Akame Chapter 8: Kill The Government
She leaned her head, letting the hot water fall over her in waves, washing away her grief, aches and problems, but she knew they would all come crawling back like bitter poison. Esdese wanted nothing more than to grab Tatsumi and bring him in this shower with her for a ferocious hour of sex, but she was had work to do, decisions to make and plans to break. She sighed, relieved as the hot water worked its way into her pores and muscles. She began to calculate, think, deduce and subtract things in her mind, a brainstorm of revolutions, love and betrayal, which seemed to mix well with the constant violence, blood and death that had lurked in her mind ever since drinking the Demons Extract, perhaps earlier, when she had killed her first danger beast with her father.
'I love him ... He is the one true thing I care for, he wants to change the government, I think the minister is a fat weak fool who uses others to win, he does not belong in a world of strength. The emperor is but a weak spoiled child, he is not a warrior nor a true leader, he also does not belong'
But another part of her mind screamed in protest 'Traitor! You serve the empire and what is an empire without its emperor ?'
"Ours for the taking ..." she whispered
'No! You are a general in the Imperial army, you serve the empire and safeguard it, will you tear it down by rising against them?' Her loyalty asked
'But you love Tatsumi, and he believes you can change this world, he loves and trust's you ...' Her love replied
'Tatsumi is not your emperor, Tatsumi is a peasant from a stick village and a traitor to the empire. A revolutionary assassin' Her Loyalty sneered
"He's past that now... I'm past that now.." She said, silencing the arguments in her head.
She began to write, sketching through the fogged glass pane. She wrote a long list of names, reading them allowed as she marked them, some names made her angry and some names made her sad, but all would become targets, allies or enemies depending on her decision she had to make. She marveled at the list, which read several names.
"General Budou, he won't be easy to beat" She paused then rubbed a finger over the name, the act more than symbolizing
"The Minister, a walk in the part" She crossed the name out instantly
"The Emperor ... just a puppet" She thought for a moment and left it clear, for now at least
"Syura, he's going to be trouble for all of us" She crossed him out as if slitting his throat with only her finger
"Najenda ...Najenda ...She speaks for Night Raid, she is still an enemy ... but aren't I doing what she wants ?" She crossed out half of the name
"Tatsumi ... sheesh" She drew a love heart around his name
"Revolutionary army ... Still enemies, they might as well stay it" She crossed their name out, still feeling unsure of herself.
Esdese stepped back and marveled at her list, as if it had become a 180 degree turn, she found more enemies than allies. Now her mind focussed on the allies she already had, would the Jaegers help her ? Kurome would serve Esdese, Seryu would most likely not. Bols and Ran were unknown to her, it was a risky she may have to take. Bols would oblige if his family was guaranteed safe, Ran seemed to have his own motives in joining the Jaegers, perhaps his goals were similar to Tatsumi's. She sighed and wiped her hand across the foggy pane, all names erased
"A Coup D'etat then ... I will break the empire and pick up the pieces ...why ? Love ? Personal gain ?" she figured it was the first aspect more than likely
She turned the shower off and dried her hair, stepping into the bedroom naked and enlightened. Tatsumi looked up, gasped lightly and greedily drank up her appearance. His worries and her worries for the night were both eased, although Wave's death would hang over all o their hearts for months to come. She climbed on the bed, slipping under the duvet and exhaustively collapsed on top of Tatsumi's chest. He let out a whoop of air, sneered then laughed with her amusingly. She climbed further up his body, her lips to his ear.
"A part of me hates what you have done to me, But I love you for it ... You win this time, I'll do it" She whispered
He sat up, startled by what she had just said "D...Do what !?" He asked, eyes wide
"I'll change this empire ... We'll change it Toge-"
His lips were already pressed to hers, pulling back and kissing her cheeks and down her neck, where a pleasant throb took form, there was utter joy in his eyes and heart, his words had reached her.
"Thank you so much, Esdese ... This is the right thing to do, for the future!" He rejoiced
She waved her hand off "You want me to forsake my career and try overthrow the emperor and the grand general"
He sighed "I know ... I owe you a lot" He paused then smirked "I intend to pay that back"
His hand sliding beneath the covers to her soft legs, his fingers tracing their smoothness like a cartographer to a map. His fingers finding, identifying and pleasuring the throb that covered her face in a deep blush. She rocked her head back and closed her eyes, feeling her nerves take her on a journey to pure bliss and pleasure euphoria. Minutes later her fingers buried into the bed as it became too much to bear. But he intended to spoil and pamper her, rewarding and thanking her for everything she might potentially give up, all for his love, which he happily returned her.
