A/N: Hey everyone, welcome to chapter four of Akame Ga Kill Blood Rain. IN this chapter you will get to see an original mission, so I hope you all like it. I worked super hard on it, so I just felt the need to post it. There will be more original chapters like this in the future but for the most part the story will be linear with my own take on certain events of course. I want to make this story as original as possible but also keep it linear to the original story. Of course I want to make it as bloody as possible, since that's always fun, and I get to unleash the dark side when I write original missions...honestly the thing that bothered me the most was that special chapter with the three little girls that ended up getting...sold as sex slaves. I really hated that chapter, so I will most likely change that up and not have it happen.
Yeah, I will get it worked out, so maybe those douchebags end up dying before they do anything, but it still fucking bothered me quite a lot. So I will teak it a bit. So, I hope you guys like this chapter, please let me know what you all think of it, I would really appreciate it. Thanks guys! Also, I just ran out of cellular data so i wont be posting anything for the rest of this week, sorry guys!
Akame ga Kill
Blood Rain
Chapter 4
Kill the Imperials
Running through the woods was honestly one of the best feelings, in Zack's opinion of course. Feeling the odd tranquility of nature, the scents, the sounds, it was all so alluring to him. The best types of missions were missions done in quiet areas, away from civilization, that way he could make as much noise as he wanted and not attract attention. You can also get rid of the bodies without having to hide them in a building, or having to explain things to people. The fact that these guys had gotten close was a rather impressive feat. It made him think back to the Tribal people that had aligned themselves to the Empire, surely their abilities had been employed in this operation.
A sudden gunshot caused him to slide to a stop. He leaned against a tree, panting for breath as he reached for his shotgun. He glanced around, his eyes scanning his surroundings, he looked all over the place. Anywhere and everywhere. He had learned that people usually made some interesting hiding places when fighting others. He took a deep breath, dropping to the ground, just as a bullet struck the tree, exactly where his head had been. He pressed himself against the rock, a smirk on his face.
"You sure you hit him?"
"I'm pretty sure, my aim is the best in the tribe man, no way in hell I would miss." a second voice said.
"Yeah, well look at that...a hole in the tree, you did miss dumbass." the first said, slapping the second in the head. Zack glanced up, seeing the men standing at the edge of the ledge.
"I'm sorry man, I thought I had him, he must have gotten away...I'll get him next time." he said. Zack smirked inwardly.
"Sorry buddy, there won't be a next time." he thought, jumping up, grabbing a hold of the man's shoe. He used his weight to bring the man down, pulling him off the cliff. He let out a yelp as he slammed into the ground.
"Sayonara." the cloaked boy said, puffing his cigarette as he blew the man's head off.
"Holy shit! Steve!" the first man cried, taking aim at Zack with his rifle. He let out a hail of gunfire, hoping to hit the teen. The cloaked teen jumped up onto the boulder, landing on the ledge. The dark skinned man let out a scream, running at him with his rifle, swinging it at him. Zack easily disarmed him, snapping his arm in half. He spun him around, driving the barrel of his shotgun into the back of his head.
"Requiescat in Pace." he said softly, pulling the trigger. A mist of red filled the air as he tossed the body aside, letting out a sigh. He replaced the two shells he had spent, and jumped off the ledge, continuing on his way.
Cornelia frowned, having stopped when she heard the sounds of gunfire. She recognized one set as Zack's shotgun. She had heard it so many times that she could recognize it easily. She pressed herself against the nearby tree, clenching her hand a bit. She had a semi-automatic pistol in her hand, ready to use it if necessary.
Sayo was standing at the tree beside her. She was surprised the black haired girl had been able to keep up. She was a natural runner, much more than other people. She held her bow tightly in her right hand, having set up the arrow, to draw it back with her left. She had been steadying her breathing a bit, closing her eyes for a few seconds at a time.
"She must be using her hearing to find our attackers. She really is a natural born hunter, not a lot of girls choose the boy as a weapon, but her's is like an extension of herself."
Sayo's eyes snapped open, and she left the safety of the tree, drawing her arrow back as far as she could. At the same time, one of their targets was casually walking toward them, not having sensed either of them in front of him. He suddenly looked up, a look of shock and surprise in his face. An arrow stabbed through his throat a second later, a gurgled sound leaving his lips. A second one got him in the eye, the body dropping like a sack of bricks.
"Shit, sorry...I aimed a little low with the first one." Sayo said, a sheepish smile on her face.
"It's fine...whatever gets the job done right?" Cornelia asked, walking over to the body. She pulled both arrows free, spraying a bit of blood onto the ground. She handed them over to Sayo, who wiped them clean with a cloth she had brought.
"These guys are from the southern tribes...I didn't think they would join forces with the Empire." Sayo said, a frown on her face.
"You're well read up. The Empire is currently fighting several tribes, at the north, south, and eastern borders. They're also fighting people from the Principality, where our HQ is located." the blonde said. She heard a rustle nearby, and quickly pushed Sayo to the ground, holding her fist up, using her gauntlet to block the gunshot.
"What the fuck?" the shooter cried. He cocked his shotgun, taking aim again, but he was too late. Cornelia grabbed the barrel of the shotgun, snapping it in half with ease. She gave the man a smirk.
"Hey sexy, didn't you know shooting defenseless girls is wrong?" she asked. He let out a yelp of fear, turning tail to run, only for her to close the distance. She punched the back of his head, breaking his skull in a solid hit.
