Author Note: Yo, thanks everyone that has followed, favorited, read and reviewed this story I greatly appreciate it. I have been feeling sick these last couple of days so this chapter may come out weaker, I may end up redoing it but chapter 3 is what I am really going to be getting into. Thanks everyone for reading this story. Please remember to follow, favorite and review it greatly helps with my motivation with making the next couple of chapters. Thanks, and have a wonderful and awesome day!

- Chapter 2 -

The smell of cigarettes filled the room. The smell of smoke, dousing the room with the taste of tobacco. Mateo had his head pressed against the destroyed wall; his legs spread out carelessly in front of him. He was in one of the buildings across the street from the girl's estate.

It was a destroyed building, just like the one he was working on before. Mateo, he plopped the cigarette out of his mouth. The ends already burnt off nearly to their nubs as he flicked it across the room. The embers casting a small yellow light across the room, smothered by the darkness eventually.

There were five other cigarettes like the one Mateo had that were in the same spot, smothered smokes. He wiped the strands of dark hair free from his eyes, his right hand trailing his jacket as his right hand trailed into his breast pocket.

"Damn…" He whispered softly, pulling out the flask. It's silvery skin, catching the gleam of the pale moon, casting off its light into brilliant strands of silver. "A sip or two, to keep me on my toes." He whispered to himself. A small smirk across his face as he spoke.

His eyes fixated ahead as his lips touched the silvery taste of the bottle. He felt the brown slop enter his throat, the shaking of his hands stopped, and an unbelievable warmth began to fill up his insides. His smirk began to enlarge, his eyes narrowing as he took a couple of unsteady steps forward.

He was in a large building. It was a wreck, he surmised that it must have been a bar or at least a shop. The wooden chairs were destroyed and the wafting scent of wet and destroyed wood rivaled the stench of his smokes.

Broken glasses decorated the floor, there sounds magnifying and crunching as Mateo's boots would clamp onto them. Mateo for maybe one to two hours had been camped out here. Watching the girl's estate to see if there was anything going on.

The whole place was weird. The long and winding fence that surrounded the estate, the massive forest that surrounded it and nearly blocked all the visibility outside. The checkpoints all scattered around; Mateo knew of how fucked the empire was, but the security went overkill here.

The noble family also had a security detail that compromised of dozens of people. It was a borderline home-grown militia, there weapons and armor were also strangely advanced. Assault rifles and their white armor matched the very moon outside.

This place…this world had been advancing quicker than Mateo had thought. He had seen such things in the wasteland, heard stories of people advancing and making their own weapons. Didn't matter anymore, they lost…the encl…

'No…' Ben's thoughts exploded in his mind, his eyes slamming shut as he shook his head. Trying to maneuver around the broken and painful memories, trying to shake them free. There was no point in doing that, no point in facing his past.

He did some horrific shit…shit that he would be killed for, no matter what he does it would always end up like this. A grave, a debt that had to be paid. Mateo gritted his teeth, uncorking the flask and pouring more of the brown liquid into his mouth.

He swallowed it inside of his gullet, even as he felt the urge to throw up, he kept on going. Until the memories of the life he left behind…his family…his people…and his old world. It didn't matter anymore; he trained his head as his eyes stared through the broken jagged window.

His lips parted, the drunken hue nearly vanishing. 'How long was I out?' He thought, he opened the wooden door as he was blasted with the cold air that hit him face first like a truck. He zippered up his jacket as he sunk his flask back into his pocket.

His hands went towards his back, tucked in was something special, a weapon from another time and place. His right hand connected with his 10mm pistol. The weapon was ragged and beaten, weathered with a now silvery white.

The nicks of the gun shown the battles it had been in, a reliable weapon. Mateo, he walked over towards the checkpoint. Pushing his nose towards the window to make sure he had seen what he had seen.

The guard that had been here, only two hours ago was slouched over his desk. His face planted to the side. Mateo, saw it…the gleam of crimson. It wrapped around the bottom of his neck, the slice dropping the red blood like freshly fallen tear drops.

