Hey everyone! I'm back with the final quick update chapter for this fic. I hate to say it, but the next chapter for this fic will take a little while to come out. I gotta update my other fics before I can update this one again, so I hope you all understand. In this chapter Tatsumi will meet the Jaegers and get some personal one-on-one time with Esdeath, and if it's not too long I'll get to Tatsumi's escape back to Night Raid. Also this story has passed 400 reviews and is almost at 750 followers and just achieved 700 favorites. Thank you all for continuing to support this fic and making it one of the most popular Akame ga Kill fics on this site. So with all of that out of the way, let's get to the fic!
"Speech"
"Thoughts"
Teigu
"Incursio"
Disclaimer: I don't own Akame ga Kill, or any of its characters.
(One Hour Later; Path Leading to Night Raid's Hidden Base)
"Leone, slow down!" Lubbock exclaimed, nearly out of breath as he struggled to keep up with the seething blonde. "Oi! Wait a second, Leone!" Making possibly the stupidest decision of his life, Lubbock reached out and grabbed Leone's shoulder, stopping her in her tracks. "I get that you're upset right now, but you have to calm down and think rationally for a second."
"Upset?" Leone repeated, turning to give Lubbock a glare so fierce that it would likely kill weaker men. Her normally cheerful golden eyes were now narrowed and fierce. Lubbock immidiately recoiled and backed far away from Leone. "I'm not upset Lubbock...I'm pissed...I'm fucking seething with rage right now! That bitch Esdeath took MY man! When I get my hands on her, I'm going to rip the flesh off her bones!"
"Note to self NEVER piss Leone off EVER. Because she will kill me." Lubbock thought, as he tried his best to regain his composure. But Leone's overwhelming aggression made it difficult for him to think of way to talk to her that wouldn't set her off. He knew that he had to tread very carefully right now. "L-Look Leone, you're s-super pissed right now, that much is very obvious, and you have every right to be after what just happened. But you need to calm down. Acting based purely on your emotions is one of the worst moves an assassin can make. We need to regroup with the others and relay the information we have, then we can come up with some type of plan." Lubbock released a light sigh and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Tatsumi is a tough guy, I know he'll be okay."
"I know Tatsumi is strong...he's one of the strongest people I know." Leone said, her voice low and uncertain as she tightly balled her fists. "I love him damn it, and I can't help but worry about him. Especially when he was taken right before my eyes...when I couldn't do anything to help him. You didn't feel it, Lubbock...You didn't sense the vile amount of bloodlust that Esdeath gives off...but I did. I felt it first hand and it made me sick to my stomach..." Leone clenched her teeth as tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "I'm just scared of what she'll do him...I know you've heard the stories, of how Esdeath sadistically tortures people...breaks their minds until they're just submissive lapdogs who'll follow her every beck and call...Tatsumi is strong willed and I know he won't break easily...but I'm afraid that if we wait too long that Esdeath might actually succeed, and Tatsumi will become her mindless pet...I-I don't want that...I don't want Tatsumi to forget about Night Raid...to forget about Akame..."
"Leone..." Lubbock muttered, as he clutched a hand over his heart. The blonde's words showed the sadness inside her and it struck a cord in Lubbock's heart, making him think of his own unrequited love. "If 'she' was ever captured...I would probably feel the same way as Leone."
"I don't want him to forget me..." Leone said, angrily wiping away her forming tears. "That's why I can't calm down Lubbock. Until Tatsumi is back here and safe with us, I won't feel at ease. Until he's back in my arms and tells me that he loves me again, I won't-" Leone was cut off when Lubbock one again put his hand on her shoulder.
"Like I said before Leone, we can't be irrational and act purely based on our emotions. I want to run back there and save Tatsumi as quick as possible too, but that will only get us killed." Lubbock said, as he locked eyes with Leone. "We have to get back to base and we have to come up with a plan. It might not happen right away, but I promise we'll get Tatsumi back. Night Raid never abandons its comrades."
The fire in Lubbock's eyes, and the determination in his voice, reminded Leone of Tatsumi and she couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved. "Alright Lubbock...we'll take it slow and come up with a plan..." A light blush dusted across Leone's face as she rubbed the back of her head in embarassment. "Sorry about flipping out on you a second again, Lubbock...I'm just really on edge right now."
"Don't sweat it." Lubbock said with a grin, as he patted Leone's shoulder. "You've done way worse to me before, I can handle you yelling at me. Now let's hurry and inform everyone of what happened. I have a feeling that Akame won't take the news very well, but I know she won't freak out."
"Okay, let's head back." Leone said, following closely behind Lubbock. "Oh Lubbock, one quick thing..." The green-haired assassin squeaked in pain when Leone fiercely gripped his shoulder. "It's funny that you mentioned me 'having done worse to you.' Because I could have sworn someone was watching me bathe the other night, but when I checked all I found was a small trail of blood and a few strands of green hair...Now I wonder who those could've belonged to?" Leone suddenly gave Lubbock a sickly sweet smile, causing him to audibly gulp. "I'm only going to warn you one time Lubbock...I'm in love with Tatsumi and we're together now. So he's the only one allowed to see my body. If I catch a hint of you peeking at me, or any other girl that's with Tatsumi, I will not hesitate to castrate you. And we both know that I make good on my warnings. Now, do you understand?" When Lubbock dumbly nodded, Leone smiled and patted him on the head. "Good boy, we can go now."
"God help me, Leone is scary when she's mad." Lubbock thought, as he protectively cupped his hands over his groin. "She wasn't lying either. If she catches me again, she will cut my balls off. God, the way things have been going I can't help but worry about my boys..."
(Ten Minutes Later; Night Raid's Meeting Room)
"What?!" Akame exclaimed, slamming her hands onto the meeting room's table. "What do you mean was kidnapped by Esdeath?!"
"When Esdeath came down to give Tatsumi his reward, she slapped a collar around his neck and dragged him off...not before she knocked him unconscious though..." Leone said, as she hung her head and balled her fists. "I'm sorry Akame, there wasn't anything I could to stop her. We were in the middle of that arena...it would have been a disaster if we tried to rescue Tatsumi."
"*Sigh* You don't have to apologize Leone, you made the right call." Akame said in an understanding tone, tightly clenching her fists on top of the table. "The last thing we need right now is someone getting hurt when we're already undermanned...Plus, Tatsumi would never forgive himself if you had gotten hurt trying to save him."
"Thanks Akame..." Leone muttered with a small smile.
