Usual stuff. I don't own AgK. I welcome any reviews, comments of pms! The more criticism I get, the better I can grow as a writer! :3 And messages of support are always welcomed. 3
Tatsumi
"One week." Tatsumi thought to himself as he trained in the back of Max's house. "One week since I killed-. No, -murdered- Ogre. The imperial police don't seem to have any idea who did it, so I guess I'm in the clear. I'm sorry I wasn't able to save you Max, but at least I could avenge you." His surrounding bringing a pang of pain to his heart. Training in the garden of the man whose death he'd caused, the very thought slowed his movements as he continued, throwing light slashes and thrusts towards the well-worn training dummy. He often came out back here when he felt frustrated, angered at his own inability to help the one person who had shown him kindness in the capital.
"And Sayo…" tears formed at his eyes as he thought of his friend, seeing her mangled bodies in the cemetery. The thought still sent anguish racing through his entire body, it made his heartbreak. He thought back to when he'd left the village, shortly before Sayo had left with Ieyasu. She'd seemed so energetic, like she was unstoppable. He dropped his training sword, his fists instead battering against the training dummy before he staggered forwards towards it. Collapsing against the dummy as tears were by now streaming down his cheeks. It didn't seem to matter how long passed, every time he thought back to that sight it set his tears flowing and robbed him of all his strength. "I'm sorry Sayo. I couldn't help you just like I can't help the village…" he thought as he let his tears pour. A fist every so often sent battering into the wooden dummy. It took Tatsumi a while to recover, leaning against the dummy as if it was someone who could embrace him, simply using it for strength and reassurance as he wept softly. Slowly sliding down the dummy until he had fallen to his knees, blade left in the dirt of the yard. Headbutting against the dummy as his tears fell from his chin. There was no one to hear him sob however...
"You've spent three weeks crying Tatsumi!" he shouted to himself mentally as he stood in Max's house. "A week of crying and training. And for what? Should I go and join the revolutionary army? Should I try and find Night Raid? That is what I am now isn't it, a murderer." he tried to quell any more of these thoughts as he moved into Max's old home, all too often he called himself a murderer nowadays, it wasn't what he was. It wasn't all that he was.
Already the imperial tax collectors and debtors had swooped down, intent on stealing the only place Tatsumi had to sleep, a measly three weeks was all he had before those vultures stole whatever Max had left. Tatsumi hefted his cloak off the back of the front door, still trying to push these depressing thoughts from his mind as he stepped out into the hustle and bustle of the busy mercantile street. Turning as he started to take steps towards the inn, the same inn he visited almost every night. The very same inn where that set of blonde boobs had initially robbed him! "If I ever catch that damn woman…" he fumed to himself, a shameful red flush reaching his cheeks as he recalled his initial dealing within the capital and how he'd been flogged coinless.
It wasn't long before he reached the inn in question. Nestled in the back alleys of the slums. Pressing open the door and stepping in the first thing that hit him was the noise, he'd heard it walking down the street but now he was in the inn the full scale of the boisterous and raucous hit him. It was a warming juxtaposition when compared to how empty and silent Max's house was… Shaking his head to clear such thoughts Tatsumi moved through the inn, making his way towards his usual seat. The bartender raising a towel-clad hand towards him in greeting and acknowledgement. Barmaids and servers whisked between tables, their movements belying their agility to Tatsumi as he could see their trained movements dodging eager paws and gropes from the many drunk patrons.
Tatsumi often enjoyed visiting the inn, it wasn't even to drink his problems away, it was just to listen to the energetic and rowdy conversations that took place. And it looked like this time was no different, though it wasn't a group of people bitching about the imperial police that caught his ear, nor the group discussing the latest taxation levels. No, it was the small group of imperial soldiers nestled in the corner that caught Tatsumi's attention, listening attentively to their conversation as best he could, he was able to catch moments of it.
"I'm guessing you guys all heard about that Night Raid member? Apparently Seryu, the crazy bitch, actually managed to kill one of them." one of the soldiers suddenly exclaimed.
"Aye I heard about that, lost both of her arms in the process though. Not that she seems to care, last time I saw her she was dancing around as if she owned world." one cut in, shaking his head softly at the apparent insanity of one of his imperial police comrades.
"Apparently that dog-thing she keeps with her ate the assassin… Fucking crazy." the first soldier to speak continued.
"Did you hear about how Night Raid managed to kill Zanku though? Can't say I didn't thank them for that one!" the second soldier asked of his comrades.
"You mean Zanku the Executioner? The new captain said it was Akame, the One Cut Killer." said another, leaning forwards conspiratorially as they spoke.
