Ayu..... or as the gaurds call her, AkuAyu!

Ikuto when he first came into the cell with Ayu. Now the back

of his T-shirt is ripped up and stained with blood.

Ikuto's POV

"Ayu....?" The word felt hot on my tounge, but why? Ayu seemed broken down, as if somthing smacked her into cold harsh reality. Her head was hung so low I couldn't even see her nose due to her hair falling over her face. "Ayu....?" I repeted. She shuffled her left foot a bit, but other then that, no response. She rubbed her eye with her right hand, then left it there. Her shoulders started bobbing up and down, and I could hear quiet sniffles. Ayu was crying. "Ah! A-Ayu!" I stammerd.

The gaurd's.. YES, the GAURD'S POV

Ikuto stood there for a moment, watching Ayu. Her knee's buckled and she formed a perfect little ball with her body, crying like a little baby. Ikuto slowly walked over to Ayu, unsure what to do, when she suddenly grabbed his leg with her right hand. His eye's grew large as Ayu told him somthing that I couldn't hear. Ikuto bent down and Ayu practically leaped into his arms, hugging him and crying. Ikuto stared at the floor. "What am I going to do?" He whisperd.

Ayu's POV

My head was throbbing when I was finally able to open my eye's. I tried to sit up, but the queazy feeling I recived by trying so told me otherwise. I looked around slowly. Ikuto was asleep on his bed, snoring very loudly. I was about to rub my eye's, but then I noticed somthing on my hand. "A...bandage?" I raised my entire arm to find it completly coverd in a white bandage. "So your up!" I turned my head back to Ikuto who's eye's were still closed, but he was grinning. "Its been three days, Vamp, obviously your crime must have been pretty bad." I sighed and sat up very slowly. "I... didn't do... anything." "Really?" He sat up and walked over to my bed. "Seems to me, that the only way to get that beat up, is to do somthing thats of equal wrong." He lowerd his head downwards untill we were of equal eye-level. "What'd you do?"

Ikuto's POV

I didn't get it. All I did was ask her what she did to deserve those deep gashes and she turned her head away like some stubbern kid. I sighed and walked back to my bed. "Fine, be that way." Instantly after I said those four words I regreted it; I was suddenly being choked under the grip of that crazy vampire! "Look, I didn't DO anything! I TOLD you that! That crazy man just thinks that he can wip me whenever his interest is low. Its his ENTERTAINMENT!!!" "Entert-tainmen-nt??" The word choked on my tongue. She blinked then quickly retreted her hand, causing me to fall on my butt. She was staring at her hand with a horrified look on her face. She slowly unwrapped the bandage, then screamed, ran and jumped on her bed, pulling the sheet-blanket over herself. I sat there baffled. WHAT the HECK just happend?!

Ayu's POV

One look at my hand and I was instantly hiding from Ikuto. The symbol on my hand, the one that USED to be there, the one that symbolized my freedom, was gone. GONE! One look and I knew, that somehow, Ikuto had become my owner. LIKE A PET!! This could NOT get any worse.... "Hey, Vamp? About your little book thing...." I slowly peeked out of the sheet. Ikuto had a look on his face of regret. "One of the gaurds came in with a torch, and.... well..." He pointed to a scorch mark on the ground. "....burned it." I mummbled. Ikuto shrugged. "Well, all exept...." He stuck his hand into his pants pocket, and pulled out a little strip of paper and handed it to me. " 'Day 1. I dont know why I'm in here, but I'll do my best. After all, it couldn't get worse, could it? I'll follow mothers advice and repet my name to myself every day, just so I wont forget. My name, is....." "The rest was burned." Ikuto pointed out. "Thats all that was left, underneath the ashes." I nodded my head. "Vamp? Whats your name?" I stared at the page for another moment. "My name, is....."

"...Ayu."

