"General, I was wondering, what do you do in your spare time?" The excitable orange haired soldier asked Esdeath as they waited for the food. Esdeath was pulled from her thought's by the girl.
"Mostly hunting and torture, otherwise I'd study..." She rested her chin on her hands. "...But recently my thought's have been focused on love" She cheeks gained a slight pink tinge at the thought of the white haired cook but she also felt saddened at his white hair. 'what changed you so much?...Kaen' Her eye's drifted to the calm black haired girl. Esdeath read the report it stating the two girls whom were finishing the exam with Kaen were devastated at the boy's apparent death.
After they discussed the forming of a tournament to find someone to wield the newly acquired Teigu. Esdeath asked Kurome to stay behind so she could talk to her. After They began to walk about, they walked in silence for a few minutes till Esdeath stopped. Kurome watched the blue haired general's back waiting for her to say something.
"Kurome do happen to remember a boy from your exam named Kaen?" She then brought her hand up stopping Kurome's blade with two fingers and a layer of ice separating the two. Kurome then slowly retracted her blade before sliding it back into it's sheathe. Her expression was still the calm neutral mask but was now slightly darkened.
"I apologize, I have bad reactions to bad memories" Esdeath understood the girl, and slightly impressed at the girl's speed.
"It is understandable, merely control yourself or next time I'll be less...Understanding" Esdeath said lacing a subtle threat into her words. "Anyway, I want you to tell me, what you feeling of his are. This made Kurome twitch slightly as she looked at the general and saw she giving a small smile. "From your reaction alone to his name, I can tell you still think of him. I'm merely curious about how you still feel." Kurome not expecting this had a blush creep across her face.
She did think of her old friend. In some respects similar to how she thought about her sister. She missed them both, and always felt torn about her memories of their time together. Most were happy and made her smile, but the good memories always led to the bad. The memories of each of them leaving her.
Esdeath saw the turmoil going on in the girl, and gently set a hand on her shoulder. Kurome looked up at her and the general smiled down at her.
"What if I were to tell you I believe Kaen is still alive" Esdeath told her as more of a statement then a question. Kurome's eye's widened as she was at a lost for words, She didn't know what to say. "I believe that he survived by unknown circumstances, but has suffered memory loss" Kurome looked disheartened for a moment before Esdeath by her eyes back to her. "He has told me that he has been slowly regaining his memories. I don't currently know his location but he seems to trade in the capital often" Kurome then did something that surprised Esdeath. She hugged her, as she shoulders shook slightly.
Esdeath smiled at the girl's action's. She could see the way Kurome felt toward her lost friend.
"Come now, There's a few thing's I'll need to tell you first."
The capital was bustling with excitement at he arena. The competitors were dueling for the huge cash prize. Though through out it, it was becoming quite boring to Esdeath. None of the fighters really impressed her or caught her interest. Run was by her side as she relaxed on a love-seat, wave was acting referee and Kurome was staying out of sight.
Kurome was meant to watch out for threats to safety, but found nothing that would bring harm to Esdeath or the crowd. She munched on a candy slightly annoyed at the blue haired general. Esdeath had explained to her what Kaen had told her about his condition, and that he looked different now. She wanted to know how he looked now but Esdeath told her that if she saw him, she'll probably know.
The tournament itself was fine if a little boring, but entertaining enough. The next match began as she decided to relax a bit after getting a nod from Esdeath. One of the fighters was a huge brutish looking man, his head was what seemed to surprise and creep a few people out. It looked like a bulls head, and didn't seem to be a mask.
The other was a young man with white hair. He was wearing some basic black slacks and a red dress shirt, and a pair dress shoes. He was also wearing a grey coat which it's hem was just above his knees but was left open. It looked like there was some sort of bag strapped to the back of his waist, and black scarf. What surprised her a bit was his eyes they were golden and seemed almost a lite.