"Pfft, no loss. As if the empire would worry that they lost another executioner. There's thousands out there that could of done what Zanku did." the third explained.
"Hah, I guess that's true enough. And hey, at least we didn't have to risk our lives trying to take that deranged lunatic on." another cut in. The four soldiers glancing at each other at the last ones comment before they broke out into riotous laughter all of a sudden. The first one to speak raising his hand and ordering another round of drinks for the small group.
"Zanku the Executioner? Who was that?" Tatsumi thought to himself, looking back towards his drink. He reached down, hooking a hand through the tankard before raising it to his lips. Taking a small gulp of ale he winced as the watered-down alcohol went down his throat. His ear caught the soldiers as they started speaking once more.
The first soldier spoke up once again, smacking his lips with the back of his hand. "If Night Raid hadn't managed to do it general Esdeath would have dealt with him anyway."
"You mean she's back in the capital already? How was she able to deal with the northern rebels so soon?" the third soldier asked. His head slightly lowered. Tatsumi beginning to have to strain to hear them as the guards dropped into an even lower tone.
"Aye, back already. You must have missed the procession that came through the city yesterday. It was the buzz of the entire city-. Don't tell me, you were sleeping on duty again so it sailed right by you?"
The group once more broke out into laughter, though it was at their friends expense this time. Forcing a blush to appear across the younger guards features as he shouted out. "I never even fell asleep the first time!" The outburst of course only had the rest of the guards falling deeper into laughter, a small grin crossing Tatsumi's own features as he could have sworn the guards were one drink from toppling out of their chairs.
"Hahah, one day you'll learn not to rise to his words lad." the fourth guard said, chuckling as he slowly wound down. "But I can tell you all how she's back already." the laughter dying as they all caught the man's serious, almost solemn, expression. "Story is she didn't even bother fighting the rebels… She just buried them all in ice. All four-hundred thousand of the poor bastards."
The table fell quiet, each man looking down towards his cup in contemplation at what they just heard. The words themselves even sent a chill down Tatsumi. "What sort of monster was capable of defeating an army of four-hundred thousand, alone too…" he wondered. "What sort of monster murders another man in cold blood?" he taunted himself for a moment, gripping his own watered-down ale tighter before focusing back on the soldiers conversation.
"I guess that's the reason they call her the 'Empires Strongest General'." the first soldier quietly said.
"I also heard tales that she broke their prince, Numa Seika. Some of her troops were telling me that by the time they'd finished counting the enemy dead she had him on all fours licking her boots like a dog." the fourth guard continued, clearly not done with his story. The grip on his tankard tightening.
"Gods. I guess what they say about her being a sadistic monster is true then?"
"Aye, as if we didn't know that already. The legends of how she dominates the torture chambers aren't exactly unfounded." shuddered the fourth guard, letting it slip past gritted teeth before he relented slowly. "We should try not to talk about this, who knows who's listening."
They all nodded, a solemn moment of silence passed over the guards before they returned to drinking. Though their mood was notably subdued from that point on, and Tatsumi heard no more mention of this "General Esdeath". He waited a good half hour before slowly getting up and heading back out of the inn, no other conversation seemed to be that interested as far as he was concerned. His walk back dominated with thoughts of this seemingly infamous general. "I never heard Max talk about her. 'Empires Strongest General'. I even said I wanted to be the strongest and he didn't mention her. And four-hundred thousand men? Dead in an instant? How could she possess that much strength and power?"
"Another day passed, another day without Max. Without Ieyasu or Sayo." Every morning since the night he'd slain Ogre, Tatsumi woke up with the same thoughts. Thoughts of how he might have avenged the blacksmith but he had made himself a murderer in the process. Letting loose a growl he rolled himself out of bed, thudding to the wooden floor unceremoniously, clambering up as he started to walk towards the stairs, tugging on clothing as he went before he grabbed the leather sheath and his blade that hung on the back of the door. He didn't bother to grab breakfast before he headed out, he needed to walk, he needed to do -something- to take his mind off his dead friends.
Luckily that something he was searching for found him instead, he'd barely managed to even make it halfway down the street before a poster had caught his eye, pulling up short before another smithy as he turned to peer across the street. It was definitely a new poster courtesy of the imperial army. Stepping over the cobbled street he stopped beside it. One hand raising to his chin, rubbing it gently as his eyes lit up. "A tournament!? Hah! Where better to display my strength. Plus I could earn a pretty penny for the village from that! And surely the revolutionary army might come looking to recruit me if they heard I won a tournament!" Tatsumi thought to himself, his right hand coming down, curled into a fist as he slapped it into his open left hand.