Ikuto's POV

I woke up to the sounds of screams. I sat up on my bed and rubbed my eye's. And then it hit me; Vamp! I ran to the window and looked outside. Where was she..? I looked in every direction, but I couldn't see her. Her screams peirced through me like ice; what kind of wipping was she having?! I jumped onto my bed and practically slammed the pillow on top of me. It almost blocked out the sound, but not quite. I shut my eye's tight. End it, already!

Ayu's POV

My breath felt heavy and hot against my chest. I walked slowly in a neat line toward my cell. The Gaurds even knew that I wasn't going to try to pull anything, so they didn't bother pushing me or hurrying me to my cell. I stood and waited patiently as the Gaurd fumbled around with this huge ring that probably had hundreds of thousand of keys on it, and finally found mine. He unlocked the door and opend it for me. "Here's to hoping for a speedy recovery!" I nodded. "Thanks, Mac." I walked slowly inside, being extra carefull not to cause myself anymore pain then I was already in. 'Mac' closed the door behind me, my vision started growing blurry and twisted. One blur started to move. "Vamp!" My head started feeling weird, my neat line was now all fumbled, my feet moving in odd directions. Last thing I remember was someone shouting; "VAMP!!!"

Ikuto's POV

She had a point, that Vampire. I was sick for WEEKS, the only reason I didn't DIE was because she somehow smuggled herbs and made a medicine that stunk like heck but sure did help me feel better. What WAS her name, anyway?

Ayu's POV

Stupid Ikuto; Couldn't he smell the poisen in the Oatmeal? Maybe not... after all, the Oatmeal's warmth partly coverd the smell, even I had some trouble detecting it, but STILL!! I sighed and shook my head as I handed Ikuto his medicine. Mortals were such a pain..... "Hey! Vamp!" I blinked. "What?" "Can I have some water?" "Sure... sure..." I stood up and walked to the water pail. He gulped it down quickly. "Wish it was colder." He commented, placing the pail down beside him. "Well, its not my fault Ikuto, blame the HeadMaster dude."

Ikuto's POV

What was with her? She seemed reluctent. "Vamp! Whats up?" "Nothing..." "Look, I can tell that your jumpy about SOMTHIN', so spill it, Vamp." "Well... the Boss guy wants to talk to me tomarow and I know its because he's going to punish me." "Punish you for WHAT?" "For being ALIVE, is one of his most used reasons. Anyway, I'm just a little nervus about the number of wippings he's going to give me." I rolled my eye's. "Oh is THAT ALL?" "Yeah." He sat down on her bed.

Ayu's POV

Ikuto knew that wasn't it, I could tell. Yet he was keeping the information at bay. What was with him? I didn't understand him AT ALL. So why did I feel like I'd known him my entire life? I frowned. "He's just like... HIM." I curled up into a ball and dreaded the next day's wipping.

Ayu's POV

I had paused for a moment, I'm surprised I'd even consider telling him. I turned my head to him. "Its Nadishiko, I've told you already." His mouth flew open and he gawked. "No its not! Look girl, you've got to spill SOMETIME!! What if I go away? What if you get wipped to death or somthing?!" I sighed and shook my head.

Ikuto's POV

That girl was driving me CRAZY!! Her name was NOT Nadishiko! But she keeps insisting that it IS! "Look! Tell me or else!!" Her eye's seemed to flash. "Or else what?" I frowned; her eye's had little black slits in them.... creepy. "Or else I'll tell the gaurd you've been keeping a Journal down here." She seemed a bit shooked up; Personall belongings were prohibited through-out the entire 'Jail' erea. She frowned. "You wouldn't." "I would so!" Her eye's flashed again. In an instant, she had one hand at my neck, pinning it against the wall. I gulped. "You tell ANYONE that I have a Journal, and you'll pay DEARLY. Understand?" I nodded my head real fast. She released me and walked back to her bed. "But...." I replyed bodly. "That still leaves one question in the air; the one of the name of which you refuse to speak of."