"Damn, I'm surprised his head didn't pop off!" Sayo said.
"That's honestly the best part...look alive, there might be more." the blonde said, earning a nod from the archer.
Lubbock sighed as he tightened his grip. His strings had snared someone, and he had to check out who it was. He walked into the nearby cavern, coming to a stop in front of the young woman he had caught, who was struggling with her bindings. She looked at him, eyes widening.
"Please, you've got to let me go! I'm not going to hurt you, I'll do anything, I'll even give you my body! Just don't kill me!" the girl cried.
"I knew it was a little light, course it has to be a girl...man, sometimes this job sucks." he said, tightening his strings. The girl let out a pained scream, dropping to the ground a second later. He shoved his hands in his pockets and walked off, a frown on his face.
"Marna, are you here? I heard your voice, call out if you can hear me!" a gruff voice called out. Lubbock hid behind a rock, peeking slightly to see a large wolf like man, holding a club in his hands. He smirked, licking his lips.
"Better see what this man wants." he said.
He jumped out from behind the rock, taking the man by surprise. He let out a growl, swinging at the teenager, shattering the boulder he had just been hiding behind.
Lubbock flung his strings at teach chunk of rock, snagging them in his grasp. He started swinging his makeshift flail, slamming it against the wolfman's head. He let out a cry of pain, running at Lubbock again. He quickly wrapped his legs in thread, making him fall to the ground. The green haired teen swung his flail at his head with all his force, smashing his head in.
"That was easier than I thought...whoops, I missed one." he said, quickly throwing a kunai at an archer that had been hiding in the trees. He grabbed his leg in pain, falling off the tree, a loud snap filling the area as his body was hung by a noose. Lubbock let out a chuckle, walking away from the scene, an accomplished smirk on his face.
"So Sheele, do you think the freshies are dead yet?" Mine asked, sitting on a log, with Pumpkin in her hands.
"I don't think so, they look capable. Sayo can handle herself, one look and I knew she was good at what she did. Tatsumi...he needs a little motivation." the violet haired girl replied. Mine blinked a few times, giving her a smile.
"That's one thing I like about you Sheele, you're honest when it comes to your thoughts...never change, okay?"
"Hmm? Okay I guess...I suppose that's another thing I'm good at." she said.
"There you are, Night Raid!" a wolfman cried, jumping at Mine. She quickly rose her gun, about to fire at him, only for a gunshot to tear through the air. The man landed on the ground in a heap, a bullet hole tearing through his forehead.
"Whoops, sorry...that bastard got away from me." Zack said, appearing through the brush, clutching his side. He held Crescent Rose against his shoulder, a bit of blood dripping from the tip.
"Are you alright Zack?" Sheele asked, concern written on her face.
"Yeah, I'm fine...my regeneration kicked in, so it'll be sealed up soon. Look alive, we've got more." he said, pointing behind them. Four muscular tribesmen appeared from the forest, all of them holding swords in their hands. Mine clicked her tongue, biting her lip.
"Looks like I'm in a pinch." she said softly, her trigger finger tensing a bit.
"You better shoot before I swing." Zack said, spinning his scythe around, holding It in a defensive stance. The men shot forward, causing Mine to shoot. They jumped out of the way, though one of them was vaporized by the shot instantly. Zack moved in front of Mine, parrying the slashed aimed at her.
The man continued slashing at the boy, aiming at his hands, which he kept shifting so he wouldn't lose a finger. The tribesman pushed the boy back, almost throwing him off the side of the cliff. Zack smirked, spinning his scythe around, the barrel facing behind him. He pulled the trigger, the recoil sent him flying forward. With another gunshot, he spun the scythe around, aiming for his head, only for the man to dodge completely.
"Shit!" he cried in his mind.
"You're through Reaper boy." the man cried, aiming his sword right at Zack's chest. He waited for the blade to pierce his skin, only it never did. He opened his eyes, seeing the tip of a sword coming out of the man's body. The sword slowly opened, slicing the man in half. Sheele swung her blade, clearing it of blood. One final gunshot rung through the air, the last tribesman had fallen by Mine's hand.
"Nice job, although you could have done better Zack, you're getting rusty. Even Sheele had to save your pathetic ass!" she said, causing the boy to growl.
"Don't test me pinkie, I'm not afraid to slap a woman." he said firmly. Mine growled angrily, glaring at the boy.
"Oh yeah, just try to slap me, I assure you it won't go over well."
"I doubt it, normally you would be able to dodge it...oh wait no you can't, you can't do shit unless you're in a pinch, my bad." he said, placing his scythe on his shoulder as he started walking away not at all caring about the blood he was walking on.
"Be a bush, let no one see you." Tatsumi thought to himself, as he held two branches above his head. He frowned, gritting his teeth in anger.
"Dammit, bro let me do this one on my own. I'll admit, Incursio was pretty cool, and using its invisibility to sneak around is a good idea...I just wish I wasn't so out in the open." he muttered under his breath.
He heard a rustle nearby and pressed himself harder onto the ground. Walking in front of him was a large tribesman, holding a scimitar in his hands, a rather common weapon for the tribes of the south. He swallowed hard, his hand on the hilt of his sword. He took a deep breath and sprung forward, throwing a wide slash at the man, who easily blocked it.
