"Tatsumi...Why aren't your wounds healing?" Akame asked Tatsumi
She was kneeling Next to Tatsumi as he was in her arms
Tatsumi spewed blood from his mouth
"my….c...ore"
Akame made a surprised sound
"where is it? Where did she damage it?"
Tatsumi didn't even answer he couldn't even think of a good response. He couldn't keep any real train of thought for more then a few seconds.
The Teigu was a bloody mess he was missing an eye a leg and an arm there wasn't a lot left to take from him. One entire side of his face was a giant cut with blood spewing over half of it.
"t-take..me...home….please" Tatsumi said with a shaky voice
Tatsumi was shaking in her arms
"p..please….Sayo….Take me home."
"I'm...not...Sayo….Tatsumi… Whats happening to you?"
"Lust….Sayo please I' m sorry just take me home please…" The Teigu was quivering
"I'm taking you back to Night Raid...To your wielder….You'll be ok"
"wiel….der…...Mine…..Najenda… Aka….me" Tatsumi passed out then and there in the arms of Akame as she looked down on him she wanted to help she really did but wounds didn't work that way with Tatsumi and he honestly looked dead and his heart doesn't beat so Akame couldn't be to sure.
This is bad where being closed in by soldiers and Tatsumi isn't responding to me I have to get him out of here. Akame thought to herself as she brought him up on her back and running off with the speed of a true assassin.
"Where the hell do you think your going? You can't keep running forever.. you know"
Akame looked to her left to See Sayo there she didn't have her weapons out and her eyes where a normal black.
"I wont let you take him…" Akame said
"I'm trying to save him...You guys don't know how to repair a core he'll die.."
"I thought you said you where leaving."
"I said that so Tatsumi would deactivate….Pretty smart I know.."
"Just stay away…" Akame warned
"did you not listen to what I said? He will die if he goes with you."
"I won't hand him over your the one who did this to him in the first place."
"Yes I know I realized I overdid it the second I made that cut I never meant for this… I never meant for any of this…"
"Just leave him alone he needs to be back with his wielder…"
"Look I know you don't give a dam about him but If he dies I swear I will kill you I might of injured him sure but what your doing is downright murder"
"he doesn't want to be with you…"
"Was that not my name he called out asking for me to take him home?"
"and what would be home for Teigus?"
"That's none of your concern… now give him back"
"no I think it is my concern"
"well I guess you choose to do this the hard way then?"
"like I said I would gladly risk my life for a friend"
Sayo stepped forward ready to kill as Akame got into a defensive stance ready to run as fast as possible.
But then Sayo Stopped as if she realized something.
"dam it…" She then before turning into nothing for a second time
Akame seized the opportunity andran as fast as her legs could take her..
Forrest
It was raining...Downright pouring...
Akame was running through the Forrest as fast as she could she was carrying Tatsumi over her shoulder. He just was a mess He was showing no signs of life he wasn't even breathing he was just...Asleep or dead Akame couldn't really tell.
"I'm not going to lose another friend...Dam it...Please be alive" Akame told herself
She looked over her shoulder and saw Tatsumi Completely Lifeless With blood running down his face His nape of his neck was sliced open his body was torn open and he was missing two limbs. If it was anybody else Akame wouldn't even bother trying to save them because of how fatal the wounds are but this was Tatsumi he survived her Murasame If anyone could survive this it was him.
Tatsumi started to open his one eye he had left...He was fighting his own body just to move. All he saw was the ground fleeting before him and long slender legs making short but very impressive strides. He was looking at Akame's backside he realized..
Akame made a noise of surprise as she felt Tatsumi Reach out to hold her hand with his one hand he had left
"Tatsumi! It's ok I am going to get you home!"
"hey...Akame…..Do you remember….Being born?"
"w-what?"
"I Remember when I was created...I was surrounded by all these…. people….coming to stick things in me…. Working my purpose into my head…. Looking at me Like I was some marvel to them"
"Tatsumi…." She said
"It must be weird...Coming from a fleshy prison yet comforting….In its own way….. Do you remember it?"
"n-no...I don't... Tatsumi are you going to be ok?"
"you should be worrying about yourself… your wearing yourself out...Just for me….Ha.." Tatsumi said
"I'm taking you back to Night Raid your going to be ok your going to see Najenda and Mine again ok?"
"I'm so sorry Wielder-Akame…"
"fo-for what?"
"for failing you.."
