A/N: No one should be surprised by how slow I update by this point. I have plans for another story but I refuse to write another one until this one is finished. Maybe that'll motivate me to write faster, probably not xP.
Although Budō's death was kept private and away from the public, there's a renewed sense of liberation to be felt within the lower rings of the Capital. It's common knowledge the slums and outskirts were a bed of chaos, and as such the Empire rarely sent any of its officers to create and maintain order, since it's simply too dangerous.
That being said, every so often, an order would come through to instigate a 'clean up' of those parts, or, in other words, a small massacre to try and curb any rebellious souls, and fill the rest with fear to subdue thoughts of resistance. This usually lasted for a couple of months as soon as the people started being an annoyance to the Empire.
And thus the cycle of blood continued.
However, a little over a month ago, something happened which stopped the never-ending cycle. Yoru, and the small harem he's unknowingly formed, thought it was strange the Empire was always able to discover the people that organized most of the small acts of rebellion throughout the bottom district. Those that lived in these slums knew enough to not advertise themselves, as that's just asking for a target to be painted on your back. So how did they keep finding them?
This led to the conclusion that there must have been a mole somewhere in the slums. Through the use of our own information network, Yoru was able to snuff out the Empire's inside man, or in this case, a group of men by backtracking them through underground prostitution rings and human traffickers. Having saved Fal, Air, and Luna from similar traffickers made him very ruthless in dealing with them, and the girls showed no mercy either.
I had to commend all of them; they performed marvelously. Their actions were also what let me set up this particular meeting, as this was the only area of the Capital I could move around without the Empire's eyes on me. Of course, there were secret routes in place in case I had to get somewhere, but being able to walk in the open with a change of clothes and a hood over my head being my only form of camouflage was nice. My wanted poster was a common sight, and although this area was mostly controlled by Yoru from the shadows, it's still best to have a modicum of caution. Even if our grip on these area was firm, that didn't mean everyone was aware of it.
My hands pushed past the swaying doors of the bar I picked for this particular meeting. The owner and I had been able to form quite a good partnership with our mutual dealings with Leone.
In other words, we pitied each other.
I casually indicated my destination with a finger pointed upwards. Receiving a nod from the owner, I went up the stairs and entered the third room on the left.
There were two men inside waiting for me, seated at a small round coffee table. One had pale blonde hair that went down to the nape of his neck, his golden eyes boring into me with an intensity that could rival Esdeath's bloodlust. The other man had slightly messy dark-blue hair and eyes. Surprisingly, he was the more cautious-looking individual out of the two. I initially assumed it would have been the other way around.
"Gentlemen, it's a pleasure to see the two of you here. I was honestly worried the both of you wouldn't show."
"Drop the act, Shirou Kotomine. There's no need for us to put on some sort of show of pleasantries."
I could practically taste the aggression in his words. Who knew the supposedly ever-calm Run, the impromptu second-in-command of the Jaegers, would act like this. It just went to show that everyone had a side that they keep hidden from others.
"Actually, I thought some pleasant formalities could help us all ease into the coming conversation. Currently, I am not here as your enemy. Just a man willing to give you information that you desire. If you truly wish to act in such a manner, then I could come back and talk to you another time. Wave looks as if he can participate in cordial conversation right now, at the very least."
Wave's back straightened out at my words. Run exhaled loudly as he attempted to regain his grasp over his emotions. He must have been shocked to know that Wave was here. I had come into contact with them through separate means: Wave through Chelsea posing as my double, and Run with a simple letter with a proposition that he would at the very least hear out.
At first, I was going to meet with each of them alone, but I thought better of it. If they knew that the other was communicating with one of the Empire's most wanted individuals, then it could perhaps put them at ease. I wasn't trying to get them to defect, either. At least, not right now.
Everything had its own proper timing, after all.
"Thank you. Now, let's begin." I glanced over at Wave. "You want more information on Kurome and her condition..." My eyes trailed back to Run. "...and you want to know who murdered those poor children at the school you taught at."
Upon hearing the reason why Run was here, Wave looked at him in shock, and then his gaze filled with compassion. I watched as the kind-hearted man placed a comforting hand on his fellow Jaeger's shoulder. It looked as if Tatsumi was right when he said that Wave was a respectable young man; he's just fighting on the wrong side.
