Kill the Authority: Tatsumi 2(Part 2)
I was soundly sleeping in my room; finally able to fully enjoy the sensation of sleeping in an actual bed. As I slept, I never noticed Akame silently sneak into my room. The dark-haired girl walked up my bed, and gently began to shake my sleeping body. But instead of waking up, I groaned and simply rolled over in my sleep. Releasing a light sigh, Akame grabbed my mattress and flipped it over. I was immidiately sent hurdling onto the floor with a loud crash.
"What the hell!?" I screamed, throwing the mattress off my back. After getting dressed, I quickly and quietly made my way down to the training grounds. When I arrived, I found that Akame was waiting for me. The dark-haired girl appeared to be doing some stretches. I couldn't help but stare at the beautiful girl, as she went through her various movements.
"If you're done staring we can get started." Akame's voice jolted me out of my thoughts of how she would handle against Netherrealm forces.
"S-So, what are we doing f-first?" I asked, trying to control my raging blush from being caught staring.
"We're going for a run." Akame replied, doing some final leg stretches.
"That's all, we're just gonna go for a run?" I asked in a confused tone(We didn't do that the first time around).
"How do you think I can run so fast. I've done dozens of speed exercises, and I always started with a morning run." Akame explained, as she entered into a sprinter's stance. "However, we won't have to do this anymore after you can do one thing."
"And that is?" I asked, walking up next to Akame.
"Catch me." As soon as the words left Akame's mouth, the girl took off down the path ahead. In a matter of seconds Akame was already almost a hundred yards in front of me.
"H-Hey!" I screamed, as I quickly raced after the sprinting assassin. No matter how fast I ran, Akame always seemed to get farther and farther ahead of me. The my legs were burning, as I tried my absolute best to at least keep Akame in view. I chased after Akame through the winding forest; racing past trees and fallen logs. Akame appeared to almost be a blur, as she sprinted through down her usual trail. After almost a half hour, Akame finally came to a stop. Akame looked like she had barely broken a sweat; I, on the other hand, looked as if I was about to die at a moments notice. Iwas panting heavily, and my clothes were drenched in sweat. "*Pant* I...at least *Pant* managed to keep...you in *Pant* view...that whole time..."
"That's because I wasn't running as fast as I could." Akame said, causing my eyes to widen. "But after today's performance, I know we still have lot of work to do." Akame walked past me, down the path we had just ran down. "Let's head back. The next part of your training will begin once we reach the training grounds."
"Uh...Akame." I called out, getting the dark-haired girl's attention, before I collapsed onto the ground in a comical manner. "I...I don't think I can walk."
"*Sigh* I'll help you then." Akame said, supporting me against her shoulder. "We have even more work to do than I thought."
Two Hours Later; Night Raid's Kitchen
"We'll need to increase our skills so that we can rise through the army's ranks."
"If we become familiar with these ingredients, we can avoid food shortages."
"Ieyasu...I'm so glad you and I learned how to cook." I thought, as I chopped up some vegetables. After my grueling morning training with Akame, which consisted of evasive and swordsmanship training after our morning run, Akame informed me that I'd be helping her preparing Night Raid's meals. "Thanks to it..."
"MORE PLEASE!" A sudden exclamation from behind caused Ieysayu's—who was also helping—left eye to twitch in annoyance.
"I'm being treated like a cook instead of an assassin!" He thought angrily, as he dished out a second helping to the waiting Night Raid members. "Damn it. Even though I'm an assassin now, I'm stuck with kitchen duty."
"It can't be helped." Akame, now wearing a pink apron, said as she popped a grape into her mouth. "I'm in charge of cooking at the base, so it's only natural that you help me while I'm training you."
"Tch, you're only the cook, so you can eat all the samples you want." Ieysayu pointed out with a deadpanned expression.
"That's not true." Akame said, popping another grape in her mouth.
"You're not doing a great job of convincing him." I said, as I returned to cutting vegetables.