"Well lookie here, a member of Night Raid, just who I was looking for!" the man said, pushing the boy back.
"That was fast, how was he able to block me so easily?"
"Didn't they ever teach you that staring is wrong?" the man asked, taking a swing at the boy. He jumped back, only for the tree beside him to get slashed right in half. Tatsumi growled and jumped forward, slashing the man across the chest, a stream of blood flying out of the cut.
"Heh, got ya now!" he said proudly, throwing a jab at the man. He let out a gasp of pain, falling to the ground. Tatsumi shook his sword free of blood, turning away from the man.
"Gotta admit, you were pretty fast, but I'm faster...that's why you're dead." he said with a shrug, about to walk away. The man grinned, grabbing his scimitar. He let out a battle cry, causing Tatsumi to turn around, eyes widened.
A blur zoomed past him, parrying the hit with enough strength to knock the man back several meters. Tatsumi only stared in awe as Akame stood before him, holding her katana tightly in her hand.
"Akame of Night Raid, more dangerous than even Hundred Killer Bulat! If I take you're head back to the Minister, I'll get a handsome reward!" the man said. He suddenly gasped, feeling a sharp sting in his throat.
"You're folly is in your words. Speaking too much gives your opponent a chance to strike...rest in pieces." she said softly, finishing the man off by slicing his head off. Tatsumi swallowed hard, watching the body drop lifelessly to the ground.
"He was so fast..I didn't even see him." he said softly.
"The first rule of being an assassin is to always have a firm look at your opponent. Just because he's on the ground, doesn't mean he's dead. Always go in for the killing blow, even if you think they maybe dead." she said, sheathing her sword. He gave her a nod, glancing back at the deceased man.
"He said something about the Minister...we can safely assume it was him who sent them right?" he asked.
"Yes, and they've gotten quite close for comfort, but we've dealt with the rest, so no one knows we are here, for now. Let us return to base and relay our report to the boss." she said, walking back toward the base. Tatsumi stared at the man again, grimacing a bit before following the black haired woman.
xxx Imperial Palace: Throne Room xxx
"Your Majesty, it seems the reports have come back. Hugo Strange and Galynth Dysly were in fact slain by Night Raid. By the looks of it, it seems like it was one of the stronger members. Many of them sported the same type of mark, a crushed head, or their bodies sliced cleanly in half." a man said, looking up at his Emperor.
He was in fact a seven year old boy, who sat proudly upon his throne. He was wearing a tricorn hat, with the main colors being blue, white and green. He wore a matching long sleeved shirt and shorts, along with matching boots. In his hand was the royal scepter, passed down from Emperor to Emperor. Around him was his senate, and behind him was one of the most hated men in the Empire.
He was a portly man, with a disgusting hankering for fresh meat. He had long white hair, and an equally long beard. His portbelly was hidden by his very expensive looking attire. He had a bit of a grin on his face, as he continued munching on the meat he had brought with him.
"Hmm...this is a most pressing matter...are you certain it was Night Raid who did it sir?" Emperor Makoto asked, earning a nod from the man, who looked at his papers.
"I-Indeed. Hugo Strange's head was found embedded into the ceiling. We had a hard time identifying everyone else due to the fire, but it was indeed them." the man said.
"Tch...good riddance. Those idiots borrowed one of our best gunning squads and got them all killed. Sure, they brought us extra funds with the drugs they were peddling, but they weren't able to hire good men." the Minister said, growling a bit as he pulled another chunk of his meat into his mouth.
"Your Majesty, there have also been reports of a well known rapist also being slain, in the same manner as Dysly. It seems his genitals were ripped off his body, before he was sliced in half, vertically. We have also received news from the Astrea Plantation, the entire family was slain three days ago."
"Damn, those bastards. Hector Astrea was one of our most important contacts! He was responsible for weeding out possible insurgents! Tch...I told him his little hobby was gonna get him killed." one of the senators said firmly.
"Night Raid has been quite active recently, doesn't this make you angry sire?" Honest asked, earning a nod from Makoto.
"Yes...Guards, tell Captain Ogre to increase security around the city, let it be known that we are on the hunt for Night Raid, and any possible information will be very much appreciated." Makoto said firmly.
"Yes Sir!" the guard cried, racing out of the room.
"Hmm...good call...but I'm sure you're anger is still there, is it not?" the bearded man asked. Makoto looked at the man kneeling before him still holding the reports.
"Yes...it does...sir, you did well in bringing the reports in, but sadly this only displeases me...for that I sentence you to thirty years of hard labor, starting today." he said, the dull thud of his scepter filled the room.
"What? No, your majesty please don't do this! I was hired to bring you reports from the field! I have a daughter, she's the only thing I got left in this world!" the man cried, as chains were attached to his wrists and ankles.
"Worry not sir, you're daughter will be well taken care of, I assure you." Minister Honest said, licking his lips. The man's screams could be heard in the throne room, well after he was dragged outside.
xxx Location: Night Raid's Headquarters xxx
"I see, so all of the targets were taken care of." Najenda said, earning a nod from Akame.
"Yes, Tatsumi was able to take care of one, but I assisted him with the second one." she replied.
"I took down four, three by myself and one when Mine and Sheele got surprised." Zack said, puffing his cigarette.
"I got three myself. One smoking hot girl inside the cave, a large brute outside of it and a guy who was trying to be sneaky...hung him by the neck until he was dead." Lubbock said firmly, tightening his strings a bit.
