So I am happy to say I was able to get this out before end the of the year :) I hope every ones holiday was a good one.
As always review or pm me, I look forward to seeing your comments both good and bad as they can only help me become a better writer :)
Happy New years everyone!
Kill the Voices
Walking down the path towards the market district, Tatsumi couldn't help but wonder how he survived this long alive with his sense of direction. It never became more obvious to him now that he was in the capital that he was god awful at it, but as he walked he started to recognize food stands and small landmarks that opened up to the general public to rest by.
"Hey squirt!" someone yelled a few yards from him.
Turning his head to look at who was calling out, he saw Grrom walking towards him through the crowd with a beaming smile on his dirt stained face.
"I heard you won and caught the attention of certain general." Grrom said with a wag of one of his bushy eyebrows and gave him a clap on the shoulder.
"Yeah, I guess I did, I'm still fuzzy on it all but hey a win is a win, right?" Tatsumi said with a grin.
With his hand still on his shoulder Grrom began to lead him back to the blacksmith's shop. "You are right on that one my boy and I believe I have something that belongs to you."
Grrom lead him to the back of the shop where a small room was connected and opened the flap leading to a room that had all sorts of tools and trinkets in it. Hung neatly on a post was the promised cloak.
Before Tatsumi made a move for it Grrom stepped in front of him blocking the cloak from view "I hope this cloak serves you well boy, it's kept me alive more times than I care to admit over the years. You treat it well and it will do that same for you, just word to the wise don't stay in the shadows for to long."
At those words Tatsumi could only stare at the older man in confusion, 'What does he mean by saying that? It's just a cloak'
As Grrom said this he turned around and with a fast movement for someone his size and age he touched the cloak and grabbed Tatsumi's wrist and as all this happened a shock passed through him.
"What the hell was that!" Tatsumi said wrenching his hand from Grrom's grip.
"You will soon find out boy." Grrom said, looking suddenly exhausted as he stepped to the side and handed the cloak over. "Just remember what I said about the shadows. Now if you will excuse me this old man is going to close shop and hit the hay."
Taking the cloak, all he could do was look at Grrom with confusion but nodded his head and headed for the front of the shop.
Everything once again happened so fast that Tatsumi was having a hard time wrapping his mind around it all, but as he looked at the cloak in his hands he felt a surge of power and acceptance. The kind of sensation you had when putting on well worn boots that molded to your body perfectly.
'Man, this day has been a crazy series of events'
Looking up at the sky he noted that he had a few more hours before the sun would set and he still had some things he had to do before Esdeath came looking for him.
Making his way to the hideout he shared with Leone, he went down the steps into the living quarters where he found a small desk tucked away in the corner. He found parchment paper and a quill and wrote a quick letter explaining his current situation and his decision to stay so he could finish his current mission in reporting the guards movements and gathering intel on Esdeath and the Jaegers.
Satisfied he could at least let them know he was not deserting them and that he had not forgotten his original mission, he just once again hoped they would understand why he was doing this and not try to rescue him from his stupidity. He was playing with fire – er, ice - by being so close to the one person who could destroy him and everything he worked so hard to achieve if he was found out, but if he could get this to work then the Rebel forces would stand a better chance at defeating the Imperial Army.
Deciding to not think about that possibility he walked out of the hideout and headed back out into the dying crowd as the shops closed and its citizens headed home for the evening to be with their families.
He briefly thought about going back to get Incursio but decided against it. He didn't want to give any clues to who he was connected to and since Incursio was used previously by Bulat he didn't want to take that risk. He would just ask Esdeath for a simple blade to have so he could protect himself if the need should arise.
'I will be your sword' a voice whispered to him.
Stopping in his tracks Tatsumi looked around, but no one was close enough to him to have said that.
Feeling a cold chill run through his right arm he looked at it and saw he was holding a sword that was pitch black with silver etchings down the blade and across the hilt that seemed to glow.
Eyes widening in surprise for what felt like the twentieth time that day, he saw that the cloak he was carrying was now in the shape of a sword that was wrapped around his hand like a glove, completely engulfing his wrist with dark tendrils dancing across his skin seeming to want to crawl up his body.
