"You gave me a scare; both of you."

Wave sat on his knees next to Mine, Tatsumi shivering in relief in front of him.

"I'm not mad, but oh my god; I thought Esdeath had come back for her" Tatsumi finished.

He found he wasn't the only Jaeger to remember Mine. After some explaining from Wave, Tatsumi realized the girl had been aching in Wave's mind ever since that battle.

"I've never agreed with the General's tactics, but what can I say?" Wave had confided; "I'm not much better than she is."

Regardless, Wave took pity on Mine and, while Tatsumi experimented with Stylish, brought her to the closest shelter he could— an abandoned logging cabin at the edge of the mountain.

"There's plenty of trees here, no one from the Capitol will notice if a fire was lit for her" explained Wave.

The cabin's roof collapsed long ago, but Wave had already cleared much of the debris. Vegetation and soil ate up the floor, but Tatsumi helped Wave cut away the thorns and poison ivy.

Mine seemed afraid to look them in the eye; her scowl never faded, but a slight uneasiness had appeared in her movements.

"There's only the question of her health" said Wave. "Neither of us seem to know our way around a broken body like hers."

"Stylish'll help us."

Wave spooned another bite of stolen gruel to Mine, before looking up.

"What?"

"The doctor; Doctor Stylish. Somehow I got him to agree to help Mine."

Wave's brows furrowed.

"I've never trusted that man..."

"I've learned something, Wave" started Tatsumi. "The doctor will do anything for something interesting. Think about it, wouldn't healing an enemy undercover be fun for him?"

Tatsumi explained his deal with Stylish. Wave listened and bit his lip for some moments, thinking. After rubbing a gnat out of his eye, he nodded his head.

"You're right, we can't trust him completely, but he's our best shot. Plus, he's doing this for free, right?"

"As long as I stay his guinea pig for a while, he'll help us."

The two of them made plans to replace the fallen roof with a tarp. A fire could be lit, but without them she couldn't take care of it. However, Winter wouldn't come for another few months, and by then she would be healed.

...

Now that he remembered, Esdeath did mention something about "good news."

An imperial convoy was to leave the Capital within a week holding weaponry, including a few teigus.

"...and we will be escorting it to it's destination, the fabled City of Pain" Esdeath had briefed.

A few nervous glances were exchanged around the room, rebel forces currently held the city under siege. To make things worse, it was far North, where it was always Winter. However, something else was on Tatsumi's mind.

"What the hell is that gonna mean for Mine?"

He tried to silently relay this to Wave from across the table, but his gaze was focused solely on the General.

"This may seem menial for the Jaegers, but let's face it" Esdeath placed her hands on the table, standing; "a few teigus for the taking at once? I'm sure Night Raid will bite at this."

Her eyes briefly met Tatsumi's before he quickly took interest in his fork.

"That's all for now."

Stylish haphazardly raised his hand.

"Question Esdessie."

"Hmm?"

"I'm sure that sniper you captured could tell us if they're targeting the convoy."

"A shame... I went to interrogate her this morning; the ghouls got her first. Something scavenged her away, I wish I'd expected that before..."

Tatsumi's toes clenched; if she was at Mount Fake that morning, she may have seen the gruel barrel he stole.

Wave didn't meet his eyes, but Tatsumi knew he was thinking the same thing; the way Wave bit his lip when worried betrayed a lot.

Stylish fingered his fork, twirling the pasta and smirking in content. Daidara ate hungrily, River glancing from him to Esdeath in disgust. Tatsumi heard his name called, but he was so worried it didn't register. His mind began to stray to how much he needed to hate Esdeath, that she was the cause of this whole mess.

"But she's so beautiful-"

Kurome's hand flicked his hand and he was back in the real world.

"Yes, Esdeath?" he answered, his eyes slowly meeting hers.

"Come to the armory after dinner, there's something I want to show you."

Stylish winked at him, and Tatsumi realized he had been tricked. His head nodded and he stood up.

"I need to use the bathroom."

"Well then go."

