A/N I AM SO, SO SORRY for taking so long….college grabbed me by the nuts and J had little to no time to work on this. I'm sorry everyone!
Chapter 7 - Dark City
Tatsumi grinned as he stood at the kitchen window with a cup of coffee in his hand, watching his wife outside with Extase using the Teigu to try and master it. Ever since she had used it against the Inquisitors sent after Esdia, the day before yesterday, she had taken the giant pair of scissors outside and worked with them just like Tatsumi had been taking Incursio out for spins.
He could hardly contain himself at how similar Mine was to Sheele as he watched her in her pink cheongsam, the same dress that Sheele wore when she was alive, and it seemed their movements when wielding the Teigu were almost the exact same. It was almost as if Sheele herself was there guiding Mine through the motions, the techniques, so that she could better understand Extase like it was the back of her hand.
"She looks really pretty."
Tatsumi looked down at Esdia, who had suddenly appeared at his side with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and he chuckled.
"Mhmm...she certainly is. She's the most beautiful person I know, and I'm not saying that because she's my wife." he replied with a grin as he returned to watching her.
His grin vanished when he saw Mine stop as Wave and Kurome, both with grim expressions, walk up to her and look at the house, most likely waiting for him to appear and join her. Tatsumi went out the front door and jogged to them, slowing down to a stop at Mine's side.
"What's the problem, Wave, Kurome?"
They glanced at one another and Wave nod his head, looking back at them and asking, " Could we go inside? You're going to need to sit down for this…"
"Yeah...sure, I guess."
Tatsumi Lead then back to their house and once he and Mine were settled on their couch, Kurome and Wave took their own seats and sighed heavily.
"So...what's going on?" asked Mine, worried now about what had her friends so down.
"I'll be brief...the Imperial Capital's fallen to outside invaders from the eastern nation."
"What?"
Both Tatsumi and Mine were shocked beyond belief, the very thought of the capital falling to invaders almost impossible. Mine blinked a few times, still struggling to comprehend the revelation, while Tatsumi ran his hand through his hair and chuckled a little.
"You're kidding right? R-Right….?"
"No….it's true. We were there when the first artillery shells struck the city." replied Kurome in a solemn tone.
"They attacked at dawn and caught the city totally off guard. And their soldiers were well armed and very well trained as well, they used swords, shields and rifles with great efficiency." added on Wave, which only served to deflate Mine and Tatsumi even more.
"It sounds like they were prepared for this…." said Mine in almost a whisper.
"Is there….anything else…?" asked Tatsumi in a low tone. "Were you able to identify the invading force's commander?"
Wave nod his head and leaned forward until he rested his elbows on his knees, sighing heavily. "Yes...I was. It's something we've never seen before….he wasn't even human. It was this….cyborg-like creature that looked like a skeleton. It was pitch black, with these purple markings, and it had four eyes."
"Black….skeleton…?"
Wave and Kurome turned to see the blanket wrapped Esdia standing at the foot of the stairs with wide eyes, the description of the enemy commander clearly familiar to her.
"Who is that?" asked Kurome as she looked at her.
"Her name's Esdia, and judging by your reaction…" Mine beckoned her over and gently rubbed her back when Esdia sat in her lap. "You know who this cyborg is...don't you."
Esdia started to tear up some as she slowly nod her head, her hands shaking slightly when those memories she had tried to lock away came back slowly. It took her a few moments to gather herself considering the memories alone were enough to render her speechless, her mouth only opening and closing. Finally after calming herself through breathing exercises she cleared her throat and dried her eyes
"Yes...I do….he….he was the one that killed my Grandfather…."
Her voice was almost a whisper, but it spoke volumes among the silence of the others present with her.
"He was following the orders of my country's Consul….sort of like your Prime Minister….her name's Maxwell….she led a coup and took control of Judecca from my family…"
Wave and Kurome were left dumbfounded after Esdia told them of the horrific events that transpired during the coup, the brutal beating of her grandfather and of her flight from the country with the help of her uncle. When she had finished she hid herself in Mine's arms and shuddered, pulling the blankets around her body closer.
