The night was... more then incredible as far as either of them was concerned. The heated love that bloomed between them proved to be something they never would have dreamed of experiencing before but that they now desired wholeheartedly and desperately clung onto as if their very lives depended on it. With the kiss atop the Capital walls, the feelings that until now were forced to stay dormant have burst out to the surface only to melt in the heat over the course of the passionate night they shared and solidify them together once they allowed it all to cool down. Nothing they've ever felt before brought with it such an immense feeling of satisfaction, warmth and most importantly, love. They connected on a level they couldn't even imagine before, deeper then seemed possible…

And even now, as the morning sun rose over the Capital, shining it's rays through the window right onto their bodies, they remained wrapped in a tight embrace under the covers; they could still feel the overwhelming calmness and love emanating between them. They were both awake for quite a while now and very much aware of the fact, but for now they found it hard to leave the comfort of each other's touch and warmth, instead wordlessly expressing their love.

Their arms remained firmly wrapped around one another, slowly sliding over their bodies, touching and caressing every part of them within reach. His fingers would brush through her hair, gently stroking her neck and the marks he left on it. He would hold her by the waist to keep her pressed against him as she did the same, silently purring against his chest with every touch of his. Her fingers glued to the muscles on his chest and arms, occasionally venturing lower, to his stomach. She moaned lightly whenever he would touch the bite mark he left on her neck, enjoying the slight tingle it brought to her skin and more then happy to let her enjoyment show.

With their legs tangled together, Akame sunk into him a bit further, listening to his heart beating in his chest… just as it did in hers. They were perfectly in sync, matched beat by beat… Her chest felt warm, almost painfully so. The thought of how he was willing to sacrifice a piece of himself for her… knowing that she will carry that piece of him inside of her for as long as she lives… It suddenly made her believe that her life still meant something after all. Enough for him to want it to continue… And that was more then enough for her.

Slowly, they both started to open their eyes, sharing a long, loving look through half open eyes. "Hey..." He pulled her a bit closer, leaning in to lightly kiss her lips. In response, she smiled brightly, muzzling his neck for a moment before pulling herself up to return the kiss. They allowed it to linger for a moment, happy to let the love between them show.

"Hey..." She finally replied as they pulled away, still lost in each other's eyes. "T-Tatsumi, I...thank you… for everything. That was… the best night of my life… Thank you..." A pink blush joined her gentle smile just as Tatsumi started to caress her cheek. "I really… really love you, Tatsumi." Her fingers ventured to his face, admiring his soft features.

He smiled back at her, holding his hand at the back of her head, loosing himself in her silky hair. "I love you too, Akame… I just wish I have done something about it sooner." He brought his face closer to hers, almost making their noses touch. "And it was the best night of my life too… by far. I just… um..." His eyes fell on the bit mark on her neck. "S-Sorry about how I was towards the end. I-I really don't know what possessed me to act like this. I even b-bit you… Sorry..."

All she did was smile at that as her hand moved to rub the mark. "Don't be… I liked it. The bite too… And I don't mind the mark… I'm 'yours' after all..." A hint of embarrassment appeared on her face, momentarily prompting her to look away. Tatsumi smiled at that, quickly bringing her attention back to him as he pressed his mouth to hers, closing his eyes and melting into her. She moaned lightly, closing her own eyes and tightly wrapping her arms around him. They separated not long after the kiss started, immediately feeling a pull that called for them to continue it. For now however, they knew it was well past the time they should be getting up. "Come on, let's get some breakfast before we go see the doctor."

With a nod, she unwrapped her arms from him just as he stared to raise from the bed. "I'm sure Leone wondered where we went..." She started to slide towards the edge of the bed, immediately noticing the most pleasant feeling of soreness she ever experienced in her life. Specifically from her crotch. Tatsumi brought her one of the spare sets of clothes Night Raid stored around the place before moving to retrieve one for himself. She couldn't help but stare at his bare body, admiring it from head to toes… her eyes stopped at his butt more then a few times before she started to dress herself up again.

When they were both done, Tatsumi walked over to her and reached out his arm to help her stand up. She gladly took his offer but as soon as she rose to her feet, she felt her legs shaking under her from the soreness pulsing from her. Immediately, she fell against Tatsumi who moved to hold her up. His arms went around her waist, pulling her against him. Strangely enough, she could only smile at that. "I can't believe I'm actually glad I'm using a wheelchair for now… I can barely feel my legs after last night."