Kurome poured more tea, a cup for herself and a cup for her new guest, who sat coldly at the small table without expression, let alone a pulse. But she did not care, she enjoyed his company as if he truly were still alive. She sipped at her tea and sighed, and to think only minutes ago she was grieving, she did not understand why the others were sad, it's not like Wave was gone after all.
"More tea, Wave ?" She smiled warmly
The husk of their deceased comrade nodded. She knew the tea served no purpose or nourishment to him, but with all her puppets, his instincts from his past life still remained, everything had been torn away from him when his life had come to its end. She popped a snack into her mouth, feeling the instant relief as the drug restored her stamina and kept her alive and healthy for that much longer, what had worried her the most was the fact that each year she felt as if the effects of the medicine were growing weaker, as if she were adjusting to it.
She shook her head "It's rude of me to think of such bleak things, especially with guests!"
The table was silent, but the thirteen dead puppets of slain humans only nodded and sipped their tea, as if afraid to do otherwise, among the dead were warriors, mercenaries, barons, merchants and even generals, her personal collection. Kurome giggled to herself, transfixed by her company, she did not notice Ran watching her through the crack of the door. He backed away from the door and headed down the hallway, scrawling notes down in his journal, the words 'Unstable Mentality' underlined. Ran did not know if he should tell Esdese or let it slide, what she was doing was unhealthy and a little disturbing, but could the Jaegers make do without her ? He thought not.
"If I am to change this empire, she may become my enemy ... there is something about those snacks she eats, as if she is addicted"
He jotted down the thesis and closed the book, soon after closing his bedroom door on the dreadful night.
Najenda kissed him on the forehead and snuck out, word of their love would no doubt get out, but she preferred to keep it as secretive as possible, not out of shame but out of great love for Lubbock, if the public knew of their connection, Lubbock's bounty might double and he might be in more danger during missions. She had decided to sleep in her own bed, and hope their sex had not been as loud as it was enjoyable. She entered the darkness of her chambers, startling at the shadowy figure that perched on the windowsill, relaxing when she realized it was a messenger hawk, no doubt from the Revolutionary army. She crossed the room and pulled a thin strip of raw meat, trading the meat with the bird for the envelope around its ankle.
She read the note attached to the envelope. feeling her heart sink, then shrivel in her chest. Had it happened all over again ?
The note was coded, but she read it with ease
'We've received another body, we have reason to believe it's one of yours. A young Woman, pink hair and pale skin with A Night Raid poster in her toothless mouth. The rest is too disturbing to describe, badly mutilated. Message back orders and possible postage of the remains if you require them for further analysis. We have shown no one, not even our superiors, out of respect'
"Chelsea ..." Najenda murmured, her fingers trembling.
She drew a quill from her desk and wrote below the note
'Send the remains to rendezvous point Whiskey Nine. I will send a subordinate to perform a field autopsy and bury the body at the site, thank you for your discretion, please keep it a secret and burn this letter after'
She tied it to the hawk and sent it off, she would send Susanoo to meet them and gather what information he can from Chelsea's body, if it was indeed her. She decided Night Raid did not need to know of this, not yet at least, it would only demoralize them and it would strike a heavy blow to their emotions, which were already at a staggering low. She lit a cigarette, took a long drag that almost burned it away to the roach then tossed it out the window. She headed for the door, intending to stop at Susanoo's quarters and send him off on his task, then she would return and pray for any form of sleep.
She stopped then bit her lip "Ah fuck it ..."
She decided she would sleep in Lubbock's bed after all, and if he was awake and noticed the distress in her voice and face she would tell him the truth, and they would mourn together.
Morning came, climbing the horizon like a golden spider and spinning web of light through Esdese's windows. The two were already awake however, her head rested against his shoulder, her finger twirling and caressing his chest as they watched the sunrise. As he yawned, her lips found his neck with longing ease, she yawned cutely between each kiss. Tatsumi smirked and flicked her forehead. She snarled and rubbed at it annoyingly
"You should not have stayed up so late then" Tatsumi joked
She was on top of him in an instant, her hands clasped around his neck lightly, vicious play in her eyes "And who's to blame for that ?"
