A/N: Chapter 36 of One final breath. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters except my own. Akame ga kill belongs to the rightful owner.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 36: Kill the Alchemist
Night Raid Base...
It was early in the morning and a carriage from the Revolutionary Army came to take Mein away. Najenda, Leone, Akame and Tatsumi were there to send the pink-haired assassin on her way.
"I'll take full responsibility and look over the funeral procession." One of the assistants said.
"Thank you." Najenda replied.
"Mein..." Akame spoke to her fellow comrade and sparring partner. "After the battle is over, we'll all come to see you...okay?"
"...I agree." Tatsumi said before grasping his fallen girlfriend's cold hand. "When the time comes, we'll meet again." After saying their farewells, Mein was placed into the carriage and was taken off to her resting place.
"They're gone..." Akame spoke once the transportation vehicle disappeared around the bend.
"Yeah." Tatsumi said, looking forlornly after it.
"Hrmm..." Leone scratched the back of her head sheepishly after staring at Tatsumi's back. "You've really become a fine man and all...but now, with the mood like this, I can't really make fun of you anymore, Tatsumi..."
"I believe you've still got me around." Akame said, pointing a finger to herself. "Don't you, Leone?"
"Aha!" Immediately the yellow-haired assassin brightened up and wrapped an arm around the smaller girl. "How could I forget my best friend! The big fight's getting close, let's drink it up tonight!"
"Sure..." Akame agreed and the two of them sauntered off back to the base.
"Tatsumi..." The boy now a young man turned at the sound of Najenda's voice. "How's your body holding up?"
"No problems..." He replied before looking at his right hand. "On the contrary...it's like there's power just welling up from inside my body..."
"...then it's just as the doctor said." Najenda said with worry. After the fight with the generals, one of the doctors she called in from the Revolutionary Army came to give Tatsumi a check up.
"...As I suspected..." The doctor spoke after he was done diagnosing the Night Raid member, putting a cigarette in his mouth. "...it's starting to bond with you. Young man." He looked at Tatusmi from behind his glasses. "Whether you were consumed by the armor...or it fused with you...you are becoming Incursio's Dragon body."
"!" Both Tatsumi and Najenda looked at him in horror when they heard his conclusion.
"Do not mistake this for the sound of a power up in the least." The doctor continued speaking. "Rather, as a mortal, believe me when I say this will break you. Although, as opposed to a poison, this will gradually make you stronger...it is, in fact, what saved your life this time around."
"So in other words...Incursio has evolved into a dangerous existence for Tatsumi..." Najenda said after finding her voice. "Bulat had equipped Incursio dozens of times...but he used it in a just, proper way."
"Having heard the story, it's clear that this case is different." The doctor walked to the counter to pour himself a cup of dark coffee. "I told you that it would be impossible for Incursio to fight against the top two of the Empire."
"I can endure any pain that's required..." Tatsumi said as he sat up, looking at the doctor with a calm gaze. "Just give me strength..."
"This is the cost. You will become stronger but, as the user, it begins to drive you towards destruction." The doctor said, pouring in the cream and watched it swirl on top of the darker liquid. "After 10...no...just a few years. Although, who knows...if you continue your training and build your strength...you might become able to use it without overdoing it, properly like Bulat...but..." He pondered a bit, stirring his drink with a spoon.
"Then...If I continue transforming as I am now..." Tatsumi prompted, eagerly awaiting the doctor's decision.
"Having evolved in such a dangerous way, you might be completely devoured by Incursio...your body might not be able to endure it and then you'll be consumed and destroyed...Long story short, certain death!" The doctor said as he sipped his drink. "Even now, the symptoms have begun manifesting in your eyes."
"My...eyes...!" Tatsumi looked at him in worry. He never realized that one of his eyes were different.
"At the most, I would say after a few more times...I'd say 3 to 4 is the limit."
"I'm fine, Boss." Tatsumi said after the two of them refreshed their memory about what the doctor had said. "If I can use it 4 more times, together with Suu-san's Trump Card, that should be more than enough." He clenched his right hand tightly into a fist. "For the final standoff...that will be enough...!"
