Heavy modifications will be done to this chapter as it goes live. - Jambles

Tatsumi stood on the very wet grass, dew drops glistening in the rising sunlight. He was staring intently at Murasame, who was sleeplessly struggling to dig in a spot where grass filled the area.

"Are you going to help me, or are you going to make a lady do all the damn work?!" she yelled, very irritated.

"O-Oh...yeah, sure."

Tatsumi walked over and grabbed the fancy shovel she managed to probably steal, and took over digging in the spot. The spot was now deep enough to put your feet in. Murasame wiped the sweat off her head and in a feat of annoyance, flicked Tatsumi over the forehead.

"You really don't know how to treat the woman who loves you, do you?"

"Murasame, I've already told you, that wouldn't work, and I still don't understand-"

"You never told me anything! What the hell are you talking about?"

"Ok, maybe I didn't, but I still don't know about-"

"We are digging, right here, right now. This is where Falorin is, I swear by it. I really do like you, Tatsumi. Its a shame you're stupid enough to not know the-"

"You aren't in love with me, you simply appreciate that I somehow got you out of that trap of a sword."

"I...whatever." she said, while visibly blushing.

Esdese watched from nearby cover, shivering in annoyance as she watched the white haired demon talk and scurry about. She was already upset about Tatsumi leaving her without her knowledge, but now he was talking with another girl, digging up some Teigu. If she wasn't wrong, she would assume he was starting a new night raid or something along the lines. She couldn't let that happen, she didn't want him gone. He was hers, and he was now fleeing, and with her former Jeagers too. As she was about to reveal herself to them both, she stopped shuffling from around the cornered wall when she heard something interesting.

"So this is Falorin..."

Murasame swiftly bent down to retrieve what they started digging up. Tatsumi also bent down, intrigued by what he saw her pulling out. It was indeed, chest armor, more or less the same type of outfit he was wearing. He could tell it was black, and that it had lining on each end piece of the cloth. The lines were basically outlining the entire coat.

"Murasame, do you mind if I put this on?"

"Are you joking, Tatsumi? That thing is very, very dirty, you'd probably want to clean it before even attempting that."

"I guess you're right..."

"Are you stupid or something?"

"No, I just didn't get sleep last night..."

"Why?"

"I couldn't stop thinking about things last night. I couldn't stop thinking about how abrupt the last few days have been. How exactly did you know that I was looking for these, and how do you know where it is?"

"These Teigu are old, very old. You can even say they're prehistoric."

"When my soul was sealed in that damn sword, I saw many Teigu and many things happen through the eyes of technically, my wielder..."

"Have you seen everything through Akame's eyes?"

"Yes, I have indeed. This trump card that she spoke of, that would be me."

"And about the Carlian?"

"I've had that hidden in a place for a long while. Carlian was my father's, before all of the turmoil that happened, he told me to bury it in a far-away place...After doing so that mad man emperor made me into a Teigu."

"That couldn't have been good with your mental state, were you literally trapped in a dark room or something like that? That is simply unforgivable."

"No, it wasn't nothing like a cell, it was more along the lines of, 'hey, you take the guard, I'm going to lay down for a while' kind of thing."

"So, you were Akame, or part of Akame?"

"I was apart of her, yes...but I wasn't Akame herself. She was Akame, I am Murasame."

"I've been thinking about this all night."

"What else do you have on your mind?"

The dirtied up black coat shriveled down as Murasame let her hand slowly lower, causing the bottom of the dirtied cloak to brush the wet grass.

"Did you possess me when I had that map?"

"Yep~"

"How can you say it so easily?!"

"Come on, we're friends right?"

"I guess. You did approach me out of nowhere, you know? Do you know how weird and creepy it was looking at Akame with your demon like eyes?"

Tatsumi was visibly irritated, having the appearance of Murasame the fist time before taken a toll on his mental state. He knew he had the key to bring his friends back, but seeing an embodiment of Akame made him emotionally unstable. They were his family, and the only thing he took from her appearance was that she was a demon trying to screw around with his feelings like any other definition of a demon would.

