Akame ga Kill: A different destiny

by Marcel M

What would have happened if Tatsumi never got the chance to encounter Night Raid on his first visit in the Capital? What if he did not find out about its evil nature back then and became part of the army as planned? Would he have met the Empires Strongest earlier that way? And if he did, would they have had another kind of relationship? Lets find out, what could have happened!

7. Chapter 7: Kill the resistance

Welcome back to `A different destiny´. Sorry for the long wait this time. I hope you all spent a nice Christmas.

I planned to release this chapter much earlier, but personal changes gave me quite some trouble with finding enough spare time to write.
Nonetheless, your comments kept me going. Thanks for that.

I intended to release the chapter around Chrismas, but after the edit of my Beta, we both thought, that something was lacking at first.
Therefore, it´s a few days late.

Concerning your questions:
1) This fanfic was mainly inspired by "Plan B" and "Bent but not broken"; therefore, you will find resemblances (to other inspiring sories as well :))
2) Kip: Right now, I can only say, that this won´t be a short. I always thought about a total of 50 chapters, but given the actual evolvement of my plot, it could get much longer.
3) Dark Reaper Ret: As I said before: "I won´t ever abandon this story, before it´s finished." I just have to put real life first (I ´d like to change that, too :)), causing me to slow down with my writing sometimes.

But enough for now; enjoy the story ;)

DISCLAIMER:
I DON´T OWN ANY RIGHTS TO THE "AKAME GA KILL"-FRANCHISE. THE MANGA WAS WRITTEN BY TAKAHIRO AND ILLUSTRATED BY TETSUYA TASHIRO.
THIS FANFIC HAS NOT BEEN WRITTEN FOR PROFIT!
IT MAY CONTAINS SPOILER!
IT´LL INCLUDE BRUTAL CONSIDERED SCENES!

Chapter 7: Kill the resistance

The opponents were encompassed in a total silence. The boy stared right into the mad general´s eyes, knowing he only stood a slim chance against such an exceptional fighter.

This woman lived for war and terror... No, she was an incarnation of war and terror. She was a monster feared by the strongest of this world, causing nightmares for friends and foes alike; and now, she was his enemy.

All of Tatsumi´s senses told the boy to run; but even if he somehow managed to escape, things wouldn´t turn for the better. On one hand, she´d kill all the people precious to him. On the other hand, she´d manage to track him down sooner or later.

"If she was able to track you down to this isolated place, you won´t stand a chance of getting away. You´ll have to fight."
Kyūketsuki knew how dire the situation was for his new partner. He felt that even now, after he was lending Tatsumi a part of his enormous powers, the boy didn´t stand a chance of surviving when this woman became serious.
"You can either selfishly abandon your ideals and submit, or fight her. Either way, you´ll have to face the consequences."
He didn´t even have to read the boy´s thoughts to get his answer. He knew that there was only one option to take for his partner. Tatsumi´s bitter grin verified it.
"Let´s show her what we´re capable of. Show her the might of your new weapon!"

Esdeath

The general knew that this fight was already decided. Even though her mate had proven himselfto have a lot of potential, he stood no chance against her. But she would hold back, enough to not hurt him was hers, and she wasn't willing to give up on him yet. She still saw him as her soulmate. Nontheless,she'd have to teach him a lesson.

She tried to be nice and it didn't work. He couldn't blame her for what was to come; it was his own fault. Even though she didn't like the idea of breaking her lover's mind, she couldn't tolerate this weakness of his anymore.

She was more than willing to dispose of everything and everyone standing between her and Tatsumi. If that ment getting rid of the things he tried to protect, she wouldn't hesitate at all, even if he'd break as a result.

Time would heal his wounds and he would be stronger than ever before. He wouldn't have to care about anything anymore and live solely for her, and not for any of those weak insects plaguing this world. Together, they'd be on top of the chain. Even if he couldn't see it now, she knew he'd one day recognize that her view of this world was ultimately right.

Esdeath gripped the hilt of her rapier tightly with her right hand. She couldn't help but grin in anticipation. The battle which was about to start would only be the first of many sparrings against her mate. Her eyes beamed with joy as her mind switched to that of a predator, ready to overwhelm its prey.