A pleased, happy expression crossing the young man's face as he continued reading. "A tournament both in honour of the return of general Esdeath and also to try and find the empires strongest and most talented warriors." he pondered, Tatsumi couldn't help but puff his chest out slightly. "Well. I -am- strong. I'm sure I can win this easily!" Continuing on he reached the date, his jaw dropping slightly as he exclaimed out loud "TODAY!? How can I enter if it's today?!" The young man utterly oblivious to the startled stares his outburst had drawn, turning on the spot and dashing off in the direction of the arena.
It turned out that Tatsumi's panic wasn't necessary, the tournament wasn't one where he had to sign up beforehand. Thus he'd come sprinting into the side-entrance of the arena only to run face-first into the back of one of the other contestants. A loud "Ack!" burst from his lips as he instantly rebounds off the other man, collapsing onto his back with an undignified thump.
"Hey, watch yourself boy." said angrily towards the kid who'd bumped into him. Tatsumi glanced up towards the speaker, seeing a man garbed in a gaudy red robe and wearing a bronze helmet. A hoplon shield hung over his back. The fighter let out a soft 'tsch' as he spared a glare towards Tatsumi. Eyes narrowed before he turned back to wait in the queue.
Tatsumi slowly got to his feet, eyes cast downwards as he joined the back of the queue. Watching it slowly dwindle as he got closer and closer to the desk. Eventually it seemed it was his turn as he stepped forward, the bored looking attendant asking his name and title. "Title?" Tatsumi pondered, he'd never really thought about it, he didn't realise he needed one. A few moments later he beamed a broad smile. "How about Tatsumi the Blacksmith?" he offered.
The attendant barely even blinked, pen was put to paper and down the name was written before Tatsumi could even think of another one. The attendant soon droned on in his bored voice. "We take no liability for any injuries occurred in the ring, if you do happen to win…" The attendant glancing at the short man before him, pursing his lips. "... If you win, then you will win the prize of one-hundred gold pieces. Yours will be the last bout of the preliminaries, then we'll go onto quarter, semi and then finals. Understood?"
Tatsumi nodded eagerly, he'd been following along with the attendants speech but his thoughts were elsewhere. "A hundred gold? That'd certainly help the folks back home out." he glanced over towards his opposition. "These guys don't look that tough."
"Good, your match is in an hour." stated the attendant. Placing his pen down as he rolled up a few last scrolls and papers, standing up with an almighty sigh as he headed for a side door, his job done.
And so Tatsumi found waiting in the wings of the arena, idly waiting for his match. Due to his turning up so late it turned out he was going to be the last of the fights. He should have been focused on the fight, he should have been watching to see what the winners technique and form was, and yet instead he found himself staring up towards the stands. Awed at the thousands of people who'd crammed into the large coliseum like arena. The sheer volume of the crowd caused him to wince slightly, the riotous shouting and cheering having hit him like a wall when he'd walked out onto the arena floor. He could hardly believe his eyes as he saw people cheer and desperately clamour for their chosen fighter to win. Glancing around the stands Tatsumi saw a few people weaving through it, small wooden boxes before their waists as they took bets from people regarding the ongoing bout.
Esdeath
Esdeath let out a bored sigh as she leant back in the chair that'd been positioned for her in the emperor's box. It had been placed closer to the edge so that she could more easily see the combatants in the arena. The large seating area had room for almost the entire inner circle of the court, the large thrown in the middle of the room positioned for the emperor himself. And while there was seating aplenty there was no one else in the prestigious seating area other than herself and Run, her aide.
Run cast a glance towards Esdeath as he saw her reclining back. "Bored commander?"
"Hm." Esdeath offhandedly murmured.
"This next fight looks to a little more entertaining." Run assured, he didn't exactly want his commanding officer bored, particularly with what he had heard about what the general enjoyed doing with her spare time.
Tatsumi
It wasn't too long until the fight was over, the katana-wielding warrior standing over his defeated foe. Soon departing the stage to let Tatsumi and his opponent step up onto the stage. Tatsumi stared at his opponent, his eyes scanning up and down as he observed the cocky attitude that exudes from the half-man beast known as Kalbi. As the blue-haired announcer began to introduce the two fighters Tatsumi was busy, he'd lowered his head slightly, a serious attitude falling across his features. Staring at the half-man half-bull before him he watched with curiosity as Kalbi posed for the crowd and announced his intentions to crush Tatsumi.
"Hmph, perhaps before facing captain Ogre I would have been scared or nervous about a fight. But now I just feel calm." he said to himself, slightly shocked at his own lack of anxiety over the coming bout. The crowd fell silent as the announcer raised his arm, Tatsumi glanced over towards it as it fell. Wave's words filling the stadium as he shouted: "Fight, begin!"