"M...Me!" He wheezed between her slender fingers
"That's right" She stated, leaning down to kiss him. Her lips felt like cold velvet, raising the hair on his arms and steadying the throb in his groin
"S...So what are the plans for today ?" He said, breathlessly as she began to lick his face, a little more affectionately than normal
"Whatever you like! Until late afternoon that is, we can do whatever you like" She said, her hinting more than obvious
Tatsumi smirked "Anything huh..."
She nodded "Anything for you, my love" she cooed
He had only been strangled today, which had only been done softly, something was definitely out of the ordinary. It was as if she was acting overly nice for an ulterior reason. Tatsumi felt like a pampered cat, something was definitely off here. He looked for a hidden set of handcuffs or a steel collar that she would no doubt clamp on him, or dangerous robes that he would be tied to the bed with. He saw no such tools of masochism and felt relief, but growing distrust for the situation. Yes it was true, he had probably given her the child she wanted, he had defeated Chelsea in order to avenge their comrade, and he had also survived Incurio's rejection, but still he could not figure out why she was being so nice. She giggled at his confusion
"Are you thinking about what you want to do with me ?" she smirked, her finger pinching his right nipple greedily.
He winced then shook his head "Why are you treating me so greatly this morning, of all mornings we have" He asked
"It's nothing" she said, distractedly.
"Esdese ..." he pursued
"Nothing" she replied, almost too quickly
"Esey..." He pouted
She bit her lip and sighed, he noticed her teary eyes and ceased his smile "Today, I have that Alchemist coming to help with Incuriso"
"You aren't afraid of her are you ?"
She shook "No...I'm afraid of the operation"
He did not have to ask her what she meant or what could go wrong, he lifted her chin to his "I'm not dying, not on you, not on anyone. You hear me?"
She stared for a moment then lightly smiled, wiping at her eyes "Y..Yes, you're right ... it will go fine"
He smiled, kissed her, then drew back with a wider grin "You wanted to spoil me before the operation, didn't you ?" Tatsumi teased
She nodded, blushing faintly "Decided on anything yet ?" she winked
"My sword, we could play around a bit, no ?"
"Ooh ?"
Her hand went below the covers and ceased him, her whole hand grasping his hardness and her eyes grasping his attention. She ran her finger up and down it's surface. Stopping as Tatsumi shook his head, grinning all the while.
"I...I meant my real sword...haha" He blushed
"You want to spar ? What confidence you have..." she said with a vicious grin
"I don't need confidence to beat you, I'm eager to test you" He returned the grin
She did not show her worry, and decided to play things safe "Let's make it interesting, no Teigu's"
"What's an ice queen without her ice ?" He jested
"More than enough to beat up, drag away, tie down and screw her opponent" She replied
"I like one of those options"
"A pity ... I like them all, and I intend to do them all"
"When shall we begin ?" Tatsumi asked
"How about now ?" she said, drawing her blade from beneath their pillow
"EEEEH !?" Tatsumi screamed
Susanoo emerged from the treeline into the clearing, where a small camouflaged tent had been pitched. He waved to the two posted guards, who simply glared at his size and horns. He smiled and pulled the documentation from his jacket pocket, passing it to the guard who opened it, nodded then opened the tent for Susanoo. avoiding eye contact with him. But most of all, avoiding the gruesome sight inside the tent, which would make any hardened warrior cringe. Susanoo, a Teigu not a human, only stepped inside and closed the tent behind him. Studying over Chelsea's mutilated body.
Her eyelids were removed, her breasts removed, her fingers removed, her teeth removed with the Night Raid poster jammed between her pale lips. He examined the ragged hole in her chest, the stab wound that had ended her life. He moved closer to the body, searching inside the wound and into her body, feeling for a cracked rib. He cocked his head and pulled a thin sliver of steel, moving to the portable basin across the room to rinse it clean. Normally it would seem to be a piece of metal, perhaps a piece of the murdering blade. But Susanoo saw and felt things differently, he was a Teigu feeling the power and presence of another Teigu. If he searched her body more, he would find perhaps a few more pieces of a chipped sword, a blade that had seen many battles and perhaps fought alongside him.
Susanoo sighed "We were nakama, weren't we ?"
He lifted the hawk from its cage, and began to write the letter that would condemn his friend.
