"Ahuh!"
With an audible gasp, Ayane's eyes snapped wide open. Awareness started to flood into her mind again, but it was different now – more – clear.
She whispered hoarsely through a dry throat.
"Uff – huhh – I… I can speak-!"
So… I'm not dead. But then – where..?
This time she was determined to hang on to consciousness. In a concentrated attempt to steady her vision – she gathered her fragmented senses together and forced the spinning room to slow to a rhythmic tilting.
Everything seemed quieter now. More normal. The terrible demons where nowhere to be seen... the environment was no longer shifting and unstable. Things were quiet and still… taking a deep breath, Ayane imposed her iron will on her surroundings and successfully reduced her disorientation down to a mere rocking sensation.
She recalled the horrors that she had been through earlier.
Was that all… a… a horrible dream? Or…was – was I really…
Bit by bit the room started to form around her. At first, she could bring only slices of reality into clarity by forcing her full attention in a specific area until the haze would part revealing… what?
There were paintings on the walls. A huge, enormous and truly magnificent crystal chandelier hung high above. The sight of it gave her spirit a small lift.
That was what I was seeing… the crystal dragon? It's just… a gigantic chandelier? But no… there's more to it… I can feel something there.
Ayane's attention was drawn next to a large Florentine mirror on the far wall. It too was beautiful and had a gold leaf baroque frame and hung next to it, all along the far wall were impressionist paintings depicting pastoral and ocean scenes. Then her eyes stopped on what was right in front of her.
Oh Gods – wh-what?
It was a large canvas firmly nailed down to a wooden easel. It was splattered with reds, dull yellows and rust colored browns.
Blood?! And… it looks to be in various states of coagulation –is it…from me?
White Italian marble floors and walls formed the room, like a gallery. A pale light was streaming in from above and from behind. She could feel fresh, cold air coming into the room from somewhere behind her. The breeze slightly moved the tattered shirt that hung loosely over her body.
There must be a large window or a terrace letting in the air and moonlight behind me, she thought.
Ayane could tell something had changed. She was now no longer horizontal, but standing vertical… somehow. She could see her bare legs. They were bruised and battered and trembled as they strove to support her. She could also see small cuts, burns and even bite marks.
A particularly nasty slash stretched across her left thigh and as her eyes traveled higher she could see there were slashes on her bare torso as if someone had actually tried to cut words into her… it was not clear what.
Ayane noticed her burnt and shredded shirt. It was the only piece of clothing she had left and it was stained with blood and stunk of urine and filth as it hung open, clinging in tatters to reveal her pain wracked body.
As Ayane surveyed the terrible damage that had been done to her body, the awful truth of what happened started to dawn on her.
It wasn't a nightmare – something – truly… terrible was done to me.
She noticed her feet.
Are those chains on my -?
Ayane didn't have time to finish the thought, as the gallery she was hanging in suddenly bust into bright lights. A rough hand – a human hand – grabbed her by the face and shook her head violently from side to side. The room spun as her eyes whirled momentarily then snapped into focus on Haruka, the leader of Kouta's Yakuza thugs.
"Hey-hey-hey! Kouta! Good thing we came back early – take a look at who's waking up already! And I only hung her here just a couple of minutes ago too! I told you she's a tough little fucker. Hell – I'm still amazed she survived that explosion!"
"Forget the explosion – I'm more amazed she survived our victory party!"
Another voice from the back of the room added.
"Ha! No shit Hotaka – Ayane's durable alright, because we sure as hell didn't hold back!"
Turning back to Ayane, Haruka was startled by her icy, penetrating glare. For an instant a rush of panic shot through his body.
"WHOA – ha…heh heh… shit – just look at those eyes! MAN is she pissed! Guess the drugs must've all wore off too!"
Drugs..?! They DRUGGED me! So that's what I was seeing – all those demons – it was them! THEY did those awful things!
Haruka shook her head roughly by the hair and slapped her cheek, making a sharp cracking sound.
The smack brought Ayane around a little more and she immediately moved to make a killing strike – but with a harsh metallic rattle of chain – she swiftly became aware that such a move was not possible.