"I am sorry for that, but that was the only way I could have gotten to you...If I was a normal girl saying that stuff to you...You would have easily brushed me off as some local girl trying to get closer to the empire's strongest."

Tatsumi tried to search for something to say, but she had him. He would have probably done that. She knew him too well.

"Shes the Empress now, as a matter of fact."

"Oh~ Big bad Empress~ So scary..." The sarcasm was dripping from Murasame's voice.

Tatsumi gazed over closely at her to find that she was sticking her tongue out with her finger on her eye. It was quite a mischievous expression.

"She really is scary...but she isn't my priority, aren't we going to clean this thing then?"

"We sort of got off in a tangent, huh? Its only because I love talking to you so much Tautsy~"

"Please don't start that crap again...I never expected you to ever be, y'know. YOU."

"You'd better believe it now, because you're going to go insane if you don't accept it."

"I will find the story behind all this. I will."

"We will.~"

As the duo began kicking dirt back into the now cyclonic looking mess of a whole, Esdese decided to reveal herself. Tatsumi and Murasame, having finished half-asked burying the empty space, they both halted when an icicle like spear flew past both of them, oddly close to their faces. Standing in shock, they both looked at each other, slowly inching close to one another.

"Esdese...please hear me out." Tatsumi said, with a serious tone in his voice.

"Why did you leave Tatsumi? I thought we were on pretty great terms...but now you leave to find these so called Teigu?"

"How much did you hear?" Tatsumi wore a grim expression, letting his hair cover his eyes.

"I heard enough. Why didn't you tell me about these Teigu Tatsumi?"

"Because you wouldn't have let me leave to find them."

"Of course not! I would have officials find them for us...you don't need to worry about such things when you are mine, Tatsum-"

"That's my biggest problem with you Esdese!"

She wore a mildly surprised expression. She couldn't believe that he had done this without consulting her, she thought that he loved her unconditionally. She did change him. That much was true, but the passion to bring back his family had made his soul go out on a limb, a limb that was slowly growing upwards towards the path of knowledge.

"And who is this little-"

"I'm Murasame. I have to say, you aren't as scary as people make you out to be." Sarcasm still lingering from Murasame's voice.

"Really now? Then how about I-"

"Esdese, knock it off!"

Esdese quickly lunged forward and grabbed Tatsumi' by the front of his coat, lifting him up with ease; as it was happening, he didn't seem to wear a surprised expression. This kind of thing seemed to be routine with him.

"You can do whatever. Go ahead, throw me down, thrash me around, whatever makes you feel better."

Esdese let go of him, allowing him to slap her hands; in an effort to release himself from her grip.

"Come with us, Esdese."

"I'll freeze hell over myself before that happens, you are coming with me, Tatsumi. We are going back home and you are issued a punishment."

"What am I to you? Some sort of outlet? Is that all? A possession to own?"

"You are mine. I own you, therefore you are to do what I say, always-"

"All I want is my family. I want my family back, Esdese. Do you understand what family is? What is family to you? Or are you that cold inside?"

"Tatsumi, you know me well enough to understand that I have no intention of-"

"Do I know you? Because all you've managed to do with me these past months are keep me by your side, have me train for no reason, and just use me as some sort of-

"Do what I say."

Tatsumi couldn't help but feel dread. He...there was a part of him that didn't think it was correct, but he fell for her. She...

"No. I am looking for this Teigu, and there is nothing you can do to stop me."

"Really now..." Esdese was visibly angry, very, angry.

She absolutely loathed this situation. Tatsumi was a loyal follower ever since she changed him during those first few weeks after the battle against Night Raid. Now, he finds these Teigu, and hes suddenly back to trying to avoid her? If he brought back Night Raid, they would surely try to over-throw her.

Thoughts popped into her head as Tatsumi drew the withered Incursio, ready to defend himself. If there truly was a Teigu that could bring people back to life, could she bring Seryu back? She grew fond of her soldiers, even if she didn't show it.

"My love...you still can't take the truth. You and me were the last ones remaining on that battlefield, does that still not tell you something? We are meant for each other. You are mine...why are you resisting so much? What is so bad about it?"