"Pffft, nice apron Tatsumi." Mine laughed, causing my grip on the knife to loosen.
"What did you say?!" Ieysayu exclaimed, as we both whipped around to face Mine. However, I stopped when I saw everyone gathered around the pinkette. "What's going on? Are you guys heading out?"
"Yeah, we got a new assignment. So we're heading off to the capital." Mine explained, placing her hands on her hips.
"Thanks for looking after the base for us." Sheele said with a warm smile.
"I'm not the damn maid!" Ieysayu exclaimed in a pissed off tone.
"Haha, the newbies and Akame are watching the house!" Mine laughed, as she pointed at us. "Having fun cutting up carrots all day!" With a wave, Mine and the other Night Raid members left the room. "Ta ta!"
My train of thought was interrupted when my memory of Mine flashed in my mind.
"What are you saying? I'm already on the winning side. I love you."
"Damn it, I wish you could show me your nice side more often Mine. I know it's in there somewhere." I thought, as a my eyes filled with sadness. "You may be a bitch to me sometimes, but I still don't want you to die. Something...something happens between us that makes you fall in love with me. And that feeling is mutual." I then glanced over Akame, who was busy washing dishes. As I gazed at Akame, I remembered my memory of her as well.
"You promised me! You said you'd survive!"
"Then there's Akame." I pondered, as I set my knife down. "I don't want to see her cry; I made her cry before, it's not a good sight." I sighed, and leaned against the counter. "What am I going to do?"
"Tatsumi." Akame called my name. "Can you help me with these dishes?"
"Sure thing Akame." I answered, as I began to dry the dishes. The two of us cleaned the plates and other dishes in a comfortable silence for a few minutes. I didn't know why, but I always felt calmer and more relaxed around Akame. Even though we had only met recently in this timeline, I already felt I had a strong bond of friendship with the girl.
"Tatsumi, can I ask you a question?" Akame asked, finally breaking our silence.
"Lucky!" Ieysayu was disappointed, and jealous.
"Yeah, sure thing Akame." I replied, as I finished drying off another plate.
"When we first met you thought you had seen me before, or that we had previously met...Can you explain why you though that?" Akame asked, stopping and turning to fully face me.
I had frozen stiff when I heard Akame ask this. I have never been a good liar, and I knew Akame would likely see through any fibs I came up with.
"Look. I wish it were easy enough to put simply, but it's absolutely convoluted."
"If you ever want to talk with Tatsumi, I'll make time for you." Akame said, as she took off her apron. "Now come on, it's time for the next part of your training."
"What are we doing now?" I asked, tossing off my own apron.
"We're going hunting." Akame replied, as she lead me out of Night Raid's base.
10 Minutes Later; Mountains to the South of Night Raid's Hidden Base:
"Hey, Akame we're getting really far from the hideout." I pointed out, glancing back at the sprawling mountains behind us. "Is it really alright for us to be out this far?"
"We'll be fine if we go a little deeper into the mountains. Actually we should be there in a few minutes." Akame said, as she pushed through the bushes in front of her, and stepped into clearing with a pristine isolated river and waterfall. "See, we're here."
"Wow. This place is really beautiful, Akame." I said, not noticing that Akame was stripping out of her clothes behind me. "How did you find this place?"
"I stumbled across it while I was hunting for supplies one day." Akame replied, as she tossed off her shirt. "Now hurry up, we're going to kill some river prey."
"What're you...WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" I exclaimed, as I covered my eyes from Akame. The dark-haired girl had shed her clothes, and was now dressed in a small white bikini. "Oh, you're wearing a swimsuit." I was relieved.
"I need to be able to move fast in the water." Akame explained, walking over to a small ledge overlooking the river. "So I shed all unnecessary clothing."
"Oh...that makes sense then." I thought, as I suddenly felt stupid for overreacting.
"We'll be hunting for Elegant Tuna. There's a lesson in all of this." Akame said, before she dove into the water.
