Episode 4: Kill the Lust
"My name is Tatsumi, and I look forward to working with you all!"
Dr. Stylish scratched his chin thoughtfully, staring at the boy from his place on the other side of the table. The child was nervous, and understandably so; that is to say, the Doctor could understand the chemical reactions that made him sweat, shake, and avoid eye contact with his fellow Jaegers. Those cute little emeralds that his commanding officer was so enamored by were definitely filled with weakness.
"And yet, he is said to have tamed an Ultra-class almost entirely on his own," the man of science thought to himself, still scratching his stubble. "Such a feat would need more than a simple blade, and that is only in terms of weaponry. No ordinary blacksmith, regardless of how talented he might be, could have possibly obtained a level of skill on par with that of General Esdeath herself."
Dr. Stylish narrowed his eyes as the general continued to speak, her words merely bouncing away from his ears as his mind went into overdrive.
"Not on his own, at least."
In a flash the man's intellect laid bare to him all the eventualities that could lend credibility to the boy's sudden leap in skill. Of all the possible explanations, only one was worth exploring.
"You're not just some target for recruitment," Dr. Stylish thought, struggling against the mad grin that forced its way onto his face. "The chances of you being a member of Night Raid certainly seem low, however…"
The man clenched his teeth, doing all in his power to restrain the manic grin he was infamous for. "I will find the proof I need. And when I do, you will find your back not in the general's bed, but on my personal table!"
"There are no pressing matters to attend to today," Esdeath rose from her seat, eyes cold and businesslike once again, "so you may consider this your day off. Rest and engage in recreational activities if you must, but do not forget the importance of honing your skills and staying in shape. That will be all for now."
The good Doctor rose along with most of his fellow Jaegers, walking quietly behind Seryu and her little Koro. Smiling gently, he brought his hand to rest on her shoulder and chuckled as the poor girl nearly jumped out of her skin.
"D-Doctor Stylish!" Seryu wailed, stomping her foot with a pouting look on her face. "Don't sneak up on me like that, it's mean!"
"Sorry, sorry," Stylish said nonchalantly, reaching up to pat the girl affectionately on her head. Seryu blushed a little and refused to drop her pout, looking away. "Is the weaponry stored within Hekatonkheires performing to your standards?"
Seryu suddenly beamed up at him and clasped her hands together, eyes practically glowing with gratitude. "Yes, thank you! Koro and I are able to deliver justice to the Capital better than ever because of you! Though, I still need to work on improving my accuracy with Taizan's Cannon. I want to be able to engage in long-range demolitions with it, so that I can help prevent the loss of valued members of the Imperial Army. Enma's Spear is my second favorite and I've gotten so strong because of it, and the fact that it can explode is just so cool! I-"
Seryu blinked, her face slowly but surely heating up as Dr. Stylish smiled fondly down at her. By the time she brought her hands up to cover her embarrassing looks, the Doctor could almost see wisps of steam rising between her fingers.
"Ahhh...waaahh! I'm sorry, I'm sorry! I didn't mean to ramble on like that, I-"
"Seryu Ubiquitous."
She peeked out from between her fingers, looking surprised as Dr. Stylish rested both hands on her shoulders.
"Your passion, your enthusiasm for justice and your relentless violence against those who seek to threaten our precious peace...truly, I have never met a lady more stylish than yourself!"
Seryu beamed at him, too happy to properly express her gratitude with words. Koro, on the other hand, jumped up and nibbled the Doctor's leg aggressively.
"Oh my," Stylish laughed, scratching the little creature behind its ears. "Looks like someone is feeling a bit jealous!"
The biological Teigu immediately became docile and even nudged his hand further, clearly enjoying the sensation. Seryu took Koro into her arms, and began petting him herself.
"Well now, how will you be spending your day, little lady?" Dr. Stylish rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"I'm going to take Koro to the park!" Seryu replied, giggling as the creature suddenly nipped at her fingers. "He loves it there. What about you?"
The Doctor's smile widened, eyes shining dangerously as Esdeath dragged a nervous Tatsumi down the hall. "I've...well, I'm working on an intriguing new hypothesis and I require the aid of some fresh experiments to finalize it. It seems I'll be out and about for some time, so perhaps I will see you later this afternoon?"