Slowly, the general shifted her weight on her right leg, ready to counter any of her opponent's moves. Observing his movements, she knew that he was about to attack. She couldn't wait to see what he had planned.

`No matter. It's going to be futile in the end. Surprise me!´ Esdeath thought, as her foe started running towards her, expressing all of his anger and determination with a loud battlecry.

Tatsumi

Gripping the hilt of his materialized claymore tightly with his hands, he had already crossed half the distance towards the traces of doubt were left in his mind. He'd try to end this fight as soon as possible; otherwise, the probability of his victory would become even lower than it already was right now.

He tried to find the weakspot in the woman's posture, but even though she seemed pretty relaxed, he wasn't able to. For the first time since they met, he got to recognize her true strength. The general didn't look serious in the slightest, yet he knew, just by looking at this psychopathic woman, she'd defend any of his moves without much effort.

There was only one advantage Tatsumi could think of: she didn't know about his new abilities yet! He had only one chance to use them before that advantage would be gone, too. Therefore, he'd try an obvious move towards her, while attacking from behind with shadows. A second of carelessness from her side would be enough for the boy to achieve a victory in this unequal fight.

The youth was just about to lock his sword with hers when the general disappeared all of a sudden. But before Tatsumi was even able to register the movement, he got kicked hard in his back from behind. Without the slightest delay, the boy's body accelerated towards the opposite direction, slamming into a nearby tree, splintering it like it had been struck by lightning.

"Are you alright, Partner?!"
The calm and encouraging tone in Kyūketsuki's voice was now replaced by one of worry and disbelief.

He had sensed that this woman was the strongest opponent he had met for a long time, rivaling the strength of the Danger Beasts he had fought against in the past. But he'd never have expected her to be this strong. Her movement right now was too fast to follow, even for him. Truth to be told, he wasn't even sure whether he'd have avoided such a fast attack if he was in a prime condition...

Tatsumi didn't dare answer his partner´s question. Every single bone in his body was hurting, but more than that, his mind was as well. Sure, that kick was strong enough to deal a large amount of pain to him, but he was sure that Esdeath could have easily killed him if she had so desired it. He knew she was playing with him right now; playing with his resolve. She wouldn't kill him – not her possession.

"I thought you wanted to stop me."
The general's voice confirmed his assumptions.
"If that was the best you´ve got, you should probably give up. Otherwise, I can´t promise to go that easy on you all the time."

"She´s right. We don´t stand a chance like this."
Kyūketsuki didn't like to admit it, but there was no way of fighting head on against her. That woman's advantage when it came to fighting was far too big.
"I can see only one possibility. Try to stay out of her range and relay on your powers. That´s our only chance."

Tatsumi nodded, knowing his partner was right. Even though the chance of their victory was still slim, he couldn't think of any other way to fight against this monster in his current closed his eyes, and without further ado, ignoring the observing eyes of his opponent, he started to focus. Since he couldn't beat her in a battle of power, he'd try to beat her with a battle of will...

Esdeath

`What is he up to?´
Truth to be told, she felt rather amused by Tatsumi's attempt to attack her up front. He should have known that their difference in means of power was just too , that was what she loved about him. No matter how strong his opponents were, he wouldn't hesitate to fight them with everything he's got.

The more surprising was the change in his behaviour right now. Had he already given up? Was it that easy to break his resolve, after all? She even had gone easy on him with her kick.

It was at that moment that she noticed something odd. First, she thought that her eyes played a trick on her, but the more she focused on Tatsumi's sword, the more it seemed to blur.

`No, it doesn´t blur. It´s disappearing?!´

For the first time since she became a general of the Empire, she didn't know how to react during a fight. She knew that something was off, but she didn't know the cause.

Relying on her intuition, she assumed that her mate possessed a Teigu that was connected to his strange weapon somehow.

But where did he get it? And more important: what kind of Teigu was it? She had memorised all the existing information about the Teigu, but this power was completely different from anything she had read. The Teigu had to be one of those lost during the Great Civil War, or even before that, and therefore possessing unknown abilities. And her lover had not only found it, but also bonded with it! Yet again, he had proven to be the right one for her.

