Lubbock and Tatsumi entered a large room where Night Raid sat around in couches and chairs. They took their seats on a couch and Leone gave a Lubbock a quick pat on the head just as Najenda opened the door.
"Good, you're all here. I just want to clarify things. Starting with what happened yesterday during the war. Akame. Report."
Akame stood up from her seat on the couch.
"I encountered Esdeath as told. I admit, she was much stronger than I figured. So I used my trump card... and I was able to kill her."
"Woah! Awesome!" Tatsumi exclaimed, wondering why everyone else weren't beaming.
"Her trump card is cursing herself with Murasame." Najenda said. "Unfortunately, she did it in a state of panic and nearly exploded from the inside. We're still looking for a way to cure her, but in the meanwhile she can drop at any moment and never wake up."
Akame shifted her sleeve up, showing red blemishes in the form of scars all over her arm. "I don't mind. I'm just happy that I was able to defeat Esdeath, and that we can possibly change the Capitol together." She said, but Tatsumi can clearly see that she was deeply upset.
"Thank you Akame, you can be seated. As far as I know, the prime minister escaped and is currently being searched. It's alright, Leone you did your best. The current death count at the moment is... 1,673 civilians and 748 soldiers including both Imperial and Revolutionist." Najenda reported from a parchment of paper in her hand. Both Mine and Lubbock guiltly looked at each other.
"The remaining soldiers of the Imperial Army are going through a trial. Most of the Jeagers have been eliminated. As a last announcement, I wanted to introduce a new recruit I believe will be a great addition to Night Right. Come in."
A young man with jet black hair stepped in and Tatsumi's eyes widened.
"Wave!?" Was his outburst in shock. Wave looked back at him with a similiar perplexed expression.
"Tatsumi!"
The rest of Night Raid looked back and forth between the two males. Najenda eventually cleared her throat and Wave regained his posture.
"So... I believe you two know each other." Najenda said.
"Y-Yeah... when Esdeath took me in..." Tatsumi clarified with an indifferent look. "But... why are we bringing in an enemy?"
Akame had stood with her sword but Najenda motioned her to sit back down.
"First off, he was the one to notify me of Esdeath's location. That is how I was able to tell Akame exactly where to go without wasting time." Akame stared at Wave before bowing her head.
"I-I see. I am sorry for my previous act of hostility." Akame formally apologized. Before Wave could respond, Najenda moved on.
"Next, he came back with Lubbock and Tatsumi. From his report, it seemed like he had saved their lives. Is this true?" Tatsumi reluctantly nodded. "During this time, he also pointed General Armon to Leone's location. Tell me, is he still evil after going against his own government during a war?"
Nobody answered. Eventually Wave set down his own sword with a small smile.
"I... I know I have a lot to make up. After a lot of thinking, I realized I've been on the wrong side after all. I was too focused on protecting my home that I hadn't realized what the government was doing behind my back. So I figured, maybe there is a chance that I can still redeem myself and hopefully contribute to making the Capitol better. Just like I had promised my mother." He said determinedly.
Tatsumi could almost see himself in Wave's shoes. He remembered the day he had blindly accepted help from nobles. He thought Night Raid were the evil-doers for murdering the residents, until they revealed how his childhood friends were killed.
"So what do you guys think?" Najenda asked.
"I don't care." Mine said with a shrug.
"I'm okay with it." Akame said.
"Works for me~" Leone said with a wink and both Lubbock and Tatsumi immediately felt bad for Wave, who blinked confusedly.
"It'll be cool." Lubbock said. "Nice to finally have another guy in the group."
"You made the right decision." Tatsumi said with a smile. "Welcome aboard, Wave."
Wave grinned back and Najenda smiled softly.
"Well then, I believe that's the end of this meeting."
Tatsumi was in his room for the daily physical check up. Each time he said he was fine, but the doctor would continue their process.
"How does this arm feel?" The doctor asked while pressing a metal against his muscled bicep.