"New girl got one while she was with me. You should have seen her in action, using her hearing and everything. She's a total huntress, with a little more training, she'll be an excellent addition to the team!" Cornelia said cheerfully, causing Sayo to blush.
"You're giving me too much credit. I totally missed my first shot, got the bastard in the throat." she said, lowering her head a bit.
"No shame in that, we can't all hit the mark. I recommend training with Mine for awhile, she is our best sniper so she'll teach you everything she knows." Bulat said, earning a nod from the black haired woman.
"Yes, that would be ideal but that will have to wait a few days. We got an urgent mission from Headquarters, they're requesting quite a few of you. Bulat, Mine, Sheele, Lubbock, Zack and Cornelia, all of you have some targets to handle." Najenda said.
"Oh, a mission from higher up, it's been awhile. I feel so appreciated." Cornelia said, earning a sigh from the black haired boy.
"God, it better not be to check in with the Regional Team, I got a thorn in my ass that follows me everywhere when I go to Veronica." Zack said, earning a chuckle from the boss.
"Oh come on, you know she means well...anyway it isn't about meeting the Regional Team. You six were requested specifically to handle some very dangerous targets in three different towns. Sheele, Bulat, you will be team A, and will go to Shin Village, Mine, Zack you two are Team B and will head to the city south of the capital, Marina. Finally, Cornelia and Lubbock are Team C and will be heading to Shamo Village near the desert." Najenda said firmly.
"Well, looks like we're partners for this mission, try not to shoot me, alright Mine?" Zack asked, earning a sigh from the pinkette.
"Sure...whatever...what are the parameters for this mission?" She asked.
"That will be explained by our contacts at each of those locations...I wish you good luck, come back home safe and sound alright?" Najenda said firmly.
"Right!" they cried in unison.
"Hey boss, what about us?" Tatsumi asked curiously.
"You and Sayo will remain here at the base to train your abilities. Tatsumi, I want you to Shadow Akame, Sayo you'll be doing the same with Leone, you'll both be in top shape in no time." the boss said, earning a nod from the two new recruits.
"Well, I wish you luck. Leone can be a bit wild, but she means well, if she gives you alcohol, don't accept it, and if she takes you to the slums, keep a close eye on her so you don't get ditched, see ya." Zack said, following the rest of his friends toward the door.
"Somehow I feel we got metaphorically ditched." Sayo said.
"I get what you mean." Tatsumi said, glancing at Akame who was busy munching on some chips. He let out a sigh, knowing he was in for quite the lesson.
xxx Southern Path: Marina Trail xxx
Zack frowned a bit at the silence within the cart they had rented. Mine wasn't one for conversation, so sometimes it was hard to even communicate with her. He remembered the first time he had met the pinkette sniper. It had been right after Najenda lost her arm to Esdeath. He remembered a pink haired girl walking into the camp, wearing some shredded clothes, her hair all dirtied and mattered. She didn't speak to anyone but Najenda. It was then that the woman took her under her wing.
She had developed her own sense of style, choosing to wear mostly pink clothing. She had gotten a knack for firearms, being able to disassemble rifles and shotguns in only minutes. When she had seen Pumpkin for the first time, she had thought it was another more advanced rifle. She had decided to take it to the range and try it out. When Najenda came looking for her, she had been surprised to see her using the weapon she had once used herself. She knew then that Mine was destined for greatness.
Zack himself had met Mine a few weeks after Cornelia had arrived at the camp. He remembered walking down the street of the city that had allied itself with the Revolutionary Army, and had seen her looking at a pink dress in the window. He wondered over to her, asking her what was wrong, only for him to get chewed out. He didn't speak with her much, but he did remember saying that pink was a pretty color, and that if she chose to wear it, it would make her eyes sparkle in the light. It had been the last time he would see her, until Night Raid was formed at least.
"Something the matter? You're always the chatty one during missions, cat got your tongue?" Mine asked, giving the boy a sneer. He rolled his eyes, leaning back against his seat.
"I could ask you the same thing sweetheart, you haven't said a word to me since you left the shooting range. What's the matter, you can trust me you know." he said.
"It's the newbies alright? I don't feel like they belong with us...they're just so...I dunno...uncultured?" she asked.
"That tens to happen when you're from the boonies. Come on, I was a country bumpkin too you know." he said firmly. She looked away from him, glancing out the small window on the side of the cart.
"Yeah, but you trained yourself to fight. The first thing that I was told when I arrived at Veronica Squire was not to mess with you. Apparently some of the other refugees were badmouthing your sister and you got really pissed off." she said.
"Who wouldn't? You can't walk up to me, call my sister a whore and expect to walk away with all of your teeth still in your mouth. That kid had it coming, it was just good that Cornelia was with me, or else I would have shattered his fucking skull." he said firmly, glancing at his lap. They remained silent for a few minutes, before Mine finally had the courage to speak. She bit her lip a bit, taking a deep breath.
"About your mask...why did you decide to show everyone that now?" she asked.
"I needed to give Tatsumi a sense of motivation. He's a good kid, and has what it takes to become a good assassin, but without him seeing just how horrible the Empire truly is...I doubt he would have agreed. For Sayo, seeing those bodies was enough...she'll be a good assassin, so please be nice to her." he said. She sighed, giving him a slight nod.