She could feel the excitement running all over her body. Her eyes beamed with joy. Given enough time and some tough training by her, her mate would be able to fight her head on. That thought alone raised her mood. She'd have been even happier if it wasn't for his lack of discipline and his obsession with the weak and their fates. But she'd solve those matters too after beating him.

Still smiling, she tightened the grip around the hilt of her rapier and shifted her weight onto her right leg, ready to start the game anytime. She took in every single change in her surrounding with her well-trained senses. No matter what he was up to, she wouldn't let it surprise her.

Tatsumi

Finally, the claymore had merged into his energy cycle again. He needed every last inch of power he could muster for his next action. If this move was to fail, he wouldn't get a second chance.

The boy opened his eyes slowly and stared right into the blue orbs of his foe. He was determined to go for broke.

The sun was already about to set behind his enemy, causing the general to cast a long shadow towards him, grazing his feet. But that was all he needed.

"Schattengefängnis!"
His words were only a whisper, but given the fact that the general's body tensed up, she seemed to have heard them nontheless. Tatsumi could tell that she was hesitating to attack him. As far as he knew her, she didn't know whether to test him or finish this fight quickly.

But she was already too late. Tatsumi could see the change in her facial expression, even if she managed to hide it in a split second. The Ice-Queen surely didn't know the feeling of being frozen to the ground herself. The boy couldn't help but feel relieved, somehow. For the first time since the beginning of this fight, he seemed to have the upper hand.

Nonetheless, there was no time to waste for him anymore. He didn't know whether he'd be able to bind the woman in place any longer. In fact, he could already feel how much energy this move required.

"Erschaffer!"
Dark matter exited his body following his words, shaping itself into various arrows, shooting towards the still-immobile general.

Watching the arrows speedily closing the distance to their target, Tatsumi inadvertently closed his eyes to avoid watching the gruesome outcome. It's true she deserved what she got, but he was inherently too kind to deliberately wish someone to suffer. Those arrows would be a far more painful death than a simple, clean sword cut, but he wasn't going to make the same mistake as before and underestimate her true strength again.

Hopefully, it'd be over as soon as possible.

"Grauhorn!"
The boy's eyes shot open at Esdeath's command, only to see his arrows being destroyed by a massive horn of ice shooting out of the ground high up towards the heaven. How on earth had he forgotten about her Teigu's ability?! He had seen her conjuring a giant ball of ice from thin air, yet it never passed his mind she could use her abilities defensively as well?!

Sensing his power becoming weaker and weaker, he knew that there was no time to think about that. He had to hurry and finish this now. But before he could even think of what to do, the ice in front of him burst into millions of small icicles, flying in every direction. Some of those sharp fragments were just too fast to dodge, pelting his skin and cutting him up. He only managed to cover his eyes, but dribblets of blood had run down his body profusely.

Suddenly, a vicious pain stabbed through his midsection as the general's knee connected clean with his stomach, sending him flying straight into another tree before he could react.

The stinging pain as he stood up informed him of his broken ribs. Through his blurry vision, he gritted his teeth, determined not to give up after just this much. Slowly, he leaned on another tree to stand as he watched his foe strutting towards him. The way her hips sway was seductive, yet he couldn't help but see it only as a predator's steps, going in for the kill.

He didn't know what to do; was there even a way to fight her? Tatsumi saw the serious expression on her face. He knew that she wouldn't underestimate him anymore, either. But he had barely enough enough strength left to stand; how should he fight her in that condition?

It didn't matter. There was no other option but to try. Running away wasn't an option; he'd rather die fighting.

Contrary to the warnings of his partner, Tatsumi used the last of his resources to materialize the claymore again. He could tell that it wasn't as solid as before due to his injuries, but it was the only thing he had left.

Ignoring his pain, he started to stagger towards his opponent, one step after another, holding his claymore with his right hand while using the left one to press his hurting ribcage.