'I will be your vengeance' the sword/cloak whispered to him.
'I am you and you are me, we will smite down those who oppose us or endanger us without hesitation and without mercy'
Having gone through something similar when dealing with Incursio, Tatsumi realized the cloak was a teigu and that it was speaking directly into his mind. Somehow, he formed a bond with the cloak, now realizing what had happened when Grrom grabbed him and the cloak. He was transferring ownership.
Calming down now after realizing what had happened, he opened his mind to the teigu and felt it slip in and take up residence. He needed answers.
'What are you?' Tatsumi concentrated as he felt a buzzing sensation ripple through his mind.
'You may call me Erobus and I am the personification of darkness, born into this world from the chaos of life and death and now my destiny is connected to you'
'Erobus, I need you to go back to being a cloak right now' Tatsumi said feeling a subtle shift in the airs temperature around him telling him only one person could be approaching.
'Our wills are one now, all you have to do is imagine me to be what you need me to be' Erobus said to him.
Feeling Esdeath get closer to his location Tatsumi pictured the cloak he was holding moments ago.
He felt a coldness slide across his skin as he watched the dark sword go back to back to being a cloak.
Breathing out a sigh, he looked around to make sure no one had seen this display and started making his way towards the presence he felt, deciding he wouldn't be able to escape her since she's already locked onto him.
Walking up to him, Esdeath watched him with a curious gaze. She sensed a strong presence a few moments ago and as she got closer it vanished and then Tatsumi came into view.
'Interesting' she thought but decided to pursue what her instincts were telling her at another time.
"Tatsumi" Esdeath said lightly as she drew closer. "let us retire for the night, it's getting late and we have a couple of busy days ahead of us, tomorrow you will be officially a Jaeger and will join them on their missions and training."
"Eh, Esdeath I have a room rented in the inn a few blocks away." He said hoping she would let him have privacy. There was so much that happened today that he wanted time to digest it all.
She gave him a pointed look for a moment.
"in case you have forgotten you belong to me, and you will stay with me and we will share the same room. Fortunately for you I already have a room, so we won't be staying at an Inn."
"Esdeath" Tatsumi said making a face he hoped resembled something cute.
Laughing lightly, she reached her hand out to grip his chin and looked down into his eyes.
"Ill tell you what, I will make a deal with you. I will not be moving on the fact that we will be sharing the same room and the same bed, but I know you desire your freedom. You give me your nights and most of your days and I will try to give you some time to do as you please with no obligations attached, except that you come back to me and you don't forget about your duties to the Jaegers."
"Alright, we have a deal" He said. He knew she wouldn't budge on the room deal but he would be lying if he said he wasn't surprised with her compromise, something told him she wouldn't do this for anyone else.
Honestly this worked out for him, he wouldn't have to sneak off to send his reports to Najenda and the others and he could analyze the guards' movements.
"Good" Esdeath said starting to move forward through the streets.
"By the way Tatsumi, where did you get the cloak?" Esdeath said without looking back to make sure he was following her.
"I made a bet with a blacksmith that if I won the tournament, I would win the cloak as well." Tatsumi said.
"Ah, well it is a magnificent looking cloak." She said back to him.
'You have no idea' He thought.
The walk back to the palace was quiet and Tatsumi did his best to remember the path they took until Esdeath jumped up to the top of the tall wall that separated the palace grounds with the citizens below.
Grinning at him she motioned for him to do as she had.
Running forward he gave a powerful leap with his legs and joined her at the top of the wall.
"This is the fastest path back to the palace, but if you follow that road it is the straightest path back as well with the fewest detours." She pointed to a road a few streets over from where they were just at previously.
"I noticed you were trying to note the path we took so I wanted to show you the way. I know you're not from the capital and this place can be confusing to those not used to large cities.
"Yeah this place is unlike anywhere I've ever been, there is so much going on that it's a little overwhelming." He said, standing next to her over looking the various streets and building from the wall they were standing on. "I just wish there wasn't so much poverty and so many homeless, surely the capital doesn't need all that it has and could afford to give back to its less privileged."
