Tatsumi sat in an now empty room;the smell of wood filling the air. The tables had nothing on them, the chairs were empty;it was just him and his thoughts. He stared blankly at the same hunk of leather that was causing him to lose sleep for the past couple days. 'It doesn't make any sense. Why would this be stationed in an old library like that? Furthermore, how on earth did the library survive the blast?' He was pretty sure that the blast that Shikoutazer let out flattened the entire capital. He has had thoughts about this for months now;same with the whole story behind how he survived. He went head on to the emperor fully expecting to take himself with the giant hunk of armor, but now, Esdese is the Empress, the Capital is less corrupt;officials now backing down to the enforcement he, Esdese and the now non-canonical group holding the title of the Jeagers.
That question beckons him at every moment;how on earth did he survive? Akame was dead, so were the others. He was the last of Night Raid, but why? Why did he survive?
As he forcefully grabbed his own hair in frustration, he searched for a conciliating answer. Najenda was sure that there wasn't any Teigu that could bring others back from the dead, but what is this Trakunikiss? Furthermore, Falorin is intriguing as well. Tatsumi's first reaction to this book;he believed it was a trap.
Gritting his teeth, Tatsumi stared at the cheesy riddle below the description for Trakunikiss. The only lead he had was the town in the east, marked by the new technological map from the newly founded Market. It was a stupid and naive choice;following after Trakunikiss with a barely functional map, but Tatsumi felt that it was the correct decision. He had a motivation to live, to thrive. He found a thread of hope, he found something that kept him going everyday. If only he could find these Teigu's...he could bring his friends back to life;living among the happily ever after hall of fame.
The instant memory of seeing an embodiment of Akame came rushing into his head. 'What was that? It was Akame, I'm sure of it;just with an evil dark side look to her. Her demon-like eyes pierced my soul. It might have been my mind playing tricks on me, but really, I believe I've grown somewhat immune to the symptom.'
Thinking to himself, Tatsumi managed to not notice the person peering at him from the entry way to the direct right of him;that same distorted version of Akame,staring at his every inch. It took him a solid minute before he took a quick glance at the entryway, looking back at the book, and then panning back to the Clown Cartridge that is Akame;with even more surprised eyes. He drew the withered Incursio; a broken sword forged together with a simple danger beast's armor. The very effect of drawing this weapon with such force, made a few chairs fly back, as he was quickly intent with the situation. With sweat forming on his hands, he was taken aback before he began to speak to the embodiment.
"A-Akame...is this you are you just a figment of my imagination?" he hesitatingly asked.
The being didn't answer.
"Answer me!"
She didn't answer. She simply stared into his eyes with the effortless value of scaring him. After moments of staring at each other, the dark side Akame started to speak to him.
"I see you've found the book I planted for you."
A surprised look spread across Tatsumi's face like a cheetah running after it's prey. Thinking aloud, he quickly put together the pieces and exclaimed his first theory;a calm expression starting to creep across his face.
"Akame...are you a ghost? Did you put that there because you don't want to be dead?"
"I am not Akame."
"Then who are you? There is no other way you would be standing here in front of me if you weren't."
"I am Murasame."
Tatsumi wore a scared expression. There was absolutely no way that this could be possible. There were only short instances where Tyrant may have talked to himself, but he thought nothing of that more then just an pessimistic situation.
"No, there is...that's not-"
"Tatsumi, the shock-wave from that Teigu killed Akame. There is no single doubt about it. She was physically and mentally deceased."
"You don't have to bring it up again."
"I'm standing here, an embodiment of Akame, speaking to you, hero. Why don't you hear me out, surely we can come to a conclusion."
"I'm no hero. I'm just a fool who thought he could save everybody. Don't call me a hero-"
"But you are, Tatsumi. You can see the overall effect you demagnetized upon the capital. Less officials are committing murder, poor villages are getting wealthy, but there is a bigger issue. A much, much more gargantuan issue at stake."
"What could possible be worse then the battle eight months ago?"
"The death and downfall of Night Raid. I can see it's taking a toll on you."
"You stupid, stupid demon. Of course its taking a toll on me. They were my friends! They were what made me who I am today. Every single day I live, I am thinking of their faces...this is the biggest motivation I have towards finding these damn Teigu...I want...no...I need to find these things-but forget it. Why in the hell am I explaining my feelings to a Demon?"
"I'm no demon. I'm an embodiment of an animal, forged into a weapon."
"The difference being?"
"I have pretty hair."
Tatsumi wore a blank and confused;angry expression.
"Are you kidding me? Pretty hair? That's Akame's hair you dwindling demon."