He could see that the general's expression had changed once again. The anticipating smile was gone, replaced by emotionless flat lips. She held her rapier tightly with her right hand, ready to end this fight. The youth was sure this warmongering woman had enjoyed the fight so far, but she knew that this would be the end, too.

Without hesitating, he raised the claymore over his head and struck down at the general with every last ounce of physical strength he could muster. Over and over again, he tried to somehow manage to hit her, but he could tell that she had no problems at all deflecting his desperate slashes, almost toying with him now. His strikes were just lacking too much power.

With every single strike, Tatsumi's desperation grew. Was there no way for him to save his friends? Was there no way for him to overcome this obstacle? But how could he give up now? How could he sacrifice everything for his own good? Sure, he wanted to survive this fight; but what was the point in surviving when he would have to bear the blame for his friends' death? He wouldn't have any of it!

He began to feel that the pain was slowly starting to get the better of him. With every single strike, his consciousness nearly flew away. His slashes became even less powerful and more inaccurate, but nonetheless, he couldn't stop now.

His foe's face indicated she's had enough of this mockery of a fight. With a quick upward slash of her rapier, the general hit the boy's claymore with full force dead on. Tatsumi's eyes widened in shock and disbelief as she simply cut through his blade, dispelling the shadows and sending the boy flying back a few meters where he landed on the snowy ground once more.

"I'm sorry to say this, but it's over, young one."
Even though the youth knew that Kyūketsuki was right, he struggled to get back up; but no matter how hard he tried, his body simply hurt way too much.

Tatsumi clenched his teeth. Even though he had accomplished such a powerful weapon, the difference in strength was just too big. The boy had already known about the woman's strength way before the clash, but he had, however, hoped to strike her with one surprising blow that would finish her off.

Lying on the ground, he still wondered how she had been able to move even though he had managed to bind her in place. But it didn't even matter anymore. The fight was lost, and his friends and loved ones were doomed.

Esdeath

While walking towards him, she didn't dare avert her eyes from her mate even for a second. She saw that he had used up quite an amount of stamina and was hurt badly, but she was tempted to push him even further, doubting that he had already given up.

"Is that all you've got?" The general asked, mocking.
"I thought you wanted to stop me. Have you already abandoned those weaklings to save yourself? Are you finally convinced of my view of things? You're too weak to have your way; just bear with it and bow to mine!"

Looking down on the boy in front of her, she could see him staring back in anger and frustration. He had accepted his situation and knew that he wouldn't be able to beat her. Yet, there were traces of determination and resolve in his gaze. A moment of silence passed before her lover finally answered her, interrupted by deep breaths.

"Either you finish me now or I will do so myself later!" The boy hissed as his answer.

For the first time, Esdeath didn't know how to react to the words of a foe. She was accustomed to harsh words, pleas and insults. Considering her mood, she'd either kill them painfully or break those with strong wills through torture... but not even once had someone demanded to be killed.

What struck her even more was that her lover didn't hesitate to threaten her with his suicide. How could he dare to say that?! She wouldn't have it. She'd make her mate strong enough to stand besides her by eradicating his weaknesses. The only thing he'd need in his life was her; that fact was for sure.

"You know I won't let that happen!"
Even though she tried to speak in a calm manner, her voice gave away traces of insecurity. Esdeath knew that she wouldn't be able to prevent the boy from commiting suicide without locking him away from the world. But by doing this, she wouldn't be able to form him into her ideal partner either.

"One moment of distraction will be sufficient," replied the boy with his determined voice.
"Even the Empire's strongest won't be able to stop me from that. Sure, there are some ways, but they'd shatter your plans for my future too. No matter how you look at it, it's better if you finish this now."

The general was at a loss of words. The grip around the hilt of her rapier tightened. She knew that the youth was right, but she didn't know how to react. Slowly, she led the tip of her rapier above the boy's head, who was anticipating the final blow with closed eyes.

She didn't want to do it, but she knew that it'd be even harder for her if she spared him now and he'd kill himself later. In order to regain her mental strength and her cold-blooded attitude, she had to finish him herself. But for the very first time, the Ice-Queen didn't know whether she was strong enough.

