A/N- Chapter 3 hooray! I am liking all the feedback i am getting from you guys about this story and that helps to keep me going. In the last chapter one of you was curious as to the whole 'Leone incident' and was wondering if that meant anything. I won't say too much about that, but I felt that it was a prime opportunity for Qrow's Semblance to manifest in an amusing way. To the reviewer that is worried Qrow is being too open about Semblances, my theory is that Qrow is in an unknown land and is in desperate need of allies. The only barter chip he has for getting and securing and alliance and continued support of them, would be to entice them with what he could offer them.
Other than that I thank you all for your support. I hope you like this chapter.
Also, one of you have given me a good idea for a Semblance which I will be using. The Semblance I will be using will be a secret for now until the character discovers it.
Be sure to leave a review. Especially Semblance suggestions.
Disclaimer- I OWN NOTHING!
(-)
"Bulat-san!" Tatsumi called out as he sprinted to catch up with the large man. "Wait up!"
"Huh?!" Bulat exclaimed as he turned to see Tatsumi following him, surprised by the fact. "Oh Tatsumi! Do you wish to join me?"
"Yes!" Tatsumi shouted having finally caught up with Bulat. "This is my chance to prove my worth to everyone. So please, allow me to join you!"
"That's the spirit Tatsumi!" Bulat said with a massive grin. "Also, call me aniki or handsome!"
"Okay aniki! Man, it actually feels good to say that!" Tatsumi cheered at Bulat's new nickname.
"Feels good to be called it as well!" said Bulat as the duo continued to rush through the forest before abruptly stopping. "Here, I'll show you something cool as a reward! Take a few steps back." Bulat instructed and Tatsumi did as he was told. Bulat then touched his hand to the ground and shouted. "INCURSIOOOOO!"
Tatsumi watched in awe with wide eyes as a set of armor began to form around Bulat's body. It was the same set of armor that Bulat had worn when Tatsumi first encountered him. "Whoah! That's fucking awesome!"
"I know right?" Bulat said as he jabbed a thumb at his chest. "This is the teigu Incursio."
"Teigu?" Tatsumi exclaimed. "Hey, Qrow mentioned that word before as well. Just what does it mean?"
"Another time Tatsumi, right now we have a job to do. Now I will tell you your first job. It's important, alright?"
"R-right!"
"You think you can handle it?" asked Bulat.
"Hell yeah! I'm ready for anything!" Tatsumi said as he pumped his fist upward.
With Qrow...
Qrow was currently patrolling with Leone through the woods looking for the tribal mercenaries that had infiltrated the area. He also took note of how the woman was keeping her distance from him. The reason for that being his Semblance. Leone wasn't too keen on having a repeat of earlier and was still embarrassed about the whole thing.
"You should be safe at that distance." spoke Qrow.
"I ain't taking any chances." responded Leone as the two of them continued through the woods. They eventually happened upon a clearing where they ran into two tribal mercenaries. Both of them were rather large men armed with greatswords.
"Ah, looks like we got lucky boss. This really is the Night Raid base." said one of the mercs.
"Yeah. And look, we got a welcoming party." said the boss as he leered at Leone, licking his lips as he took in her curves. "The guy can die. But try not to rough up the woman too much."
"Sorry boys. But despite my appearance, I'm not such an easy lay." said Leone as her form began to change. Her hair grew longer, ears sprouted from the top of her head as well as a tail from her lower back, and her hands became claws. "Who do you want?" Leone asked Qrow.
Qrow brought out his flask and unscrewed the top. "Let me have the boss. Consider it my initiation for joining the gang." Qrow said as he took a swig from his flask.
"You sure this is the best time to be drinking? Right before a fight?" asked Leone as she took a stance and began to strafe around to the side of the mercenaries.
"Heh, I'm always drunk. It hasn't affected my performance regardless of what I'm doing. At least that's what the ladies tell me." Qrow joked as he put his flask away. "But if you must nitpick, call it a handicap. If I can't handle someone of this level, then I suppose I'm not cut out for this line of work eh?"
"Hmph! You're awfully presumptuous little man." huffed the boss. "So you are a new recruit for these assassins? You don't stand a chance against me."
Qrow drew his blade and let it lazily hang at his side as he slowly approached the large mercenary. He then raised his free hand and beckoned for the boss to come over.
"Rargh!" roared the boss as he charged Qrow. He lashed out with a flurry of slashes which Qrow deftly dodged with more than enough room to spare. "Hold still!" shouted the man as he brought his sword overhead and swung down, intent on cutting Qrow in half.
Qrow sidestepped the attack and plunged his blade straight through the mans chest and out the other side.
"Kuh!" the mercenary grunted as he coughed up blood. He weakly tried to raise his blade again in a last ditch attempt to at the very least take Qrow with him, but Qrow stepped on the blade and kept it pinned in the ground.
"Sorry, but this is the end for you. Nothing personal." Qrow said as he gripped his sword and swung the blade upward, cutting the man in half. He jumped away as a shower of blood spurted out of the now dead mans body and reattached his sword to his back.
