Every time she walked into the Rijichou's observatory, she felt uneasy, dwarfed by the place, as if she might disappear into the sheer size. She was careful to keep this from the Rijichou himself.

    This time, walking from the elevator into the observatory, toward the couches where she knew he would be, she was nervous for an entirely different reason. It was true that she shouldn't be sleeping with him—she was a student in his school, he had a fiancée, he was at least ten years older than she was—but she didn't want to think about that now.

    "Akio?" she asked as she drew near the couches, trying to keep from biting her lips. That was nervousness. That would not be tolerated. Sometimes she got the feeling that he was glad when she was nervous, that he found it amusing. It didn't seem plausible when she was away from him. It didn't even seem plausible when she was with him. Most of the time.

    He was seated on the couch, as usual, his back toward her as if he didn't need to turn around to see her. In a few steps, she was at the end of the couch, and he looked up at her with a half-smile and satisfaction in his eyes. "It's a beautiful day out today. Why aren't you with your friends?"

    "I… I wanted to talk to you," she said, somewhat thrown by the question. Was he trying to tell her to leave? Why?

    "Oh?" His eyebrows rose, and he gestured to the seat beside him. "I have some time."

    He always did this—he always acted like absolutely nothing had gone on the last time she'd been here, and the time before that, and the time before that. It never failed to make her worry about whether he really wanted to spend time with her at all. Not that she wanted anything more than sex from him. That was impossible. She was too young for him, and he was going to be married in the spring. Steeling herself, she walked toward him and sat down beside him, licking her lips nervously, but only when her face was turned away from his.

    "What is it?" he asked, laying his arm across the back of the couch, behind her.

    The gesture was obscurely comforting. Feeling a little less tense, the girl began to speak. "I was wondering… if you might not like to try something different." He nodded, urging her on. His expression was so serious and interested that she suddenly felt childish and silly for even thinking of it. "I- was thinking that maybe, if you would consider…" She stopped, wondering where all of the phrases she'd thought of on the way there had flown.

    "Consider what?" he prompted.

    "Well," she began, flustered. "If you'd ever thought… maybe…" He gently touched her shoulder, pulling her a little closer. Feeling a little more confident, she said, "I've heard that… pain can make sex better. That it can be arousing."

    He looked thoughtfully at her for a moment, and then said only, "I see."

    She felt a little flush bloom in her cheeks. "I was just wondering if maybe you'd like to try that. On me."

    "That depends," he said. She wished that he would look away from her—having his eyes always on her face was unnerving.

    "On what?" she asked faintly.

    "On what kind of pain you're interested in. I have no interest in some aspects of pain."

    That was no help at all. Suddenly feeling very, very small and very, very uncertain, the girl said, "I just wanted to know if…" His eyes urged her on. "If you… would…" she was whispering as she finished the sentence.

    "If I would what?" he asked, apparently not having heard her, or understood her.

    She hesitated a long time before trying again, and even then, it was only because she felt his fingers move against her arm, reminding her that no matter how indifferent he seemed, they were lovers. "If you would spank me," she said, quietly and clearly, feeling as if her cheeks might burst into flames.

    Akio began to chuckle, softly, and the girl looked away in embarrassment. For endless seconds she heard only silence from him. Her mind raced through the possibilities—would he be disgusted with her? Would this mean the end of their affair? Had he laughed because he found her request silly, or because of something else? Then she felt his fingers on her chin, turning her face toward his, and once she was looking at him again, he said, "Of course I will." Instead of feeling relieved, she just felt more embarrassed, as if she'd been making a big deal out of something that really wasn't all that big. Gathering her close, Akio laid a gentle kiss on her lips. As he pulled away, she saw him watching her, and again had the feeling that somewhere deep inside, he was laughing at her. His face showed none of this. "When would you like to try this?" he asked, his curious gaze on her face.

    "I don't know," she said faintly, feeling lightheaded. "Whenever you like, I suppose."

    A small smile touched the corners of his mouth. "I do have some time now," he said, his rich voice teasing her scattered thoughts back into some semblance of coherency.