Mateo stared at the open checkpoint. His boots softly crunching along the fallen leaves, his eyes fixated ahead through the darkness. The only light for him that illuminated the area was the unsteady light of the moon, even then the looming branches extended over him.

Sometimes even shunning him of the light. 'Why am I doing this?' His thoughts exploded in his head, his body contradicting his actions as he kept on running. 'I don't know this kid, what are we even doing out here right now…if we head back in time we can meet up with Jacob, let's get hammered tonight!'

His thoughts continued to conflict with him, but he continued moving. His feet crunching along the leaves as he forced himself step after step, his unsteady eyes fixated ahead…always moving forward.

'Why, I saw what happened to that guard. I can die here…but what had this life of mine been, I guess I would rather fight for my life, rather than live it?'

Mateo's words erupted inside of his head. He slammed his legs down skidding along the dirt forest road, he could see a clearing up ahead, cut through the forest and what looked to be some sort of building. It was massive, hidden behind the long trees.

Ben sniffed, wiping his face as a small smirk began to spread across his face. He could feel it in his heart, a good fight was about to break out. It was like a fire being stocked in his chest, like tossing a wooden log onto a bonfire laced with gasoline.

He pushed through the bits of shrubbery. His face getting nicked by the large branches as he finally had the breathing room to part through and into the clearing. Two figures, it was the brown-haired frontiersman boy and that blond haired noble girl.

Mateo kicked the branches that clung to his legs. His feet crunched along the leaves; his eyes focused steadily ahead. He began to move, the girl and the boy too distracted to notice his presence. He was now close to them, his mouth opening but the boy realized it.

He swung around, his sword slashing in a cleave. Mateo, for a second couldn't believe it. Instinctually, or maybe it was muscle memory. His right leg twisted, slamming to the guard of the sword. The boy grunted in pain as the sword flew and clattered a meter away from him.

He dropped to his knees, Mateo lifting his fist but stopping. "Yo, are you okay?" He asked, taking a knee towards the boy in pain.

"Oh god…" The boy's brown hair fell in his eyes, his left grappling with his right wrist as he squinted from the pain. "My arm, what the heck!"

Mateo sucked his teeth. "What the fuck. You're the one that swung the sword at me, fuck you asshole!" He yelled, the brown-haired boy getting up from the ground, both boys staring daggers at the other. "I've come to save you!"

"You were sneaking up on us, what else was I supposed to think?"

"Oh, I don't know…not to swing blindly with your sword." He shouted into his face, adding the next word after the pause. The brown-haired boy's eyes narrowed, then shot open quickly, a face bearing recognition.

"Wait, I remember you…Mateo, from the bar!" He pointed his unsteady hand at Mateo. The taller boy letting out a sigh as he waved the hair from his eyes.

"Yes, what the hell is going on here." Mateo tirelessly said. He pointed towards the exit of the estate. "There's a dead guard, and you guys are trying to leave."

The boy…Tatsumi he called himself. He began to explain what had happened to Mateo, breaking down his first encounter with the girl and what he had been here for. How the girl saved his life and offered him a place to stay, and now there were assassins sent to kill them.

"So, this girl. She offered you a place to stay."

He nodded his head, the tiniest fragments of a smirk dazzling over it. "You do realize you aren't the first one she saved, nearly everyone here in the capitol…frontiersman like yourself has gone missing, and the last missing guy was saved by her."

Tatsumi's eyes widened, still holding his wrist as he turned towards her. He even took a step backwards from her. Maybe, she felt the tension of the room escalate. She parted her lips. "Tatsumi, yes you aren't the first one I have saved. Though, they simply returned home or left the capitol. Do you honestly believe that there is anything sinister here?" She spoke, a plastered smile from ear to ear.

Mateo, he sneered in her direction. Shaking his head, he had seen some bullshitters with high charisma, but she was painfully bad at it. Tatsumi though, his head dropped almost like he was ashamed that he was doubting her.

"Wait, are you honestly believing this shit!" Mateo erupted, causing Tatsumi to take a step back. "This girl is fucking off, there is something wrong with her."

"Who do you think he's going to believe, the girl that saved him. Or the guy that reeks of alcohol and smokes." She affirmed.

