The Ice and Hero
October 1960
Outskirts of Germania
Partas Estate
Late at night, with the overhead moon being bright, within the confines of one of her two estates in the Greater Germanic Reich, with another just outside of Ost-Paris, formally known as Brussels in the SS State of Burgundy. Esdeath strolls in the office of her estate near Germania. She walks around dressed in her old general's outfit of the Empire, reminiscing the struggles and the fights she got herself into, remembering the sword fights she was in. Twenty years passed since her arrival into the new world she calls home, in many ways it would make sense her body has changed a bit: though it's subtle. Esdeath retains her fit and voluptuous figure as she had over twenty years ago. As she strolls around her office, she stops in front of a mirror and takes a much closer look at herself.
"It's been over twenty years since I've arrived. Though I'm reaching my mid-forties, I look about to be in my late twenties. Perhaps my Imperial Arms as an anti-aging property that keeps my youthful looks." Esdeath speaks to herself. Her age would put her into the middle-aged category but her body and face say that she's still young looking. She assumes the stresses of the world would get to her but it has done very little to her figure, perhaps on her mental state, it may have. "My old uniform did shrink a bit over the years it's not the same as it was before. Perhaps it shrunk in the years of nonuse?" Esdeath questions. As she continues to admire herself a bit more in the mirror, she hears a loud commotion coming from the outside of her estate. Her guards, 50 of the soldiers from her 9th SS Panzergrenadier Eis Division, move out while their officers on the ground shout orders. Esdeath herself doesn't get involved as she's confident in their ability to deal with whatever threat may be. If they were to fall, then she herself would have to get involved.
Minutes prior to the commotion, a patrol squad of two men and a German Shepard dog patrol the grounds and light forest, several meters outside of Esdeath's estate. The two men begin to converse with each other.
"So, any new plans, Manfred?" An SS-Unterscharführer asks his compatriot, by name, who handles the German Shepard.
"Not much. Planning to ask for time off from guard duty to spend time with the family during Reformation Day. We're going to throw a huge feast, but other than that, it's back to here." SS-Unterscharführer Manfred tells his patrol mate.
"I see. Do you think she would hold a feast here for us during Reformation Day?" The SS- Unterscharführer ask. Curious as Esdeath never became public with her religion of choice.
"Doubt it. I don't think our SS-Gruppenführerin made public with her religious beliefs. I did try to ask her about it during the occupation of the new lands from the Soviet Union, but not much. But I doubt she's an atheist." As Manfred speaks, his German Shepard suddenly begins to bark at a disturbance in the tree line. "The hell are you yapping for, shut up!" Manfred scolds the dog.
"Don't scold her, she's usually pretty quiet but something has ticked her off." The SS-Unterscharführer responded. "Let her go, perhaps we might have an intruder on out hands." Complying with his reasoning, Manfred lets go of the German Shepard. The dog begins to run and bark at the same time, the two men draw out their rifles, the SS-FAL. A couple of seconds pass by until the German Shepard let out a cry before being silenced. It's confirmed, there is an intruder.
"Rolf. Go get reinforcements and tell the Hauptstumf that we have an intruder." Manfred tells Rolf.
"Understood." Rolf turns around and runs in the other direction to warn of an intruder. As he runs gunshots are fired. Rolf turns around and he catches a scene that he'd never imagined. A man, a bit shorter on average, runs a blade through Rolf. A second later, he frees his blade by slicing Manfred in half. Stopping midway, in a panic, Rolf begins to open fire. The other guards nearby hear the gunshots and assume it's an attack, soon a firefight occurs.
The swordsman, seeing gunfire begins to move out. He's swift enough to dodge bullets, frightening the SS guard. But he doesn't get a chance to reload as the swordsman cuts him down. Three more of Esdeath's SS guards arrived and begin to open fire as well, but are caught off guard once the swordsman begins to move once more.
With the gunfire from outside, Esdeath pays little mind to it. Her guards are the best of what her division has to offer. The skirmish outside begins to die down and gunfire begins to cease.