"you didn't fail me...just stay alive ok?"
"I envy death you know…. For years and years I never understood why Humans where so afraid of it...Its the end of this horrible existence end of this nightmare End of a chain of a cycles...every 100 years would bring a new cycle and each time I would observe you guys be so scared of death….But why? I don't...Understand"
Akame didn't even know how to respond to these words.
"There's something comforting about all this…. I cant really explain… I think its the hopelessness of it...No that's not it….I think its the inevitability of it all…
"what are you...Saying….Are you...Ok...With dying? Why?"
"I've been fighting my whole life Akame.. Its my whole world."
"its not just you Tatsumi"
"and now I'm fighting my body just to stay awake and talk to you….. I think… I think I've had enough…"
"Don't say that! Tatsumi come on! Stay alive. Please!" She felt tears sting her eyes
"I want you to know you've been an excellent person to die with….we should do it again sometime…." Tatsumi said
"do it again?"
"Akame….Remember that question I asked you… awhile ago?"
"if you had a soul?" She guessed
"no I already know the answer to that one… The other one...Do you think I'm alive…"
"yes...I remember that question"
"Your answer to that question said It all for me you know."
"s-stop…" She said, Its as if she knew what was going to happen next
"Death is a natural part of life...Without it What are we?"
"Tatsumi stop.."
"I...Want...This"
"Tatsumi…. PLEASE stop…."
"Goodbye….Wielder-Akame…. I would say I would see you in the after life but…. We both Know….I never had a soul." Tatsumi said Bowing his head down peacefully he closed his one good eye fully giving in to his core degradation
"TATSUMI! HEY TATSUMI!" She screamed
It was then she fell down…
The ground was muddy and she went off path to try and get to base so sprinting wasn't exactly very good for the terrain.
Tatsumi went limp as he hit the ground… He looked dead in every sense of the word.
"d...Dam it…. Not again...Not...Again.." It seems Akame had lost another friend.
The situation was hopeless.
"Come on...Please stay with me…"
Her only hope was to leave him behind...
She was shaking in the cold as she looked into the Imperial arms eyes he was gone there was absolutely no doubt in her mind about it. She didn't even know why she was trying anymore.
She had given up almost completely has she held Tatsumi in her arms she saw it.
A thin wire hidden in a bush...meant to be hidden but only revealed by the water dripping on the metal making it shine.
It was meant to alert Night raid of enemies…..
Alert Night Raid…..
"Lubbock!" She said in realization
She ran up to the wire almost tripping on the ground from how much of a rush she was in.
"Don't worry...help is on the way!" She said pulling on the wire as hard as she possibly could cutting deep into her hand but she didn't care.
Night Raid base
"you know Beating you is the only fun I've had today." Leone said to Lubbock as Leone checkmated the green haired boy
The two where in Lubbock's room Leone was entertaining him since he was bedridden the entire day. Leone can very easily look over Lubbock's Idiot personality from time to time and just relax with him he was a pretty nice guy to talk to.
"Oh yea like its really fair when I'm all injured like this."
"yea you would pull out the injury card for chess…" Leone said
A large clash of thunder was heard as the window to Lubbocks room was opening and closing due to the high wind speeds. It was a dam storm outside..
"I hope those two aren't caught in that.." He said
"they probably are but Akame knows her way around and Tatsumi has a nice canine sense of following his wielders into hell so I got a good feeling they be ok.."
"I hate it when where left in suspense like this, it's a major downside of taking this kind of job… You never know if you'll see your friends again whenever they leave for a mission…"
"so you accepted Tatsumi has your friend after he saved your ass?"
"Oh be quiet me and him are fine now...But he's a dam over-glorified maid that's all."
"really? I think its because he and Najenda are closer then you would like…"
"oh please If anything I would like the competition!"
"but that's just it isn't it? You know you stand no chance to that immortal being with crazy good looks! I'm sure boss's legs are already spread!" Leone said laughing
"Leone…. Did you come here because you where bored and wanted to play a bored game or did you come here to tease me and plant hysteria into my head" Lubbock said with a tic mark on his head
"sorry Lubb but its just to easy with you."
Lubbock's head relaxed against his head board. Resting for a second
"You know I really was close to checkmating you that game."
"you played to aggressive it was easy to take advantage of."
Just then Lubbock's eyes shot open. As he felt a rattling in his drawer cabinet next to his bed
"m-my wires" he said opening his drawer to find his dragon wires being pulled on.