"So did Esdeath possibly suspect Tatsumi was a member of Night Raid?" Mine asked, as she leaned against a nearby wall. The pinkette appeared to be calm and collected on the outside, but inside she extremely worried about Tatsumi and was trying her best not to panic. Mine had to suppress her urge to grab Pumpkin and go save Tatsumi herself. She wanted to save Tatsumi badly, but now was not the time to make irrational decisions. "Because if she does know he'll be in a lot of trouble."
"I doubt it...but I wouldn't completely rule it out." Lubbock said, as he rubbed his chin. "But Esdeath did say something that was kinda strange. She said that Tatsumi 'belongs to her."
"What?" Akame asked darkly, her left eyebrow twitching as her anger slowly grew. "First this woman steals Tatsumi, now she intends to treat him as some sort of plaything? I won't let that happen..." Everyone was surprised to hear the growing in Akame's voice. The red-eyed assassin was usually the most calm and collected member of the group, but the fierce look in her eyes showed that she was upset, and getting was getting angrier with each second that passed. A low growl escaped Akame's lips as she suddenly grabbed Murasame and made her way towards the door. "Excuse me everyone, I have to go kill Esdeath now. I'll be back in a little bit."
"Hold on a minute Akame..." Leone said, as she grabbed the back of Akame's shirt. With a light sigh, Leone dragged Akame close and whispered into her ear. "Look Akame, I understand better than anyone here how you feel right now. I want to run out there and rescue Tatsumi too, but we can't just rush into this without a plan. We're talking about Esdeath here and her new squad of teigu users. We'll be slaughtered if we act irrationally. Also..." A slight blush spread across Leone's face as she locked eyes with Akame. "I don't think Esdeath wants Tatsumi as a pet or plaything." Akame quirked an eyebrow in confusion when Leone said this. "I don't really have anyway to prove this, but...the way Esdeath was treating Tatsumi, aside from knocking him out...she was so gentle and careful with him. And when she spoke to him...her voice was so passionate and maybe even loving. Plus, she was blushing like crazy when she carried him off. I hate to say this Akame, but Esdeath may like Tatsumi."
"Esdeath may like Tatsumi..." Akame repeated, lowering her gaze and relaxing her grip on Murasame. "This...we could possibly use this to our advantage."
"What are to talking about Akame?" Leone asked in a confused tone. "Cause I ain't following you right now."
"I'm not sure how yet, but we might be able to use Esdeath's feelings for Tatsumi to manipulate her somehow..." Akame said, rubbing her chin as she thought. "But it won't be easy, because Esdeath is loyal to the empire and it will be very difficult to make her devotion waver. And it will be extremely dangerous. If Esdeath catches on Tatsumi will be in trouble."
"That's not a bad idea..." Leone said, as she nodded her head in agreement. "But let's wait until Tatsumi is safe and hear from him before we-"
"Hey!" Sayo exclaimed, butting her way in between Akame and Leone. "If you two are done chatting, my best friend has been captured by the most dangerous woman in the empire and I'd like to know what we're gonna do to help him!" Sayo's sudden outburst had momentarily shocked both assassins. When Sayo wasn't around Tatsumi she was usually quite quiet and reserved, so she must have been quite upset for her to raise her voice like that. "Now Akame, you're the acting leader right now, what are we going to do?!"
"We do know that he was taken to the palace..." Lubbock added, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But aside from that we don't have much info to go on."
"Tatsumi..." Akame muttered, clenching her teeth and tightly balling her fists. The red-eyed assassin couldn't help but remember the promise that Tatsumi had made. "He promised that he'd always come back safely...I know he won't break that promise. He will get out of there safely and come back to us."
"Akame..." Mine said, as she walked up to the red-eyed assassin. "I hope you aren't gonna suggest some ridiculous idea..." Mine glanced at Pumpkin out of the corner of her eye and released a light sigh. "Like that we charge in their and recuse Tatsumi." Mine closed her eyes and crossed her arms over chest. "The palace is full of traps and guards, especially those new teigu users that the whole capital is talking about. We couldn't get in even, even under normal conditions. And Tatsumi's real identity likely hasn't been found out, so he should be fine." Mine reopened her eyes and smiled at Akame. "Don't worry Akame, Tatsumi will be fine. He'll definitely come back to us."
"Mine..." Akame said, returning the pinkette's smile. "Okay, we can't make any rash decisions right now, so we all need to take some time to calm down and collect our thoughts. For now we'll temporarily move our base deeper into the mountains.
"That's a pretty good idea. We could be found here, and with Tatsumi captured I'd hate to think that someone followed us back." Lubbock agreed, as shoved his hands into his pockets. "Speaking of Tatsumi...what are we gonna about him? I know he'll make it through this...I don't want to think the worst but..."
"I know..." Akame said, intently staring at the map of the capital in front of her. "But like I said, we can't just rush in there without a plan...but, Tatsumi is our precious comrade! We'll do everything we can to rescue him!"
"I don't like this..." Sayo said, as she angrily slung her bow over her shoulder. "I want to go save Tatsumi now...but you're right. We'd get shredded if we tried to get him out of there now." Sayo made her way towards the door, but stopped in the doorway. "Akame...we better get Tatsumi back. If he doesn't make it through this I'll never forgive you."
"He'll come back Sayo..." Akame said with a small smile on her face. "He did promise to survive and always come back to us, didn't he?"
"He did..." Sayo muttered, as he lightly chuckled. "And that idiot has never broken a promise before...He better not start now."
(Same Time; Capital's Palace)
"And so..." Esdeath said, presenting a tied up Tatsumi to the rest of the Jaegers. "This young man will be our new backup member. His name is Tatsumi."
"Um, you just brought a random civilian in here? Just like that?" Bols asked, as he rubbed the back of his head in confusion. "Isn't that a possible security risk?"
"He'll have everything he could ever want here...he'll never want to leave." Esdeath said sweetly, gently caressing Tatsumi's cheek. Tatsumi simply kept his cool and glared at Esdeath. "And he's not only our backup member. I'm sure I felt it. Tatsumi is going to be my lover..." Tatsumi's eyes shot open when Esdeath said this. Had he heard right? Did Esdeath, the most feared woman in the empire, really want him as a lover? Tatsumi couldn't wrap his head around why she would want that. They had only met a fews hours ago, and they had barely spoken to each other. Now she wanted him to be her lover all of a sudden. Tatsumi gasped slightly when Esdeath caressed his cheek again and whispered hotly into his ear. "He's perfect...everything I could want in a man."
"If he's supposed to be your lover, why does he have a collar around his neck?" Wave pointed out, as he gestured to the collar and chain binding Tatsumi.
"Because I like him..." Esdeath replied nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders. "I didn't want him to run away, so I slapped it on him without really thinking."
"Uh, if you want a real lover and not a pet..." Run said, as he chuckled nervously. "You might want to take that off."