"My, that was fast." Esdeath reacts. "Either my guards had already killed him or they're dead?" Esdeath comments. "I wonder why I didn't bother to train my men in martial arts? Perhaps the ease of use with the rifle made the use of swords and martial arts obsolete. Talk about being weak for efficiency instead of strengthening through trial." Esdeath remarks. Though proud of the technology that has made war deadlier, being able to kill a man from a distance, she yearns for the days of fighting the enemy face to face of her old world.
That's not to say, if she was in her old world right now, conquering the Empire, Northern Tribes, Southern Tribes, the Western Tribes, and the Revolutionary Army with the Reich technology would be a cinch.
The newer innovations in firearm technology made her soldiers more reliant in their guns over their own bodies. She evaluates on whether or not that her new batch of guards should be proficient in martial arts. "Hm. If it's taking them this long to come here than most likely it's the latter. Well, I guess if you want things done right, then I'll have to do them myself." Esdeath thinks to herself. Then a knock on the door is made.
"SS-Gruppenführerin, permission to enter?" The SS-Hauptstumführer, head of Esdeath's guards, asks from the other side of her door.
"Well, I guess I'll take it back then." Esdeath remarks. "You may enter." Esdeath gives the confirmation. The door opens and the SS-Hauptstumführer enters, closing the door behind him/ He salutes Esdeath.
"Heil Hitler," The SS-Hauptstumführer salutes Esdeath.
"Heil Hitler." She does the same but only the more relaxed version. "So, SS-Hauptsturmführer. What's with the loud commotion outside just now?" She asks with a stern tone.
"We had an intruder, SS-Gruppenführerin. Unfortunately, we'd lost ten men in trying to apprehend him, with another three being severely wounded." The SS- Hauptstumführer reports to Esdeath. She becomes visibly displeased by his report but the SS- Hauptstumführer continues to give his report. "Fortunately, we did catch the intruder and we have him alive. Should you wish to see him. If not, we'll execute him far from your grounds."
"No, bring him in." Esdeath responds, still with displeasure in her voice.
"Of course, SS- Gruppenführerin." The SS-Hauptstumführer steps back and opens the door once more.
"That's strange. An assassin is here to kill me. If you ask me, if they were smart enough, they would've easily done it while I was on deployment. Not in my estate." Esdeath comments. She turns around, not wanting to see the face of a failed assassin who tried to kill her.
"Bring him in." The SS- Hauptstumführer orders the other two SS guards to hold the assassin with another carrying his sword. The assassin struggles to release himself.
"Let go of me! I said let go! Can't you understand me?!" The assassin cries out. The voice of the assassin catches Esdeath off guard.
"That voice. I can recognize it because it was so nostalgic. But from where exactly have I heard it from before?" Esdeath asks herself. Letting curiosity win her out, she decides to turn back around. When Esdeath lays her eyes before her would be an assassin, she is stunned and taken aback. A wave of nostalgia hits her like a wave. All those years of wanting and longing have finally been broken.
"Ist es… ist es echt?" (Is it… is it for real?) Esdeath shocked, asks herself aloud.
"Genau, SS-Gruppenführerin. Was Sie sind sehen, ist echt." (Exactly, SS-Gruppenführerin. What you are seeing is real.) The SS-Hauptsturmführer responds to Esdeath's shock. "Wir haben auch sein Schwert." (We also have his sword.)
"What are you saying?" The assassin asks. But as he stops struggling, he looks up and sees Esdeath. Then feelings of dread rush into him. "No, it's you." The assassin responded.
"Ta." Esdeath struggles to get the words out of her head but finally, a word comes out. "Tatsumi." Esdeath calls out the assassin by name. A wave of memories comes flashing back to Esdeath mind once more as in front of her is the man who for so long she gave her heart to but never reciprocated the love back. "Es bist du. Es wirklich bist du, mein Tatsumi." (It's you, it's really you, my Tatsumi.) Esdeath never had thought she would ever see Tatsumi in front of her again, that is until now.
"Esdeath. What…what are you doing here? And who are these men?" Tatsumi responded, almost instantly Esdeath understood what he'd said.
"Schweigen Sie auf!" (Silence you!) The SS-Hauptsturmführer raises his hand to slap Tatsumi to remain silent.
