Author's Note: I got a lot of different reviews last chapter, everyone having their own idea of how my story is going to unfold, some of them contradicting. I don't want to give too much away so I'm going to only going to say one thing. He's not going to be an enemy to the three factions. Don't expect Night Raid to be an alternate Khaos Brigade. Hard to have a harem when 95% of all the potential harem candidates are enemies, right?

Fun Fact: The Capital City in Akame Ga Kill is about 200,000 square kilometers in size. Putting that in perspective, it's roughly the size of the European country of Belarus. Tatsumi, prior to going through all the speed/strength evolutions while fighting Shikoutazer, could cross from outside of the city to the center in approximately 30 seconds on foot (And that's being conservative, some people estimate it at only a few seconds). That's 8,400m/s for those that don't want to do the math, or basically Mach 25.

Chapter 1: The Beginning of Something New

It was a peaceful morning. The sun was just beginning to poke its head above the horizon, staining the sky brilliant colors of red, orange and purple. The first rays of light reflected off soft, wispy clouds that meandered across the sky without purpose or desire. A warm, stiff breeze blew in from the south, swirling around the homes and bringing with it welcome relief.

The day had all the hallmarks of perfection.

That perfect day was marred by sharp grunts of exertion coming from a perfectly manicured back yard of a small home in the midst of a sleepy suburb. The scent of freshly cut grass still clung to the yard and several birds chirped in a nearby tree. In the center of it all stood Tatsumi, sweating profusely as he swung a weighted wooden sword, a bokkan.

997.

It was a daily occurrence for Tatsumi. Every morning since that day three years ago he would practice like this. Never again would he let himself be too weak or too slow to save someone he loved. Every morning he would get up early and work out while every night he would train with his Sensei. He'd work on different muscles each morning, giving the others time to properly heal and develop, but he would always train something.

Tatsumi grunted again as he swung the weighted bokken.

998.

He still remembered his mother's face when she'd rushed into that room and saw her daughter, Mira, lying there dead. The horror and disbelief had been too much for Tatsumi to bear.

"…NOOOOO! Mira, please, open your eyes! Mira! MIRA! MIRA!"

Tatsumi squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to block out that memory. His mother's haunted, pained fill scream still plagued him to this day.

If only he had been faster. If only he had been stronger. It was his failure that had caused his mother so much pain.

When the police arrived, he'd been forced to lie about what had happened. Blamed everything on the five he had killed. Everyone believed him. He was the Kendo Champion and they were all strange foreigners no one knew. That their finger prints being all over everything simply made things easier. No one bothered to ask how he had managed to kill the five. He had simply been hailed as a hero for not letting the criminals get away.

Tatsumi grunted as he swung once more.

999.

It was starting to feel a little light. Perhaps it was time to increase the weight. A hundred kilograms just wasn't enough anymore.

They'd moved away from Tokyo last year. There were too many memories there, too much pain and suffering. It had taken time for everything to be arranged. For his parents to find new jobs, to sell their old home and buy a new one, but they had managed and now they were elsewhere. They would never forget but perhaps, now that they were far away from the places that held so many memories, his mother wouldn't hurt quite so much.

Tatsumi would never allow that for himself. He had been the one to kill his sister. That was his pain, his burden, to carry for the rest of his life. Forgiveness, peace, acceptance, happiness. That wasn't something he was allowed anymore. His attempt at that had ended with the death of his sister. It was the penance for thinking he was allowed to be happy and know peace after everything he had done to free the Empire from corruption.

He should have known this world didn't care about what he had done in the past.

Tatsumi swung the weighted Bokkan one last time, a thousand reps, and then set it upon the ground. It really was too light. He would see about adding another ten kilograms to it tonight.

He bent down and went to work on his next exercise. One-handed vertical pushups. It wasn't really useful for building strength or even stamina, he was long past that point, but the balance it required was insane, borderline impossible for normal humans. If Tatsumi was going to fight the supernatural though, he couldn't be normal. It was the perfect exercise to help improve his balance.

Two hundred one-handed pushups were followed by five hundred squats further impeded by the weighted bokken. That in turn was followed by more exercises. There were a number of them that Tatsumi had, and he would go through them in order until his mother's inevitable call for breakfast.

Just as Tatsumi was about to switch into a new set of exercises a pair of cool arms were wrapped around his chest. Delicate fingers began to dance across his corded muscles. ((Morning Tatsumi…)) Bennia said sleepily, ((come back to bed.))

"You know I train every morning," Tatsumi said as he snagged her hands and held them in his before they could explore too far south. He turned his head and smiled at the sleepy face resting on his shoulder. She hadn't bothered getting dressed. "I have to get stronger."

((Mmmm, you're strong enough already.)) Bennia complained, ((you're too rough sometimes.))

Rough? She was the one that always wanted more. Bennia had taken her promise to Tatsumi's sister more seriously than he would have thought for someone with such a mischievous nature. Forever and Ever apparently meant marriage to a Grim Reaper. While they weren't officially married, Bennia acted as if they were and that included the more… intimate side of the relationship.

Tatsumi still wasn't sure if she had intentionally taken advantage of his distraught state after killing his sister to slip into his bed, or if she had simply done whatever she could to console him. Whatever the case may be, by the time he had managed to get his head screwed on tightly enough not to curl up into a ball and cry himself to sleep each night, they'd already gone too far, too many times, for Tatsumi to back out.

Responsibility was something Tatsumi took very seriously. He also had to admit he was genuinely fond of Bennia. She'd been a constant presence at his side since he was four and he honestly couldn't envision a life without her by his side.

It wasn't really hard to accept that this result had probably been inevitable.

((Your mother is just beginning to make breakfast…)) Bennia whispered, licking the edge of his ear. ((If you're quick we have time to do it over there in that bush like last week.))

"No." They had almost gotten caught and Tatsumi didn't want to know about what his mother would think if she caught what would look like to her, him mating with a bush. "And besides, it's that time of month for you again. My mother isn't ready to see grandchildren pop out of thin air."

((My mother was already heavy with me by my age.))

"That just makes your father a cradle robbing pervert," Tatsumi pointed out. He was conveniently ignoring the fact that he probably wasn't much better on account of how old he was mentally. Seventeen years in his previous life, and another seventeen in this one.

A thirty four year old in the body of a seventeen, with a little Grim Reaper half his mental age as his bed partner. Tatsumi had resigned himself to the fact that he may very well be a lolicon. Mine, the first girl he'd ever truly loved, certainly hadn't been very tall or well developed either. Was he simply drawn to short, small chested girls?