"Hmm...I suppose you're right. Alright, I'll take it off." Esdeath muttered, walking over to Tatsumi and removing the tight collar. Once again Tatsumi was surprised when Esdeath gently caressed his head and smiled at him. "I'm sorry about doing that you dear. I wasn't really thinking, I hope I didn't hurt you."
"What...the hell is going?" Tatsumi thought, as he stared at Esdeath in shock. "This woman is supposed to be a deranged killer, who indiscriminately murders people...yet here she is, being so gentle and kind with me...something doesn't add up..."
"While we're on the subject of love..." Esdeath said, untying the remaining ropes that bound Tatsumi. "Have any of you been in a relationship or married before?" Everyone was shocked to see that Bols was the only one to raise his hand. Esdeath couldn't help the amused smile that spread across her face. "Oho, isn't this a surprise. Is this true Bols?"
"Yes..." Bols replied shyly, as he began to fidget in embarassment. "I've been married to my lovely wife for six years! She's such a wonderful person and I don't deserve her love!"
"U-Um...excuse me..." Tatsumi said, nervously raising his hand. "I'm honored that you like me Esdeath, but...I have no desire to serve the empire...and I already have a-"
"Heh heh." Esdeath laughed, as she smiled at Tatsumi. "I'm going enjoy doing something about your disobedience." Tatsumi blushed hotly when Esdeath whispered seductively into his ear. "I know many 'pleasurable' ways to make you obey me, but..." Tatsumi gulped when Esdeath's smile became sadistic. "I also know may painful ways as well."
"Oi!" Tatsumi suddenly exclaimed, face beat red and breathing heavily. "Listen to what I have to say!"
"Now, now." Seryu said, as she pushed her way towards the front of the group. "This is all been so sudden, he must be having a hard time adjusting right now." Tatsumi's eyes slowly widened when he spotted Seryu. Within seconds, Tatsumi's surprised was replaced by white hot rage.
"She's...she's the bitch who got killed Sheele! She's the reason Sayo had to mercy kill Sheele!" Tatsumi thought, gritting his teeth and tightly balling his fists. Without thinking Tatsumi reached for where he normally kept Incursio, but he stopped when he remembered all his weapons had been confiscated. "That's right...I'm pretty much defenseless right now. I could maybe take one of them in a fist fight, but not all of them at once." Tatsumi lowly growled and lowered his head. "Damn it! This was my perfect chance to kill her and avenge Sheele! If only I had Incursio!" Tatsumi was shaken from his thoughts when he felt someone gently rubbing his head. Looking up, Tatsumi felt a wave of disgust wash over him when he saw that it was Seryu. "This witch...I don't want her vile hands on me!"
"It's going to be okay..." Seryu said with a small smile, as she continued to rub Tatsumi's head. "We're on the side of justice, so you don't have to worry anymore. Do you remember me? We met once-"
"Get your hands off me!" Tatsumi roared, furiously slapping Seryu's arm away. The young assassin was panting with anger as he glared at Seryu. The Jaegers stared at Tatsumi in shock, while Esdeath had an amused look on her face. Tatsumi knew that Bulat had told him that he couldn't act purely based on his emotions, but...he had to let this girl know...she had to know that he didn't like her, and that he wanted nothing to do with her. "You speak of justice, but you know nothing of true justice. Your view of justice has been twisted and warped into something foul. I've heard about you...most people in the capital know about you." Tatsumi clenched his fists as he continued to glare at Seryu. "I can't let them find out who I really am, so I'll have to keep up my act. I have to make them believe I'm just some random guy that lives in the capital. I'm sorry Bro, but just this time I'm acting purely based on my emotions." Tatsumi suddenly chuckled darkly and locked eyes with Seryu. "I've heard all the rumors, that you use your twisted sense of justice to kill anyone you deem a criminal. Even if they only committed a minor crime, you wouldn't show any restraint or mercy. But the worst and most disgusting thing is that you feed that little dog of yours people. From people stealing some food just to survive, to death row inmates who would likely have received a much less painful death if they had simply been publicly executed." Tatsumi's harsh words seriously stung Seryu and tears were pooling the corners of her eyes. "How many people has that little monster eaten? How many wrongly imprisoned people have you fed that thing?"
"But-" Seryu tried to speak, as tears streamed down her cheeks. However, Tatsumi cut her off, deciding to put the final nail in the coffin. He would tell a half lie and hopefully drive home that he wanted nothing to do with Seryu, but at the same time keep his real identity a secret.
"You killed one of my friends, did you know that?" Tatsumi said, causing Seryu's eyes to widen. Seryu herself hadn't killed Sheele, but she did shoot Sheele, which forced Sayo to kill her instead of letting her be eaten by Coro. "She had simply stolen a loaf a bread to feed her starving family. The bakery she took the bread from had plenty to spare, so she figured no one would notice if anything had gone missing, especially one measly loaf of bread. However, she had made the mistake of taking some bread that had been specially prepared for the minister. It turns out that the bakery was quite famous and one that the minister frequently made special orders from. There was no way she could have know this, but it didn't matter. The minister was furious and dispatched guards to catch the thief who had stolen from him. My friend was caught before she could even make it home. She immidiately returned the bread and pleaded for her life. But the minister had to 'make an example' out of her, so she was thrown in prison and sentenced to death. When I found out I rushed over to the prison to see her, but when I got there...she was already dead. All that remained in her cell were her glasses and a pool of her blood on the floor. I overheard the guards talk about how you had visited the prison earlier that day...to feed Coro. You killed my friend in the most horrific way possible and I didn't even have a chance to say goodbye to her." The rest of the Jaegers seemed to have bought Tatsumi's story, most of them looking rather uncomfortable. Seryu on the other hand was a mess, she hid her face in her hands as she continued to cry. Coro looked up at its master with concerned eyes. "Now you understand why I don't want a monster like you touching me. Just stay away from me for a while."
"I-I don't even remember..." Seryu cried, as she chocked back a sob. The way Tatsumi had so casually called her a monster really struck a cord within her.
"That doesn't surprise me." Tatsumi said coldly, continuing to glare at Seryu. "With all of the people you've killed, why would you remember an innocent bread thief?"
"I...I...I'm sorry!" Seryu exclaimed, before she sprinted out of the room, with Coro following closely behind her.
"*Sigh* I'll go calm her down." Run said, leaving the room to follow after Seryu.
"I apologize for that outburst." Tatsumi said, as he turned to face Esdeath. "But now you know why I can't work for the empire."
"It's quite alright Tatsumi..." Esdeath said, waving her hand nonchalantly. "I don't much care for you upsetting one of my subordinates, but I do admire the fire and passion that burns within you...That's actually one of the things that drew me to you in the first place."
