Disclaimer - I own no part of Akame ga Kill, nor do I claim to.


Tatsumi and the rest of Night Raid was called from, well various places. He was pretty sure Mine was called from target shooting with someone with a cowgirl's attire and two revolvers. Yet, here Mine was, and the cowgirl no where to be found. Mysterious. He and Bulat were sparring when they were summoned. It was a grave general who found them, but he didn't say a word, only gestured. Obviously, Bulat knew what was up, and follow the strange general without question.

Leone and Lubbock were walking in together, and Sheele was following with her favorite snack. Kurome was already in the room when the others got there, though she looked slightly more exhausted than normal. Tatsumi wondered what was up with her. Probably didn't eat enough Tatsumi thought sarcastically.

"Night Raid, your next target is the serial killer that's been tormenting the city. He has been slaughtering not only the everyday folk, but even guards of the Palace. He beheads people in the middle of the night, but no one has been able to find him, nor get a good glance and live," Najenda informed.

"Strong guy!" Tatsumi said.

"We've probably got Zank on our hands," Lubbock said.

"Zank? Who's Zank?" Tatsumi asked confused.

Mine laughed cruelly, "You really are a country boy!" she crowed, "How can you not know who he is?"

Tatsumi's eyes narrowed but before he could respond, Kurome interrupted, "He's someone I'd like to add to my collection at some point," she said wistfully, "Especially if he is in possession of a Teigu, provided that the rumors of him possessing one is true."

"Collection? Teigu?"

"Great timing," Lubbock sad dryly before reaching into the folds of his green jacket. He pulled out a relatively thin leather bound book. The book was very old and frail, but at the same time, looked well preserved. He was just caring this around?!

Tatsumi opened the book and flipped through the pages. His green eyes widening in astonishment at the contents of the page.

"Those pages, contain everything that we know about the forty-eight exclusive weapons known as 'Teigus' or 'Imperial Arms'. Each weapon is capable of giving the user incredible strength of different kinds," Najenda's eyes lit up as she started talking about the Teigu.

She explained that there were, as it were, forty-eight in total made around a thousand years ago by the first Emperor. However, due to a civil war, many were spread across the country and lost.

"Pity," Tatsumi said, "I would've liked one, so there are all these pictures. I'm starting to match them with what you guys have." He looked up from the book and glanced at Bulat thinking back to the time Bulat put armor on in front of him.

Bulat grinned, "That's right Tatsumi! We have Teigu."

"So you all have some?" Tatsumi's gaze met green, black, yellow, and pink respectively.

"We do,"

"What do they do?"

"My gun, Pumpkin, uses my emotions as ammo, and the more danger or emotional I feel.." Mine trailed off, "Well, it expresses that emotion into raw power, and the stronger my shots become."

"I bear the Demon Armor Incursio or as some refer it as Demon Binding Incursio. It enhances my strength and prowess in battle. I am also able, provided I have the strength, to become invisible for short periods of time, it is my trump card. Some Teigu have them, some do not. However, it comes at a cost, it is incredibly tiring. If a regular, unprepared and untrained person were to put it on just willy nilly, they would die due to the stress it puts on the body."

Lubbock stepped forward, and from behind his back pulled out some metallic string. Tatsumi's jaw dropped, "String?" he asked disbelievingly.

Lubbock's eyes narrowed and he clutched the string to his chest, wounded. As if Tatsumi had just insulted his favorite toy, "This string is known as Protean Cross Tails. It allows me to set traps, sense for danger, create weapons, and do anything I desire, provided I have the mind and string for it. This string has saved the lives of Night Raid more than once."

Sheele, seemingly out of nowhere, pulled out a gigantic scissor, "These are the world's most dangerous scissors, capable of cutting through anything," Sheele glanced sideways towards Bulat, "Even Bulat's armor, which like all other armor-type Teigu are impenetrable."

Leone grinned in a feral manner, much like a cat, "My Teigu allows me to transform parts of my body into that of a lions. This gives me better speed and senses. My instincts are more in tune, and I am much much stronger."

