Episode 6: Kill the Justice
As he stepped into Esdeath's chambers, Tatsumi couldn't help but feel nervous. The current situation notwithstanding, the twilight of the world beyond was streaming through the window, covering the entire room in an eerie orange glow. His eyes found the Incursio leaning against the general's nightstand, its default home ever since he found it there for the first time. Bulat's legacy, lying in wait. He had to use it to the fullest; he wouldn't have any second chances tonight.
He had to protect him, his friends within Night Raid. Even if it meant sacrificing a potential alliance with the Jaegers, it was the right choice. When the time came, he'd know what to do. He had to believe in that, and in himself. Bulat would expect nothing less from him.
Quickly changing back into his usual attire, Tatsumi impulsively brought the collar to his nose and sniffed. He hummed in surprise, relishing the fresh scent that rested upon the fabric. Esdeath had taken good care of his clothing. In fact, she'd done a great deal for him thus far. Sadly, it changed not a single thing about their situation. If he could not convince her, he would crush her. There could be no other way, even if he desperately wanted the alternative.
A sudden knock on the door made him jump, just as he was returning the Incursio to the sheath on his back. Running over to the door in a panic, he threw it open to find Wave standing there.
"Are you ready?'
The other boy's face looked rather grim, and Tatsumi had a good idea as to why. Wave appeared to be sympathetic towards his situation, even if his dedication to the Jaegers trumped his potential friendship with Tatsumi.
"As ready as I'll ever be," Tatsumi replied, doing his best to appear calm. How he felt inside was a completely different story, but appearances mattered, now more than ever.
"Look, if you're unsure," Wave offered, scratching the back of his neck, "you could always try talking to General Esdeath. She's your woman, after all…"
"She's not my woman," Tatsumi sweatdropped.
"...so I'm sure she'll listen to you if you ask to sit this one out," Wave continued, undeterred by Tatsumi's interruption. "She might have selected you to go in order to make severing your ties a bit easier, since your own survival could be at stake. Even so, it doesn't feel right to me, having you tag along like this. If we succeed in defeating them while you're there to watch, all it'll probably do is make you feel worse." Wave turned his head to the side, clearly upset by this turn of events. "That's not fair to you, and she doesn't even seem to acknowledge it."
"You really are a good person!" Tatsumi blurted out, putting on his best and brightest smile. Wave blinked in surprise, not expecting this kind of reaction. "Even so," Tatsumi continued, smile fading as he narrowed his eyes, "I have to see this through. If Esdeath wants to kill my friends, then there's no way I'm just going to sit back and let it happen. I'll step forward to protect everyone, and I will bring Night Raid and the Jaegers together."
"You really think you can do that?" Wave blanched, eyes wide. "There's no way that can work, Tatsumi. We're on opposite sides of the chessboard, here!"
"You said it yourself," the green-eyes assassin challenged, smirking in a way that was most unlike him. "We are fighting for the same thing. Even if you're trying to protect the empire and we're trying to uproot it, in the end we're just aiming for the same result: a better world."
Wave remained silent as Tatsumi walked out of the room and right past him, fists clenched.
"Let's go, already," he continued, resolve burning in his heart. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."
They dashed through the forest with incredible speed, all four of them. Esdeath herself had abstained from the assault, choosing instead to test the faith in her comrades as they hurried towards Night Raid's HQ. The moon had long since consumed the sky, shining high above and purging the world of many shadows. Darkness yet lingered, however, and nowhere was it more concentrated than within the hearts of Tatsumi's companions. It wasn't long after they'd left the Capital before Tatsumi's mind started to wonder, drifting away as every step carried him deeper into this morbid situation.
Memories surged up, threatening to overwhelm him as his cocky facade withered away. Every step brought him closer to an impossible choice, the impact of the earth below his feet sending shockwaves throughout his entire body. He thought of Bulat, who had been his one and only idol in life. He thought of Sheele, who had overcome her own meekness and held him beneath the moonlight. Her death had been unjust, even in spite of her position in Night Raid.
"Justice will be done," Seryu muttered, staring ahead as she followed the rest of them. It had been a bit of a shock when they discovered her tailing them, and Tatsumi had to restrain himself every time he glanced her way.
"I hope Esdeath finds out," he hissed within his mind, relishing the thought. "Following us against orders was stupid as hell, especially with someone like her in charge."
All of them traveled in complete silence, but Tatsumi soon found himself being tortured by his own mind.
"More."
Tatsumi immediately ground to a halt, his feet skidding against the dirt as the familiar voice echoed within his mind.
"More. I need more."
A shaking hand went up to grip the side of his head, his heartbeat skyrocketing as the torment resumed once again. It was hungry, hungry already. Hungry again.
"Tatsumi!" Wave called out. He was the first to notice the boy's sudden stop, and the first to head towards him with a worried look on his face. "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing," he lied, shaking his head and stepping forward meekly. "Just a headache. Let's hurry up and get this over with."
After a moment's hesitation, Wave nodded, and together the two of them charged forward to catch up to their comrades. When they finally did, Tatsumi glanced once more at Seryu. Surprisingly enough, she had been looking at him, and immediately averted her eyes when he gazed back. Whether it was out of anger, bitterness or fear, Tatsumi did not know. But as the imposing view of Night Raid's base reached beyond the treetops, all thoughts of Seryu left his mind completely.