Teeth gritted, he strode out the door past a maid, who glanced at him curiously. Stylish was going to pay, he promised himself. That bitch was going to pay for being a rat.

...

The door opened and Stylish smiled; the boy was going to love this.

"You took a while..." observed Esdeath, blushing; "were you...? Never mind..."

He opened a drawer and lifted something out of it, it's cold steel emanating through his gloves. It seemed smothered in honey in the armory's golden electricity.

"Tatsumi, stand here a moment."

Something about the slowness of the boy's footfalls behind put him on guard.

"Now, put your hands out."

"No."

"Fine, since you don't trust me I'll give it to your lady first."

He smirked as the boy's eyes widened, the mouth an o; his face reminded Stylish of one being found innocent on the chopping block.

"New tech's always fun" the doctor stated. "I know you'll like it; had quite a blast making this."

"I-I didn't know..." Tatsumi stammered.

"Didn't know what, baby?" questioned Esdeath, the weapon hanging from her raised hand.

"-nothing."

Esdeath had given the doctor an interesting task soon after he arrived; to make Tatsumi a weapon that would help him acclimate to his teigu.

"Training wheels" she had called it.

Firearm technology had always been tricky during the last ten years, but Stylish thought they would fit the boy's needs very well. A pistol can be used at a good distance; not too far to be cowardly, but not too close to an enemy blade. The pistol was like Goldilocks: just right.

"I had Stylish make some nice tools for the job" she held it toward him. "It's for you."

The boy took it cautiously; he had obviously never handled something so high-tech before. He carried it like Esdeath did, letting it dangle between his thumb and finger.

"What the hell is this?" he asked.

At this Stylish chuckled, watching Esdeath's mouth crescent into an uncharacteristic grin.

"You're so cute Tatsu-bunny!"

Tatsumi struggled against her embrace, dropping the pistol to the floor.

"Sorry- agh! Get off me!"

Stylish picked it up and handed it back, holding it by the barrel.

"Oh no, I didn't break it did I?"

Tatsumi's concern amused him, he found it hard to believe this boy was a killer.

"He's strong when he feels like it" Esdeath had told him before.

As Tatsumi reached toward it, Esdeath still holding his other arm, Stylish held it back.

"On second thought, I need to show you how to use the damn thing."

Esdeath gave him a secretive glance.

"Tatsumi, all guns shoot projectiles. Most you'll see around here shoot...what exactly?"

"...bad guys?"

Esdeath flicked the boy's cheek, chuckling.

"What comes out the gun, Tatsumi?"

"...bullets."

"Exactly. But bullets take time to make, and you've gotta carry them around. Simplest answer is always the best; your gun will shoot no bullets."

Tatsumi's puzzled expression and the realization of how absurd he sounded made Stylish burst out laughing.

"No bullets-" a slight chuckle. "No bullets, you're shooting out ice."

Tatsumi's expression darkened.

"Where's the ice coming from-" he started.

"Just getting to that. You'll hold the magazine-"

The doctor's thumb pressed a button behind the trigger, which released a thin box from the handle.

"...like this."

He held the box in front of him with his other hand.

"You'll do your thing and make ice form inside the magazine (ding!). Slide the clip in-like so, then you're ready to shoot. Hopefully the gunpowder won't shatter the ice; but I think Scar can withstand a little boom, know what I mean?"

Stylish realized why Esdeath had acted so lovingly earlier- if she wasn't holding Tatsumi's arm, the boy would easily walk away.

"You're using the teigu" Esdeath whispered in his ear, giving a lick. "Like it or not."

"Hm."

"Here's a magazine."

Stylish tossed a clip to Tatsumi, who managed to catch it despite being off guard.

"Keep it. Practice forming ice in it whenever you get the chance."

One of the first exercises Esdeath did with her teigu was forming ice in containers; he was sure Tatsumi could do it.

Tatsumi gripped the magazine, its steel pressing against his finger bones. Stylish and Esdeath braced themselves; now was the pinnacle moment.

"Fine."