Her whole body trembled as the tip of her weapon drew closer to the boy's face. Normally, she'd have been able to finish anyone in his position off with a fast and clean stab through the skull, but not this time. The closer her rapier approached his head, the slower it got and the more it shook.

This wasn't her! How was this boy able to influence her in such a strong way within such a small amount of time? She didn't know that herself. The only thing she knew was that she felt fear, an emotion she thought she'd never feel in her life.

It was at that moment the general made a decision. She closed her eyes, using all of her willpower to get her body to calm down. Opening them again, she stared down at the boy void of emotions. Then she brought down her rapier...

Tatsumi

He didn't want to face the end with his eyes wide open. Ashamed of his own inability, he lay on the ground and thought about those he had disappointed. Even though his resolution had been strong, his body simply was too weak – even with the additional power of his Teigu.

Tatsumi knew that the general's rapier would pierce him any second, but he was repared for it. It was better that way – better so he wouldn't have to see his friends to suffer a gruesome fate. He had done everything in his power, but compared to her level of strength, he had to admit he hadn't stood even the slightest chance.

"I truly am sorry that it's ending this way."
For the first time, Kyūketsuki's voice didn't sound threatening or mighty at all. The former Beast wasn't able to hide the sadness in it, even though the words were spoken in a calm manner.
"Finally, I have been able to get to meet a fitting partner, yet I couldn't grant him the power he needed to fight for his resolve. If only I would have been able to make you even stronger..."

`It's not your fault.´
He knew that Kyūketsuki meant his words, but the one at fault was him, not his partner. He couldn't help but think about the future of his Teigu. Would someone be able to use it or will it be useless for decades again? He hoped for the former.

Feeling his end drawing nearer, Tatsumi's thoughts wandered to all his friends and his partner one last time. Being sure that he wouldn't see them again, he bid farewell inside his mind, wishing all of them the best of luck, even tough he doubted their chances against that demon.

Then he felt the rapier coming down...

Esdeath

The grip around the hilt of her rapier loosened, and the inner struggle she had to go through until moments ago had stopped. It wasn't an option for her to display such an amount of weakness; therefore, she had made her decision and done what she had to do.

After pulling out her rapier and putting it in its sheath, she bent down to the motionless body on the floor and grapped it by the collar of its uniform. It wasn't much of an effort for her to lift the limp body until she could directly stare at her defeated opponents face.

She stared right into the wide opened eyes of her mate. The surprise in his eyes was clearly visible, but that didn't matter for her at the moment. She wouldn't let him have his way; he was hers and there was no way for him to change that fact. She'd make that clear to the boy.

"Why aren't you finishing this already?" Her lover asked in a low voice, but clearly perplexed. His emerald-green eyes were trying to catch traces of emotion in hers, but she wouldn't show any. She couldn't afford to act weak anymore.

"I won't lose to you!"
The general's voice sounded cold and determined. She wasn't talking to him like before, even though she would have liked to. The youth had to understand that the only option for him was to submit. She wouldn't give him a chance to change her ideology.
"You won't get to choose your fate!"

Those words seemed to strike a nerve. Even tough the boy looked too exhausted to fight, he clasped her arm with his hands and tried to loosen her grip on his collar. But in his current state, her lover's efforts didn't make her flinch the slightest. She simply continued staring right into his eyes, until he recognized the futility of his struggle.

"I will spare your friends' lives," said the general with a cold and threatening voice.
"Therefore, you will accompany me to the Capital and obey me without opposition. I'll train you and make you my equal; you will change your mind sooner or later. As long as you do as I say, nothing will happen to your friends, but if you should try disobey me or run from me again, I will catch you and grant them the worst death possible right in front of your eyes. Do you understand?!"

She could tell that the boy was unsure of what to do just by looking in his eyes. No matter how hard he tried to hide it, she could see the traces of an internal struggle in his eyes. He didn't want to bend to her will, but if he really wanted to save his friends, he had to.

It was the fact that he didn't just submit to her will she liked about him, yet it was also this fact that challenged her longing for power in the form of absolute control. When the boy's eyes became slightly duller, she knew that he had accepted her victory to its full extent. His slight nod only confirmed that he had finally submitted.