"They are in the state they are in because they are to weak to change their situation Tatsumi. The powerful will always live on top of those who are weaker, that is just the way the world works. Even in the wilds the strong survive and the weak die." Esdeath said starting to move along the wall towards the palace.
Following behind her he understood her outlook but disagreed with it completely.
"That may be so, but its also means the strong should protect the weak, anyone can change their situation given the right circumstances they just need the chance to do so. You would help someone in need if they asked for it, wouldn't you?"
"I would not. If you can not survive without the assistance of someone else helping you along then no, you do not have the right to live among the strong. Should the Bird not eat the worm because it is weaker? No, it will eat the worm to ensure its survival." She said stepping around a catapult.
Looking at her in disbelief "You're a general, isn't it your job to protect and serve the capital and its citizens?"
"It is my job to crush and defeat the enemies of the capital not protect those who can't protect themselves Tatsumi. I will do what I must to ensure that the capital sees the rise of the next morning's sun, but that protection does not reach out to individuals unless placed directly under my care."
"Would you not help me if a time came and I needed it?" he said wondering not for the first time who she was underneath the general's cloak.
Stopping she turned around and in the light of the dying sun, her face was cast in shadows but for the glint of her ice blue eyes underneath her generals cap.
"I view you as an extension of my self Tatsumi, any action against you is an action against me, and I protect what is mine and you, my love, are mine! Now let's save this conversation for another time. I am hungry and I still have reports to read."
Nodding his head, he just stared up into her eyes and felt the subtle shift of Erobus in his arms. He must be sensing the emotions her words have brought forth in Tatsumi at the thought that she would do nothing for those less fortunate then herself.
"Your right, I am hungry and a shower would do wonders right now." He said trying to push his feelings of discontent aside.
"Good, let's take a shower together then." Esdeath said, and while her face was still mostly cast in shadows Tatsumi could see the blush spread across her features.
Eyes widening at the thought of this woman naked and in the same shower as him had Tatsumi clutching his nose to keep from loosing more blood today then he already had.
"I..I can take one on my own, b..b..besides I like really cold water and I stink right now."
Coming up to him with that predatory grin she had earlier at the meeting, he knew he was going to lose another fight with her.
Esdeath couldn't help herself as she saw his flushed look, teasing him was becoming her new favorite past time and she loved the facial expressions she got from him as she leaned in and put her face next to his ear.
"It's a good thing I am immune to the cold. Besides, I think you smell pretty good right now Tatsumi." As she said that last part, she buried her nose in his hair and let his natural scent wash over her.
Overcome by the sensation of him so close to her and his scent filling her head, what she did next baffled her as much as it did him.
She leaned back a little and gave a small flick of her tongue against his jawline and proceed to move across his jaw giving him small licks until her mouth was mere centimeters apart from his.
She looked into his eyes to see his reaction and what she saw there had her leaning forward and pressing her lips gentle against his.
This was kiss that was on a whole other level from the one she gave him earlier.
The feeling of his lips against hers was a new sensation for her and one she wanted to explore more of and when she felt his lips push slightly against her own, she couldn't help but let out a soft moan. His lips were a lot softer then she thought they would be, and she let herself indulge in them for the time being, feeling no resistance from him. Every sense and instinct she had zeroed in on the feel of his lips pressing against hers.
*Gurgle*
He was so caught up in what was happening that he forgot he hadn't eaten since that morning before the tournament.
Breaking the kiss Esdeath took a step back from him, flushed and slightly out of breath.
"Let's go get some food." She turned quickly on her heels to hide her face from his, not understanding the emotions that were coursing through her body. She felt tingly and her stomach was full of butterflies.
He stood there watching her walk away from him stunned at what had just happened and even more stunned at how he had reacted to her kiss. She was a gorgeous woman with curves any full-blooded man would die to have, but she wasn't his to take. She was his enemy and he needed to remember that, but man that kiss was something else.
Tatsumi knew that even though he had almost no romantic experiences with the female gender that that kiss was amazing and he would likely never forget it.
"Tatsumi, are you coming?" Esdeath called to him.
Feeling that he had his body back under control he joined her as they entered the palace keep somewhere in the lower levels.
They made their way up a few flights of stairs and through a courtyard passing various military personnel and servants. All but a few avoided them, but that didn't stop the whispering that followed behind them.