"I'm sorry...I'd like to be able to tell you not to fight anymore...But we no longer know what Esdese's Trump Card will be. And in order to defeat her, we will need Incursio who has adapted to her frozen atmosphere. So please..."
"Of course!" Tatsumi replied without any hesitation. "...The Revolutionary Army will win, won't they?"
"If we think about this situation rationally...no matter how you look at it, we should come out victorious." Najenda nodded her head with agreement. "But the Prime Minister must have some kind of ace up his sleeve and when you add in the unparalleled strength of Esdese...if we give them the slightest opening when we attack...they'll turn the tables on us and won't hesitate to crush us..."
"Which means we've got to be careful...we can't allow ourselves any margin of error from now on." Tatsumi said.
"Yeah...that's why we need to gather our pace right now and prepare properly. As soon as all the rebelling forces from all the various locations unite...they will launch a simultaneous attack on the imperial capital. After taking down the imperial capital, all they need to do is besiege Esdese."
"Will Esdese continue to fight that long?" Tatsumi asked as he and the Boss walked back to the base together.
"But of course." Najenda said. "To her, this kind of situation is like a present...a prize if you will. She will now have boundless heaps of opponents to fight." Even if she were to die, she would be happy to die on the battlefield bathed in blood, until she can taste her body's own destruction. For someone possessed by battle, that lives for war like she does, she can never have enough.
"Is she that insane in the head?" Tatsumi said. "Who can be that war crazy?"
"But that aside, no matter what happens, you cannot allow any chance for her to slip out alive." Najenda warned. "If she escapes, there will be new coals and ashes for her to be reborn from."
"Up until now, I've hidden my true identity from her." Tatsumi said as he remembered all of the encounters and interactions he has had with the ice general. "Previously, Esdese had been persistent and stubborn in chasing after me. But next time we meet, I think it will be for real." He turned to look at Najenda confidently. "The decisive battle. With the duty no one other than myself can handle...I shall put all my strength on the line and defeat her!"
"Tatsumi..." Najenda stared at him for a minute before smiling. "Yeah...kick her ass for me."
"I'll work my hardest...for Raba's part as well...!" He promised her and she looked at the ground for a second at the sound of the slain member's name.
"That's quite enough...don't beat yourself up over it..." She told him. "Night Raid is one for all and all for one. I'm sure Rabac would say that as well..."
"...yeah...by the way, how come Sonya didn't show up this morning to send Mein off?" Tatsumi asked.
"Oh her..." Najenda stared off into the sky with a thoughtful expression on her face. "She's off to see an old friend and probably wouldn't be back for awhile. Until then..." She turned to smile at him. "let's just enjoy ourselves for the time being."
Inside the base, Akame and Leone finished up their drinking spree and were currently sitting on the couch in the dark. The only source of light they had filtered in through the solitary window. On the table lay a bunch of food items, or in Leone's case, bottles of alcohol.
"Hey, Leone...have you noticed?"
"Hrmm?" Leone looked at her friend and gave her her full attention. "What?"
"Ever since he got out of the execution platform...Tatsumi hasn't smiled or laughed even once..."
"He probably blames himself for what happened to Raba..." Leone said after a minute of getting her thoughts together. "And he's also worried about other things. The cost of that evolution on his own body is also a huge toll."
"...From here on out...I doubt Tatsumi will ever smile again." Akame's fingers tightened around her drink. "I mean, I know...even here in the base...it feels so big and empty...I've never been able to really...get used to this feeling..."
"If I were a man..." Strong arms wrapped themselves around the black-haired assassin and pulled her close to their owner's body. "I would wrap my arms around you and hold you..." Leone smiled softly, almost like a mother comforting a child. "But, at the very least, I can be together with you like this."
"No...I like you better this way..." Akame said, leaning closer to her best friend. "You're so warm."