Qrow then heard a whistle and looked over to see Leone sitting on top of a mutilated mercenary corpse whilst clapping. "Impressive. No hesitation, no wasted movements... you're good."
Qrow gave a slight bow. "You honor me with your words of praise. I must say that you were quite impressive as well. I take it that that form you have taken on is a teigu?"
"You got that right!" Leone said with a thumbs up as she flashed Qrow a toothy grin. "It's this belt. It's called Lionel." she said as she pointed to her belt. "It allows me to take on a beast-like form, gives me a boost to my strength and speed, allows me to regenerate, and even gives me animal-like senses." she explained.
"I see." Qrow said as he looked over her form. It reminded him of the faunus back home. It was then that a loud bang was heard in the distance. "What was that?" asked Qrow as he reached for his sword.
"Relax." Leone waved. "That was Mine's Pumpkin."
"I take it you don't mean the vegetable."
"Nope. Her teigu is a rifle named Pumpkin. Strange name, I know." Leone said as she let out a sigh. "It's such a bothersome teigu. My teigu is much simpler."
"How so?" asked Qrow.
"Well, the more of a pinch she's in the more powerful her weapon becomes." explained Leone.
"Hmm, reminds me of my niece."
"Oh yeah, you said one of them had a Semblance that increases her damage output as she takes damage."
"Yep. That would be the one. You actually remind me of her a little, at least appearance wise. Mainly when you're in your beast form. She has long blonde hair as well and is also a fight junkie. So to speak." responded Qrow.
"Oh, well then I'm sure we would get along just nicely." Leone said with a smile as she made her way over to Qrow. "Well, since we took care of our assigned targets we might as well head back to base. The rest of the gang should be finishing up as well."
"Agreed."
With Tatsumi...
'This is complete bullshit. How am I supposed to prove myself if I'm on guard duty? I should be out there fighting the enemy.' Tatsumi thought as he lay hidden in the bushes that Bulat had pointed out.
"Listen; if the enemy were to run away then there is a large possibility that they may come through here. If that happens, even slowing them down is okay. Just do whatever it takes to fight back and show no mercy."
Tatsumi remembered what Bulat had said to him earlier as he lay in wait. 'They aren't taking me seriously.' Tatsumi's eyes widened when he heard a rustling in the bushes and readied himself for combat, but immediately deflated when he saw that it was just a rabbit that hopped out. 'Gonna kill that rabbit for getting me hyped up.'
"What a total newbie role. Is the enemy even going to come this-" before Tatsumi could even finish his sentence, a large tribal wrrior came bursting out of the foliage and came to a skidding halt when he noticed Tatsumi.
"Hah! So they have guards stationed out here as well." spoke the mercenary as he drew his blade.
Tatsumi got up and drew his own sword as well. "I can not let you pass!" Tatsumi shouted to the man.
The man grinned wickedly in response. "Feel free to try and stop me."
'Here it is. I have to kill someone I have no resentment against.' Tatsumi thought as he leveled his blade. 'But if I hesitate here, I'll die.'
"Even though you are just a boy, don't expect me to hold back."
The two enemies stared each other down, each waiting for the other to make the first move. Tatsumi ended up being the one to take initiative and decided to strike first. He lunged forward, his grip on his sword tightening. Once Tatsumi got close enough, the mercenary swung his blade. Tatsumi easily parried the swing and proceeded to slash the tribesman across the chest. He fell backwards and landed on the ground, blood profusely spurting out of the gash across his chest as he roared in pain.
"How was that you bastard? These are the skills... that I refined alongside Sayo and Ieyasu!" shouted Tatsumi.
"Please... have mercy... my village-" the mercenary's words were cut off when Tatsumi plunged his blade into his neck.
"No mercy." Tatsumi said coldly as he removed his sword from the mans jugular. "I can't afford to hesitate. Not when everyone is counting on me. I swore I would do my best."
Tatsumi then turned when he heard someone land behind him. He spun around with sword drawn, but relaxed when he saw it was Akame. "Impressive. I'm glad to see you are still in one piece." she spoke in monotone.
"I wasn't going to let this piece of trash take me down." Tatsumi said as he gestured to the dead body. "I have people waiting for me to return alive."
"Well, you did good. To not fall for the enemies ploy show's that you truly have what it takes. This is not a line of work where mercy can be afforded." explained Akame.
"I know." Tatsumi said as he sheathed his sword. "That is all the difference it makes between life and death."
"Correct. You must not hesitate in the slightest. The final blow has to be swift and decisive." Akame said as she briefly gazed at the dead mercenary.
"HIYA!" Akame and Tatsumi turned to see Bulat burst through the trees next to them. "The enemy came running over here right?! Leave them to me!"
"It's already over." spoke Akame as she pointed her blade at the dead body.
"Oh. Good work Akame." said Bulat.
"Wasn't me." she said as she pointed to Tatsumi.
"Really?" Bulat asked in a slightly surprised tone to which Akame nodded in affirmation. "Well then, good job Tatsumi!" Bulat said with a thumbs up. "Now that the enemy has been taken care of it is time to return to the base."