"I am the best sniper in this group, with a bow or with a gun, I can definitely put one between the eyes of any fucker that messes with me." she said.
"That's what I like to hear. Any idea what we're being sent out for?" he asked, taking a peek out the window, as the approached the seaside city of Marina.
"No...but something tells me we're dealing with Imperials, Marina is the second largest Port in this country, so it makes sense that the Minister would want to defend it." She said, placing her hands on Pumpkin's case. Zack smiled brightly.
"Awesome, fighting Imperial Soldiers is the greatest way to blow off steam. This is gonna be good!" he said cheerfully. Mine held back the urge to grimace, knowing full well how Zack got when he was given a mission against the Imperial Army.
As per orders, the cart left them just outside of the city. Marina was a large city, housing close to 100,000 people. All of the city streets were lined with bright lime stone roads, and the buildings were made mostly of brick and mortar, though there were some wooden buildings reserved as national monuments. From the top of the hill, once could see the Port of Marina in its entirety. The crystal blue ocean could be seen, the sound of seagulls carried by the salty sea breeze. But the thing that worried the two was the large frigate docked at the port.
It was a large wooden ship, with large white sails and a flag that bared the crest of the Empire. It was a beautiful wooden ship, retrofitted with cannons all along the port and starboard sides. The mast was thick and reached high into the sky, holding the largest of the three sails, currently furled as they were docked. There was a wooden angel carved into the bow of the ship, and in her hands was an urn with the crest of the Empire. Zack gulped a bit when he saw it.
"Shit...I wasn't expecting the Wicked Wench to be here. That means there are Navy men here." he said.
"That's a worrying thought. Come on, our contact is waiting for us at the Salty Spittoon, don't attract attention to yourself. Neither of us may be on wanted posters, but that doesn't mean we won't catch attention." Mine said, walking down into the city. Zack followed close behind, pulling his hood over his head.
The streets of Marina were quite lively, livelier than the capital in fact. Most of the people out and about were fishermen, bragging about their daily catches and the prices that will beat others in the city. A few women were out shopping with their children, who were asking and begging for a toy or candy. There was also quite a large number of Imperial Police walking around. It was as if they were searching for someone, but neither he or Mine had seen any wanted posters.
Finally reaching the pub, the two teenagers walked inside, earning a nod from the doorman. Zack gave him a smirk, already knowing he was part of the Revolutionary Army, no doubt sent to assist their contact. They walked further into the dark, smoke infested bar, looking around for someone who they might recognize. Zack spotted a hooded figure in the back, sitting at an empty booth. They walked toward it, taking a seat across from the cloaked person. Mine was about to speak when Zack rose his hand.
"On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon's that is dreaming." he said, earning a smirk from the boy across from him.
"And the lamp-light o'er him streaming
Throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow lies floating on the floor
Shall be lifted-Nevermore!"
"Good to know you're still alive Zack." the person said, lowering their hood, revealing the face of a young man, in his late teens, with messy silvery gray hair and blue eyes. He had a large scar across his face, from one of his many sword fights.
"Good to see you too Silver. Mine this is a friend of mine from the Eastern Squadron, he's a Sargent for the army." Zack said briefly.
"Sargent Major now, actually. It's a pleasure to meet you miss, you can call me Silver. If you must know, I do have my hands on an Imperial Arm, but that's something I'll show you later. We're here for something serious, it seems Minister Honest has dispatched a regimen of Imperial Soldiers to Marina. The reason being, a very important senator is currently in town." He said.
"A senator? Who might I ask?" Zack asked.
"Senator Frolo, a very important man in the current senate, and the one currently pushing for higher taxes to low income villages." he said.
"The bastard...he's the one that got away from me the last time I was sent on a mission. So, he's in town huh? That explains why the Wicked Wench is here." Mine said firmly.
"The Wicked Wench is the fastest ship in the Empire's navy. It being here means that they are loading up, most likely to take on the rebels of the south. It makes it the perfect chance to seize it, while we have the chance." the cloaked boy said.
"Whoa wait a minute...the mission was to take out Senator Frolo, not steal the Empire's strongest vessel...are you insane Zack?" Silver asked, earning a chuckle from the boy.
"You know me man, I came from a village near the sea, I know my way around a ship, it will be easy to take care of it, especially while it's getting cargo. Think of it this way, the Senator's Mansion is at the top of the hill, facing the ocean, we can easily use the armament on the ship to cause a stir." Zack said.
"Would be much easier to go in and take him out, just to make sure." the silver haired boy said, earning a smirk from Mine.
"Excuse me, you are looking at the best sniper in the business. That mast is really tall, as long as I get a vantage point, I can get him." She said.
"Further more, if we get ourselves in a Pinch, her power increases, so all we have to do is steal the ship, shoot the port, badda bing, badda boom, target neutralized." Zack said, a smirk on his face. He pulled a cigarette from his pack, lighting it with the candle that was on the table.
"You're fucking insane...but it's a good plan...and even if we fail, we'll still have a stocked warship for our own navy, which in the end is better than going home empty handed." Silver said.
"Alright then, we've got a plan, we've got to wait for the cover of night...for now let's survey the area, we'll meet up at the port after sundown." Zack said firmly.
He didn't show it, but he was grinning inwardly. He was definitely going to brag to Cornelia about this mission. He was going to have a lot of fun pretending to be a pirate for a few hours. For now however, he would walk around the city, and see just how many imperial soldiers were around, including the ones that were on the frigate, for this to work, he would have to sneak aboard the vessel, and that meant being as stealthy as he could.