((Oh, you're no fun!)) Bennia pouted. She let go and floated up to the bathroom. The window was open. She smiled at him. ((I've drawn the bath for you, dear, see you inside.)) She waved and disappeared inside the house.

Tatsumi picked up the weighted bokken and headed inside. If his mother had begun cooking he probably didn't have time to finish another set of exercises. Might as well get the bath done and over with. His mother's call for breakfast would be a convenient excuse to flee the bath before Bennia took things too far.

~o~

Tatsumi let a small smile come to his lips as he stepped into the kitchen, rubbing a towel through his hair to dry it. His mother really was quite good at cooking. The scent wafting from the stove top was mouth-watering. A delicate combination of egg, bacon, ham, buttered toast and onions. It reminded him of the times he and Akame had cooked together, or rather when he cooked and she sampled his dishes to make sure they 'weren't poisoned.'

Tatsumi had picked up some things from his mother which, when combined with what he already knew from the old world, made him at least a passable cook. He'd never come close to matching the memories he had of his mother's cooking.

His mother hummed happily at the stove as she juggled four different pans with four different, specially prepared omelets. His father was there, sitting at his usual place at the kitchen table. He was a tall man, with thick black hair streaked with bands of grey. His once normally stern and proud visage seemed wearied these days. His back a little more bowed each time Tatsumi saw him, as if a weight was pressing down on him.

The table was already set and Tatsumi took his usual place across from his father. He gave Tatsumi a warm smile that briefly reached his eyes before weariness once more consumed them. Bennia took her usual spot at his side, sitting in the seat that had once been Mira's.

"Breakfast is ready everyone," his mother said happily as she flipped the omelets from the pans onto the butter toast on each of the four plates. She set Mira's omelet down in front of Bennia first before giving them theirs.

"Make sure to eat everything, Mira." His mother said cheerfully.

((Yes mother)) Bennia whispered as she slowly dug into Mira's breakfast.

Tatsumi's heart clenched painfully. It didn't matter how many times he sat through this, it never got easier. During those first few months after Mira's death, his mother had kept making breakfast for her. Calling out to her that breakfast was ready, until realization that she was dead came crashing down upon her once more.

It left her an emotional wreck for the rest of the day. It had been like watching a zombie shamble about the house.

Then Bennia had mistakenly eaten one of Mira's meals. Didn't want it to go to waste she said, been hungry she'd added. It had just been one more mischievous Bennia type action, one with disastrous results. His mother had assumed it was Mira's spirit come back to her. The blinding hope and joy in his mother's face, tainted with desperation, had been painful to watch. It still was to this day. Tatsumi still remembered the horrified look on Bennia's face when his mother had first called her Mira. It was then that Bennia realized what she'd done to his mother.

That had been the exact moment when Bennia's innocence had shattered into a million pieces. Tatsumi wasn't the one that had needed consoling that night.

Tatsumi and his father shared pained looks. While his father might not be able to see Bennia, for whatever reason he could hear her. He knew that wasn't Mira, but like Tatsumi neither of them could summon the courage to tell Misako. It would break her, sending her spiralling into a depression she'd never recover from. Bennia knew that as well which was why she kept up the façade.

He instead focused on his own breakfast. Putting each tasteless bite into his mouth. That was another change. It didn't matter how good it smelled, nothing had taste anymore. It was merely a mechanical action he needed to perform to have the nutrients and energy necessary to grow strong enough to protect the people he cared about.

When breakfast was finished Tatsumi collected the dishes and took them to the sink for his mother to wash later. He left the kitchen and grabbed his duffle bag from beside the living room couch. "Mom, I'm heading to school!" Tatsumi called out.

His mother rushed into the living room with a wide smile on her face. "Do you have everything Tatsumi?" Misako asked as she fussed over him, straightening his uniform in places that it didn't need straightening.

"Yes, mother."

"Do you have your lunch?"

"Yes."

"What about your badge? Your hairbrush? Are your shoes tied? Do you have a change of clothes?"

"Yes, mother, I have everything I need," Tatsumi assured her. It was always like this. "I'm not a child anymore, mother."

Tatsumi instantly wished he could take back his words as a flash of pain ripped across his mother's face for the briefest of moments before her happy smile was back. She enveloped him in an enormous hug. "I'm so proud of you Tatsumi. Please come home safe and sound."

"I will." Tatsumi promised, hugging his mother back.

She stepped back and smiled at him. "You too Mira, don't forget to play nicely with your school friends! And don't accept invitations from strange men!"

((Yes mother)) Bennia whispered quietly.

"I'll call you if I stay late," Tatsumi said as he held up a smartphone, "sensei can be a bit eccentric."

He gave his mother one last wave and stepped outside. The day didn't seem nearly as bright or cheerful as it had not an hour past. Letting out a long sigh he hefted his duffle bag over his shoulder and started for his new school. It wasn't too far, within walking distance thankfully. It had been one of the reasons he'd transferred there. The other reason had been because his previous school had 'burned down.' The media claimed it had been an electrical fire.

It wasn't exactly a lie. An electrical fire had caused the school to burn down. What the media didn't know was that the electrical fire had erupted because Tatsumi had slammed that bitch's head into the transformer on school's premise. While she hadn't been a devil, Tatsumi had quickly learned that Fallen Angels weren't much better. There was one less rapist in the world. Tatsumi felt burning down a school was a fair price for that.

((I'm glad that's over with)) Bennia sighed as she came up next to him.

"Me too," Tatsumi said. He loved his mother but it hurt being home, hurt seeing her like that. He let out a long sigh and forced his tense muscles to relax. It wouldn't do to arrive at school wound up. He pulled out a small burner phone capable of texting and calling and held it out to Bennia. "We got another request last night." Bennia groaned as she accepted it. He gave her a small smile. "You don't have to. It's been awhile since I've been out gathering information. I could use the practice."

((It's fine)) Bennia said ((it gives me a reason to ignore that shitty father of mine))

"You're never going to tell me why you started to hate him all of a sudden, are you?" Tatsumi asked.

She grinned at him as she flashed her naked finger at him, ((maybe once you put a ring on it I will))

"I will, once I'm of age." It was illegal until he was eighteen, which was next year. "And I have to be twenty to do it without my parents' approval. I can't just walk up to them and ask 'hey, mother, father, you know that imaginary friend I had thirteen years ago? Well turns out she's a Grim Reaper, you know, the one that carried Mira's soul to heaven. Can I marry her?'"

Bennia giggled, ((I'd like to see that!))