"its picking up activity!"
"its probably just the strong winds"
his eyes narrowed at the bundle of wires as he saw a smaller tug
"no...To much movement and to precise.."
"well then fine I was looking for some practice"
"no….Wait...I think...Whoever is doing this is activating it on purpose…"
"what? Are you sure lubb?"
"its the only possibility you should go tell Najenda right now!"
"Alright you got it!" Leone said running out of the room
Forrest
"Lubbock said it was in this direction!" Leone shouted The winds where just so dam strong it was hard for her voice to even be heard
"Be ready for anything! If something actually wanted our attention they sure have it!" The Incursio wielding Bulat said has he flew next To Leone
"I want to know who would intentionally get our attention!" Mine said having a hard time keeping up
"well where about to find out! If this was a distraction we have Sheele guarding the place." Bulat said as he cut a tree in his way
It was then they all stopped dead in there tracks...They had felt a presences
They all got there weapons ready they where ready for a fight. The air was tense…
There was rustling in the bushes more then just the high wind speeds it was a thing
Then stumbled out a Akame with sad red eyes that had tears flowing down her face
"Akame…" Leone said
They all lowered there guard
"I...Couldn't save him…."
It was then they looked down at the wrecked imperial Arms in her hands. He was gone.
"oh no…Don't tell me…" Mine said
"is...That…" Leone began to say her eyes where wide.
Bulat gripped his hand into a fist….
"No...It can't be….Tatsumi…?" Mine said as She keeled down to the Teigu's side
"he barley started with us…" She had him in in her arms
Akame and Mine where there looking over him while Leone And Bulat where to shocked to move.
Again the Teigu was showing absolutely no signs of life it wasn't a peaceful look on his face it was just...Dead
"Dam it! What are we standing around for! Get them both inside" Bulat said
"yea...You got it…" Leone said approaching Akame to help her up which did which just left Tatsumi with Mine
"Tatsumi….Are you there?" Mine called out to him
"Its no use Mine… I tried the same thing...Just let him go" Akame said
"Well I have to try something! His body works different His core might not be destroyed he might just be resting!"
"He told me himself he was done…: Akame said
"Well He's an Idiot so I'm concerned you even listened to him" Mine said...It seems she was trying to convince herself
"w...ielder….Mine…." Tatsumi faintly said…It was a very quiet voice but everyone heard it….
Mine made a noise of surprise
"Tatsumi….I'm right here!" Mine said she had his hand in hers
"he might still be alive!" Leone said
"he IS still alive" Mine said
"quick give him to me! I'm the fastest in Incursio" Bulat said
Mine almost didn't want to let go….she liked Tatsumi he was one of the better members of Night raid and he was her friend…
A large Mansion in the empires Noble District
"Dam it Sayo you had one job."
"I'm sorry...the red eyed assassin saved him.."
"I wouldn't be mad that Wrath Got away but the fact that you think he's dead can seriously fuck things up for us."
"I tried to get him out I was so close."
"don't Scold her Greed.. she only left because I told her to.."
It was then the two Teigu looked up to where the feminine voice came from..
"It was me who told her to retreat."
"why?" he asked
"Because Wrath's life was in danger any further engagement would have been bad for him. Trust me.. Tatsumi will survive as he always has and if he's with Night Raid I think our best bet would be to find some of his friends. That will bring him up."
"he won't like that.." Sayo said
"I know...But we don't want to activate that Trump card of his...So be careful about it where simply using them as bait."
"So we got a Wrathful Teigu and a sleeping Teigu...Who do we go after first?" The masculine voice said
They all stood in silence as they thought about what stage of the plan should be initiated first.
"No….Sloth can rest a little while longer...Wrath comes first…"
"alright."
"now remember this… No matter What Tatsumi Is one of us and no matter what...We. do. not. kill. Him."
"you got it."
Night raid base
Tatsumi was played across a table as the rest of the members huddled around him
Najenda looked down at him with a wide eye she was used to comrades being in similar conditions but they where normally dead..
"what the hell happened to him!" Lubbock asked
"torn apart.."
"can we save him?" Najenda asked the green haired boy
"I don't know…. Leone! Get the book!"
"uh yea sure but uh where is it?"
"In the main hall next to Miss Najenda's chair hurry up!"