"Um… Sorry?" He scratched the back of his head, averting her eyes as a blush appeared on his face.

A slight smirk came to her face as she forced herself to stand straight. "Don't be..." She teasingly kissed his cheek, feeling giddily on the inside at the thought of acting like that around him. "Come on, let's eat something. I'm getting hungry." It took Tatsumi a moment to compose himself before he decided to move. Holding her up by the waist, he moved towards the door and carefully led her down the stairs. They could see the wheelchair left by the door, lying there since last night. Heading there however, they were suddenly halted by a loud snore that they both recognized without missing a beat.

Frozen still, they slowly turned their eyes towards the sofa, only to be greeted by exactly what they expected to see: Leone spread over the sofa like a cat, with her arms and legs spread widely and the sheets only barely covering her naked body. "S-Sis?" Tatsumi stuttered, unexpectedly waking their self-proclaimed big sister up. She chuckled at first before slowly rising from the sofa, not even bothering to keep her body covered. "Sis!?" He blushed profusely art the sight, tumbling over his own words in an attempt to speak up. Akame quickly covered his eyes, unsure if she should feel jealous at his reaction or not… either way, she did feel jealous.

"Hi there kiddos!" The cat-woman said as she approached, still not interested in covering herself up nearly as much as she was interested in teasing the ever-living shit out of these two. Placing her hands on her hips and bending down slightly she smirked at them. "So I've heard you two have been busy last night! About damn time if you ask me. At times I've been thinking if I shouldn't tie you two up together and leave for a day or two, but I guess that won't be necessary now." She grabbed Akame's red cheeks and squeezed them. "Isn't that just the cutest thing ever! My two little siblings screwing like rabbits while their big sis is trying to sleep. Simply adorable."

"L-Leone-" Akame tried to speak up but she along with Tatsumi were quickly pulled into a tight embrace of their self-proclaimed sister; their faces squeezed right against her huge breasts.

They could feel their faces grow redder and Akame was starting to get jealous for real. Leone only let out a content sigh. "I'm really glad..." Her voice was almost soothing, filled with sisterly love and genuine happiness. It was enough for the two momentarily stop trying to break free from her embrace. "After everything that's happened... After everything we all went through... I'm glad at least you found something special in all this mess. I really am..." The two relaxed and in unison returned the embrace, making Leone smile as she moved to kiss their foreheads. "But you know Tatsumi, sucking my tit in front of your girlfriend might me taken the wrong way..."

"I-I'm not-!" Suddenly, Leone moaned out, clearly pretending but it was enough to fool Akame who's jealousy was already peaking. Leone immediately let them go, smirking again as Akame pushed Tatsumi away from her. The two fell down onto the sofa, with Akame sitting atop Tatsumi's lap while holding him by the collar and staring down menacingly. Or at the very least trying to. The blush on her face made it look more cure then anything else and Tatsumi definitely thought so too, blushing intensely at the sight. Leone herself chuckled at she went to retrieve her cloak and put it over herself. It was slowly getting inconvenient to wear only that with nothing underneath. I'm gonna need some new clothes after all... That's not to say she was suddenly getting body-shy or that she didn't enjoy teasing Tatsumi with her body, but working was getting problematic. She'd need to get one of her friends to make something that won't get too annoying with all the fur that she has covering her now.

"I wonder if we have any food left here?" She pondered loudly, consequently snapping her two little siblings from the trance they fell into and just barely stopping them from starting to make out on the couch. They looked at her with blushes again, only making her grin.


She let out a sharp breath as the doctor inserted the needle into her heart. Not really in pain, but rather in discomfort. She held her breath as instructed by him, remaining still as a statue while he did his work. "Just a little more..." He slowly continued to push the contents of the syringe into her heart. She had purposely slowed down her heartbeat just as she was trained to do in case of injury to make the experience easier for herself but that didn't help by much. The discomfort was turning into a dull burning sensation that spread further and further into her body with each heartbeat, slowly fading away only once the doctor removed the syringe. "That's it for now." With a clean cloth, he carefully cleaned the bits of blood and other fluids that leaked onto her bare chest, passing her shirt over to her once he was done.

Without wasting a moment, she put it back on, eager to not be showing herself naked. She wasn't exactly a body-conscious type, at least not in a way that she felt particularly embarrassed at the prospect of being seen naked, she simply… preferred to keep it private. Now more then ever. "Is there anything else?" She asked after a few deep breaths that brought her heartbeat back to normal.