Ayu's POV

That boy... I wanted him gone. He had stayed longer then any other cell-mate I ever had.... exept for one. Exept Ikuto was a big fat pain in the butt; he NEVER got off my case about my name! Maybe his tactic was to ANNOY me until I tell him. If it was, it was working!! About a week after our argument, the chef suddenly gave us warm oatmeal. I sniffed it; it smell odd. Ikuto was gobbling his up. "This..." He exclaimed. "...is DELICIOUS!! Hey, why aren't you eating, Vamp?" I flinched. "Because I think somthings wrong here and stop calling me 'Vamp'." He shrugged and conteniued eating his oatmeal.

Ikuto's POV

I couldn't belive it. Was this another lie?! "You gotta be kidding!! A Vampire?!" She slowly nodded. "Yes.... a Vampire... such a curse, such a blessing...." She sighed and turned her back to me again. "I bet.... your disapointed in me, right? That a person like me.... is a Vampire, right?" I flinched. She was half-way right; I WAS a little disapointed, but only because I really didn't know that there were Vampire's in this erea. If I had've known I wouldn't BE here.

Ayu's POV

I had my back to Ikuto so he couldn't tell I was cursing to myself. Darn him for making me tell! Darn him for making me tell on of my secrets!! Whats next? My NAME? I shiverd at that thought because I was one-hundred-percent sure that THAT was going to be the next question he'll squeeze out of me.

Ikuto's POV

Her name was, obviously, the next question I wanted to ask her. But I wanted to try somthing fist. My father claimed to be able to read minds when I was around seven, but that was when I told him a lie. Maybe, just maybe, he was telling the truth and maybe I could read HER mind. I squinted and concentrated really hard, but then I was suddenly sent flying back to the wall of the cell, electricity was shocking me at dangerous levels. I passed out.

When I finally came to, Nadishiko (if thats her real name,) was leaning over me, rubbing a wash-cloth on my fore-head. "Is that better?" She asked. I blinked and sat up slowly. "Y-Yeah, thank you." I looked around. "What WAS that?" "I'm sorry, I'm used to higher-level wizards trying to tap into my conciousness; I didn't expect you to try it though." I stared at her. "You mean... that was YOU?!" She sighed. "Yes, I've 'built' an iron wall around my mind, you could say." "So THATS what they mean when they say; an iron head?" "More or less....." She stood up and walked over to her bed. "Whats your name?" I asked quickly. She paused.

Ayu's POV

"Who are you?" I closed my eye's. How many time's have I heard that question? How many times have I told a lie for an answer? "Well?" I opend my eye's and stared out the window. A dove had rested itself infront of the window, on the flower box. I heard footsteps coming closer to me. I soon felt a hand on my shoulder. But I refused to look up at Ikuto. "I know you'r not Nadishiko, as you so claim. You wouldn't tell a lie to me, unless you were hiding somthing, wouldn't you?" I flinched. The kid is brighter then he looked. "...you can trust me, you know." I blinked. What was with the sudden tone of compassion in his voice? I looked up at him. His stare felt ice cold. "So?" I looked back down. "I cant tell you." "Why not?" "Because I cant!!" I quickly stood up and turned my back to him.

Ikuto's POV

She was upset, I could tell. For some reason she claims that she's not allowed to tell me. But why, was what I wanted to know. She had her back turned to me, which I found slightly childish. I walked towards her, but she would move step foreward for every step I took. I kept walking until she was too close to the window to move anywhere else. "Why cant you tell me? You can trust me, cant you?" She hung her head more. "Look, I told you, didn't I?" "You aren't me." I was getting confused. "What do you mean?" "Your not in my situation. You didn't live my life. You dont have to keep a valuable secret away from people, that, if let out, could be the final nail to your coffen." "What do you mean?" She sighed and slowly turned around and faced me. I nearly had a heart attack; her eye's were so red! "Listen, Ikuto...." She sighed again. "I'm not...exacally....really....ah, humen." I blinked. "Okay, let me repet myslef; What do you mean??" She rolled her eye's a little. "I mean I'm a Vampire."