The gravity of the situation now fully revealed itself. Looking quickly around, Ayane saw that her whole body was suspended like a letter X. Both of her arms stretched over her head by manacles that firmly constricted her wrists. The thick chains were connected to plates bolted to the huge granite ceiling stones high above. Her ankles were locked just as securely to plates set into the marble floor. In front of her, she looked again at the canvas with what could only be her blood intermingled with various unidentifiable fluids on it. An involuntary shudder ran through her body.
There were several streaks across it already.
At least I'm not seeing Kokoro or Eliot – that is good, maybe they got away… I hope they are okay… Please be okay…
Haruka gently patted and licked her cheek.
"Got the picture now – little fuck-toy?"
Then with a contemptuous shove, he sharply thrust her face back as he stepped away. When Ayane got her bearings again, she saw Kouta approach. His gold teeth glinted as he smiled at her. She had a brief flash of an image in her mind – it was the bloated spider demon with the strange, red chest wound and the writhing purple scars…
Gods! That was him – he was what I was seeing… The hairy demon that crawled up on me and…
Then her eyes widened involuntarily as she noticed he was twirling a worn and blood stained but very sturdy baseball bat.
"Well, Well, Well. The "fearsome" Ayane is awake. Remember me… bitch? We all had a great time using you over the last couple of days!"
"She probably didn't remember too damn much boss!" Shouted one of Kouta's men. "She was pretty wacked out on all the junk we doped her up with!"
"You got that right Itsuke!" Said another, "Remember when you tagged me in for my turn? Dumb bitch was reaching for that goddamn chandelier – fuckin' hilarious man!"
A 'couple of days?' Gods – I… I've been here that long?! And all that time they've been… using me?
As her cheeks burned with shame, Ayane tried to not let the shock and surprise show on her face as the new piece of information sank in.
Two days… what… oh Gods… what have they done?
Kouta flipped the bat in his hand and Ayane's attention shifted back to her immediate predicament.
"Like my 'paintbrush'? I bet you didn't know I was the sensitive, artistic type."
He circled around her tapping the bat sharply on the marble.
"Now, while I have the creative burden to compose a moving work of fine art…"
He passed behind her and jabbed the blunt end of the bat sharply in the small of her back and said,
"…your job is easy. All you need to do is provide the paint."
Completing his circuit, he stopped – facing her and indicated the already stained canvas before them with his bat.
"We got off to a good start, but you were so worn out and drugged up after our little fuck-party, you were missing out on all the fun! You see…"
He jabbed the bat into her mid-section causing a short, sharp gasp of air to escape from his prisoner, then continued. Kouta twisted the bat into her mid-section as he grinned like a beast baring its golden teeth.
"…I wanted your empty purple head to be nice and clear for this next step. Because, if you are going to create a work like this – you need to really feeeel it, or it just won't come out right. Art is sort of funny that way. HEY – are you listening to me?!"
Kouta roughly jabbed the bat into Ayane again. This time into her bruised and bleeding groin, causing another sudden gasp of pain, as he continued.
"HA – that got your attention! The very fact you are even still alive is all thanks to me! My orders from Kasumi and Hayashi, were to just snuff you out quick – if we ever got the chance. But after all the CRAP you put ME through – I needed to make you my bitch first. Show the world how you just got lucky in our first encounters... Say… does THIS bring back any memories – my little, pet ninja?"
Kouta began roughly groping Ayane's as the men all laughed. She looked up at the chandelier above trying to lose herself in the lights and keep the tears she felt rising up in check.
"I thought you deserved some extra SPECIAL attention – and once I had taken a few long turns with you – I gave you to those assholes over there… THEY weren't as gentle as me."
He moved around behind her and continued to crudely grope her battered chest with his left hand as he ran the bat back and forth between her trembling legs with his right. The men continued to point and jeer as they shouted boasts about the all things they had done to her. They stopped talking as Kouta held the bat up to get their attention and walked slowly around to face his prisoner.
"But now that we're all done playing with you – we can get started with my SPECIAL project."
Ayane looked over to her right – there was a camera set up on a tripod. The red recording light was on. She went pale. Her wide, ruby eyes became glassy as she looked at the ground in bewilderment, thinking to herself.
Oh no…no. They've recorded everything… All the terrible things they did – and now… Gods – this?! Oh, Tsukuyomi please! Not like this... I know it will be bad – really bad… and I do not want anyone to have to see – I hope Ryu never has to see this… It would be terrible for him. Please, Gods may he not… may no one ever have to see this…
Kouta noticed her reaction to the camera and nodded his large head.