"How much longer are you going to point that broken beast at me, Tatsumi?"
"Long enough for you to leave me alone and never come back."
"I suppose you don't want to aid you on this journey, then."
Tatsumi let out a sigh of annoyance;letting the sword fall and sheath to his back as he sat back down in the chair, staring at Murasame with an annoyed expression.
"Good. Lets get to it then."
"Let's, because staring at Akame again is making this situation very, very worse."
"Is it? I figured you would enjoy seeing your friends face again."
"Have you not looked into the mirror, your eyes are missing. I repeat, missing..."
"Oh, yeah. That's unfortunately an after-effect of borrowing somebody's spirit-
Tatsumi wore a scared and equally terrified expression as he interrupted the Akame Demon.
"Borrowing somebody's spirit? Are you kidding me? How do you say it so elegantly, like you don't care?!"
Murasame started to chuckle as she quickly wore a serious expression.
"Akame called out to me after death, her spirit, quickly in pain as she didn't get to fulfill her promise to you."
"Killing me after I went dark side with Tyrant?"
"Exactly."
"I can't believe I'm asking this, but how exactly did Akame call out to you?"
"In her death, she spoke words, these words were simple. She wanted you to finish the fight and live a happy life. She wanted to meet you in the afterlife...she wanted to have a happy ending, but in this world, there are no happy endings."
Tatsumi searched through his memories of Akame;gritting his teeth, wearing a visibly sad face as he remembered her promise. 'I'll always come and save you. Were friends, after all!". He started to feel depression swell up inside of himself, his very mind becoming a void; a cloud of sadness. This sorrow started fill up more and more, but ended quickly when the visible demon-like Akame started to speak again.
"I will aid you on your journey."
"I will be damned if I have a demon version of Akame following me around. Hell no."
"You silly, silly boy. I'm Murasame. I want you to take me in hand, and use me in battle."
A short time passed as Tatsumi processed the words that echoed throughout his ears.
"You-you want me to use Murasame;as in, Akame's sword, yeah...sure...that isn't happening."
"Tell me the reason you can't. I wish to hear your excuse. It impresses me as to how naive you are."
Tatsumi was getting visibly and both physically annoyed.
"I can't wield a sword like that, it was exclusive to Akame, and I already have Incursio. I can't hold two Teigu at once, much less learn how to use Murasame, considering it takes sheer willpower to control it-"
"I'm going to tell you this once;now you listen here, and you listen well."
Tatsumi crossed his arms.
"In history, there have been many, many Emperors. I've been wielded by many warriors, each being defeated at one point or another, passing myself and my energy down to a descendant. However, there was one Emperor, this Emperor had a hellbent mindset on powering his Empire, and with that thought pattern came high anxiousness; fearing that his nation would be destroyed, he started to harvest armor from Danger Beasts. It wasn't just armor either, it was weapons. Fangs, talon's, teeth, even breath, but there was one artifact that he created. This artifact, was the most powerful of any weapon or item in the entire land. He made a flute. This flute was unique in concept, allowing the user to literally control time."
"...so...you're saying that maybe if I get my hands on this flute, I can go back in time and-"
"No. In legend, you will be able to go back in time when major events took place. Either that, or up to four days into the future, or four days into the past."
"How do you know so much about this?"
"Because I've been here. I've been here through it all. I was there for the Downfall of Bermun, I was there for the start of the wars, I was there for the downfall of Night Raid and Shikoutazer, and now I'm here for the Emperor's Mask."
"The Emperor's Mask? What-"
"You will learn about that soon enough. For now, let me show you something."
Tatsumi felt intrigued as he looked closely at Murasame, watching her hands dig into the pockets of what she seemed to explain as her descendant's tattered outfit. After shriveling around in the pocket;exchanging demon-like glances with Tatsumi, she pulled out a chrome flute, placing it on the table, making Tatsumi surprised in nature.
"Is that-"
"Yes. This is Carlian. It took me a long time to get my hands on it, but I managed to scare a user from giving it up."
Tatsumi was irritated. How could she suddenly shift from talk about some mask, and then about Trukunikiss? Now Carlian? Tatsumi responded to her with anger in his voice.
"Yeah I bet."
"Tatsumi. Take this flute, and use it. Use it to find Falorin. Use it to find Trakunikiss. Learn to use Murasame. I must go."
Tatsumi got up and stared at Murasame in total shock.
"Where in the world would you possibly go?! You're an embodiment of evil for gods sake!"
"I never imagined you to be this cute and silly, boy. Goodbye for now."
