwhelmed with pain. The monster stripped all the sheets and pillows stuffing everything into the bag. He proceeded to wipe down the entire room anything he or I touched was cleaned to perfection. The monster put a cup of water to my lips. I drank it greedily. He would go back to cleaning then come back and help me in some small manner. My mind was nothing but blank space. Things blurred together. I realized at some point I needed to pee and so I went right where I was sitting. The monster came over and changed my towels. They were awful bloody I noticed. I wondered vaguely whose blood that was. He fed me, bathed me, and put a dressing on my wounds. I later realized the blood on the towels was mine… I must have lost a lot of it. I was so out of sorts; I was in a haze. This is what insanity must be and I was grateful for it.

Exhaustion was overwhelming all of my other senses and I let myself drift off into the black. I awoke with a start… How could I ever let myself fall asleep! That had been my chance to finally escape! I glanced around at my surroundings and quickly realized the room was immaculately clean. I also felt fabric… I was clothed. I wasn't tied either… I was just sitting in this chair...free. I had to be dreaming. There was no way I wouldn't have been killed. I got up and inched my way across the room. I was sure with each step I made an alarm would soon begin blaring and I'd be dragged back into the arms of the monster. I managed to sneak myself into the bathroom successfully. I slowly closed the door afraid the slightest noise was going to be my downfall. I then locked the door. There were no windows in the bathroom… had I just cornered myself? Had I just made the worst mistake. "No Akane you need to get your thoughts in order, the monster doesn't know you're in here… you're safe… for now" Inner Akane said. I stood for a moment staring at the shower curtain… what if he was behind there. Hiding. Waiting. What if he knew I would come in here first? "You're being ludicrous Akane there is no way he could know you would have come in here." Logic said but it didn't matter I was already frozen in fear. My body was stiff and a slow pain was engulfing me. I walked over slowly. I didn't have a plan, but I knew I needed to pull that curtain. I grasped the side and yanked…. hard.

The shower was empty. I breathed a sigh of relief. I leaned down and began to cry from the relief. Then I realized how powerfully thirsty I was. I turned around to the sink and began to drink the water from the faucet. I drank until my belly was full and a sense of nausea filled me. I sat on the floor until it passed. I successfully kept the water down. I stood up and took a good long look at myself. I looked exhausted and have tear streaks down my face. The previous night's events seep into my head. The monster had carved into me. I lifted up my shirt only to see my entire torso was covered in white bandages. Upon realizing this I understood why my chest had been feeling so tight since I had woken up. I turned around to see the bandages on my back were soaked in blood. It was an incredibly gruesome sight. I knew I had to get out of here. I didn't know what day it was, but I knew I had to go home. I just wanted to be safe. Fear was my only motivator now. I unlocked the bathroom door and dropped low to the floor. Looking every which way while crawling to the suites entrance door. I knew that the way I had woken up was suspicious. Would he really just let me go? Or was I in a trap and being hunted. I needed to be very cautious. Very slowly I made my way to my room. I felt like everyone I saw couldn't be trusted and they were probably in on the whole scheme. How could nobody have heard me screaming? The monster had said with such confidence that nobody would hear my screaming. Was that because everyone here knew what was going on? I knew that in some way I was being irrational, but I wasn't willing to take the risk. I rushed around my room grabbing my packed bags and my subway ticket. My back had begun to burn painfully making even the slightest steps almost unbearable. Adrenaline was what kept me moving. Fear made even the worst pain an afterthought.

I made my way to the front desk to checkout. For some ridiculous reason, I wanted to appear normal. I didn't want to give away that I had been a victim of anything. Crazy theories of everyone being in on it made me think that if I acted completely normal that the accomplices would think it was some other girl and not drag me back to the monster. Subconsciously I was in denial that the incident had even happened that maybe it was all in my head. Feeding into my acceptance of this denial was… I didn't want anyone to know. Only but hours earlier I had been okay with death, thinking that shame was a ridiculous thing to feel. Yet the familiar feeling was back eating away at my heart. I couldn't possibly have been raped. That could never have happened to me. As I reached the subway and took a seat I began to cry. It was not a crying because of relief at being safe. I was now engulfed in the crying of pain. My back was on fire with a screaming burning itching pain. I could feel the oozing slimy blood coating my skin as it soaked the bandages.

I grabbed my armrests and squeezed with every bit of strength I had. Anything to distract me from the pain that was taking over my brain. It would get so strong I'd be on the verge of passing out. Then quickly it would go back to just a dull ache. I couldn't help the tears streaming down my face. I knew the other passengers were sure to be freaked out, but in all honestly I didn't care. I just wanted the pain to stop. There was nothing that even came into the frame of my mind other than the constant pain. Ripping and shredding my will to live with each tormenting spike of agony. After hours, the pain subsided. Maybe I was in some sort of a shock because then I was just out cold. I woke up to the driver standing above me "Lady, this your stop isn't it? I remember ya, I picked ya up from here ain't that right? You don't look so good lady, ya want me to call ya a cab?" I was dazed at first, but when I glanced out the window I recognized the station. "No, I am okay I live close to here. Thank you for waking me" "No problem miss" he said in a matter of fact manner.

As I exited the subway train - I was consumed by a ravenous hunger. It had been many hours since… the monster had fed me. My legs were weak with the effort of holding my body weight. I wobbled to the closest fence and leaned most of my weight on it to keep myself from collapsing. I walked along the fence in absurd slowness. I would probably pass out if I tried to exert myself too much. One step at a time was all that mattered now.