I'm putting up Pov's now! What fun! Hope you enjoy, fellow reader!!

Ikuto's POV

I woke up to the sounds of whistling. I yawned and streatched. My roomie, who claims that her name is Nadishiko--even though I didn't belive it-- was sitting on the floor and singing a song on a little wooden flute. I blinked and stood up. "Where'd you get that flute?" She stopped playing and looked up at me. "I bribbed the gaurd to get me some wood." She answerd quickly. I sighed and walked over to my bowl of cold oatmeal. "Your cruel gruel is hard, Ikuto." She informed me. "You over slept; missed work." I whipped my head around to her. "Work?" "Yeah, work! The more work you do, the quicker you get out." She said casually, whipping out a pocket knife and whittling her flute a bit. I sighed and sat back down on my bed and ate my now hard oatmeal.

Ayu's POV

I whittled my flute a bit more, then put it up. I glanced back at Ikuto, who was wincing with each bite of his oatmeal. I sighed. I hate lying to the boy, or anyone for that matter, but if I told him my real name... who know's what'll happen! I slumped on my bed and pulled out my Journal. "Day 354. Ikuto over-slept and missed work. Poor boy. Cruel Gruel has improved a sminch." I wrote it quickly and shoved it back underneath my mattress. I looked up and noticed Ikuto staring at me. "What is it, Ikuto?" "What was that book?" "Nothing." "It was most certanly somthing.... let me see it." I frowned. "Ikuto, please, no." He suddenly dashed towards me, grabbed the book and dashed back to his bed before I could batter an eye. "IKUTO!"

Ikuto's POV

I flipped open the book to a random page. "Day 145; nothings improved. Wounds on back have scared." I looked up. "You've been wipped?" She flinched. "A couple of times, maybe."  I frowned and flipped a few pages back. "Day 139; I've been sentanced to a thousand lashes tomarow. Cruel Gruel was extra cold." I looked up again. "A thousand Lashes?" She turned her head. I tossed the book back to her. She caught it in mid-air and stared at it. I frowned more. "Who are you?"

I had fallen asleep in the middle of mine and Ikuto's debate of how long will it take for us to get out of the 'prison'. I was extremly groggy, but got up anyway. Mine and Ikuto's food was by our door. I grabbed our plates. "Cold.... as usuall. HEY IKUTO!" I kicked his bed, causing him to fall off and hit the floor. "Wha-?!" "Strawberry or peach?" He blinked. "What??" "I said strawberry or peach? And by that, I mean the flavor of our wonderfully cold oatmeal. Or as I call it; cruel gruel." I handed him a bowl and sat down crosslegged on the floor. Ikuo took a bite out of his food and scowled. "Ugh, this is disgusting!" "Thats good! It used to be sickening; disgusting is an improvment." He scowled again and ate his food without further comments.

"How do you keep in shape?" Ikuto asked me the next day. "I do push ups, hondou squats, stuff like that." Ikuto frowned. "And all of that keeps you in shape? I would've thought you did more then that." "Oh, I do." "Okay, what? What is it? Some sort of top training scheduel?" I shrugged. "Nah. I just do what I think is best. Thats all." I stood up. "Now if you want to get out of here, there are three ways; one is to wait; two is to bust out of this place and three..." I grinned. "Is to bribe and scheme your way out."