Tatsumi pocketed the clip.

"I will..."

Both their eyes widened; when it came to the teigu Tatsumi usually put up more of a fight.

"...but on one condition."

Esdeath rolled her eyes but Stylish smiled.

"And what is that?"

"Esdeath needs to respect my wish."

Tatsumi looked at her, watching her face glower down on him.

"Why, you..."

Her eyes never left his, Stylish almost thought she was silently threatening him, as if to say "you'll regret this." But then her head cocked back, laughing.

"Yes, Tatsu-bunny" she answered, tracing a finger down his middle. "...but you better start killing things."

Tatsumi gave a grin that shocked Stylish.

"I might do so."

The doctor couldn't help but chuckle, perhaps the boy's naivety was temporary.

"I can understand now why she likes him so much" he thought. "Seeing him grow into something more would be a satisfying journey indeed."

"There's some more planning to do" stated Esdeath; "I'll take my leave now."

"Yes, yes understood" Stylish replied.

They watched Esdeath climb the stairs toward the palace, the air suddenly becoming less tense and more secretive.

To Stylish's surprise, Tatsumi spoke first.

"We have Mine in a cabin at the edge of Mount Fake."

"...and I told Wave to bring her here; she's in my lab."

"What? Esdeath'll see her! Why didn't you tell me?"

Stylish counted with two fingers.

"One, Wave's smarter, two, he's not taken."

"They'll find Mine if she's in-!"

"Shhhh!"

Nothing but the buzz of electricity followed. Tatsumi began again in a quieter tone.

"They'll find Mine here."

"They won't. My lab contains rooms restricted even to Esdeath. Most of them contain some...unsavory things, but I have the gal in an empty room, with a water faucet and a nice bath. I'll show it to you sometime, you'd like it."

The boy seemed relieved; Tatsumi's apparent sense of justice was almost refreshing for Stylish. Naive he may be, but he definitely had something to him.

"How is she?"

"She's fast asleep. All limbs are in casts or bandages and none of my assistants know about her. Arms are easy, so she should be feeding herself soon."

Tatsumi sighed.

"So...why a gun?"

"Blades are ubiquitous. Guns are not. Blades are boring. Guns are fun."

Tatsumi couldn't help but chuckle.

"Every Jaeger (besides Seyru) so far has used mainly swords" Stylish began. "Swords are nice and have majesty to them, but they're cliche. Plus, a ranged weapon is always nice among a cohort of swords and daggers; I have seen this proven during my travels among southern tribes. Seyru uses her firearms to fantastic effect, so seeing you do so too with an infinite amount of ammo would be wonderful."

Tatsumi's face was unreadable, and this bothered Stylish.

"Is there something wrong my boy?"

"No, nothing. I admit that forcing me to use Scar is a bit troublesome, but..."

Tatsumi put his hand over his breast.

"...somewhere down the line I realized it's wrong to refuse the resources given to you; to do so is acting like a spoiled brat."

Stylish silently told Esdeath her boyfriend was growing. However, something about the boy's words troubled him;he needed to know more.

"Tatsumi...why were you so afraid of Scar in the first place? I know such a transformation is sudden, but...I want to hear the answer from you."

Tatsumi thought a bit, placing a hand on a wooden pillar.

"There's a demon inside me, doctor. That's some scary stuff. But I realized I'm not the only one, doc. And Wave said something too...that I can use this demon for good; to protect people..."

He drew invisible shapes onto the wood, his finger creeping up and down like a forgetful beetle.

"It's naive, I know" he continued; "but I'd like to give that a try."

A gloved hand placed itself on Tatsumi's shoulder.

"Tatsumi" Stylish said. "Don't ever lose that sense of justice. It's more valuable than you may think."

Tatsumi's eyes widened, and his shoulder may have tensed.

"Esdeath is a good woman, and I'm sure she treats you...relatively well. But when she first told me she wanted love, I was deathly afraid her sadism would run off on whatever poor soul she set her fancy to."

Tatsumi nodded determinedly.

"It won't."