Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN BEN 10 OR AKAME GA KILL. THEY BELONG TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. BEN 10 IS OWNED BY MAN OF ACTION AND AKAME GA KILL IS OWNED BY SQUARE ENIX.
A/N: Hello everyone, how are y'all today? Like I said, I have been plotting the ending for this story for a couple weeks now and like I said, the story is finally winding down. It burned hot in the beginning, and by god has it blown up in popularity – even during my absence, like damn! Even so, I am going to make the ending meaningful, memorable, though I have to be a tad careful though lol. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter as much as I had writing this story. Only 4 chapters left! Always leave reviews, they are always welcome! :)
揺るぎない疑いを打ち砕け
Chapter 62: Kill the Unwavering Doubt
THE CAPITAL WAS in turmoil. Protests and riots were numerous. The authorities were fought against, challenged, dismissed. The value for law and order had all but eroded. The police were called to keep the peace, but it was all for nought. The peasants threw whatever that was not nailed down at the Imperial Guards, only to be met with violence and disdain.
Wave, the Sailor man, the man born and raised in the sea, was frustrated. A proud soldier and a loyal server of the Empire as he was so punched the wall, heavily frustrated at the academy of anger and distrust that was passed on from the Public. His hatred and disdain was coming from Night Raid, the very group he distrusted, though what he didn't know was the truth of the whole ordeal, what he signed up for.
The room was all but empty, a population of only three. The heavy hitters the Jaegers once had were gone. Half of the units were assassinated. Losses were major. He punched the wall, frustrated at the events that were happening, grunting, growling.
"How much longer do we have to put up with this?" Wave growled. Run stood calmly at the window, keeping his cool as usual. He didn't act bothered by the whole ordeal; he had his hands behind his back, his posture, straight and adept.
"It'll be over soon," Run said with a stoic tone in his voice, "The Empire's on its way down."
Wave straightened up and took a breather, "Most of the people we were supposed to protect are now siding with the Revolution," he continued, his agitation slightly showing through again, "Is there still a place for us anymore?"
Wave turned, his tone, calm and stoic, "Try to stay calm. The chaos probably won't stop, even after the Revolution, and when the time comes, the people are gonna be needing our help," he said.
"It kinda sounds like you knew this would happen," Wave said.
Wave turned back to the window, "Well, it came a little early than I thought it would."
"Huh?"
"I was desperately hoping for reform. That's why I joined the Jaegers, to try to make a difference from the inside," Wave finished.
Wave nodded his head in confusion, "To make a difference?"
Wave closed his eyes as he continued to explain his reasoning for joining the faction in the first place, "This Empire has become corrupt," he continued, "That said, I think this kind of rebellion is unacceptable."
"So, you chose to work under General Esdeath?" Wave asked.
Run turned to his colleague, "Yes. I find her quite fascinating."
Wave chuckled, "You're a strange guy y'know that?"
Run returned the chuckle, "I get that a lot. Y'know my initial intention for joining the Jaegers was to rise up the ranks, but I got sidetracked because I enjoyed my time here with everyone so much," he said, as faint memories of he remembers his past colleagues who sadly passed, though one of them was deemed missing in action, but was declared dead by the state.
He then turned Kurome, who was busy munching on her cookies, "Speaking of which, Kurome, what are you planning on doing?" Run's face turned serious, "Since you have one foot in the grave." Kurome paused.
Wave got alarmed and turned back to his colleague. "Huh, wait a minute, how'd you found out about Kurome?"
"You shouldn't be all that surprised, Wave. It's obvious by the way you've been acting," he said, causing Wave to wince.
Run turned back to Kurome, a serious look covering his face; "At this point, you can be free of the Jaegers without being a target yourself," he said.
"Be free?" Kurome repeated.
"Yes," Run confirmed.
"I don't have any need for any brief taste of freedom," she said, "There's only one thing I care about in this world," Kurome said. Wave could only look at her with sadness, knowing exactly what she meant.
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Esdeath rode on her horse as she slaughtered a band of Revolutionary rebels stationed outside of the Capital walls. She grinned as she fought them off on her horse, taking great satisfaction on the battlefield. Her thoughts, once muddled, are now focused on one man. As the news kept hammering and hammering and hammering, the thoughts of the previous lover had all but faded.
A replacement however was starting to warm up to her, "Now this is the kind of battle I enjoyed the most," she said as she continued to slice and dice the rebels on horseback; "If any of you neophytes are unsatisfied with your destiny, I suggest you to put me in my place!" she said.