I groaned and looked around. "Well, Ikuto's gone... figures." I streatched a bit and looked out the window. People were, yet again, scurrying across the boarders, through the towns only to quicken they're paces once they saw the horried graveyard and captivity house. Or as they called it; JAIL. I sighed and dug out my journal. "Day 348, still in the horrier movie, morning, no breakfeast, apperiently." I had put my book back just in time for the iron-bar door to be opend, then Ikuto to be thrown in, then closed. He was bloody and terribly scratched up, and brused. I shook my head. "Wow, first day and they're already not liking you." I scratched my head a bit. "And it seems that they guessed that you like the ol' johnny wip, too. Tsk, tsk...." I grabbed a medical kit from underneath my bed and got out the bandages. He flinched ever-so-slightly. "D-Dont wrap it up too tightly.." "If its tight, its alright! If its not, then its gone! Little lesson I've learned." He looked at me. "'then its gone'?" "I MEAN, if its loose, then its gonna fall off, and you'll never hear the end of it! Now gimmie your arm..."

Ikuto frowned. "Did you have to tie it all up with bows?" I chuckled. "Sorry, the only good knot I know, is a bow." It was true, the bandages on his arms, legs, and even on his neck and fore-head, where completed with little, and I must add, adorable, bows. I chuckled again. "They really suit you, Ikuto." "Humph." He stood up and walked to his bed. "Are you mad about the bows? Come on, dont get so down so quickly. In this place, a cheerfull attitude can go a lon--" "Shut up." I blinked. "Huh?" "I said shut up. You dont even know why I'm here." "Heheh... dont tell me all that you said to me was a LIE, Ikuto!" He looked at me. "You... knew?" "Boy I can spot a lier five miles away in a heyfeild, you dont make no difference." His eye's widend. "How--" "Listen, I REALLY know people, lets just leave it at that, okay?" I paced a bit, then dropped to my feet. "Uh.. what are you--" "I'm doin' push-ups, boy! Dont bother me; I do my best thinking doin' push-ups."

 I paced the room, walking back and forth, trying to think of a way to escape. I looked out the window through the black bars. People walked past in a hurry, almost afraid that someone would suddenly come out and demand that they too, become a slave. I turned and paced again, faster this time. I stopped by a little puddle of water that was coming from the leeking roof. My hair, as white as snow, was the first thing I noticed. But then I noticed my eye's, my yellow eyes that, for some reason, contained black slits, which stood out completly. I shuffled to my 'bed' and sat down, pulling out a book from underneath my pillow. "Dear journal; Day 347 in cell. No luck of escape. Sleep undeniable" I layed my head down on the pillow, slipping the book underneath. I closed my eye's and slept.

I woke up with a face in mine. "WAAAH!!" I screamed, jumping back a little. The guy stood up and whent to his side of the cell. New people came and whent like the wind, there then gone in an instant. This guy looked like he was around my age. "Who are you?" I asked, not caring for the level of rudeness in my voice. "Ikuto." He said quietly. I looked at him some more. He had flaming red hair, spikey on top but then I noticed that he had a small braid of hair that apeard from his left ear and rested on his shoulder. He had a scar on his left cheek, too. His eye's were ice blue. I rested my head on my hands. "Oh, really? Ikuto.... heh. I'm Nadishiko Mikan Sakura." I chuckled at his startled face. "Call me Mikan." He nodded his head. "Thanks. Whats with the long name?" "My first name is passed down from my mother and my mothers mother. My name is Sakura, my mother Mikan and my grandmother Nadishiko. Make sense now?" He nodded his head again. "Yeah." I dont like carrying conversations with fellow cell-mates, but this one was interesting. "So, Ikuto, whats your story?" I asked. "I was helping my father at the docks when the inspectors came and inspected the ship. I was explaining to one about a leak in the ship when suddenly he grabbed me, slung me over his shoulder and told me I was to be imprisoned." I nodded. "Yeah, thats usually it." "So when do I get out?" I looked at him. "Boy, you ain't NEVER gettin' out! This here's a SLAVE prison, were here to work our heads off doing whatever the boss tells the gaurds to make us do. I've been here a total of three hundred and forty seven days." I leaned closer. "The plan to keep us till we die. Get rid of this idea of getting out, because if you dont, you'll only be dead quicker."