(-)
Back at the Night Raid base the group was holding a celebration for a job well done of defending their base. Much revelry was had and somehow a drinking contest had started between Bulat, Leone, and Qrow. It was a recipe for disaster. Leone had instigated the whole thing after claiming that she was the heaviest drinker among them, Qrow begged to differ and challenged her, and Bulat wanted to join in on the premise of it being a fun way to bond with comrades.
It was not much of a surprise that Bulat was the first to drop out considering how heavy of drinkers Qrow and Leone were. The rest of Night Raid watched in attention as the duo went shot for shot and still remained conscious. To them, it was quite impressive that Qrow could keep up with Leone as she had a bit of an unfair advantage. Her teigu allowed her to process toxins at a faster rate which meant that she would take longer to get drunk.
Seeing as how the contest wouldn't be ending anytime soon, Najenda decided to have a word with Tatsumi while Qrow and Leone continued to go at it. "I must say that I am impressed Tatsumi. You really showed your worth in your first battle according to Akame."
Tatsumi scratched the back of his head and smiled sheepishly at the bosses praise. "Thanks boss. It was nothing."
"On the contrary it was most certainly something. Akame half expected you to fall for the enemies words and would need to be saved by her. But you proved otherwise." Najenda then pulled out a cigarrette and lit it. "That being said, you are still a little rough around the edges, and it will take some work to polish your skills to the best they can be. So I will have you start training with Akame tomorrow." the silver haired woman said as she took a drag of her cigarette. "Is that acceptable with you Akame?"
Akame, who looked a bit to engrossed with her own meal, turned and nodded to the boss. "Mhmm." she mumbled as she chewed her food.
"Good. If Tatsumi happens to slack off then you have my permission to kill him." Najenda said, which caused Tatsumi's eyes to shoot open.
"What?!"
"Sure thing." responded Akame.
"Just like that?!" shouted Tatsumi. 'She didn't even hesitate in her response! Wha the hell is she thinking?!' Tatsumi thought as a chill ran up his spine.
"Aren't you lucky Tatsumi? Being able to be trained by such a cute girl." teased Najenda. "Good luck and try not to get killed."
"WHOOO! I WIN!" came Leone's loud voice. The group looked over and saw her standing on the table, completely shitfaced drunk, cheering at the top of her lungs whilst Qrow currently had his head leaning on the table. "I am the greatest! No one can best me!" she proclaimed loudly for all to hear. "What do ya say to that Qrow?!" she asked as she leaned over to the seemingly unconscious man.
"..." came a muffled sound.
"Wha? You're still awake? Impossible."
"I said; I guess it's time to bring out the big guns..." Qrow said as he staggered to his feet and stood up. He reached into his jacket and pulled out a flask. However this flask was different from the normal one he drank from as it had a large skull and cross-bones on the side. "This is the strongest stuff around where I come from. If you can handle this, then I will admit defeat." Qrow explained as he unscrewed the top. The man took a single sip from the container and his face twisted and contorted something fierce. "Arghhhh! That's strong!" he as he let out a long breath. "Your turn." he said to Leone as he offered her the flask.
"Hmph, a last ditch effort to try and save face eh? Sorry, but I'm afraid I'm going to win this contest." Leone said cockily as she grabbed the flask. "Here goes nothing." she said as she took a sip from the flask. Seconds passed and nothing happened. "Heh." she chuckled with a grin. "I guess I wi-" Leone then suddenly passed out and flopped down on the table, Qrow catching his flask before it could spill.
"And victory is mine!" roared Qrow as he raised his fist skyward before abruptly collapsing as well.
"I-impossible..." uttered Lubbock. "He beat Leone at a drinking contest."
"Hmm. Well, I suppose that signifies the end of the festivities." said Najenda. "Now let's help these drunks back to their rooms and get some sleep. We got work to do tomorrow."
(-)
Qrow awoke with a splitting headache, more so than usual. The light peeking in from the window burning his closed eyes like hell itself. It became obvious rather quickly to him that he had taken a sip from that. Even though the majority of last night was blurry, he still remembered a vague contest that he had one. "Heh, totally worth it." Qrow said as he reached for his flask. More of the hair of the dog that bit him and such.
The professional Hunstman staggered his way out of his room and into the hallway where he found Leone grasping her head in pain. The two of them locked eyes and Leone scowled slightly. "Damn, what the hell did you give me? Haven't been this hungover in a while."
"Hnn, that would be my special stash. Feel honored that I allowed you even a sip. It's expensive." Qrow said as the duo made their way down the hall.
"Well you're not wrong. It was good stuff."
"And it was totally worth it to beat you." snickered Qrow.
"Tch, whatever." grumbled Leone.
The two arrived in the dining room where everyone else was already gathered and eating.
"Well, look who finally decided to join us." said Mine.
"I must say, last night was quite eventful. My only regret is that I couldn't keep up with you two in the contest." spoke Bulat.
"Trust me, it wouldn't be worth it." spoke Leone as she held her head.