"Ahhhh – the camera! You don't like it?"
The gang leader's scarred face twisted into a broad smile at the thought of finally breaking down Ayane's spirit.
"Well tough shit FUCK TOY - we've been doing an extensive documentary of your visit with us. We've chronicled all the intimate moments we've shared with you…and now… this!"
Kouta moved behind her again and began gently patting, squeezing and fondling Ayane's back side then suddenly, he smacked it with his open hand as hard as he could. There was a huge resounding CRACK that echoed through the gallery and the sudden strike caused Ayane to stiffen as everyone laughed.
"YES, AYANE, this will be the bittersweet final scene, where we end your smug, arrogant little life with a true act of artistic brilliance. Starring ME, as the artist of course – and YOU – as the medium of my expression.
Ayane didn't say anything. There was nothing to say. She collected her thoughts and put them aside. Setting her jaw, she narrowed her eyes and prepared herself as best she could for what was to come.
Kouta grabbed her by the face and squeezed pushing her cheeks together.
"Think you're gonna play it all strong and silent?! You won't be silent for long… I am going to make you grunt and squeal like the pathetic little pig you are! You'll be whimpering for the camera and begging all your new boyfriends here, to end your pain, while I smash your guts to fucking hamburger! So, cough me up some paint bitch! I'm gonna make myself a goddamn masterpiece!"
Releasing her face, Kouta stepped back and swung the bat hard – right into her mid-section. Ayane grunted, but now that there were no more drugs in her system, she was able to focus her mind and had prepared her superbly trained body for the blow.
Her abdominals radiated enormous amounts of pain, but for a stunned Kouta, it was like hitting a tire. She glared at him with fiery eyes. It was almost as if the strike woke something up – something lethal. The stare was pure danger and it tore straight into his mind for a fleeting instance, making him flinch back slightly. The men assembled around the room started to chuckle, nervously at first, then it grew into mocking laughter.
"Ooh – Hey Kouta, what's the matter? Need a bigger bat!?" One of them called out.
"Let me take a crack at her! I already know I can make her spit something up – remember last night Ayane?!" Yelled another followed by an outburst of crude laughter.
"Shut up, you assholes!" snapped Kouta. Then turning to the group, he brandished his bat in a powerful fist.
"Listen up you idiots!"
All the men got quiet and looked over as Kouta jerked Ayane's head back by the hair.
"You all see Ayane here!? Defeated bitch still thinks she's TOUGH!"
He ripped back her collar and bit down hard on her shoulder ferociously with his golden teeth. Ayane shut her eyes tightly as she silently processed the pain.
"MMMMPH! Hahaha! She sure doesn't TASTE tough!"
Kouta laughed along with his men and licked the blood off his sharp golden teeth as he continued.
"This used up little party girl actually thinks she's special! A big, bad mystical warrior! HAH! What a JOKE! All she will EVER be is a hot piece of ass that we chewed up, fucked over and spit out!"
He punched her in the face, making a sharp SMACK as everyone cheered.
"Ooh YEAH! How'd you like that?! HUH? Popped you right in the eye!"
Ayane didn't answer and maintained her silence as she felt her cheek bone start to throb.
"Now watch – ALL OF YOU! I'm gonna take this phony on... and BREAK her! Yeah – that's right - just me and her – ONE on ONE to PROVE to YOU – to this conceited whore... and EVERYONE who watches this video, who the stronger warrior is right – FUCKING – NOW!"
Kouta spit in her face, then swung the bat with all his might. But again, it rebounded off of her body, producing a short soft grunt, and nothing more. Ayane made no further sound and maintained her focus on Kouta. The way a jaguar watches a fat, careless pig blundering through the jungle.
Patiently…waiting.
"You…HUFF – don't scare me – with your little, pathetic, tough act! Huff – Get ready to scream and beg!"
Then he shook his head, wound up and swung again – for the fence, putting all his power into it.
Again, Ayane grunted and jerked as the bat smashed into her. The chains rattled abruptly, but she withstood the shot. Soft laughter began again… then slowly grew. Haruka called over indicating a marble block stained with blood and dried body fluids in the center of the room.
"Hey Kouta, you were the big, tough kunoichi defiler when she was unconscious on the slab – so what the fuck is the problem now?"