"Zack, we're gonna need weapons...I have a friend in town who's in charge of the armory, he'll let us go with whatever we need." Silver said.
"Lead the way then, Mine stay close." the boy said, earning a nod from the pinkette, who had been looking at a pink shawl in the store they had passed. He made a mental note to come back for it when he had the chance. Following Silver, they walked down a more secluded street, heading toward the building on the corner. Silver looked around, before giving a knock on the door, followed by three knocks, silence, and then two knocks. The door opened just a crack, barely enough too look through.
"Password." the voice said, Zack noticed it was distinctly female. Silver let out a sighed, shaking his head.
"Nevermore." he said softly. The woman closed the door and undid the chain, opening the door for the three of them to enter. She closed the door shortly after.
Zack glanced at the woman, eyes widening in surprise. She was just as tall as him, with lightly tanned skin and brilliant green eyes. She had long brown hair, falling down her shoulders, down to her mid back. She was wearing a long sleeved black shirt, with a matching white skirt and brown leather boots. She tilted her head in confusion, looking him over.
"Is something the matter sir?"
"No...you're just...you look like my sister Hilda...she's been missing for awhile now." he said.
"Oh...my mistake, I'm sorry if I remind you of her, it must be hard to not know about your sibling. I myself have lost my brother in battle, but that was a long time ago. You two must be the members of Night Raid Silver has told me about, if so then welcome." she said, giving them a bow.
"I gotta say, you've got some neat stuff in here." Mine said, grabbing an M1 Garand from a rack of rifles. She looked it over, holding it to her shoulder, looking down the iron sight.
"Of course. Martha here supplies both the Imperials and the Revolutionaries. She always gives the enemy faulty weaponry, so they can come back for spare parts and give her more money, it's a good ploy isn't it?" Silver asked, wrapping his arm around the girl's shoulder.
"If you say so...come, you must be in need of weapons. Just let me know what you'll need and I shall provide it free of charge." Martha said, walking toward the back counter, where several more rifles had been placed, all of them loaded with magazines.
"I need poison blades for my Phantom Blade. We're gonna try to take the Wicked Wench tonight and I'll need them for silent kills." he said. Her eyes widened a bit in shock.
"You...plan to take the Empire's fastest Frigate? You've got some balls." she said, reaching underneath the counter. She placed a black case on the counter top, flicking it open.
"But, I've got just what you need. Replacement blades, hollow blades, blades filled with an acidic neurotoxin and a new type of poison from a sea type Danger Beast." she said, holding the blue tinged blade out to him.
"A new poison? What does it do?" he asked curiously.
"A single nick or slash from this blade will instantly start freezing the target's blood, freezing them from the inside out. I call it, Icicle Poison." she said.
"That would suck, I can't even imagine that." Silver said, shivering a bit. Zack only grinned as he replaced the blade with the hollow one he had pre-installed into his Phantom Blade.
"It's gonna be so fun to play with these toys. It really is."
"Martha, I need a silenced rifle, the best one you got. If we're really taking this ship over, we'll need to be quick about it." Silver said.
"I've got just what you need, just came in from the smith in the big city." she said, pulling out a black case placing it on the counter.
"An anti-material rifle...with an M-tech silencer...this is a good gun." Mine said, running her fingers over the rifle. It was black in color, having a pistol grip lower, and an AR upper, with an extended barrel. It had a rail on the bottom with a tripod. It also had an M-tech scope on it.
"It can fire semi-automatic and fully automatic, so it will do for what you want it to do. It chambers in .308, so it packs a punch...have fun with it." Martha said, giving him an emotionless smile. She pulled out a fanny pack, filled to the brim with loaded magazines. Silver grinned, closing the case.
"Anything else?" Martha asked, earning a nod from Zack.
"I need a handgun, .45 APC should do, and if you have a silencer, that would be great." he said. She nodded, reaching once more below the counter. She pulled out a black case, flicking it open.
"1911 Silverballer, with a platinum suppressor. It used to belong to a captain in the Empire's army, so you can have it free of charge, even after the mission is through." Martha said, earning a nod from the boy. He pulled out his rifle, placing it on the counter with all of the ammunition he had for it.
"You can have this one, it's served me well, but it could go at any moment, I'm sure you can get new parts for it and give it a new life. I've got other rifles back at the base anyway." he said.
"Alright, here are all of the magazines for that gun, you'll need them." the woman said, handing him a pack filled with magazines. He started emptying it, placing all of the magazines into the enchanted pockets at his waist.
"I think we're all set, if we don't go now, then we won't make it to the port before sundown." Mine said.
"She's right...thanks for this Martha, it means a lot that you're helping us out like this." Zack said, placing the last magazine inside his pouch. He did the same with all of the spare blades he had been given.
"It's no issue, I'm just doing my part to end the current Empire. Good luck with the frigate." she said, earning a nod from the three assassins.
xxx Location: Marina's Port: Wicked Wench xxx
The area around the port was quiet. Due to the fact that an Imperial Navy Vessel was docked at the port, the area was completely blocked, so civilians couldn't get in. Most of the crew belonging to the ship was out and about, spending time at bars and what not. The captain wasn't around either, and neither was the first mate, making it rather easy to get near the ship. In fact, most of the crew was currently at a party at Senator Frolo's house, making it much easier for them to be taken care of.