"Are you... hungover?" asked Lubbock.
"Yep. Thanks to this guys poison." Leone said as she pointed to Qrow.
Said man shrugged with a grin. "Not everyone can handle the beast."
"I seem to recall you passing out as well." Sheele pointed out.
"Yeah, but I still lasted longer than Leone."
"Okay! That's enough about last night." said the busty blonde who was still sour over losing. "Time for some grub." Leone said as she took a seat at the table along with Qrow.
After a nice meal courtesy of Akame and Tatsumi, the majority of the Night raid group left to take care of an assassination request in the capital. Akame and Tatsumi themselves left to hunt food for dinner whilst Qrow decided to check up on Sayo and Ieyasu.
When he got to the infirmary he took out his scroll and scanned their bodies again to see how they were progressing. As he was doing this, much to his surprise, Ieyasu began to stir.
"Urgh... what happened." the teen said as he grasped his head in pain and sat up.
"Whoah there." Qrow said as he placed his hand on Ieyasu's shoulder and lowered him back down on to the bed. "Stay still, it's been a while since you fell unconscious and you'll get dizzy."
"Argh!" Ieyasu yelped as he grasped his head in pain. "You're right. The room's spinning."
"Just stay like that for a while and let your body re-orientate itself." Qrow instructed. "Now tell me, what do you remember?"
"I... remember that house... and the torture chamber. The family did awful things to us..." A flash of worry worked its way across Ieyasu's face. "Sayo! Is she..."
Qrow pointed across from Ieyasu and his eyes followed to see Sayo's sleeping form. "She's unconscious for now, but her odds of pulling through look promising."
"Oh thank god..." Ieyasu breathed out.
"Now concentrate, what else do you remember?"
"Tatsumi... he and some lady came and rescued us... you were there too."
"Good, you don't seem to have any memory problems as a result of the trauma." Qrow said with a smile.
"What did you do...? You did something to me and Sayo. Something that saved our lives."
"I'll explain later. Right now I have to go get someone. You stay put and don't move." Qrow instructed as he left the room. A short while later he returned with Najenda.
"Hello there." Najenda greeted with a wave.
"... Hello." came Ieyasu's response.
"Do you know who I am?"
"No."
"My name is Najenda. And I am the leader of the assassin group Night Raid whose base you are currently at. We are also the ones who saved you and your friends life alongside Qrow here." explained the boss.
"Night Raid... assassins? I remember seeing your wanted posters in the capital." said Ieyasu. "You're criminals?"
"Criminals is just a relative term kid." said Qrow as he took out his flask. "We prefer Revolutionaries. Doesn't sound quite as bad."
"Despite what Qrow says, yes, we are indeed criminals who are wanted by the capital. But it is not like we go out to kill innocents. Everyone that we kill is a source of corruption. Like the family that had tortured you and your friend." explained Najenda.
"So what, you are the good guys?" asked Ieyasu.
"Sort of. Everyone of our members is a murderer, plain and simple. But we are fighting for the betterment of the country. We kill the rot that is festering in the capital. Everyone from corrupt officials to sadistic nobles."
"Ohh, I see."
"Now then, you have two choices kid." said Najenda as she held up two fingers. "You can either join us, or you will be made to work in our workshop until all this is over. We can't let you go free since you know where our base is as well as our faces. Just so you know, your friend Tatsumi was given the same choice, and he chose to join us."
"He did?!"
"Once he realized how corrupt the capital truly was, he couldn't stand by and let it continue. It is the governments fault that your village is suffering you know." said Qrow.
"So kid, what will it be?" asked Najenda. "This path is dangerous and without reward. You could die at any time and never be remembered for the good you did. You might never be able to return to you village again. Choosing this path is not for the faint of heart and-"
"I'll do it."
"Hmm?" uttered Najenda with wide eyes.
"I said I'll do it. I can't leave my best bud to fight on his own. If he joined up then he must have had a good reason for joining. And that is a good enough reason for me to join as well." Ieyasu said with conviction.
"Ho, impressive. I thought it might take some more convincing, but it seems that you share Tatsumi's ideals." spoke Najenda.
"We swore that when we die we die together. I fully trust his judgement and will gladly follow him down this path."
"Well then, welcome to Night Raid." said Najenda as she held out her hand. "The majority of our members are currently out on a mission so we will have to wait for introductions until later. So for now you should just get some rest. And I'm sure Qrow has some stuff he would like to teach you." Najenda said as she got up to leave.
"Well then." started Qrow. "Time for me to tell you about Aura."
(-)
Several hours later and some the Night Raid gang had fully assembled. Leone returned from her mission, but Mine, Sheele, Bulat, and Lubbock were still out. Tatsumi had returned from his hunt with Akame and upon learning of Ieyasu's awakening, had made a bee-line for the infirmary.
"So, you're telling me that I'm some kind of super soldier?" came Ieyasu's voice from the infirmary.
"Ieyasu!" shouted Tatsumi as he barged into the infirmary.
Qrow and Ieyasu turned to face Tatsumi.
"Tatsumi!" his friend shouted in joy.