    "Now?" she squeaked. She hadn't expected that. It was something she'd thought to bring up, test the waters, so to speak—not something she'd thought to indulge in right away. "Here?" she asked, glancing around at the observatory's arches. They were all open.

    "I doubt anyone will look for you here," he said, and though he made no movement, the shutters came rolling down, blocking out the outside light.

    "But…" she began, thoughts racing through her head. Someone might come looking for him. His fiancée might walk in. It was just after the end of school—one of the teachers might want to talk to him…

    Shifting her away from him, he pulled her slowly over his lap. "Have you changed your mind?" he asked, and she felt his fingers come to rest on the back of her neck. Her cheek pressed into the white leather of the couches.

    "No…" she said uncertainly. Then he was gently drawing down her panties, and she had to bite her tongue to keep herself from asking him to stop. She felt the pressure of his fingers lightly resting on the back of her neck again, and it made her shiver.

    The first smack elicited a soft cry of pain; the ones thereafter did not. She had asked for this, and she had gotten it. It didn't hurt, exactly, not after the initial sting—it gave her a warm, sensitive feeling. She knew her skin was so tender that even the lightest touch would feel somewhat painful. But the warm feeling seemed to center in the pit of her stomach, heating her, and in between the sharp stings of his hand, she began to squirm.

    And then, just as she was beginning to get used to the sensation, he began to smack harder, letting his hand linger on her buttocks afterward, stroking the skin. It was unbearable—not because of the pain, but because of the sensitivity of her flesh. Every nerve felt like it was standing on end, straining to gather any touch of his and transmit it directly to the juncture of her thighs. Her face was burning with the shame of it, the idea that she had asked for this kind of treatment, but she couldn't hold back the tiny moans, evidence of her arousal. The mixture of feelings, the expectance of pleasure thwarted by pain, and the humiliation of her situation were too much for her to bear. She started to cry quietly, trying to keep it from Akio for as long as possible.

    But he did notice. He noticed everything. A last volley of blows, harder than the ones that had come before, landed on her behind. Unable to hide her crying any longer, she sobbed softly, and then relaxed as he gently stroked her tender skin. And then, as she was beginning to feel a little better, his fingers slipped down between her legs.

    "You did enjoy that," he purred, and she felt her face heat even further. His fingers moved, teasing her a little, making sure that she felt the stickiness of her own arousal and her desire for him. But then he withdrew his hand, leaving her to writhe in frustration.

    Sniffling, she pushed herself up, unwilling to sit down, but unable to stand. The warmth in her buttocks bloomed almost into pain as she moved back. Pushing her panties off, she watched him half-expectantly.

    "I'll have to remember that for later," he said easily, moving to stand up. The corners of his mouth were turned up again in a faint smile.

    She sat dumbfounded for a moment, and then between sniffles, she asked, "Where are you going?"

    "I said I had some time—I just didn't have as much as I'd like. There's a short meeting I have to attend." He leaned down, caressing her cheek, and tilted her face up to his. Her body ached as his lips met hers, and in spite of her crying, she responded eagerly to his kiss. He broke it off before it could go very far, and he added, "Stay here if you like. I shouldn't be long."

    And with that, he walked toward the elevator. The girl sat on the couch, frustrated and upset, angry that she would be waiting for him when he came back, but unable to make herself leave.

    If Yasha's writing of Touga's scenario was self-servingly long because she adores him, then my Akio essay is self-servingly long for precisely the same reason. Here's my half-hearted, totally insincere apology: Sorry.

    The question with Akio and sex acts is rarely will he do it, but why. The answer is usually deceptively simple: someone asked him to. Being as he is a creature that thrives on the desires of others, Akio's inclination is to give people what they want. For a price, of course. The devil doesn't work for free. Not that the devil ever gives anyone exactly what they want, anyway.

    Left to his own, Akio would have no interest in spanking as a sex act. Pain and humiliation are two things he's most fond of, but since Akio is capable of eliciting them on a direct emotional level, using a physical approach becomes unnecessary. For himself, while he is seen to use physical force when provoked, it'd be unlikely ever to result in spanking. More than once we see him grab Anthy roughly when he's frustrated, but she'd never bring him to spank her, and no other woman would ever have the same effect on him. Were Anthy to provoke him to a breaking point, it would not end in spanking. Maybe the apocalypse, but definitely not spanking.