All that remained was fear, fear and hesitation. He did not want to fight his friends, he certainly did not want to kill them just to put on a show for the Jaegers accompanying him. No advantage was worth such awful treachery, not even the possibility of making them allies. Tatsumi caught a glimpse of Dr. Stylish's awful grin, and that was enough to convince him.
If it came to grips, he would turn on them without a second thought and kill them all. He wouldn't lose his friends, not ever!
"Well now," Stylish spoke as the group slowed their approach, eventually stopping at the edge of a steep cliff. "I daresay we've arrived at a great time. My assistants are here."
As if on cue, three individuals stepped out of the treeline. Their appearances were quite unique, unlike anything Tatsumi had ever seen. One, a small figure that he could barely tell was female, had overly large ears and a timid expression. A familiar heat flared up inside of him, and he couldn't help but find her a little cute. He grit his teeth and tried to suppress the lust as her companions emerged from behind her, looking far more disturbing. The one closest to her was a little more on the creepy side, wearing a mask with an elongated nose that occasionally twitched as he scanned his surroundings. Behind them both was a burly, blonde-haired man with a mask of his own, one that covered his eyes. Those very eyes were trembling, bouncing back and forth within his skull as they scanned everything in view.
The three of them approached Dr. Stylish and bowed, with the girl crouching low as she tilted her head, one giant ear aimed directly towards the fortress beyond.
"'I did it, Lord Stylish,'" she suddenly spoke, blinking as her left ear trembled. "'I took one down! I am continuing the mission.' So he says, Lord Stylish."
"Please, please," Stylish cooed, hands on either side of his face as he swooned and elicited a bright blush from the girl's face. "A simple 'Doctor' is enough for me. Make sure to relay every detail as I watch the slaughter, Mayuri."
The girl's face practically burst into flames at the use of her first name, but even that heat couldn't compare to the blaze upon her ears. She did all she could to cover her face, hands scattering cutely across her expression as they failed to completely hide her embarrassment.
"D-Doctor Stylish, please don't!" She wailed. "Don't use my name so casually like that!"
"My apologies," he drawled, nearly causing Tatsumi to hurl from the faux tone. "I just find your performance most impressive, that's all."
The girl merely groaned and continued to hide her face, listening in as one of Stylish's apparent minions continued his dark deeds.
"When do we go in?" Wave asked, taking a step towards the Doctor.
"You can attack whenever you please," the man waved his hand dismissively, still smiling. "I'm not your leader, I am merely your guide. Now that I've done my part, the rest of you can dirty your hands with the annihilation of these petty killers. My minions and I will observe the battleground and offer assistance only when necessary. We're not suited for direct combat, you see," the man continued, ignoring Wave's growing scowl. "Team Stylish plays a support role, nothing more."
"I guess that lame response shouldn't really surprise me," Wave spat, walking past the rest of the group and towards the edge of the cliff. "Let's go."
He drew his shortsword and donned the Grand Chariot's armor in a flash, jumping over the edge before anyone could get a word in edgewise. Desperate to avert further suspicion, Tatsumi ran after him as fast as he could without the aid of Incursio.
"I can control this," Tatsumi thought to himself, his heart pounding as his only home and sanctuary grew closer and closer. "I can save them!"
Wordlessly, Seryu clutched her little Teigu tighter than ever before and watched Tatsumi run after Wave, still unable to come to terms with the boy's confession. He was a member of Night Raid. He had killed her mentor, Captain Ogre. Still, he was General Esdeath's companion, and to seek conflict with him was to invite her disapproval. She didn't know what to do, and without another second of hesitation she dove into the fray, seeking to bury those troublesome thoughts
Dr. Stylish tutted, casting an arm out. "Do not be outshined, my loyal servants! Now, Team Stylish," he cried, eyes wide and filled with glee, "attack with passion and intensity!"
Kurome merely watched, her blank expression unchanging as an army of masked slaves suddenly burst out of the forest and charged towards their target. Their shared cry robbed the night of its silence, a grim reminder of the reprieve that Night Raid was about to lose.
"Tch," Leone spat, dropping the knife from her teeth. "What an annoying bastard. Who the hell hides in a pond and waits for someone to walk by, anyway?" She growled and activated the Teigu at her waist, her hair lengthening dramatically as her fists were replaced with giant claws and her animal instincts took over.
"They're in danger," she grit her teeth, heading immediately back into the building. "If I don't find them before the intruders do, it could get nasty. My reflexes are top-notch, but even for me, that attack was pretty quick…"
As Leone dashed through the frigid halls of Night Raid HQ, her friend Lubbock was doing the very same, though he was easily the more shaken one by far. "So many enemies," he gasped, his lungs freezing and burning simultaneously as he sprinted forward. "Where the hell did they even come from?!"
Suddenly, a darkened shape descended up ahead, smashing through the ceiling as if the many inches of stone didn't make any difference. He was a burly man, silent as he rose to his feet, and wearing what was quite possibly the ugliest kind of mask Lubbock had ever seen.
"I don't suppose that's a fashion statement?" He quipped, sweating a little. His lighthearted comment fell on deaf ears, however, and the man advanced upon him.
"Enemy," he muttered, shambling forward. "Eliminate, ELIM-!"
This time, the stone wall on the side shattered, and a shining figure crashed through and drove the mysterious man into the opposite wall, killing him instantly. That's when the green-haired boy noticed the armor, and his face lit up like never before.
"Tatsumi!" He cried, comical tears spilling forth as he sped forward and wrapped his unfortunate friend in a surprisingly devastating hug.