"You're awake!"
"And alive!" Ieyasu said as he flashed Tatsumi a toothy grin.
"It's great to see you all better!" Tatsumi said as he fist bumped his friend.
"True that. I still can't believe I survived that hellhole." said Ieyasu somewhat downtrodden.
"Cheer up kid." Qrow said as he gave him a pat on the back. "All of that's behind you now. It's time for you to look to the future."
"You're right. It's time for me to make a difference!" Ieyasu shouted with clenched fists. "Tatsumi, I'm joining Night Raid."
"What?! Really?!"
"Sure, I mean, you joined. So that seems like a good enough reason for me to join as well."
"Ieyasu, I don't want you to join out of some sense of camaraderie. If you are going to join it should be on your own terms." said Tatsumi.
"But I am joining on my own terms. Sure part of it is because you joined, but I also want to prevent the things that happened to me and Sayo from happening to anyone else." explained Ieyasu.
"Well said kid." spoke Qrow. "I'll leave you two alone to catch up. Be sure to join us in the dining room for dinner when you are done."
"Got it." answered Tatsumi.
After the duo caught up with each other and spent some time praying for Sayo to wake soon, they then headed to the dining room where Akame was just then placing food on the table. The currently gathered members of the Night Raid gang were assembled at the table and introductions were made for Ieyasu. After getting to know everyone present, the group then began to dig in.
The dinner consisted of the tuna that Akame and Tatsumi had caught earlier that day. "In the end Tatsumi only caught two." said the boss. "For his first time he did pretty well all things considered."
"Is it true that you yelled 'bring it on!' as you were undressing?" asked Leone teasingly.
Tatsumi slumped in his chair, his face bright red with embarrassment as Ieyasu began to guffaw at his friends antics.
"So Akame, how was Tatsumi's first day of training with you?" asked Najenda.
"He needs work..." answered Akame between bites.
'Shit. She doesn't think much of me at all.' thought Tatsumi. 'And I can never tell what she's thinking either. I'm still too weak!'
"But... he shows great promise." said Akame in monotone praise.
'Really?! I do?!' thought Tatsumi in surprise.
"Hmm, that's good to hear." said Najenda before turning her attention to Leone and placing her chopsticks down. "Leone, tell me about the request you received the other day."
Leone suddenly turned serious. "Yes boss. Our targets are Ogre of the capital guards and an oil merchant named Gamal." Leone explained as she clasped her hands together on the table. "According to the client; Ogre has been accepting bribes from Gamal. Apparently, every time Gamal commits a crime, Ogre has someone else take the fall for him. The clients fiance was framed for one of the crimes and was put to death."
Qrow's fist unconsciously clenched in silent rage.
"While the fiance was in prison, he heard the two discussing their crimes and managed to send out a letter to our client so that she would know what happened to him." Leone then pulled out a sack of coins and placed it on the table. "This is the payment for the job."
"That person saved up this much money?" Tatsumi gaped.
"I could smell venereal diseases on her." Leone said in a dark tone with fists clenched. "She must have been forced to sell her body to anyone willing to pay in order to save up the money."
"That's... horrible." said Ieyasu.
"That's the way it works in this rotten capital." spoke Qrow as he took out his flask and drank from it. "I'm gonna need more alcohol by the time this is over."
"... Have you confirmed the clients claims?" asked Najenda as she lit up a cigarette.
"They're guilty." answered Leone. "I observed them for a time from the attic of the merchants shop where the two of them discussed their dirty dealings."
"Very well." Najenda said as she took a drag of her cigarette. "Night Raid will accept this request. We will deliver punishment upon the heads of these heinous monsters. And send them to the hereafter."
"Taking out Gamal will be simple." said Leone. "But Ogre will be a different matter entirely."
"How so?" asked Tatsumi.
"Ogre the Demon. That is his moniker. He is called 'The Demon' because his skills with a sword make him an object of terror to the criminals of the capital." explained Leone. "He is usually seen with his merry band of lackeys as he patrols the city streets. But other than that he hangs out at the garrison HQ. Gamal comes to his private room to give him bribes. Due to his station, on his days off he spends time near the palace drinking at bars on main street."
"Looks like our only shot is on his days off." said Tatsumi.
"But the security around the palace is tight. For Akame, who's face is plastered all around the palace, this will be a tough mission." said Najenda
"Shall we wait for the rest ofthe group to return?" suggested Akame.
"But we don't know when they will finish their job." Leone pointed out as she leaned back in her seat.
"If that's the case, then just send us!" Tatsumi said as he slammed his palm on the table. "We can take care of it! Me and Qrow!"
"Although I'm impartial to being volunteered without my consent, the kid's right. We can handle him." said Qrow.
"Hmm, Tatsumi on his own I might be worried about... but with Qrow as backup you should be fine." spoke Najenda. "Very well. I shall leave Ogre to the two of you. Akame, Leone, I'll leave Gamal to you two."
"You got it boss!" cheered Leone.
"How about that Akame?! When it's time, I can step up to the challenge!" said Tatsumi.