"In the East corner...Karubi the Butcher!" Wave then pointed to the opposite side. "And in the West...Kenichi the Cook!" Kurome didn't pay attention to the bull man or his words as she saw that Esdeath was watching the white haired cook. As Wave called the match to begin she saw a smirk come across Kenichi's face. All of sudden as Karubi brought his fist down he was replaced with a danger beast and the white haired man was now a thirteen year old black haired boy with blue eye's.
She watched as she saw the two scenes one in one as the boy and the man jumped onto the opponents hand before running its arm. They jumped as their opponent threw them to get them off it's arm. They twisted in the air using the momentum and delivered a kick to the side of it's head with a resounding crack that sent the beast tumbling to the ground.
The crowd was silent and shocked for a moment at the sheer shortness of the match before the crowd roared with excitement. Kurome's eye's began to water as she saw Kenichi smile a big triumphant grin. She looked to Esdeath as the general had looked back at her with a smile and a nod, as Kurome quickly tried to dry her eyes. She then began to walk down to the ring.
Kenichi stretched as he almost felt disappointed at how much of a pushover Karubi was. He noticed Esdeath was coming down to the ring, he figured it was involving the prize money.
"Well I must say it seems we keep running into each other" She said as she looked at him with a loving smile. This confused Kenichi slightly as he felt a slight tingling in the base of his skull. He pushed back the feeling as he continued to watch her. Despite her reputation, he couldn't help but find her smile contagious. He knew how Tatsumi felt about the woman after Bulat's death, but there was something. Something that made him want to trust her.
"It would seem so, but it's a nice change of pace to do something in the community" He joked slightly as he saw her walk closer as she reached behind her back to get what he assumed was the money.
"I think you deserve a reward for such a superb show of skill" The next thing Kenichi saw was Esdeath hugging him as she whispered. "From now on...you'll be mine" His eye's widened as he felt a shock course through his mind. As Esdeath moved back slightly she saw him clutch his head, making her worried. Kenichi looked to her as he saw just passed her shoulder a girl with black hair and eye's looking at him with worried eyes.
'K-Kurome?' The two females saw the recognition in his expression before his eyes rolled back. He lose his footing as he collapsed, but was caught by Esdeath. She had a slight look of shock that mirrored Kurome as she ran to Esdeath and her lost friend. Kurome felt more tears begin building as she feared losing him again before she could even speak to him.
Wave and Bol's came onto the stage to help carry the cook. Esdeath and Kurome following behind with worry. This leaving the three night raid members in the audience to question in shock what the hell had just happened.
'Troublesome women...' Gisei looked over at Kenichi in their shared mindscape. He walked over to the young man's eyes as they seemed to swirl and dilate continuously. "Pull through pup' He curled up around Kenichi protectively. He blocked off the flooding memories that tried to flow out more than what already did.
Kenichi felt as if he was sinking into something. Something that seemed to fit but was also off.
"Hey come on now, it's time to wake up" He groaned as he wanted to sleep more.
"Five more minutes" The blue haired girl gave him a deadpan look. She then with a sharp yank pulled the blanket off the young black haired boy.
"That's what you said five minutes ago" She gave him a smile that made him blush as he turned away from her.
"It's not my fault mom want's you to wake up earlier all the time, I don't get why I'm always dragged around" He puffed out his cheeks making the girl laugh as she handed him his shoes and coat.
"Well Teacher is the best, and know's what she is talking about." The blue haired girl gained stars in her eyes. "She's so strong and if I could get even a portion of her confidence, I know I'll go far!" He gave her a perplexed smile at the girl, and her action's.
"Your such a fan-girl of her sometimes Esdeath" She turned back to him aghast at the accusation.
"I am not! I am her admiring pupil! Far above a lowly fan!" She ranted on as he finished getting ready. She gained a sneaky smirk as she wrapped her arm's around him from behind making the pre-teen blush since she was several inches taller. "And I wouldn't be anywhere without my own little admirer." He blushed at her words.