'There he is…'
'I wonder how long he will last…'
'What makes him so special…'
'Strongest in the empire has found herself another pet…'
Seeing the angry expression Tatsumi was sporting she said, "Do not pay attention to them Tatsumi, they only want what they cannot have. If I made a fuss every time someone said something behind my back half the castle would be empty."
They passed through the lower half of the palace and came up to the chambers that marked themselves as belonging to Esdeath and the Jaegers.
"Go take your shower, I will go tell the servants to bring us something to eat. I'll be back shortly" She said walking back down the stairs they just came up from.
Not wanting to remind her that she planned to join him, he hurried into the chambers he thought was hers.
The living quarters were separated by a series of rooms. There were chairs and couches set around with tables holding bowls of fruit set around them. He walked forward and opened a large set of double doors that led into a room that had a large four poster bed in the middle of it.
Recognizing this room as the one from earlier, he made his way to the bed to start stripping out of his clothes and boots. As he was going to set the cloak down it spoke to him for the first time since earlier that evening. He always felt it stirring around in his mind but when it spoke to him, he jumped a little.
'Tatsumi, after some thought I have decided to join you in a more permanent manner. This form will not do as I need to be with you in a more biological way. Destiny has chosen you as my master and the wielder of my power, this is my gift to you'
Before he could form his question, the cloak he was holding turned into a black liquid that seemed to cling to his skin. He watched as it moved up his arm and melted into the skin on his chest right over his sternum. It formed a symbol he had never seen before but guess it was the simple of the teigu. It resembled the symbol of the crescent moon but was black instead of white.
In the next instant, Tatsumi felt a strong pain hit every nerve ending in his body with a white-hot pain so blinding in its intensity he saw the edges of his vision close in.
The only sound he could muster was a gasp of pain before he doubled over and fell onto the ground.
In his mind he saw a figure approach him swimming in swirling darkness only separating long enough to show him a fanged smile and eyes so black that he doubted what he saw.
As the figure drew closer it reached it's hand out and touched the center of Tatsumi's chest where the symbol laid and as it's hand touched his chest he came back to reality.
He just laid there panting and sweating but what he saw had him opening his eyes wide as he watched every shadow in the room move towards him and melt into him.
As the shadows melted into his skin, he felt the pain disappear and a new power flow through his shaking limbs, giving him strength he had never felt before. This was a strength even greater than the power he felt when wielding Incursio. Incursio had never truly chosen him as its wielder so his connection to it was weaker than most other teigu users. Erobus on the other hand had chosen him and, unlike Incursio, the power and strength flowing through him was a true melding of two beings becoming one.
Finally having enough strength to stand back up he stretched his muscles feeling everything working as it should, but noticed he felt lighter than before.
'Erobus, what did you do.' he thought.
'I made us into a more bonded pair. My form before was that which my previous wielder wished me to be and it suited me fine for the time. You will need me as I am now, so I changed to fit you better. The man you call Grrom had a low compatibility with my powers, so he could only use a fraction of it and chose to use me for more defensive purposes.'
'So, you choose me as your true user and became one with me? Like Esdeath's Demon Extract? Is this your true form?' Tatsumi asked.
'Yes, we are similar to how that woman uses her powers, but I am not a part of your blood and existence like hers is. We cannot be separated now that I am a part of you though, our wills are one and we will work in tandem together to accomplish many things. I will be here when you need me, all you have to do is call me into being and I will be there.'
Standing there, he felt Erobus move around in his mind and the symbol on his chest itched.
'By the way Tatsumi, that woman is on her way back to you. After experiencing your emotions from earlier I suggest you hurry and take your shower if you don't want her joining you.'
He forgot all about Esdeath while dealing with this new chain of events.
Hurrying to take his clothes and boots off he stumbled his way to the bathroom and fumbled with the knobs. He was not used to dealing with this kind of thing so all he managed to get out was a spray of ice-cold water that had him shrieking and stepping to the side to avoid the freezing water.
He studied the trap of ice water and turned one of the knobs the other way and waited to see what would happen. Soon he felt the warm spray of water and decided it was safe to step back in.