"... Where does this self confidence come from? You haven't had a successful mission until you've given your report." Akame said as she turned away from Tatsumi. "As you are now, so full of yourself, you'll end up dead."
"Wha!" Tatsumi's would be rant was cut off short when Qrow grabbed his shoulder.
"She's right you know. Don't get ahead of yourself or you'll just end up dead. No army that has fought with an overly optimistic outlook has ever lasted very long." spoke Qrow sagely.
"Damn it." muttered Tatsumi. 'I'm definitely going to succeed and make you see me in a different light.'
(-)
The next night Leone led Tatsumi and Qrow through the capital towards main street. "If you go straight that way it should lead you straight to main street." said Leone as she pointed down the street.
"Gotit!" said Tatsumi.
"Hey Tatsumi. You wanna hear a story about Akame?"
"Huh?"
"When Akame was young both she and her sister were bought somewhere in the Empire. Poor parents selling their kids is quite a common albeit sad story." explained Leone.
Tatsumi's face turned sad at learning such a fact and Qrow looked impassive, but one could tell he still felt bad for the girl even if he didn't show it.
"She then got accepted into a training program for assassins along with other kids that were in the same boat as her. There, she learned how to kill people and somehow survived the hellish conditions." spoke Leone. "She worked under the empire, following their every order. She was the perfect assassin. But with every mission she carried out, she could feel more of the darkness within the empire. The boss, who was her target at the time, succeeded in persuading her to defect from the empire and join the Revolutionary Army who cared about the people... By that time it seemed that most of the comrades she had trained and grew up with were already dead." said Leone somberly. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say?" asked Leone.
Tatsumi huffed with his hands on his hips. "As an amateur I should I should shut up and listen to the professional killer, right?"
Leone smiled gently and let out a slight sigh. "Well, you'll understand if you are successful today."
"Yeah! I'm definitely going to do this!" shouted Tatsumi as he made his way down the street with Qrow.
"Good hunting!" Leone said as she gave a thumbs up.
"I'll make sure to keep him alive." called Qrow.
As the duop stalked the streets in search of their target, Qrow pulled Tatsumi aside into an alleyway. "You remember the plan right?"
"Yeah. I approach Ogre and lead him away from the streets. Once I have him out of sight I kill him." answered Tatsumi.
"Remember, don't hesitate and make sure the opponent is dead before you celebrate, alright?"
"Got it." Tatsumi nodded.
"Good. I'll be watching you and jump in in case anything goes wrong."
Where will you be watching from?" asked Tatsumi.
Qrow looked up to the roofs. "Above." and with that Tatsumi decided to leave. "One last thing kid." Tatsumi turned around to see Qrow place his palm on his head. "For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of glory and virtue to rise above all, infinite in distance and unbound by death. I release your soul, and by my shoulder protect thee."
Tatsumi recognized the chant and as Qrow finished he felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever experienced before. He looked to his hands that were slightly glowing as the light began to recede. "Why?"
"A little insurance." answered Qrow. "Now get going."
Tatsumi left the alleyway and Qrow was then alone. Once he was sure no one was looking, his form changed into that of a crows and he took off into the sky.
Meanwhile Tatsumi had found his mark. Ogre had just left a bar and finished talking with some people so now was the time to strike. "Uhmm... Ogre-sama?" Tatsumi called out.
"Hnn?" the man grunted as he turned to face Tatsumi. "What is it?"
"I have something I would like to speak with you about."
"What? Spit it out then." Ogre grumbled.
"Talking about it in the open like this would be a little problematic. Perhaps we can hold this discussion in this alleyway?" Tatsumi suggested as he gestured to a nearby alley.
"Hnn, fine. But make it quick. This is my day off and I have places to be." Ogre said as he followed Tatsumi. "This should be fine right?" 'I don't sense any danger coming from this kid.' Ogre thought as he stared at Tatsumi.
"Yes, this will do just fine." Tatsumi then turned to face Ogre. "I beg of you! Please let me into the capital's defense force!" he said as he bowed on his hands and knees.
If Ogre was taken aback by the sudden proclamation he didn't let it show. "What?"
"I must earn enough money to send back to my home village in the country sir!" sobbed Tatsumi.
"Haaahhhh." sighed Ogre. "I thought it might be something like this." he muttered as he scratched the back of his head. "Then apply through the normal process idiot!" he said as he waved Tatsumi off and turned to leave.
"But that takes forever!"
"I don't care!" shouted Ogre, his back still to Tatsumi. "It isn't my job to judge wannabe soldiers so just-" Ogre was cut off by the two and a half feet of steel that was currently plunged through his chest. "Wha..." he uttered before Tatsumi pulled the blade out.
'Don't hesitate. Ensure the target is dead.' he thought as he brought the blade around and decapitated Ogre, his eyes still opened wide in shock. The body fell to the ground as blood spurted out of the neck, making a complete mess of the alley. But not a drop landed on Tatsumi as he was already gone.