"I'm sure you would." It would be an immitigable disaster of epic proportions. Best case scenario would see Tatsumi locked up in a padded room with a straight jacket wrapped around him. "Did she actually go to heaven?" Tatsumi asked.

((Mmhmm.)) She gave him a hesitant look. ((An exception was made. It normally isn't. You… killed her quickly enough. The devil transformation isn't instant. The body transforms first, the soul takes a little longer. The stronger the soul the longer it takes. You killed your sister before the transformation could affect her soul too much.))

The one single, silver lining to his act of murder. It didn't absolve him of his guilt, his responsibility, but it did make it a little easier knowing his sister was resting well in heaven.

"Thank you."

Bennia nodded solemnly. Then she grinned and threw her arms around his neck. ((If you're truly thankful, you can show it tonight!))

"Next week," Tatsumi said.

((Fine, be that way.)) She stopped and waved farewell. ((I'll look into the request while you're at school. Have fun!)) And with that she disappeared into the ground.

"Have fun she says," Tatsumi murmured quietly to himself as he picked up the pace. "The last time I had fun I ended up killing my sister. I won't make that mistake again."

He was Tatsumi of Night Raid now.

~o~

"Well this is certainly a fair bit nicer than I had envisioned." Tatsumi said as he stood in front of the gates to an incredible institution.

A red brick wall, twice the height of the average teenager, ringed the entire campus. Iron spikes atop the wall dissuaded anyone from trying to scale over it. Just inside the gates was a cobblestone walkway that went straight up to the front entrance of the main school building, circling around a green, grassy area with a beautiful fountain. The main school proper was enormous, many times larger than he was used to seeing. And all sides were other structures dedicate to this club, or that activity.

Emblazoned across the steel gates in large letters were the words: Kuoh Academy.

What sort of rich place had he accidentally found himself in? He had applied to several after his high school had burned down and had chosen to accept this place on account of the fact that they had offered a scholarship. His family didn't really need the money, but any burden he could take off his parents, his mother in particular, was something he was willing to do.

This place was certainly a far cry better than his previous high school which had been a single, squat, two-story brick building with barely enough rooms to hold classes, let alone have clubs.

Tatsumi also noticed that there were an abnormally large number of women passing through the gates into the school. For a moment he was worried he had come to the wrong place, an all girl's school possibly, until he noticed a few boys scattered amongst them. Either they were licensed perverts or this school had been an all-girls school until very recently.

"Well, I might as well present myself to the faculty office."

No one moved to stop him as he stepped onto the premise. No sirens started blaring, no alarms went off, no shouts, angry or otherwise. The last vestiges of fear that Kuoh Academy was an all-girls school faded away and each step he took was more confident than the last. A few girls did stop to stare and whisper amongst each other, but that was all. If the blushing on their faces was anything to go by, they probably weren't all that upset by his presence here.

Entering the main building he couldn't help but grimace. The place was huge. The lobby went up to the fourth floor and there were stairs leading everywhere. He pulled his large duffel bag around front and rummaged through it. Pulling out a small map of the grounds he hoped it was accurate enough to guide him properly.

It may very well take him longer to find the faculty office than it did to walk here from his house.

"Nakimori Tatsumi?"

He blinked and looked up from the map. There standing before him was a bespectacled girl with short black hair framing a face that was almost too cute to be natural. There was a penetrating look in her vibrant, violet eyes, as if she was trying to peel back the layers of his flesh to see what sort of man sat beneath the surface. She was clothed in the same uniform Tatsumi had seen on all the other girls entering Kuoh Academy, including the ultra-short skirt that could only have been designed by a pervert that had a fetish for panty flashes caused by errant gusts of wind.

"That's me, and you are?" Tatsumi asked politely. This girl looked like one of those no nonsense types. That was perfectly fine for Tatsumi. He cared about Bennia and all, but a guy needed variety sometimes.

A small smile flicker across her lips, "I am Shitori Souna, the Student Council President." She held her hand out for him. "We are pleased that you accepted the offer to enroll here at Kuoh Academy."

Tatsumi returned her smile and shook her hand. "Thanks, I'll admit it was the scholarship that convinced me. We didn't really need the money but I try to do what I can to help alleviate my parent's burden. They've… done so much for me. I try to pay them back whenever I can."

Another smile briefly flickered across Souna's lips. "A good sentiment to have and a testament to your character." She stepped back and gestured down a hallway. "If you'll follow me. I'll take you to the faculty office where we can finalize your enrollment and print your class schedule."

"I'm in your care," Tatsumi returned lightly. He walked in step with Souna as the two left the main lobby. "If I may be so bold as to ask, why did you offer someone like me a scholarship?"

"A former All-Japan Middle School Kendo Champion needs to ask such a question?" Souna asked, raising an eyebrow at him. "Unfortunately I am not in charge of who does, or doesn't, receive scholarship offers but like you I can make a few educated guesses."

"Ah." She was good, really good. There was no way someone as deeply involved in the politics of the school such as her wouldn't know the reason he was offered a scholarship. Yet she hadn't lied either. She had simply evaded the question.

Well, it was just idle curiosity anyways. If she didn't want to tell him there was probably a reason. Politics most likely. He had enough to deal with without getting involved in something like that. All he wanted out of Kuoh Academy as peaceful an education as possible.

It was probably too much to ask that nothing happen.

~o~

Peaceful, right. Peace wasn't something he was allowed to have. He should have remembered that. Lunch time. That was it. That was all it took. Half a day and he was already hiding in a closet. He didn't know if Souna had let it slip, or if he was simply that well known here at Kuoh Academy, but his status as a former All-Japan Kendo Champion had already made its rounds about the school. Gossip here traveled faster than light apparently. The bell for lunch had barely rung before a dozen girls had swarmed his desk, most of them from the Kendo Club. Some had wanted his autograph while others practically begged him to come to their club after school to give them some pointers.

One even offered to have his babies.

And now he, the great Tatsumi, a feared assassin of Night Raid, the one that had faced down the Imperial Guardian, Shikoutazer, a massive Teigu the size of a mountain capable of wiping entire cities off the map with a single blast, was hiding in the Janitor's closet from a bunch of high school girls.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Everyone in the old Night Raid would be laughing at him if they saw him like this.

Tatsumi sighed as he cracked open the bento box his mother had made for him. It was dark inside the janitor's closet, too dark for most, but enough light filtered its way around the edges of the door for Tatsumi. He was used to the night.