"Great." Tatsumi dully said.
"And how about the other."
"Peachy."
"Your shoulder?"
"Can I go now?"
The doctor brought out a stethoscope and placed the metal hearing device on Tatsumi's chest.
"Take deep breaths."
Tatsumi did as he was told while looking out the window wistfully. He wanted to spend the day with Lubbock before tomorrow, in which they have the strenuous job of helping rebuild the Capitol. Every second was a second he felt was wasted on his own well being.
"Also. General Najenda mentioned your infusion with your teigu. Have you had any difficulties or changes in mental or physical behavior?"
Tatsumi hopped off the bed.
"Nope, I'm good." He said while slipping on his white shirt. Before he could leave, the doctor stepped in front of him with a small mirror tool.
"You didn't think I would forget the oral examination?" The man asked and Tatsumi mentally swore. "Open."
Tatsumi looked out the corner of his eyes annoyed as he parted his teeth. He grew used to his fangs after a while of accidentally biting his tongue with a canine.
"Seems to have stopped growing. I'll ask Miss Najenda if we should remove the fangs or not and-"
"Eh!?" Tatsumi moved away while covering his mouth. "R-Remove!?"
"She explained your extreme discomfort-"
"I-I'm fine!" The brunette said hastily as he stepped to the door. There is no point in leaving holes in his mouth. He figured since he's used to them, there would be no problem with bearing the fangs. If his teeth could go back to normal, great. However, experiencing the excruciating pain of having all four canines removed seemed terrible. Plus he had a small feeling that he would just grow new ones all over again.
He exited the room and headed outside. It was a lot less crowded since more and more people were healing up. A special unit had to relocate surviving citizens of the Capitol into a safe environment in the meantime. Tatsumi did not mind this. At least the rich people will finally understand the struggles of being homeless with limited resources.
"What? Really!?"
"Yeah, I didn't think he was the type either. Shame he left a wife and kid."
Tatsumi stopped by the side of the building when he found Lubbock and Wave chatting by a river. He had a mental argument on whether or not he should go up. Of course he thought this while beating the inner beast back into its hole.
"I can't say I don't believe that every assassin has some inner good in them. If you hadn't told me about Boros' private life, I would have kept believing he was a retired serial killer with a flamethrower." Lubbock joked and Wave laughed.
"I know! That's what helped me become a little less judgemental. Like with your group. Yeah you guys targeted us, but it looked like you guys had an important motive. Nothing shallow like the Emperor and whatnot. Haha, your friend Tatsumi was especially an eye-opener for me. I've never seen Esdeath so crazy over someone not from the Capitol."
"Ah whatever. She's history." Lubbock muttered while kicking a pebble into the streaming river.
"Ha, what was that just now?" Wave taunted as he kicked a slightly bigger pebble into the river. Lubbock had saw this and scowled while kicking an even bigger rock.
"Turning this into some stupid competition?"
"Maybe. I'm bored." Wave said, kicking up a rock before sending it skidding across the river. "You look like a kicker. Played kickball?"
"Perhaps. I'm just a little messed up from yesterday so I'm not in best shape." Lubbock said, readying to kick another rock. However, he had lost his footing and just before he fell, Wave quickly caught him against his chest in his arms.
"No kidding." Wave joked and Lubbock embarrassedly stood back up.
"Just watch. I'll be myself in no time and we can have a real game." Lubbock threatened while waving his bandaged arm. Instead, this only made him look silly to Wave.
"You're a funny guy, Lubbock. Hmm... Lub. No... Lubba!" Wave tested out triumphantly with an up-pointed index finger. Lubbock blinked widely with a sweat.
"... A-ah... you and Tatsumi really are like twins..."
"Huh?"
Meanwhile behind a tree, Tatsumi swore consecutively as he rubbed his red eye, wondering what the uncomfortable feeling in his chest was after watching the two interact.