"Your dedication to your quest for vengeance is admirable. You remind me of myself in some aspects, Run. I've been able to dig up a decent amount of your past, and I can't help but feel for you on some level. Your hometown covered up the slaughter of those children just so they wouldn't lose face with the Empire. From there, you've used some less-than-savory means to get into the position where you're at now. At that point, you must have realized the current Empire was something disgusting." Putting a hand up to prevent the man from interrupting, I continue, "I'm not judging your course of action. You're a man with a goal in mind, and you would do practically anything to achieve that goal. I was once the same."
A soft chuckle escaped from Run's lips, as some mirth replaced the anger that previously encompassed his being. Now, if this was just him trying to replace his mask, then it has yet to be seen.
"It seems you've done your homework, yet I'm not sure how I should feel when my enemy is comparing me to himself." Run glanced over at Wave. "Sorry, Wave, but even I have to admit that the Empire is full of corruption. Joining the Jaeger's was a way for me to gain power and influence to achieve my own personal goals. There's no love in me for a power that won't bring forth justice on those that deserve it. I even seduced the mayor's daughter in my old town to get a high-ranking position in the Empire. You may have thought of me as a good man, but I'm really not as great as you may think I am."
"Don't be stupid, Run! As if some reason like that would make me think of you differently!" Wave rebuked the blonde harshly. "You may think of me as naive, and I am, to a fault, but even I can see that the situation, at least in the Capital is not what it should be. Where I was from, the Imperial forces watched over the area fairly, so I don't view the Empire as a whole as bad, but there may be some things which needs to be changed up top. After seeing the Prime Minister's son…"
Wave's fist clenched in anger. I heard of the Prime Minister's son and how he acted through Dorothea. It was safe to say that I had very poor opinion of the man. However, I had minimal knowledge on his movements besides on some of the details surrounding the people he has gathered, two of which are no longer with him: one being dead and the other on my side now. Who knew if he's replaced them or not?
"The Prime minister's son, you say? He's the man housing your murderer, Run."
My off-handed comment threw the man off guard. He probably didn't expect me to give away that information so easily.
Waver's fist slammed down on the table, a couple cracks spreading through the polished wood. I was going to have to give the owner some money when this was over, it seemed.
"That shit bag Syura is housing someone who would do such a thing?!"
Run surprisingly held in his anger under a completely expressionless mask. But it appeared as if the Jaeger's have already had an encounter with the Prime Minister's son and the ragtag group of savages under his command.
"Who is it? The Prime Minister brought in his son, as well as a group he formed to help keep 'order' in the Empire now that Budō is dead. They're currently operating under the name 'Wild Hunt'."
A valuable piece of information. Run probably assumed that he had to give me something for me to give him what he desired, but that wasn't the case at all. I would have told him who the murderer was without any immediate gains, since my aim was elsewhere.
"He goes by the name 'Champ', I believe. You can't miss him. A gargantuan man with the appearance of a clown. From what little I know about his... 'habits', let's call them, he views children as angels in his own sadistic way."
"What do you mean by 'angels'?"
It was Wave who asked the question. He appeared to be a curious man, just like Tatsumi. However, the look on his face showed that he was worried about the words that would come out of my mouth.
"Children are pure, and the closest things to God's angels on this planet; on the other hand, adults who have already faced hardships and have seen the cruelties that life holds for us are stained and have lost that purity." I looked both men in the eyes, but my attention was mainly on Run. He was more emotional during our introduction, but has calmed down since then. How would he handle the words to come out of my mouth?
"Champ is a vile man who can only find sexual pleasure in defiling the angels of the world. After he is done with them, he then kills them so they could forever be angels, because in his eyes adults are filthy animals. That's his simple-minded and demented mentality. Your students were killed by such a vile being."
He stayed silent. A tense moment passed us before Wave moved to comfort his comrade, but before Wave could say anything, Run's voice invaded the silence.
"Wave, I am not going to lie to you. That thing is going to die, and I will be the one to kill him. Don't you dare try to stop me!"
"Run, we have a job as members of the Jaeger's to bring those who would disrupt the sanctity of the Empire and harm its people to justice. I'll help you. The Prime Minister's son is despicable and has already tried to put his hands on Kurome. In my eyes, he should be brought to justice." Wave's hardened eyes pierced into Run's.
The evangelical man wasn't expecting such a response from his friend. I wasn't surprised, per se, but it wasn't the outcome I was expecting either. However, if Syura truly did try to do something to Kurome and with Chelsea telling Wave about her past and condition under my guise, his protective instinct towards Akame's sister and his comrades had probably increased exponentially.
"If you're planning on attacking Champ, then you may as well know what his Teigu does, as well as the capabilities of his comrades. First-"
Run's raised hand silenced me.
