"Gah!" Nyau's broken body bounced off the deck of the fortress-like vessel, his blood mixing with the soaked wood as the victor of this battle looked down upon his dying form.

"Amazing," began Bulat, gazing up at the current wielder of his Teigu. "If you're this powerful now, it's clear that eventually you will surpass me."

He felt the poison already embedded in his veins finally conquering what remained of his willpower, and made an effort not to show a troubled wince, but failed. The intervals between his panting increased significantly as his chest heaved. Tatsumi heard the sudden clinking of Bulat's armor and turned to face him.

"Bro!"

Incursio reverted back to its sealed form, which its wielder let fall to the ground without a care in the world - his only concern was Bulat. Their victory meant nothing to the newest Night Raid member unless the man he perceived as his brother made it back alive alongside him.

"Hey, bud..." Bulat wheezed, a trail of sanguine liquid escaping his mouth as his comrade lifted him up into his arms.

"You're gonna be fine, Bro!" The older man looked up and took notice of the tears welling up in Tatsumi's eyes before making a response with his usual uplifting smile. The attempt at reassurance didn't help.

Bulat felt Tatsumi clasp his limp hand tightly. He could feel the poor kid trembling, realizing this was it, and that there was no cure for this poison. He could feel his anger, his regret. He knew what he was thinking: If only I had killed that little shit sooner!

"I can't believe that bastard used such a cheap trick on you!" Tatsumi sniveled. "If only I had killed that little shit sooner!"

"Hah!"

"I could have helped you take care of him! It's my fault…this wouldn't have happened if wasn't so weak...I-"

"Tatsumi!" Bulat mustered a roar to address his name, feeling the boy tense up immediately at the sudden boom of his voice.

Bulat continued. "Tatsumi…it's over now - they're dead. There's no use in being angry about it."

"I know...but...but!"

"Tatsumi." Bulat's voice grew soft, and he, in turn, used the last of his strength to reach his hand up and grasp the boy's shoulder with a smile. "I know…"

"Eh?"

"I know you'll use Incursio for good. You've earned my Teigu." Bulat's grasp weakened, and his hand slid down the fabric of Tatsumi's battered suit.

"Bro?"

"I'm proud of you… Tatsumi." His breathing gradually came to a halt as Tatsumi held him there, unable to speak. The 100 Man-Slayer had become a desolate shell, whose soul would live on in the boy who followed him till the very end. His empty eyes now stared up at the lone member of Night Raid aboard the isolated vessel.

"Brother…I won, thanks to you. I'm sorry…" Tatsumi put a hand up to Bulat's cheek, "even till the end, I did dumb things that you hit me for. I'll become stronger…and I'll learn to use Incursio properly. S-so…so…It's okay if I cry now…right?"

No reply was needed, for Tatsumi had begun involuntarily. His cries soon became screams, which were muffled in Bulat's shoulder, while his tears blended with the never ending barrage of rain. It felt like an eternity had gone by since his passing from this world, and it was only when the passengers of the ship slowly began to awaken that Tatsumi stood up. His eyes never left the man that lay lifeless before him.

The Capital will fall, brother…I swear on my life that I will use Incursio to bring about the just world you died fighting for...

A pair of expectant, blue eyes observed the tall man making his way up the steps, his brown leather boots tracking in mud, which brought forth a noticeable irritation amongst the nobles standing on either side of the walkway.

"How was it?"

"Quite a hike, but the mission was complete without too much hassle." He extended a hand that had been holding what appeared to be a rather large dagger, embroidered with a majestic magenta finish from within his cloak.

"I'm glad you're safe, but…this is the Teigu?" The receiver questioned with a hint of disappointment, her eyes studying the details of both the blade and its handle.

"I was thinking the same thing, but you'd be surprised at what it can do."

"I look forward to seeing it in action, though I wish its color was..."

"Blue, right?"

"Heh. You know me so well."