"Halt!" (Stop!) Esdeath orders the SS-Hauptsturmführer, he complies with the order, returning back to his original parade stance. "Bitte, lass ihm los, lassen uns allein. Ich möchte für die zwei von uns allein sein." (Please, let him go, leave us alone. I would like for the two of us to be alone.) Esdeath orders her SS Guards, the guards comply and lets Tatsumi go.
"Und was Sie wollen von uns zu machen mit seinem Schwert?" (And what do you want of us to do with his sword?) The SS-Hauptsturmführer asks.
"Lass es hier auch. Auf meinen Tisch." (Leave it here as well. On top of my table.) The guards comply and leave Tatsumi's Imperial Arms: Incursio on her table. Tatsumi was left on the floor by the guards as he turns around to see them leave. "Now then Tatsumi. Where have you been for all of these years." Esdeath, switching to English to better communicate with Tatsumi, announces to Tatsumi. He becomes shocked and turns around to see her, once more in general's outfit of the Empire. "It's been so long since I last saw you." Esdeath begins to walk toward Tatsumi, slowly with each step of her boot an audible stepping sound is made. "My heart was yearning for years. Over twenty to be exact. You don't know how long I've been alone for so long." Esdeath embraces Tatsumi. Tatsumi, in shock still of seeing Esdeath, allows her to hug him but he raises his arms up to not hug her. The two stand up but Tatsumi pushes himself free from Esdeath.
"Listen Esdeath. Where am I? Who were those men and how were you able to speak with them? What were you saying?" Tatsumi, confused, asks Esdeath. "But aside from that, just what are you doing here? Are you leading another war?" Tatsumi points at her.
"Oh, Tatsumi. I see you're the same as ever." Esdeath recovers herself. "Young, full of life. But let me tell you something." Esdeath approaches Tatsumi, he begins to walk back to the door. Esdeath catches up to Tatsumi, slamming her hand on the door, pinning him. "Where you are now, is not the same as our previous world. This world is different. Different rules, different people, different countries, different technologies, different everything." Tatsumi becomes flustered by the wall slam. "I was alone for years in this world, with only myself and no one else from out the previous world. But now with you here, I can finally say, that you… are… here."
Minutes have passed since Tatsumi's arrival. Esdeath has Tatsumi in her bedroom with her remaining guards blocking all entry and exits, even taking some extra precaution by literally freezing her bedroom windows shut. In essence, escape for Tatsumi is near impossible for him, even his Imperial Arms were taken and locked away in a separate room, guarded by her guards.
"I can't seem to escape the feeling of nostalgia," Tatsumi tells himself. He looks around and sees Esdeath's bedroom is practically similar to the one she had in the Empire, but different enough that there are differences Tatsumi sees. "Yup, it's like I was here before. In this exact same situation." Tatsumi recounts several memories of the first night he spent with Esdeath alone. "Yet seeing now… I guess Esdeath isn't lying. When she spoke with her guards in whatever language they were speaking, she was fluent in it… Well then, I should begin to look for a way out, can't take her out with just my charm." Tatsumi gets off of Esdeath's bed and begins to sneak around.
He looks around the room, he sees multiple photos of Esdeath along with men in uniforms and suits, many had commonalities in their style of wear. "I don't know who they are, but they seem important if she's with them." Another item he saw is an eagle perched upon a wreath with a swastika in the middle of it, a symbol Tatsumi is unfamiliar with. "I guess Esdeath adores her eagles?" Tatsumi asks. As Tatsumi continues to look around one item catches his eye, the banner pinned to Esdath's wall. "What is that? It's like if someone has tried to copy the Revolutionary Army flag and failed at it?"
"And in that, you may be correct. But you couldn't be more wrong." Esdeath speaks, startling Tatsumi. He turns around and sees that Esdeath, having showered, has only her sleepwear on, a simple blue sleeping gown. "You see Tatsumi. That is the flag of the Greater Germanic Reich, where we are living in."
"Greater Germanic Reich?" Tatsumi repeats. He looks at Esdeath and notices that her left arm is made of ice. Esdeath quickly notices his stare.