He cracked a pair of chop sticks and—Plop. Tatsumi paused. Something wet just hit him. His gaze slowly lifted upwards to the ceiling. There was a grate there, an air ventilation system, only the grate was missing and a pair of luminous golden eyes peered down at him from the darkness above.

No, correction, they were peering down at his lunch. Tatsumi carefully picked up a small, delicately spiced vegetable from the bento his mother had made for him. The eyes traced its path to his mouth. Plop. Something wet dripped on his head again. Was he being drooled on? He carefully ate another vegetable. Plop. Yes, he was being drooled on.

Suddenly hiding in the janitor's closet didn't quite seem like the good idea it had before. Tatsumi quickly shoveled the rest of his lunch into his mouth, sensing that if he didn't dispose of it quickly, it would be disposed of for him. The tasteless food was necessary for his very survival. He couldn't give it up for any reason! A small whine, very much like that of a small cat, came from above as he finished the last bite and when he looked up the eyes were gone.

Okay, that was creepy. No, that was creepy when it got taken out back, beaten with a stick, crucified, and then burned alive.

Packing the empty bento box away, Tatsumi cracked open the Janitor's closet and peered outside. The coast was clear so he silently stepped out into the hallway, being careful to close the door behind him without a sound. No need to let anyone know he'd been hiding in the Janitor's closet for lunch.

Well, anyone outside that creepy pair of yellow eyes peering down at him like some hungering abyss.

"There he is! Tatsumi!"

Tatsumi sighed. He'd been found already. "Why me?" He turned to face the inevitable and froze, stunned by what he saw approaching him, what should have been impossible. Those faces, those eyes, that long, beautiful black hair topped by a white flower and the untamed one that even a headband could barely hold back. Those cheerful smiles he hadn't seen since Aria had tortured them to death.

Sayo and Ieyasu.

"You're Tatsumi, right?" Sayo asked as she ran up to him, panting. She was out of breath as if she'd been searching for him all lunch. Still, there was a cheerful smile on her face as she gazed at him.

"It totally is, Sayo," Ieyasu chimed in. He placed a hand on Sayo's shoulder and pointed at Tatsumi. "I watched that video like a thousand times." He swung his hands down like he was gripping a shinai. "That last swing of his, bringing Hikaru to his knees. That was beautiful, a work of pure awesome!"

"Sayo… Ieyasu," Tatsumi whispered. His two oldest friends, people he'd grown up with in the old world, were standing before him. They looked the same, sounded the same, spoke and acted the same, they even had the same names. How was this possible?

"Whoa man! You know my name! Well, I am kind of a bit of a big thing in the Kendo world now." Ieyasu said, sounding rather proud of himself. He rubbed his nose and grinned at Tatsumi. "I got thoroughly trounced by Hikaru during that tournament where the two of you faced off in the finals, but now that we're in High School it's a totally different story!"

Sayo elbowed him in the ribs, hard, causing Ieyasu to double over in pain. "You're only top four because Tatsumi hasn't competed since…" she bit her lip and threw a hesitant, guilty look his way.

"Since my sister died," Tatsumi finished for her. He wasn't naïve enough to think he'd make it through school without it being talked about. It was always talked about. Her death had made the news. His sister had been pretty big in the Kendo world as well. Many had expected her to be the High School Champion before she graduated. That never happened and many had said it was a great loss. "Yes, I know."

"Yo, why did you give up Kendo?" Ieyasu asked. "You and Hikaru both. So many people had hopes of you two being the next greatest things, and then you both just disappear. Well, Hikaru disappeared off the face of the planet, you just retire."

There were many reasons, but two stood out above all the rest. He simply didn't have the time necessary to dedicate himself properly to the sport and… "too many painful memories," Tatsumi whispered. Sayo elbowed Ieyasu again, harder than before. "Every time I held a shinai, I would remember my sister."

"It's fine Tatsumi," Sayo said comfortingly. "So umm… have you decided what club you want to be in?"

Club? He hadn't given it any thought. In fact, it would be nice if he wasn't in any at all. "I haven't given it any thought. Are you going to ask me to join the Kendo club as well?"

She shook her head, "No! The archery club! I know it's different from Kendo, but that might be a good thing. It never hurts to experiment."

Tatsumi let out a small laugh. Ah, that wasn't so bad actually. He had forgotten that Sayo had been an expert with a bow back in the old world. It made sense that she'd pick it up for fun here if everything else was the same. It matched with Ieyasu picking up Kendo, the closest thing to the sword he trained with before.

"I've got a rather busy life," Tatsumi said. He had training at a temple not far away and after that, on some nights, he had duties as the founder of Night Raid. "I want to look around at the other clubs first."

"I'd suggest the Kendo club but we don't have one," Ieyasu suggested. "Not for guys anyways. We have a girls' team, and that's it. A bit sexist if you ask me, but whatever."

"Sexist, is it?" Souna's cold, calculating voice cut straight through the conversation like a knife.

Ieyasu stiffened and fearfully turned around. There, standing just behind Sayo and Ieyasu was Souna Shitori, the Student Council President. At her side stood another woman. She had dark hair and wore glasses like Souna but that was where the similarities ended. She was far taller, with a larger bust and hair so long Tatsumi didn't know how she didn't trip on it. Shinra Tsubaki, the Vice-President of the Student Council.

"Ah, well, ya!" The words fumbled out of Ieyasu's mouth. Tatsumi chuckled, apparently Souna scared Ieyasu a bit, but Ieyasu being Ieyasu, couldn't back down. "No guys? That's sexist… isn't it? I mean, by the definition and all…"

Souna Shitori smiled, a calculated one the likes of which were used to disarm someone for a purpose. "Why, yes it is, actually. You are quite correct and if Kuoh Academy is to be a true, co-ed environment as is desired by myself and the director, it stands to reason that should be something we correct, right?"

"Ah, yes?" Ieyasu said, unsure of where she was going.

"I am glad you agree, Nijo Ieyasu, and what way to better facilitate the creation of a co-ed Kendo environment, then by having two skilled male Kendo practitioners join?" She still had that small, calculated smile on her face as she shifted her gaze between the two of them. "Examples, by which others should follow."

"Why do I have a feeling I've just been voluntold?" Ieyasu asked, scratching the back of his head nervously.

"I would never consider forcing anyone to do anything they didn't want to," Souna Shitori said easily. "Perish that thought. However, it is now a mandatory requirement that everyone participate in a club of some kind. Social skills are just as important as intellectual ones, and we here at Kuoh Academy can't be found lacking in the development of either." Her smile widened a bit. Souna Shitori was someone Tatsumi realized could put a hundred different meanings into that little smile of hers. "Since neither of you are currently enrolled in any clubs, this seems like a perfect opportunity for you to do so. You would be working towards your own healthy, well-rounded education while furthering the development and improvement of Kuoh Academy as a whole."