Kurome frowned, "Every Teigu is paired to an owner that has a similar personality. My Teigu, fits my personality nicely," Kurome drew her katana and raised it above her head. Streaks of black lightning erupted from a black orb that appeared above the tip of her sword.

Slowly four things crawled out of the ground. Kurome smiled crookedly, in an almost insane manner. "Yatsufusa, or March of the Dead, allows me to control up to eight of the dead that I have killed. There is one person, I desire to add to my collection most though, which is why I always have a spare space. I have seven filled now, one of which will not fit in this room."

Kurome glanced at the creatures that erupted from the ground, and Tatsumi recognized three of them. Natala, as it were, the cowgirl, and the weird general. The fourth was a mystery.

"Who's the fourth?"

"Gozuki."

Gozuki perked to attention when he heard his name. He was a middle-aged man with blond hair and green eyes. He bore a small beard and wore a white shirt with black pants. Topping the outfit was a red scarf.

"They guard me if I call them, at any time. As long as I have the energy. Dismissed." Kurome said calmly, sheathing her katana, "You know where to find me when we move out."

"Kurome?" Najenda called from her chair.

"As you probably know, Zank, before he left, he stole the warden's Teigu. We do not known what it does, you will be working with Tatsumi again." Kurome nodded in acceptance before exiting the room, katana in hand.

Why me?! I would've taken Mine over Kurome. Now I know she has the capabilities of enslaving me...

OoOoOoOoO

Kurome retreated to her room and unsheathed her katana once again. Kurome called Natala out. One more space. What are you doing now, Sis?

Aloud, "Natala, there's one more space. I thought because I killed Gozuki, she'd come with me. Now.. I have no other option."

OoOoOoOoO

Tatsumi cursed himself again for being so careless. He had, despite it being Sayo, allowed himself to be separated from his partner. I mean, yeah, Kurome was creepy, but she didn't want to cut his head off! Or so she assured him.

"How did you find me?"

"With my Teigu. It gives me five different abilities. One is to be able to see things from very far away."

"I assume you're Zank?"

"Don't say it so.. plainly! You must say it with affection. Repeat after me, 'You are...Zank the Executioner!' Your turn," Zank the Executioner said eagerly.

Tatsumi frowned, and slowly repeated what he was to repeat, but halfway through, Tatsumi rushed forward and swung his sword.

Zank bellowed, "Smart, because I was talking you thought you could get a good swing in!"

How did he know? "I can see your confusion. That is understandable," Zank replied.

Tatsumi lunged again trying out a couple of feints, and blows that went for vital spots. He tried to use his speed, but ultimately, Zank was getting more strikes in just from being on defensive, than Tatsumi was being offensive. Tatsumi hesitated mid-swing debating his next set of attacks, and Zank took that opportunity to switch to offense.

Almost immediately, Tatsumi threw his sword up in defense, but he taking too many hits to his arms and legs, sapping his strength. One particularly nasty strike revealed bones on his knee. Zank kicked towards Tatsumi forcing Tatsumi to slide back.

I can't beat him, this is like fighting Kurome all over again, Tatsumi grimaced at that particular memory. They had sparred for at least three hours, and Kurome had neither broken a sweat nor taken a hit. She had blocked his blows almost lazily, revealing much more arm strength than she led people to believe.

"Oh? it looks like this Kurome person, might be a worthy fight. She has a wanted poster around here, doesn't she?" Zank's voice brought Tatsumi from his thoughts.

Tatsumi didn't bother dignifying Zank with a response, and kept his thoughts simple: Put his life on the line with this one strike. Tatsumi rushed at Zank with speed unmatched and managed to strike Zank's cheek, just below his eye. Unfortunately, Zank got a strike in as well. Tatsumi's back erupted in blood from the attack, causing him to collapse.

Zank frowned, "I had hoped you would be a good opponent. I guess not." Zank started to approach Tatsumi's fallen form when suddenly two bodies erupted from the floor. The cowgirl, Doya, and Natala.

"I was able to find you Tatsumi, don't run off again," Kurome's voice sounded from the dark before she stepped into the moonlit field behind Zank.

"How? I did not see you approach."