"So, do you think we'll be here long?" one of the crew members asked, glancing at his friend. The other man was standing by the gangplank, holding a rifle in his hand.
"Hell if I know...we don't have any Navy guys with us, just us crew members. We haven't gotten all of the livestock in the cargo hold yet. Man, did you see all of those weapons though? Makes me think we're going to war." the second said.
"We are, I heard we're gonna head toward the eastern frontier to face the rebel army. Damn tribal bastards." he hissed.
"They're lucky General Esdeath is in the north right now, or else they would have been wiped out entirely. Speaking of that, do you think she's coming back soon?"
"I don't think so...I heard the northern state has that Naga guy, the hero of the north. Some people said she'd probably be gone for the rest of the year, makes it more fun for us." the first man said, earning a nod from the second. The man stiffened having heard something.
"What's wrong Max? You see something?" his friend asked, rising his rifle.
"Nah...thought I heard something flapping, probably a dam gull...let's just focus on guarding this thing, the others are asleep so it would suck if something happened." he said.
A second later, his head snapped to the side, body falling back into the water. Before his friend could even say something, he felt something grab him, blocking his mouth entirely. He let out a muffled scream, his head being twisted to the side. He fell to the ground dead, having his neck completely broken.
"Idiots." Zack muttered, holding his hand up.
Mine and Silver quickly moved forward, following the boy up the gangplank toward the boat deck. He looked around for a few seconds, seeing no one on the deck. He paused when he saw a lamp at the crows nest. By the sounds of it, the two look outs didn't see what happened to their friends down below.
"I got them." Mine said softly, placing her detachable scope around her eye. She pointed her rifle up at the crows next, taking aim at the first man. She squeezed the trigger, a glowing bullet went through the bottom of the next, killing the man instantly. She killed the second man before he could ring the bell.
"You two work fast." Silver said, walking onto the deck. Zack looked around, holding his pistol tightly in his hand, keeping his eyes open. He started moving back toward the helm, keeping his steps light as he walked up the wooden steps. He saw a man looking at a diamond closely with a magnifier. He looked up briefly, letting out a gasp, only to get shot in the eye a second later.
"The spoils of war." Zack said softly, grabbing the uncut rock from the ground, placing it in his pocket.
"Captain's quarters are clear, we need to head below decks." Silver said, slicing the rope that made the bell work.
"I'll keep a look out and shout if anyone approaches." Mine said, leaning up against the doorway. Zack and Silver headed downstairs, going down to the first floor of the frigate.
A large hallway spanned behind them, being painted in brilliant colors. Several doors could be seen, most likely the rooms for the high ranking officers of the navy. Since this was the Flagship of the Royal Navy, it made sense for the officers to have good accommodations. Zack opened the door to the first room, shooting the two men that were sleeping inside. Silver smirked as he reached the second office, peeking through the porthole.
"Looks like you'll get to see my Imperial Arm in action." he said softly. He reached for his waist, where his weapon had been sheathed, in a bright crimson scabbard, he drew it slightly, simultaneously opening the door. The man that was inside looked up from his reading a look of surprise in his face.
"What the hell? Who are you?"
"Your death bringer! Lightning Flash!" he chanted, drawing the rapier from his waist. Faster than light, he jabbed the man before him. He was too stunned to even react. With one final thrust, he pierced his heart, causing him to fall back into the wall, sliding to the ground in a bloody heap.
"Whoa...a speed based sword teigu?" Zack asked.
"Mhmm...this is the Rapier of the Princess: Lambent Light. This Teigu was created to aid the Princess of the Empire, the first born daughter of the first Emperor. It was passed down the royal bloodline, until it was stolen five hundred years ago." the man said, showing the boy the sword.
It looked like a normal rapier, with an almost clear blade, made entirely out of orichilcum. He saw a lightning bolt etched into the blade, along with some other markings. The guard of it was around, blue in color with a beautiful sapphire on the front, which glittered in the moonlight.
"Wow, it's pretty." he said.
"Yup, it allows me to strike with incredible speed, often times making it impossible for anyone to counter attack. Let's go, we need to hurry and take care of these fucks." he said, sheathing his sword.
The two continued clearing out the rest of the ship, making sure there was no one alive inside. They went down to the lower areas of the ship, taking out any and all crew members that ran into. They also reached the brig, seeing several prisoners inside. Zack quickly took out the guards there, walking over to one of the cells.
"Please mister, you have to help us! Our village was destroyed by that Frolo guy!" a little girl cried.
"He wants to sell us to the Empire as slaves!" another boy said.
"Goddamn it...nothing pisses me off more than child slaves. Don't worry kids, we'll bring you to a safe place, for now you'll have to stay here for your own safety alright?" he asked, earning nods from them. He opened the cells up, letting them all out.
"Yo, that a wise idea, they could be lying." Silver said.
"They aren't...come on man, you're telling me a bunch of eight and nine year olds are lying? I mean look there, the oldest one here looks fourteen, and she's not even capable of fighting." he said, glancing at the redhead who was still inside the cell. Silver shook his head, grabbing the rifle from the fallen soldier.
"Okay, which of you is familiar with firearms?" he asked.
"Oh, my dad was a hunter, he taught me how to use a hunting rifle!" one little girl, about eleven years old said, stepping forward. She had long blue hair and torn clothing, her skin being dirty and wet from being in the brig. She was well developed for a little girl, most likely the reason why she was kidnapped in the first place.