The man turned away and scratched the facial hair along his chin to get rid of a recurring itch while generating a response. "Only because you bring it up whenever I retrieve a Teigu that ends up not having anything to do with blue."

With this, the woman let out a soft giggle, much to the surrounding audience's surprise. "I don't mean to sound ungrateful. I'm perfectly content with any gifts you bring me, Tatsumi."

"There will be plenty more in the future, I can assure you."

"You're so good to me."

Tatsumi scratched his chin once again, if only to occupy himself with something to ignore the heat in his face. "Y'know…"

"Hm?" She tilted her head, her hands holding each other from behind her back. It brought forth an irresistible urge in Tatsumi, an urge that would end with him picking her up and carrying her off into the mountains far away from the capital, if only to stare at that precious face of hers for the rest of his life.

He resisted this fantasy, and continued on with what he was about to say. "With all these people here, it's a bit embarrassing if you keep complimenting me like this publicly."

"It's because I love you, Tatsumi."

"I know, now follow me."

The woman was taken aback by his sudden commanding tone, but followed suit with no questions asked, and left the hall filled with glaring eyes. She hadn't a care in the world about anyone else but this man that now held her hand tightly, pulling her away from the confines of the capital's halls and into the isolated gardens a few blocks away.

"Tatsu-?!" She felt herself being pushed against a stone pillar along the perimeter of the garden and felt a pair of lips collide with hers. They were dry, chapped, and cold - hardly the ideal texture she desired from such an intimate action.

But… she didn't care. It was Tatsumi's lips; the lips of the man she had solely trained; the lips of the man who became the most prestiged member of the Jaegers, and, most importantly, the lips of the man who had stayed her lover for eight whole years. It didn't matter how his lips felt, as long as they were his and his alone. She would kiss, lick, suck, and bite them because his lips belonged to her, and she would assert her loving dominance over them, no matter how tarnished they were.

He suddenly broke the kiss and made sure no one else was around before…

"U-uhn~..."

The most pleasurable experience she had the past two weeks while Tatsumi had gone Teigu-hunting was when she tortured a pair of Revolutionary soldiers, who eventually spilled information on the current whereabouts of various sub-divisions in the Revolutionary Army.

She used many different techniques, but it was finally when she busted a man's balls beneath her boot that he spoke, only to die whimpering in a mixture of his own blood and piss a few moments later.

She got off on it that night, but the lack of Tatsumi made her lose most of the excitement she had gained, and blue-haired woman had been forced to wait for his return. It was an excruciatingly long wait, but when she saw him open the doors to the Capital's halls, a vast range of questionable thoughts began to make her press her thighs together uneasily.

"You must've been thinking about me before I came back." Tatsumi presumed, feeling the moist silk of her undergarments.

"Actually, it began right when I saw your adorable face." She let out a sudden gasp as he trailed his warm tongue upwards along the soft, velvet skin of her neck.

"Calling my face adorable as I do such things to you - truly, you are something else." He whispered hotly into her ear. Finally, after two whole weeks, it was happening - his calloused fingers pushing aside the underwear beneath her skirt and brushing against the nub of her womanhood.

This made her involuntarily lean into his form, unable to hold back an intense moan that sounded through his ears. Tatsumi tensed up at a new, but not entirely foreign feeling - his lover's hand grabbing his crotch intentionally tight.

"A-ah!" He was taken off guard, pushing his finger strenuously against his opponent's clit and almost causing her to shriek at the sudden exertion of force.

She groaned into his ear while pushing her bare thigh between his legs, grinding against his sack as if she were trying to sand it off. The strength her legs possessed were unrivaled by any man or woman or danger beast. She worked them out the most out anything. He was lucky, for his lover used them often during their moments of intimacy.

Regardless of whether clothed or naked, she often used her lower body to please him. He grew very fond of this absolute dominant nature she possessed, though, surprisingly, there were times where she liked to be submissive, or a little bit of both. Not that it mattered how these scenarios went down, for as long as he could experience her entire essence, he would do anything she desired.

