Disclaimer: The Walking Dead is owned by Image Comics and AMC, and Akame ga Kill is owned by Takahiro and Tetsuya Tashiro. I own nothing.
The caravan made a thundering grumbling noise as it traveled the empty roads to the designated drop point for the Hilltop. There were three trucks total along with Dwight and his motorcycle. The first truck was a military style one that served to carry the Saviors soldiers. The second was a high grade pickup truck, which was driven by Negan's right hand man: Simon, and four other Saviors. To the rear was a moving van with the words Busta Move written on the side. That was where the two girls and Negan rode.
With the number of trucks that they had and the noise they were making, it was a safe bet that any dead nearby would hear it and start making their way to see exactly it was. That was why it was always important to stay moving as long as they could. If they got a herd following them then that could prove to be a problem.
"What a lovely day for a drive," Negan commented, rolling down his window and resting his elbow on the edge. "Everyone is so goddamn serious all the time, they never get to sit back and just enjoy themselves."
Akame searched the glove compartment and pulled out a half eaten bag of pretzels. "Most people don't have it as well," she said as she popped a somewhat stale snack into her mouth and began to munch.
"Don't you start now," Negan told her. "That is why we have the rules. People follow them so that one day they can have it better one fucking day." Akame munched on another pretzel. "Hey, you listening or what?"
"Mm-hmm," she replied through her snacking. They might be a bit stale, but they would hold her over until she was able to have some meat. Perhaps Kurome and she would be able to do a bit of hunting after they got done with business from the Hilltop drop-off. She could go for some deer. "Do you know what we'll be getting from them today?" She asked.
"Usual tribute," he replied sounding almost bored. "Same shit, same place, same time. Might start having them spice things up a bit. Throw in the occasional extra vehicle, or some clothing because you two could fucking use it."
"Our clothes are fine," Akame told him confused by what he meant. Both Kurome and she did their best to keep their clothes in prime condition.
"Well you know-," he said as if it were obvious. "Something for your legs besides those skirts. Something less fucking jailbaity."
"We move faster." Akame plainly stated not really seeing much of a problem.
"Maybe," he seemed to mull it over. "But it probably ain't fucking warm when it gets to ball freezing weather. And it doesn't protect jack shit if an undead prick tried to take a bite out of you." He waited to see what counter argument she would come up with.
"…It's comfortable."
She could see him resisting the urge to face palm and pinch the bridge of his nose at her response. "You are fucking lucky you're adorable." Akame smiled and turned her attention to the passing scenery as their vehicle continued its journey to Hilltop's drop point. It seemed the same as time elapsed, but she didn't mind. She and the ones closest to her were safe, and that was enough. Father might not express his emotions as other people do, but that doesn't mean that he didn't care. She was much the same in that regard. A majority of the times she kept up her stoic face in spite of all she had seen in the last two years. Kurome was a bit different with hers though.
She tried to act almost as if nothing had happened in a way. Like this was all just some kinds of bad dream that she would wake up from one morning. Watching people she had called friend die and turn in front of her had left their scars on her younger sister. She wanted to believe that some part of the person they were left behind inside. And that scared Akame.
She spotted a lone walker absentmindedly wandering alongside the road. The sound of the caravan must have captured its attention to captivate its mindlessness. If it was a man or woman didn't matter; either way it was dead now. Nothing would change that.
Beep!Beep! The sound of a car's horn signaled for the caravan to stop. "About fucking time," Negan said with a sigh. "'Bout time we arrived." The drop off point was a parking lot of a gas station long overgrown with vegetation. She couldn't even see the inside of the station itself, due in part to it being covered by grime of every sort imaginable. They filed out of their respective vehicles and waited for the traders from Hilltop to arrive.
"They're late," Simon noted as he approached Negan. Instead of the usual grin on his moustache face, Simon was sporting a disappointed frown. "They're starting to get lax."
"Fucking-A," Negan agreed. "They keep this shit up and I might just make you in charge of this whole sector. Show these fucks the path they should be on."
"Couldn't agree more," Simon nodded.
"So where do you think they are?" Kurome asked, chewing on a piece of gun Simon had given her.
"They might have run into trouble in the road," Akame offered an explanation. "If a horde cut off their route then it would make sense that they would be late."
"Hmm," Negan pondered. "Maybe. Maybe not." Vrooooooooommmm! A car could be heard driving down the road towards their position. It was one from Hilltop. "Guess we'll just have to ask our good friends now."
The Hilltop car pulled to a stop a good twenty feet away from their caravan, and the six occupants quickly exited and fell to their knees as Negan approached. "Howdy there fellas," Negan jovially greeted. "Running a little late today aren't we?"
"W-we're sorry Negan," one of the four males was quick to apologize. "P-please, we didn't mean it."