It was, however, not a complete victory for her, even though Esdeath didn't want to admit it. If she wanted to have her mate around, she had to spare all those weak insects around him... for now. But she wouldn't give in for a second time, no matter what would happen.

"We'll head back to the camp now. Considering your state, we'll need about two or three days."
While speaking to the boy, she slowly lowered her arm until his feet touched the ground. Before releasing him from her grip, the general made sure that he was able to stand by himself.

Being assured of that, she turned around and started to head towards the direction of the camp, having the boy walk in front of her with his head hanging low. Esdeath could tell that he was in great pain, but she wouldn´t help him this time even though she wanted to. He had to learn his lesson. Considering his attitude, she was sure that he'd manage it during their way back, too, considering that he had somehow achieved his goal.

It urged her to find out about the youth's new Teigu, but she knew that she had no need at all to press that matter. She would wait until the boy had collected himself. For now, she was just rejoicing being with him again, even though his attitude towards her wasn't the same as before. Nonetheless, she knew that fact would change again soon enough, too.

Tatsumi

He didn't like that he had to give in to her demand at all, but what could he do instead? If he wanted to save those dear to him, he had no other option but to obey her; at least until he grew stronger than her one day.

"Are you sure that your decision will change the fate of your friends?"
Tatsumi noticed traces of surprise in his partner's voice. Surely, the former Danger Beast had not thought about the possibility of such an outcome, too.
"I am not too sure whether to trust her words or not. She'd be able to kill them on a whim!"

"I vowed to protect them at any cost. Not only to myself, but also to my deceased friends. I won't act selfish and sacrifice them for my belief. Furthermore, such a decision would go against our deal! I'll try anything to reach my goal. There is no other possibility but to trust her this time."
Even though Tatsumi couldn't deny Kyūketsuki's argument, he knew that this was his only option right now.

"I seem to have made the right decision back then," responded the voice in rather proud tone.
"I won't let you down. We'll get stronger together and make your dream come true. No matter the hardships we have to overcome, there will be nothing and nobody to stop us from doing that. Given the wounds you just received, every step of you must hurt pretty bad. Since the sun is about to set, my powers will soon start to work. Since your body has to restore lots of energy too, I assume that one night won't be enough to complete the process as long as you don't rest."

"I'll see what I can do. And thank you for everything."
The words of his partner had finally lifted Tatsumi's spirit somewhat. He wouldn't have to endure this alone. There would always be someone beside him, giving him advice and granting him strength. He wouldn't let Kyūketsuki's expectations down.

Tatsumi was sure that he would be able to continue walking through the night somehow, but on the other hand he knew his partner was right. Every bone in his body hurt due to the fight; probably, it'd be better for him to get some rest.

Looking around for some sort of shelter for the night, the boy spotted a nearby cave. There wouldn't be a place as perfect as this for the night. The cave was big enough for at least four people and could protect them from snow and wind. It would most likely be very cold during the night, but stumbling though the forest wouldn't keep them any warmer.

"What is it?"
The female voice coming from behind him snapped the boy out of his thoughts. Thinking about the cave as a shelter, he hadn't noticed that he had been becoming slower with every step until he had come to a halt finally.

"Even if I'd like to go on, I need some rest."
Tatsumi knew that he had to tell the truth without giving away any hints about his abilities. Lying wasn't an option; he was convinced that this devilish woman would be able to see through him.
"I was thinking about using that cave as a shelter," continued the boy while pointing towards it.

"Fine!"
It surprised the boy that the general answered without any delay. He had assumed that it would need quite some time to convince her. On the other site, he was happy it was that easy for him. Without wasting another thought about this matter, he started to head towards the cave, followed by the Ice-Queen.

That´s it for this time. I hope you liked it.

Thanks for the support of my friends and ll of my readers.

As always:
Feel free to ask questions and tell me your opinions. Feel free to review.
Feel free to send in your (OC-)requests.

That being said, I wish all of you a good start in 2018 and that the next year will be better than the last.
Greetings,

Marcel M.