"Fuck me, Tatsumi."

"Eerm…we just got started, are you sure-" A powerful grip seized his throat, her cobalt orbs locked with his widened emeralds as her fingers tightened.

"I need you, right now. Those fools can come watch, I don't care. Ravage me!" Tatsumi couldn't take it anymore; her continuous begging had sent him over the edge. Even with his throat in her hand he ended up with his pants down, down to the trim of his boots. In an instant, her hand gripped his rear and pulled him forward, the tip of his throbbing member poking against her entrance as she let out a loud mewl.

Tatsumi wasted no time in initiating. He went more quickly than he should have - he was too eager, and could see a few tears streaming down his lover's cheeks. He tried to pull out slowly, with a quick apologetic glance, but a sudden leg wrapped around his back kept him inside. No words were exchanged as they watched each other. She just wanted to enjoy the mixture of pleasure and pain he had so generously gifted to her.

"I'm okay," she cooed, leaning forward to lick the side of his face.

He began to slide in and out at a steady pace, relishing every little noise she made. Her walls tightened around him - almost in an unforgiving manner, but he enjoyed it all the same. Their gasping and moaning intensified as Tatsumi changed up his tempo at random, slowing down and then speeding up briefly.

And she was absolutely losing her mind for it.

His lover dug her toes into the sole of her boots, her fingernails already having ripped through Tatsumi's cloak and clawing at the leather he wore. She wished it had been taken off prior, but it was too late now. She wouldn't dare attempt to undo the various harnesses keeping the sturdy material around his body. "Hmm, harnesses...could be fun, later."

She managed that one thought before letting out what could've almost been considered a scream as Tatsumi hilted himself inside of her, grabbing her curvaceous rear from beneath her skirt.

"Y-yes…mmfph!" She pulled back the cloth covering his shoulder before biting into the tender flesh, relishing the familiar taste of copper that invaded her mouth. Tatsumi winced and thrusted as fast as he could possibly go, their mutual pain and pleasure driving the two lovers over the edge. He was unable to keep a rather high-pitched moan from escaping as that familiar electricity exploded from his abdomen, dazed and exhausted. He knew she would tease him about that at some point - probably tonight.

People must've heard the commotion outside, for both of them had been absurdly loud in their final moment. They could hear chatter closing in. Tatsumi realized that now he did care about the situation - he didn't want people to see them like this!

"Let's get dressed quickly, we need to go-"

"Tatsumi."

"Huh-?" He had his pants up halfway before the fulfilled woman pressed her lips softly against his.

"You belong to me."

Tatsumi felt his face heat up at her words. It felt so weird. Here they were doing all this in a public area, and just those four words got him all flustered. It was baffling to him, something he didn't quite understand, even after all the time they spent together. He pulled his pants up, noting that he would worry about the mess later.

He then put an arm around his lover's waist and pulled her into a quick, yet passionate kiss. When he released it, he kept his eyes locked with hers. Her lips were parted slightly; she looked to be enthralled with him, fascinated by his very presence.

"I love you, Esdese."

Those words made the highest-ranking general of the Empire's face transform a deep shade of crimson. A soft smile spread across her face, admiring the resolute tone in his voice. She had no more words for him, and neither did he for her. It was now a moment of sincere affection between the two, their eyes staring into each other until…

"Who goes there?" A guard made himself known, only to jump back a bit after realizing the two lone people touring the gardens.

"General Esdese! Commander Tatsumi! I didn't know it was you, please forgive my intrusion!" The guard was met with an expression that sent a painfully slow chill down his spine.

Tatsumi sweatdropped a little, rubbing his neck sheepishly as the general continued to stare at the poor man. Years ago he'd have joked about her being able to freeze someone with a single gaze, but given her tremendous abilities, it wasn't really outside the realm of possibility.