"I'm sure Tatsumi's smile will return once every thing calms down." Leone said soothingly and looked over at the wooden boat Akame crafted in her room during her spare time. "When that happens, we all should go on a boat voyage together."
"Yeah." Akame agreed, following her friend's gaze. "That sounds nice."
Revolutionary Army's Base...
"So this is what the Revolutionary Army looks like..." I looked at the massive tents and other weird buildings that appeared before me. There were also a lot of people that I haven't seen before but I knew that I was in the right place...for some reason.
"Hey there, beautiful." A voice spoke behind me and I tensed up immediately because I failed to remember that I left my entire back exposed, thus liable for a sneak attack. I turned to see Chelsea standing behind me with a knowing smirk on her face. "Ahaha...that was priceless. You should've seen your face."
"Yeah...hahaha..." I replied as I tried to get my heart rate under control. She grinned and pulled me into a hug, laying her head against my shoulder.
"It's so good to see you Sonya. You've gotten taller since the last time I've seen you."
"And you haven't changed a bit Chelsea." I replied as I returned her hug. When we separated from the hug I noticed that the wounds of her mimed hand had closed up, leaving scarred tissues where the fingers once were. I gingerly held the appendage in my hands. "Except this old wound."
"It's no big deal." She spoke softly, knowing that her wound brought back some painful memories. "I've managed to put it behind me." She then noticed the scarf tied around my neck and smiled. "I see you have received my gift, it looks good on you."
"Thanks for making it for me." I smiled in return. "It's really soft."
"Well of course, the winter weather is coming soon and I wanted to give you something to wear besides that ratty jacket. Come then." Chelsea grabbed my hand and led me into the Revolutionary Army's camp. "There's so many things that I want you to see."
"Hey! Chelsea!" The two of us turned to see a couple of guys grinning in our directions, beer bottles littering the table. "Who's that beautiful girl beside you?"
"She's an associate of mine." Chelsea said brightly, intertwining our hands together. "I'm giving her a tour of the place."
"Heh, ya sure she's just an 'associate'?" One of the guys asked. "Ya two look more like lovebirds ta me."
"Love birds?" I repeated with a blank expression while the auburn-colored girl laughed and leaned closer to me.
"You must be drunk. I just missed her so much since I came here." She stuck her tongue out teasingly at the group of men. "Is it wrong to miss my friend who's a girl?"
"Believe what ever ya want lassie." The guy chuckled before they returned to their beers. Shaking her head with a silly grin on her face, Chelsea continued to give me a tour and pointed out some more of her favorite things. Everywhere I went, there were some who shook my hand, thanking me and Night Raid for what has happened in the Empire and those who just gazed from a distance. Others I've noticed, had the same grin the guys had and their eyes were aimed directly at our intertwined hands. I continued to ignore them but could not shake off the butterfly feeling in my stomach.
It's been a while since I've seen her smile. I thought to myself, allowing her to drag me all over the place and I followed her good naturally. The last time I saw her happy was when she was with us at Night Raid along with Susanoo... she teased Mein about anything and everything when she got the chance...speaking of the pink-haired girl...
"You're thinking about Mein aren't you?" I looked at her after being brought back from my thoughts. Chelsea had her back to me and I could see that her body trembled slightly. We finished our tour so we were a little out from the rest of the army, perhaps for privacy reasons."It's okay, I understood from the last mail you sent me that she had passed."
Oh great...here it comes. I pushed aside all other thoughts and decided to focus on being there for her, to comfort her as she brought up the touchy subject.
"But you know...judging from what you told me, she used up everything in her power to kill of the Great General..." Chelsea continued speaking. "Heh, that shorty...even making her death a heroic one and went out with a bang...I'm sure Tatsumi is in shock and sadness of her passing as well."
I can't tell if that was supposed to be a compliment or a diss...I frowned on the inside while my facial expression stayed neutral.
"I always knew..." She turned to face me, tears running down her cheeks. "Somehow...in my heart I knew...she'd go before me..."