A bright red light started to envelop below the tables and chairs, lighting up Tatsumi's and Murasame's face. Tatsumi lunged forward with an extended arm to try to grab the evil Akame.
"Hey, wait!"
A bright flash of light happened as the ground shaking stopped. She was gone. That evil, Akame;Murasame he guessed, just disappeared. Within the void of shock, Tatsumi glanced over at Carlian. The flute, glistened in the now shortly forming sunlight that made its way through the windows;piercing the curtains to form a bright shade of light. He leaned over and put his hands on the flute, bringing it to his face, examining it closer. 'Its just a flute...it doesn't look like much of anything.' he thought.
Tatsumi continued to stare at it until he felt an instant feeling of dread inside of his soul. He let out a large grunt as he hunched over, grabbing his right side with the flute still in hand. Wrinkling his black coat once again, he closed one eye in pain, partly opening the other to examine the flute. It was glowing;it was doing something to him and he didn't like it.
He attempted to throw the flute, but to no avail; the flute stayed in his hand, emitting a piercing aura around him. He continued to struggle, but it did not work. Nothing worked. Falling to the ground, he moved himself over to lean his back against a wall, blood now forming from his hand. 'Did that...did that bitch just poison me with this thing?' he thought, as the pain he felt increased.
As he was going through the conclusion that the flute was a trap, everything instantly went blank. He wasn't able to see anything, even though he felt that his eyes were open. 'Did...I just die?" feelings of death started to wash over him as he started to see images of places. He saw an image of a little kid, a boy. This boy...was running around a tree with mask on. The mask itself, looked like it was made out of hay;the eyes, bearing striking resemblance to Murasame's from earlier, but red hay-like thread coming from the side of it. The kid looked very intent, wearing the mask as he joyfully peddled his body around the tree.
As Tatsumi was just about to call out to the boy, the vision changed. The picture, changed. His first person POV this time, seemed to be in a town. A town market to be exact. There were kids running all about, but when his vision panned to the right, it showed a tower. This tower, looking like it was about to fall over, held a bell in the middle of it. A giant bell, probably ringing at night or when special circumstances arrive, but that wasn't what caught his eye completely. There was a small, creature atop the tower.
This creature, was child-like in embodiment, wearing an outfit that looked like it should have been at a festival. Tatsumi couldn't tell if it was staring at him, or if he was staring at the creature's back. His question was answered, however; when the creature turned around to look at him. It was the same mask that kid running around the tree was wearing. After that, everything went black.
Tatsumi woke up, quickly feeling familiar hands wrapped around his waist. It took him a second to process his thought's;he swiftly realized he was in bed with Esdese. She had her hands wrapped around him, holding a tight grip on him. He had one single thought on his mind:Carlian. Where was it, and what the actual hell it did to him. He tried to get off the bed quietly, but any jerk or movement just made Esdese enforce her grip on him tighter.
Quickly growing impatient;Tatsumi turned his head towards Esdese, physically moving what he could in her tight grasp. They were swiftly face to face, making the embarrassment grow evermore higher. They did this every night. It was always like this. Whenever she was done with whatever political issue she had to deal with, she always wanted to have him. He had to be there with her, ensuring that he didn't run off.
Watching Esdese sleep, Tatsumi had memories flow back to him like a swift stream on a mountaintop. After he woke up on that fateful day, he had collars and chains on, locking him onto her bed, Esdese constantly tearing at him about Night Raid.
For a good solid month, Esdese would always tell him that he would pay for going against her in the war. She always said the same thing to him. " There is beauty in your suffering, Tatsumi. I will make you mine and only mine." In a weird and twisted way, he seemed to be growing onto it. The sheer thought of falling into her embrace felt so swell to him at the end of the day.
Tatsumi felt like he was in love. He knows that if Esdese was in turmoil, he would swiftly be on her side in battle to defend with her, but it wasn't because of the changing she did, or the manipulation. He felt like Esdese was a partner; a companion that was introduced to him for life. She was there through it all, just as he was. She was somewhat of a veteran friend in his mind.
The way she became the dwelling sorrow that broke the consolation in Tatsumi's mind every night while apart of Night Raid, it broke him down. After all this fight, after the Shikoutazer was dead, when she became the Empress, he fell for her. She was still in love with him, even after tearing down the empire she swore to protect, even after he nearly won her over in battle, she was still in love with him. He loved that.
After hesitating for a short moment, he muttered her name.
"Esdese, hey...Esdese."
He wore a shocked expression when she instantly opened her eyes, revealing her blue gaze, staring deep into him lovingly. As they exchanged wary gazes, she pulled him close and kissed him, passionately;later letting go of him, allowing him to slowly shift up into a sitting position on the bed.