"If you're wondering about the arm, let's just say that I was beaten by Akame. Since losing to her, I promised myself that I will beat her, and get my revenge on her." Esdeath tells Tatsumi. "Yet, that is beside the point. Now then, it's time for us to sleep." Esdeath tells Tatsumi. "But don't worry, I've waited over twenty years for you. I can wait for a few more." Esdeath approaches Tatsumi.
"Wait, Esdeath, slow down. I am still a bit confused about everything. If you may, can you explain to me in more detail about this new world?" Tatsumi requests Esdeath. Hearing his request, Esdeath senses that she has the responsibility to tell him of everything that has happened.
"Well then. I guess it can't be helped." Esdeath turns around to her bookshelf and begins looking for a specific Atlas book that depicts the world as of the year1960. Seeing his chance to escape, Tatsumi begins to make a dash for the door but is stopped in his tracks when he sees the door hinge has been frozen solid. "Its rude of you to run when another has their back turned, it's as if you were stabbing me in the back," Esdeath tells Tatsumi. She stands back up and places a world map book on her dresser. She opens it to a specific page, depicting the world map of each country of the world, including its flags.
Tatsumi walks up to the book. "Thee, Weltkartee?" Tatsumi tries to pronounce the wording on the top of the page.
"Die Weltkarte. It means The World Map." Esdeath points to the Reich. "This hear is, Der Großgermanisches Reich or the Greater Germanic Reich. We're near its capital, Germania. The Reich in itself is greater and more advanced than the Empire that you and I know."
"So, I guess this world is different." Tatsumi explains.
"Of course it is. To the west, across the Atlantic, is the United States: leader of the Union of Free Nations, our rival. To the east is the Soviet Union: weakened after a civil war, but still a threat to the Reich." Esdeath explains further.
"I guess it's all starting to make more sense. But what is your role in this?" Tatsumi asks. Slowly trying to back away.
"Now. I wish I can keep talking, but it's already pretty late. We should get to bed soon." Esdeath turns to Tatsumi. "Come join me. I promise nothing would happen to you, while you're in this room of course." Esdeath tells Tatsumi, becoming slightly afraid. Unknowingly, Tatsumi was walking back to Esdeath's bed. He falls back and lays on her bed, with Esdeath laying over him.
"Can… can you please get off of me? Please." Tatsumi pleads.
"I've been waiting over twenty years for you. I wished and hoped for your arrival. I was the only one from the Empire living here in the past twenty-one years. Though you've captured and broken my heart before, I still love you nonetheless." Esdeath confesses her feelings to Tatsumi. "Much has happened in these past twenty-one years." Esdeath continues.
"Should I still try to convince her to join the Revolutionary Army or some…wait, scratch that. But if I can try to convince her otherwise to be less of herself, then perhaps I can-." Tatsumi's line of thought ceases as Esdeath strikes Tatusmi in the neck, knocking him out.
"Now. Enough talk, I will keep my composure around you until you and I are fully wedded." Esdeath tells Tatsumi as he's beginning to close his eyes and drift away to sleep.
As Tatsumi drifts off into sleep he can't help but remember memories of his previous life. He remembers the faces of those in Night Raid whose faces remain with him forever: Sheele, Bulat, Chelsea, Lubbock, Susanoo, Mine, Najenda, Leone, and Akame. Each one had a profound effect on him. As he continues to reminisce of his old memories, one stuck out to him more.
"I'm sorry." Tatsumi apologizes to Akame. He struggles to breathe, holding onto the last bit of strength he has left. "I guess, I broke my promise." Tatsumi soon collapses but Akame catches him.
"You gave me your word!" Akame cries, no longer able to hold back her tears. "Tatsumi… Tatsumi… Tatsumi." Akame cries. Those were the last words that Tatsumi hears from Akame. She cries on his shoulders.
Tatsumi, after saving the civilians from being crushed by the First Imperial Arms: Primus Imperator, is caught in Akame's arms. He gave his all to protect the people, finally giving his life. He remembers vividly the faces of his friends from the village, his comrades of Night Raid, his partner Mine, and Akame: the one he became close with. The same Akame he promised he will survive to the end, the same Akame in whose arms he passes away in.
