Akane Hanazawa // [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZo0cFMkmbI]Manor Of Creation[/url]

Waking up, she was overcome with an intense headache, particularly in the back of her head where she was struck. Reminded of that incident, she whipped her head around but no one was there. It was too dark to make out anything beyond her, but she had a creeping feeling she was being watched. Someone has to be there, lurking about in the darkness. No doubt in that it was her kidnappers. Probably enjoying her current state. [color=9e0b0f][b]"I know you're there, show yourself!"[/b][/color] she shouted into the dark. 

While there was a response, it wasn't quite what she was expecting. Instead of the sounds of an approaching figure, she was met with a wild, if not crazed, cackle inside her head. [b]"The ones you seek are not there, for it is only we, or shall I say 'I'?"[/b] As the 'voice' began talking, Akane continued to search for the one behind the voice, not yet willing to conclude she gone crazy upon hearing her own voice. [color=9e0b0f][b]"Who are you? [i]What[/i] are you?"[/b][/color] she demanded, only to be met with another laugh. 

[b]"Who am I? I'm sure you can tell. Who else has the same voice as you? Don't want to believe it? You can look and look and you still won't find anyone else here. I'm you, to be correct, I'm what you try to pretend doesn't exist, your [i]true[/i] self."[/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"Whoever you are, if you plan to continue using my voice, you could at least tell a better joke. I may be considered odd, but I'm surely not crazy. Honestly, my true self? As if you know anything about me or what I'm like."[/b][/color]

Feigning a sigh, the voice continues. [b]"Of course I do, you are me and I am you. Who else would know you better than me? Hell, I know you better than you do, only natural really. Well, let me enlighten you. Selfish, Calculating, Cruel and to top it all off, you're all Alone.... That's what you truly are like."[/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"As I thought, you don't know anything. You can hardly call someone who helps others selfish and cruel, honestly, what's selfish and cruel about saving others? And just what exactly have I done that would be considered calculating? Setting that aside, I'm far from alone."[/b][/color]

[b]"My oh my, did you seriously say all that with a straight face? I'm impressed that you even believed all of that! Though, it's quite sad that you can say all that and not understand why. Poor poor Akane, going around playing hero actually still thinking she's there to 'save'. When are you going to realize that you can't save anyone? For 'me' do drop the act, it's really not convincing."[/b]

Getting annoyed. [color=9e0b0f][b]"Act? What act? It's no act. This is who I am, I help people who are in need. I have saved countless people! I'm not playing at anything---!"[/b][/color] she nearly shouted before restraining herself.

Laughing, [b]"And this is where the 'Selfish' bit comes in. Honestly, did anyone literally ask [i]you[/i] to save them? Did they say 'Akane, please help me.'? No? Wake up, you and I both know you're unfit to save anyone. Surely you haven't forgotten about all about little 'ole Tatsumi already?"[/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"..."[/b][/color] Just as she was about to raise her voice to speak, as soon as the voice uttered that name, she froze.

[color=9e0b0f][b]"Can I take that silence to mean that it's starting to come back to you? About the time we decided to play hero and the fact we nearly killed him? Seriously Akane, whether he was a bully or not, wasn't that going a bit too far?"[/b][/color]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"I...I... d-didn't m...."[/b][/color] stuttering as she trailed off as memories of that day started coming back at full force. Grabbing her head, her eyes grew wide. All she wanted to do was save her classmate from a notorious bully...She didn't mean to keep swinging...It's...It's just that when she started hitting him, something....something in her snapped, she was overcome with this strange feeling and couldn't stop herself. She wasn't trying to kill him. 

[b]"Aren't heroes supposed to make things better and not worse? Not to mention someone who couldn't fight back anymore! Forget about being the hero, you seemed more like a villain to me!"[/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"It..."[/b][/color] [i]Wasn't my fault[/i], she tried to say outloud but couldn't. Why couldn't she? It was an accident right, things like that just happened, right? [color=9e0b0f][b]"I'm......no villain....Saved....He-"[/b][/color] she began mumbling.

[b]"Hero....Just how much longer are you going to keep this up? Please...All you are is a copy - a fake, trying to be someone else." [/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"I'm no Fake! I am me and no one else!"[/b][/color] She yelled, seemingly finding her words again as her anger grows.

[b]"Oh? So you're not trying to be just like big brother? Come now, be serious. You saw how he swooped in to save you, like he always does, and you thought you'd just try it out, huh?"[/b]

Hearing the mention of Akito, she stiffened. Akito.... he was always saving her from something and that night....that night....she owes him everything...[color=9e0b0f][b]"Shut....Shut up..."[/b][/color] Clenching her fists....

[b]"And this is where the rest comes in. It's all just to please yourself, to make yourself feel better, as if doing so will allow you to atone for what you did and be like brother. You're just a brute that uses the act of 'saving' as an excuse to fuel your real desire to fight, which is something considering your fear of repeating that tragedy..."[/b]

[color=9e0b0f][b]"I said....Shut....the hell....up!!! We may share the same voice and the same memories, but let's get one thing straight, You...are not me!"[/b][/color] she yelled back, not noticing that a group of people, including Rui were watching.

It was then things grew quiet. As if she said the magic words, Akane fell to her knees and gripped her head harder than before as she was subjected with an unimaginable pain, a splitting pain. It was as if...as if there was something....something inside her that wanted out. Soon she'd find herself being unable to move her body, like it wasn't hers anymore.