"General Esdeath!" A palace guard exclaimed, as he ran into the room. "We've completed our reconnaissance of the area around Lake Gyogan like you ordered!"
"What splendid timing..." Esdeath said with a smirk, turning to the rest of the Jaegers. "You all...looks like we have our first big mission." Esdeath gestured towards the table behind her and everyone gathered around it. "I'm sure you're all aware of the bandit stronghold that's been recently been built near Lake Gyogan."
"Of course." Seryu said, as she walked up to the table, wiping the remaining tears from her eyes. The auburn-haired girl spared Tatsumi a sad glance out of the corner of her eye, before she returned her attention to the map that was on the table. "Criminals from the capital have been flocking there lately."
"Well, since we have no information on Night Raid's whereabouts, we'll temporarily put them on the back burner." Esdeath said, placing her hands on her hips. "We should focus on the enemy that's right in front of us."
"What if the enemy surrenders?" Bols asked, which caused Esdeath's smirk to darken.
"Only the weak and pitiful surrender..." Esdeath replied in a sadistic tone. "And it's only natural for the weak to be picked off." For the first time since meeting her, Tatsumi saw Esdeath's true colors and he didn't like what he was seeing. But, he couldn't forget how she had been treating him, how gentle and caring she could possibly be. There was good in this woman and Tatsumi knew it, but it was buried deep within her.
"Maybe I can use that to my advantage?" Tatsumi thought, as he stared at Esdeath. "If I can somehow drag out the little bit of good that's in her...maybe I can bring her into the light and join our cause...or at the very least abandon the empire. If everything I've heard about her is true, then she never can fully be forgiven for her crimes...but I can't call myself a man if I don't give it a shot."
"Hahaha..." Seryu laughed, a large smile spreading across her face. "This is the perfect chance to go out and massacre-" However, Seryu caught herself mid sentence. She once again glanced at Tatsumi, and his harsh words rang through her mind.
"Now you understand why I don't want a monster like you touching me."
"With all of the people you've killed, why would you remember an innocent bread thief?"
"Am...Am I really a monster like he said?" Seryu thought, as she clutched a hand over her conflicted heart. The raging fires of justice still burned brightly within her, but Tatsumi's words had deeply affected her. The look in his eyes and the tone of his voice showed that he had gone through great pain, just like she had when her father had been killed. "Maybe...Maybe I have been going too far...I pretended not to notice...but all of the other guards in the garrison...they did tend to avoid me whenever possible...were they...afraid of me? I do get a rush when I kill criminals...when I exact justice upon them and see the light drain from their eyes I never feel more alive...does that make me a monster?" Seryu suddenly closed her eyes and violently shook her head. "GAH! I can't be worrying about this now, I have a mission to do! I'll do some more thinking later..."
"Hmm, she seems to be rather conflicted." Esdeath thought, shooting Seryu a wary glance. "I know if won't affect her performance on this mission, but it might lead to problems in the future. I'll have to keep my eye on her." Releasing a light sigh, Esdeath got everyone's attention. "Alright, before we deploy I want you all to listen up. I want each of you to eliminate at least a dozen men, minimum, on this mission. This is the only type of work we'll be doing from now on. I trust that you're all ready for this."
"I am a soldier and I will follow my orders without hesitation..." Bols said, as he tightly balled his fists. "Besides...someone has to do this job."
"I concur." Kurome said, grabbing her teigu, Yatsufusa. "I will carry out all my orders without objection. I always have and always will."
"I...owe my life to a man from the navy..." Wave said, as he gazed down at his teigu, Grand Chariot. "When I asked how I could repay him...he told me to work my hardest for this country...so I'm going to do this...even if it costs me my life!"
"*Sigh* In order to grant a certain wish..." Run said, silently closing a small book he was reading. "I must advance in this world, and to do that I must do distinguished acts of service. I may not look it, but I'm overflowing with enthusiasm."
"And you doctor?" Esdeath asked, as she cast Stylish a sideways glance.
"Ha, my main principle is quite simple." Stylish said with a chuckle, adjusting his glasses. "The eternal pursuit of stylishness! Do you understand general!?"
"No, I don't." Esdeath replied in a bored tone. "And I honestly don't care to." Releasing a light sigh, Esdeath readjusted her cap. "Well none of you show any signs of hesitation...I wouldn't accept anything less." Turning around, Esdeath began to make her way towards the door. "Let's move out!" Tatsumi thought this was the perfect time to think of a way to escape, but he nearly jumped out of his skin when Esdeath came back and gently took his hand. "You're coming to Tatsumi."
"Huh? Why am I going too!?" Tatsumi exclaimed, as Esdeath led him towards the door.
"As our backup, it'll be good for you to watch everyone else fight." Esdeath replied, pulling Tatsumi close to her.
"I don't like this, but I guess this is a good opportunity to observe the enemy's skills." Tatsumi thought, as he allowed Esdeath to drag him along.
(One Hour Later; Lake Gyogan Bandit Fort)
"We've all memorized the base's layout and enemy's locations, but what is our strategy?" Run asked, staring at the sprawling fortress before them.
"Justi-...We'll fight them fair and square." Seryu said, as she caught herself before she could say anything about justice. She needed time to think after this mission, time to reassess her view on justice. "So we'll take them head on. They won't expect it and it will allow us to take advantage of their confusion."
As the Jaegers went over their battle strategy, Tatsumi and Esdeath observed from a nearby cliff. Esdeath sat close to Tatsumi, but not close enough to make him feel uncomfortable. Tatsumi nervously glanced at Esdeath as he tightly gripped his pant legs. "This is another possible opportunity to escape, but there's no way I'd make it very far. Without Incursio, Esdeath would catch me in no time...plus, I have to get a good read on the Jaegers power, so I can report back to everyone when I do eventually get out of here."
"We'll watch the battle unfold from up here." Esdeath said, crossing her legs. "It should be quite the show."
"I can't help but feel bad that I'm the only one relaxing..." Tatsumi said without thinking, as he looked down at his hands. However, he blushed hotly when Esdeath reached over and squeezed one of his hands. Looking up, Tatsumi saw a small smile and a bright blush on Esdeath's face. "She looks just like a normal lovestruck girl right now...I don't get this woman. One second she acts like this, then the next she's a heartless killer...I still don't know what to think of her...Anyways, I'll have to do my best while I'm still with her to draw out this side of her more often."
"Watch closely Tatsumi." Esdeath said, spotting the Jaegers as they approached the bandit camp. "This is going to be quite the show."