*Play Hymn of the Cheribum*
After death, Tatsumi notices that he has indeed died. Time had frozen all around him, but he himself is able to freely move around. "Akame. I'm sorry, I'm… I'm sorry that I made you cry once more." Tatsumi apologizes to Akame, hugging her with tears in his eyes. "Hopefully, we can reunite with everyone else soon," Tatsumi tells Akame, hoping to reunite with her in a different life. An intensely bright light slowly begins to overwhelm Tatsumi's vision, and soon engulfs everything around Tatsumi.
Akame slowly disappears in front of him, causing Tatsumi to fall onto his knees. "It's over, the Revolution is soon to be over. But at what cost?" Tatsumi looks around, and instead of it simply being a white or black void, he sees that he's in a great-hall-like structure, similar to one in a church or a temple. Tatsumi notices the singing all around him in a language he doesn't know, but it's angelic. He's alone in the temple, not seeing anyone else. But as he looks around, in front of him he sees another Person or Being in a bright light that doesn't blind him. The Being turns around, looking at Tatsumi, and the singing quietly ceases. Tatsumi doesn't know where he is nor who The Being is. He looks different than what Tatsumi had expected.
"Fear not, Tatsumi." The Being spoke to Tatsumi, catching his attention.
"Who…who may you be?" Tatsumi asks.
"I have seen your conduct in your world. One filled with corruption. It's saddening to see such tragedy take place, showing the true wickedness of the heart of man." The Being tells Tatsumi.
"What do you mean by that?" Tatsumi asks.
"All of humanity is interconnected with one another. They grow, evolve, and form different cultures. It's tragic yet to see a brother slaying brother, friend against friend." The Being continues.
"I get what you're saying. But I want to know. Has the Revolution succeeded? Will I be able to see my friends of Night Raid once more?" Tatsumi asks, looking down. Worried about if he's able to see them once more.
"Night Raid? The band of assassins who took it upon themselves to take the lives of those deemed corrupt, whose redemption is beyond saving, normally charging a fee." The Being tells Tatsumi. Tatsumi looks down, knowing what The Being said was true.
"That's one way to put it," Tatsumi responded, looking away. He then decides to look back up to The Being. "But we did what we could to protect the people. Many innocent lives were taken by the Prime Minister and those who work for him. When I first learned the truth about the Capital, the corruption of the Empire, I knew that change had to be made for the greater good, so that constant bloodshed could end." Tatsumi begins to show tears in his eyes. "We gave it all, to the end." Tatsumi begins to reminisce of his memories of Night Raid, he collapses to his hands and knees.
"Rise and wipe your tears from your face, Tatsumi." The Being commands Tatsumi. He does as commanded. "I know what you and Night Raid had done. The sins you and your group have all have committed, but had a certain justification that is needed to end the suffering of the innocents." The Being tells Tatsumi. "Yet, I have plans for you and the aforementioned as well as the others."
"What could that be?" Tatsumi asks. The Being turned around and gestures for Tatsumi to come with him. Tatsumi walks and stands on his right side, he looks down and sees a planet, far different than his. "See there, Tatsumi?" The Being asks.
"I do," Tatsumi confirms.
"I will be giving you, your friends, comrades, and those that you have met a second chance in this planet." The Being tells Tatsumi. "This world is also filled with corruption. One that is like of your world, but far worse and more devastating that it affects not just a nation, but the world. You are free to conduct the choices that are necessary to end the cycle of needless death and destruction."
"That's good, but before you send me, I want to ask." Tatsumi poses a question for The Being. He looks at Tatsumi. "Will I be able to see my friends in Night Raid once more? Because I want to tell them a thing or two. Apologizing to them for what I couldn't have done."
"I'm going to give you and your friends, comrades, and people a second chance in life here. This world is also filled with corruption. One that is not like your world, but that is so penetrative, it even touches the soul. I will allow you free will for you to make your own choices that you believe are right."
"You will, but not immediately, Tatsumi. Soon, you yourself will come to know me." The Being tells Tatsumi. Then, The Being takes a couple of steps back and raises his right arm, making a gesture of a cross with an open palm in front of Tatsumi. He brings his hand down to cover his right and with his left.