Seryu blushed cutely and cocked her head to the side, smiling happily. "I hope so!"
Dr. Stylish gave her shoulder one final pat before moving on. It wasn't long before Wave and Kurome sped past him, with the skilled assassin hot on the boy's heels and occasionally swinging at him with her sword. The Doctor noted with certain amusement how she managed to just narrowly miss him every time, even when her blade clearly should have pierced his flesh.
"Such a frightening little girl," he pondered, waving cheerfully to Run as he passed by the blonde angel. "Precision and restraint, together. Such style!"
And the man chuckled quietly to himself, each and every step bringing him closer to his goal for the day.
Walking beside Esdeath as the two of them strolled down the paved roads of the Capital, Tatsumi struggled against the urge to flee with every second that passed. At the very least, she hadn't insisted on holding hands or anything like that. He figured it was probably to keep up appearances, as it might damage her otherwise perfect reputation for being a sadistic monster.
A monster that blushed at his touch, spoke softly and smiled kindly, whose very presence was enough to give him butterflies in the pit of his stomach.
"It is unfortunate that our walk through the Garden was delayed," Esdeath had sighed, back when the two of them had still been in the palace. Much to her obvious displeasure, their entrance had been barred on the grounds of "remodeling." When the general had insisted and even threatened the man, the Prime Minister was mentioned and she ceased her protest.
Tatsumi glanced at the woman as he walked by her side, noting that her smile still hadn't disappeared. Did the Prime Minister control her, he wondered? Did even Esdeath fear that man's power, or was it simply because his authority allowed her to do as she pleased?
"Oh, Tatsumi. It's nearly time for lunch," Esdeath suddenly spoke, her hand reaching down to grasp his own.
And he had just gotten used to the idea of having independance, too. The boy sighed internally, not daring to voice his displeasure for fear of turning affection into malice. Thankfully, this feeling only strengthened his ties to the mission in-mind. Real love didn't mean fearing the other person, which meant this wasn't real love! Right?
"During your stay in the Capital, are there any places you would recommend?" Esdeath inquired, gently squeezing his hand as they continued to walk. Tatsumi shrugged, doing his best to remain composed.
"I didn't have many opportunities to indulge myself," he replied with honesty, omitting certain details as required by any good assassin. "Funny story, though," he chuckled, thinking fondly back on his first encounter with the dangerous and seductive Leone. "I'd stopped at an inn once, and got robbed blind by an awful lady who initially promised to help me. Talk about life lessons, hehehe…"
His story did not have the desired effect. Rather than make the atmosphere easier for him to handle, things instead became far more tense as Esdeath tightened her grip on his hand and looked at him with narrowed eyes.
"Did you happen to catch this viper's name? I could arrange for that money to be returned to you."
Tatsumi sweatdropped nervously, immediately ripping his hand away from hers and waving both of them frantically. "N-no, that won't be necessary! It wasn't much money at all and I'm sure she's long gone, I haven't seen her since."
Esdeath remained silent, lightening up slightly as Tatsumi continued to take her train of thought to brighter places.
"A-anyway," he added, eyes flicking left and right, "let's focus on finding a place to eat! You've been here for a long time, so...what do YOU recommend?"
"Me? Well, I…"
Esdeath brought both hands to her cheeks, blushing and shaking her head from side to side. Tatsumi blanched.
"Seriously!" He wailed on the inside. "There's something wrong if all it takes is a single sentence to make a girl act crazy like this! Either I've got incredible charm, or…"
His ego immediately kicked in, and Tatsumi puffed his chest out a little and closed his eyes, smiling as his imagination kicked into overdrive.
"What am I saying, of course it's my charm! I AM a great warrior, after all! The best assassin who ever lived!"
A ghostly image of Bulat immediately invaded the boy's fantasy, promptly smacking him upside the head.
"Getting a hard-on for your own abilities won't solve a damn thing, Tatsumi! Keep your head on straight!"
Imaginary Tatsumi quickly retaliated, yelling at the translucent Bulat whose arms were crossed and whose expression was nothing short of chiding. "Give me a break, big bro! Just let me lie to myself in peace! Don't you have a grave to keep warm?"