The bandit fort was quiet in the night, most of the men already asleep. A few guards were the only ones still awake at this hour. The guard that was watching the front entrance was doing his best to stay awake, but it was ultimately a losing battle. However, just as his eyelids began to droop, he spotted several figures approaching the front gate. Shooting to his feet, the guard sounded the alarm. "We've got intruders! Everyone get your lazy asses up!" At once the camp sprang to life, as bandits raced to grab guns and other various weapons. After barely a minute the entire camp was gathered at the front gate. When the bandits had finished assembling they were all surprised to see only six intruders. However, none of the bandits had any idea just who they were up against.
"Oi! Do you idiots know where you are!?"
"Yeah, you've got some serious balls to just waltz up to our front door like this!"
"There's no way we're gonna let you live to tell anybody about our hideout!"
"Hey boys! They got some serious hotties with them!"
"Hell yeah! Let's finish this quick and have some fun with 'em!"
"With the help of the doctor's teigu, I will clear the path for us." Seryu said, as she began to advance towards the group of bandits. "You villainous scum are a cancer on this country and I will take you all down. Coro. Number 5." Seryu extended her right arm, just as Coro enlarge itself. Then to Tatsumi and the bandit's shock, Coro sank his teeth into Seryu' arm. "In exchange for both of my arms...I gained a new power from the doctor..." As Coro released Seryu's arm, the appendage was replaced by a massive drill. "Judgement of the Ten Kings!" Leaping into the air, Seryu began to feel the familiar rush of adrenaline as she prepared to attack the bandits. "Justice: King of Hell's Spear!" Seryu rocketed forward, her drill decimating everything in its path. Blood and body parts rained down as Seryu tore through the bandit's ranks. Any enemies Seryu missed, Coro would sweep through and mop up, devouring any bandits in its path.
"Shit! This bitch is really bad news! We have to alert the boss! Hurry up and get those damn gates closed!"
"That won't help you." Seryu said, a twisted grin spreading across her face as she extended her arm once again. "Coro! Number 7, now!" This time Seryu's drill was replaced by a large cannon. "Justice: Towering Mountain Cannon!" With a magical laugh, Seryu blew open the gates, along with any bandits that were in the way.
"She...really is a monster..." Tatsumi thought, staring at the massacre before him in horror. The front of the fort was covered in blood and littered with dozens of bodies. "If all the Jaegers are as strong as her...we might have a serious problem on our hands..."
"I don't think we even need to be here." Wave said with a nervous chuckle, as he stared at the carnage around him. "Man, that's some seriously destructive power."
"Heh, I created those weapons she's using." Stylish said with a smirk, adjusting his glasses. Raising his hands, Stylish showed off his teigu. "The Glorious Hands of God: Perfector.This teigu increases the minute movements of my fingers several hundred fold. It's the ultimate stylish teigu!" Stylish snapped his fingers and pointed at Run and Wave. "No matter how grave your injury is, as long as you're not dead, I can fix you up perfectly! If you want I can even throw in some stylish cyborg weapons!"
"Haha, I think I'll pass on the weapons." Run said with a nervous chuckle, as he sweatdropped.
"I'm all gung ho for the healing..." Wave said, standing protectively in front of Stylish. "But if you've got a support-type teigu, you'll need to be protected."
"Heh heh, save that sweetness for when we're alone." Stylish said, as he poked Wave's cheek.
"If he touches me one more time, I'm going to be the one killing him." Wave thought, his brow twitching in irritation.
"Come on out!" Stylish exclaimed, as he snapped his finger once again. Out of nowhere a mob of masked people surrounded Stylish. "My reinforced soldiers!" Stylish smirked when he saw the surprised looks on the rest of the Jaegers' faces. "These are my stylish personal soldiers, who I've strengthen with surgeries performed with my teigu. If this were a game of chess, they'd be my pawns. To make a stylish weapon on par with a teigu...is my ultimate dream."
"Um...I hate to interrupt..." Run said, pointing towards the demolished gate behind them. "While we were sitting here chatting, Kurome already went in."
"Damn she's fast." Wave commented, as he placed his hands on his hips.
"Tch, that little brat should have been listening to my stylish explanation." Stylish said, crossing his arms over his chest in irritation.
Inside the fort, Kurome had separated from Seryu and began to cut her way through any bandits she saw. Eventually Kurome found herself in the center of the fort, a trail of bisected and headless bandits in her wake. However, when Kurome stepped into the courtyard she was immidiately encircled by a large group of bandits. But Kurome was worried, she merely counted the number of bandits surrounding her and added them to her growing body count.
"Th-This girl..."
"She may look cute, but she's fucking deadly!"
"We have to take her out quick!"
All of the bandits readied their weapons and prepared to attack Kurome at once. But in the blink of an eye, Kurome had leaped out of the circle of bandits and landed behind them. Before anyone could even react, Kurome struck with Yatsufusa. In an instant the bandits fell to Kurome's blade one-by-one. Blood stained Yatsufusa and the ground, and severed limbs littered the the courtyard. Kurome smiled as she sheathed Yatsufusa.
"I didn't even have to use any of my abilities...what a shame." Kurome said, as she crouched down next one of the dead bandits. "If I cleaned you all up and rearranged you, we could play together forever...my cute little dolls." However, as Kurome continued to inspect the dead bandits, she apparently didn't notice a single survivor that had hidden around a corner. The bandit readied his pistol and took aim at Kurome. But before the bandit could fire, Wave flew in and kicked the bandit in the jaw. The bandit fell back and smashed his head against a wall, killing him instantly.
"There's no need to thank me." Wave said in a cocky tone, placing his hands in his pockets as he walked up to Kurome. The dark-haired man thought he couldn't look any cooler right now, but his hopes were dashed when Kurome next spoke.
"Uh, I already knew he was there." Kurome said in a bored tone, as she pulled out a hidden throwing knife. "But because of you I didn't have to waste this...so thanks I guess."
"I just can't win..." Wave said in a dejected tone, hanging his head in defeat.
In another part of the bandit fort, Bols was dodging a volley of arrows as he sprinted towards one of the outer walls. Bols dove behind cover once he was close enough and prepared his flamethrower-teigu, Invitation to Purgatory: Rubicante. Taking a deep breath, Bols leaped out of his cover just as another wave of arrows was fired at him. "Someone has to do this job." As soon as these words left Bols' mouth, a searing stream of flames erupted from Rubicante. The arrows that were flying towards Bols were instantly burned to ashes and the entire wall was encased in flames. Soon the air was filled with the screams of the bandits that were unfortunate enough to be caught in Bols' flames. All of the burning bandits began to scramble around, searching for anything to douse the scorching fire.