Angered, one rebel held an Imperial Arms, a boomerang it looked more like it, he shouted to the top of his lungs, with screeching anger as he approached the sadistic General.
"YOU CAN GO TO HELL!" he shouted, "AS SOON AS YOU'RE DEAD, THIS CORRUPT EMPIRE IS FINISHED!" he threw the device at her, to which she swiftly dodged.
"Oh, an Imperial Arms? How cute!" Esdeath launched herself from her horse, levitated in the air, and swung her arm holding her sword upwards forcing an ice shelf that brutally sliced the man in half. Half of him was frozen while the other wasn't. The man, now deceased slid off from the ice wall and fell to the ground, leaving a rainbow of blood painted on the said wall.
She towered over the corpse and turned to the rebels, armed and ready, but hesitant to attack. Esdeath wore her smile proudly, looking for a challenge. "Is there not a single one of you who can challenge me?" she dared.
~Young Ben, had defeated Budo and the army guarding the Capital. We were just meant to be together. His power alone could leave him at the readiness of him wanting to take the throne. I've had my first encounter with him, he was stronger than I realized. But now, with all of the news bombarding me, it seems to me that my love was misplaced. Tatsumi, a well defined fighter was no match to the muscle that was young Ben. He had bested half of my Jaeger forces and all that came to him~ she took a deep sigh, ~We were meant to be together. Together forever, I shall rescue you from the hands of the rebels and make you mine! You and I shall rule this nation together...as husband and wife...king and queen~ she speed blitzed through the whole armada, ~Wait for me my love, I'm coming for you. Right after I clean up this mess.~
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The throne room inside of the Royal Palace was tense. Tons of debate and disagreement flooded the chamber. They were all tallking amongst themselves about what was going on. The Empire was confused, in disarray. A young man with the power to transform into multiple Danger Beasts, most to which weren't even catalogued into the system made it harder for them to fight.
General Budo, who was slightly recovering from his injuries only watched the show. He didn't object or state his opinions in the matter. What mattered was what he heard from multiple members. A young man who can transform into multiple forms – who didn't kill anyone. Though, they were aware of Seryu's episodes and brushed it off as crazy talk. But ever since she had gone missing, they had to assume the boy had killed her, but they had no proof.
General Budo, who stood next to the royal Emperor, not of loyalty to the crown, even though that was part of it, but out of sympathy. He was being used. As he looked deeper and deeper, he started to put the pieces together.
He was protecting a puppet, not the Empire. He kept his cool as the Emperor himself, who was in his heart was a good person and believed that what he was doing was for the good of the nation . What the boy didn't know was that he was being used as a puppet for a greedy Minister.
He knew that the Minister was depraved and cruel, but to do this to a child, and the fact that he, himself was deceived? That was dishonorable. This didn't mean he wanted to be with the rebels or anything. His loyalty to the Emperor was stapled firmly, but his internal dislike for the Minister was becoming more and more apparent.
Even so, he couldn't hear past the talks from the advisors in the court talking about the certain young man who could transform into Danger Beasts. The certain same young man that he had encountered, the same one who he could have died had he not had enough restraint.
"The Imperial Capital is almost surrounded by now," said one, "What the hell is going on out there?"
"Not even General Esdeath is capable of leading an army in every direction at the same time," commented another.
"Not to mention that some vigilante is running loose in our city, using some mysterious Imperial Arms that not even we do not know about!" said the third.
The fourth turned to the Emperor, "Your highness..."
"The Empire is crumbling under our reign," he shook in sadness, "Have we not been good rulers?"
~This young man didn't deserve this~ Budo thought, glancing at the young boy.
"There's nothing wrong with your rule, Your Majesty," said the piggish oaf ever to walk into the court before the Emperor, Prime Minister Honest.
"Oh, Minister Honester," The Emperor named.
He walked towards the Emperor, his arms behind his back, hiding a sinister smile as he held his head slightly low, "You idiots should be more supportive!" he turned to the Emperor, "They let their fear get the best of them. I hate to say it, but I am painfully aware of your feelings of this matter," he said.
~So the actor continues~ Budo thought.
"These men are fools! They don't understand the strides you have taken to keep our land peaceful."
"The citizens have decided to rebel against us," the Young Emperor stated. "Please tell us what we should do."