"Chelsea..." I wrapped my arms around her and she gratefully accepted my hug. In her own way, Chelsea is grieving and Mein's death was hard for her to comprehend.
"Promise me." She spoke as she gazed up at me, her fingers clenched onto my shirt tightly. "Promise me you'll keep going, continue fighting for her sake as well as the others around you."
"I promise." I spoke before I felt her lips press up against mine. It was sweet with a mixture of salty from her tears.
Capital...
"These are the rebel army's movements..." Wave said , pointing to the figures on the map. Esdese and Kurome stood beside him as they brainstormed a fool-proof strategy for a counterstrike. "They've united and are now planning to besiege the Imperial Capital. They're currently waiting for reinforcements."
"They were always in a rush for results previously so I had expected them to go ahead and strike..." Esdese mused as her eyes scanned over the playing field. "But they're holding strong to their lines and maintaining their control."
"It's kind of looks like they're making light of us from here..." Kurome said, munching on one of her drugged filled snacks.
"Their forces are reigning down upon us..." Wave said. "The main force of the rebel army truly is a formidable bunch."
"There is none my equal among the clash of soldiers." Esdese spoke in an icy manner. "For a massive army like that...the person who is able to diligently provide them their provisions and control them is the real threat. I would like to fight him, but he is likely nowhere to be found on the front lines."
"I see." Kurome said.
"The way things are now, soldiers who had turned their backs on the Empire are also springing up one after the other." Wave said with concern. "They've even got the commander's division pined down in the west...I wonder if there's any chance of coming out of this victorious..."
"Of course there is!" Esdese spoke with confidence and a small smile on her face. The other two just stared at her with confusion, prompting her to explain. "For example, there's 'that'. Just look out the window."
"Out the window?" Kurome repeated as she and Wave leaned to the side to see what was outside. What met their gaze was so astonishing that the hairs on their arms stood up.
"This is...an imperial arms power...?!" Wave gasped with surprise. "With that we'll be able to decrease their numbers and move according to plan...!"
"The Prime Minister also has other supreme imperial arms on reserve." Esdese smiled. "This grand battle is filled with imperial arms on both sides. Don't get me wrong, it will be a strenuous and taxing battle...where else would you ever be able to find a situation this fun?"
The Commander is totally out of her mind...! Wave swallowed nervously.
"Those that ran away are unworthy." Esdese concluded as she turned on her heels to exit the room. "I'm going to raise the morale of the soldiers that still remain and try to turn the tide in our favor. You two stay to protect the Capital." She stopped and looked over her shoulders with a menacing glare. "There will some lot that will try to take advantage of this chaos and cut right through the middle. Understand?"
"Yes, Ma'am!" The two of them spoke simultaneously.
"Commander..."Wave spoke, causing her to pause mid-stride to listen to what he had to say. "Err...umm..." He fumbled over how to ask her without sounding...intruding. "Is it true...that Tatsumi was part of Night Raid?"
"Yes." She spoke after mulling over it. "It took me by utter surprise...especially that girl. Those two were really...cunning. Hmph." She smiled. "Are you worried about me Wave? As much as I find them to be unnecessary words...I do find worry and concern and the like to be novel and interesting."
"Commander...even now, do you still...love Tatsumi?"
"Of course." She replied without delay. "Our positions may have changed, but my feelings have not. Bols had given me this advice. It is essential to never give up on anything."
"But..." Wave looked at the ground in confusion. "What of friends and foes..."
"It's shameful to talk about, so I won't say too much...I've reflected on my thoughts over what my body sensed and felt from Tatsumi's evolution." An enormous dark aura surrounded the ice general, lowering the temperature in the room almost instantly. "If by chance, we should meet again...this time I will obliterate him with every last ounce of my strength. I shall not make the same mistakes twice. My feelings will not reach Tatsumi."
What is with this chilly feeling? Wave shivered a bit at the dramatic change in the woman's mood.