"That's…." murmured Kurome, but she stopped there, unable to continue for a few moments. "That's…..that's just as bad as what Honest did…..if not worse…."
Tatsumi silently agreed with Kurome with a nod and crossed his arms over his chest while Wave leaned back and stroked his chin, his mind going at a hundred miles per hour to process the new information from Esdia.
"Judecca huh….I think i've heard that name before, but….It was a long time ago from some book I read. But, aside from that….there must be some reason as to why this Maxwell character decided to invade the Empire…"
"What should we do?" asked Mine, looking from one person to the other.
"Mm…"
Tatsumi thought for a moment, closing his eyes to go over the options presented before him. By now the Imperial Capital would be totally overrun with enemy soldiers, and there was a good chance that the black skeleton cyborg was still there. He came to a pair of conclusions, and the final decision rested on only one question needing to be answered.
"Wave….Kurome…..where are Najenda and Leone…?"
Kurome and Wave became silent and looked away from him, their reactions alone enough to tell him something bad had happened to the both of them.
"They've been captured….and as far as I know….they're both still alive…" murmured Wave. "We would've stayed and helped, but with Kurome without her sword and with an entire army around us….the situation was grim as is, and Najenda ordered us both to flee."
"We're sorry…"
Tatsumi rubbed his chin some more and growled to himself as she stood up and paced, trying to think of what to do. Coming to him and Mine was a great idea, but what were they to do against a whole army and a supposed cyborg? Tatsumi growled a little bit more before he sighed and looked at everyone.
"There's really only one thing we can do. We need to go to the capital and figure out where Najenda and Leone are being held, stage a rescue, and get out of there." he said with a stern expression.
"Is that really the only option…?" asked Mine.
"Unfortunately, yes...we cant leave Najenda and Leone with the enemy, and having them would give us some key insight onto just who we're dealing with."
The four of them with Esdia sat in silence as they mulled over Tatsumi's words, their eyes going from the floor, to the others in the room, to various objects around the room itself. Eventually Wave coughed to break the silence and stood up to join Tatsumi, crossing his arms.
"I agree...I feel like I owe it to Najenda…"
"Then it's settled...we need to go to the capital."
Mine stood up as well and clenched her fist, looking at them with a determined expression, as did Kurome.
"Alright then." Tatsumi turned to Esdia. "Esdia….I need you to stay here and look after Unryuu for us. I don't know what I'd do if she got hurt…"
Esdia nod her head and gave them her own determined expression. After gathering everything they needed, Tatsumi told Wave and Kurome to wait outside while he and Mine went to get the last few things they needed and say goodbye to their daughter. Esdia waited outside as they walked into Unryuu's bedroom and smiled softly as they looked at her sleeping softly in her bed.
Tatsumi got down on a knee next to her and he gently stroked her cheek with the back of his hand, Unryuu smiling a little in her sleep.
"We'll be back, Unryuu….we promise…"
He then stood up and let Mine have her time with their daughter, Mine taking a similar kneeling posture and giving Unryuu a gentle kiss on the forehead. At that moment Unryuu slowly opened her eyes, still half-asleep, and looked at the two of them.
"Mommy…...Daddy…..?"
"It's okay sweetie, you can go back to sleep...Mommy and Daddy have to go for a little bit….Esdia is going to watch over you while we're gone, okay?"
Unryuu blinked a few times before she nod her head and went back to sleep, snoring softly with her stuffed lion in her arms. Mine smiled and kissed her forehead again before she stood back up and left the room with Tatsumi. They went back downstairs and Mine grabbed Extase once again while Tatsumi grabbed Incursio's key and put it into its sheath.
"Let's go."
"Right."