"Esdese, this Teigu is my last hope. I want my friends and family back...there is no reason for fighting anymore. There is no reason for this shit anymore...I...I love you Esdese. I want you to help me on this quest, I don't want us to fight, I want...I want..."

He loved her. He didn't want to fight her anymore, he wanted her to be with him. He wished that she wasn't the stone cold Empress, he wished that she would have met him without any knowledge of the Capital.

Tatsumi was getting visibly upset, allowing Esdese to grin in fulfillment, knowing full well that she changed him completely. He wanted her to accompany her on this little tangent, because he really did love her. That meant she could even push him further. She could make him stronger, and with that solution, she could conquer and own him when he got even stronger then her.

She bathed in that subject;conquering him once he reached his full potential. She decided to give him some slack;evil scenarios playing out in her mind.

"You said that you would let me do anything to you? No resisting?"

"When did I say that? I don't remember saying that."

Tatsumi wore an irritated and upset expression. He was mildly surprised when Esdese started cheerfully chuckling.

"Did you guys forget about me?" Murasame spoke out-loud.

"I will accompany you on this adventure, my love." she let her guard down and swiftly kissed Tatsumi. He was trying to push her away, but once again, she was stronger in force.

"-but hear this, Tatsumi. You will do whatever I say without any of your repent for however long I want."

"Fine."

"Who do you belong to?"

"Don't start that, please...Its bad enough-"

"Who do you belong to?~"

"Y-you."

Tatsumi wore the same angry expression. The irritation has never been so much clearer. 'How the hell did she even find us?' he thought to himself. 'How did she get out of her duties of being Empress? Surely there was something to be done at every moment...' he added.

"You guys are the weirdest couple I've ever seen. After pointless arguing that went all over the place, and nearly clashing Teigu's together, you are just now all fine and dandy? Is is really a healthy relationship?" Murasame added.

"It's probably not." Tatsumi muttered.

"I think its a wonderful relationship." Esdese added.

Tatsumi knelt silently at the river cap, using a washboard to clean Falorin. He wiped his head off with the sleeve of his coat.

There had to be others looking for these Teigu. Of course, Murasame did say that she planted the book there for him to see, but that still didn't answer the question;what was that eagle that hovered above him when she saw him?

Shaking his head in an annoyed expression, he pulled Falorin and the washboard out of the water. It was very faint, but in the distance he could hear Esdese arguing with Wave, Kurome and Murasame. It sounded like they were having an insult match.

Flipping Falorin around and further inspecting it, Tatsumi found that it had an emblem on the back of it. It was a face, but it was sort of crying. Just like the kid in the mask that was running around that tree. At that very moment, it hit him. He remembered something he had to ask of Murasame. She said something about "The Emperor's Mask", but he never told her anything about the vision like trances he had.

With the image of the kid in the mask sinked into his mind, he started to make out lots of similarities between the chest armor and the mask. The color scheme was the same, almost as if a cult made it. Leaning it over his arm, he stood up with Falorin and the washboard in the other hand.

He continued to make his way towards the bickering, his wet arm dripping water on the soft soil as he did so. He halted when he saw the four of them facing each other, literally just talking with each other. This seemed rather odd to him;expecting Esdese to try and take control of the group. He knew she had something planned, but he was rather happy that she even decided to tag along with him. The conversation that they had earlier, it went all over the place. 'I guess I've been a little out of it today.' he thought. A sharp, pained expression curved across his face.

Tatsumi felt a sharp pain in his side, causing him to fall down;directly dropping to the ground. The sound of the shuddered collapse caused the other four bickering bodies to race to him, all asking him what was wrong in some way or another.

As he fell into a dazed, knocked out state, he heard a familiar voice.

"I'll always come to save you."

Carlian - A flute that has given Tatsumi weird instances of phases and visions when in possession of it. It is said to have the ability to control time to some extent.

Falorin - A piece of chest armor said to have the ability to allow the owner to wield multiple Teigu.

Trakunikiss - A Teigu that is said to hold the ability of resurrection.