Kalbi watched that arm fall with an eager eye, the moment after he let loose a roar. Heavy footfalls stamping onto the tiled arena as he charged forward. Kalbi's eyes wide and wild as he launched himself up. Flying towards Tatsumi through the air. His right knee raised and aimed. Directly at the younger fighters head.
Tatsumi didn't try and block the blow. He saw it coming from a mile away. Weeks and weeks of his conditioning and training paying off. Neatly stepping to his left and avoiding the knee. Pivoting on his right leg, he swung around. His left leg reaching out to deliver a roundhouse kick towards Kalbi.
The large minotaur raising both hands together, crossed over his chest as he took the blow. The sheer force sent the minotaur sliding along the tiled floor. Kalbi barely managing to stay within the ring. Stumbling back a half step as he regrouped, throwing himself forwards towards Tatsumi. Punch after punch unleashed in a fast, powerful flurry. Grunts following every punch as he aimed to flurry Tatsumi into the ground.
Tatsumi let his foot fall back, noticing the enraged look in Kalbi's eyes just as his opponent charged. Fist after fist flying towards Tatsumi in a blur and yet the boy was not phased. He neatly dodged every thrown fist. Sidestepping and weaving before the minotaur. "This guy is nothing compared to the danger beasts I've fought, not to mention Ogre." Tatsumi said to himself, the thought of Ogre bringing a surge of anger. Anger that fuelled him. Stepping forwards under Kalbi's latest punch he finally threw his own. A left hook that hammered home into the minotaurs midriff.
Kalbi had no time to react to the sudden attack, to his eyes the boy had teleported within his reach and then he felt it. A fist hitting his abdomen with the force of a train. Once more sent sliding across the tiled surface. Sent to one knee, one hand going to his midriff as he wheezed.
Tatsumi stood, silently watching his opponent. Still standing in the same spot he'd been in since the fight had started. Green eyes piercing into his opponents as he watched Kalbi clamber to his feet. "Time to finish this." he thought to himself, dropping back down into his stance.
A few lungfuls later Kalbi had recovered his breath, letting loose a loud roar as he charged towards the boy who was so arrogantly standing idle. The sheer audacity of the kid had him in a rage. Both of Kalbi's hands knitted together as he jumped high into the air once more, mirroring his earlier attack. Fists together as he hurtled back down towards the arena, and Tatsumi. "Don't try and make a fool of me shrimp!" he bawled in anger.
Tatsumi didn't respond, and nor did he let Kalbi end. Launching himself up from his right foot he flew into a backflip, his right foot extending.. And then he felt it, Kalbi's jaw against his foot. He felt the jaw crack. Tatsumi felt the weight of the huge minotaur being lifted by his own power. Then it slipped free and Tatsumi continued his flip. Landing back neatly onto the tiled floor. Tatsumi looked up to see Kalbi laying on his back, the minotaur unmoving.
It took a second before people realised what had happened. Tatsumi staring towards the defeated Kalbi. "I hope I didn't do too much damage." he said to himself, only to let out a startled yelp as suddenly the entire arena erupted into uproarious cheering. "Tatsumi! Tatsumi! Tatsumi!" came the cacophonous cheers of the masses. The young winner taking a half step back in shock as he heard people chanting his name, glancing around with surprised eyes. It took him a minute to realise "They're cheering at you idiot!". One hand rising up to scratch at the back of his head as he glanced around, suddenly beaming a broad smile at the crowd as they cheered. Unaware of what he'd awoken.
Esdeath
Esdeath had swiftly elevated from bored with the numerous fights to interested the moment she'd seen the boy down on the arena land his powerful punch. She suddenly let out a small gasp, leaning forwards. Her eyes fixed upon the winner of the bout. Even from her position in the stands she could feel his aura, she could feel the killing intent that had radiated out from Tatsumi at the moment of his last attack. She'd immediately seen the potential, the talent. She saw what Tatsumi -could- be. And that finishing blow had sealed the deal for her, letting out a pleased hum at the result.
The aide beside her, clad in a flowing white robe even looking shocked as he could sense the fighting potential that flowed off of Tatsumi. "He certainly talented."
"Mhm." Esdeath nodded in agreement. And that was when Tatsumi smiled. The sight of the victorious boy standing down on the arena suddenly letting out that innocent, beaming smile capturing her heart within seconds. "We've found him." she exclaimed suddenly.
"Huh?" came her aide's confused response.
"Return to the palace Run, inform them we may have found someone worthy of an imperial relic." she stated as she briskly started making her way to the steps, her heeled boots clicking on the stonework.