"First, let me ask you something… why? Why are you helping us? Why are you helping me?"
He was conflicted, and he still couldn't understand what I gained from this. I merely smiled at the former teacher.
"It should be simple to understand. What I seek is the same as you and Wave, justice. Justice for the people and the end for those that would abuse their power to bring forth discord. We are just pursuing that goal in different manners. Although I may have fought against your leader in the past, That doesn't mean I view all of you as my enemies. When our goals align the way they have my assistance would only be natural. That's why I am willing to help you."
Understandably, they looked uncomfortable. Here I was, their supposed 'enemy' telling them that I would rather not fight them.
"I have one more question, then. How was it that you were able to be in two places at once? While you were talking to me, you should have been fighting General Esdeath."
So Wave did notice that. Luckily, I'd already come up with an explanation.
"Would you believe me if I said it was magic?"
"Huh?"
A small flame sparked to life at the tip of my right index finger. "'Magic' wouldn't be an exact term. 'Magecraft' is a more precise name for it. The end result is I was able to speak with you at the same time of my own battle due to this unique talent of mine. I'm sure you know from the reports that I have far too many abilities for it to be a single Teigu. Is the fact I was able to make an illusory copy of myself that surprising? Of course, if you hit it then it would have disappeared instantly, but the little bit I told you surrounding Kurome's disposition was more important to you, as your teammate should be."
Of course what I said was a lie. Chelsea informed me that when she posed as me to talk to Wave that the Jaeger never attempted to lay a finger on her, so he shouldn't be able to deduce that wasn't actually me. Now, if he actually asked me to make a projection, that would be a little trickier. I could pull it off, but it would take far too much time and I would rather focus on what's important.
"If my explanation proved to be enough to satisfy your inquiry, then I would like to get back on topic. Champ's Teigu, [Die Leaguer] is a composition of six orbs. Each orb has a correspondingly different ability. These abilities include the ability to create whirlwinds, explosions, combustion, freezing upon impact, electrical surges, and corrosion. The multi-purpose effects of his Teigu give him the ability to adapt to a multitude of combat situations, and he can supposedly use them defensively as well. Regrettably, I don't have any knowledge as to what his trump card is, so be careful about that when you inevitably confront him."
Run looked at me cautiously as my words reached him. I could tell by the way his eyes scanned over me that he was curious as to how I got this information, but a lot of the time the information broker is worth more than the information itself. Although I've been very forthcoming, he was right to not ask how I knew this much. Telling the angelic man that one of Syura's former comrades was now under my employ most likely go poorly.
"It feels wrong saying this, but thank you for your assistance, Shirou Kotomine. Don't take offense if I handle this information you gave me cautiously," Run finally replied.
"Although I would prefer not to be seen as your enemy, currently I can't blame you for being wary. In fact, that is the smart thing to do in these kinds of situations. I thank you for meeting up with me, Run. I hope we could have more pleasant conversations in the future. Now, for you..."
My attention switched over to Wave, the former member of the Imperial Navy straightened his back under my attention.
"Let's talk about Kurome."
The instant I brought the petite assassin's name up Wave's demeanor changed into one of uttar concentration. Run also perked up in curiosity, I've mentioned Kurome's name and mentioned that she had special circumstances but only Wave actually had an idea of what they were. Run on the other hand, was completely in the dark.
Wave stood up from his seat, and my eyes widened is genuine surprise when he gave me a perfect ninety degree bow.
"You may be an enemy of the Empire, but please tell me how I can save Kurome!"
'Such compassion in someone so young,' I thought.
"I fully intend to do so, but please, there is no need to prostrate yourself like this. You're not asking me for a favor, since I want so see the young girl happy as well."
As Wave relieved himself from his bow, Run spoke up once more.
"What does Kurome have anything to do with this? Why do you care about helping her so much?"
"She's a victim. A former member of the Empire's Assassination Squad and Sister to Akame. Kurome, while not being as skilled as her sister in general combat, was still well above the average assassin that was trained in that specific unit. However, her body was subjected to large doses of drugs to boost her strength to the same level of the old assasination task force, the Elite Seven... whose leader used to possess Akame's current Teigu the Murasame before her defection."
I made sure Run was paying close attention to me as the next couple words left my mouth.
"Run, you're well aware of how Doctor Stylish operated his experiments. Do you honestly believe the drugs that Kurome was subjected wouldn't hold any form of adverse side effects?"
Realization spread over Run's face.