"And if we decide to join a different club?" Tatsumi asked. Considering what he had gone through today, he had a fairly good idea as to what would happen.

"You would, of course, be allowed to do so," Souna Shitori said lightly, too lightly. "As I said, I will not force either of you to accept. However, Ieyasu, I believe you've already declined every other club at Kuoh Academy and there isn't any other one for you to accept." She turned to Tatsumi again. "In your case, Tatsumi, I fear that the girls will never give up. I can only imagine how inconvenient it is to have to… hide from them." Her gaze flickered over to the janitor's closet. She knew! Somehow she'd not only known he'd hid from those girls, but where! "If you have club activities with them you can push them all off until such time thereby leaving you the ability to enjoy school peacefully and not have to find some out-of-the-way place to have your lunch."

Souna Shitori was one scary girl. He was now certain it was Souna that had spread rumors of his arrival here. They always spread eventually, but the speed this time had been uncanny. Tatsumi would have loved to have seen her and Najenda in a room together. The plans they'd come up with would be utterly foolproof.

"How can you ask that of him?" Sayo demanded Souna. At least one of them wasn't intimidated by the Student Council President. "Don't you know every time he picks up a shinai he is reminded of his dead sister?"

Souna adjusted her glasses with a finger as she rounded a stern look on Sayo. His old friend didn't back down. "All the more reason for him to accept. Trauma can only ever be overcome if it's faced head on. To ignore it is like running away, and Tatsumi Nakimori isn't someone who struck me as a coward."

Tatsumi gaped at her. She'd just completely cut his legs out from under him! He couldn't say no now. It didn't matter what he did, or didn't, want to do. By not accepting her offer to help start up the male side of the Kendo Club, he'd be labeled as a coward. A rumor he was most certain would begin to spread the moment he declined. Even asking for time to think about it would be construed as the same. That smile really had no warmth in it. When Souna Shitori had a goal, she did everything she could to achieve it.

Now he didn't want to see Najenda and Souna in the same room. Whatever plan they'd come up with was guaranteed to work, but the cost… the cost was something Tatsumi didn't even want to consider.

He had a sinking feeling he now knew why he'd gotten a scholarship, but just to make sure… "Ieyasu, were you offered a scholarship as well?"

"I was, yes, why?" Ieyasu asked. "Found it weird to be honest, my grades aren't that good, but whatever. I wouldn't be able to afford to come here without it and this was where Sayo wanted to go."

"They've got the best archery facilities in the area here!" Sayo said excitedly.

"Just how much of this did you all plan out?" Tatsumi asked Souna.

She actually had the good graces to look a little embarrassed at being caught. She cleared her throat and quickly regained her composure. "It is simply one of Kuoh Academy's objectives to acquire unique and interesting talent, even if they might be… lacking in certain areas." Her eyes shifted to Ieyasu.

"Hey!" Ieyasu protested.

Tatsumi thought as much. His scholarship well and truly did revolve entirely around Souna using him to help her further the school by turning the Kendo Club co-ed. The girls of the Kendo Club were probably very against it normally, but if individuals such as him and Ieyasu, two well-known Kendo practitioners, were used that would be a different story. If what Tatsumi had seen was any indication, the girls wouldn't just accept them but throw wide the doors and lay out a welcoming mat.

Which, unfortunately, meant the quickest route to a peaceful and quiet high school year actually was to become a part of the Kendo Club. Souna Shitori would most certainly make him pay if he ruined all her carefully laid plans. How troublesome.

This was one battle he had lost, but he could at least take one final shot before he fell. "Well, since Souna Shitori has so expertly taken my choice away from me," Tatsumi said, causing the bespectacled girl to cough delicately. "I accept."

"Ugh… how can I say no now that Tatsumi has said yes?" Ieyasu moaned. "There goes all my free time. My sensei isn't going to let me work any less hard just because I have club activities."

"Do not worry about that overly much," Souna Shitori said comfortingly, "you and Tatsumi both will not need to attend club activities every day. I know you, Ieyasu in particular, still have that Kendo dojo you attend after school."

No doubt now that she got what she wanted, she was willing to offer a small olive branch to the two of them.

"So it's in name only?" Ieyasu asked hopefully.

"Three times a week," Souna said as she held three fingers up to them. "No less than that, although I would be overjoyed if you did attend more. If you do only attend the minimum number, I will ask that you two alternate the nights you take off so that at least one of you is in attendance."

"We can work it out Ieyasu," Tatsumi said. It wasn't going to be pleasant holding a shinai again, but in a way maybe Souna was right. You don't beat a trauma by turning your back on it. "You talk with your sensei, I'll talk with mine, and then we can come to some sort of plan."

"I thought you gave up Kendo?" Ieyasu looked confused. Sayo and Souna were both staring at him curiously as well.

"I gave it up in favor of something else," Tatsumi said quickly. "Don't worry about it. She's strict, but understanding. I'll just have to suffer more on the nights I do train under her to make up for the one's I'm at the Kendo club."

"If that is the case, perhaps I could speak with her about being somewhat lenient on your training?" Souna offered. "My family does have some… influence in this area."

No, that was a very bad idea. The fact that they even knew he had a sensei was far more information than he had actually wanted them to know. "No, it's fine. I don't mind. Training is something that shouldn't be shirked from, no matter how rough it is."

"I see." Souna adjusted her glasses again and nodded. "If you're fine with it, I won't push any further." She let another smile come to her lips, a satisfied one. "Tatsumi, Ieyasu, on behalf of Kuoh Academy, I thank you for helping us achieve proper co-ed balance. I expect good things from the two of you in the future." The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch. "Now, run along you three. Don't keep your teachers waiting."

What great timing for Souna. It gave her the final word, and them no chance to challenge it. With a chuckle Tatsumi waved farewell to Ieyasu and Sayo and quickly headed for class. For some reason, Souna's eyes trailed after him the entire way.

~o~

Tatsumi quickly jotted down the notes off the board as the chemistry teacher went over some basic elements and their uses in daily life. It was easy to tell he was one of the few students actually paying attention as the teacher droned away in his monotone voice. A few quick glances around the room found most people either sleeping, hiding some form of magazine within their text book, or playing with something under the desk.