As Tatsumi walked the streets he was approached by Qrow. "Good job back there. I was worried I might have to help you out for a minuet, but it seems you had everything under control"
Tatsumi puffed out his chest with pride. "You got that right. Though I must thank you for your words of advice. They really helped me to follow through."
"Good. Now let's head back. The others should already be done with their target by now." Qrow spoke as he and Tatsumi made their way out of the city.
(-)
Back at the Night Raid base the small group of assassins was gathered in the meeting room.
"Good job on dealing with the target!" praised Najenda.
"Thanks! It was nothing!" boasted Tatsumi.
"Yeah, kid did pretty good." added Qrow.
"You did great buddy!" Ieyasu said as he patted Tatsumi on the back.
"Not bad, huh Akame?" Tatsumi said with a smirk as he turned to face the red eyed assassin. "I've done my job, given my report, and done it all without getting hurt. Pretty impressive right?" Tatsumi said as his ego grew bigger.
"Tone it back a bit kid. All you did was kill a man. Nothing to be proud about." spoke Qrow.
"But he was a asshole who had it coming! I ain't going to lose any sleep over his death." explained Tatsumi. "Now where was I? Oh yeah, not a scratch on me! That must be some kind of record." Tatsumi said as Akame approached him. "Now you'll have to acknowledge me-"
He wascut off when Akame suddenly grabbed his shirt and lifted it over-head, exposing his chest.
"What the hell are you doing?!" Tatsumi screeched.
"Leone, boss, hold him." said Akame stoically.
"Understood." said Najenda as she grabbed Tatsumi's right arm.
"Oh, this seems like fun~!" said Leone as she grabbed Tatsumi's left arm.
Meanwhile Qrow looked on dumbfounded by the turn of events. "Is this some kind of hazing?" he asked.
"What's going on?!" shouted Tatsumi. "You can't possibly be wanting to have..." he trailed off as a blush graced his face. "Help me Qrow!" he pleaded.
"I think I'll stay out of this one." responded Qrow as he pulled out his flask.
Akame then pulled down Tatsumi's pants, leaving him in his boxers.
"NOOOOOOOOO!" he shouted in embarrassment as Akame's eyes looked over his exposed body.
"Thank goodness." she said with a gentle smile which caught Tatsumi off-guard. "I've seen friends die from poison and infection because they wanted to seem tough and not report that they got hurt." she said with emotion for once. "But you seem to be undamaged."
'She really does care...' thought Tatsumi as he blushed.
"The mortality rate for those on their first mission is extremely high. You did very well!" Akame said as she took Tatsumi's hand and held it.
"Th-thanks..." Tatsumi responded.
"Akame was hoping that you would live." said Leone. "She would have been upset if you had died."
"Oh, really?" Tatsumi said as he looked to Akame. He noticed a slight blush grace her face and noticed that her eyes were focused downward. He followed them and realized that he was still holding her hand. "Gah! Sorry!" he said as he recoiled.
"Not a problem." Akame said as she looked at her hand. "It was... warm."
"You learn to communicate with your comrades while cooking." started Najenda. "You learn to kill through a difficult hunt. Did you notice that everything you did in those days was benficial to you?" she asked.
"Eh... oh... really?" stuttered Tatsumi. He then turned to Akame. "Sorry Akame. I... misunderstood."
"It's alright." she said as she gazed into his eyes. "From hear on out, promise me that you will continue to come back alive, Tatsumi."
"Sure thing! It's a promise!" he said with a big smile. "Please continue to take care of me Akame." The girl blushed ever so slightly and turned away from him. 'What was that about?'
"I wonder what his intentions are whilst saying that almost naked." joked Leone as she held back her laughter.
"You're the ones that stripped me in the first place!" shouted Tatsumi. "And why didn't you do the same to Qrow?!"
The group then turned to the man in question who froze like a deer in headlights. "... Because I was just an observer?" he tried.
"Hmm, very well. Next mission we get we'll have you on point to see what you can do." said Najenda.
"And then we'll strip you~." said Leone as she made a grasping motion with her hands.
"Oh goodie." lamented Qrow.
"By the way Tatsumi, you'll be working under Mine next." spoke Najenda.
"Geh." Tatsumi exclaimed as he dressed himself.
"It's just one thing after another with you ain't it~?" teased Leone.
"I... I have to work with her?!" shouted Tatsumi.
Meanwhile...
"Why am I suddenly getting goose bumps?" asked Mine as she and the rest of the group headed back to base.
Back at base...
"Actually boss..." spoke Qrow. "Would you mind if I handle him and Ieyasu for a few days first? I kind of unlocked his Aura and I want to train him and Ieyasu."
"Hmm, very well. I suppose training with Mine can wait a few days." Najenda said.
Meanwhile...
"Oh, the goose bumps are gone." spoke Mine.
Back at base...
"Well then, I think this calls for a celebration!" shouted Leone as she pulled out a bottle of sake. "A successful first job for Tatsumi!" she cheered as she popped the top to the bottle.
"I'll second that." sad Qrow as he went to the cabinets to get glasses. Leone started pouring the sake into the cups and Qrow handed them out to everyone.