"Now then, Tatsumi. Go and bring peace to the broken Earth. You will keep the way that you are along with your weapons and skills. Bring an end to the evil, the lie, and the corruption that plagues this world. For their judgment that they need to face, for corrupting the Truth and bringing forth the lie." The Being brings up both of his arms and a bright light emanates from him, causing Tatsumi to look around, slowly becoming dust.
Soon, Tatsumi wakes up. He looks around and sees that he's on a river bed. He's wet but quickly dries himself. The air around him is dry but cool, and he notices that his Imeprial Arms: Incursio lays in front of him. Confused about his whereabouts, Tatsui grabs his Imperial Arms and begins to walk away from the river bed. Happy that he is given a second chance in life.
Morning
Tatsumi awakens before Esdeath. He tries to get up from Esdeath's bed but sees that Esdeath is cuddling behind him, she holds Tatsumi close to her. A couple of minutes pass by and soon Tatsumi is able to free himself from Esdeath's clutches. He looks around and still sees that the door has been defrosted but the window is still frozen, making his escape near impossible.
"Damn, no way for me to escape. If I were to go through that front door, then I could try to make for it, but I doubt I would make it far since many of the guards here are equipped with firearms instead of swords or spears. Damn, it's like she already knew I would be here." Tatsumi thinks to himself. He then hears Esdeath waking up as well.
"*Yawn* Why good morning Tatsumi. How well did you sleep last night?" Esdeath asks Tatsumi.
"Oh well, you know. Alright, I guess?" Tatsumi tells Esdeath. "In reality I was knocked out cold and woke up hours before the sun rose, only to see her spooning me. This is not looking good for me."
"You know, it becoming of you to lie. Yet you always have a hint of truth in it. Which makes it convincing." Esdeath tells Tatsumi. "Perhaps that is still why my heart falls for you."
"I'm sorry?" Tatsumi asks, confused by her sentence.
"Enough with this. I have some plans for you today. We'll first meet the Führer in the Reichschancellory in Germania today, after that, we'll start your training."
"Training, Führer? I'm failing to understand." Tatsumi tells Esdeath. "But more importantly, got to tell me everything that you did. You mentioned that you were here in this world for the past twenty years. Because if you tell me what has happened after the Revolution and what you did here in this world, then I may cooperate." Tatsumi promises to Esdeath. "In reality, I'm going to try and have her confess her crimes. Only then, would I have a chance to escape or kill her if necessary?" Tatsumi thinks to himself.
"I'll tell you later, but firstly. Let us eat breakfast, there is this really good ham and wursts I want you to try that I've imported from southern Bavaria." Esdeath walks over to her wardrobe and pulls out her grey SS officer's uniform. "Hopefully soon, you and I will travel to Paris, there is also this café I really loved when I first tried it twenty years ago because you will love their coffee too-."
"Don't change the subject Esdeath!" Tatsumi commands Esdeath, making her stop listing items that she had experienced before but wants to re-experience once more with Tatsumi. Hearing this, Esdeath turns around. "Train? What is it that you want me to be trained for? Huh, to be a slave for you? You're the same then as you are now Esdeath. I can tell that you haven't changed, in fact, you made yourself worse!" Tatsumi tells Esdeath off.
Esdeath tilts her head forward. "I did change, but not changed for this world. All of these years, I still yearned for you, and to love you the way I can."
"If you'd truly love, then without a doubt you should- Huh…wait." Tatsumi stops mid-sentence as Esdeath had begun to freeze his feet and legs, preventing him from moving. Esdeath walks to her bed and places her uniform down, she then walks up to Tatsumi. She places her hands on his shoulders.
"Please, Tatsumi. I know back then we weren't bent to be together as we were on opposing sides, but I knew our fate is to be together. I knew I blew my chances to be with you, but now things are different. So please, just give me a chance to win your heart." Esdeath leans in and kisses Tatsumi. Instead of accepting her advances, Tatsumi decides to stay true to himself and shoves Esdeath back.
"A chance? Why do you need another chance from me, Esdeath?" Tatsumi questions her motives.