"I want to furiously cross swords with him...all my might against all of his." When she reopened her eyes, they were filled with intense passion burning holes straight through their skulls. "Whether I end up killing him...or he ends me...either way, I'm fine..." With that confession out of the way, she left the room swiftly to tend to her duties.
Wave's room...
"Kurome...you can empathize with the Commander's feelings, can't you?" Wave asked. When they got to his room, he immediately plopped himself by his desk and started looking through some books.
"I also want to kill my sis..." Kurome replied from where she was, laying on her stomach with a book in her hands. "But if I end up getting killed, then my sister was better."
"I don't understand it myself." Wave said as he thought about it. "Well, as long as the Commander is happy than it's fine. Bols-san and the others...our comrades who are all fighting for the Empire...and me, for the savior who trained me to become the man I am now...I will do what I can."
"You've been reading a lot of books recently, haven't you?" Kurome asked, a slight blush on her face.
"The path to changing the Empire from within that Ran used to talk about..." Wave looked up at the mounds of books that were stacked high on his desk with a determined expression. "I want to carry on those hopes and succeed them."
"If we can repel this adversity now, in the confusion and disorder following the war, you'll have a huge chance to actually succeed Wave!" Kurome said encouragingly.
"Hell yeah!" Wave replied with a lot of enthusiasm. "I'm gonna study until my evening duties!"
"Then I shall take an afternoon nap." Kurome released a yawn and flopped down on his bed. A minute of silence passed between them. "The smell of the ocean is real...your bed reeks."
"If you've got a problem with it then go sleep in your own room!" Wave countered.
"Nope...I'll just deal with it..." Kurome giggled and hugged his pillow tightly. "Hmm?" The girl immediately jumped up, her eyes focused on a particular area outside the arching walls of the Capital.
"What is it Kurome?" Wave asked, noticing the change in her demeanor and the slightly tense posture of her body told him that she probably spotted something interesting.
"Wave..." She spoke, hopping off of his bed in one fluid motion. "I'm going out on a walk through town, don't follow me. I'll be back in time for supper." Without waiting for his answer, she grabbed her Teigu and briskly walked out.
"Haaah...how very sad indeed." Honest said as he had lunch with Dorothea in his room. Releasing a sigh, he grabbed a roll of ham off his plate and stuffed it in his mouth. "To think that the enemy forces, hundreds of thousands of human beings, being slaughtered...It makes me appetite for ham decrease by a slice."
What a glutton...The alchemist watched with disgust before stretching out her arms in front of her body. "Fufufu...supreme imperial arms. Because of their massiveness, they start to show signs of wear in small distinct spots. And besides, I've finished the upgrades. Prime Minister."
"Nufufufu..." Honest growled with eagerness, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Thank you very much. With the addition of alchemy, we've truly upped the ante on our strength."
"Now I'd like to do as I please for awhile." Pushing back her chair like a proper lady, the alchemist trotted off. "I'm taking a trip out of the imperial Capital."
"Are you going to feed?" The Prime Minister asked her.
"Yes." She replied, turning to look back at him. "We've run out of prisoners here. We're going to need to stock up on lots of bodies during the decisive battle. Maybe I'll go shave some off the top of the enemy army...It's just the right time for it, don't you think?"
"Fufufufu...I look forward to it." Giving Honest a curt nod, the alchemist disappeared quickly and made her way back to her lab. The winds howled above her head as the doors opened upon her arrival.
"Has the time finally come for me to move?" Izou asked when she waltzed in, his eyes closed as he leaned against a book shelf.
"Yup." Dorothea replied happily. "I'm going on a picnic outside with Cosmina. Keep me company." The two of them hurried to one of the containers in the middle of the room and, pulling down a lever, it opened to revel a giant arachnid that used to be Cosmina. Her bug-like eyes darted across the room but she didn't lash out or anything because she knew her master stood before her.
As long as she keeps eating, Cosmina will become stronger than anyone in this world. Even capable of surpassing supreme, Imperial Arms. The alchemist grinned broadly at the success of her experiment. Ufufu, oh how I've raised you for the realizations of my own great ambitions!