"What have those drugs done to her?!" Wave interjected.
"From what I've been able to gather from Akame, they temporarily boost her physical capabilities while slowly eating away at her lifespan, not to mention the obvious adverse side effects to her mental health. Add on to being the wielder of Yatsufusa, I genuinely fear for her continued sanity. Luckily, there are ways she can recover her lost lifespan, but to be frank, I believe her abandonment by Akame is more detrimental to her. Think of the implications. She was abandoned by her sister, and everyone else around her that she cared for died. Thus, she formed a desire to no longer be alone, she may also have insecurities regarding her own worth which made her compatible with Yatsufusa. That Teigu, however, is only a part of the problem, because as long as she wields it the way she has been, she'll always be bound to the ghosts of the pasts."
I was careful to always stay across from the two men that I shared this room with, but I needed to get at least Wave to understand what I needed him to do to save this girl. My hands clasped onto the young man's shoulders.
"I refuse to tell you how I've gathered this information, but even if you don't realize it, you're the closest person to Kurome at this moment. I need you to be her anchor for the present and the future. That is, if you wish to save her."
My hands fell from Wave's shoulders, and the man of the sea slumped down into his seat.
"She's been so weak ever since the last battle. That hit from the girl with the water Teigu was a big one, but she's been hiding the damage done to her. I think only General Esdeath has truly noticed besides me. The way she tries to act the same in front of everyone else... but when we're alone, she looks so pained."
Wave couldn't seem to stop himself from uttering the words that left his mouth. He wasn't speaking to me nor Run at this moment. He was just coming to terms with what he was seeing and what he had learned.
"You don't have to tell me; we are on different sides as of now. But as people working towards a similar goal, try to think of what could be the drugs she's taking. They would have heavy withdrawal symptoms, so it should be something that she's constantly carrying around, but they might not appear to be drugs on the surface," I told the Jaeger.
The way I saw his eyes widen almost immediately informed me he knew what the drugs were. Good.
"Sadly you can't just suddenly force her away from the drugs. The whiplash would be horrible for her body, but once you're able to give her a new meaning in life, then she can start the road to recovery. There are two ways this could be accomplished." I held my left hound outwards. "Akame must have mentioned it at some point when she was locked in combat against Kurome. The girl has awoken a guilty consciousness towards what she's subjected her sister to with her abandonment, and is trying to make amends. I'm not sure if you rejoined the battle after she mentioned this, though, so I'll tell you about it, just in case. There's a secret spring with extreme restorative properties. The amount of time she would have to stay there is unclear, but Kurome would recover there."
I then held out my right hand, but held my tongue. My joy for theatrics might have wanted them to ask me what this second option was.
"Don't just stay silent, tell him." Run finally spoke his mind, obviously annoyed at my pause. Wave however waited patiently.
"Please excuse me. Sometimes I can't seem to completely remove myself the thought of setting a stage; a bad influence from an old acquaintance of mine. The second option would be much quicker. Depending on how you look at it though there are two drawbacks to this method. First. you wouldn't be able to enjoy the hot springs. Second, well..." I brought my right hand back to my chest. "I would be the one curing Kurome, and I'm not sure how you nor the Empire would feel about you coming to me for assistance. But maybe it's not in the realm of impossibilities. You're both here with me talking right now without your superiors knowing, after all."
Not once did my smile leave my face, even when discomfort clearly overwhelmed theirs.
"That went better than I expected."
"Oh? Then how did you expect things to go, Mr. Saint?"
I chuckled at the fact Dorothea still called me that. Very rarely did she ever use my actual name. Only in moments of excitement did she fully drop the animosity, which usually involves some sort of scientific breakthrough.
My shroud left my shoulders as I made my way past the foyer. It seemed that I still have one last meeting left before I can finally rest.
"What would you have done if things went sour?" Dorothea asked me as I walked past her.
I grinned back towards her. "There's no point in asking about what didn't happen, is there? Besides, I believe I'll be seeing at least one of them in the future. Shouldn't you be working on crafting a couple new Teigus, though?"
An exhausted sigh spilled forth.
"You know that it's significantly harder for me to try and combine the necessary elements without you serving as a stabilizing force. It would be a lot easier if you came back with me to help," Dorothea argued.
She wasn't wrong, but I had faith in her skills. There was also the added fact that I had one more guest to talk to before I could move on to the final stages of my plan. Now would be one of the better times to do so, since Najenda was currently reporting the events of our most recent battle to the Revolutionary Army, and there were only two other people I had to worry about eavesdropping on me. Chelsea had that taken care of, though, by taking Mizuko and Leone out on a 'girl's trip'.