The husband and wife walked outside after bidding farewell to Esdia, joining Wave and Kurome outside. They readied themselves mentally and with a nod the group departed from Tatsumi and Mine's country home, finding the cobblestone road that would take them on a direct route to the capital.
- Later that Day -
"There it is...the capital….or what's left of it…" muttered Wave when they arrived at a hill overlooking the Imperial Capital, Mine and Tatsumi gasping when they saw the craters dotting the once pristine cityscape.
"Oh my god….." uttered Mine in utter horror.
Tatsumi clenched his fists and growled. "Those bastards…."
"Easy, friend...we'll pay them back. I promise." said Wave reassuringly as he pat Tatsumi on the shoulder.
"Right….well, what to do now…?" asked Mine.
"Considering the enemy general saw both of us with his own...eyes….he would have probably put the city occupants on high alert for both of us…" said Kurome in a low tone as she took out a pair of binoculars to observe the city skyline.
"So...Mine and I should go in alone and survey the city ourselves, then come back?" said Tatsumi with a glance at her, Kurome nodding.
"It would be safer if you left Extase here with us Mine, Tatsumi can undoubtedly protect you with Incursio." said Wave, Tatsumi grinning.
"Damn right!"
"Then it's settled. Tatsumi, Mine, be careful…"
Kurome hugged the both of them and Mine smiled as she pat her head, Tatsumi grinning when he rubbed her back and gave her a hug in return. Once they were ready the couple walked down the hill toward one of the side entrances to the capital, managing to slip in without any troubles. Once inside, however….that's when they really saw the effects of the invasion.
The people they remember would smile and wave at them shuffled around with their heads hung low, looks of terror on their faces, and a general aura of fear.
"The people are so different…." whispered Tatsumi to Mine as they walked through the streets, happening to catch unknown soldiers wearing not before seen uniforms.
They figured these soldiers must be of the occupying force and continued to walk through the streets, eventually turning down another side street and spotting a pair of men dressed in all black armor and robes with red t-visors in their helmets. As they got closer Tatsumi and Mine stepped off to the side to make way for them to walk by.
Tatsumi felt a chill go up his spine as the what seemed to be knights slowly walked by them, their heads turning toward them and a garbled, distorted speech coming from the men instead of actual words.
When they walked by them, Mine and Tatsumi continued their stroll. "What were those things…"
"I don't know...but I got a chill up my spine just looking at them…" muttered Tatsumi under his breath.
They walked for a little while before they turned down a road and saw all the way down the adjacent road all the way to the gates of the Imperial Palace, where guarding them were more of the black cloaked knights standing rigidly still.
"We can't get much work done during the day, I think we should wait out until it's night time." whispered Tatsumi to Mine as they turned away from looking at the palace
"Yeah, and I know where we can go."
Tatsumi grinned a little when he saw that look in Mine's eye as he followed her through the city down some familiar roads until finally they came to a quaint little bookshop the both of them had come to know when they were younger. Mine opened the door and they walked into the bookshop, the bookshelves dusty and crowded with some cobwebs from the years of disuse.
Tatsumi ran his hand along the front counter and smiled a little as he looked around the bookshop, remembering the times he had come here.
"You remember where the switch it…?" asked Mine as she scanned the shelves, Tatsumi doing the same behind the counter before he grinned and found the correct book.
A simple pull opened up the bookcase next to the one he was at, revealing a hidden staircase that led down into the former Imperial capital hideout of Night Raid. They walked down into the common area of the hideout after closing the entrance off and looked around at the perfectly persevered furniture, not a single thing out of place since their last time here so many years ago.
"So many memories were made here….its kind of hard not to think of them here…" said Mine as she looked around the common room, Tatsumi chuckling as he plopped down in one of the couches.
"Yeah, of the times you got on my ass?"
"Oh shut up you~"
Mine giggled as she hugged him from behind, her tits squishing against the back of his head. Tatsumi chuckled as he glanced over his shoulder and smiled at her as Mine climbed over the back of the couch and sat down next to him, resting her head on his shoulder.