"I enjoy watching and observing fights more than I like participating. It would seem you can not read the thoughts of the dead, interesting," Kurome said amusedly, this fight had already been one, "If you cannot read their thoughts, then you do not have the skill to beat Natala and Doya simultaneously in battle."

Zank grit his teeth in anger and rushed at Kurome, but before he could, Natala reacted at insane speed, and blocked the incoming attack directed for his mistress. Kurome grinned and made her way towards Tatsumi to check his injuries. Instructing orders to Doya to kill Zank, she turned her back, mostly, on the fight.

Kurome sighed when she saw his wounds, these were much better than she thought previously. Though the strike to the back was lucky it did not hit any internal organs like the kidneys, that would be bad.

"Don't worry about me," Tatsumi said choking up some blood.

Kurome stared at him unblinkingly, before nodding and she drew the katana that she had previously been carrying and joined the fight. Kurome instructed her puppets to tend to Tatsumi, as they both had minimal knowledge of First Aid.

"Finally a challenge," she remarked and drew her katana.

Zank sneered and took off his trench coat. He rushed towards Kurome, counting on his gift to save him. Kurome smiled and dodged every single attack that came her way, parrying a few. Zank frowned, I should be able to read her mind, yet strangely, it's blank! She must be able to achieve a state of nothing.

"How do you not have thoughts?"

"My comrade's parting gift to me was the ability and advice on how to achieve this state of nothingness. She was taught by her master, and in turn, she taught me," Kurome's voice held a hint of pain to it.

Zank had a light bulb moment, he knew how to beat her. He activated his Illusionary Sight Ability on his Teigu.

Kurome inhaled sharply, "A-a.. I have a spot for you, how kind of you to come."

Zank gave a monologue of how his Teigu only worked on one person at a time, but the hypnosis of this ability was strong and could not simply be broken.

"Die, Kurome, facing your loved one!" He crowed in victory and raced with blinding speed towards Kurome. Kurome saw the illusion draw a sword, so she prepared hers as well. And when the illusion struck, she parred and cut up the illusion.

"How?!" Zank shouted enraged, no doubt waking many people up, not to mention drawing the attention of others towards their location.

"I loved her, but when I left, we agreed. I would kill her, she would kill me. I am merely living up to that oath," Kurome's chilling response made everyone cringe. She had said it with such confidence, "This fight, is over."

Kurome lunged and quickly broke Zank's weapons within a manner of minutes, and Zank, being without defense, could only widen his eyes in horror as Kurome cut his throat. Kurome's katana glowed an eerie black, but dimmed afterwards. When Zank fell, she reached forwards and grasped the strange mechanic eye that was rested on Zank's forhead and removed it.

Walking away, she flicked her sword removing all traces of wet blood, and walked towards the Hideout, gesturing for Natala and Doya to bring Tatsumi.

Tatsumi's eyes drooped, his final thoughts of the fight, and how strange it had been.

OoOoOoOoO

"I see you are the first to return," the man boomed.

"Of course," was the red-eyed figures reply.

"Do you ever say anything?"

"Only when needed."

"Hey Akame!" a voice sounded from somewhere, "You back yet?"

A teenager strolled into the room, "Of course you are, why did I bother asking."

The newcomer bowed to the slightly (who am I kidding?), majorly overweight man, "Mission complete m'lord. Nothing to report otherwise, everything is made right now."

The overweight man nodded pleased by the reports given to him before dismissing the pair to do as they pleased. Despite the loss of Gozuki, these kids still remain loyal to the Empire.. though, the one with red-eyes concerns me. I can see why Gozuki's reports were thorough about keeping an eye on her.


And we're done! We finally got to see Akame a bit more. This chapter reveals a portion of Kurome's insanity.

In terms of her abilities - In the anime and manga, I feel they underestimate her abilities, she was after all, good enough to reach #8, and managed to get onto the Elite 7 (to my knowledge) later on in life because she needed to replace some of Akame's comrades.

This concludes this particular installment of Reversed Destinies. Reviews are welcome.

Also, I have this week off for some holiday or other, so I'll have plenty of time to post new chapters and revise old ones.

As always, thanks for your support, till next time!