They were foolish not to pay attention. Chemistry had a great number of practical uses. For him though it was a means to learn how to kill more efficiently. Learning the different ways to create sulfuric acid, how to properly transport it, and the reactions it produced when introduced to various materials and substances for instance had already come in handy once before. He had several 'sulfuric bombs' stashed away at home for use on missions.

Such advanced knowledge of molecules and their interactions with each other had not been known back in the Empire and Tatsumi intended to consume it all here and now.

The bell rang, signalling the end of the last class of the day. He leaned back and stretched the kinks out of his muscles from being hunched over for the past hour. Packing his books into his bag he stood and made his way from the room. He barely took two steps before he was surrounded by several members of the girl's kendo club.

"I heard you're joining our Kendo Club, is that true Tatsumi?"

"Tatsumi, will you teach me?"

"Can I have some private lessons Tatsumi?"

"I want your babies Tatsumi!"

His eyebrow twitched in irritation at that last comment. What was up with these girls? That was the fourth one today that had offered to have his babies. No one back in the Empire were ever this willing to open their legs. Was there something in the water? The air? There might be, since it affected Bennia as well. That wasn't a comforting prospect.

Tatsumi put as pleasant a smile as he could on his lips, "Please, everyone, calm down. Yes, Souna Shitori convinced me to join." He almost said coerced. "Can you make some room? I can't walk with you surrounding me like this."

That was all it took. They instantly formed up around him, creating an escort that cleared the way for him as he made for the Kendo Club. It was rather strange to be treated like this, like he was some sort of royalty. They wouldn't let any other girl near him.

"No! How can this be! There's two of them!" Someone nearby cried out jealously.

Tatsumi stopped and stared at a trio of boys glaring at him with nothing but undisguised hatred in their eyes. He didn't recognize any of them, only that all three seemed to be hated by every girl in sight. The one in the center appeared to be the leader of the trio, and was the one that had shouted at him.

"Just ignore the Perverted Trio, Tatsumi-senpai," one of the girls surround him said with disdain in her voice. "Nothing good can come from associating with them."

"You are the enemy of all mankind!" He shouted while pointing at Tatsumi.

Enemy of all mankind? Tatsumi's anger flared from deep within, surging through his veins. A cold, deathlike aura fell upon the hallway. Everyone started to shiver uncontrollably. Tatsumi barely noticed. Enemy of all Mankind? He was the protector! The assassin in the night that protected mankind from threats they didn't know even exist!

He wouldn't be called an enemy by an ignorant brat. Tatsumi stepped out from the circle of girls and approached the shivering boy. "Excuse me?" He asked, his voice as cold as death.

The boy took a step back, fear flooding his eyes. "The-The enemy of man-mankind!" He stuttered out again. "Li-Like Kiba. You-you charm all the girls! Steal them all the men!"

He blinked and the cold aura of death disappeared. Warmth and life flooded back into the hallway. That was it? That was why he was the enemy of mankind? Tatsumi chuckled lightly and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. That was embarrassing. He'd gotten upset and serious at a child for a childish reason. He really shouldn't jump to conclusions like that.

"Sorry about that, but jealousy isn't a very nice trait," Tatsumi said giving the boy as warm a smile as he could. He stepped back a few steps. "Maybe you stop being a pervert?"

"That's right, you tell him Tatsumi-senpai!" the kendo girls shouted their support as they surrounded him once more. "Issei is just jealous of how much better you are than him."

"Eh heh… heh…" Tatsumi just wanted to move on. "I believe the club was that way?" He asked, pointing down the hallway.

"Yes!" They shouted in chorus.

"Hate! ALL OF MY HATE! I will never give up the Oppai! OPPAI IS LOVE! OPPAI IS LIFE!" Issei shouted after him. Tatsumi just shook his head as Issei and his friends continued to hurl curses at him from behind.

The rest of the trip to the Kendo club house was rather uneventful. Teachers nodded at him, guys stared at him with either jealousy or pity, while the girls stared up at him adoringly. Curse Souna Shitori for spreading rumors about him around the school. It wasn't long before they left the main building and headed across the school yard to the building dedicated to the Kendo Club. There was a familiar face standing just outside the entrance.

"I see you've become popular with the girls, Tatusmi," Ieyasu said as his old friend threw a few quick looks at the girls around him.

"Not willingly, I assure you," Tatsumi returned dryly. "Probably Souna's way of ensuring I attend at least a few days a week."

"I bet. She was waiting for me outside my classroom when the day ended. All she did was point." Ieyasu shivered. "That's one scary girl."

"Hey! Don't speak about Shitori-senpai like that!" one of the girls beside Tatsumi shouted back. "Shitori-senpai is the pinnacle of elegance. Ah, how I wish I could be like her."

"That's quite enough."

Speak of the devil, and she shall arrive. Souna Shitori came up to the group of them with Tsubaki Shinra in toe once more. From the looks of it Souna and Tsubaki were always together.

Souna stopped next to him and pointed inside. "I believe you girls need to get changed and begin practice." There was a flurry of bows and hasty greetings before the whole crowd of them funneled inside the dojo. She nodded with satisfaction once they were gone. Turning to the two of them she graced them with another, small satisfied smile. "I am glad the two of you found your way here without any trouble."

"I'm afraid I'm not going to be able to participate much today," Tatsumi said apologetically. "I can't use just any shinai. I have to use my own and I hadn't planned on this. It's at home."

"That's quite alright. I had not counted on it anyways. The two of you do not need to participate in club activities today." She gave him a long look. "Besides, as its your first day it would be irresponsible of me to overburden you."

Ieyasu pointed at himself. "But this isn't my first day and I have my shinai with me."

Tatsumi felt he knew why. "There's no change room for us, is there?"

"Perceptive," Souna said. She seemed rather pleased by his observation. "You are quite correct, and it will take a day or two for construction to be completed." Only two days? Just what sort of money were they throwing at this? And the man power! Were there even enough construction workers in the entire city to finish that sort of project in two days? It'd take a day at least for the foundation to settle!

"Then why are we here?" Ieyasu asked, sounding confused. Tatsumi wanted to know as well. There really wasn't any reason for the two of them to be here.

"Because even if you are not required to participate in club activities today it is still good for the two of you to be introduced to the other members and to get a feel for the dojo itself." Souna said. She had an answer for everything apparently, someone that had every single step towards her goal planned long before she ever took that first one step. "I have heard that the environment one trains in has a profound impact on an individual's level of success. If there is anything inadequate, I would like to be aware of it so that it can be corrected along with the construction of the male changer room."