Mateo sucked his lips. Though, it was the girl that was first to react. Her mouth parted open, her eyes widening as she fell behind Tatsumi. His gaze fixated ahead, Mateo turning his head around.

"A girl…" He absentmindedly whispered. He turned around further until it was enough to face her. It was her crimson eyes that he first noticed, the strange crimson gleam that parted through the darkness. Her jet-black assassin suit that wrapped around her form. Her long black boots, her black free flowing long hair. She was his age.

The moon danced along her, like a spotlight illuminating the cream of her skin and her crimson eyes. 'Girls with black hair, will be the death of me.'

Mateo, he stared at her for a second. The wind ruffling the pair's hair as they each stared at the other. He couldn't help but slowly crack a smirk. 'What a woman.' He thought, snickering as he took a step forward.

His gaze followed her blade. His eyes darting back to her face as he stopped moving towards her. He knew that he had to do something, he had to say something to help deescalate the tension.

"What's a girl like you…doing wielding a blade like that." He whistled. His gaze fixated. "What a waste, for a girl like you to become a warrior."

Mateo inched forward. He didn't want to kill anyone…he already had a high enough body count. Though, both his light blue eyes compacted with the girls own crimson. 'Maybe, just maybe I could get myself out of this. Just try and speak, say a couple of nice things and get out of the situation somehow. Maybe, lie or cheat my way into securing everyone's safety.'

"So, what are you doing out here tonight." Mateo pointed to the pair behind him, the blond noble girl clutching to the boy's frame. The boy recovered himself enough, he felt something strange. The stillness of the air, compacted with the pale moon shone down on the pair. "How about you put that weapon down, I'd kill to take you out for a drink or two. Maybe, even a nice date afterwards…nothing special, I'm pretty broke."

He tried to laugh off his last sentence, he could feel the grimace and the cringe emanating from the two behind him as the girl stared at him. They couldn't see the sweat sliding from the sides of his face. That blade…the one the girl carried, it filled him with a heavy ominous feeling.

It weighed down on him, almost like being suffocated underwater. The pressure it secreted was nearly unbearable. He wanted to run away, every pore in his body nearly making him want to run away. He wanted to go back to the bar, drink himself to exhaustion.

He wanted to get carried back to his bed after a heavy night of drinking, puking up his funds the next morning. Then repeat, the next day. Working on another destroyed house for the empire, barely getting paid anything.

A constant cycle of self-loathing, guilt and finally…anger. Those three, a culmination of the sins and atrocities that he had committed. He wanted to die…he wanted to leave, he wanted to run away. Even then…

'Be good, Mateo.'

The calm and soothing voice of his father reached his ears. Almost like the old man whispered it to him above the grave, his wisdom gracing his presence. Mateo let out a breath of hot air as his blue eyes once again went to the floor. "You always asked for too much, dad." He softly muttered, turning his eyes back up to the girl.

Maybe, he'll die today. Though, at least he died doing something. It was better than the alternative of alcohol poisoning or turning the gun on himself, those were the worst days.

"Got a name? He spoke, the girl's form untensing as her blade lightly fell towards the side. Her grip looser.

"Why?" She simply asked. She didn't know what he was getting at.

"Psh, I got a habit of remembering pretty girl's names." He waved off. A small smirk over his face as he shamelessly flirted.

After a second, she didn't say anything. Mostly her eyes glossing towards her surroundings, almost like an animal wondering if they would take the bait of food. She let out a slow sigh.

"Akame…" She softly whispered. Almost hard for Mateo to hear as he nodded his head.

"Akame." He repeated, letting the word run through his lips. A small smile spread from his face, a distant grin as he gazed at her. "That's a very beautiful name, Mateo is my own. My momma liked the sound of it, got it from some old-world book."

The sudden but strange conversation, to Mateo he felt awkward keeping it up. Though, for Akame…it was different. As he scratched the back of his dark hair his gaze went back towards her. "You can walk away…no one needs to get hurt, I got my business with the girl." He spoke.

The girl's eyes once again narrowed. The crimson eyes, they were fueled by determination and will as her blade slice through the wind, with a sudden woosh she held it with both hands. "Kill…" She simply responded back; Mateo nodded his head.