"Tatsumi. Can't you understand, you and I are in another world, a new Earth for us to rule. A chance for the two of us to start once more from the beginning. These past twenty-one years I was alone. I had nothing. Then I became powerful, I was able to get to where I am today because I held myself for you. But now that you are here… I want you to be by my side, even becoming a family." Esdeath tells Tatsumi of her desires for him.
"I once had everything taken from me. Friends that I cherished, people that I was close with, they're gone now. People like you had taken everything from me." Tatsumi begins to speak.
"Enough," Esdeath speaks under her breath.
Instead of stopping, he continues to speak. "I don't doubt that in this world you've taken everything from the people here to get to where you are today."
"Enough," Esdeath repeats once more but with it being more audible.
"This world has given you everything that you wanted because you forced it to. Much of it you don't deserve it."
"ENOUGH!" Esdeath snaps at Tatsumi.
"For you, it's never enough. A person with your way of thinking will never have enough. All actions have concequences, Eseath. You let yourself be consumed by this law of nature of yours." Tatsumi retorted. Instead of arguing with him, Esdeath turns back around and grabs her uniform, remaining silent.
"You're always stubborn as ever, Tatsumi. Why can't you just accept it? Why can't you see, that we're not only meant to be together, being on the right side of history. Why can't you accept what I'm trying to do for you? Why can't you just accept my love, Tatsumi?" Esdeath asks.
"What you do, is not only evil, but you don't do it for me. You do it for yourself and hope it will impress me. I never truly loved you Esdeath. The face you can't accept makes you the stubborn one. You keep saying that you love me. Well then, if you truly love me, then go ahead. End me, let go of me right now. Spare me your words that are empty in meaning and end my life now!" Tatsumi commands Esdeath. She remains silent but begins to chuckle.
"You're wrong Tatsumi." Esdeath continues to chuckle as she walks around her dresser and wardrobe, grabbing a few more articles of clothing.
"What?" Tatsumi looks at Esdeath as he's confused by her chuckle.
"Give me a moment, I'll be right back." Esdeath promptly leaves her bedroom with her clothes, leaving Tatsumi alone.
"Everything I said was true. A woman like her wouldn't be able to make me fall for her. I wondered, has the world changed her for the worse, or did she change this world? Just how far did she go with this." Tatsumi is given a moment to think. Several minutes pass by and he hears a loud cry from outside of the door. Esdeath enters the room with her SS officer's uniform, black heeled boots, the SS cap, and her black leather gloves. Her guards had let her back in once more and two more enter behind of Esdeath and the crying woman.
The woman she holds by the roots of her blonde hair is of Russian origin, an assassin from the Soviet Union, posing as a German maid. Esdeath previously learned that she was an assassin sent to kill her and only acted as a maid for the Esdeath estate to get close and kill her. Fortunately for Esdeath, she kept her alive to get what she can from her. Learning that she is a daughter of a major she remembered she had been killed many years ago in Stalingrad.
Esdeath drags the blond Russian woman by the hair and with the woman crying in pain.
"Nein, bitte! Bitte, tötet mich nicht! Ich frage von Ihr!" (Please, no! Please, don't kill me, I ask of you!) The Russian woman, speaking in German, cries out. Tatsumi sees this, and though he doesn't understand what is going on, he hears from her tone that he's crying in anguish and for help. Esdeath lifts the girl up.
"Und warum nicht? Es war deine Schuld das du hast zu tötet mich versucht. Aber du warst ein Narr. Deshalb musst du bezahlen den Preis. Für dich und ihn." (And why not? It was your fault that you tried to kill me. But you were a fool, and now. Therefore, you should pay the price. For you and for him.) Esdeath points to Tatsumi, before throwing her to the floor and placing her boot on her back.
Tatsumi knows he must do something, but couldn't as his feet be frozen to the ground. Though he can't understand them, at least he wants to attempt a rescue of the German-speaking Russian woman. Esdeath looks up at Tatsumi. "I don't wish to kill you; I still want you to be with me. So, I will give you this, Tatsumi. Either be with me or she takes your punishment." Esdeath gives Tatsumi a choice.