"But...aren't those the rare monster fish that are super caut-" I was cut off when several Elegant Tuna burst out of the water, and landed in Akame's wicker basket. "What the heck!? Is she fishing with dynamite or something?!" Moments later, Akame resurfaced for a quick breath of air.
"You must dive to the bottom of the river, and make your presence completely unknown. Then when you prey is close you strike. You'll need to make snap decisions. Can you handle it?" Akame explained, before diving back under the water.
"Bring it on!" I exclaimed, ripping off my shirt and diving into the water after Akame.
Later That Night; Back at Night Raid's Base:
"So..." Najenda said, taking a bite out of her Elegant Tuna. "In the end Tatsumi managed to catch eight...That's very impressive for your first time."
"Hey..." Leone said, nudging me with her elbow. "Is it true that you ripped off your shirt, and yelled 'bring it on!'?" MY face flushed red in embarassment, as Leone leaned in closer. A shiver ran down the my spine, when the busty blonde whispered into my ear. "Because if it, maybe you can give me a preview in private later."
"That's enough teasing, Leone." Najenda said, grinning at my madly blushing self. "The poor kid looks like he's about to pass out."
"I'm not teasing." Leone whispered, as she gave me one last sultry wink before she went back to eating her food. After hearing that, I turned so red, that my face was the same color as Akame's eyes.
"So Akame, how did Tatsumi do on his first day of training with you?" Najenda asked, turning to face the dark-haired girl.
"He's still a little green..." Akame said, as she stared at the Elegant Tuna head in her hands. "But Tatsumi is a very quick learner, and I have no doubt that he'll make a great assassin."
"That's great to hear." Najenda said, setting down her chopsticks. "Leone, tell me about your assignment from the other day."
"Our target is Ogre, from the capital's garrison, and an oil merchant named Gamal." Leone explained, as she clasped her hands on top of the table. "According to the client Ogre's been accepting very large bribes from Gamal. Apparently every time Gamal commits a crime, Ogre uses someone else as a scapegoat. The client's fiancé was framed for one these crimes, and put to death. He managed to overhear Ogre and Gamal while in prison, and managed to send out a letter explaining everything to her. Here's what she's paying for the job." Leone pulled out a sack full of money, and tossed it on the table.
"Wow, she sured saved up a lot." I said, staring at the pile of coins in front of me.
"I could smell a sexual transmitted disease on her." Leone said in a dark tone, as her fists clenched tightly. "She probably made that money by selling her body to any sleaze bag who would pay for it."
"Damn...she must've been desperate."
"Have you confirmed all the facts, and proved the client's claims?" Najenda asked, lightning a new cigarette.
"Yes, they're both guilty of the crimes the client mentioned." Leone replied, as she took a calming breath. "I overheard Gamal and Ogre discussing their dirty dealings from the attic over his oil shop."
"Okay." Najenda said, taking a quick drag from her cigarette. "Night Raid with accept the contract. Our new nation won't need treacherous scum like Ogre and Gamal. Deliver divine punishment upon them."
"It'll be a cinch to take down Gamal, but..." Leone said, as she began to rub her chin. "Ogre is a completely different story. He's been nicknamed the 'demon' because of his skills with a blade. Criminals around the capital know to fear him. He's usually seen with his band of lackeys. Beyond that, he usually spends most of his time in the guard house. The bribes he takes from Gamal are conducted in his private quarters. On his days off, he never strays too far from the garrison...and he usually drinks on the main street near the palace."
"Looks like our only shot is on his days off." I said, earning a nod from Najenda.
"But security around the palace is extremely tight, so we can't send Akame on this job. Her face is plastered all over wanted posters scattered around the capital." Najenda said, as she released a light sigh.
"Couldn't we just wait for Mine and the others to get back?" Akame suggested, as she looked at Najenda for approval.
"But we have no idea when they'll be finished with their job." Leone pointed out, leaning back in her seat.
"In that case..." I said, as I slammed my open hand down onto the table. "We have to carry out the mission by ourselves!"