"Ack...can't...breathe!" Tatsumi gasped out, eyes wide beneath the metal helm.
"I love you," Lubbock laughed, silly tears still falling. "Your timing couldn't have been better, man! Welcome back!"
"...killing...me…" Tatsumi pleaded, finally bursting free from his ally's embrace and pointing at him accusingly. "Is that how you greet all of your friends?! Wrapping them in a death-grip?"
"Sorry," Lubbock laughed, scratching the back of his neck. "I just wasn't expecting you to show up all of a sudden. I really did miss you, too! Do you have any idea what it's like to be the only guy stuck in this place? Surrounded by such lovely, lovely boobs, with not a soul to share the experience with…"
"That's all you think about!" Tatsumi yelled, hands on his head as he let out an exasperated sigh. Lubbock just laughed again and suddenly moved to Tatsumi's side, wrapping an amicable arm around his friend's shoulders.
"I'd say it's more worrisome that you don't think about our comrades' bodies~" he chimed, causing Tatsumi to elbow him in the ribs. The green-haired boy winced, backing away.
"The entire base is in danger, and that's all you can think about?" He cried. "Help me out, here! I'm taking a huge risk in helping you, I hope you know!"
Lubbock blinked and tilted his head. Tatsumi facepalmed.
"I've been under General Esdeath's watchful eyes, remember?" He sighed. "I'm here with three others and a small army, all of whom are focused entirely on killing our friends! Stop thinking about their chests for five minutes and help me protect them!"
Just then, an entire slew of similar enemies burst out of the shadows, crawling like beasts towards their prey. Unable to recognize Tatsumi within Incursio's armored form, they did not hesitate and closed in on the two assassins with terrifying speed.
"Waaah!" Lubbock wailed, hands on his head. "Where the hell did they come from?! We're in deep, man! Let's get outta-"
Incursio burst into smoke, revealing the young man within. Immediately the group of masked enemies froze, staring at their supposed ally. The shortsword had returned to its home on his back, sheathed and dormant as the chain on its pommel jangled softly.
"Tatsumi?" Lubbock blinked, eyes flitting from his friend to their foes, and back again. Tatsumi merely sighed, arms moving to his left side with gradual precision.
"I hate using this," he growled, "but Incursio isn't enough to deal with this many guys. I have to use it."
White light shined in his hands and gave birth to an elegant katana, sheathed in lacquered wood and glistening beneath the moonlight that streamed through the windows at their left.
"The hell is that?" Lubbock blinked. Tatsumi lowered his head in response, his grip on the tsuka almost crushing the material as he tensed up.
"A backup plan."
He burst forward with a level of speed and deadliness that Lubbock had never witnessed before, filling the hall with bloodied chunks of flesh with no more than a couple swings. He cast the blood away from the sword and quickly returned it to the sheathe, wincing as the voice in his head fell silent. Just as quickly as it had appeared, the katana vanished, as if it was never there to begin with.
"Well, that's a neat trick," Lubbock laughed nervously, caught off-guard by his friend's sudden display of brutality. "For a second there, I almost thought you were Akame."
"Hopefully she's awake," Tatsumi replied, tilting his head to stare at Lubbock with a worried look. "We're going to need everyone for this fight, just to be certain that nobody gets hurt or killed."
"What's going on? Why are you here all of a sudden?" His friend shrugged, looking confused. "You suddenly got kidnapped by the Capital's Strongest and we only saw you once afterwards, and even then, you were basically on a leash. Did I miss something?"
"It's your fault, dumbass," Tatsumi chided, pointing an accusing finger at the other boy. "One of the Jaegers followed you and Big Sis all the way back here! It was a stroke of luck that I got chosen to tag along, otherwise you'd probably be dead by now!"
"You really don't have any faith in me!" Lubbock wailed, falling to his knees in an impressive show of melodrama. "I thought we were best friends forever, through thick and thin, always trusting-!"
"What the hell have you been smoking since I've been gone?!" Tatsumi barked, hands on his head again. "You're probably the biggest idiot I know! If you guys had taken a single look behind you while walking home, none of this would have happened!"
"Tatsumi," a familiar voice sounded from behind him, commanding both individuals' attention as the source of the noise stepped out of the darkness. Unfazed by the bloodied corpses at her feet, Akame moved forward as her beautiful nightgown swished quietly with every step.
"Akame!" Tatsumi cried, smiling brightly. "You're okay, thank goodness! Not that I was afraid or anything, I just…"
She flashed him a cute smile.
"I'm just glad to see you're not hurt," he continued, chuckling a bit.
"Thank you," she nodded, scratching her nose. "I, too, am glad to find that you are well."
"If you're done flirting," Lubbock smirked, causing his friend to stiffen up, "we've got work to do. Let's get outside and face the enemy's assault head-on! If they're expecting us to be on the defensive, then an all-out attack is probably our only way of catching 'em off-guard!"
"It's a good idea," Tatsumi conceded, moving to stare out of one of the many windows on the hall's left side, "but we should be careful. I've avoided their suspicion for a little while, but once they see me fighting beside or protecting you, all bets are off. They'll come at me like I'm just another member of Night Raid."
"But you are," Akame responded. Tatsumi remained silent, his mind whirling.
What was this sudden doubt he was feeling, gazing down below as a slew of masked henchmen encroached upon Night Raid's HQ? Was he really feeling attached to his so-called enemies, the handful of Jaegers who commanded this small task force?
