Imperial Palace, Catacombs.
Akame and Tatsumi stood looking over the cliff face, their eyes peering down on the battling insects below as they held hands, standing with their backs to the wall.
"Well shit." Said Najenda, lighting a cigarette and breathing in the smoke. "At least the space is big enough for one of these."
And big it was. Akame couldn't even see the other side of the massive cavern, even with his assassin trained eyes looking through the darkness.
"Miss Najenda." Said Suusano, stepping forward to his master. "I believe it would be prudent to continue down our current path. While descent is not an option, the cliff face continues for several hundred meters, and leads into another passage."
And with a single nod, the decision was made. Sun Guard proceeded to walk along the cliff face. It got progressively narrower as they continued their march, such that everyone had to shuffle along single file. Except for one.
"Akame, are you alright walking like this?" Said Tatsumi. "It's a long drop."
"I-It's ok." Said the red eyed assassin, working up an excuse. "I want to be next to you, incase we encounter a foe." Truthfully though, she knew that he would grab her and pull her up if she fell. Which made her feel happy, even though Akame knew he would do the same with all of his comrades.
But he might grip me with his whole body. She thought, steam coming out of her head.
"Not far now!" Called Haleolith from behind as he walked calmly on the cliff wall. Akame rather liked when the spider's steel legs stuck into the rock, as it emitted a sound that gave away the beast's location. She directed her hearing behind her, her mind sorting apart the footsteps and determining from the walking pattern that it was Sheele who was directly behind her.
Looking behind confirmed her intuition, as she noted the heavy amount of strings and handholding keeping the beautiful klutz from falling. At least my senses aren't being affected by all this noise. Now if only- Ahh shit!
"Look out!" She yelled, grabbing Tatsumi by his shoulders and slamming the both of them onto the ground just as the cliff wall to their left exploded, followed a hideous worm-like monster bursting from the hole. It quickly got over it's confusion, locating the two targets below and preparing to swallow them whole.
Tatsumi was faster however, quickly tearing out his blade and slicing the foe's head off. It fell down into the pit below, leaving the panting teenagers far behind.
"Are you alright?" Screamed Sheele, running ahead despite the danger.
"I'm fine." Said Akame, checking for injuries.
"My my, that was dangerous." Said Leone. "I'm glad to see you dealt with it."
"We should keep an eye out." Said Tatsumi. "There could be more around. Wait a minute..."
"Hey Tatsumi." Said Leone. "Did you notice what you just did?"
And then Akame realised. When Tatsumi lashed out at the danger beast, he had not drawn his sword, he had drawn out mine! She hastily took back her Katanna, the two of them looking away embarassed.
"Hehe, you two must be pretty close for him to wield it, though I imagine it wouldn't be poisoned." Said a grinning Leone. "Anyways, I believe we're almost there." She said, pointing towards a tunnel leading further downward.
Imperial Capital, docks
"Guard duty?" Yelled the young man with the mohawk. "This is bullshit!"
"We get paid either way Rashiro." Said Laromir. "What were you expecting?
He and the other "Affiliates" Stood on top of a bunch of crates, overlooking the harbors and shipyard. And Laromir was beginning to get annoyed.
"Screw that! I just want to kill people." growled the angsty teenager.
"We shall get our chance soon enough." Said Malladorf, a blue suited man in a theatre mask. Behind him, Lindsy was busy flirting with the mysterious German doctor, who refused to give away his name.
"Vy yes, it is quite a difficult procedure." Said the man, wiping dust off of his coat with rubber gloves.
"Maybe you could invite me over to your place and show me." Said the woman.
"Ahhh but of course!" Said the doctor through his thick accent. "But I hope you don't mind zer being blood everywhere, hoohoohoo!"
"Pardon me everyone." Said Burt, the enormous aphro-headed man. "It seems we have company."
Facing them were a large gang of hooligans, roughnecks, and beserkers, all holding weapons.
"What do we have here?" Said the apparent leader of them, a beefy man with a bald head and ripped cuffs. "Decided to have your little tea-party on the wrong side of town?" He eyed the group of mercenaries, his eyes resting particularly on Lindsy. "Looks like they've got some good gear on them. Don't beat them too bad, especially the girl. We can play with her after."
The hooligans snickered and advanced. Laromir gritted his teeth. I hope the others are all their cracked up to be.
"Finally some action." Said Rashiro, drawing his dual blades. Burt Cracked his knuckles. Lindsy flexed her whip. Malador and the doctor were nowhere to be found. And Laromir was readying his weapons underneath his heavy coat.
"Alright." He said. "Let's do this. "He said."
Rashiro surged forward, decapitating the first two men instantly. One thug retaliated, swinging his blunt pipe and the teen. It was parried however, caught by one of the boy's blades as he slashed vertically, the impact as equally brutal as the deep wound in the man's chin.
Laromir was still getting his weapons ready. Damnit, why didn't I prepare? How unprofessional. Beside him, Lindsy lashed out with her whip, cracking hard against the skulls of her victims.
"What the hell are you guys waiting for?!" cried the bald man. "Get them!" As if waking up from a trance, the gang charged, wielding whatever they had on them.
Burt Leapt into action, using his massive size and strength to send the first row flying. Rashiro resumed his attacks with his blades, and Lindsy flanked with her whip.
"Excuse me!" Cried a sotto German voice. "I believe it's time to test out my medicine, hoo hoo hoo!" The man began hurling bottles of medicine and liquid, dispersing smoke of all colours and creating havoc amongst the hooligans. They began fleeing for their lives as those around them broke down, coughing and choking as they were consumed by the noxious fumes.
They turned the corner past a warehouse, only to find their escape blocked. Facing them, was the blue suited Maladorf, kneeling on top of them as he looked down on them through his theatre mask.