"I'm going to take a small blood sample from you and that will be it." As he said that he reached into one of his drawers to retrieve another syringe along with a clean needle. "You should try to walk a bit more today. If you're feeling well enough to have sex your body must have recovered enough to start regaining your strength." A hint of blush appeared on her face. It's only natural he would know. She wasn't exactly trying to hide the bite mark Tatsumi left on her and it's not like it's not in a visible spot to begin with. That, and she's been daydreaming about the last night from the moment Tatsumi dropped her off at the clinic and went to the market to get cooking supplies. Blushing and smiling at the memories more then once.

"Listen, I'm not going to berate you two for being… not quite as careful as I'd find ideal. I just want you to keep in mind that while you may be alright for the moment, things are going to get much worse as time passes." He gently took her hand and inserted the needle into her vein. The skin around that are was already getting hard from all the needles that had pierced it before. "Keep in mind that if you were to get pregnant at the moment, it would likely end in death of not just the potential baby, but the added strain on your body might kill you too. I know that you're still young and likely haven't thought about anything of the kind but I ask that you be mindful of these things. Whether you think you deserve it or not, there are many people who would like you to find happiness in life..."

She remained silent as he proceeded to take his sample, drifting away into her own thoughts.

He was… right. She never thought about these things but not simply because she was young. She just… never thought it would ever come to be. Now though, it suddenly became a real possibility. Something withing her reach… It was only now starting to hit her. Instead of taking taking lives, she could create them. Instead of killing parents she could become one… The thought was… Pleasant. Heartwarming even. She could be a mother… And it was just a matter of time before she realized that she wanted to be…

But before anything like that could happen, she had to do one more thing… And a silent voice from within her chest was calling for her to do it... Survive...


A pained hiss left Velvet's lips as she was sat down on a wheelchair. "Damn it..." Her body was burning with pain every time she moved even a little bit, but she tried not to show it. She could feel Cassandras' comforting hand on her shoulder, bringing a small bit of comfort. She was kneeling right beside her, having recovered enough to walk few days ago and supporting her through every step of her own recovery. She truly was a pillar that kept her still. How was it that they're still not married? After few hundreds of years since they proposed to each other, one would think they could find some time… A somber smile appeared on her face as that thought passed her mind.

It's been so long… So long since it all begun… Everything was different now. Everyone they knew was long gone, everything they knew was turned to dust. The Empire they fought and bled for was left in ruins, crumbling under the weight of it's own corruption; corruption which seeds were planted right under their eyes… The woman that freed both her and Cassandra had done her best to fill in the huge gap left in their knowledge as did the Revolution Army General that regularly came to talk with them – Najenda, but it was still confusing to them. Confusing and… sad. It angered them immensely to know what the Honest Clan did to the Empire, though that was just an icing on the cake. There were other far more… personal crimes the accursed bastards committed against both them and their friends. One of which they hoped to at least partly make right.

"Are you sure she's fine to leave?" Cassandra's voice became concerned as her hand squeezed Velvet's. The elderly doctor watching over them cleared his throat and waved off the nurse that helped Velvet to the wheelchair.

"This is going to become the new norm for her I'm afraid. I'm truly sorry, but there's nothing more we can do for either of you and we still have people with serious injuries being sent here every day. Ideally, I'd keep you for observation a few more days, but as things are we are struggling to keep up with all the patients coming in. I really am sorry, but you will have to simply follow the instructions we gave you for now." They knew very well what he was saying was truth. Even though the main bulk of bloodshed was already done, the Capital was a huge city. There were still fights breaking out all over the place between the Revolutionaries and the Imperial loyalists, not to mention criminals trying to use the fighting to their advantage. By now they were both taking up space that could be used to house those wounded in the fighting and time of the doctors needed to treat them, even though neither of them was quite recovered.

Regardless, they would make do with what they have, little that there was. The Revolutionary Army may have provided them with some basic housing for the time being as General Najenda hoped they would help her in the efforts of building the new government, but other then that, they'll have to earn their keep somehow. Not an easy task considering they are both warriors no longer capable of fighting. There was little else they knew in life and somehow the idea of sitting behind a desk and working through a pile of papers didn't sound too appealing.

Still, that might be all they will be capable of for the foreseeable future. Not that said future extended very far, which was another problem on their minds. The doctors taking care of them were trying to work around the issue, but it was clear as day that they didn't have much time left to live. It's not really surprising either, they've been 'alive' for far longer they any human technically should be. Not to mention the damage their bodies and minds endured.