"What is it, love?"
"How did I get here...?"
"How do you think...I found you unconscious in the briefing room, leaning up against a wall, Tatsumi."
"And you-"
"And I carried you here...It was near night when I found you. What exactly happened."
Esdese shifted from the bed, moving to tower over Tatsumi and lay her head on his, wrapping her arms around him;her long blue hair, dripping down from the bed to nearly engulf all of his back. A confused look spread across his face as he remembered Carlian. He needed that flute. Murasame said that flute would help him find the others; at least, that's what he thought she said.
"I uh...I-...was practicing, playing the flute!"
"Why were you playing a flute?" an annoyed expression appeared on Esdese' face.
"I Uh...thought...that maybe if I got really skilled with hit, I could play a song for you every night!"
A small seductive blush spread across Esdese' face as she gripped Tatsumi even tighter then before.
Tatsumi started to search for a way to ask where the flute was, but the feeling of Esdese chewing on his ear and licking his cheek made him flustered.
"Um. Esdese can we not do anything like that...right now?"
"Why not? We're a couple in love and I own you. I can do whatever I want with you, my love."
"OK...so I'm asking you that we not do anything intimate tonight."
"But you're teasing me with those faces of yours. Its your fault."
"How is it my fault-"
He was cut off by the feeling of Esdese kissing him, and straddling him. After pulling her head away form his for a brief moment, Esdese felt herself wanting more as he wore the same expression that made her fall in love with him.
"I'm not taking no for an answer."
She continued to force her way to intimacy, but halted when Tatsumi pushed her away.
"Can you just hear what I have to say for a minute?"
"No."
Tatsumi awoke in the very same position as he was left last night. He was lying on his back, nothing but his pants donned on his body. When he leaned up he quickly felt a stinging pain his his wrist and forearm. Gazing down upon them, he noticed red rashes from the Ice Esdese trapped his arms in, to avoid any resistance. Esdese wasn't there, and it appeared to be morning. The sunlight, shining down on the abnormally clean floor, bouncing off of objects and onto himself;into his eyes.
He got up from the bed and looked around for his coat;once again, wrinkled and thrown off of him. 'She really, really gets what she wants' he thought aloud. He got up to see himself in the reflection of the window, scratch marks all over his torso, visible biting evidence etc. Towering over his black coat, he leaned over and picked it up, firstly feeling around in the pockets to see if Carlian made its way into it.
That realization hit him like a slap in the face. Where was Carlian? Did Esdese take Carlian, furthermore, what if she found the book he was reading and ultimately figured out what his plan was? Did she lock it away? Did she put it up somewhere?
All of these questions formed into an angry and irritated expression on Tatsumi's face as he donned his black coat. Incursio was in the corner, looking as withered as always.
A relieved feeling washed over him as pulled the flute out of the side pocket of the coat, directly after brushing the non-existent dust off of his coat. After he realized he was holding it he quickly flinched and prepared for the worst, as the memories of the visions came into mind. After realizing that nothing was happening, he put the flute back in the pocket and looked for the book;scanning around the room to only find the sheets made, a collar on a nightstand, and a makeshift clock that seemed to have fallen on the floor.
He started to walk for the door to leave for the briefing room before the same dread and pain filled his very soul. The same vision pain, the same Carlian effect that happened, even more intense. He quickly fell to the floor in a shriek of pain, having yet another black out happen.
As he tried to move in the blackness once again, he was taken to a vision. This vision was a still glance. It glanced at a map, having seven markers on seven different locations. He was quickly taken aback, as this was the exact same map that he bought from the market clerk.
Tatsumi's eyes were white. They were pure, pure white. He moved around, running into the bed post, the leery sound of the squeaking of his feet against the clean floor echoing inside the bedroom. He went to the night stand and pulled out a pen;looking for the nearest piece of flattened wood to write something on it.
He settled for some crumpled up notes the now possessed Tatsumi found in the corner of the room, and un-raveled them to only start crudely writing on it.
What he drew on the notes, was the map that he saw in that glance from Carlian. He now had a map. He had a map that pin-pointed where the Teigu were. At least, that's what he thought. He needed to find these Teigu. He needed to find Murasame.
So, it looks like the site functionality problem was fixed after all. I can see the reviews, and all the pretty people giving this story support! Thank you for the feedback, as always; it is appreciated. Got an extra long chapter for you guys here, next one will be live tomorrow, well I guess technically it should be live today, considering this is going up at 4:00 in the morning. Expect another chapter very soon!
- Jambles