Chapter II: Vengeance and Acceptance

(Authors Note: Since Calamity reconstruction explained that Kagutsuchi's class level worked with the more powerful classes higher up the mountain, here is a list for the classes defined by height. This isn't official; it's just my way of doing it. * means included in that area)

Peak: NOL Branch

Level 2: NOL officer and High nobility residential sector

Level 3: Nobility Residents *Gardens

Level 4: Richer Merchants (Premium Shopping) *Docks

Level 5: Standard Merchants: *Litchi's clinic (and all the restaurants Ragna left unpaid bills)

Level 6: Residential Districts *Ronin-Gai

Level 7: Poor Districts

Base: Slums *Kaka Village (Poor Tao)

Makoto continued to walk towards the Merchant level of Kagutsuchi. According to Ragna, that was where the museum was, so she decided to exchange the information with Sector Seven first. Apparently Ragna had some things to ask Kokonoe. Makoto was having a hard time figuring out her new traveling companion.

So he waltzes right into the very place that he's trying to destroy, that's already on high alert to his previous attack that wasn't even week ago, while he's wearing the same outfit he'd used in during all of his attacks… THAT ALSO HAPPENS TO BE THE MOST DISTRACTING THING SINCE A TODDLER WITH A FOGHORN!?

That wasn't even the fact that annoyed Makoto the most. The thing that really pissed her off was the fact that all of the glances that they'd received had been hateful glares toward the beastkin. All right that's it, what the hell's going on?

"Hey Ragna!" Makoto yelled, causing the Grim Reaper to turn to her. Makoto mentally chided herself by calling out the name of the most wanted man in history in a crowded market. Luckily, it seemed that no one had noticed.

"Yeah, what is it?" Ragna asked bluntly, but not unkindly. Here's to hoping that if I treat her with some courtesy, she'll do the same thing for me. I don't want another Luna to deal with.

"So how is it that you're wearing one of the most eye-grabbing coats in history, which is also posted on the NOL's wanted list, and no one seems to be paying any attention to you? You'd think they'd be screaming at the sight of you… No offense."

"None taken. Well, the first part of the reason is that poster you were talking about." Ragna grimaced at just the memory of it. "Either they're trying to piss me off, or the NOL's artist can't draw for jack shit."

Makoto gave a small giggle. "Yeah, I saw the picture so I know what you mean. At least the real thing isn't quite that ugly." She added the last part jokingly, earning a small grin from Ragna. Guess the 'Grim' Reaper has a sense of humor.

"The other part," Ragna continued, "is a low level concealment ars magus that I constantly have activated through my Azure Grimoire. It erases my presence so that people know that I'm here, they just don't pay any attention to me."

"That sounds pretty handy," Makoto said before giving a forlorn look. "I wish I'd had that back in the academy."

"Huh?"

"Oh, it's nothing," Makoto said a little too quickly. Ragna gave her a questioning look before Makoto sighed and continued. "Back when I was in the NOL academy, sometimes all I wanted was to be left alone and remain completely unnoticed. Don't get me wrong, I'm had a few close friends like Noel… but every other time I was considered a freak."

"So that's why you consider Noel a sister," Ragna said. "She was one of the few people to accept you for who you were."

"Yeah, something like that…"

"Can I ask you something Makoto?"

"Sure, I guess."

"If the racism was that bad, why did you join the NOL in the first place?"

"If I had to pick a reason, it was because I had to help provide for my family. I come from a pretty big family, so I wanted to do everything I could to help out. We were about to lose our place before I joined, so I always thought that I'd made the right decision. But now that the NOL's threatening Noel with execution, I don't know anymore."

Ragna remained silent. Helping your family…

"All right, now it's your turn."

"What do you mean?"

"I told you why I'm working for the NOL, now I want to know why you're against it."

"Uh…" Ragna tried to come up with a way he could to get out of this. "I don't really think my past is really worth hearing."

"Aw, come on! Fair's fair! You're not about to leave a lady waiting are you?" she added playfully. Ragna sighed exasperatedly.

"All right, all right. I was raised in a church with my younger siblings. I spent most of my playing with them or trying to keep the two of them from fighting. That was before Terumi showed up."

"Sorry, quick question. Who exactly is Terumi?"

"You know the Six Heroes, right? History texts have only discussed five of those heroes. Terumi was the unspoken sixth hero. My master called him 'the Betrayer." He was known for killing most of the other heroes and destroying the group. Terumi attacked my church and killed the matron that was raising us. I don't know how he did it, but he also possessed my brother and made him cut off my right arm." Ragna clenched his fist in anger. "Then that bastard kidnapped my siblings and left me to die."

"That's terrible! How old were you?"

"Fourteen. After that, Jubei found and trained me to use the BlazBlue. He told me that my siblings were being kept by the NOL and that Terumi had been working there under the name of Hazama. Hearing that and all of the destruction caused in Ikaruga civil war; that was all the reason I needed. Now I'm on the path of vengeance."

"I see…" Makoto had thought that Ragna the Bloodedge was just another bloodthirsty criminal. Who would have known his justice was somehow vindicated? "So… you're fighting for your family too?"
Ragna didn't answer right away. Instead he stared into the sky. "In a way, I guess I am."

Ragna looked in front of him and saw the museum. "Looks like we're here."

Makoto simply nodded as the two proceeded to walk inside. Is Ragna even half the criminal I was led to believe? I just don't see how a guy this caring could be seen as a bloodthirsty psychopath.

That's the end of the second chapter. First off, I'd like to thank everyone for the support that they're giving me and this story. You're comments mean a lot to me guys, so thanks. If you can't tell, I'm trying to go very slowly into Makoto and Ragna's romance. I know this chapter was kind of dark, but we'll soon be seeing that upbeat and cheerful side of Makoto that we all know and love. Even though the ars magus technique was never discussed by Ragna, that's the only way I could see this working. I mean COME ON! Albino hair and a Red Jacket, how can that not stand out?

Please rate and review. Ciao.