No, he couldn't afford that. For Bulat and for Sheele, he had to bury that feeling. And so Tatsumi did, swallowing the lump in his throat and turning back to his two friends. That's when a new face appeared, spectacles shining as he approached.
"A new one," Lubbock growled, tensing up as Akame did the same. Their newest foe was an unassuming one, a young man with a gentle face and no visible weapons.
"My compliments, though we are enemies," he spoke, smiling eerily. "My name is Toby, and if I must say," he continued, glancing over at Tatsumi, "I'm a bit shocked to see a member of the Jaegers suddenly turning on his own allies."
"Sorry to disappoint," Tatsumi bit back, eyes growing dull as that familiar geyser of hatred welled up inside of him. "I'm back where I belong, now, so there's nothing to stop me from slaughtering every single one of you in the name of justice."
Toby blinked, not expecting such a response.
"And when I'm done with all of you," the boy continued, green eyes flashing dangerously as he spread his arms, "I'll go with my friends to face the Jaegers who came here."
"Can you do it?"
Tatsumi blinked, and Toby smiled.
"From what I've gathered, they care about you. Just as much as your assassin friends do," the man chuckled. "Are you so willing to dedicate yourself to Night Raid's cause that you would stab your other friends in the back? For one who claims to fight for the people, you're pretty dishonorable."
Tatsumi grit his teeth and stared at the floor, wrapped up in a maelstrom of dissonance that was all too familiar. However, Lubbock's hand on his shoulder brought a sudden calm to him, and the normally arrogant boy's smile had been transformed into something far more gentle.
"Don't worry about it," he said, tightening his grip. "We trust you, man. Let's just get out of here and fix this mess, huh?"
After a moment, Tatsumi nodded. "Yeah, let's go."
"I'll catch up," Akame interjected, her face utterly blank as he drew the Murasame from its sheath. "Once this man is dead, I will follow you."
"Let's go down there and give them hell," Lubbock said with extra volume, trying to stay motivated. "For Night Raid, and for the people!"
"Yeah!" Tatsumi responded, approaching the hole through which he had made his entrance.
"I just hope we have some breathing room before they decide to attack me," he thought. He jumped out, then, and brought his hand back to grip Incursio as the resilient armor once again coated his body. Lubbock wasn't far behind, taking the plunge shortly after he did.
"This is where it all counts!"
Reaching the ground first, Tatsumi's sudden landing generated a massive cloud of dirt as his armored feet collided with the earth. It wasn't long before he found himself breezing through the mooks that Stylish had brought with him, carving a path to the Jaegers beyond.
Back in the corridor, Akame traded blows with her new opponent, unaware of the young woman who approached from behind.
"How interesting," Dr. Stylish pondered, arms crossed with a hand beneath his chin. It was one of his more famous gestures, one that spoke volumes about the glorious machine that was his mind. "It would seem that Bulat's successor has joined the fray. That armor is eerily similar to Wave-kun's own Grand Chariot, don't you think?'
His servants didn't respond, as expected. It wasn't as if their opinions really mattered anyway; his kindness was not to be mistaken for weakness, and they surely knew their place. To voice a dissenting opinions was to invite his wrath.
"Lor-..." Mayuri blinked, her face growing a bit red as she looked away. "I mean, Dr. Stylish...our forces are being decimated by Night Raid. More of their assassins have joined the fray," she continued, "and the situation is looking dire."
"We will proceed," Stylish insisted, running a hand through his hair. "We've come this far, and those two have yet to join the fray." He narrowed his eyes, suspicion clouding his mind. "What could they possibly be waiting for? It would be wise to strike while the enemy is distracted by my fodder, so why hesitate? We don't have all night."
"Dr. Stylish," the blonde-haired man interrupted, "please forgive my rudeness, but I thought you may want to know...the Jaegers Wave and Kurome are advancing."
"It certainly took them long enough," Dr. Stylish clicked his tongue, clearly irritated.
"Looks like it's finally our turn," Wave spoke, glancing at the silent girl beside him. "Are you sure about this? She is your sister, after all."
"I'm sure," Kurome responded dryly, hand on the Yatsufusa's hilt. "You can fight whoever you want, but my big sister...she's mine." She lowered her head and Wave could no longer see her eyes, but the enhanced senses gifted to him by the Tyrant's flesh informed him that her mind was in chaos.
"Do what you have to do," he replied, causing her to lift her head and gaze at him in surprise. "It's not my position to judge you," he continued, hands tightening into fists as he watched Tatsumi crush Stylish's minions, "and your family issues are none of my business. Looks like I need to go beat some more sense into Tatsumi, so if you need help, call my name."
Kurome blinked, and watched in silence as Wave suddenly charged on ahead.
"It's nothing impressive," she thought, smiling ever so slightly, "but, thank you."
She watched him run to Tatsumi and throw a haymaker his way, generating a massive airburst as their fists collided.
"Wave…are you trying to appear strong?"
"It's you and me!" Tatsumi cried, trying not to cry out in glee as that destructive fire threatened to burn him from the inside out.
"You're damn right!" Wave cried, throwing another punch. Grand Chariot and Incursio began to trade blows on a level far beyond that of their onlookers, stunning all who dared to watch as they finally came to blows.
"How could you betray us?" Wave yelled out, anger welling up from within. "You've had so many chances! I even looked out for you!"