Suddenly, her face lit up and Tatsumi's jaw dropped as she waved the guard off with one hand. "Well, no need to get carried away. You aren't being paid to ignore your suspicions, but to act on them, and I will be sure to inform Grand General Budou of your quick-thinking. Now, leave us."

"Yes, General!" The guard quickly made his way out the garden, and Tatsumi laughed.

"My, aren't you merciful?" Tatsumi joked. Her response was a gentle smile, sweat still beading on her forehead. A remnant of their passionate encounter only moments before, and one that thankfully went unnoticed by the guard.

"Oh, the look on his face~!" Esdese brought a hand up to her mouth and giggled, causing Tatsumi to erupt in a blush. It gave him butterflies every time she did that, every time she acted uncharacteristically cute. It was too damned adorable.

And of course, it was only for him. No one still living had seen this side of her.

"You're right...it was pretty priceless." Tatsumi let out a short chuckle before taking her hands into his. He stood like that for a moment, simply enjoying her presence as she continued to giggle quietly.

Sadly, it was not meant to last. His position was a busy one.

"I'm sorry, Esdese, but I have a few things to turn in to some other clients."

"I know you have other obligations to meet, don't worry. I'll be waiting at my manor tonight." Esdese gave a playful smirk as she licked her lips, slowly walking past him after adjusting her underwear.

"I'll be there." Tatsumi assured.

"Make sure to clean yourself up before you do anything else~!" She laughed again and turned the corner up ahead, gone from his sight before he could formulate a witty response.

Once again, he had been left stranded as she laughed at his expense.

"Why do you do this to me?!" Tatsumi wailed.

A half-hour had passed since his meeting with Esdese, the lone Jaeger having made his way to a poorly-maintained house across from the bakery. The width of it was so small, you could've passed the entrance as a portion of graffiti. The commander knocked, his knuckles tapping out a few loose pieces of rotting wood on the door. He waited a few moments before an elderly woman opened it, nearly ripping the sad excuse for an entrance off its hinges.

"Oh, Tatsumi! It's good to see you again, come on in!" He wasted no time in entering the run-down abode, being quick to survey any changes made from his last visit.

"How's he doing?" He questioned before moving into the next room.

"A lot better since you got him that herbal remedy." The old woman replied, easing herself on the cane as she made her way past Tatsumi, who rummaged through his bag in an attempt to find something.

"I have something for him." He pulled out a leather pouch from within the bag and the woman's eyes lit up with extreme joy.

"Oooh, bless you, boy! You got more of it?!" She would've jumped up and down with glee if it weren't for her troubled legs.

"Of course I did! The remedy only lasts so long." Tatsumi informed as he took notice of a seemingly lifeless boy resting on an unrealistically small cot. He took a seat on the table beside the child and placed the remedy by his side.

"We don't deserve such kindness, y'know…" He looked over at the old woman after she spoke, her face exceedingly pale, and her eyes filled with an unimaginable sense of grief.

"Nonsense," Tatsumi began, "don't give me that, or else the wild hunt for the Danger Beasts that supply this stuff would be all for nothing. Give strength to this boy, you both deserve my kindness at least, y'hear?"

The elder gave a slow nod, trying to hold back from sniffling as she took a seat beside the cot. Tatsumi put a hand on her shoulder and gave a reassuring grin.

"I'll be back with more in another few weeks, so keep at it until then, alright?"

"Thank you so much...I don't know what we'd do without you!"

"Don't mention it. Make sure to tell him I slayed the beast with one punch, haha!" Tatsumi formed a fist and acted as if he was knocking the lights out of some fiend within the air, eliciting a joyous cackle from her.

"You can count on it, sonny!" The old woman responded with a fiery tone. She was eager, happy to tell him now. Tatsumi played his cards right, and she would happily take care of her child's disease without any grief knowing that he would keep coming back to tend to them.

