Author Note: Well thanks guys for reading this chapter I hope you like it! Remember to follow, favorite and review it greatly helps with my motivation and the speed of me releasing chapters. Have a wonderful and awesome day and once again I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 4

The cold air the capitol stirred him. His dark hair fluttering in the wind as the cold breeze cut into him, he could see his breath. The chill causing him to stiffen up as he tucked his chin into the collar of his cloak.

The hairs on his skin shot up like a porcupine as the torches and streetlamps that lined the streets began to turn on, they sparkled to life like a bonfire. Mateo, with this cold chill along his skin and the warmth of this cloak knew one solid fact.

That at this present moment…that he was alive. He crouched onto a roof, the long brown clock ruffled in the harsh winds as he tugged the hood over his head, he brought up the scarf around his neck to his nose. Rendering his face unseen.

Tatsumi, he was assigned to kill some capitol recruiter or sergeant. He didn't concern himself with the details, though he was assigned to take out some sort of scientist. A Liam John …Clark, some empire scientist that had this thing for experimenting on people.

Mateo, he didn't care much…he lost everything that he fought for before and now… this cause that he was fighting for with night raid. The whole death to the empire thing didn't resonate with him, he understood why they were doing it, but it didn't concern him.

'I already lost my country, and the remnants of the Enclave are gone. I am the last that is left, what other cause should I stake my life for.' His thoughts pursed within his head. He shook the thought out, it wasn't the time to deal with such things.

He wasn't in it for the honor but for the mon…

'Then why did you join them, why did you save Tatsumi? You stake your lives for strangers…and chalk it up for money. God, what a damn fool.'

His father's voice recoiled in his head. He once again shook the thought out of his head as he got up from his crouch. He stretched his limbs and cracked his neck as he began to walk near the ladder of the fire escape.

Though, he stopped for a second. He picked up the object that was leaning on it. An axe…it was the size of a normal human arm, a heavy jet-black long handle with a pale axe blade. Before he left, he asked for a sledgehammer.

"Why would you want such a weapon, we don't got anything like that?" Bulat told him. He did offer up the axe, although he was disappointed.

He had never properly used an axe as a weapon or a normal sledgehammer. He was used to the issued super sledges that the scientist and engineers created for soldier battalions. Before, during his time as a soldier he was a heavy trooper.

His father was a tesla trooper, a trooper whose weapons compromised purely on energy/laser-based weaponry. Mateo on the other hand was a heavy trooper. He grew up with swinging those sledgehammers through heavy defended walls, the kinetic blast ripping through raider gangs or the occasional town militias.

He could remember the distinct smell of gunpowder from his minigun as he turned them into mincemeat, or the smell of fresh laser burns that were grafted in his enemy's flesh. 'Those days were the best…'

His mouth began to contort into one of a strange smile, his lips twisting to ear to ear. Back then, everything was so simple. To be a soldier, to not think…to act and to follow orders without worry. Even then…

The claws of the dead reawakened in his mind, his breathing began to deepen as their faces, the corpses began to swim in the confines of his scarred mind as he tried to shake the memory away.

'Murderer…murderer…killer…not soldier.'

The voices recited in his head. He gripped the axe as he began to descend. Did he really have anything to say? A soldier followed orders. He took what he was given and did what he had to do. Yet, was that truly an excuse?

He was a child trained to become a great soldier. Still, he never thought about what he was doing? He didn't realize what he was doing was wrong, how killing unarmed combatants or going into towns and raiding those same people was wrong?

How could he have been so blind! Those Militias that would attack them to protect their towns never attacked them, they seemed to only protect. Though, it never stopped Mateo from gunning them down. He never questioned…he only acted.

Now what was the point anymore! He had nothing left. He had nothing…everything that could have gone wrong went wrong. The Enclave is gone and is destroyed, he woke up in this strange new world.

He was a soldier without a country…without a home…without a family…without a purpose. What was the reason for him to go on anymore, what the fuck was he even doing here?

'A pity, I wanted to be buried on a nice plot of land. I wanted to face the sunset; I think I can do it…blow my fucking brains out on this fucking roof. Better yet, just jump off…'

He snapped back; he could see the scientist bald head as he began to cross through the partially empty streets. 'Couldn't do it, coward as usual.'

"Now's not the time…" He mumbled out. He held the blade of the axe with both hands as he narrowed his eyes at his target. "Don't think, black it out and try to forget." He spoke, the darker gleam of his eyes shining as he felt his lips tug.

The white scientist coat cued Mateo in. His lips forming into a steady sneer as he saw the large scar that covered the mans face. "Ay…sir!" He called out; he held the heavy axe blade in his right hand. The weapon hidden behind his large back as the man turned around.

He didn't hesitate…he gripped the handle with both hands. The man didn't expect it, he didn't expect such a quick attack in front of all these people. The blade went down, the cleave rendering the scientist arm off. Blood splatted along Mateo's face as he finished the job. Slashing and cutting as he lifted the blade up and over his head.

Mateo wiped his face. Throwing off his hood as his dark brown hair fell, people were running and screaming. They had just saw a murder took place, he could feel the droplets of rain prick into him. There sensation along his skin reminding him that he was still alive…

He gazed at his hands. He didn't know what he was expecting…though they were perfectly still. "Really, after all this time…they don't shake." He shook his head as he heard the clapping of heavy metal boots approaching him.

