Summary
[SPOLERS ALERT] Lubbock X Najenda (and probably other pairings); OCs present
In an alternate storyline, after being captured by Syura, Lubbock escapes by playing dead instead of by killing Syura. How much will this one different step affect his destiny and even that of the whole kingdom? Driven by his love for Najenda, the young man embarks on a journey to redemption.
[SPOILERS ALERT]
Hey guys!
I've recently discovered Akame ga Kill (the manga). Chapter 52 greatly saddened me with Lubbock's death. I mean, Lubbock threw away his comfortable life as a rich boy to follow Najenda. He went through all kinds of hardships, but still died with his love unrequited. Worst of all, he was not even able to confess his love.
Even though Lubbock's death immortalizes him as a hero, I still believe that he deserves more chance. Thus, this FanFiction is about an alternate storyline. After being captured by Syura, with the desire to see Najenda one last time, Lubbock escapes by playing dead instead of by killing Syura. (An unlikely scenario that actually happens.) How much will this one different step affect his destiny and even that of the whole kingdom? Driven by his love, the young man embarks on a journey to redemption.
This is my first FanFiction, so thanks for your feedback and support. :)
hiiro-chan
P.S. I DO NOT OWN AKAME GA KILL AND ALL ITS WONDERFUL CHARACTERS. The only additions are some OCs.
Genre: Romance, Friendship, Adventure
Pairing: Lubbock X Najenda
Rating: T (contains violence and some gore (not sure if this is M))
OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL, TWO MONTHS SINCE THE INVASION OF THE CAPITAL
The hot summer air (A/N: Not sure about the season in the last chapters. Let's assume that it was summer.) was filled with the scent of death, and all soldiers and citizens knew that the mountain of corpses would keep pilling up until the Emperor's blood was spilled. Prime Minister Honest, the man who corrupted the millenary kingdom, and his puppet, the child Emperor, had fled the Capital when it came under the Revolutionary Army's control. The strongest and the most beautiful captain in the country, Captain Esdeath, stayed behind to hide the Emperor's tracks from the enemies. As anyone could have guessed, the bloodthirsty captain desired more than all to destroy the Revolutionary Army and, of course, Night Raid.
The latter organization only had four active members, Akame, Tatsumi, Leone, and Najenda, and they all united near the campfire near their tents, set in a barren land, which recently became a cemetery. In the dark of the night, Najenda explained the plans for the next day's battle, which was meant to be decisive. When the leader finished, silence once again filled the nocturnal atmosphere. Burdened by both their physical and mental wounds, all members lost the optimism they had before they invaded the Capital. (A/N: chapter 67) Even Leone lost her humour.
Attempting to strengthen the team spirit, Najenda reminded her subordinates that they needed to live in honor of those who sacrificed themselves for Night Raid, including Maine, who was in a coma since Tatsumi's rescue. (A/N: After Tatsumi and Lubbock were captured by Syura, Tatsumi's side of the story remained the same, except for some parts of his conversations with Esdeath.) When her subordinates all went to rest, Najenda remained near the dying campfire. Her light purple eyes shifted to the pale moon as she seemed to distinguish one of her comrades' face in the sky.
"Lubbock..." This name filled her heart with warmth and grief.
OUTSKIRTS OF THE CAPITAL, BEFORE THE INVASION
Pain... horrible pain. Even breathing sent waves of agony through each of his muscles. Lubbock opened his emerald eyes, but could only distinguish darkness. As he tried to move, pain surging from his most sacred part made him wish that he was actually dead.
I am a coward, he thought with bitterness. Never had he felt so shameful about his lack of bravery. The boy had always thought that there was some intelligence in his cowardice. When he had battled enemies who were too strong, the greenhead would run away or play dead to save his tail.
However, for some reasons, the same "playing-dead" technique that he had used hours ago drowned him in shame. I couldn't even kill him. The greenhead could still remember Syura's saddistic smirk as the Prime Minister's son had inflicted endless pain on his prey. Though Lubbock had experienced a myriad of hardshipas as an assassin, the agony he had experienced in Syura's playground was beyond imagination. The pain had mostly came from a man's crushed pride, literally and abstractly, the worst possible experience for a human male.