"There comes a time when a nation's ruler is called to show leadership with an iron fist! You must make your authority known to your people!" He then turned for dramatic effect, making the advisors around the Emperor's court chatter amongst themselves about a specific Imperial Arms that was far too dangerous and too powerful for use. There was some disagreement about the practice, and worrying sentiment amongst the group. Though, it had to be done.
~Now they'll see the Emperor's power~ The Minister stated.
Back in Kurome's quarters, she coughed up blood. She struggled to get up as she faced the window. "I don't have much time," she said as she got up with her sword in hand. "So, let's finish this...big sister."
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That evening, Akame and Tatsumi met at the town square where they saw a garden of Cruxifixes hanging sliced corpses. Tatsumi and Akame both wore beige cloaks to blend in with the crowd, pretty much to not draw too much attention. As they watched, something caught Akame's eye.
"It's a message for me," Akame said.
Tatsumi turned to his comrade, "Huh? It's a message?"
"I'm being challenged to a duel," she said with some shakiness in her voice.
"Uh, what does it say?" Tatsumi asked.
"Come to the Kodai Forest Institution ruins."
Later at the library, Akame and Tatsumi were having a debate, a debate that Tatsumi tried to convince Akame to not go with this, even to the point of telling her that it could be a trap. Akame, aware of this rebuffed the statement as she checked the edgeness and sharpness of her sword – prepping her sword for battle.
"This is stupid. You know its a trap," Tatsumi argued.
"If it was a trap they wouldn't have waited this long to come for me," Akame said, "It's a personal grudge."
"A grudge? Who is it?" Tatsumi asked.
"Kurome's ready to settle things between us," Akame said.
"Uh. Does it have to be right now?" Tatsumi asked, questioning Akame's logic here. "Is this fight really that important for you two?"
Akame nodded.
"Akame, I'm sure that the lives of thousands of people are resting on our shoulders!" Tatsumi yelled, "How can you put this personal vendetta over everything else?"
"That's exactly why I have to do this," she said standing up, sheathing her blade, "No matter what, I can't ignore Kurome's feelings."
"She's the enemy," Tatsumi stated.
"She's my sister," Akame finished.
Tatsumi chilled out, he couldn't argue his way out of that claim. "I'm the only person she knows who can understand what she's going through," Akame continued.
"If you say so," Tatsumi said, conceding. "But Ben and I are coming too."
"You can't, and neither can Ben Tennyson. The revolution is going to need you and Ben's strength for the final seige. Not that I worry about Ben because well..."
"Rath?"
"Four Arms at best, Alien X at worse. Plus, Ben vs Kurome? You do the math. If Ben wanted to be funny, he could transform into Rath and annihilate her," she said.
"You must be really scared of Rath," Tatsumi said. "But I can't blame you."
"Though, if Ben transforms into the wrong transformation or if the Ultimatrix is in recharge mode, Ben is dead and the revolution is doomed. And you would need every bit of your strength to make sure the Revolution is strong enough to keep going. Plus, it'll be an unfair advantage. This is between her and I. Please do not forget what your mission is," she said as she walked passed him.
"Alright, but please come back alive," Tatsumi demanded.
Akame sighed, "Tatsumi please..."
"That what you always tell me to do, so I expect the same thing in return," he said.
She turned around with a smile, "Fine...you have my word."
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LATER.
Ben woke up from his slumber, thirsty mostly. He found himself locked in the arms of the purple-haired woman, now in her undergarments. Sheele was getting more and more comfortable sharig her body with the teen hero. Normally this would make the teen so red it would make the teen look more like tomato. He turned and sighed as kissed on her forehead, making her smile. He unwrapped her arms over him and got up.
He got out of his room, in his black tee and black jeans, thankfully washed by Akame from the prior week. He wiped his eyes and looked out for anyone in the hallway. Mostly from Leone who could be lurking around.
"So far everyone is sound asleep," Ben said.
He got in the kitchen, grabbed a nice clean glass from the shelf and poured himself a nice cold glass of water.
He drank the water, feeling refreshed and ready to go, "That's a good cup of water."
"I have to agree, young Ben," said the familiar British man. He turned around and saw Paradox waving at him. He smiled at the time walker, welcoming him.
"Hey Paradox! How's it...wait..."
"You're thinking about bringing young Sheele and the rest of your friends with you to Bellwood. Asking if it were possible for I to teleport Night Raid to your universe for more of a better, wholesome life?"