"These cuts are very wild... beast like who...Or what could have done this?" Bulat said as he looked over to Akame who had mud all over her from falling
"A girl...she had black hair….red….no black eyes..And she could phase out of the general area….she used weird attacks that sprouted out of her back… she healed her wounds and she spoke about Teigus like she was one... she also survived my Murasame and her hand healed instantly I have no doubt in my mind...That she was an Organic type Imperial Arms."
"That can't be good… She must of wanted Tatsumi dead really badly to do this to him...Poor thing." Sheele said
"That's just it though… She wanted to help him...She said she overdid it….And she was sorry but she wanted to take Tatsumi back 'home' what ever that means.."
"did she attack you?" Najenda asked
"she was about to...but she stopped. Almost realizing something and then left without saying another word."
"so you get a name?" Bulat asked with his arms crossed
"I think her name was Sayo"
"Sayo...eh Well Tatsumi here had a lady friend he hasn't told us about then.." Lubbock said
"I think he should live...He's not breathing and his heart isn't beating but his body is resonating heat which is technically a sign of life right now." Mine said
"anything else we get from this Sayo?"Najenda asked
"Tatsumi knew her… And despite her doing that to him… He still showed a little bit of kindness to her…"
Najenda raised a brow
"what do you mean?"
"he waved at her as she left before falling asleep."
"well at least they played nice…" Bulat said
"hey I got the book!" Leone said as she walked in with the green book in hand
"Finally bring it here!" Mine said
"alright…" Lubbock said flipping through the green book
"it says here that some Imperial Arms have a core and that if they are damaged they should heal themselves…"
"so in Tatsumi's case he should be healing his own core….he just needs time…"
"no…" Akame said
"no?" Lubbock asked
"he gave up…. on everything..."
"what do you mean…" Najenda asked
"He told me….He dealt himself out he gave up...I think he stopped his own healing process" Akame whimpered
"shit." Bulat said
"That IDIOT!" Mine said
"uh...Well it says we can maybe mend it with something hot…" Lubbock said
"what?" Sheele asked
"it says here we just need something hot like a candle and press it against his core...That might help.."
"we can get one… Bulat go get one."
"you got it."
"alright next is the difficult part...We need to locate his core anyone got anything for that?"
"in his nape." Najenda and Mine said at the same Time
"he told you?" Najenda said
"well I did ask about it."
"Right here I got it." Lubbock looked into the nape of his neck to see a small green stone
"ugh...Gross digging around in someone's insides isn't very pleasant" Lubbock said
"alright I got our source of heat right here...I hope you know what your doing Lubbock." Bulat said
"Yea I hope so to…." Lubbock said
"alright….I'm not gonna lie...I'm not in the condition for Teigu surgery…. We need someone who's precise…."
"I'll do it…" Mine stepped up
"are you sure mine?"
"He was calling out for me…. I think it seems right that I'm the one who should help him…Its just pressing a candle to his stupid core shouldn't be to hard also I know for a dam fact that my hands are steadier then any of you guys." She said
"well… Then here you go...Mine" Lubb said as he passed it into her hands.
"Lubbock get over here and help hold him steady, You too Bulat."
"yea you got it…" Lubb said
"Alright Mine here's whats going to happen… I'm going to count up to three when I reach three you bring that thing against his core… your goal is to have the flame touch the core with out it touching his flesh….It will be a slow burn but it should wake him up." Lubb said
"Lubbock I hope you know what your talking about." Najenda said
"yea we might end up killing him all together…" Mine said
"maybe we should think this through more" Sheele said
"No its our only option hesitate for a moment and we forfeit Tatsumi.." Akame said
"well Like I said we only have a limited amount of knowledge on these things and I hope this is enough...I'm ready whenever you are mine…" Lubb said
"I'm ready…"
"alright...1"
Mine eyed her Target...A green gem embedded in a spine flesh all around it… but it had a single scratch on it a cut that almost ruined the beauty of it.
"2…"
Mine could stare into the gem for hours really and it was a wonder how such a small cut could bring this much damage
Mine was tense while Akame and Boss narrowed their eyes while the rest looked in angst as to what was going to happen. Bulat And Lubbock where holding Tatsumi still so he would be easier to work with.
"3!" Lubb said
In an instant Mine pressed the candle against the stone in his nape not hitting any of the sensitive flesh there
And it stayed that way Mine pressing it against the core…
"uh...Did it work?" Leone asked
"hmm I don't think so…" Sheele said
"wait now hold on… I said slow burn!" Lubbock said but just as he said that Tatsumi started slight facial expressions..