Layers upon layers. Souna truly was like Najenda. She wasn't just using them to make the Kendo Club co-ed, but to improve it as a whole.

"I'm sure Ieyasu can help more than I," Tatsumi said, "It has been several years since I last set foot in a proper Kendo dojo, but I will advise as best I can." He gestured to the dojo. "Lead on, Shitori-senpai."

"Just Souna, if you will, Tatsumi."

Tatsumi followed Souna into the Kendo club with Ieyasu and Tsubaki following closely behind. Memories assault Tatsumi as he stepped into the dojo. His time training with his sister under the watchful gaze of Kurenai-sensei. Wonderful memories of the past. People facing off against one another in the center of the room. Those standing along the sidelines waiting their turn. The floor, the familiar shouting and clacks of shinai cracking off each other.

It was almost all too much for Tatsumi.

There was a gentle touch on his arm. There was compassion in Souna's normally stoic face. She seemed to understand that he was hurting. "Take your time," Souna said quietly before stepping away. Tatsumi quickly wiped away the tear he hadn't realized he'd shed. "What do you think?" Souna asked as she turned her attention to Ieyasu instead.

"I think the facilities here are better than most private dojos," Ieyasu said as he looked around in amazement. "And you want us to help you improve it?"

"We are rather proud of our facilities." She somehow managed to say that without sounding overly prideful. "We try our best to keep them as up to date as possible. It would hurt Kuoh's reputation if we were lacking in what we provided our students."

"Well I can't see anything that would need…" Ieyasu trailed off, frowning as he stared at the floor itself. He pulled his shoes and socks off and took a tentative step onto the floor. Activity stopped momentarily to watch him. "It's not as springy as it should be. It's too hard."

"More like it's just worn out," Tatsumi added. He didn't need to remove his shoes to notice what was wrong. There were countless scuff marks across the surface. Even if it was washed, cleaned and polished on a regular basis, there was only so much that could be restored. Then there was time itself, an enemy no one could escape. "Look at the walls, everything's sunk into the ground a little. The underlying structure is more compact than it should be."

"I see," Souna said as she adjusted her glasses and peered intently at the floor. "Tsubaki, please make note of that."

"Of course, Souna-san," Tsubaki replied as she pulled out a small tablet and quickly started jotting down some notes.

The floor of a Kendo dojo was the most expensive part of it. They weren't seriously going to replace the entire thing just because it's a little worn out, were they? Once again Tatsumi found himself more than a little taken aback by just how rich this place seemed to be.

"You sure don't waste any time, Kaichou."

Tatsumi glanced over at the new arrival. It was a handsome boy with short blond hair, grey eyes and a smile that was as fake as they came. That look in his eyes, Tatsumi recognized it. Saw it every time he looked in the mirror in the morning. The pain of loss, of suffering, and a desire for revenge.

"Whatever are you talking about, Yuuto-san?" Souna asked, not sounding perturbed by what sounded like an accusation. "I am simply showing Tatsumi and Ieyasu our Kendo Club. Both will be joining it full time once the facility has been properly updated."

"Well, that's fine. Buchou has already found her next one," Kiba said. Tatsumi had a feeling that something very important was being discussed but he didn't have time to dwell on it as Kiba walked past Souna and held his hand out to him. "I'm Yuuto Kiba, but you can just call me Kiba. I come here from time to time to help the girls. I've heard much about you, Nakimori Tatsumi, former All-Japan Middle School Kendo Champion."

"Just Tatsumi," he said as he shook Kiba's hand. "Nakimori Tatsumi, former All-Japan Middle School Kendo Champion is a bit of a mouthful."

Kiba laughed, "it is, isn't it?" He turned to Ieyasu as he approached them. "And you must be, Nijo Ieyasu. I've heard of you as well. The man who can almost, but never quite, make the finals, the Eternal Semi-finalist."

"Just Ieyasu," Tatsumi's old friend said sounding rather unimpressed as he shook Kiba's hand as well, "that's even more of a mouthful than Tatsumi's name."

"Don't worry about it Ieyasu," Tatsumi said, coming to his friend's defence. "Eternal Semi-finalist is better title than 'Never Bothered to Try'." He threw Kiba a sidelong glance. "Too scared you'd actually get beat in a real match?"

Ieyasu laughed as Kiba threw a glare at him. Souna just stood to the side, trying and failing to hide a smile behind her hand. "That sounds like a challenge." Kiba growled.

"Not today," Tatsumi said lightly, "maybe once you're ready to step onto the floor." He had to admit he was enjoying this a bit. Kiba had all but declared war on Tatsumi when he had insulted Ieyasu. No one insulted his friends and got away with it, even if said friend didn't know he was a friend on account of them being from different worlds.

"Two weeks," Kiba declared, "two weeks should be plenty of time for you to knock all that rust off your skills. Then I'll prove to you that the only 'fear' that keeps me from practicing Kendo is the fear I wouldn't find any real challenge." Then Kiba stomped out of the club room, thunderclouds practically forming above his head.

"Thanks man," Ieyasu said as he came up to Tatsumi, "Kiba can be a little stuck up sometimes, at least towards us guys anyways. He's practically melted butter with the girls."

"It's what friends do, stick up for each other," Tatsumi said, giving Ieyasu a wide smile.

"Friends huh?" Ieyasu said, smiling as well. "That doesn't sound too bad. I'm sure Sayo would like someone else to hang around with as well."

Tatsumi's heart soared. This moment made all the rest of the day worth it. Ieyasu, Sayo, his childhood friends. He had them back. The memories that had haunted him for so long, his failure to save his friends from Aria's torture and experiments. He had a chance to redeem himself, to prove he was strong enough to protect his friends.

"Whoa, man, no need for tears!" Ieyasu laughed.

Tatsumi wiped his eyes dry and laughed, "oh shut it. How about we head to the arcade after Sayo finishes with the archery club." He glanced over at Souna, "unless there was something else?"

"No, I believe that's enough for now," Souna said simply.

"Now that's something I can get behind!" Ieyasu laughed. "If Sayo ends early enough we can get a few hours in before I need to meet my sensei for practice!"

Tatsumi couldn't stop the huge smile on his lips even if he wanted to. Sayo, Ieyasu, I won't lose you this time. I promise. This time, we all grow old together.

~o~

Tatsumi hummed to himself as he made his way up a long set of stairs white crystalline stairs that rose up into the sky. He hadn't felt this good since his sister died three years ago. True, it had been two hours of being tag teamed by Ieyasu with Sayo at the arcade but it had been fun. So fun in fact that Tatsumi had actually felt a little guilty afterwards.