"And you are going to say no, are you?" Ben dropped. "Listen, These people have been with me, protected me, did everything they could for me. Sure, they attacked me at first, but they are good people. At least after the war, I was hoping that if I can at least have it where each and every single one of them, or at least some of them can live peacefully? You know without fighting, or them having to sacrifice their lives. I know my world is not as different as theirs but at least they can have at least be at a place where they can call it a paradise. You know like a reward. I understand that if its beyond your power to do so," Ben said with sadness.
While Ben continued to talk to the Time Walker, a certain red-eyed assassin, who was slightly dirtied up and bruised had her hand on her hilt of her sword.
"Ben," Akame named softly, she squeezed the hilt of her sword tightly. She listened in, leering her ear on the door.
"I want to bring my friends over to my world, but..."
"Ben, I never said that I couldn't bring them over," said a new voice, a familiar one, one to which Akame couldn't recall from the tip of her tongue. She had the urge to bust open the door and be at a protective stance against whoever was there with Ben at the moment. She had to freeze as she listened in to what was going on. She needed to hear the full story.
"...I simply want you to free this world because of how awful it was. Yes, it was because the time stream was in a bit of a pickle, actually, it was in a lot of a pickle. Had you not gotten yourself involved and I brought you here, the implications would have been dire," she heard the British man say.
"So basically the end of the universe as we know it," Ben guessed.
"Bingo! Besides the original timeline was dark and bittersweet. Had you not arrived, think about it. Tatsumi could have been kidnapped and Mine could have died in the battle against General Budo, Sheele would have made a horrific end in the hands of Seryu, Lubbock would have been killed from the Minister's son, and many of the missions with you in it would have had a darker end. Though there were some lives that could not be saved, but this was the best possible timeline alternate," she heard the guy explained, shocking Akame. The revelation was far too great. Ben being from another universe was something that she speculated, but the grand danger had he not gotten involved was far more dire. The Revolution wasn't the only thing that was at stake, it was the entire UNIVERSE! Her existence. And here Ben was, being sent here by some guy.
"Just imagine had I sent you directly to the Empire? You would have ripped apart the organization from the inside, or if I were to travel further back to when Akame was back in her Elite Seven days."
"Ben saved the universe...twice? He saved his planet on more than one occasion, took down a tyrant, and is risking his life to save ours?" Akame calculated, her smile starting to form and a lone tear started to river down her cheeks.
"You are a hero, Ben-sama. No, more than a hero...a legend," she said.
Part of her started to feel VERY small. Ben was far more powerful than normal. Her protecting him was like trying to guard the sun against a planet! Akame wanted to be a part of his life; it was at this moment, that the Empire was gonna fall. It was an absolute. With a reformed proud grin across her face, she took a deep breath as she felt butterflies fluttered from her stomach to her brain.
"Oh and you can come in Akame, it's quite alright," she heard. "I know you have Murasame held tightly to your palm. It's quite alright."
Akame's eyes popped. This was just never ending. Akame shouldn't be shocked, this was a friend of Ben;s by the way. Though, she still needed to be cautious. Ben did say that his enemies were far more powerful.
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Back with Ben and Paradox, the Time Walker's smile never left his face as Ben, relieved that there is a possibility for his friends over here could be teleported over to his world, only if they desired it.
"Besides, the immediate danger, I think this universe is a way of saying, I owed you," he said.
"Thanks, Paradox," Ben thanked.
"Oh and you can come in Akame, it's quite alright," she heard. "I know you have Murasame held tightly to your palm. It's quite alright."
"Akame is here?" Ben said, sweating.
"No need to sweat, Ben. She was just on her stroll. Fighting her sister, but I will let her tell you the details about that one. To which will be very later," Paradox said.
"Right," Ben said. The door opened, Akame came in, sword out, ready to fight. She closed the door firmly, facing who was in front of her, though she relaxed to see Ben, not in any danger at all facing a middle-aged man with a lab-coat.
"Hello Young Akame, you were as insightful and powerful then you are now than young Ben here. Or is it later? Time Travel can be such a pain is it?"
"Excuse me?" Akame asked, very confused.
Ben sort of got the idea. Akame becoming more powerful than Ben at a later date. That was both scary and interesting.
"Oh, how rude of me, allow me to introduce myself, I am Professor Paradox, Ben's ally and the reason I sent him here. Now before you asked why, I must urge you to...what the kids say today? Parking lot that question until the time is appropriate," he said.
"Akame being more powerful than I am? Wait...she's getting a..."