Her blade arced, cutting through the bed posts and cutting the smallest strand of hair from his head. He rolled off the bed ceasing his blade from under the bed before he had even hit the ground. He hoisted the blade and lunged into her next strike, which came crashing down on his own blade like a hammer to an anvil. The force shook him, staggering his stance and breaking his composure. Esdese rolled beneath his legs, kicking the back of his knee in as she slid past. He collapsed to the ground, ceasing her leg and throwing her back on to the bed. Their grinning pained faces passing each other, granting them a millisecond kiss on the lips, then they were fighting again. Tatsumi did not intend on losing to her, if there was even a scrap of dominance to be earned, he would fight tooth and nail for it.
She lunged forward, blade pointed outward like a spear he parried the blow with a brisk swipe to the left, her left fist connecting with his jaw, her first attack was a diversion it seemed. Tatsumi felt his feet lift off the ground as her immense strength threw him off-balance and lifted him slightly in the air like a child throwing a rag doll. He collided with the wall, his feet pressed to the wall to absorb the shock, which he converted into raw power, using it to spring of the wall and tackle her over around the waist, his blade pressed to her neck and a wider grin across his face
"Easy" He mused
"Not so" She replied, grasping his butt cheeks and tossing him over her in an arch.
He lost grip of his blade, recovering on the other side of the room only to find Esdese wielding both Tatsumi's and her own swords. with one in each hand she crossed them like an enormous pair of scissors. Tatsumi searched the room for another blade, but saw none. She was striding towards him now, her eyes blazing with blue fire. He looked to the chair next to him, threw it into the air, then kicked it at her like a sport. Her arms were a flash of movement, then were still. The chair exploding in a rain of splinters and torn fabric. One of the wooden projectiles, which seemed to Tatsumi like knives, pinned into a nearby wall. He then realized, the two of them were naked, he blushed.
"Is this okay ... to be naked I mean"
"An excuse for the weak, you and I aren't week" She mused, passing him his blade.
"Very well..." he replied, catching it one handed.
He charged at her, meaning to shoulder her into the nearby wall, she darted to the left and avoided his charge, leaping off the wooden desk and onto his back, her legs wrapped around his neck, meaning to choke him into submission. But Tatsumi would not allow such a dexterous act to bring him down, he turned to the bed and jumped onto it backwards, letting Esdese and the mattress absorb all of the shock. Their blades clattered to the floor, her legs around his waist, her breasts in his hand they glared at each other, then broke out into grins.
"Not now" Tatsumi teased
"You're no fun.." Esdese teased back, slapping him across the face.
"Is that so ?"
Tatsumi shifted his wait and rolled them over, now he sat atop her, his hand caressing her throat, ready to choke if she resisted. He had not secured her feet or legs however. She pressed her feet to his abdomen and pushed up with all her strength. Had Tatsumi not been a strong muscle clad warrior himself, all of his ribs would have been broken. Instead however, he was sent through the ceiling and onto the roof. Naked, outside and a little afraid, Tatsumi flailed for purchase of the roofing tiles. His feet sliding under the tiled slate roof. Esdese leaped through the hole in the roof, her blade gleaming in the sun rise. Tatsumi reached for his own blade, then realizing it was cast aside a level down. He stepped backward with each step she took forward, now weaponless he had no idea how he could win this.
"Do you concede ? I'll be gentle...ish... when I claim my reward" She snickered
Tatsumi shook his head "I'm not giving up so easily!"
He rolled to the right, ceasing the Weathervane and snapping it off its stand. The steel rooster seemed to spin in protest, or perhaps that was just the wind. Esdese cocked an eyebrow and laughed, she admired his resourcefulness. She dived forward, her blade ringing and bouncing off the steel decoration as if it were a true blade of its own. Tatsumi snarled and pushed her forward, pinning her blade inside the lettering of the Weathervane, and sending the two of them falling off the roof and into the gardens below. The front window that looked out into the gardens was not vacant. Kurome, Seryu and Ran gaped openly at the battle nudes.
"W...What ...Are they...What..." Seryu gawked
"It's ...best not to ask" Ran said, his face buried in his palm.
Esdese slammed her blade down hard, severing the rooster from its vane. Leaving only a thin steel rod that looked puny in his hands. Tatsumi screamed and bolted into the garden maze behind him, diving through the hedge wall, breaking the rules of maze walking. Esdese grinned at the new hunting opportunity and charged in after him, her grin as sharp and fierce as the blade she carried. Tatsumi dove from one row to another, trying to cover his tracks as he disappeared into the attraction. He reached what seemed to be the center of the maze. A wide hot spring that bubbled and hissed with steam, he decided it would be a good place to hide. The steam was thick like the clouds of a blue sky. He felt her approaching, looking for a place to hide, he began to panic. There was no rock or tree to climb, and she was only drawing closer with each moment passed. He held his breath and dove stepped into the spring, submerging in the warm bubbling water.