"I'm sorry, but you cannot be allowed to survive." And as he said this, Laromir stepped forward, finally unveiling his weapon to the world.
The official term for his gatling gun was a rapid repeating fully automatic rifle. Laromir found that name too long, so he just arbitrarily decided on the name 'Machine Gun.' Either way, it didn't matter as he clicked off the safety and sprayed bullets like a storm.
The closest criminals, hardened by a life of crime and force, were nevertheless cut down instantly as the bullets ripped through their flesh. Mass panic ensued as Laromir unloaded a full clip into the crowd.
The recoil forced Laromir into a hunch, but it cut down the majority of his targets. When he paused to reload, the other affiliates held off any attempts at desperate retaliation.
This continued for several minutes until the leader and only a few of his men were left.
"Wh-... who are you guys? He gasped, blood leaking from his neck."
"We're professionals." Grunted Laromir.
"An elite group." Said Maladorf.
"Soldiers and scientists." Added the doctor.
"Uh, guys?" Posed Burt, but he was ignored.
"We're the baddest bunch around!" Said Linsdy, placing her hands on her hips and striking a pose.
"Guys…"
"WHAT?" Yelled Lindsy, enraged at the large man for ruining the momment.
"Rashiro already killed them all."
Imperial palace, Catacombs
"You should try to angle your strings." Said Haleolith, as the beast aided Lubbock in setting up a barrier of webbing.
"Wow! Thanks, mister Haleolith." Said the green haired teenager. "You really know a lot about string."
"Well I am a spider after all." Replied the arachnid pridefully.
Tatsumi was leaning against the wall, idly and absentmindedly watching the two work as they set up a barrier. It would not do to have any enemies follow them, but it needed to be carefully constructed; If they were being pursued, they would need to dismantle the webbing quickly.
"Are you guys almost finished?" Said Najenda.
"Yes." They replied.
"Right, Tatsumi, do me a favour and round everyone up."
The young man started walking further down the tunnel, directing his friends back to where he came. He noticed Lubbock talking to Sheele, but paid no attention to it. What did grab his focus, however, were the sounds of shouting further down one of the tunnels. Tatsumi decided to investigate, slowly advancing until he could make out what they were saying...
"... And it still doesn't change the fact that I'm better than you. I could beat your ass anyday."
"Oh yeah? I'd like to see you try."
It was Chelsea and Mine going at it again, with Kurome watching for her amusement.
Oh no. Thought Tatsumi as he observed the catfight with fear. He knew they would surely try to rope him into this. Oh god no. I'll just walk right past and maybe they won't notice-
"Tatsumi!" They both shouted in unison.
Shit! He screamed internally. "Y-yeah?"
"You aren't gonna let this bitch say this shit are you?" asked Mine, placing her hands on her hips.
"Oh please, your brain is as flat as your ass." Said Chelsea, stepping next to the boy and playing with his hair. "Tatsumi doesn't have time to waste on you dear."
"Don't you 'dear' me." shouted Mine, taking his other side. "Tatsumi, tell her to shut up."
"Umm, uhh."
His reply was cut short by a distinct hissing noise, whistling out of the darkness. "Get back!" He yelled, drawing his sword and dropping into his fighting stance just as several insectoids sprang out of the darkness, their fangs glistening in the darkness.
"Don't worry. I'll handle this." Said a voice. Tatsumi didn't want to take his attention off of the giant bugs, but he could tell from the striking sound of metal on stone that it was the ever present spider.
"Step aside please."
The insects soon had their full attention focused on this newcomer, though Tatsumi couldn't tell what emotions they were feeling. Mine and Chelsea both released their grip on him, keeping alert.
Without warning, Haleolith pounced on one of the insectoids, working his blade appendages through his quarry's skull. The insects died down, Tatsumi had to look away as the spider removed and rewired the creatures brain.
"What the hell are you doing?" Yelled a voice. Tatsumi turned around to see the rest of Sun Guard, with his girlfriend at the front.
"I'm… repurposing him. He will lead us to the insectum's home, where we will converse with the Maior insectum."
"Um… I'm sorry." Said Sheele. "Who are the Maior insectum again?"
"If I recall correctly, they are the ones who control and communicate with the worker drones." Said Suusanoo.
"Correct." Said Haleolith, his eyes glistening in the darkness. "The process is complete now, follow me."
They let the corrupted creature lead on through the cavern, watching for signs of trouble. Tatsumi soon found himself lost in thought.
"Are you alright?" He heard a quiet voice speak to him as they walked over the old stone of the tunnels. It was Akame, his ever present companion.
"Yes Akame… It's just, I don't know. I've been thinking about Sayo and Leyasu. I want to bring them back, but I don't know if I could stand to see them again."
She put her hand on his shoulder, and leaned in closely. "Whatever happens, I will be here for you."
"Really?" He said, his bright green eyes shining through the dim light.
"You are my important comrade." She said, smiling at the strength of her own conviction. Their eyes met for a sec, before their faces turned away in embarassment.
"Hey Akame, can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead." She said warmly. He hesitated before pressing on.
"You asked me how I feel about you Akame. How do you feel about me?"
This question caught her by surprise, but she had no time to answer it. For they broke through the darkness and into a large, well lit room.
And she nearly lost her mind at what she saw.
Laying in front of her was a megalithic insect queen, her swollen body writhing as it constantly birthed out new larvae, it's shaking body held in place only by the chains slicing through it's flanks.
"There's the queen. She's the key to reprogramming the insects." Said Haleolith.
"And the instrument in your deaths!" Boomed a new voice.
Sun Guard all turned to face darkness, and sure enough, a giant black spider emerged, hideous green fire emanating from it's corpse like body. It was followed by Volvanox, wearing a golden crown of thorns.
And a devillish grin.