Was he allowed to laugh that loud? Well, it had made Sayo and Ieyasu happy so it was probably alright. His goal was to protect the people he cared about, their lives, their smiles, their happiness. Ieyasu and Sayo were part of that small group of close individuals and if laughing and smiling and having a good time made them feel good, then it could just be chalked up to doing his duty.

It felt lame trying to justify it to himself like that, but a part of him needed it. A reason to justify why he should be allowed to be happy.

So wrapped up in thoughts of Ieyasu and Sayo, Tatsumi didn't notice when he'd reached the top of the staircase and stepped into the gated compound. The entire breadth of the compound was covered in perfectly fitted white tiles polished to such a shine they seemed to glow in the evening sun. In the very center of the compound wasn't a Japanese shrine like one would expect, but rather a catholic church that looked as if it had been plucked from central Europe and plopped right down here in Japan. Peaked roofs, tall spires, closely fitted grey stone blocks and large stain glass windows were the dominating features of the church.

The hair on the back of his neck prickled and all thoughts of Ieyasu and Sayo were hurriedly thrown away. With only a singular moment to spare Tatsumi hurled himself to the side, narrowly avoiding a spear stabbing into the tile where he'd just been.

No sooner did the spear land than a beautiful woman with curly blond hair appear beside it. She had a figure most women would kill to possess, one that was covered in tight fitting clothes that would have screamed 'ninja' if it weren't for the fact that they were pure white with golden accents. She would stand out like a sore thumb no matter how hard she tried to hide herself. Other than the assortment of weapons she had fashioned on various points of her body, her only other notable piece of jewellery was the golden cross that hung from her neck and dangled within the valley of her large breasts.

She effortlessly ripped the spear from the stone tile and hefted it across her shoulder. Tatsumi knew from experience that spear weighed at least five hundred kilograms. "It's not like you to be so distracted, Tatsumi, did something good happen?" She asked, her voice beautiful and melodic. Just hearing it was enough to wash away some of the day's fatigue.

"Sensei!" Tatsumi said as he picked himself up. "Yes, actually. I started at Kuoh Academy today and I made a couple friends."

"Oh?" His sensei asked cautiously. "And who might they be?"

"Ieyasu and Sayo! I—" haven't seen them in so long. He couldn't say that. That had been the first time he'd seen them in this world. Better come up with something else. "I don't know how to explain it but it felt like being reconnected with long lost friends. We hit it off immediately and went to the arcade after school."

His sensei was all smiles hearing that. "I'm happy for you Tatsumi. Power is good and all, but without something to protect, it's just pure destruction without purpose." The brilliance of her smile put the setting sun to shame. "I approve."

"You're not upset that I'm late?" Tatsumi asked.

"No, I'm not. In fact I'm happy for you. This is the first time I've seen a real smile on your face since we first met." She lowered the spear and pointed it at him. "Of course, that just means I have added reason to work you twice as hard. Both for being late and for the sake of your friends."

So much for getting a break, but then he really shouldn't have expected one from her. She worked him to the bone regardless of how he was feeling. 'You never know what condition you'll be in when the unexpected happens' she'd say, and then drag him out of his house kicking and screaming even as he nursed a heavy fever and his nose ran like a leaky faucet.

Tatsumi dropped his duffel bag and held his hand out to the side. His mind, body and soul merged into one as with practiced ease he went through the summoning process Sensei had taught him. Black lightning arced from the palm of his hand and raced across the open air before him. It twisted and warped, curling in upon itself until it took the form of a blade Tatsumi had seen countless times in the old world in the hands of someone else.

Murasame.

It wasn't the same one that Akame had wielded. The curse of death didn't hide within its blade nor did it magically make him stronger, faster, or better in any way and it certainly didn't reject him like a Teigu normally would. However the blade itself, the hilt, handle and pommel, all of it could have been an exact replica of the blade Akame had always wielded. In short, while it was a very fine katana, it was still just a regular blade.

Tatsumi had no idea how Sensei knew this was hidden within him, but she had and had simply said all would be revealed in due time whenever he asked. Over a year later and that 'due time' still wasn't now. Whatever the case, it provided him with a strong weapon he could take anywhere undetected. That it wasn't the straight blade that he was used to had caused some problems at first. However most of the basic swordsmanship he knew still applied and he had seen Akame wield it often enough that he was aware of the most important differences. Training with Sensei had taught him the rest.

There was a spear point directly in front of his face. Tatsumi cursed and quickly ducked, bringing Murasame around to deflect the spear point as best he could. It still scored a long cut across his cheek as it passed him by.

"Too slow, Tatsumi!" Sensei said as she whirled past him, "your very life may one day depend on how quickly you can bring out Murasame."

"Yes Sensei." There was no use arguing. She was right, she usually was. He bent his knees, rested on the balls of his feet, and held Murasame at the ready as he had seen Akame do a thousand times before. "I'm ready Sensei."

The smile on her lips was as beautiful as it was deadly, "you are, are you? Then let's test it."

Tatsumi rushed forward and into the worst beating he'd experienced since coming to this world. The smile never left his lips though, the same smile that Ieyasu and Sayo had placed upon it earlier. His Sensei was right. She could beat him however badly she wanted. He would get up again. Fight, struggle, and become stronger. For the sake of his family, Bennia, Sayo, Ieyasu, and everyone else he had ever cared for, or would in the future.

If his suffering here could spare their suffering later, he would gladly embrace it and ask for more.

Author's Note: Unlike the Prologue, this chapter starts heavy and ends on a lighter note and lays some of the foundation stones of Tatsumi's life at Kuoh Academy. Let me know what you think about the chapter in a review! A writer only gets better with constructive feedback from their readers.

Note on Akame Ga Kill characters: Yes, they do all exist in this world. Every. Last. One of them. HOWEVER, they are not their Akame Ga Kill counterparts teleported magically to this world. Nor will they 'spontaneously' receive memories of their 'alternate' lives. Each and every one of them has lived a different life in a different world. Their base personalities will all be the same, but a different lifestyle in a different world will have an effect on what they will become. Some will have their powers retained, some will have those powers in a different form, and others will simply have nothing. For instance, Dorothea is a powerless but certified insane maniac and is currently locked up in a padded room with a straight jacket over in Canada. She's not going to be making an appearance in my story so it's safe to mention that. The Akame Ga Kill characters are also scattered all across the globe and throughout heaven and the underworld which means while some will make an appearance in the future, not everyone will.