"So, you're saying you'll take out Ogre?" Najenda asked with an amused smirk.
"*Sigh* Yes, I'll go after Ogre. Akame and Leone can take out Gamal." I said, causing Najenda to quirk an eyebrow.
"Well they don't know what I look like either, but you said you wanted to take out Ogre." Leone said with a shrug of her shoulders. "I want to see what you can really do Tatsumi. Prove to me that you can handle this on your own."
"Tatsumi..." Akame said, getting the young man's attention. When I looked at Akame, I could swear I saw worry briefly flash through her blood-red eyes. "I'll admit that you're very skilled...but the way you are right now, you won't be able to take Ogre down."
"I appreciate your concern Akame, but while we're just sitting here discussing our options...there might be more people being falsely accused by these bastards, right? So we really don't have time to wait." I said with a determined look in my eyes. "Don't worry about me, I'll kill Ogre." my eyes suddenly became filled with sadness, as I gazed at the table. "I don't want anybody else to suffer...or have their loved ones stolen from them so meaninglessly."
"Alright, it's settled then. I must say I admire your determination, Tatsumi." Najenda said with a grin, leaning forward in her chair. "You take out Ogre."
"Well said, Tatsumi!" Leone cheered, wrapping her arm around my neck, again, and pressing the side of my face into her breasts. "I love your resolve!"
"Leone and Akame, you heard Tatsumi. You both will take out Gamal." Najenda ordered, earning a nod from the both of them.
"Well, I guess I'll get ready and report back to you when I'm done." I said, as I walked out of the room to prepare for my mission.
"Just please come back in one piece Tatsumi." Both Leone and Akame thought, watching me leave the room. This wasn't missed by Najenda. Night Raider's leader had a small smirk on her face, as she put out her cigarette.
"Looks like they've both taken a liking to our little Tatsumi." Najenda thought, gazing at Leone and Akame with an amused look. "This oughtta be fun to watch."
The Next Night; Streets of the Capital:
"If you go straight down here, you'll eventually be on the main street." Leone said, as she pointed at the road that was in front of me.
"Alright, I got it!" I exclaimed, clenching my fists in determination.
"Tatsumi...before you go...let me tell you a little bit about Akame's past." Leone said, immidiately gaining my full attention.
"This is my chance to learn more about Akame again. I don't remember much, but I might be able to better help her overcome her inner demons, if I know more about her past." I thought, paying full attention to what Leone had to say.
"When Akame was real little, she was sold to the empire along with her younger sister. I mean, it's pretty common for poor parents to sell their children." Leone explained, causing a sad look to spread across my face.
"So even as a child she had to endure such hardships." I thought, slightly clenching my fists.
"She then got accepted into a training program for assassins, along with other kids that were in the same boat as her. There she learned how to kill...and survived horrendous circumstances. She lived that way, carrying out any orders the empire gave her. She was a full-fledged cold-hearted assassin..." Leone continued, sending a chill up my spine. "But after each mission, Akame could feel the empire's dark intentions a little more...She was eventually given a mission to take out the boss, Akame was persuaded by her, however...Akame turned her back on the empire, and joined the revolutionary army that actually cared about its people. Most of the comrades she's grown up with..."
"What about her sister?" I asked suddenly, surprising Leone.
"Akame doesn't really like to talk about her sister." Leone said, as she rubbed the back of her head. "But, all I know is that she's still working with the empire."
"That means..." I said, as my eyes widened in realization.
"Yes. Akame even left her little sister behind." Leone said in a saddened tone. "Well...you better get going. You don't want to miss your chance to take out Ogre."
"Okay." I said, as I turned and started to walk down the street. "I'll see you and Akame later."
"Good luck Tatsumi, and happy killing!" Leone called out, before she left to meet up with Akame.
"Akame...I can't believe you had to leave your sister...the pain must be so hard to deal with...No, wait. I didn't want to believe...I won't give up on you Akame. I'll help you in any way I can." I thought, as I threw up my coat hood and began to scope out my target.