Several times, the boy had questionned his resolve to remain silent. What good will it do? I will die anyway... When Syura had told Lubbock about Tatsumi's treatment, an unbearable sting of jealousy had filled the greenhead's heart. More than that, he had felt lonely, abandoned, forgotten by his cherished Night Raid. What good? he had asked himself once again.
Like always, an elegant face had appeared in front of Lubbock. The purple-eyed woman was adorned by a silver ponytail that swung lightly whenever she moved. Nevertheless, the most breathtaking of all her traits was the power in her gaze. Lubbock had always loved women, especially their attractive bodies. However, it was the gaze of the lilac eyes that had made the young man fell in love for the first time.
Miss Najenda... No, he had to make Miss Najenda feel proud of him. He had to protect Night Raid, even Tatsumi. Syura had probably been lying. Tatsumi is also suffering. It must be that. Lubbock had bitten the flesh inside his mouth so hard that he could taste iron. I will protect Night Raid and Miss Najenda.
After what seemed like an eternity, Syura had finally left his toy alone. Curled in a ball, trembling from pain and a mixture of emotions, Lubbock had once again thought about his love. He had mentally drawn every single silver hair and the pair of beautiful eyes, before one of was them was blinded by the despicable Esdeath. Everything about the elegant face, adorned by a rare, breathtaking smile, had seem to come from an angel. How Lubbock had longed to stand in front of this beauty once again!
Suddenly, the boy had felt as if a flame was burning inside ot him. I need to see you, Miss Najenda. I need to talk to you. His physical pain had seemed to be replaced by his seemingly unaccomplishable wish. How could Lubbock even think that he could escape his dungeon?
I will do anything to come back... Lubbock's eyes had been glowing like two emeralds under the sunlight. I don't care if I become a worse coward.
Unfortunately, Lubbock had not been that serious about the last part of his resolve. Everything that had happened next only made the greenhead hate himself as a shameless coward. As a master of the "playing dead" technique, Lubbock had lain limp on the cold dungeon floor when Syura had come back the next day. He could still feel the different painful tricks that the guards had tried to confirm his death.
Lubbock had been relieved when the guards literally threw him outside the castle in one piece. He had actually been proud that his technique had worked.
Nevertheless, his happiness was soon devoured by the realization that he had chosen an easy path, the road of a coward. Lubbock knew that he could have waited for the right opportunity to kill Syura with the strings that the boy had hidden inside his mouth. He could then escape with the Prime Minister's son's Shambhala, the spatial manipulation Teigu.
However, out of pain and probably – no, mainly – fear, Lubbock had refused to fight Syura and to destroy one of the greatest threats to Night Raid.
I am a worthless coward. What was I thinking? How can I face Miss Najenda? Lubbock tried to consolate himself by telling himself that the most important thing is that he was alive. I can always make up for this. As if to convince himself, Lubbock repeated mentally, Yes, I can make up for what I did.
The greenhead tried to shift his attention to his surrounding as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. He noticed irregular shapes around him and could smell decaying meat... or rather flesh, the boy thought as he distinguished a deformed human head lying on unrecognizable parts of bodies.
When Lubbock managed to ignore the numbing pain in his body, he could feel that he was lying on a surface that was at the time soft, sticky and... bony.
I don't want to know... However, his eyes disobeyed him and shifted his glance on the carpet of dismantled bodies below the boy. Even with his experience as an assassin, Lubbock felt his stomach twist in front of the hellish view. Just after he lifted himself in a sitting position, the boy vomited.
So, this is the prisoners' cemetery. As he finally stood up after several painful attempts, Lubbock realized that the word "cemetery" was too fancy for the hole filled with debris that were once called "humans". The cavity was already so full that Lubbock didn't need to climb much on the "walls" to arrive at ground level.
Lubbock could feel his legs trembling under the weigh of his upper body. When was the last time I actually climbed or even walked? As he noticed the forest several feet away from him, Lubbock realized that he was in the outskirts of the Capital. I have to make it to the forest before someone sees me.
Gritting his teeth, Lubbock managed to make it past the first trees before collapsing from agony. He tried to stand up again, but dizziness filled his head.
Suddenly, Lubbock heard the voice of a little girl, which seemed to scream something similar to "Kiyomi-nee there's a dead man." I'm not dead. However, Lubbock didn't have the strength to protest. He tiredly closed his eyes as two shadows approached him.