Tatsumi begins to think of the choices he's given for several seconds until Esdeath begins to yawn. "You're taking your time Tatsumi. So, let's speed things up." Esdeath looks to her guards. "Garden. Schecken die Hure hier dreißig schlagen mit ihren Gewehren. Klar?" (Guards. Give this whore here thirty blows with your rifles. Clear?)
"Jawohl!" (Yes, ma'am) The guards responded. Esdeath steps aside and the guards begin to beat on the woman with the buts of their rifles, each one giving thirty blows.
"No, stop it. Esdeath stop this now! She doesn't deserve it." Tatsumi pleads but Esdeath doesn't listen. A minute passed and the Russian woman lays on the cold tile bloodied, beaten, and bruised. This beating has shaken Tatsumi to his very core. Esdeath then grabs the woman by her hair once more, she struggles to cry. But instead of speaking to her in German, Esdeath decides to humor her by speaking to her in native Russian.
"И почему ты изо всех сил пытаешься жить? Ты коммунистическая свинья. Он мог бы спасти тебя, но был слишком эгоистичен и медлил с ответом. Так что поблагодарите его." (And why are you struggling to live? You communist pig. He could have saved you, but he was too selfish and delayed answering. So, thank him.) Esdeath turns to her men. "Wieder." (Again) Esdeath commands her guards. They begin to give her another thirty beatings. "Your refusal to answer is what is killing her Tatsumi." She turns to Tatsumi. "Now then. What shall it be?" Esdeath asks.
The guards have finished with their beatings and the woman is now bloodier with her skin and bones broken in many areas. The woman slowly begins to cry tears of blood from her eyes. "Пожалуйста, прости меня, отец. Я хотел, чтобы ты гордился мной." (Please forgive me, Father. I wanted you to be proud of me.) The Russian woman apologizes in her native Russian, slowly trying to collect her blood in front of her. "Пожалуйста, Боже. Прости меня, потому что я не мог этого сделать. Пожалуйста, положи конец ее правлению крови и террора." (Please, God. Forgive me, because I couldn't do it. Please put an end to her reign of blood and terror.) The Russian cries out a prayer that she could muster with what little strength she had left. But her words are muddled between the blood and the pain she's in, slowly and painfully trying to collect her spilled blood.
"Do you understand now Tatsumi? She's not going to be the last." Esdeath asks Tatsumi. Seeing the woman in pain and in a horrible state of condition, Tatsumi reluctantly decides to agree to Esdeath's offer.
"Alright, I'll join you. If it means that you let that young woman go and free her from her suffering." Tatsumi begs Esdeath to release the Russian woman.
"I see Tatsumi. It's good that you agree. But you know the old saying, be careful what you wish for." Esdeath then pulls out her Walther P-38 pistol and points it at the Russian woman's head. She looks up and cries out a single no. Esdeath pulls the trigger and a loud band resonates throughout the bedroom. The young Russian woman, tasked to assassinate Esdeath but failed, collapses in her own pool of blood. Tatsumi is at a loss for words, he didn't think what he said is that of a death sentence. "I don't wish to do more of this, a waste of resources if you ask me. But the way you said it, was not very convincing. Perhaps more of these "lessons" will change your mind eventually. Even if it means breaking you." Esdeath then gestures her guards to leave. "Now, as I would get breakfast started, I will leave you here with her. So that you can know what you failed to do." Esdeath leaves her bedroom and her guards close the doors behind her.
The ice on Tatsumi's feet breaks and shatters, allowing him to set free. Tatsumi is now left alone in the room of the young unnamed Russian woman. He approaches and kneels in front of her pool of blood. Tatsumi wishes that he had done something, but alas he couldn't. He drops his head down in reverence for her.
"I… I'm sorry." Tatsumi apologizes. "I promise, that your death will not be in vain. Just rest easy from now on." Tatsumi tells the deceased woman, words couldn't express his regret, but tears soon begin to roll out of his eyes. What he saw today made him realize that this world isn't far different from the Empire. Corrupt and evil to its core. Seeing what happened, Tatsumi knows that one thing has to be done, put an end to Esdeath and liberate the world from her reign.