Tatsumi's Eyes shot open as he screamed and jerked forward and hit Lubbock right in the chest with the one good arm he had sending him flying across the room.
He pushed mine away as he got up to move.
Bulat tried to hold him down but he pushed him away before Bulat could get a good grip. Tatsumi jumped from the table much to the surprise of Night Raid only to fall to the ground because of his missing leg.
"Dam it Bulat you where supposed to grab him!" Mine said getting backup
"I Tried but the little bastard is stronger then me."
"Tatsumi...its us" Najenda said
"who are you guys?…" Tatsumi asked as he retained perfect balance with just one foot
"well that can't be a good sign" Leone said
"ah...It hurts so bad…" Lubbock said through wheezed breaths from his chest he was balled up in pain on the ground.
"I got ya you big baby" Leone said picking him up
"hey boss.. I think Lubbock needs some attention of his own.. Im taking him out of here.."
"alright Leone…" she responded
"where Night raid… you can't tell me you forgot about us?" Akame said to Tatsumi
"night raid….oh yea...I thought I had gotten taken from….Oh shit" Tatsumi said suddenly clutching his stomach
"is some thing the matter?" Sheele asked
Suddenly Tatsumi jerked forward for the second time as he went towards he closest window only to misstep again landing on his chin.
"Tatsumi! What are you doing?"
He grew his Nails on his one good hand into claws and stared crawling slowly yet efficiently he made it towards the window.
"he's trying to get away." Leone said.
"no that's not it…" Akame said
The brown haired weapon leaned over into the sill of the window made a sound of sickness before he threw up.
"or that…" Mine said
"oh dear...Are you ok...Tatsumi?" Sheele said making her way over and rubbing his bloody back.
"n...not really.." he groaned
"this was not the reaction I expected." Najenda said
"what...Surprised I can get sick like the rest of you guys?" Tatsumi said as he recovered his face was pales as a ghost.
"yes actually… But how?…" Najenda asked
"Getting my core injured makes me real sick….Diatomic Core Degradation Sickness if you want to be specific or just DCDS for short" Tatsumi said as he pointed his stump of a hand at Najenda not even bothering to look back inside the base..
"why….Why did you have to bring me back…"
"do you even have to ask such a question.." boss said
"Tatsumi…Who did this to you?"
"a Teigu...Like me… Someone I've known for awhile…."
"must be hard having an enemy like that for so long.." Sheele said
"Sayo...is not...my...enemy…"
"your wounds say something else" Bulat said
"you know...The ones that aren't healing.." Mine said
They healed a little bit from that candle trick but that's all where getting for now" Tatsumi said
"What do you mean Sayo isn't your enemy?.."
"I...don't want to fight...Her…"
"why?" Najenda asked
Tatsumi leaned back into the base and slumped down against the wall
"I've...Seen some hell with her… and she didn't mean to cut me so deep...but Im willing to fight even if It pains me to do it or if don't want to to if you wanted me to"
"why did she attack you?"
"I didn't want to come with her..."
"she wanted to take you?"
"y-yea her goal wasn't to kill...She wanted...Me"
"didn't she have a wielder?" Bulat asked
Tatsumi didn't answer his head swayed from side to side….He was nauseous...Extremely nauseous
"All you alright.."
He very weakly made a sound
"I feel terrible… and its not because I'm in literal pieces right now."
"s..She….She...didn't have...One.."
"Tatsumi...Are you ok?" Mine asked
"uh wha? Oh sorry Thinking to hard distracts my healing...I'm sorry But these questions will have to wait...I'm going to have to rest."
"If we let that happen...Will you wake up?"
"yea...I should...I'll tell you everything I know about Sayo in the morning...As for right now….I..ugh...I'm really not feeling it…. Right….now…Just leave me here...In the Kitchen...if...one of you can stay with me that would be nice...Not for conversation...Just the company please…"
"I….I'll stay Tatsumi…" Mine said
Tatsumi made a slight smile on his pale one eyed face
"thank...you…."
"just don't shoot him…" Najenda said as she passed by.
"Akame...Get cleaned and get yourself some rest...you've earned it…"
"thank you boss" She said
"In the morning Tatsumi we are going to need answers ok?" Najenda said
"you got it."
And that concludes Chapter 7! Please leave a review it seriously helps to motivate me any would be apricated!