"Don't act like you understand!" Tatsumi responded, throwing out a roundhouse kick that sent his rival flying away. "I'm fighting for what is right!"
"So am I!" Wave yelled, kicking off of the ground yet again and tackling his opponent, driving Tatsumi into the rocky base of Night Raid's fortress. An avalanche of dirt and stone descended upon him as he gazed upon Tatsumi's cracked armor, sighing.
"The Tyrant respects a strong will," he spoke, staring down at the boy with pity. "If you're so unsure about what you want, then why are you fighting me? You won't stand a chance until you know who you are."
"I know who I am," Tatsumi growled, arms reaching out for Wave's neck. The other boy's eyes widened.
"I'm the one who's going to change the world!"
He burst free from the rocky indentation, spinning on his heels and casting Wave into the air with a powerful throw. Sprinting forward, Tatsumi knocked aside a good handful of Team Stylish mooks before kicking off into the sky, rising above Wave and tilting his body to one side.
"Fall," Tatsumi growled, swinging his leg into Wave's chest and sending the boy crashing into the earth. The sheer power of his impact sent out a shockwave that threw every one of Stylish's experimental soldiers off their feet, and a large cloud of dust obscured the impromptu battlefield. Wave slowly climbed out of the hole his impact had created, and with no small amount of effort.
Landing solidly on his feet and not far from Lubbock, Tatsumi shook out his arms and walked forward.
"Nice," Lubbock sweatdropped, chopping a couple mooks in half as he watched his comrade walk away. "Our homo role model would be proud," he snickered.
"OI," the ghost of Bulat yelled within Lubbock's mind, causing Imaginary Lubbock to nearly jump out of his skin. "That's in poor taste! Show some respect, damn it! Have you already forgotten how many times I tried to train you and give you advice? Don't spit upon my sexual preferences like that!"
"What the hell?!" Imaginary Lubbock screamed, completely at a loss for words as his ghostly mentor faded into nothingness.
Back on the battlefield, Lubbock was drooling a bit as his daydream continued, with Mine and Leone suddenly crashing into the ground on either side of him. Leone approached the boy and waved a hand in front of his face, sighing as she received no response.
"Moron," Mine sighed, hefting her Pumpkin up and aiming for the nearest enemy. "It's a good thing this is such a pinch," she grinned, "since I'll be able to take care of these guys with no problem!"
"That's if I don't get to them first!" Leone roared, charging forward and clotheslining two mooks at once. "We can't afford to disappoint the Boss by letting these assholes tear our base apart!"
"Right!" Mine cried, incinerating a handful of nameless foes with a single shot from her mystical rifle. Her eyes caught Tatsumi in the middle of his duel with Wave, and she watched with awe as the two descendants of the Tyrant continued to sew devastation across the battlefield. Every blow was just another shockwave headed their way, casting more of Stylish's minions into the air and shattering the ground beneath them.
"What incredible power," she muttered.
"WHY CAN'T YOU SEE?!" Tatsumi screamed, flying towards his rival.
"WHY DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Wave yelled, bursting forward to meet the boy halfway.
Again their fists collided, plate against plate as each armored punch reached the opponent's face, shattering their helms and sending them careening into their allies. Wave slammed into one of Kurome's puppets as Tatsumi was barely caught with Leone's enhanced arms. The air was filled with an uncomfortable silence as they moved away from their rescuers, approaching each other once again. Seryu's heartbroken face flashed in his mind, and Tatsumi hesitated.
"What is justice?"
Tatsumi's eyes went wide and he froze mid-stride, causing Wave to hesitate as well. The other boy looked to his feet and winced, struggling against the cognitive dissonance that threatened to overtake him. He finally looked up and faced his newest friend, emerald and sapphire meeting perfectly in the middle as their masters grappled with the meaning behind their conflict. A slow and winding drop of blood slid down over his right eye and caused Tatsumi to wince, temporarily obscuring his vision.
Tatsumi blinked, right as Akame descended from above and aimed for Wave's throat. Moving by instinct alone, Tatsumi dashed forward and intercepted her deadly slash with an outstretched arm, meeting her shocked expression with one of his own. Seryu, continuing her relentless pursuit of Akame after witnessing Toby's defeat, also stared in surprise as Tatsumi protected someone who should have been his enemy. She landed some distance away and couldn't even bring herself to command Koro, stunned by this sudden turn of events.
"What am I-?" Tatsumi wondered aloud, staring blankly at Akame.
Akame leapt away and regrouped over by Leone and Lubbock, looking confused as Tatsumi recovered from his own shock. "Tatsumi," she began, her eyes narrowing a little, "why did you block my attack?"
"I-"
The young assassin stared at his hands, unable to find the right words to explain. Certainly, the three ahead of him were his best friends, the closest thing to a family he had ever had. And yet…
He tilted his head to look back at Wave, whose arms had fallen to his side and was no longer attacking him. He could no longer deny that the Jaegers were beginning to reach that same level of camaraderie he'd built with Night Raid. Despite the tension between him and Esdeath's Special Police Force, his relationship with Wave was too reminiscent of the one he'd had with Bulat. He felt like he had a brother again, no matter how irritating he could be at times. And it went without saying that certain other members were feeding his sense of hope, namely Bols and Run. Even Kurome was endearing to him, so great were the similarities between her and her older sister.
And, despite what she had done and in spite of everything she may have done beyond his knowledge, even Seryu seemed pitiable. It wasn't enough for him to ignore the hostility between the Jaegers and Night Raid, but it still gave him hope.