"I hope you two will be alright together. You've definitely been interesting patients to take care of; a definite highlight of my career, one for the books even. It's not everyday that one gets to treat people from an era long past... Not with that kinds of injuries too." Cassandra smiled lightly at the elderly doctor while Velvet nodded her head weakly. The doctor returned the gestures and bid his farewells to them before moving on with his work. One of the soldiers stationed in the camp has led them to the exit, pushing Velvet's wheelchair. It was nice to see the sun again even if the ruins that surrounded the camp did little in a way of crafting a beautiful landscape. It's been a long time after all...

"Ma'am!" The soldier escorting them suddenly stopped as a figure approached them from the side. Clad in a black trench coat, general Najenda came into their view, prompting the soldier to stand at attention and salute.

She nodded in acknowledgment. "I'll take over from here corporal. Return to your duties." The soldier did as ordered without question, saluting the general once more before turning on his heel and retreating deeper into the camp. "General Cassandra, Commander Velvet. I was surprised to hear you two are being released already. One would imagine spending close to three centuries in a stomach of an ancient Danger Beast and coming out alive would earn you a decent moment to rest..." She sighed deeply. The woman was clearly nearing her breaking point if the dark bags under her eyes were to be taken into consideration.

"Like you're one to talk..." Cassandra crossed her arms. "You look like death. When was the last time you slept?"

Najenda slowly reached her hand into a breast pocket of her coat and pulled out a small pocket watch. "Hmmm... Woke about an hour ago and slept for... two hours? Something like that. I was just on my way to the council meeting when I heard you were leaving the medical camp. Figured I'll haul your asses to your temporary quarters...or convince you to join the meeting. We could use sure your knowledge and different perspectives." She moved in behind velvet's wheelchair and started slowly pushing it forward. Cassandra followed beside her.

She sighed with a sad smile pulling non her lips. "I'm afraid we will have to refuse. For now at least. Vel can barely speak and we don't exactly know much about the currant situation. Not to mention that we're not exactly dressed for the occasion..." Najenda took a look at the clothes the two were wearing; repurposed uniforms the revolutionary army was using. On Velvet they looked good enough, but as for Cassandra... The things were stretched to their limits and still didn't quite fit the woman's giant frame. The sleeves had to be ripped slightly at the ends to let her freely move her arms and the top of the unifor m had to be left unbuttoned on account of her sizable breasts which left quite a bit of skin exposed. Actually it would be more accurate to say the buttons fell off during the first attempt of putting the thing on. On top of that, part of her stomach was showing and the trousers only barely reached down to her calves. "Also we... have other plans for today... What we've been talking about recently..."

Nodding in acceptance, Najenda continued leading them forward. "You'll gat the access to the tomb when you'll need it and I'll let you know where to find Akame after I'm done with the meeting, for now I'm going to show you were you'll be staying. Just settle in and don't get yourselves into trouble. Whatever business you have with Akame can wait until tomorrow." An all too familiar pull on the back of her mind prompted the general to reach into her pocket again. She pulled out a single cigarette and quickly lit it up, inhaling deeply to satisfy the craving. It felt good to comply with demands of her addiction, but her attention quickly was pulled away from the act.

Just as they were passing through a marketplace temporarily repurposed into an execution ground, she noticed something... odd. At a first glance it seemed like nothing out of the ordinary. A crowd gathered around the guillotine, watching heads roll... The crowd might have been noticeably smaller then just a day before, but that was to be expected. People are bound to get tired of the endless string of executions sooner or later. What caught her attention was the head about to roll down the wooden platform. She wasn't the one to authorize that execution, but she was hardly the only one doing it, the man with his head held under the blade was just... different then usual... and strangely familiar. Where normally she would see fear, resignation and regret showing in different quantities during these executions, now she saw one other thing as the man's eyes found her in the crowd. Betrayal. Great anger directed right at her that she could feel all the way from across the crowd.

She could swear she saw him before, but couldn't quite put together where exactly. It couldn't have been Night Raid's hit-list, she knew that by memory. Was he someone she met in her time in the Empire or...

Before she finished her thought, the blade of the guillotine fell down, ending the man's life once and for all.