Brothel; Two Miles West of the Capital
"Man!" Gamal exclaimed, wiping some sweat off his brow. The disgusting looking man adjusted his robes, as he walked back to his room. "I feel so much better after taking a leak. I think I'll have that whore get me off one more time before I go."
"Sure thing." A low voice said from the shadows next to Gamal. "I'll get you off this mortal world." Before Gamal could react a pair of extremely arms wrapped around his neck; holding him in place. The man struggled to turn his head, to see who was strangling him. "I got you now you sick fuck." Gamal's eyes widened in shock when he felt a blade pierce his stomach. The last thing Gamal saw before he died was a pair of blood-red eyes staring into his very soul. Leone chuckled as she dropped the Gamal's corpse onto the ground. "The bastard should be happy, he got two sexy babes at once!"
"I wonder how Tatsumi's doing against his target..." Akame said, as she wiped her blade off on Gamal's dead body. "I hope he's okay."
Main Street; Empire's Capital:
"Ah! Nothing beats an a drink after a good lengthy interrogation." Ogre said, walking down the capital's main street. The massive man grinned, as he several people waved to him.
"Master Ogre." One of the people called out. "You did an excellent job the other day. Thank you so much for your help."
"No problem." Ogre said, waving to the man. "If you ever have a problem that needs fixing, just let me know." The corrupt man's grin turned sinister, as he continued his stroll down the street. "I'm the king of this town...I have all of the authority...I can do whatever I want!"
"E-Excuse me, Master Ogre." A quiet voice called out. Ogre spun around to see a hooded boy(me)standing behind him. "There's something I want to speak with you about."
"Well what is it? Out with it boy, I don't have a lot of spare time." Ogre said in an annoyed tone.
"I'd like it better if we discussed this in some place more private." I said, gesturing to a alley next to us. "Could we perhaps speak down this alley?"
"Whatever kid, just make this quick." Ogre said, as he followed me down the alleyway. Once we were both in secluded portion of the alley, I stopped. "Hmm, I don't sense any danger coming from this kid." Ogre thought, as he stared at me. "Well? Is this private enough for you?"
"Yes..." I prepared myself.
"So..." Ogre chuckled, "You think you can take me?!"
Fight
Ogre's slow movements allowed my Edenian abilities to out maneuver him—for a swift slash to his gut—before he could even draw his sword.
"He dared to raise his blade against me?!"
He then got back up and tried to kill me on the spot by swinging his sword down towards me, while I blocked it with my own.
"You're with Night raid, aren't you?! Who told you...It...Was that woman right!? I already know all well! First, I'm chasing her family and I will kill them all in front of her, of course you'll die first!"
I comboed numerous juggles, chained an X-Ray after it, and then the Elder Gods themselves gave me the request to "FINISH HIM!"
I leapt into the air, using my sword to slice off both of Ogre's arms, and then I came back down, and Sliced and Diced his chest.
Tatsumi wins-Flawless Victory-Fatality
"Consider how others feel...if you get a second shot at life."
Back at the base:
"Nice work on taking out such a strong opponent, Tatsumi." Najenda complimented, as everyone(Akame, Leone, and Ieysayu)gathered in Night Raid's meeting room. "Very impressive indeed."
"Eh, I'd rather call it dumb luck."
Leone had her usual perky smile, "Call it whatever you like."
Akame, "You came back, without a scratch?"
"I already checked before reporting." I did that so Akame wouldn't strip off my clothes like last go round. "You don't have to worry about me so much, okay?"
She smiled warmly, "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Okay." Najenda said, as she got my attention. "I think you should probably train under Mine next."
"It's just one problem after another for you, huh?" Leone teased, lightly punching me in the arm.
"I might just be able to get on her good side early." I thought to myself.
Ieysayu whined again, "Why the hell does he get to train with the pretty ladies?!"
"You'll get your shot, buddy."
Tatsumi's first actual FATALITY...getting somewhere, right?
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