"This isn't right," Tatsumi murmured, much to Wave's surprise. "It doesn't have to be this way."
"Tatsumi…" Wave deactivated his Grand Chariot, unable to fight in such a shocked state.
Just then, an incredible screeching sound pierced the air. Everyone reached for their ears and cried out in agony, overwhelmed by the sudden cry of a Danger Beast. An Air Manta, to be precise, distracting everyone from the current situation.
Thanks to her enhanced senses, however, Leone was perfectly capable of escaping her stupor and defending herself from her previous attacker's spiteful blow. The strangely adorned man yelped in surprise as she caught yet another one of his throwing knives in her teeth, glowering at him like a rabid animal.
"What the hell is WITH this woman?!" He screamed in his mind, charging forward despite his fear. "That's the second time she survived one of my surprise attacks!"
"It'll take a lot more than that to put me down!" Leone roared, intercepting his next blow and grabbing the man by his throat. "And don't think you'll die easily, I'm gonna-!"
His neck snapped under the tremendous force of her lion hands, and the blonde woman moaned with frustration as his lifeless body crumpled at her feet.
"What a bore! I should've been more careful," she whined. Mine sweatdropped.
"That's a little scary, Leone…"
High above the battleground at the foot of her headquarters, Night Raid's Najenda watched with a cool expression as the opposing forces stopped trying to kill each other for a brief moment.
"Well now," she grumbled, glancing at her two cloaked companions, "this is a surprise. Not only has Tatsumi returned to us, but now he's suddenly defending our enemies?"
"Maybe this 'Tatsumi' has turned?" One of the hooded figures interjected, a melodious female voice that danced on the air. "Doesn't sound like you subordinates are very reliable, eh?"
Najenda scoffed.
"If that is the case," the other figure added, this voice much deeper and far more masculine, "then one of us should join the battle. The odds must be evened if our allies are to prevail."
"You have a point," Najenda conceded, arms crossed and eyes closed as she mulled over the situation. "Susanoo, head down at once and deal with our enemies. Leave none alive, and protect the one named Tatsumi; he'll be the one covered in plated armor."
"Understood," the male figure responded, immediately jumping off of the Air Manta's back and falling to the ground below.
"I hope you know what you're doing, Tatsumi." Najenda reached for a cigar, hoping for an opportunity to take the edge off.
"Just listen to me," Tatsumi pleaded, hands raised as he stood between Wave and the assassins aiming to kill him. "There's another way for us to deal with this!"
A sudden object colliding with the ground sent him and Wave flying backwards, and a massive dirt cloud obscured his friends as the two of them rose to their feet. Wave's armor disappeared as Kurome ran to them with all haste, looking concerned as the blue-haired warrior winced in pain. Tatsumi's blows had done more damage than he'd let on, and it was obvious at this point.
"I'll live!" He laughed, trying to put on a tough face for her to see. Though she did not voice her concerns, her expression was all he needed to see. She was worried and it flattered the hell out of him, feeding his ego as the young man donned Grand Chariot once again.
"Don't waste your energy," he advised, crouching into a fighting stance. "We'll handle this."
"I'm not fighting them!" Tatsumi cried, arms spread out in exasperation. Wave groaned and facepalmed, unable to deal with the boy's back-and-forth mentality.
"Will you just choose a side already?" He whined, shaking his head. "You're just complicating things, otherwise."
"Hey, don't complain!" Tatsumi shouted, sounding offended. "I saved you from Akame's Teigu, remember? The one that poisons you and kills you almost instantly if you've got a beating heart? Yeah, that thing! You're welcome!"
"No big deal," Wave shrugged, only adding to the other boy's irritation. "I'd have dodged it without your help, anyway."
"You are so full of shit!" Tatsumi yelled, stepping forward to literally butt heads with his rival. From her position behind a tree, Kurome could almost see the sparks gathering between them as their armored foreheads clashed, emphasizing their mutual frustration.
"I apologize for interrupting," the blue-haired newcomer spoke, approaching them slowly. He'd walked out of that crater as if falling hundreds of feet was something he did for a living, and that was pretty damn intimidating. Kurome went completely unnoticed as Susanoo stepped forward, his eyes focused only on the armored adolescents up ahead. "I am here to kill one of you and return the other to Night Raid's custody. Which of you is named Tatsumi?"
Since neither one of the armored youths was willing to offer the truth to the newcomer, each pointed their finger at the other.
"He is," they said simultaneously. Susanoo's expression was unchanging, but for the other two, it was as if the greatest insult had been spoken between them.
"You bastard!" Tatsumi cried.
"I don't want to get pounded anymore than you do! Do you even see that guy? Look at his weapon!"
Imposing weapons aside, the two of them immediately grappled one another and rolled around comedically despite the situation, causing nearly every onlooker to sweatdrop in response.
"Oi, oi!" A loud voice broke in, coming from an extremely muscular individual who stood taller than any other person on the battlefield. "What are you two doing, goofing around like that? Hurry up and kill someone!"
"The hell are you?" Wave grumbled, currently pinned beneath Tatsumi and ignoring the boy's taunts.
"The name's Kakusan," the man sneered, reaching for the massive pair of scissors at his back. "I'm your backup."
Mine's eyes went wide and her breath escaped her as the man drew his weapon, a Teigu that was horrifying in her eyes. The appearance alone meant nothing, but the significance tied to it was one she would never, ever forget.