"Trouble on the road then?" Negan asked giving them the benefit of the doubt. "And speak clearly. Hard to fucking hear you when you're on your knees like that."
The one male swallowed a noticeable gulp. "N-no. Gregory wanted to have a word with us before we left. He took…longer than expected."
"Ah, I see," Negan said nodding in understanding. "It's your leader's fault. Figures. The man is a piss stain on the underpants of society." Many of the Saviors chuckled at his joke, while the girls remained stone faced. "I suggest a change in leadership then." The Hilltop residents looked to each other with nervous eyes. "But enough about that shit. Let's see what you got for us today."
"O-of course," one of the females from Hilltop complied as she and the others began to unload their van to present The Saviors with their tribute. Akame looked at what had been gathered. One box half filled with fresh tomatoes and the other half with some boxes of cereal (probably stale). Another held a few cans of beer and cabbage. The last held a few medical supplies that mostly consisted of Aspirin. She already knew what father was going to say.
"Nice turnout so far," his voice was joyful, but underlined with a dangerous sarcasm. "Now, where the fuck's the rest of it?"
"The-the rest?" another Hilltop member paled at the question.
"Yes," Negan answered. "The rest. As in more of your shit." His joyful tone all but lost now. "I mean you honestly didn't think that this shit would fly, did you?!" no one answered. "Oh my fuck, you did! Didn't you! Lazy fucks."
"W-we had to ration our supplies!" one of the females exclaimed. "This was all we could spare! Please!"
Negan pinched the bridge of his nose as the woman began to cry hysterically. "Re-lax!" he commanded. "I'm not going to kill you." The woman's sobbing lessened at his words. "Welllll," he trailed. "Not all of you."
"Oh god!"
"Please, no!"
"Don't do it, please! We're begging you!"
"Shut the fuck up!" Negan yelled silencing their protests. He held up a finger. "First: you show up late." Another finger. "Then, you attempt to give us less than our agreed upon amount." He stared down at them coldly. "Two strikes, two deaths. And one hostage for you all acting like a sorry bunch of pussies."
One of the men threw himself at Negan's feet in desperation. "Please!" he begged. "I have a wife, a son! Please, not me!" he began to sob openly.
"Tsk! What a pitiful shit stain!" Negan spat down on the man. "You'd throw your friends under the fucking bus? Get the fuck out of here with that shit! And guess what? You just fucking volunteered!"
The man's eyes widened as he stared up at the barbed wired bat. "Please-,"
Krkack! Lucille came crashing down on his skull, dropping him down to the ground. Krkrack! Another hit. Krkrack! Hit. Krakrack! Hit. Krasplagghhh! Bloodied bits of brain and bone were all that remained of the man, his body giving out a few slight spasms and convulsions before going limp once and for all. The rest of the Hilltopers looked on with tear stained eyes at the bloody display before them.
"Damn!" Negan exclaimed. "Lucille is going to need a goooood bath after that last hit. I mean did you see his brains go fucking flying?! Oh baby I have an erection!"
"…y-you, BASTARD!" one of the women yelled.
"Crystal…don't-"
As soon as Crystal had uttered her curse, Kurome had moved in, sword drawn and plunging it through the chest of the woman. She was dead before she even hit the ground. "You should have kept quiet," she whispered to the corpse. "Maybe you might have lived."
Negan let out a whistle at seeing the second kill. "And that makes numero dos!" he patted Kurome on top of her head. "Good job. But next time, go right for the head."
She nodded. "Okay, got it."
"Simon," Negan called to his second in command. "Take one of the guys as a hostage to one of our outposts. The satellite station maybe. And give me a knife." Simon had two guys lift one of the Hilltop men to his feet and loaded him up into a truck, and handed Negan a spare knife. "You there," Negan said to a man with brown hair. "What's your name?"
"…E-ethan, sir."
Negan kneeled down so he was at eyelevel with Ethan. "Congrad-u-fuckinglations! I have a very special request for you!" Negan took the knife and tucked it into Ethan's pants. "I want you to deliver a message to Gregory for me with this alright? Tell him it wasn't fucking enough. Tell him two of you sorry shits are now dead, and he is fucking responsible. Tell him that if this shit happens again, then your buddy we have is fucking dead." He leaned in so he could practically whisper into Ethan's ear. "And make sure it sinks in. Got it?" Ethan nodded with tear stained eyes. "Fucking perfect."
The remaining three were sent back to Hilltop to deliver to message to Gregory, leaving the Saviors to pack back up into their vehicles. "Well shit," Negan said as he signaled for the caravan to get a move on. "Looks like we have to scavenge for ourselves today."
"We can't always expect them to make good on their word," Akame said as she sat next to him. "We still have to learn how to survive without the other communities."
"Fucking right you are," he agreed. "And about those skirts. Did you see how fast your sister moved?"