"Stop…villain!" The first guardsman spoke. Mateo heard the slicing of a sword erupting from a scabbard as they were pointed at his direction. Though, they were scared. Mateo threw his axe over his shoulder as he saw them start to approach. He didn't feel scared…he didn't feel anything right now, he had killed a horrible human being, but he didn't feel anything at all.

No sadness…no happiness…no sickness there was nothing for him to feel, he just felt empty and more alone than he thought. Even the exhilaration of killing someone didn't even fuel him.

Being a soldier for the Enclave wasn't scary…it was sickening, the criminality and the atrocities he had committed haunted him every day. The wasteland wasn't scary, the moment he lost his family and his friends all he wanted to do was crawl up in a ball and just die. He didn't have anything left to be scared about.

He wasn't scared about throwing his life away. It was almost like he was just trying to do a good deed before he died, almost like he was daring for Akame to just finish him. Now, when he killed that horrific and evil bastard, he felt nothing.

So, he didn't do anything…if they were strong, he would finish them, if they weren't he would finish them. He leveled the axe in front of the guardsman surrounding him.

'It wasn't choice. I chose to die again and again. Just never did. Body had its own drive.'

With those words he put the next foot forward and swung, his body following its own drive and will.

After

The sounds of clinking drinks echoed through the hideout of night raid. Tatsumi, just like Mateo had completed his mission. The sound of whooping and partying etched through the night skies. Mateo on the other hand leaned over the edge of the balcony of the main dining hall.

His jacket was off. Now he was wearing a light grey t-shirt and blue worker pants. The ends of his arms were riddled with bandages that were now starting to get dirtied, the chilled air prickling his wounds as he saw his breath in the air.

He pressed the cigarette between his lips, taking in the toxins as his hair fluttered in the wind. His eyes fixated through the trees and once again on those bright lights of the capitol. He didn't turn around or try to get involved with them.

He was an outsider; he was not one of them…he who lacked purpose was simply a mercenary out for coin and the companionship along the way. However, wouldn't it not be that…

'Alone…forever…alone…always alone…never…forever alone…'

He combed through the tuff of brown hair. His eyes narrowing as he felt the weight of everything starting to slowly consume him. The beast within…always reminding him, that he will forever be alone. That he will never be understood…that everything he has ever wished for and everything that he has ever wanted would forever be denied to him…

"I need a drink…" He mumbled underneath his breath. His gaze fixated ahead, but he wasn't fully aware to the large man that was behind him.

"A drink, how about you join us inside…we've got warmth and nice company." Bulat said. He flashed Mateo a smile as Mateo nodded his head like he was ready to accept…then he quickly shook it.

"Nah, its fine." He muttered, lying again. "I really don't need one…"

"Come on, it's yours and Tatsumi's first mission, let's celebrate. Both were successes, even with your wounds…"

Mateo glanced at his arms. The chill stung the freshly made wounds as he gritted his teeth from the pain. "You should get that checked out; I can get Mine to make sure you're alright."

Mateo chuckled. "Mine?" He repeated the brash girl's name. "You got to be kidding me. I'd rather stab myself in the foot than have her change my wounds. But Sheele, Akame even Leone." He shamelessly cooed underneath his breath.

Though, he quickly doubled down. Shaking the thoughts out of his head. "I really don't want to be a bother. I can bear these wounds, it's fine…I'm a soldier."

"A soldier, I don't think so anymore…you're a warrior like us." Bulat spoke up, Mateo picking through the words. 'A warrior…' He thought of those words, they tickled his lips as he didn't dare to speak to them. He was nothing more than a butcher…there was no honor in that.

"All I did was my job, there's no reason for you to include me or anything but thank you." He spoke up as he turned back around. Bulat, he wasn't going to give up but he recognized that Mateo was not going to budge anytime soon. So, he did what felt natural.

A second later. Mine, Sheele, Leone, Najanda, Lubock, Akame and Tatsumi were greeted with a kicking and screaming Mateo as he was manhandled by Bulat. He was thrown over the man's shoulder, and he was kicking like a toddeler. "Get off me you damn…!"

Bulat dropped him as a resounding thunk echoed. "Ah, look…the little soldier can't handle a little bump." Mine sarcastically jabbed as Mateo got up. "Why you…" Though he was stopped from finishing his sentence.

A plate of food and a drink was nearly thrusted in front of his face. He eyes the plate. White rice, dazzled with light brown sauce. Faint crispy chicken danced along his nostrils as he took in the smell of the foods.

It was so quickly thrusted in his face that he grabbed the plate and drink. "Eat…" It was Akame's voice, her apathetic voice was still there. Though, Mateo could see the faint red tint of her cheeks and the small way her lips turned into a smile. She was actually happy that he was there…

'Wow, she really is…pretty when she smiles.'

The voice that was within his head for a moment…for only a moment it didn't call him a murderer or a killer. For only a moment it was occupied with this girl, this girl who's only gift to him was the smile that danced along her face.

It was a small thing, though Mateo felt his cheeks heat up as he held onto both. "Oh, look who's blushing. Seeing Akame smile at you got you really that worked up huh!" Leone drunkenly laughed, her arm wrapping around Mateo as he turned his head away from her, altogether stealing one or two glances at Akame.

"He's one of us now…he may as well eat and enjoy the party." Lubbock added on. Najanda raising her drink to that as Sheele simply chuckled. Mateo, he took a sip of the fiery liquid as he gazed at the people around him.

It was a strange feeling that welled up in his gut…so when he began to take quick bites of his food and even began to smile. It felt strange, though…it wasn't a bad feeling to be included with something. Even if it was for money…at least he held a purpose.