    What then, made this scenario suit him? The emotional drama she goes through asking for it. The act itself wasn't the draw for him; it could have been any other kink and had the exact same effect. This isn't to say he didn't enjoy spanking the girl. After all she was in mental torment then also, but it's less fun when you can't see their face. Akio got his kicks out of antagonizing the situation, creating in her a well of conflicts and torment before, during, and after she received what she came for.

    In Touga's case, it took a lot of explaining to justify why he would spank someone. In Akio's case, it takes a lot of explaining to show why a girl would ask him to. If it seems like I'm analyzing the girl and not Akio, it's because it's through her that Akio's motives are made clear. Akio's behavior centers on the pleasure he experiences tormenting her. It's impossible to explain why Akio does the things he does without explaining the impact his actions have on her.

    Akio never has any trouble covering up his amusement in the series, so that it's displayed here tells you more about the girl than it does about him. At the very least she's attracted to the taboo surrounding him—though she constantly reminds herself that he's her superior, he's older than her, and he's engaged, these things only serve to garner her interest rather than deter it. She's also drawn to his amusement. She recognizes it, and it unnerves her, but it isn't enough to make her leave, and most people don't simply put up with a lover that finds their embarrassment amusing. It's a condition that's not typically tolerated. She likes it, and that's why, despite being able to obscure it entirely, Akio lets her see it.

    For his part, it's a rarity to find a girl that's turned on by exactly what he is naturally (a bastard), and in this girl are piles upon piles of conflict fresh for the picking. This has obvious appeal to him, he likes watching emotional anguish. You can call it a fetish even, as it could be assumed with sex such a prominent part of his life that torment turns him on. However, it's highly unlikely, with an entire school of troubled students at his fingertips, that he associates with her only to the end of amusement and sex.

    This girl is brimming with manipulative potential, and if anything can buy Akio's attention, it's being a useful tool. She fulfills priority number one: her psychological issues are easily exploited by him directly. The two highest places in Akio's plan go to Utena and Touga. It's no accident they're also two characters he can manipulate without a middleman. (Juri is manipulated through Shiori, Miki through Kozue, etc, etc.)

    She fulfills priority number two: she's in a sexual relationship with him. Akio likes manipulating with his penis, there's no doubt about it. Anyone he deals with directly for any decent period of time ends up in his bed. His favorite way of handling people is through sex—not specifically the relationships he becomes a part of, but sex as a general tool. Almost all his schemes drip with it, including ones that are almost entirely absent of his influence (like Juri). It stands to reason then, that he would use the act itself to control the people that end up closest to him.

    Finally, she fulfills priority number three, the icing on the cake. She doesn't demand a drastic change in Akio's personality to keep her a malleable tool. I call this the icing on the cake because it's hardly a deal-breaker to him—Utena herself is proof of that. However, it's no coincidence (there are no coincidences in Akio's game) that Touga, his right-hand man, and the man he sees the most of in his scheming, doesn't require him to wear an opaque mask. He isn't entirely himself around Touga, of course; nobody gets that privilege except Anthy, and it comes into question even for her. Touga still ends up with a better view of him than most; Akio doesn't have to pretend he's not an evil, horrible man around Touga. It's the same for this girl. She sees that he's an unsavory character at the very least and truly dangerous at the very most. It doesn't stop her. It attracts her. The danger he conveys and the risk people take associating with him are what makes him irresistible. It's the net that catches almost every person he meets in the series, and it's the net that's caught this girl.

    She's useful to Akio, and that's the only reason she knows him at all. What promotes her from a minor peon to someone who can capture his personal attentions is that she's amusing as well.

    Before she even sees him, she's nervous. Most people would be edgy about bringing up a taboo sex act to their partners, and that he's older and more experienced than her makes that all the worse. Above and beyond naturally occurring anxiety like that is also the uneasiness she feels dealing with Akio. She knows he's amused when she's in such a state, but instinct and shame will keep her trying to conceal it, though she knows it's a lost cause. Victory number one for Akio: she's nervous before she even sees him, and yet she comes, entirely of her own accord.