"Shhh," Paradox hushed. "Allow her to discover her own path before she starts walking. If she decides to by the way," he turned to Akame, who was frozen. She dropped her blade, stunned from shock for a brief second. She got herself out of that trance and picked her sword up. She didn't sheethed her sword back to the scabbard. At least not as of yet. She trusted Ben, but she didn't trust Paradox. She wasn't like Leone where whatever her colleague's word says, its law. No. She had to watch a person for a significant amount of time before some amount of trust could be open.
Ben was too powerful, however he proved himself time and time again that he was for the Revolution and nothing else.
Paradox was someone entirely different. She had heard his voice time and time again, but since she knew that it was him that dragged him over to their world – part of her wanted to hug him while the other half wanted to cut him to ribbons – she was conflicted on her feelings onto what to do. Just by looking at him, she could tell that he was mighty powerful – and based off the name alone, it hinted that he can control time much like Clockwork. Pointing a weakness with him would be next to impossible.
"I'd see to it that I meet you at the end of the battlefield, Benjamin. Probably!" Paradox said as he vanished in a flash of white light.
Akame was shaken. Now she really felt uneventful. Even if she went to his universe, if she ever decided, she would plateau. There would be MANY people who would block, counter, and absorb her blade. She would be EXTREMELY weak there, but he mentioned that she could be far more powerful than Ben. That would be something that was worth exploring.
She became curious, though she brushed it to the side...at least for now.
"Looks like you met Professor Paradox," Ben said, "That was the same face I made when I first met him back when I had the Omnitrix."
"I want to be a part of your world," she finally said.
"What?"
"I heard it was possible and Paradox said that it was my choice," she said putting her sword away, "So, I'm coming with you. Once the war is over, I'll follow. I want to be what you are! I want to be a hero like you," she said.
"Um...Akame, you're already a hero," Ben said.
"I'm an assassin, Ben. That's not the same thing. I want to help people, really help people. Like he said, I was a part of the Empire before I defected. I stopped uprisings before they happened. That's how I was brought up. I killed to protect the peace, you kill when you exhausted all options – even then you would find another way to help people. So please, for your blessing, I would like to be a part of your team!" Akame yelled, but not too loud to the point where everyone could hear.
"You want to be a Plumber?" Ben asked, a thought of Akame being a Plumber came racing back.
The thought of Sheele being a Plumber would be exciting and downright awesome and adventurous. Though, Ben would have to teach Sheele proper intergalactic law, at least the basics, and give her some basic training. It was basic military school, but he believed that Sheele could pass and at least be a Plumber, a deputized one at that.
Akame was a different monster. If Akame were to be a Plumber, there is a possibility that she could take the name Magister from Max Tennyson, his grandfather, and become a Magister, or at best, a Marshall. He could tell that she could rise through the ranks much easily and would take the Plumbers' Academy much seriously...far more than Kevin. Actually...a lot more than Kevin since she was a Military Officer once before, now an assassin.
It would entertain Ben to see Akame and Kevin argue on petty things and then watch things go down the drain, making them friendly rivals on the Plumbers Academy but allies on the battlefield. Gwen would obviously would have adored her.
Sheele and Ben on the other hand would have an easier time with each other, and Sheele would have a lot more weapons under her belt than her Extace, a weapon that would surely would have intrigued Azmuth. Probably. Speaking of Sheele, she would be a lot more active in the superhero business.
The rest of Night Raid, well...that would be a conversation between The Plumbers to either absorb them into the oOrganization or split them off into their own separate group while following Intergalactic laws. It may be the former than the latter.
Ben looked through her eyes. It was determination he read. She wanted to do this. She WANTS to be a part of his world. He sighed.
"Alright," he said.
Akame grabbed Ben by the collar and gave him a deep, long kiss before giving him a tight hug. One that could crush boulders.
"Okay...that's enough," Ben said, trying to get some air into his lungs. Akame's eyes widened.
"Oh sorry!" she said, "Thank you, Ben. You won't regret it!"
She turned back to the door, and stopped, "Oh, and I promise to get stronger, and help you take down that Vilgax guy! He wouldn't know what hit him," Akame said, leaving the kitchen, leaving a stunned Ben, seeing how much of an ego she was starting to develop.
"I think I created a monster," Ben said.
Author's Note: Alright! Yikes! I didn't know this chapter was gonna be this long! Almost 4,800 words. I was writing away lol. Thank the coffee for that lol. Also, what do you guys think of the chapter so far? On top of that, there are only now 4 chapters left before the story ends, so better get your popcorn, it is going to be a wild ride. Until next time!
PEACE!