"SOOOOO HOOOOOOOTTTT! WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE FLAMES?!" A burning bandit yelled, as he dumped an entire bucket of water onto his body. But to his horror the flames weren't extinguished. "THEY WON'T GO OUT EVEN AFTER I DUMPED WATER ON THEM!" The burning bandit collapsed to the ground and desperately clawed towards his comrades that had been lucky enough to be spared from the flames. "PLEASE! HELP ME!"
"This isn't fucking funny man!"
"Fuck this shit! I'm getting out of this hellhole!"
"We gotta fucking book it man!"
All of the surviving bandits began to make their escape out of the fort. But they had barely taken five steps, before something pierced their skulls. Two of the bandits collapsed to the ground dead immidiately, but one managed to spin around and catch a glimpse of his killer. All he saw was what appeared to be angel framed against the moon, before his entire world went black. The bandit's attacker was actually Run, who had used his winged-teigu, Thousand Mile Flight: Mastema, to kill the bandits with razor sharp feathers which were as deadly as any blade.
"I'm sorry, but I cannot allow anyone to escape." Run said, beginning his descent towards the ground.
The bandit fort at Lake Gyogan lay in flaming ruins. Countless bodies littered the ground and the air reeked of blood. The Jaegers had fallen back to regroup after their first successful mission, all of them except Seryu. The auburn-haired girl walked through the destroyed fort, searching for any surviving bandits. Coro lazily followed behind Seryu, the teigu stuffed from eating dozens of bandits. Seryu searched through the fort high and low and came up with nothing. However, just when she was about to call off her search, she heard the sounds of soft whimpering. A twisted smile spread across Seryu's face, as she prepared to kill one last evildoer. After rounding a corner, Seryu spotted a blood covered bandit sitting on the ground. The bandit looked to be in his mid-twenties, he was crying softly as he clutched the remains of his left arm, which was severed from the elbow down. When the bandit spotted Seryu he screamed in terror and frantically began to back away from the Jaeger. As Seryu stalked towards her prey, her smile seemed to grow wider and more twisted with each step. Seryu only briefly stopped her advance to grab a discarded sword off the ground, she would use it to chop apart this villain piece by piece. Eventually the bandit backed himself up against a wall. Eyes full of fear, the bandit desperately searched for anyway to escape, but his heart sank when he found none.
"P-Please...please don't kill me...have mercy..." The bandit pleaded, as he raised his one good arm defensively. However, Seryu wasn't swayed by his words, and raised her blade. Seeing that he was about to die, the bandit began to sob as he curled up into a ball. But just before she swung, the bandit said something that made her pause. "Please...I didn't even want to join these guys...they dragged me with them after they raided my village...they threatened my family..." This time the bandit's words seemed to affect Seryu and her grip on the sword loosened. "Please...I have a wife and two baby girls...my girls aren't even two yet...I was sending any money I could scrape together to them...if I die they'll starve...please...if I die my family will die as well...please let me live...I won't say a word to anyone...I'll return to my family and we'll leave this country...you'll never hear or see me again...please just spare me."
The bandit's words seemed to have touched Seryu's heart, the part of her heart that longed to protect the innocent. The auburn-haired Jaeger's hands began to shake as she grit her teeth. Seryu glanced down at the defenseless bandit before and her heart began to waver. She knew that the bandit could easily be lying just to save his skin. But something about his tone spoke to Seryu and told her that he was telling the truth. As Seryu stared at the bandit with ever softening eyes, Tatsumi's words from earlier ran through her mind.
"With all of the people you've killed, why would you remember an innocent bread thief?"
"Now you understand why I don't want a monster like you touching me."
"A monster like you."
"Monster."
After a few more moments of thinking, Seryu made up her mind and decided the bandit's fate. The begging bandit yelped in surprise when the sword Seryu was holding fell to the ground in front of him. Hesitantly, the bandit looked up Seryu. The auburn-haired girl was shaking slightly as she tightly balled her fists. She was hanging her head, her bangs covering her face. "Get out of here."
"H-Huh?" The bandit said in a surprised tone. "W-What did you say?"
"I said get the hell out of here!" Seryu exclaimed, pointing towards an exit that would allow the bandit to escape without being seen. "I won't say anything to my teammates, so leave before I change my mind!"
"T-Thank you!" The bandit yelled, as fresh tears formed in his eyes. "I can't thank you enough! You just saved my family!"
"One last thing..." Seryu said, digging through her pockets. After searching for a few seconds, Seryu pulled out a small first aid kit. "Here." The bandit looked absolutely stunned as he carefully took the small medkit. "It isn't much, but use this to patch yourself up before you head home. You'll still need to see a doctor though, but this will help stop the bleeding and let you make it back home."
"Thank you...thank you..." The bandit repeated several times, as he shot to his feet. "We probably won't meet again, so I wish you the best of luck miss."
"Just get out of here..." Seryu said, turning around and walking away. Once Seryu was far enough away, she leaned against a wall and sank to the ground. With a heavy sigh she clutched her head. "What the hell is going on with me?"
Up on his vantage point, Tatsumi stared at the destruction that lay before him in a mix of awe and terror. "W-Wow..." Tatsumi breathed out, just as an explosion rang out from the bandit fort. "This is bad...really bad. Those guys are all extremely strong. I have to get out of here and warn the others. We have to get stronger, so that we can take these guys on."
"Tatsumi...I'll personally train you." Esdeath's sweet voice pulled Tatsumi from his thoughts. "And then you'll be able to do things like that."
"It's funny..." Tatsumi said, turning to face Esdeath with a small smile on his face. "You're actually pretty nice...and it's really confusing me."
"Oh..." Esdeath said with an amused smile, as she rested her head on her hand. The empire's most feared general had a slight blush on her face as she leaned toward Tatsumi. "Am I different from the stories you've heard about me?"
Tatsumi didn't answer for a few moments, he simply stared at the horizon. Eventually he turned to look at Esdeath again, he figured now was a good time to try and start winning her over. "Actually yes." Esdeath seemed rather surprised by Tatsumi's reply, and quirked an eyebrow in confusion. "From what I've heard, I expected you to be some heartless monster who just goes around killing people." Esdeath appeared to be unfazed by Tatsumi's rather rude thinking of her, but on the inside his words stung her just a little. "But...now that I've spent some time with you...I think my opinion of you is starting to change. I can tell that you still have a sadistic side, but I've also seen your sweet and caring side, at least when you're with me. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't like that side of you." With each word Tatsumi spoke, Esdeath's blush seemed to darken. "Time to go in for the kill." Tatsumi suddenly pretended to be flustered and began to rub the back of his neck. "Plus...you're a beautiful woman...one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen..." It wasn't a lie, Esdeath was a stunning woman, and if she wasn't working for the empire Tatsumi was positive he would have fallen head over heels for her. Tatsumi's acting seemed to have the desired effect. Esdeath released a slight gasp and clutched a hand over her thundering heart.