For the first time in quite a while, Leone truly felt that life was good. For now at least. The war was over, the dust almost settled and her two cute siblings finally hooked up. There were still some bumps on the road ahead that will have to be worked through, but for the most part, she could finally sit back, relax and watch the fireworks without a care in the world. The fireworks in this case being Tatsumi and Akame dancing their awkward romance tango. Truly an entertaining endeavor. The two were infatuated with each other in a way that only a pair of lovestruck teenagers high on love could ever be.

And she got to sit on the sidelines with a glass of wine in hand and watch as a whole new world unfolds before them. They were in the kitchen now, preparing food for a little gathering the three of them decided to organize for the evening. Just a small something to toast the end of Night Raid's mission and official disbandment of the group... as well to commemorate the memory of their fallen comrades.

The thought added a sour note to the next sip of wine she took. There sure is a lot of empty chairs here... Not willing to let the thought bring her further down, she focused her attention back on the couple in the kitchen. That quickly got her smiling again. The two were practically glued to each other ever since they stepped into the kitchen. Their sides were touching almost at all times as they worked their culinary magic and whenever where was a moment where all they needed to do was wait, they had... other ideas. Anything from awkward flirting to making out and aggressive groping was on the table for both sides with little to no care given to Leone's presence. That much was fine with her, when it comes to romance she always found enjoyment in watching from the sidelines.

Which is not to say she particularly enjoyed some of the more... questionable flirtatious attempts made by both lovebirds. The two still had ways to go...

A bell suddenly rung through the building and Leone was quick to empty her glass of wine and rise from the seat, already aware who the visitor is. "I'll go open the door." She called out to the pair in the kitchen as they snap themselves away from each other's eyes and started bringing food to the table instead. Leone quickly made her way to the entrance and opened the door. A slight smirk appeared on her face at the sight of the final participant of the little get-together. "Good to see you've come to visit us, Boss. I was afraid you'd suddenly become too busy with work again." One other reason for the gathering was giving Najenda an opportunity to take a breather.

The general walked in, hanging her coat on the wall. "In a moment I won't be your boss anymore so... enjoy it while you can I guess." Leone's eyes fell on a large file case Najenda had hidden in an inner pocket of the coat. "Every single written proof of Night Raid's existence is here. It's creation, information on every recruit, all the reports we submitted... Everything's here..." Heavy silence fell on them as they stared at the case. It was quite a bit of their history that the general held in her hands... history that would soon cease to exist... "Come on, I know I said I'll be free tonight but I'd like to use some of the time I have to actually sleep for once."

With the file case in tow, Najenda went deeper into Night Raid's Capital hideout, now officially registered as Leone's property. "Boss!" Akame and Tatsumi quickly made their way to the general, exchanging greetings and in Akame's case, also a brief hug. "It's good to see you. It's been getting rare for us to meet lately." Tatsumi smiled slightly as he said that but the presence of the file case in general's hand did not escape his attention. He knew what it meant and that it had to be done, but... that didn't mean he had to like it. The time he's spent with Night Raid was made up of both the best and worst parts of his life... and the most meaningful ones. Those two years that have passed since he left his home village to this day were what made him into who -and what- he is today. The effects of the actions committed by Night Raid would echo for generations to come... but no one would know of it. No one would know of what they had sacrificed...

"It also been getting rare for me to sleep lately, but that's life for you I guess..." Najenda took a glance at the table the two have set up. "I see you've been busy..." To anyone else the massive piles of food that ranged from simple salads and soups to roasted meat and cakes meant to be shared between just four people would be at best an overkill and at worst wasteful. To the members of Night Raid however, it was Tuesday.

"Oh, they were busy alright." Leone interjected, smirking as she came into the view. "I don't think I'll ever get rid of the smell from the bedroom... or bathroom..." Najenda's eyes were quick to narrow down on Tatsumi, who was equally quick to hide himself and his blush behind Akame, who herself was attempting to hide her embarrassment behind a stoic mask. With little effect. "But let's not talk about that now, we're here to eat and that's what we're gonna do!" She proceeded to pour wine to four glasses placed around the table.

Najenda crossed her arms, a slight smile coming to her lips as she noticed one of the glasses had remains of wine still in it. "Looks to me like you've already had a glass or two, didn't you?"

"Or three..." Akame chose to add, drawing a chuckle from both Leone and Najenda.

