This place, the one you have just for me. My prison. It's dark here. This place you have locked me up in. You hope that I wont last long, that I'll just die. You want me to suffer. You think that because I got to see for a moment what light is truly like that having to go back to this shadow will make me give up. You are a fool. These memories you allowed me to have, the ones you wanted to cause me pain are not doing as you planned because you can control my body, you can lock me up, starve me, beat me but you no longer have control over my mind. That is mine and mine alone. No matter what you say, it will always be free from you tyranny. These memories you allowed me to have are mine too, and they will work the way I want them to. And now, even in this dark they give me a light. The Summer vacation, our sand castles, swimming. The culture festival, building the stand, seeing Momiji, cat rice balls. They remind me I have had good times. Even if I don't have any more to come, I have had them. I was important to someone, I made someone smile. The memories that keep me going though are not the ones of playing with my friends, learning with Master or even the moments I won something. No the memories I cherish the most are of her, of losing. Every argument, every battle of wits, every word is tattooed on my heart. Arisa Uotani. You said you hated me, I said I hated you and for a time that was true but I truly enjoyed every moment we shared. Why? Why is it that these passionate arguments are so precious? She didn't accept me for who I was but challenged me to accept myself. I was so intent proving myself to her that I managed to prove myself to…myself. And so I sit here and reminisce.

"Damn punk!"

"stupid Yankee!"

And yes a tear falls, you think you've won but you haven't. That tear is one of pure happiness. Thank-you Akito for giving me these memories, these wonderfully painfully memories. I wish I could have told her how much she meant but it was too late when I realised just how much I did care. I wish I could see you once more. What would I say? "You mean the world to me" or "you give my life light" ? Nah, if I could see her just once more I would say

"Dear God! Do you ever stop growing?" and then I'd grin and say, "what else should I expect of a stupid yankee?". And I know she would say

"better then some dumb punk!"

It is that knowledge that keeps me going. Somewhere out there I know, with all my heart, you're spoiling for a fight and missing me.

AN: eh? I dunno where this came from! I suppose its sorta Uokyo but it's more of a friendship. The point is I might write a fic to go with it…maybe some elaborate break out plan where Uo, Yuki, Hana and Tohru save Kyo? And maybe Uo and Hana can learn their secret? I dunno….it'd be funny for sure! Well ya know r&r. Loves! Tiffy