Imaginary Bulat immediately started crying, and the melodrama nearly brought Imaginary Tatsumi to his knees. "Fine, I guess if that's what you really think of me...I'll just return to my eternal slumber, content with the fact that my little bro wants nothing to do with me anymore…"
"OI!" Imaginary Tatsumi yelled, chasing after the ghostly pompadour with all haste and wailing as the man suddenly vanished in a cloud of smoke. "What's with the sudden elegant words?! I was kidding, anyway! Get back here!"
Esdeath blinked, slowly waving her hand in front of Tatsumi's eyes as the boy daydreamed.
"Tatsumi, are you okay?"
He blinked, his face burning bright red as he realized what had happened. "Ah...AH!" He stepped back a little, trying to hide his shame with his hands. However, the blush was persistent, and peeked out from between his splayed fingers.
Esdeath giggled, brushing an idle hair behind her ear. "Sorry to wake you, but I believe we were looking for a place to eat?"
"Y-yeah," Tatsumi nodded rapidly, face still burning. "I'll just follow you, then."
"I don't love you because you follow me like everyone else," Esdeath winked, once again interlacing her fingers in his own and intensifying his blush. Tatsumi looked up at her.
"I love you because you can stand beside me," she whispered into his ear before planting a gentle kiss against it, much to the enjoyment of the passerby. The general seemed to be enjoying their smiles and nods of approval, probably failing to consider that those reactions were made solely to spare themselves from her wrath.
Or maybe his mind was just in overdrive, and he needed to take it easy for once? Tatsumi still wasn't sure, and he remained silent as Esdeath dragged him into a random building. Before they burst through the door, he just barely managed to catch a glimpse of the sign hanging over it, one of a bread loaf with what appeared to be meat beside it.
"Welcome, welcome! Please, have a seat and w-"
The owner turned deathly pale as Esdeath and Tatsumi approached, bowing his head in an immediate show of respect. "My apologies, General Esdeath! I didn't realize it was you!"
He was an older man, whose hair was whitening and whose teeth were doing quite the opposite. His beard was scraggly and his eyes were speckled with gray, betraying his loss of sight. Tatsumi could almost hear the creaking in his bones as the man brought his arms closer to his chest, suddenly fearful of the woman before him. Another woman behind the counter expressed her own shock with a gasp, bringing a hand to her mouth only for a moment before going back to work with all haste.
"Oh, enough," Esdeath interjected with a sigh. "We're here for lunch and I'm sure a discount on your part wouldn't be remiss."
"Of course!" The man said with a little more volume than necessary, immediately running around the counter and leading the two of them to a table near the large display window. His efforts to please the woman and spare himself from her ire were not lost on Tatsumi. The guy even went so far as to pull her chair out for her!
"All they have here is fresh bread and sandwiches," Esdeath said, placing both elbows on the table as her hands came up to support her chin, "but the sandwiches are very delicious. I come here quite often, if you can believe it."
Tatsumi blinked, smiling a little. "Actually, I figured you'd have all your meals inside of the palace. They have top-notch chefs in there, right?"
Esdeath rolled her eyes and looked off to the side, suddenly very interested in the world beyond the window pane. "The elegance grows boring after a time, something I'm sure you'll understand. There can be beauty in simplicity, and even if the owners of this establishment irritate me with their meekness, the food they produce is…"
She blushed a little, scratching her nose. "Well, it's quite good."
The owner of said establishment, listening to her loud praise, immediately whispered to his female associate and caused her to speed up her work. The two of them occasionally stole a glance over at the "couple," and Tatsumi flashed them a quick smile to help soothe their frantic hearts. The old man's expression of fear was unchanging, but the young lady currently sorting out the food smiled in kind. After a moment the old man hurried over, hands clasped together nervously.
"Will you be having the usual, General?"
"I will," Esdeath affirmed, elbows now off the table as she stared intently at the man. "And will you kindly provide a menu for my...for this young man?"
"She doesn't even have a word for us?" Tatsumi wondered, tilting his head slightly in bewilderment. "It's like she never even gave thought to this and just leaped into a so-called 'relationship' for the hell of it!"
"Th-that won't be necessary," Tatsumi chuckled, scratching his chin. "I'll just have what she's having."