"I'm heading out!" Prior to his leave, he gave the sleeping child a kiss on the side of his head, before making his way for the door as the old woman waved goodbye. His next stop was a very special place, a place that would require a good amount of walking.

"It's been a while, everyone." Tatsumi admitted as he rested on the grass in front of a set of stones before him. Dusk was approaching, the red-orange hue shining across his features as the sun made its descent gradually for the moon to take its place. The trees howled with the wind and picked up some dirt resting along the textures of the stones before him.

They had no engravings upon them, but Tatsumi knew which one belonged to who. There were six in total - six lives lost to this neverending battle between the Capital and the Revolutionary Army.

"I'm sorry for not coming sooner, I've been doing a lot to help out the villagers in the Capital. A lot of honest work, y'know?" Tatsumi eyed the ruins of his old hideout behind him. Vegetation had made its mark along the hundreds of holes and cracks decorating what remained of the crumbled rooms and furniture within.

"I should really get to cleaning that mess up, eh?" Tatsumi chuckled to himself, pulling out the tiny statue always hanging around his neck. He traced his thumb along where Akame's blade had pierced, and remembered how he wouldn't be here if it weren't for this final parting gift from his mentor.

"It'll take a lot of work to fix the place up…makes me wish Susanoo were around. He'd fix this place up in seconds." It wasn't like Susanoo had departed from this world or anything. Though, in all honesty, Tatsumi had no idea where his former comrade was or what he'd been doing these past eight years. The only locations of Night Raid members he was aware of were the ones buried in front of him.

It almost made him glad that he didn't know the locations of the others. He wouldn't have to know whether they died in battle or not. He just wanted to move on and perform his duties as Commander of the Jaegers.

"I visited them again today. The child's getting worse…I think his illness has developed a tolerance to the remedy I've been giving him. I'm not giving up though, I'll find a more potent one that'll be sure to keep him going. I made that old woman so happy today…her eyes were filled with so much hope. I refuse to see that face of hers in despair…I won't see that ever again, count on it!"

Tatsumi let out a sigh before staring up at a few clouds hovering above, his cloak rising almost over his head as the strong winds kept up their relentless assault.

"I hope it makes you content, seeing all these people I tend to daily. I've become so strong, I've killed so many to protect the people I've come to know now. I couldn't have made it this far without all of you. I know I can't be forgiven for what I've done…I made sacrifices that I'm sure Big Bro never would've even compromised on. But I hope everyone can at least appreciate the good deeds I'm trying to do for the people in this place."

Tatsumi began to choke up a little before rising up and gripping the hilt of his Incursio tightly while he continued.

"Even if you can't condone my deeds, I'll fight for a better empire until the day I die, you hear?"

He couldn't help but remember Bulat's final words as he began his walk back to the Capital - back to Esdese.

...

I know you'll use Incursio for good.

...

You've earned my Teigu.

...

I'm proud of you… Tatsumi.

...

Akame ga Kill: Legacy

...

Episode 00: Kill the End

A/N: Hey, everyone! It's been quite a while, hasn't it? Just to give a few updates: I'm still working on Dissonance and another upcoming project that will make its debut rather shortly. Until then, I am pleased to announce my newest story: Legacy. I've become very fond of the what is arguably the most popular pairing in Akame ga Kill, and knew that I needed to write something involving the two. My obsession with Esdese herself is rather unhealthy, to say the least, haha!

Now, a few things to make note of: Fanfiction doesn't approve of the way I like to format my chapters, so I had to improvise with the ellipses on the last portion of the story and keep out spaces. Fanfiction still doesn't like Google Docs, so I apologize in advance for any ridiculous errors that you may have found. I'm going to read over the chapter tomorrow and change any errors I find.

Other than that, I hope you've enjoyed the first chapter and you can expect an update in a week or so. I look forward to any feedback given and hope that you have a great day, or night, depending on where you reside in the world.

-Prima