"I...I've never felt this way before..." Esdeath said with a growing smile, her blush darkening once again. "I've never loved someone like this before...it's strange...but it's not bad."
"Hmm, maybe...maybe that truly means I can convince her to join our side, or at least abandon the empire...It will be hard to persuade her, probably one of the hardest things I've ever had to do...I may not have know her very long, but I can tell that she's loyal to the empire...but from what I've seen today I might just have a chance..." Tatsumi thought, as he cast a glance at Esdeath. "It's going to take some time...but I think I can do it..." Tatsumi once again glanced at Esdeath, when he saw her smiling at him, he felt a pang in his heart. "I know she can never be forgiven for what's she's done in the past...but if she repents and tries to atone for her sins...she might be able to redeem herself...There's good inside her, I know it...but it's buried deep within her. I can't give up, I have to try and bring her into the light. Not just for the empire's sake, but for Esdeath's as well."
"Tatsumi? Are you okay?" Esdeath asked, standing back onto her feet. "You've been quiet for a while now."
"O-Oh, I'm fine! Sorry for making you worry!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as her nervously chuckled. "I-I was just wondering where I'd be staying from now on."
"Oh that's easy..." Esdeath said, walking up to Tatsumi and running her hand down her cheek. "You'll be staying in my room."
"Shit..." Tatsumi thought, as his eyes shot open. "This either going to be really good...or really fucking bad."
(Two Hours Later; Esdeath's Room)
Tatsumi nervously sat on the edge of Esdeath's bed, the sounds of a running shower filled the room. The young assassin's mind was racing, as he tried to think of what to say to Esdeath. Tonight would be his best chance to start convincing Esdeath, he had to plant some seeds of doubt within her mind. But he couldn't seem to concentrate, because his mind kept wandering...envisioning what Esdeath would look like in the shower right now. However, Tatsumi was shaken from his thought when he heard the door to Esdeath's bathroom open. When Tatsumi turned to look at Esdeath, he expected her to be dressed or in a robe, hell even just a towel. But he did not expect her to walk into the room wearing just a white button-up shirt, one that barely reached down below hips. Esdeath had left the top several buttons of the shirt undone, exposing her upper stomach and cleavage to him. Tatsumi gaped as he stared at Esdeath's barely clothed body, mainly her large breasts which looked like they were about to pop out of her shirt. Esdeath was very well endowed, almost on par with Leone's, and Tatsumi couldn't help but appreciate that.
"Sorry for making you wait." Esdeath said, brushing some still damp hair out of her face.
"I-It's no problem..." Tatsumi muttered, as he turned his head, trying to hide the fact that he was blatantly ogling Esdeath.
Esdeath thought Tatsumi's flustered face was very cute. With a soft chuckle, Esdeath sat down next to Tatsumi. "Would like anything to drink."
"N-Nope! I'm totally fine!" Tatsumi exclaimed, feeling his nervousness rise.
"You seem awfully nervous Tatsumi. Are you feeling alright?" Esdeath asked, as she decided to tease Tatsumi a little. Tatsumi's face burned bright red when Esdeath pressed her forehead against his. "Hmm, it doesn't feel like you have a fever or anything."
"I-I'm okay! You don't have to worry about me!" Tatsumi said, frantically waving his arms.
"You're so cute when you're nervous." Esdeath said, as she cupped Tatsumi's cheek. "Well I don't know the proper etiquette for these kind of things...but if we follow our hearts everything should work out just fine, don't you think?"
"Uh...there's something I wanted to ask..." Tatsumi said, getting Esdeath's attention. "You said you liked me, didn't you?" Instead of answering, Tatsumi was completely caught off guard when Esdeath lunged forward and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. Every instinct told Tatsumi to push Esdeath off him, but he couldn't muster the strength to do it, and if he was gonna be honest he didn't want to. Esdeath's lips were incredibly soft and she was surprisingly good kisser, despite having no prior experience. However, as Tatsumi kissed Esdeath he could't help but feel like he was betraying Akame and Leone. He knew that both girls had agreed to share and were willing to include any new girls that wished to join them, but he couldn't help but feel guilty. Tatsumi would deal with the consequences later, for now he would simply enjoy this kiss. When Esdeath broke off the kiss, she was straddling Tatsumi's hips.
"If I didn't love you..." Esdeath said, as she gently stroked Tatsumi's cheek. "I wouldn't have done that."
"Now's as good of a time as ever." Tatsumi thought, taking a breath to calm his raging hormones. "Can I ask you another question?"
"All right, go on ahead." Esdeath said, as she sensually rubbed Tatsumi's chest. "Ask nice and loud so I can hear you."
"Why do you serve the empire?" Tatsumi asked, causing Esdeath to quirk an eyebrow. "I hate the current empire and I can't understand why you would work for it. Like I said earlier I have no desire to work for the empire and if I do fight it's going to be with the revolutionary army."
"Well I'm not too surprised, most people these days tend to hate the empire." Esdeath said, as she rubbed her chin. "But the reason I serve the empire is quite simple. The empire is incredibly strong and I only cooperate with those who are strong. Weaklings will only slow you down and need to left in the dust to die."
"But the empire isn't strong!" Tatsumi exclaimed, sitting up on his elbows. Esdeath was slightly surprised when Tatsumi got right in her face. "This country is ruled from the shadows by the minister! He uses dirty tactics and fear to keep control! Those who are strong don't use tricks like that! They face their foes head on and defeat them with their own skills, not underhanded tactics! You're strong Esdeath, so you should be able to see that the minister is making this country weak and that he will lead it to ruin!" It was only for a brief moment, but Tatsumi saw doubt flicker through Esdeath's eyes. "I'm asking you just think about what I said and take it to heart."
"Tatsumi..." Esdeath muttered, before she slapped Tatsumi across the face. "You're talking to a general in the imperial army, don't forget that."
"I knew it wouldn't work right away, but I know I saw it..." Tatsumi thought, rubbing his red cheek. "I know I got through to her, if only for a moment. She doubted the empire for a second and that's all I needed. I've planted the seeds of doubt in her mind all I need to do now is nurture them and make sure I don't ruin the trust she has in me."
"Heh...I had to at least try..." Tatsumi joked, as he smiled softly at Esdeath. "But Esdeath, if you don't think about what I said, we might end up as enemies one day and I'd hate for that to happen. Because I am starting to like you Esdeath."