"As you wish, young master!" The man bowed, immediately turning on his heels and walking quickly back to the young woman. He whispered something to her and she appeared to increase her pace tenfold, throwing together their sandwiches with unparalleled speed.
"Young master?" Tatsumi raised an eyebrow. Esdeath flashed him a little grin and a cheerful wink, reaching for his hand on the table and placing one of her own atop it.
"Though it may get boring to be worshipped everywhere I travel," Esdeath spoke, her palm warming the top of his hand, "it's good to see that the common folk acknowledge those in my company. Even without a name known throughout the capital, simply being in my presence will afford you the respect you deserve, Tatsumi. Soon, that respect will be earned by your own strength, and not simply given to you for accompanying me."
"I don't need respect," Tatsumi blurted out, pulling his hand out from under hers. "I just need to do the right thing and change this empire for the better! Knowing that I helped with that is enough for me."
The moment he realized the implications of his outburst, Tatsumi began to panic. However, Esdeath merely widened her smiled and reached out to place her hand upon his cheek, eyes almost sparkling.
"You are such a mystery to me," she said, causing the boy to blink in silent confusion. "And yet, I feel as if I've waited for you all my life. I like when you speak of such things, even if it is nothing but folly. I think it will only make your soul stronger as you grow into the perfect warrior."
Tatsumi opened his mouth to protest, to abandon all caution and desperately reach for the good that he knew was hidden deep inside this woman, but suddenly their sandwiches had arrived. Hunger overcame him, and all protests died within his throat as the enticing combination of fresh bread and meat approached.
There was still time. He didn't need to rush. The two of them ate in silence, and at last his protesting stomach grew silent.
"Doctor Stylish!" A girl with unusually large ears ran up to the man in the lab coat, eyes wide and smile shining beneath the midmorning sun. "Thank you for bringing us with you to lunch!"
"No, no, don't thank me," the elegant man insisted, casually flipping his hair back. "It is only right for me to treat my newest subjects to lunch, particularly when I expect something in return."
"Of course, we will do all we can," a young man added, this one wearing a mask with an abnormally long nose. "I can smell so much food, so many different things cooking and roasting. Treating us to such delights deserves nothing less than our maximum effort!" He pumped his fist with shining eyes, despite the fact that he was wearing a mask.
Undeterred by this obviously impossible detail, Dr. Stylish struck another one of his famous poses and gave the two of them an encouraging thumbs-up. "Well said, well said! It would be nothing less than stylish for me to take such a course of action, and in return, all I ask is that you aid me in trailing and observing the good General and her little boyfriend!"
The two subjects leaned forward with their hands clasped together, eager to hear more of the Doctor's speech.
"I truly believe that if we observe them for long enough and take special notice of any clues left in their wake, that we will eventually discover the boy's allegiance to Night Raid! Further, with the help of your enhanced senses, we might even discover the location of Night Raid's headquarters! And so," the doctor continued, dramatically falling to his knees and placing his head and hands upon the pavement, "I ask that you do your very best to find these clues and bring me the proof that I need! Will you help me?!"
"Of course we will!" The two strange subjects yelled simultaneously, much to the astonishment of the civilians around them. The three of them were, after all, making a scene in the middle of one of the capital's most populated streets.
"Excellent!" Stylish yelled in kind, immediately leaping to his feet as though nothing had happened. "Then it is with the utmost humility that I ask you to follow closely behind me as I follow closely behind General Esdeath and little Tatsumi! Keep your wits about you and notify me of any discoveries you make, and I will be sure to reward you once we return to the lab!"
"Understood!" The two yelled together again, and together with the Doctor they promptly resumed their tailing of the two ahead of them. Dr. Stylish took extra care not to be noticed, though as time went on, he found himself to be exceedingly grateful that their stylish meeting hadn't attracted the attention of their targets.
"Though to be fair," the man thought, smiling to himself, "it's not as if there was any kind of threat there. I'm sure they're in a special little world, lost to the events that occur outside their narrow perspective. Once I find the information I require and expose the General's foolishness, even the Prime Minister and his little pawn will be forced to acknowledge my greatness! Then, all will be powerless before my scientific brilliance!"