"Am I hearing that there's a scientific endeavor that could halt the great Dorothea? I thought such a thing would be impossible."
I chuckled lightly as I saw the alchemist fumed at my words.
"As if! I'll get those Teigu finished. You were just a convenient tool for me, that's all!"
The smaller girl marched off, but I decided to give her some more motivation.
"We need to give Spear a proper reward for her hard work. However, if your creations prove adequate, I have a surprise in store for you as well."
My call caused her to perk up a little bit as she continued on her merry way. I never explicitly rewarded her before, just giving her praise for her work, so I was sure she'd be curious as to what it is I could give her. Knowing her, she would greatly enjoy what I had in mind.
With my business with Dorothea concluded, I made my way to my private quarters. The moment I stepped in, a soft yet firm sensation pushed its way onto my chest. A mop of long blonde hair cascaded down the back of a young lady I hadn't seen in some time.
"It's good to see you as well, Spear. I'm pleased to see you've returned unharmed." My gaze looked up and saw the other two occupants in my room. My right hand softly caressed the top of her head. "You and Chouri have performed admirably and completed the mission assigned to you as well. Great work."
The daughter of the former Prime Minister beamed at my praise and detached herself from me. I couldn't help but notice that she has put on a little bit more muscle on that lean frame of hers. From their reports, I knew they encountered some combat, but they were able to overcome the challenges they faced, and even recovered a Teigu as well.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Shirou Kotomine. Chouri has told me a lot about you and what you have managed to accomplish. His good word is what convinced me to meet you here, and also the debt I owe him and his daughter for their assistance in the internal struggle of my own organization."
The man that stood across from me had long white hair and a very slender figure. In fact, if I didn't know better, I would have assumed he was a woman from afar. He donned garb similar to that of a priest, though unlike myself, he probably served the role far more seriously.
With a slight bow, I addressed the man before me.
"You honor me with your appearance. Once I've heard about the Path of Peace, I was curious as to who stood at the head of such an organization. You certainly don't dissapoint."
Anyone could tell he wasn't a fighter; the man's posture and aura bellowed that he was a man of harmony and would always try to avoid conflict. However, at the same time, there was something about him which attracted others to him... something not exactly human. A perfect candidate for what I desired.
The man simply known as 'The Lord' returned my bow with one of his own.
"Please, call me Lucio, for I am in your home and under your hospitality as of now. If I may say something, Shirou Kotomine?"
"You may just call me Shirou, Lucio. Everyone else does. Whatever it is you wish to say, feel free to do so. There is no need to hold your tongue."
"Very well, then." Lucio cleared his throat. "As you may know, I have Danger Beast blood within me. It gives me heightened awareness towards certain... 'variables', I assume would be the best word for it. Shirou, you're like me in a sense that you're more than just human, aren't you?"
I had to keep my face from making any unnecessary gestures. I didn't expect him to have been able to realize that fact upon our first meeting.
"Your insight is indeed correct. It wouldn't be wrong to call me something more than Human on a technical sense, but this body of mine is mere flesh and blood like everyone else present," I responded smoothly. It didn't escape my attention that Chouri gave me an inquisitive glance at the aspect of me being 'more than human', yet he didn't seem bothered by it. The former Prime Minister was loyal to me in his entirety, and the most recent piece of knowledge he received was nothing more than an interesting fact to a man like him who's seen many things.
"Sorry if it was supposed to be a secret; my being just felt the need to ask, strangely enough," Lucio said. The concern that he may have mentioned something he shouldn't have further proved I made the right choice in seeking him out.
"It is of no issue, I assure you. Your insight is powerful indeed, but I hope you don't mind if we get to business. There's a lot I wish to discuss with you."
With a smooth gesture towards one of the many seats, Lucio promptly sat down while Spear moved to prepare some tea for all of us. I took my own seat across from my guest.
"What is it you wish to speak about?" The leader of the Path of Peace asked.
"As you know, the Empire is filled with vile corruption. I won't ask for your help in fighting against them; it would go against your philosophy. I can take care of removing the rot that is harming the innocent. What I wish is for your assistance when the banners of battle cease to fly in the air. After hearing about your organization's philosophy and having met you in person, I don't believe there to be a better man than you for what this land needs when the conflict ends. Here's what I would like you to do…"
Although I was careful to not let it show, internally, I was smiling ear to ear as my dreams for the future were taken in by Lucio.