"Extase!" She cried, gripping her Pumpkin so tightly that her knuckles whitened. The giant man laughed and swung the weapon from side to side, admiring the glowing steel as Mine struggled against her overwhelming anger.
"That's right, little lady! I'm going to chop you all to pieces with your dead comrade's Teigu!" He taunted, smiling evilly as Mine took a shaky step forward. "Come after me if you're up to it! Not that you'll be able to do a damn thing, of course!"
Just then, the three Night Raid assassins in front of Tatsumi collapsed, and he finally noticed the green mist that crept onto the scene.
"Poison mist?" He inferred, hands reaching for the platinum helm upon his head. He heaved a sigh of relief, however, upon realizing that the poison had no effect on him whatsoever. Even Kurome jumped backwards, eager to stay out of the strange compound's area of effect.
"One of that doctor's nasty tricks, no doubt," Wave spat, arms crossed as he watched the three Night Raid members struggle against the effect. Lying upon the ground and unable to use their weapons, they were almost like cattle to him. Unable to fight, unable to display their sense of honor. He was robbed of a fair fight, and it disappointed him.
"Oi, you," Tatsumi growled, staring at the giant man holding Sheele's Extase. "Drop the scissors."
"What the hell are you prattling on about?" The mustachioed man laughed, swinging the weapon from side to side. "This is mine, and I'm going to use it to carve them into bloody little-"
"That's an order!"
Both the man and Wave blinked, though Wave's eyes weren't visible beneath his gunmetal helm.
"As a member of the Jaegers and Esdeath's general-in-training," Tatsumi continued, "I order you to leave that Teigu behind."
The man opened his mouth to protest, but ultimately chose to comply; after all, who would ever want to invite Esdeath's wrath? Without another word he lowered the Teigu to the ground, looking bitter as he did so. Susanoo watched in silence as all this transpired, blinking slowly. It soon became apparent that he was completely immune to the mist that surrounded them all.
"That's impossible," Mayuri stammered, sweating nervously as she listened in. "No living being without the antidote could possibly be immune to the poison's paralyzing effect! Only the members of Team Stylish should be immune, discounting Wave-san and Tatsumi-san!"
"Unless," Stylish replied, eyes narrowed, "it's not a living being."
Susanoo cast his staff-like weapon off to the side and revealed a series of razor blades hidden within, forcing them to rotate as he carved his way through a legion of masked foes.
"Don't be so hasty!" Stylish cried, pleased with the information that was relayed to him through his assistants. "Even in death, my experiments serve a purpose!"
Reaching for a remote, the demented man pressed the big red button and detonated his dead subordinates, consuming the mysterious man in a series of explosions. Everyone, Jaegers and assassins together, watched in awe as the blue-haired stranger emerged from the flames completely unfazed by his injuries. A replacement for his right arm immediately sprouted from his body, and any other injuries were immediately healed.
"As I thought," Stylish sighed. "A biological Teigu. This could be problematic."
"Susanoo!" Najenda suddenly called from up above, immediately commanding the Teigu's attention. "Enemies on the southeast ridge! Eliminate them at once!"
"Understood," the newcomer replied, leaping high into the air and grabbing onto the Air Manta's left flipper, quickly climbing onto its back and riding it towards Stylish and his assistants.
Tatsumi quickly glanced at Wave, finally coming to a decision as he approached the paralyzed Seryu and scooped her into his arms. "I don't want my friends to die."
Part of him wanted to believe that sentence was a lie. Part of him simply couldn't, knowing that he was actually beginning to like Esdeath's subordinates. As for Seryu, he gazed down at the poor disturbed girl, taken aback by her shining eyes and the tears that threatened to fall from them.
"She doesn't like this situation anymore than I do," he thought. "Still…"
"I've got you," he said, pulling her limp form tighter against his own. Seryu blushed despite herself, and desperately fought against the wretched revelation that had poisoned her against him over the past day. He had killed her teacher, he was a member of Night Raid.
"He's protecting us."
She couldn't decide. Ultimately, she had no idea just how similar their minds were in this moment, and it was only going to bring them closer together. But until that time…
"Wave, let's go." Tatsumi turned to face his friend, finally certain of his path. His former comrades watched, stunned, as he carried one enemy in his arms and calmly approached another, seemingly unaffected by the knowledge that they had tried to kill his precious friends.
"Tatsumi?"
Incursio's master stopped at Wave's side, staring at the cliff far beyond. He watched emotionlessly as Najenda and her Air Manta descended upon Dr. Stylish, fully prepared to kill the mad scientist and finish the fight.
"Let's go save him."
"He just won't let us go, will he?!" Stylish cried, soaring through the air as Susanoo finally landed on the ridge. His loyal assistants suffered the same fate, sliding against the frigid ground as the biological Teigu calmly approached them.
Wave and Tatsumi slammed into the ground between him and his prey, then, one raising his fists as the other walked away to set Seryu against a tree.
"Wait here, and watch," Tatsumi said gently. Seryu's breath came in short bursts, her entire perspective warped and twisted upside down as someone who should be her worst enemy showed her unfathomable kindness. He turned away from her and rejoined Wave, raising his own fists to Susanoo.
"One of you is Tatsumi," the Teigu said emotionlessly, standing still. "Whoever you are, stand aside and permit me to eliminate these targets. You may then return with me to Night Raid's headquarters and receive your debriefing from my master."