The three eccentric individuals soon found their targets entering a shop of some kind, and quickly took up positions in the store on the opposite side of the street. Dr. Stylish watched intently as woman and her love began to eat their lunch, wondering what kind of deep and personal conversation the two of them were currently engaged in.
"Nuh uh," Tatsumi sneered, taking a bite out of his third sandwich. His appetite had increased tremendously as of late, probably because fear made him hungry. And Esdeath was fearful, indeed.
"I am telling you," the general insisted, leaning forward, "there exists a Danger Beast that has phallic appendages and speaks only in moans! It is the most vulgar thing I have ever seen."
"I still don't believe you," Tatsumi laughed before taking another bite, his heart throbbing as Esdeath showed him her special pouting face.
"Fine," she huffed, setting her own sandwich down and reaching for her drink. "Then together we will travel to the place where I encountered this creature, and you will have to listen to my mockery as I remind you of how it existed and you consistently refused to believe me!"
Tatsumi's laughter died down to a gentle chuckle, and he found himself entranced by her cute expression and persisting silence. In that moment, he was certain; this was the true Esdeath, this was who waited beneath the sadism and utterly evil perspective. And at the same time, this is where the ultimate question came into play.
How was he, a single boy of 17, expected to convince this woman - this general of the Imperial Army - to abandon her current point of view in favor of his? It was becoming painfully clear that she wouldn't cave so easily, and yet, his presence had this very interesting effect on the woman.
"No matter how complicated this gets," Tatsumi assured himself, "this is my responsibility. Big bro, I hope you're watching. I'm going to do the impossible and defeat the corrupted empire from the inside, and I'll do it with her help!"
Even now, some part of him knew it was impossible. But it was still worth trying for. He wasn't just going to live up to Bulat's greatness, he was going to surpass it.
"Uwaaah," Esdeath moaned, leaning back in her wooden chair. "I can't eat another bite. Are you done, Tatsumi?"
He set his sandwich down quickly, eager for a change of scenery. "Yep, that's enough for me!" The boy showed her that smile she loved so much and pressed on. "Where to from here?"
"Well," Esdeath poked her fingers together, almost causing him to slam his forehead against the table. "I assumed that at some point, you would insist on going somewhere…"
Tatsumi blinked in confusion. Was she overbearing and simply trying to mix things up? Was this a trap? He began to feel paranoid, unable to reply. Was she expecting him to man up, and was he disappointing her by not stepping forward? He was going to fail! She was going to suddenly hate him and banish him to the dungeons, he knew it!
"I…"
Esdeath looked up, eyes wide and suddenly very, very interested in what he had to say.
"I...I think we should train!"
Both of them blinked, each as surprised at this outburst as the other.
"Oh my God...gods...goodness?" Tatsumi struggled against whom he should pray to for mercy, and that struggle only intensified as the woman's eyes acquired a dangerous glint to them. Different people in his life had prayed to different beings, but at this point, he'd take whoever was willing to listen.
"You continue to surprise me," Esdeath muttered with a lascivious slur, her voice almost caressing his ears and causing a very, very bright blush to assault his face. "I'd love to spar with you, Tatsumi."
"I SAID 'TRAIN!'" He screamed internally, trembling on the outside.
Esdeath rubbed her legs together, nails digging into her clenched fists. "I'm glad we are of the same mind. I agree with you; we should abandon such trivialities and focus more on honing your skills."
She rose to her feet, thinking nothing of the fact that Tatsumi was trembling like a leaf and wishing he had a hole to crawl into and promptly die in.
"Let us return to the palace," the general continued, adjusting her collar. She left the required currency upon the table along with a surprisingly generous tip, almost dumping her shiny coins there as if she didn't have a care in the world.
It was his fault, no doubt. Tatsumi was chained to this woman, and felt strangely obligated to remain in her presence due to the good that it seemed to bring to those around them.
As the two of them exited the building, Tatsumi watched through the window as the old man approached the table and stared at the payment left behind. He was pretty sure he saw the old man have a minor heart attack, gulping nervously as the woman inside rushed over to him and grasped his shoulders. Trying to put it out of his mind, among other things, he began to lag behind Esdeath as she led him back towards the palace. Thankfully, the walk was a long one, and he'd have plenty of time to sort his mind out before-
"Tatsumi! Psst, Tatsumi!"