Tatsumi
The entire crowd instantly stilling as they saw what who was heading down the steps, the sight of the general walking down towards the arena herself instantly changing the mood. Gone was the celebration, the cheering and clamouring to announce Tatsumi as champion. In its place a deadly chill settled over the arena, all of the watchers leaning forwards in their seats to survey what was about to happen, and not a single one of them dare whisper for fear of drawing the generals ire.
Tatsumi turned to see what everyone was gawping at, his jaw falling as he beheld the sight of none other than general Esdeath herself entering the arena. "She's entering the ring?" Tatsumi wondered. He was instantly hit with her beauty, it was something no one could deny. The tall and imposing figure was easily one of, if not -the- most beautiful woman in the empire. Tatsumi flushed at the sight of the tall, slender woman. Thigh-length, light blue-hair flowed down to the back of her thighs. And in that moment her blue eyes missed their usual sharp, intense look and instead held one of appreciation and, to Tatsumi's eye, a predatory gaze. He knew who it was, he'd heard tales of Esdeath's beauty and the uniform had given it away. The white coat travelled down to Esdeath's thighs, stopping mid-point and serving as a skirt, a belt with a black cross secured around her waist. The shoulder-high black gloves adorned with buttons at the cuffs. Of course he didn't miss the white, thigh-high heeled boots.
"So this is general Esdeath. The 'Empire's strongest general'." he wondered. Gulping faintly as all of a sudden the elation and bliss of his victory drained away. Shrinking within himself as he watched Esdeath step up and onto the ring of the arena. As he caught sight of the tattoo on her chest he immediately realised where he was looking, averting his gaze down as his face flushed with embarrassment.
"Tatsumi, wasn't it?" Esdeath queried, standing a few metres from the flustered young man. "A good name." she stated simply, watching him.
"Thanks." Tatsumi replied, daring to raise his gaze towards Esdeath only to see her calmly, even warmly, smiling at him. "She doesn't seem at all like the stories tell. Wasn't she supposed to be an evil torturer!?" he questioned himself.
"It was an excellent victory Tatsumi, I'd like to reward you for it." Esdeath calmly stated.
"A reward from the general, alongside the prize money for the tournament? This'll surely go some way to helping the village. For Sayo." he told himself, his hands balling into fists at his side as images of his dead friend flashed back to him. "My thanks, general." Tatsumi offhandedly replied, a faint smile forming.
Tatsumi's smile died however, his nails dug into his palms, his mind telling him to run from the general as he watched her take calm steps towards him. He didn't know what it was but the sheer presence Esdeath exuded sent chills down his spine, even if she was smiling warmly at him. Esdeath's heels clicking on the tiles until she was towering over Tatsumi, reaching her hands out towards his neck.
It wasn't until Esdeath withdrew her hands and Tatsumi heard the small 'click' that he realised what had been done, his gaze dropped down to see Esdeath holding onto a small length of chain attached to the black collar suddenly decorating his neck. The symbol of Esdeath's relic etched into the clasp at its front. "Eh?" he quietly questioned. Still in shock, he stumbled as the general turned around and started to smartly march off of the arena. Tugging on the collar and causing him to collapse onto his back. No time was given for him to recover, simply being dragged along. Kicking his legs uselessly as he complained loudly. "Hey hey! Wait!"
Tatsumi felt himself flying forwards as Esdeath yanked on the chain. "I will not." Dragged him up beside her Tatsumi let out a gasp as one of Esdeath's hands darted down, her palm flat as he chopped down onto the back of his neck. "W- What's happening?!" was the last thing he could think as he felt blackness taking him.
Leone
Leone let out a heavy sigh as she leant back in her seat. Her and Lubbock had only bothered to attend the arena event in the hopes of finding someone they could recruit into Night Raid, and yet the only one who'd shown any potential was currently being dragged away by Esdeath.
"Well, there goes our only recruit I guess." she sighed out, turned to Lubbock.
Lubbock shrugged. "Not exactly much we could do about that one, who'd know she'd go down into the ring and kidnap the good ones?"
"I guess we should head back." Leone nodded, rising to her feet slowly. "No sense in staying around."
Authors Note: Tried out a new perspective method with this one that I liked enough to go back and edit chapter 1+2 with. Still not 100% on it, but I think it's probably a better way of telling the story and -hopefully- it'll keep me focused on -that- character.
As you can tell my now, if you've read it, I'm still keeping moments from the manga/anime within the story, because frankly, I think that some of the moments are -brilliantly- written made. From here on out, it's going to diverge quite a lot from the canon story however. I just hope I have the writing chops to provide those of you who read this an entertaining and fulfilling story! ^_^