"He's a delicate artist!" said one of Haruka's men as more laughter followed.
Embarrassed and angered, Kouta walked over to Ayane who was staring directly at him and shoved his bat roughly up under her chin, pushing her face abruptly up, to meet his. He was starting to get flushed and his many old scars were turning deep red and purple as he growled through his golden teeth.
"You – huff – you think you can outlast ME!?"
He's already getting tired… I… just have to hang on.
Then turning to the group assembled in the room and the watching camera,
"Now that I'm – huff – all warmed up… Huff, uff, huff… W-Watch as I BLAST this little ninja whore's GUTS all over the canvas!"
Then he wound up and hit her savagely again and again… and again. With each powerful strike, Ayane's pain became more intense, and each time, she would let go of the terrible agony, allowing it instead wash over and around her traumatized body.
The battery was relentless, blast followed upon blast; one then another and the next… and the next. Each strike was worse than the one before. As Kouta swung with increasing savagery, his awful bat continued to rebound sharply off of the rigid muscles that sheathed Ayane's bruised and bleeding body.
As the assault continued, it was getting harder and harder for Ayane to let the pain go as she braced for the next thunderous shot.
Kouta was in a crimson rage, and screamed wildly as sweat and tears of frustration streamed down his beet-red face. Incoherent with blood lust, he continued the unforgiving assault. Like a primal beast from the savage garden he devolved into a mad blur of swinging, hitting, gasping, spitting, cursing and repeating.
Kouta's fury was terrible to witness, as the others in the room could only watch. Hardened criminals and gangsters, they still winced and cringed at the tremendous abuse Kouta was unleashing on his helpless captive.
"Holy fuck man – that is freakin' insane…"
"No shit Taiki, there's not gonna be much left for us to play with after this."
"Naw – she'll be dead – or at least nearly dead when we get her back."
"Yeah, I'm just gonna rip off my finger and call this one finished."
"Oooh! Fuck that was one savage friggin' strike! I felt that all the way over here!"
"I am SO glad that's not me hanging there."
"You'd already be dead Omezo!"
"Hey – fuck you Matasake!"
"Shit, what a fucked-up way to go…"
Frantically, mercilessly, Kouta worked to wear down Ayane's incredible will. After a solid 15 minutes, he was brightly flushed and had soaked through his shirt and was stinking with perspiration.
Kouta's breathing was now a series of heaving, desperate gasps. He had worked himself into total exhaustion as he bent over his huge belly, hyperventilating and audibly gulping for air.
In contrast, outside of soft gasps and grunts caused by the repeated blows, Ayane had made no sounds at all and had withstood each and every devastating strike. She was also managing, with great effort, to stand on her trembling legs with her head high. Her furious, glaring eyes were still firmly fixed on Kouta.
Mocking laughter rippled around the room.
"Whoa! Kouta, I think you actually look worse than she does!" shouted Haruka, his number two.
"Ha – whoa – look at how she's starin' you down man! I think you're only makin' her mad!"
A shift was beginning to occur in the gallery. The voices that were once full of ridicule and scorn for Ayane, now, sounded almost… supportive.
"Ayane is one tough little fuck, man! I mean – for real – you gotta respect that shit!" applauded another of Haruka's Yakuza.
"I'll say this much. I'm damn glad she's chained up Kouta – I think she could still kick your ass!"
"Yeah and at this point, I wouldn't get in her way!"
More laughter cascaded around the room.
Kouta looked at Ayane. In his mind, she should be coughing blood – or at least begging for her life, but instead, she just stared at him. Her whole body was bruised, raw and bloody, but as she stared through him, her eyes gleamed with the light of pure intense… interest… Hunger?
Kouta went cold and shuddered as a panicked thought ripped through his mind.
What the FUCK are you?!
He could see her body through what was left of the tatters of her shirt. It was a mass of black and blue interspersed with cuts, bite marks, slashes and burns.
And just WHAT is holding this BITCH up?!
Blood was streaming in a thin line from the corner of her mouth. But she hadn't so much as sniffled. He could see she had weakened though… Her breathing was soft, but quick and shallow – her body was trembling if only very slightly...