'How many events can happen in one day' He thought as he reflected on everything that had happened today.
Esdeath entered the adjoining bedroom and looked around, her sharp eyes seeing much and her senses telling her what her eyes could not. She had felt the power of a teigu and it was connected to Tatsumi that much was clear.
It excited her to see to see these events unfold. This saved her from having to find a teigu to fit him since it seems someone already had, and she suspected it was the cloak. She felt power coming from it when she met up with Tatsumi earlier but as soon as she felt it, it disappeared and that intrigued her. She wondered what its powers were and decided to test him in the next couple of days when the her and the Jaegers went on their first team training exercise.
Taking her saber, hat and thigh high boots off, she sat down on the bed to wait for him to come out of the bathroom. She was sure she would get an eye full since he didn't seem to think about grabbing a towel or bringing his clothes in with him in his haste.
It occurred to her as she waited for him to finish his shower that Tatsumi didn't have any clothes here other than dirty ones scattered across her room.
Getting up to write instructions for a few changes of clothes to be purchased for him, she went to her wardrobe and looked through its contents and found a pair of old workout shorts for him. He likely wouldn't be happy about this, but this was all she had that would even come close to fitting him.
Hearing the shower turn off, she masked her presence and wondered what he would do when he realized he had brought nothing into the shower with him.
'Shit, I didn't bring anything in here with me' He thought as he stood there naked and dripping with water.
Thinking for a moment, he looked down at his chest to where his teigu's symbol sat on his chest.
'Erobus I need you to become a towel for me' He said in his mind.
A noise that sounded like a sigh echoed through his mind.
'Just imagine what you need me to be Tatsumi and I will respond' Erobus said.
Picturing what he needed, he felt the teigu warm up slightly and saw it shimmer as a black towel with silver lining its edge appear around his waist.
Stepping from the room, he froze as he saw Esdeath sitting there with her back resting against the backboard of the bed reading some reports. When she looked over to him what she saw had her raising her eyebrows. He had a black towel wrapped around his waist not concealing much but what was necessary and the rest of him was laid bare to her greedy eyes as she looked over every inch of him.
Deciding to save him some embarrassment for now, she motioned to the shorts she had brought out for him sitting on the edge of the bed.
Mumbling his thanks, he took up the shorts and wondered how she though he was going to fit into them.
He returned to the shower and put them on, his face flaming red with how he looked in them. They were short and rode low on his hips. Dropping his head in shame he walked back out of the shower and let her eyes roam over him again. He just accepted his fate for now and vowed to find clothes tomorrow.
"The food should be here any moment, Tatsumi. Relax I won't do anything tonight." Esdeath said taking pity on the younger man. Though she wanted to explore the earlier feelings she felt when they kissed, she didn't want to push him too far past his comfort zone too fast although seeing him in those shorts had her clenching her legs together a little tighter than before. They barely fit and what she saw had a small blush spread across her cheeks.
"If you look in that dresser you might be able to find a shirt, though I doubt anything you find in there would fit you." She said going back to reading the report she had in her hand to keep her busy.
Soon after, a light knock sounded on the door to her bedroom and a maid entered pushing a tray of steaming hot food and drinks in.
They ate together in silence, one wondering how again he found himself in this situation and the other barely holding in her excitement at having him in her arms as they slept.
Soon, it came time to go to sleep as he let out a wide yawn and looked at the bed longingly. Giving in to her desire to sleep in the same bed he got up from his seat, put his empty plate back on the tray and made his way over to the bed.
"I thought you would put up some sort of struggle about sleeping with me." She said as she moved the covers down and crawled in waiting for him to join her.
"I normally would, but I am to tired to do anything else but sleep." Tatsumi said as he laid down and got comfortable.
They laid like that for a few moments before she reached out and dragged him to her and became the big spoon. She cuddled him against her body, resting her chin on top of his head.
Sighing, she let his warmth spread over her and closed her eyes and soon fell into a light sleep.
He, on the other hand, had his eyes wide open. She had molded her entire front to his back and he felt every part of her pressed against him.
'This is going to be a long night' He thought, but soon the warmth that was being shared between them and her soft even breaths had him lulled into sleep.