"Oh Tatsumi..." Esdeath said, hugging Tatsumi close. "You don't have to worry about that. You can just stay here with me forever. I know you've lived a boring life so...but from now on, you will live in comfort. And I don't don't have a lover, you're the only person I regard as a man. You won't ever feel lonely."
"That's another thing..." Tatsumi said, as he nervously scratched his cheek. "Uh, I already have a girlfriend."
"Oh?" Esdeath said, perking up with a sadistic smile on her face. "I'll enjoy the competition then. But know this, I will win and you will be mine."
"Don't think it'll be that easy..." Tatsumi muttered underneath his breath. "Anyways, it's not right that only I should get to be happy."
"What? Do you have a family?" Esdeath asked, as she placed comforting hand on Tatsumi's knee. "I can arrange for them to be heavily guarded, it will be quite easy."
"No, it's not that..." Tatsumi said, tightly gripping the bedsheets. "I want a country...where everybody can live happily. That's why this corrupted empire needs to go. I know that you believe in survival of the fittest and that the weak needed to be weeded out, but I can't accept that!" Tatsumi stood onto his feet and looked at Esdeath with eyes full of determination and passion. "I'm sorry, but can't like someone who thinks like that! If you care about me, even a little, the please reflect on everything I've said and think about what's really important!"
"I...also love this look...but..." Esdeath thought, as she stared up at Tatsumi with a growing blush. Tatsumi knew that Esdeath wouldn't fall for his little speech, but he was surprised when she didn't speak immediately. Esdeath appeared to be in deep thought for a few moments, as she bit her bottom lip. "I can't..." Esdeath got off the bed and pointed at Tatsumi. "Don't get the wrong idea Tatsumi! I'm not going to be influenced by you! You're going to be influenced by me! There will be no other way!"
"Well, you're welcome to try, but you won't change me...even if you torture me." Tatsumi said, crossing his arms defiantly over his chest. "I'm a tough bastard Esdeath and I don't give up very easily."
"Heh, my you're quite stubborn." Esdeath said with a small smile. "But I guess that's why..." Esdeath's smile softened as she closed her eyes. "You can smile like that..." Esdeath looked down at her chest and clasped both her hands over her heart. "I want to see that innocent smile of his again...that spirit...I want to support all that Tatsumi is...in that case!" Tatsumi was surprised when Esdeath suddenly sat back down on the edge of the bed. "Well, you must be tired from all the excitement today. We'll continue this conversation later. For now, let's get some sleep."
"U-Uh, okay...I'll sleep on the couch over there..." Tatsumi said, as he began to make his way towards the couch on the other side of the room. However, he was stopped when Esdeath grabbed his wrist.
"I promise I won't try anything tonight, so please just sleep in the bed!" Esdeath pleaded, locking eyes with Tatsumi. "Please, I hate sleeping alone."
"*Sigh* Fine, I'll sleep in the bed..." Tatsumi said, which caused Esdeath's eyes to light up. "But I'm gonna go take a bath real quick."
"Just so you know, if you cause any type of commotion in the palace..." Esdeath said, stopping Tatsumi in his tracks. "And try to run away, it'll only end in your death. This place was built specially...to be safe for only those who excel in self-defense. General Budo's guards are everywhere. So forget any funny ideas you might have."
"Don't worry, I wasn't planning anything." Tatsumi said, as he opened the door to the bathroom. "Everyone in Night Raid said that the inside of the palace was really dangerous. I guess there is really no way for me to escape while I'm here. And I have no hope of defeating Esdeath one-on-one, I don't even want to right now. I'd rather try to sway her towards our side, fighting her will be my last resort." With a light sigh, Tatsumi walked into the bathroom.
"Hmm..." Esdeath hummed, tapping her chin. "I probably should have joined him...ah well that will come in time. There's no need to hurry." Taking a calming breath, Esdeath fell back against the bed, remembering what Bols had told her earlier in the evening.
"The way to win Tatsumi's heart...is by not giving up. I was rejected twice...but I made my move when I saw my chance and won her heart. Just remember that it will take some time."
"Bols said so too." Esdeath thought with a smile, as she began to relax on the bed. "First thing tomorrow...I'll have Tatsumi join me on a danger beast hunt...then I'll show him what I can really do." A light blush dusted across Esdeath's face as she stared at the door to her bathroom. "I'm going to make you fall for me, Tatsumi...no matter what I have to do...Heh, this way of doing things is very exciting for me."
And done! This marks the end for the last quick update chapter. The next chapter will pick up immediately where this one left off, and will have Tatsumi escaping from Esdeath and Dr. Stylish's attack on Night Raid. So Tatsumi has planted seeds of doubt in both Seryu and Esdeath's minds. I want to make this clear right now, I have absolutely no plans for saving Seryu or having her switch sides. I hate her character and she is still going to die, but I just don't want her to be a complete fucking psycho, I wanted to show that she still has some sort of conscience. So what did you guys think? Remember to follow/favorite if you liked what you read, PLEASE REVIEW I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK, and PM me any ideas you have for any of my fics.
P.S. I finished three anime in the time between chapters, and I thought I'd give you my thought/personal scores of them. I also put up a complete list of my favorite pairings on my profile, so if you want to check it out head on over to my profile.
Boku no Hero Academia (9/10 I'm ashamed of myself for skipping out on this anime when it was originally airing. But I can guarantee that I'll be keeping up with the second season once it airs.)
Guilty Crown (9/10 This anime seriously fucked with my head in certain parts and constantly had me wondering what the hell was going on, but despite that I absolutely loved it. This is also one of the most beautiful anime I've ever watched and it deserves major points for its art, sound, and music alone. But I will say that I fucking hated the ending to this series. It wasn't a bad ending at all, don't get me wrong. But when I finished this series it was kinda like when I finished Akame ga Kill. I won't spoil what happens, but when the finals credits rolled I just felt kinda empty and unsatisfied inside. With Akame ga Kill when it ended I was just like, Tatsumi and Night Raid went through all this hell and only Akame and Najenda end up surviving? It just made me feel empty and a little upset when it ended. With Guilty Crown I got a similar feeling. Like Shu goes through hell and back to do something that I won't spoil, and this is the ending he gets? The entire series he is shown suffering and making incredibly difficult decisions, he ends up completely hating himself and he couldn't catch a single break at the end? It kinda made it feel like all his effort and hard work was for nothing when the final credits rolled. Guilty Crown definitely didn't have a very happy ending, and I know not every series can happy ending, but I was seriously holding out for one. I would have preferred if he had died with Inori then the actual ending we got. Just when those final credits rolled I couldn't help but feel a little depressed and sad for Shu. He definitely deserved a happy ending after all the pure hell he had to endure.)
Dungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka (8.9/10)
So until next time, I'm outta here!