"I'm Tatsumi," Incursio's wielder spoke, remaining fixed in place. "And sorry, but I have a different idea of how to handle things, here. You can go ahead and tell Boss that I'll come home soon, but I have something I need to do, first."
"What is that?" Susanoo replied.
"Creating change from the inside," Tatsumi continued, clenching his fists even tighter as Wave looked at him in awe. "There are good people within the Capital and if I stay where I am, things can change. I'll be the one to change them!"
Susanoo remained silent for a moment, but when he finally responded, it was hardly what any of them expected to hear.
"You have dirt on your feet!" He cried, suddenly rushing towards Tatsumi and wiping down the top of his feet with a cloth he pulled out of thin air.
"What incredible speed-!" Tatsumi and Wave thought together, their eyes wide as the mystical neat freak polished the boy's armored boots to a perfect shine.
"Now then, your words are strong," Susanoo finally responded, back to being his emotionless self, "but I have an order that I must fulfill. I am not to harm you, but my master wishes for you to stay here with your comrades. I cannot allow you to leave."
"And what about the Jaegers?" Tatsumi asked, still tensed up and ready for the inevitable fight. Kurome stepped out of the shadows of the trees and watched with interest.
"I must eliminate the targets," came the cold response. Tatsumi scoffed, raising one hand to the sky. Lightning was born from his fingertips and began to take on a new shape, much to the surprise of those who bore witness to this encounter.
"I can't let that happen," Tatsumi growled, finally managing to summon the auxiliary weapon bound to his suit of armor: the Tyrant's Fang, Neuntote. Spinning the crimson spear in his hands, Tatsumi brought it crashing down to point threateningly at the biological Teigu before him, generating a light airburst as he did so.
"Okay, that was cool," Wave conceded, grinning hugely as he prepared to face off against the imposing enemy before them.
"It just kind of happened," Tatsumi admitted, grinning sheepishly beneath his helm as Susanoo raised his own weapon. "Not sure if it will be enough, though."
"Why are you protecting me?" Stylish stammered, looking rather terrified as he stared at the monstrous being with blue hair. "You could die here. I planned to kill you, myself! I was fully prepared to expose your allegiance to Night Raid and discredit General Esdeath! Why?!"
"That's simply the choice I made," Tatsumi responded, not sparing the man a single look. "We're Jaegers, aren't we?"
Dr. Stylish blinked.
"We look out for each other."
Melodramatic tears began to pour out of his eyes as he began to prostrate himself, practically worshipping the boy who had saved his life.
"Tatsumi-samaaaaaaaa!"
The armored youths before him both sweatdropped, and even Susanoo widened his eyes a bit.
"What the hell, what the hell?" Wave and Tatsumi thought simultaneously, caught off-guard by the man's sudden one-eighty. How anyone could go from "mad scientist" to "humbled ally" so quickly was completely baffling.
Suddenly, the Air Manta approached them all and took position above the group, with Najenda staring emotionlessly down at the small group.
"Susanoo, return. We're going home."
"Understood," the Teigu responded without hesitation, lowering his arms and turning his back on the Jaegers he had been willing to destroy only moments ago. Tatsumi gazed up at the silver-haired woman above, their eyes meeting without a single word passing between them.
"Boss…"
Susanoo leapt onto the Air Manta and it immediately turned around, flying back towards Night Raid's fortress. Heaving a great sigh, Tatsumi dismissed Incursio as Wave did the same, and the two of them collapsed on their rear ends.
And they laughed together, completely overwhelmed by everything they had experienced over the past hour or so. Kurome walked over to them and, no longer hindered by Stylish's poison, so did Seryu. Stylish and his assistants also approached, looking quite grateful towards the two young men who had stared down certain death and walked away unscathed.
"So," Wave continued to laugh, gazing up at the scientist, "I guess this means we're being promoted?"
"I'll recommend it," the man chuckled, running a hand through his hair. He was still sweating and appeared rather shaken, with his gaze focused entirely on the boy with chestnut hair who was currently resting at his feet.
He possessed the power to completely destroy Tatsumi and ruin Esdeath's career. He could've usurped her and taken full advantage of this situation, leading to a series of new experiments that would've heralded a dark age of innovation and groundbreaking science.
Instead, he had cowered before an enemy far superior to him and found himself indebted to that very same boy he initially planned to kill.
"Tatsumi," Seryu spoke suddenly, falling to her knees and reaching for him. "Why did you do all this? You're evil, it's...against justice…"
She blinked, she breathed, she contemplated. Seryu still seemed incapable of fully understanding, though if he had to be fair, Tatsumi didn't even understand it himself.
"I guess," he finally replied, smiling over at her, "I just did what I believed in."
"Let's return to the Capital," Kurome interjected, looking hungry. Tatsumi could tell, since her eyes were that same dull black that Akame herself adopted when she thought of meat. "I'm really hungry and General Esdeath will want to know that our assault failed."
"Yeah," Wave replied, rising to his feet. "I think the only question that's left is, who's going to tell her?"
"You," Kurome said.
"You," Tatsumi laughed.
"I trust you'll be able to handle this," Stylish winked.
"Good luck, Wave!" Seryu cheered, rising to her feet and pumping one of her iron fists encouragingly.
"Oh, FUCK YOU GUYS!" Wave cried, flailing about dramatically as his friends laughed.
And at long last, Tatsumi could finally believe it himself.
Friends.