His eyes went wide, his heart nearly stopped. The boy's hands were suddenly very clammy with sweat as he turned his head, gazing into the alley beside him as Leone and Lubbock waved to him.
"Eh...ehh?!" He gaped, jaw falling almost to the stones at his feet as the two assassins waved cheerfully to him. He glanced tentatively at Esdeath as she walked further ahead and, making a quick cost/benefit analysis, almost tiptoed into the alleyway and grabbed his friends by their collars.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" He hissed, eyes wide with fear as they grinned nervously at him. "You saw who I'm currently tagging along with, right?"
"Well, funny thing," Lubbock began, sweating a little as Tatsumi stared at him. "We've sorta been...uh…well, you see, we-"
"We've been following you all morning~!" Leone chimed in, winking at him without a care in the world. Tatsumi's eye twitched irritably.
"And you call yourselves assassins? Don't screw with me!" He groaned, setting them down and clutching his own head.
"Oh man, oh man…"
"Hey, relax," Lubbock said, crossing his arms. "It's not like we've been spotted or anything."
"Tatsumi?"
All three of them immediately went pale as Esdeath rounded the corner, looking worried as she searched for her companion. When she saw him her face immediately lit up with relief, and then promptly turned neutral as she noticed the other two beside him.
"I'm glad you're safe, I was afraid you'd gotten yourself lost," she smiled weakly at him, stealing glances at his friends. "Who are they?"
Surrendering to impulse, Tatsumi forced himself to mimic her expression as he turned to face the general. "Just some commoners I knew when I was first staying here in the capital," he responded. "They recognized me as I was walking by and wanted to see how I've been doing."
Esdeath's expression didn't change, and for a moment, he was worried that his lie had been too poorly constructed. It didn't help that the two troublemakers behind him were still pale and staring with wide eyes, already seeming to accept their fate when there was still a chance to walk away.
"Well," Esdeath suddenly spoke, causing Lubbock and Leone to jump a little, "It's good to know that you've made such good friends so swiftly upon arriving in the capital." She turned her gaze then to the two assassins, her weak smile turning into a genuine, thankful one. "Tatsumi is now in my care and will remain perfectly safe by my side, I can assure you. Should you ever find yourself in dire straits while living here, I would be happy to assist you at his request."
Tatsumi's entire body relaxed and he let out a quiet sigh of relief, smiling himself as Esdeath approached him. Maybe this situation wasn't so bad, after all.
"We should hurry," she said, extending a hand to him. "Our day of leisure ends at twilight, so if we are to train, we should take advantage of the daylight that remains."
"Alright," Tatsumi affirmed, taking her hand without hesitation and looking back at his bewildered friends as the general led him out of the alley.
"I'll see you guys soon," he said with a serious expression. He almost jumped with joy when they nodded, apparently receiving his unspoken message.
Dr. Stylish watched with interest as Tatsumi and Esdeath walked away from the alley, heading back the way they came. He scratched his stubble and glanced at the test subjects who were supposed to be working, sighing as they continued to enjoy their ice cream cones.
He really was too kind for his own good. His interest was again piqued, however, as two new individuals left the alleyway and walked in the opposite direction, leaning very close to each other as they spoke. Almost as if they had something to hide…
Two suspicious individuals, a meeting with Tatsumi, an attempt to keep their conversation private...that maniacal grin returned to the Doctor's face as his mind once again went into overdrive, keeping him unaware of the worried expression his subjects now shared.
"It seems we have a lead," he said, smiling at the two. They quickly finished their ice cream and leaned forward, eager to please their tormenter, their superior, their savior.
"What would you have us do, Doctor?" They spoke together, eager to impress. The man in question rose from his seat outside the ice cream parlor, running a hand through his hair with a luscious sigh. A sound of satisfaction, a whisper of deliverance.
"Ahh...my loyal servants, my wonderful friends...I ask only that you help me follow the trail of those suspicious individuals, and continue to aid me in my search for the truth!"
The big-eared girl and her large-nosed friend beamed at the man they adored, their minds empty of dissonance and clear of any dissenting opinions. "Of course, Doctor Stylish! At once!"