"Oh come on! Wine is basically grape juice, it's not like I was going to get wasted! Besides..." Having finished her task, Leone placed the wine bottle on a nearby cupboard. "The good shit comes in later..." Reaching her hand into the cupboard, the catwoman pulled out a clean-glass bottle containing equally clean liquid within it. "...When the kids go to bed, that is." Leone's menacing smirk was met regret quickly pulling on Najenda's face. There was no escaping the consequences of the night... and no rest to be found either. "Now come on! Let's get started already!"

Najenda shook her head to the request. "Trust me, I'd love to dig into that pile on the table. With how good it smells I can tell these two have outdone themselves this time..." She paused, bringing the file case in he hand up. "But maybe we should get the formalities out of the way first..." Their good moods quickly turned sour. Deep down none of them wanted this. None of them wanted this chapter of their lives to end... None of them wanted to be lost in history; forgotten after all they did to bring hope for better future...

"Boss... can I..." Tatsumi spoke up first, breaking the dreary silence that fell over them. "Can I... take a look at it? One last time?" He felt Akame's hand grab his own, clearly telling him she wanted this as well. Najenda didn't say a word as she slowly passed the case to the boy. Once in his hand, it somehow felt way heavier then it actually was...

While Najenda and Leone turned to the fireplace and started putting wood into it, Akame and Tatsumi sat down on the couch and opened the file. Leaning against each other, they slowly went through every file stored in the case. From the papers signed to as origins of Night Raid to whole files on each of the members. Some of them Tatsumi didn't recognize, having joined after they had perished in the fight... But Akame remembered... And for every one of them, a tear had formed in her eyes. They were all family to her, both in life and in death. She would carry their memory with her to the grave, regardless of how far off that was... Tatsumi kept his hand firmly holding hers, clearly feeling the emotional turmoil going on inside her.

They quickly moved on to mission reports. Those held a lot of memories to each of them; luckily more good then bad ones.

Tatsumi smiled soberly as he looked at one in particular. "That sure was a night to remember..." Aria and her family... His very first run-in with Night Raid and the night he had both met and was 'killed' by Akame. "I'm glad Leone decided to bring me with you guys. I don't even what would have happened if I didn't join you guys... Probably would have joined the imperial army like I planned." He turned his face to look at her, smiling as Akame did the same. He happily snuggled his face against her shoulder, earning a giggle from her. "You know... even back then I thought you were cute."

"I do know actually... Sheele told me that you've been talking through sleep... including what you've been saying."

"And I stand by whatever I said..." He did all he could to maintain at least a semblance of a smile but the memories of his first personal losses were now sinking into his mind. Sayo and Ieyasu... Friends he knew all his life... and his wake up call to the truth of the world he lived in. His hands felt numb as he continued to flip pages, one after another, and one by one each of his former Night Raid friends came to his mind.

Sheele, the clumsy girl that made Night Raid feel like his family; one who's death gave him a real reason to fight... Bulat, who gave him determination to grow stronger and in his death, a means to do so... Chelsea, the lonely soul he thought he could help but in the end came too slow... Susanoo, the Teigu that grew a heart and died to protect its core... Mine, a girl who loved him enough to put her life at risk for him as well as a comrade he knew would always have his back... Lubbock, a friend he didn't know he needed; the glue that kept their whole group together...

All of them gone...

Gone and forgotten by the world at large...

He could feel Akame's breath falter, signaling a storm of emotions she did her best to keep in check. Grief of the losses that cut her deeper then any blade ever could hope to. His hand moved to her back, maintaining a reassuring front despite his own emotions shaking him from within. She soon closed the case and with a weak, somber smile on her face rose to her feet, slowly walking back to Najenda and Leone. Tatsumi was right by her side but allowed her to walk by herself despite how close her legs seemed to giving in under her.

As she got to the fireplace, Najenda and Leone had just finished setting up the wood. The general, with a half burnt cigarette in her mouth, silently watched as the girl placed the records of the most meaningful years of her young life atop the firewood. Her hands paused for a moment when the time to let it go but with a deep breath she rose back to her feet and took a step back as the general stepped in front of the fireplace. "This is it people... We made it to the end..." Her hand traveled to the goggles hung on her neck. Her eyes closed for a long moment but even as the memories of grief and loss washed over her, the general never lowered her head. "From the start I knew the road ahead was going to be long and hard, we all did... But we made it. For over two years, we fought, we bled, we laughed and cried... But we made it. With every victory came grief and loss... But we made it. The world will never know what we achieved... But we made it. We survived to see the tomorrow, we won so others can live with hope for that tomorrow to be better... We survived to see the end of this story..." Her eyes fell on Tatsumi and Akame, standing side by side, hands intertwined. It brought a guanine smile to her face. "...And to see a new story begin."