"I was just a little kid when I said I wanted to marry you-"
"And I said yes, so your mine." The pre-teen sighed as she let go and walked of to the training field.
"Okay this is the last one for both of you" He stated as he looked at the two sister's that were drooling slightly as he cooked the danger beast they had killed a hour ago. The girl's had ,multiple time's to pinch bites before it was done. He couldn't stay annoyed because they had the universal power all girl's seemed to have. Puppy dog eyes.
After they finished eating they put out the fire and broke their makeshift camp. It was the last day of the examination for the squads that the empire were forming to partake in mission that safe guard the nation. They were getting near to the base camp, but kept running into danger beasts. It wasn't that is was becoming more dangerous, but more tedious. Though none of the three could complain at they full satisfied stomachs.
"How much farther do you think it is Kaen?" He looked over to Akame as Kurome was riding on her back. He looked at the sky remembering where the sun had set, and looked to the treeline.
"They said it would east of a cliff-side, so it should be that way." He pointed at he could smell the salt in the air coming from the direction and where they had seen seagulls flying around. "They when we get there you two can meet my mom, and she can give you two some lessons" Both Kurome and Akame lightly bopped the boy at his joking attitude.
He smiled as he patted both their heads making them blush slightly. They came upon a clearing bringing a tall cliff side into their vision, they saw just the edges of the base camp as they started running to it. A grin on his face as he saw his mother in the distance. He was the glint of something pass her and to the side as he stopped running. The light grew brighter till he saw it start to get bigger.
It was heading toward his direction quickly shoved Akame and Kurome away from where he was. The light struck his shoulder, pushing him back as he felt numb all over. He saw Akame and Kurome looking like they were screaming, but he couldn't hear anything as he fell. But it was farther than he thought as the edge of the cliff side got farther. He reached out with his right arm but it wouldn't move and everything went black.
Kenichi woke with a start as he looked around as he saw he was in his mindscape. He saw Gisei off to the side watching him as his tail swayed back and forth.
'You knew didn't you." He stated knowing he was right as his partner merely nodded. "I understand if you told me I would have probably lost my mind" He walked over and looked the danger beast straight in the eye. "But there's something your not telling me"
'There are many thing's I can't tell you but there is something I should explain more' Kenichi waited as Gisei stood up and his flames sprung to life from his head and each of his paws. ' I already told you that if you have to much information from the dormant memories in your mind let out at once you could die, but you would also go on a rampage as your instincts take control. You'll hunt who ever caused it and anything that keeps you from them before you burnout' The beasts lowered his head to Kenichi's level. 'I, as I have been will help you control this and help you filter these memories, but as I've told you before you have to withstand and don't let it wash you away' He walked back over to his usual spot he rested when Kenichi was there.
'Kurome...Esdeath..." Kenichi sighed as he took a deep breath before he willed himself to wake.
"Don't worry guy's this guy will be up and ready to join us in our fight for justice in no time" Kenichi felt his head being patted, but got a sense of disgust toward the hand and voice. He remembered Mine talking about how the one who killed Sheele would non stop spout about justice.
"I'd prefer it if people I don't know to not touch me so familiarly" He spoke surprising everyone in the room as he stood up pushing aside the orange haired Imperial guard. "Plus I do like being touched by those who followed a hypocritical thug" He saw the girl's expression enter full on anger as she grabbed his collar.
"Take that back, Captain Ogre was a honorable warrior of justice" He glared right back at her as he grabbed her collar the same way.
"Make me Bitch, he was a two bit thug who thought he own the city and could do whatever he liked." He growled at each other as Kenichi noticed the little dog growling at him. It tried to bite him in a pounce before he clocked it on its head back the ground. "Stay out this mutt!" He kicked the organic Teigu across the room into the wall. Before either of them could do anything else, the two of them suddenly found themselves at either end of the room covered in ice. They looked confused at each other before looking to see a slightly annoyed Esdeath.