"Okay then, an assault rifle has more recoil than a hunting rifle. Since you know how to use something like this, it will be up to you to protect your friends okay? Don't let me down." Silver said, ruffling her hair as he handed her the gun.
"I won't mister, we'll all stay here and wait until you tell us it's safe." she said firmly.
"Guys look alive, we've got movement up ahead, some of the crew members are coming back!" Mine shouted.
"Shit, just what we needed. Come on Silver, you stay here kids." Zack said, racing toward the stairs, swinging around them. He ran all the way to the top deck, glancing over the railing. He saw three crew members walking toward the ship, all of them looking drunk.
"We need to take them out, now." he said, loading his Phantom Blade with a new blade. Mine took aim at one of them, while Silver grabbed his Anti-material rifle, loading a round into the chamber.
"By you're call Mine." Zack said softly, keeping his aim one the guy farthest to the right.
"Now." she said, after a few seconds. At the same time, all three of them took their shot, killing the three men instantly. Zack let out a sigh, walking toward the helm of the ship.
"Alright, now the fun part, we need to get out of here. Silver, I need the sails at full canvas, Mine take care of the mooring lines, I'll do the rest." he said, grabbing one of the nearby ropes.
"Uh...which ones are the mooring lines?" Mine asked, earning a sigh from the boy.
"The ropes holding the ship to the port...we'll also need to weigh anchor so we can sail out of here." he said, earning nods from the others.
"Mister, is there anything we can do to help?" one of the girls asked, peeking from below decks.
"There are kids here?" Mine cried out.
"These Imperial bastards destroyed their village, and kidnapped them, most likely to sell them off as slaves. Actually, we could use help kids, all of you together should be able to pull the anchor up, so get to it." the silver haired man said, earning a nod from the little girl. She called out to the others, the sound of running filling the deck a second later.
Slowly but surely, the three teenagers were able to ready the ship, though it had taken them quite a long time for them to actually do it. Zack made his way back to the helm and turned the wheel to port. The wind caught the sails, making the ship slowly move forward.
"Hehe, suck on these you Imperial fucks!" he cried out, flipping off the house on the hill.
The sails fully opened up, and the ship started gaining speed, pulling them further away from the port. By now, someone had noticed what was going on and had alerted the Imperial Police. The sounds of bells could be heard, along with the loud pattering of hooves on the ground. Zack grit his teeth, spinning the wheel toward the starboard side.
"Mine, get up onto the mast and see if you can see Frolo! Silver, I need you to load one of those cannons and fire it at the port! Kids, if you can lift a cannon ball, then your help is very much appreciated!"
"Yes sir!" the kids cried, running toward the cannons on the boat deck. They pulled one back, grunting a bit while two others lifted up a cannon ball.
Meanwhile, Mine was using the ropes to climb up to the cross beam at the top of the mast. She pulled herself up with ease, taking a hold of the ropes behind her so she wouldn't fall. Once she had a good foothold, she rose her rifle up, using her scope to zoom into the mansion. She saw three figures standing on the balcony, pointing toward the ship in an exaggerated manner. One of them was dressed in black robes, and had long silver hair that reached to his shoulders. He had an angered look on his face. Mine let out a smirk, licking her lips.
"I'm not in a pinch, but I can still get the shot!" she said, pulling the trigger. A brilliant golden light shot out of the barrel, taking the form of a powerful beam of light. She watched on as the bullet passed right through Frolo's forehead, his body falling back. She wasted no time in killing the Captain and first mate of the Wicked Wench as well. Two cannons fired at the same time, destroying the storehouses near the port.
"Hehe! Gentlemen, remember this as the day that you almost caught Night Raid!" Zack said, saluting the soldiers at the port. Several archers had lined up, hoping to take out the thieves that had stolen the frigate, but were unable to even reach it. The kids started cheering loudly, shouting about how they were finally free.
"I cannot believe we just stole a fucking ship! We killed the targets too, this is gonna be so fucking awesome!" Silver cried happily, running up to the helm, earning a smile from Zack.
"Told you dude, now that we have the fastest ship in the Empire, we'll be able to defeat the Royal Navy with ease. I'm setting a course for the port of Versailles in the Principality of Veronica, it's two days from here so we should be able to get there with ease." he said.
"Heh, this is definitely getting us some points with the boss, striding into port on the fastest ship ever built. I'm so gonna rub this in Cornelia's face." Mine said, using one of the ropes to slide down onto the boat deck.
"Miss you were so awesome up there!"
"Yeah, thanks for getting rid of that awful captain, and that smelly senator!"
"You're awesome!"
Mine didn't know how to react, especially since so many kids were currently hugging her. She looked up at Zack, giving him an unreadable expression, he just gave her a grin. He could tell the kids really liked he, so he wasn't going to do anything to stop them from showing her affection. After all, Mine secretly liked spending time with kids, since she often played with the little girls at the slums whenever she and Leone went on missions. He of course briefly wondered if Cornelia was doing fine on her own mission. Still, he was definitely going to brag to her about this, the day Zack the Grim Reaper became Zack the Pirate.
"Yo ho, yo ho, the pirates life for me!" he cried, his shoulders shaking with mirth as he let out a loud laugh, causing Silver and Mine to groan in response.