With her metallic hand moving to take a hold of the still burning cigarette in her mouth, she turned around and threw it into the fireplace. The dry grass placed in between the logs caught fire immediately and with it, so did everything else. The proof of Night Raid's activities and existence was engulfed in flames and slowly reduced to ashes. "From now on, I'm no longer your general, and you are no longer my soldiers. From now on you are all free people holding future in your hands... Let us celebrate once again, but not as assassins... This time we celebrate as a family."


The end of this war was never going to bring peace to her. That task was to fall on death, but when even that has failed all that seemed left was pain, guilt and fear. Even now, weeks after her final fight with her sister Kurome couldn't get rid of those feelings... the ghosts that kept hunting her since that night. Her fight with Akame was suppose to bring an end to one of their lives, give them peace they didn't experience since their own parents sold them into Empire's slavery. But when it ended and time came for Akame to finally end her life... she didn't. Instead she allowed Wave to take her away, to disappear from the fight... To this day she wasn't sure if she should thank or curse her for this.

Her time serving the Empire was hell and she would be first to admit it. Deep down she hated it for all the pain she had to go through, for separating her from Akame... and yet, she chose to fight for it nevertheless. In hindsight, she should have joined Akame when she left for the rebels. She should have left before the drugs tied a knot around her neck... but back then it seemed like an obvious choice. The Empire gave her roof over her head when all her parents could do was make her beg for money on the streets. The Empire gave her a family when her own sold and abandoned her. The Empire gave her drugs that eased the pain... the fact that the Empire also caused said pain mattered less and less with each dose she took. Back then the idea of leaving the Empire seemed like turning her back on the only home she ever truly had...

And now that it was all gone, she was left to pay the price for her mistake.

The family she so desperately clung onto was gone, the home she wanted to protect laid in ruins and the lack of drugs she got so used to drove her mad with pain. The craving turned into hunger before she even knew it. For days she couldn't think straight, felt her body burning from the inside, falling apart with every move... She lashed out at everything and anyone she could get her hands on, looking for another dose, the only means of getting the pain to stop. Of course, there was nothing she could do. Her body was growing weaker by the day and the overwhelming pain kept her harmless most of the time until the worst part of the withdrawal passed over. Of course, that was when another problem arose for her.

The drugs didn't just keep her strong but dependent on the Empire, they served another purpose. They stopped her from asking questions that assassins shouldn't think abut. They kept the feeling of guilt away... And without them to keep her mind numb and obedient, she finally looked back at the trail of bodies she left in her wake. That was when the nightmares started. That was when she started seeing ghosts, hear their screams and see their faces... That's when she thought she would finally break for good.

And she almost did... she would have but... he didn't let her.

Through all this, Wave was by her side. He stayed with her as the withdrawal tore her body apart. He stood by her no matter how much she hurt him. He held her close as ghosts of those she killed reached for her from beyond the grave... He loved her when no one else was left... when she gave up on herself...

And she loved him too. For far longer then she would admit... She couldn't believe how much the boy came to mean to her over their time together, not even now as they laid together in bed, naked and still calming their breaths. His arms kept her close and protected from the ghosts hiding in the shadows as she hid her face in his chest. She could feel the stitch marks on his back as her hands slid over it. A reminder of a particularly bad night that ended with her nails leaving scratches on his back so deep they had to be stitched by a doctor. Even that didn't push him away from her...

An oil lamp shone dim light across the small room they rented on the edge of the Capital. She couldn't stand to be surrounded by darkness anymore, that's where the ghosts were hiding after all... Even now she could feel their glares, filled with hate and lust for blood. She felt a chill run through her body. It was starting again... Before long she started shaking, faces of the dead flashed before her eyes... more then she could count and yet she recognized each and every one of them. "Kurome..." Wave's soft voice broke through the cacophony of screams just as he grabbed her face in between his hands, forcing her to look him in the eyes. "Kurome, look at me... listen to me..." His forehead touched hers just as her breath grew sharp and tears poured from her eyes. "I won't let them hurt you... You're safe with me... And I will never leave you, I promise..."

"I'm scared, Wave..." He kept talking to her, softly whispering to calm her down. Somehow his voice was louder then all of the ghosts' screams but... they never went away. The nightmare was just beginning... one of many to come...