I only need to catch my breath… THEN I will make you cough up a river of –
"Hey Kouta!" shouted one of Haruka's Yakzua,
"We all got to have our fun with Ayane – I mean, just look at her – we used her up and burnt her down to the fuckin' ground! It was a total party – an' we messed her up real good. Hell, you even got to beat her shit just like you wanted, RIGHT!? So… whatta ya say we give Ayane a break and just kill her fast? Seriously – after this performance – I say she's earned it!"
"Hey – YEAH, Kazuki's right!" said another, "Face it – there is no way any of US could have hung there and taken that kind of punishment… Ayane's pretty bad-ass if you ask me. Just take the bat, smash her cute lil' face in, and end it!"
Some of the other Yakuza began to murmur in agreement.
"Yeah, cut her throat or just beat her fuckin' brains out and call it a day! We can tear off our trophies after."
"Sure! We don't need to hurt her any more – I say we give her a break – we taught the bitch her lesson!"
"Yeah, enough with this weird 'art' shit already."
"Hold my beer – I got this!" said one of Haruka's men.
He jumped off the table he was sitting on and pulled a long, razor sharp stiletto.
"I'll do her real fast. Shove it right up under the base of the skull then scramble her brains all to hell – It's the least I can do to thank Ayane for showing us all such a great time!"
As Kouta gasped for air, swaying on unsteady legs, he tried to raise his hand to get their attention, but the others all agreed with Kazuki and shoved him forward.
As the knife-wielding thug approached Ayane from behind, she bowed her head and fixed her eyes at a spot on the floor between her feet, waiting for the inevitable. Kazuki's voice was almost reassuring as he spoke.
"Ha – yeah, you got it… that's right baby, that's the idea! Guess we finally tamed your wild ass. Too bad we gotta end it."
He stroked the back of her neck and with his thumb felt for the soft spot where her skull connected to her spine.
"Okay – eeeeasy now Ayane, just keep your head bent straight down like that. Uh huh... thaaat's it."
He placed the knife point directly on the depression under her skull then gently prodded with the blade as he felt for the correct place to thrust.
"Cool, now keep holding still like that. I just have to find the right… spot... Ooh – got it!"
Kazuki leaned over and licked her neck, then whispered smugly into her ear.
"Oh yeah – just so you know – when it's my turn to tear off a piece of you… I'm gonna be taking one of your sexy little toes."
He smiled as he saw Ayane's eyes close. Her lower lip trembled slightly, but quickly stopped as she regained control. Kazuki, saw it though, and enjoyed the knowledge that he was getting to her.
"Uh huh, that's right Ayane… It's gonna be the middle one – on your right foot. And when I rip it off you, it'll go on a gold chain I picked out especially for it. I'll wear it in memory of the the time we shared together... heh."
Then, getting back into position behind her, he gave his final instructions.
"Here we go – I promise… you won't feel this at all. Thanks for being one incredible, mind-blowing FU-"
During Kazuki's preparations, Kouta had literally been seeing red. He gasped and struggled to control his racing heart and blurred vision as he grappled with the thought of Ayane receiving a quick and relatively painless death. Knowing she was escaping the excruciating tortures he had planned for her was too much for Kouta to take and caused a deep wave of awesome rage to surge through his huge, exhausted body.
He gripped the bat so hard that his fingers turned bone white with the pressure and he screamed at Kazuki causing him to stumble back from Ayane as if the very wrath directed at him had a tangible force.
"SHE - IS - MIIIIINNNNE!"
Reeling, Kouta staggered swiftly over to Ayane and despite the roar of the blood surging in his ears and the whirling dizziness – he tapped into a deep well of hatred at the core of his being and found a terrible strength there. Shrieking with an awful, single-minded fury, he swung with all the ferocity and venom left in his massive, nearly depleted frame.
The bat struck Ayane so hard, that it lifted her up in the air as it splintered to pieces across her slight body... She could feel several of her ribs crack with the impact of the desperate blow and the steely muscles in her torso finally ruptured and collapsed, causing air to be forced explosively out of her lungs.
With a deep, resounding groan that echoed through the hall, a fine spray of blood spattered brightly across the canvas facing her, adding yet another element to the gruesome composition.
A wild cheer erupted from the assembly as they witnessed Kouta finally shatter Ayane's seemingly impenetrable resistance. And like a magic spell breaking, all thoughts of mercy were now driven from their weak minds as they applauded their triumphant leader.
"YES!" Kouta's voice cracked as he howled in triumph.