"Umm, not to be the buzzkill, but I'm not old enough to drink." spoke Tatsumi.
"Were assassins kid. Normal rules don't apply to us." said Leone as she raised her glass. "So drink! Kanpai!" she cheered as she downed the glass.
"Cheers!" said Qrow as he and Najenda followed suit.
"Kanpai." spoke Akame in monotone as she drank her glass.
Tatsumi eyed the clear liquid in his glass before shrugging. "Oh well. Bottoms up!" he said before drinking the entire shot in one go. As soon as he finished he broke out in a coughing fit as the liquor burned his throat.
"You okay man?" asked Ieyasu who had yet to drink his glass.
"Gah! It burns!" he shouted as he fell to his knees.
"Oh yeah, this stuff might be a little strong for a newbie." said Leone as she poured herself another glass. "But trust me, the second shot is always better than the first." she said as she offered to pour Tatsumi another glass.
"If you say so." Tatsumi said as he held out his glass again. Meanwhile Ieyasu had slowly sipped at his own glass which resulted in him notbeing burned as badly.
Tatsumi downed another glass and this one went down smoothly. "Hey, you were right."
"Damn right I'm right!" said Leone.
"Take it easy kid. Take the advice of an experienced drinker and leave it at that." spoke Qrow as he downed another shot.
Tatsumi began to feel a little woozy already. "Yeah, I think I'm good. I'll head to bed now." he said as he turned and left.
"What about you Ieyasu?" asked Najenda. "The rest of our group should be arriving back in a while. You gonna stay up to greet them?"
"Sure. I guess that would make the most sense." concurred Ieyasu.
"Great! Now, where were we?" asked Najenda.
"Shot three." answered Qrow.
"Ah yes. Leone, another." Najenda said as she held out her glass.
"Sure thing boss~." answered Leone. The group continued to drink in mostly silence as they waited for the rest of Nightr Raid to return.
"So, Qrow..." started Leone.
"Yeah?"
"Tell me more about yourself. You got a family back home or something?" asked Leone.
Qrow became quiet at the mention of family as he gazed into his reflection in his drink. "I... have a twin sister." he said as if it were a bad thing. "But I'd rather not talk about her. We don't get along on account of her skewed vision of the world."
"Oh..." said Leone, noticing the look in Qrow's eyes. "Well, what can you tell me of the land you're from?"
Qrow let out a slight sigh. "It's a very dangerous land where creatures of darkness known as grim roam the wilds. Think of them as danger beasts, but more numerous." he paused to allow for that thought to sink in among the group.
"Damn, must be tough living there." said Leone.
"You don't know the half of it. Our land is split into four main 'Kingdoms' which are large walled cities that protect the people from the Grimm. Each Kingdom plays host to a prestigious academy that trains aspiring Huntsmen and Huntresses. That's what we call the people that fight the Grimm. Think of them as the elite soldiers in an army." spoke Qrow.
"So these, Huntsmen are the main military force in charge?" asked Najenda.
"Not exactly." answered Qrow. "Each Kingdom has their own military and police force, and the Huntsmen are separate from that. They act as specialized agents who take on requests from the government as well as any settlements outside the Kingdom's. Think of them as mercenaries that work for the betterment of society. A lot of kids like to idolize them as hero's." spoke Qrow as he thought of his younger niece.
"And I take it you are one of them?"
"Yep." Qrow said as he popped the 'P'. "I am actually one of the veterans. One of the best of the best where I come from. Few are able to reach my level. I'm not sure if you could figure it out, but Huntsmen don't often live long lives given our line of work. We go out of our way to find trouble and eliminate it."
"Cool..." gaped Ieyasu, but immediately regretted his choice of word. "Uhh, I mean..."
"It's okay kid. I get it." Qrow said as he ruffled Ieyasu's hair. "The life of a Huntsmen is not one to be idolized despite how glamorous it may seem. We get payed well to do the jobs no one else can do. But in the end, it's the most dangerous job around. And someones gotta do it." Qrow said as he downed his drink.
"So, did you have any partners? Anyone you worked with? I assume that you didn't work on your own." said Leone.
"Actually, Huntsmen are put into four man cells when they join the academy. Whether or not these cells prevail is up to the people in them." explained Qrow.
"And your team?"
"... I'd rather not talk about them just yet." Qrow said somberly.
It was then that Leone remembered what his Semblance was and realized it must have affected them. "I'm sorry. Forget I asked. Just... trying to bond I guess."
"It's alright. I understand you have good intentions. Perhaps one day I'll be comfortable telling you about them." Qrow said.
Leone looked into Qrow's eyes and could see that despite his carefree attitude, the man had some pain inside that he was uncomfortable talking about. She felt like she wanted to be the one to help him relieve that pain. Perhaps it was because they were kindred spirits who used alcohol to escape their problems. One day, she would get him to open up to her.
"I think I'm going to turn in." said Qrow as he stood up and headed towards his room. Leone watched him the entire way.
Soon after, the rest of the Night Raid group arrived and introductions with Ieyasu were made. After that everyone turned in for the night.