He opened his arms to them and wrapped them in a friendly hug as they approached him, keeping his diabolical thoughts contained in his awful mind as they lost themselves in the embrace.
"Let's get to work," he sneered, stealing a glance at the two Night Raid members as they walked down the street, confident in their anonymity as the eyes of evil closed in on them.
"Again!" Esdeath yelled, sending Tatsumi flying away with a single swipe of her rapier. The massive blade sailed in the air as if it were a feather, and yet every blow was the equivalent of a greatsword to him. Every successful parry with his Incursio sent violent reverberations throughout the blade and his arms, temporarily throwing him off with each strike.
"Damn it!" Tatsumi grit his teeth, eyes narrowing as frustration continued to boil inside of him. Esdeath approached slowly, a mocking smile on her face as she stared down at him.
"Hurry up," she insisted, struggling against biting her lip, fighting the desire to tear their clothes away and dive into the unknown sensations that threatened to overwhelm her. "This is nothing compared to what you are really capable of. I'm going to kill you, Tatsumi."
His breathing became frantic, his pupils dilated as she calmly walked forward. The little arena within the palace was too small. The city was too small. The world itself simply was not large enough for their battle.
She would hunt him down and strike at every angle, and it terrified him. The woman he had seen was alluring, but the general he was now faced with was nothing less than a demon.
"Show me," she said in a husky voice, a sound that sent electric bolts coursing through his body and temporarily replaced his fear with something more primal. "Show me your power, Tatsumi!"
She leapt forward in an instant, swinging violently. Tatsumi immediately donned Incursio's armor and brought his arms up, gasping as her blade ripped through the armor like it was wet paper.
"I see," she taunted, licking her lips as he was sent sliding backwards. "So Incursio's armor is only as powerful as your own will. If that's true, then I will simply break you until you are unbreakable!"
"Tch!" Tatsumi grit his teeth, taking a hesitant step backwards as Esdeath casually swung her blade to and fro, that awful smile never leaving her face for a moment. Was this all he could do? Was this his limit?!
"No…"
Tatsumi relaxed, surrendering to that familiar sensation. That overwhelming calm that killed his caution and inspired him, the fire that consumed his heart and filled him with mysterious glee.
In a single moment, he understood. Even as Esdeath charged again, Tatsumi lowered his head and acknowledged himself.
Night Raid, Jaegers...even if he was alone, even if he belonged nowhere...none of it mattered in battle. In that single moment between the swing of a sword and his death, he finally understood. A thought entered his mind that was so very liberating, so gentle, that it felt as if every weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
He loved to fight. Nothing made him feel more alive than impending death. This fight was so different. He was a fighter, a survivor.
A warrior.
"I AM A WARRIOR!" He screamed within his mind, eyes shining bright as Incursio faded and returned to its sealed form, the platinum blade falling to the ground behind him as new light appeared.
Tatsumi crouched and tensed up his body, arms moving to welcome the new weapon as it materialized in his fingers.
Esdeath could only watch in astonishment as steel welcomed steel, her rapier powerless against the well-timed parry of the Muramasa.
The 47th.
A slight burst of air marked the separation of their blades as Esdeath was knocked back, her smile growing even wider as Tatsumi charged.
"There it is," she cheered on the inside, heart pounding as the young man entered her realm. "There is your full potential!"
His strikes were suddenly much faster, as if the spirit of lightning itself had been imbued in the horrifying edge of that katana. Esdeath, now fully immersed in their confrontation, began to fight back with more strength as Tatsumi continued his relentless assault. Every strike of his blade carried with it an uncanny force, the impact of something greater.
The tables turned.
One great clash sent a shockwave soaring into the air, casting clouds of dirt all around them as they both lost themselves in the thrill of combat. Rust continued to grind against luminous metal as their eyes met, souls clashing together with a ferocity that their blades could never match.
Separating at last, the two combatants jumped backwards. Satisfied with their sparring match, Esdeath promptly returned her sword to the sheath resting upon her lower back, watching curiously as Tatsumi continued to grip his own as if nothing else mattered.