    And hey—that IS an intimidatingly huge room. Almost like it was designed to make people feel uncomfortable. Especially about having sex. Huh. Isn't THAT odd, now? (No, it's not, and yes, I'm insinuating that the room is designed to freak people out.)

    First thing out of Akio's mouth? 100% disarming. He's made her think maybe he wants her to leave, but only using secondary evidence to do so. She can't tell if he was hinting, or if she's being paranoid. Now she's questioning her own judgment and doubting herself. Couple his prompting question with his behavior, which is almost entirely oblivious to their history, and he's put the ball in her court as to whether or not to make the situation sexual. He effectively forces her to admit she's there for sex, or in this case, something relating to it. Why does he do that? He knows why she's there, she knows why she's there. It would have been easier for her if, knowing that's what she wanted, Akio had made the first move himself. This is exactly why he didn't do it. Victory number two: now she's nervous, embarrassed, and in doubt.

    She's becoming increasingly so, as Akio, who could just sit back and let her speak when she's ready, presses her to get to the point. He doesn't do so in a way that would be interpreted as impatience, but by prompting her to continue, he's pressuring her to say what she's trying to say before she's ready. When she does manage to get out that she's asking for induced pain, his reply is completely void of anything but indifference. 'I see.'…well the girl doesn't, and now she's even more anxious about asking him to spank her. So what does he do?

    He exhibits a disapproval of 'some aspects of pain'. Now she's nervous, embarrassed, in doubt, and afraid he might have a negative reaction to what she wants him to do. He says this completely to the end of instilling this worry in her mind. While pain for its sexual appeal doesn't hold any particular interest to him, he certainly has no blanket objection to it, and he would flog you to death if it suited him or you were entertaining enough while asking for it.

    When she does finally get to her point, he goes deaf and can't hear her? I think not, making her say it again added insult to injury and dragged out her unnerving situation even more. He then follows up her confession with laughter and pointed silence. Victory number three: she's nervous, embarrassed, and afraid he might have a problem with her proposition and reject her.

    The resolution she was so fearfully waiting for, though in her favor, didn't ease her emotional state—now on top of everything else, she feels silly and juvenile. But she won't get away so easily, Akio's not done having his fun yet! She wanted kinky, she'll get kinky. She'll get her curiosity indulged in what she identifies as a public place, at a point where she's not really ready for it. This is almost too much for her, and she's started to question whether she really wants this, now that it's too late to stop.

    That's exactly what she wanted, though. She approached Akio citing pain as the draw, when it's obvious enough by her disposition she was just as interested in the humiliation and naughtiness. Though she doesn't realize this herself, Akio certainly sees it, and is quite happy to indulge her desire for humiliation now that she's not so sure she wants it. So she's had all the pain and embarrassment she can take, time for the hot sex finale, right? Hell no, that would be too easy, and too much of a release for the poor girl. Understand that there was no meeting, and that he didn't necessarily want to get away from her, and you'll understand why he did it—it was amusing to let her squirm. He teased her to a fever pitch, and left her a mess of anger, shame, and lust, knowing that she would still be there when he returned.

    They always are. While this might have boosted his ego a long time ago, now, his ego's so expansive that it's just accepted as fact. Women come to him, beg for him, and if he demands it, they wait for him. Because in the end, they're just his property. He gave her the little bit she desired and made her desperate for more, all the while taking what he wanted, partly against her will, but mostly with her oblivious to his manipulations.

    He made her nervous, he made her embarrassed, he made her terrified, and he made her ashamed. He made her doubt whether she wanted what she'd humiliated herself for, and gave it to her when she was least prepared and most unsure of her desire for it. Then, he teased her into wanting more, and left her to simmer before he'd let her have it. Some would call this being a demented, evil bastard. I call it being an artist, and this is one artist who truly, deeply enjoys his work.

Essays
Personality + Relationship + Narrative + Miscellany + Music

Context
Introduction + Characters + Reference + Submission

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Analysis of Utena + Empty Movement