The two remained in the former Night Raid hideout, reminiscing about their own memories of their time with the assassination group until Tatsumi went back up to the storefront cover and saw that it was night out.
"Alright...let's do this. You remain on the streets, while I will…." he said as he formed Incuriso's armor around him. "I'll go along the rooftops while I'm invisible."
"Be safe Tatsumi." said Mine when she cupped the cheeks of his helmet and smiled softly.
"...I will, I promise."
The two shared a few more moments together before they went back out onto the street and with a final wave Tatsumi lept to the top of the nearest building and turned invisible to begin his search. As he went around the city, one of the first things he found to be different from before the invasion to the current time, was that at night none of the lights were on and there were hardly any people out on the roads except for the soldiers.
He also ran across several other of those black robed knights, their strenge distorted gibberish never failing to send chills running up and down his spine.
"Those guys….are they even human….?" he thought to himself after passing another pair.
He continued on through the night until he stood atop a building close by to the Imperial Palace, and that's when he spotted something out of the ordinary. He narrowed his eyes and could help but clench his fists out of anger at what he saw chained to one of the spires of the palace, or in this case, who was chained.
Bound beneath several layers of chain and guarded by soldiers and some more of those black knights were Leone and Najenda, both of them beaten, bloody and unconscious it seemed judging by how low their heads hung. He stared at them for another few moments out of fury before he suddenly froze when he felt someone behind him, a chill unlike the ones he had before coming to haunt him that very moment.
"Whoever you are, I suggest you show yourself now."
Tatsumi slowly turned around without becoming visible and he felt his chest tighten when just a few feet away from him he came face-to-face with the cyborg monstrosity that was Warsaw, Esdia's description of him practically dead-on. The four eyes with their glowing green slit pupils, the black as night armor of his limbs, and the almost fluorescent purple markings on one half of his cybernetic body truly gave him the appearance of some voodoo skeleton or creature of the night.
"Judging by my senses telling me there's something here...and I cannot see it...means that I'm losing my mind, or that I am among the user of the Teigu known as Incursio…coughs...and I highly doubt the first one is true." spoke Warsaw in his usual gravely voice, Tatsumi staring hard at him.
Warsaw waited a few moments to see if anything would before he merely shrugged and walked forward to the edge of the building, standing a foot away from Tatsumi and towering over him.
"I presume you must be wondering what's happened here….allow me to tell you. My soldiers and I come from the nation across the sea...the Holy Empire of Judecca, and we were ordered to invade your country by my Mistress, the Holy Empress"
Once again, Tatsumi remained silent and only stared at Warsaw.
"I can also presume that those two chain up there under guard by my men must be acquaintances of yours….friends, family? Loved ones? It does not matter, for the end result will be the same if you attempt to rescue them."
Warsaw then turned his head and stared directly at Tatsumi with souch savagery and cruelty in his eyes Tatsumi had flashbacks of the late Prime Minister Honest. Yet he stood his ground and remained vigilant under the fact that even though this thing knew where he was, he could still get away.
"If you try, they will die, and I will hunt down everyone that you hold near and dear to your heart. I will show you the true meaning of despair. This city...it is no longer yours. Accept that fact, and there will be no bloodshed."
With that the cyborg general then walked away, his heavy metal footfalls ringing in Tatsumi's ears before he disappeared off the rooftop with his cape flapping behind him. It was then he let go of the breath he had been holding in and deactivated Incursio's Trump Card, breathing somewhat heavily.
"That...thing…." he muttered under his breath as he slowly calmed himself down. "I haven't felt...such a dark and ominous aura….since...Esdeath…"
He took another few moments to catch his breath before he looked back at the palace and the comatose Najenda and Leone trapped behind their chains. He clenched his fist again and turned away to go and find Mine as soon as possible so they could report back to Wave and Kurome to figure out just how the hell they were going to rescue their friends.