"I believe that's enough for-"
He jumped forward with tremendous force and slashed downward, missing the general by an impossible inch as instinct spared her a fatal blow. She sidestepped him just in time, eyes wide as he slid forward against the dirt with his sword-arm trembling.
"I said that's enough," she repeated casually, unable to hide the amusement in her voice as he turned and approached her once more, eyes widened as he did so.
"Blood," he murmured, dropping the Masamune in his left hand and using it to grasp the side of his head as he walked forward. "It needs more blood! Please!"
He pushed forward again with remarkable speed, aiming for her heart with a deadly piercing strike. The rusted metal met with flesh and bone as Esdeath remained perfectly still, wincing as his desperate blow made contact.
Tatsumi blinked, the whispers dying down as crimson life poured along the surface of his cursed weapon. Eyes of gentle blue met his tormented eyes of green, and suddenly the boy could feel his heart once more. It crashed against his chest violently, sorrowfully, and regret filled him to the brim as he stared at the blade embedded in her arm.
An arm that, thankfully, had been swift enough to avert a mortal wound. Years of training had protected her beating heart from his weakened one.
And Tatsumi felt the tears in the corners of his eyes as pain coursed through his body, his grip on the hilt loosening as the turmoil gripped his very soul.
"I…"
He wrenched the blade free, staring in shock as Esdeath gripped her arm with a single closed eye. She was unable to hide her pain, and somehow, that made his own pain all the worse.
"You cannot sheathe the Muramasa without offering blood, right?"
He watched with astonishment as she casually let her arm fall to her side, smiling weakly at him as blood continued to pour from the ugly wound.
"Esdeath…"
There was nothing. No words would ever be enough to express what he was feeling, and no words would ever be enough to atone for what he had done. And yet, she still had the strength to smile at him and walk forward, to place a hand on his shoulder and praise him.
"There is an abyss within you," she said, leaning forward, "and within it lies unrivaled power."
She kissed him on the cheek, and the pain only intensified. The guilt threatened to burn him from the inside out.
"You can master this weapon," she purred, moving slowly to capture his lips with her own. She pulled away and wrapped him in a gentle one-armed hug, paying no heed to his widened eyes. "To wound me in combat is to prove your worth to the empire. Be proud, Tatsumi."
He swallowed the lump in his throat and buried the tears in her chest, burying the pain and regret deep inside of himself. He couldn't afford to be weak, not now.
"I will dress my wound and return to the room after a time," she cooed, kissing his ear as she leaned in. "I hope to find you there soon."
She then turned and walked away without another word, leaving the young assassin to struggle against everything that had come to define him as a person.
"Who am I?" Tatsumi closed his eyes tight, biting his lip as pain and confusion threatened to drown him. "What am I?!"
Leone continued to kick her victim's feet out from under him, smirking as he whirled around on her and gave her a piece of his mind.
"Will you cut that out?!" Lubbock wailed. "You're just making it harder for us to get back to HQ! I thought you were too upset about Tatsumi to bully me!"
"Think again~!" Leone winked, walking ahead of him. "Seeing Tatsumi alive and in one piece did wonders for my mood! I think I'll torment you all night to celebrate."
"That's not something a real friend would say!" Lubbock whined, running forward to catch up with her. Leone scoffed and rolled her eyes.
"We're assassins," she chided. "Even if we're friends, I'd say we're entitled to more mischief than the average person."
"To call you 'mischievous' is a bit of an understatement," Lubbock complained, ignorant to the irony in his accusation. Leone however was not, and her smile only widened for it.
"You know me, I love to have fun," she chuckled. The two of them spoke no further as their base finally loomed in the distance, and upon seeing it, they quickened their pace.
They were not alone.
"This is proving to be quite fruitful," Dr. Stylish said gleefully, grinning like a monster as he and his experimental assistants tailed their quarry. "I wonder what is waiting beyond the edge of this forest? Any guesses, my skillful, stylish friends?"
The ears of the first assistant twitched, picking up on the conversation of those ahead. She smiled.
The nose of the second assistant trembled, his scent immediately zeroing in on the traces left over from Seryu's last encounter with Night Raid...a location that was rife with perfume, a perfume that now waited in the fortress beyond. He, too, expressed his anticipation with a smile.
The time for murder had finally arrived.