He knew that it had to end like this…he didn't want to take a life, though to keep that promise he made so long ago, it seemed like he would have to. Mateo drew his pistol. The weathered ten millimeter spun in his hands as he pulled the trigger.

Though, she was quicker…

She dodged them, her lightning-fast reflexes causing Mateo to gasp in alarm, fear starting to work his way through his very being. He gritted his teeth; he could see the flash of her blade coming towards him. However, he didn't know what to do…

He let his instincts and gut work for him. His gun raised as it intercepted with the girl's sword. "What?" She murmured underneath her breath; possibly like she was shocked that she didn't cleave through Mateo's gun.

Luck…Mateo knew with the speed she was going with. If she was just a tad bit stronger, his gun would have been split in two and his neck along with it. He couldn't help but smirk. Though, he didn't have the time for that.

He was stronger. He was over two meters tall and held a very muscular athletic build from his time working with manual labor, he used his overpowering strength to force both out of his hand. The sword following with his gun.

The girl swung at him, he moved to intercept though, he was too late. He felt himself start to see stars, his nose starting to leak blood as he felt it trail down his lips. He didn't know how but he felt completely disoriented.

His vison began to darken. The girl…Akame, spinning like a hurricane of darkness as her fist collided with his stomach, his spit flew freely from his unclenched mouth. He collided to the floor. His vision completely darkening as he felt the darkness and its harsh weight envelop his form.

His face impacted the floor. Some of his blood going into his lips as the coppery sensation began to slowly shake him, his eyes fixated on the grass. Though, as the pain began to envelop him, even as he felt the weight of it dawning on him and all he wanted was to take a nap.

He didn't give in…

He planted both of his hands downwards. Akame turned around, staring at the lumbering figure as she picked up his gun, wrenching her sword free from it. Mateo spit flew freely from his bloodied lip. 'Damn, she was able to kick my ass quickly…all this drinking must really get me out of the loop, the old man would be disappointed in me.'

She began to take a step forward…

Mateo, his muscles ached. His mouth unlatching as his rasped breathing echoed. "Come on then, what you are waiting for…" He spat out, his eyes narrowing as Akame approached.

Though, he felt a massive weight on his back. The end of a blade pointed down on his neck as he collapsed hard to the floor. His face striking headfirst into the dirt, his already bleeding nose lighting up like it was on fire as he gnashed around. He writhed on the ground as he tried to get this large person off of him.

"I'd stop moving if I were you…"

The sudden voice causing Mateo to twirl around. It was a man, a large man in a strange suit of white armor. It was hard to see what it looked like due to the darkness and the illumination of the moon.

Mateo smirked. He did stop moving, his bloodied face contorting into a smile, his voice raspy as he turned to the large man. "Your lucky…you think that armor makes you tough." He sneered. "You're lucky I don't got my old power armor and my plasma castor, I'd spew you out and turn you into goo."

"Oh, really…" He mumbled underneath his breath. "Where is your armor now?" He sarcastically spoke, Mateo couldn't see what Akame was doing. Even so he heard the dulling of swords as they compacted with one another. 'Guess so the boy is fighting…he's lasting longer than myself, damn my old man would chew me out for that. All that training on that damned oil rig, a goddamn failure and a drunk is all there is to show for it.'

"My armor is destroyed, though I buried my old man's tesla power armor and weapons." He spoke up, his bloodied smile still displayed. 'Your lucky, you got that nice suit of armor on you…if we met during my time as a soldier, it truly would of have been a worthy battle.'

"Tesla…" the armored warrior repeated the strange word. Though, Mateo heard the crunching of footsteps coming towards them, cutting the conversation off.

Mateo, he kept on smirking. His face directed towards the figure. Even then, the pain began to over roll him. His eyes fixated now onto the green floor. His eyes slamming shut, for a second…he began to think of those people, those small sparks that changed and impacted him in different ways.

Though, he had a strange feeling well up in his chest. As his eyes closed, the last remnants of his hearing was the crunching of boots approaching him, as everything began to fade to black.