Through the wavering surface, her could see her enter the clearing, look both ways, then seem to leave. If he wern't holding his breath, he would sigh in relief. Instead he waited another minute longer, then decided the coast would be clear. Tatsumi did not emerge of his own will however, it was the strong hand that ceased his throat and lifted him from the spring that rose him from its depths. As he emerged, his nose flicked past a pair of large breasts, then her was face to face with his love. Esdese snickered, Tatsumi sighed and tried to regain his breath.
"You're playing on my home territory, I had won the moment you challenged me, but ... I did have fun" she grinned
"No fun ..." He gasped
"Very fun" she reassured him, licking up his neck and dropping him back in the spring.
She dove in after him, the two of them rising to the surface in each others arms. She pushed him against the stone wall of the spring, her tongue and teeth nibbling and caressing his neck, both pleasuring and viciously. She forced his hands of the side, made him grasp the outlining stones, then climbed on top of him, forcing herself onto him in more ways than one, He winced then groaned.
Her hand about his throat, she moved her lips to his ear "I told you I'd be gentle... Forgive me Tatsumi, It was probably a lie"
"You won, you can have me any way you like" He pouted, feeling defeated.
"Like I said ... I intend to"
She wrapped both arms around his neck and began to bounce of him, instead of resisting, her pushed back. Their bodies parting and closing together in the low gravity of underwater love. Her fingers clawed into the skin of his back, he gritted his teeth and thrust harder. Moving his mouth down her collarbone to his breasts, he gently bit her breast. He could not tell if it was painful or pleasurable, or perhaps both. But she moaned harder now, slamming herself onto him, her legs clasped behind his back as they rocked together. She moaned softly his name, hoping to make each syllable are pleasing as she could, her insides filling with warm steel that made her body quake and thrum. He clenched his teeth, tightened his grip on her and released in a finishing spasm. She onto him, blushed face and ragged breath against his neck as they sat together, letting the morning sun warm their backs in a moment that is serene and peaceful.
Najenda sipped at her Iced Tea, Susanoo may not be here to make lunch, but Najenda believed she made a pretty damned good Iced Tea. The rest of Night Raid sat at the table, eating quietly or lightly chatting to one another reading the news paper. The chair in the far corner empty, Tatsumi's usual spot. It seemed to beckon to them all, but they avoided looking at it, as if trying hard to forget he was gone. Akame was not eating her meat with the usual gusto, it was strange. Najenda met Lubbock's faint smile from across the table, she winked and returned the smile. Leone caught the exchange from the corner of her eye and covered her smile with her hand. A steady coo came from the windowsill, they turned to regard their new guest
"The messenger hawk, who sent it ?" Lubbock asked
Najenda had entered his room last night, and slipped in next to him without waking him, only she knew who had sent it "Susanoo ..."
Mine cocked an eyebrow "Were you expecting this ? explains why he is not up"
Najenda nodded, stroking the bird's head and opening the letter, she sat down and began to read "I sent him on a mission this morning"
The letter read 'It was Chelsea, I'm sorry for your loss Najenda' Susanoo had written
Her hands tightened on the letter, the members of Night Raid stopped eating and looked worried, she continued reading
'She was stabbed by a blade, small fragments of the blade had chipped off in her rib cage, which leads me to believe the blade was damage or has seen a great deal of fighting before coming into contact with Chelsea. The blade gave off a familiar presence that I suppose only a Teigu could sense. I studied long and hard on the power laced into the small fragments, I felt Incursio within the small fragments. The steel also matches the same kind found in Tatsumi's blade. We have been betrayed, Chelsea was killed by Tatsumi'
With the last few words, Najenda clenched her teeth, fighting off the urge to scream and drive her arm through the table. Instead of exploding, she flicked the letter onto the table, it slid down the table to her team and stopped. She lifted a cigarette from her pack and lifted it to her lips, only to drop it with a shaking hand.
They were already reading the letter now, Najenda sighed and said seven words she hoped to never speak.
"It's set in stone, Tatsumi must die"
Authors Note:
There we are folks !
It's set in stone now eh ;D
Now for the confrontation you guys have been asking for, its on the way!
When writing chapters, I'm never sure when its going to be out but I try my hardest to do it as soon as I can.
What do you guys think ?
Review and let me know
Thanks a bunch guys!
~Phillip