Akame ga Clover

by stringdog

Death is the end…or is it? Reborn in a new world where magic is everything by Fate itself to counter a threat that violated the laws of nature Akame and Tatsumi must first regain their memories of their past live and then fight to protect the Clover Kingdom from the threats that it will face but who will accept people like them? The Black Bulls of course.

11. Chapter 11: Date

Here is the eleventh chapter in this story released when I wanted it to be released based of my release process for this series. It's almost time to end the prologue arc that has helped set up this story and the role of Akame and Tatsumi in it, as well as lay the ground work of others, but there is one more chapter before this arc comes to an end because after everything Akame and Tatsumi need a nice date day and what better event than the Star Festival, their first as Magic Knights so perfect for the young couple. What could possibly happen other than a nice sweet date? That is all I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all and while there are no questions to answer there is a guest review that needs a response that I will do now. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.

To Guest (guest), interesting that you thought of Wave instead of Bulat seeing as he survives Akame ga Kill's anime which that part of the story is based off so technically his soul hasn't been reborn unless of course he's died since then. Even so, if that were to be the case, he would be younger than Tatsumi and Akame as he died after them and the ages are basically the earlier you died in the anime (or this fic in the case of Akame), the older you are in this series. I don't think I specified it but as of right now Akame and Tatsumi are 16 (as are anyone else who died the same day they did), Mine and Lubbock are 17, Chelsea is 18 and Bulat and Sheele are 19 or 20 I haven't decided if the gap should be 1 or 2 years given how early they died. If there are anyone else then they'd be in those age ranges as well depending on when they died in Akame ga Kill. As such anyone who may or may not die after the end of Akame ga Kill would be younger than Akame and Tatsumi and that includes Najenda should she die (her survival means I can't replicate all of Lub's backstory so that is a key difference). Course you are correct in assuming that should Wave die and be reborn his magic would be Armor Magic given his Imperial Arms but naturally I will neither confirm nor deny him at this time. As for the other Jaegers, well again I won't confirm anything but you will get answers with them in time as well, well all but one of them at least. Susanoo is the one hard one as he's not actually human, he's an organic Imperial Arms so he doesn't have a soul. There is a potential way for him to appear, but a lot will depend on how something goes when it is implemented in time but that's a fair bit off at the moment. You've certainly given me some things to think of and it might actually make some of my plans better in the long run so thank you. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.

That is it for this pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the eleventh chapter in Akame ga Clover.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these two great animes.

Chapter 11: Date

"There's a big festival going on today, so you have tonight off to enjoy it." Yami said as he entered the common area of the Black Bulls hideout though it took most of the squad a moment to process what he said.

That was because rather than show up in his usual attire, their Captain had walked in wearing, of all things, a happi coat, loincloth, headband, and wooden sandal things that looked a little impractical and that was it. It was a shocking image to them as they tried to process exactly what or why he was wearing what he was wearing. To add to it all he also had a hand fan in one hand that just confused them even more.

"Festival?" Tatsumi asked confused. "I've never heard of there being one. Akame? Have you heard of it."

"Don't ask me?" Akame said to her boyfriend, they'd begun to use the term officially a while back, but it still made her heart skip a beat to think of it even if they'd not progressed further than simply holding hands, cuddling, and making out as neither were ready to take it any further. "I'm from as backwoods as you can get, even more so than you I'd say, and I don't remember one from last year."

"That was because last year the festival happened while we were attacking that assassin school and bringing an end to it at last." Yami said. "Annoying that we missed it even if we still came dead last, and it was actually Julius's idea for the attack to occur during it because the whole nobility would be distracted by the festival giving us the chance to go in without issue. It even ensured that a few of the more lecherous individuals who got wasted at the festival were caught after we handed over the prisoners and evidence as those people couldn't flee in time."

That made sense to Akame, a festival would be the perfect cover for such an attack as there was no way the backers could make moves to defend or evacuate it if they were preoccupied at the festival. Of course, it still didn't explain what the festival in question was, however.

"So, what is this festival?" Tatsumi asked.

"Well for one thing, this is going to be freaking awesome." Magna said with a grin. "We missed it last year but my first year with the squad we went to it, and it was just that. Does that help?"

"Not really." Tatsumi admitted and Akame nodded next to him.

"Finral, tell us what this festival is." Akame asked looking at the most likely member to know anything of use. "And save any chat about the ladies."

"Er sure." Finral said not exactly thrilled at being ordered around by a junior member but at least Akame wasn't rude about it. "Basically, as you know Magic Knights receive stars for good performance and we all compete together to see who can get the most."

"You mean the other squads compete with each other." Akame said looking to their star board and it's notably not gold but black stars on it. "We have negative 40 stars at the moment."

"It would be negative 50 but Tatsumi is actually competent when he's on a normal mission and his Armor Magic really helps prevent too much wanton destruction." Magna said with a grin. "That's why he's the only one of us who doesn't destroy everything though fatalities around you aren't too great."

"If they're trying to kill me it's only fair game I kill them in return." Tatsumi said with a shrug and Akame completely agreed with this logic. "In the field you can't hesitate, so I don't, and the Wizard King agrees."

"We just can't get stars for those missions where the death toll is an uncomfortable number." Akame said. "Unless it is Spade or Diamond troops making an incursion, but we don't deal with them so it's hard to get stars."

"Well killing corrupt nobles after exposing their crimes can get a little political as most nobles look out for their own." Yami said. "So, you two have to not take credit for it. Keeps the heat off us and Julius so we can continue to make the kingdom better."

"We're used to that." Akame said.

"Yeah we got no glory in our last lives for similar acts though there it was outright assassination." Tatsumi said. "At least here we try to take them alive and it's more sanctioned given the support we have from the Wizard King."

By this point the whole squad knew of Akame and Tatsumi's past lives in great detail and had seen how ruthless both were when it came to battle. Their skills had been put to great use by the Wizard King in his pursuit to make the kingdom better and fairer for all the citizens. When you added in their additional training from Yami to improve their sword skills and general fighting abilities by incorporating ki into it so as to not rely on magic, the young couple were becoming a force to be reckoned with even if only the Black Bulls knew that.

That was fine with them, however. These days they were mainly used by Julius to secretly investigate corrupt nobles, several of whom had had ties to the assassin school that had owned Akame, and helped take them down when Julius had the necessary evidence to do so. While they didn't exactly leave the standard trail of Black Bull destruction in their wake, the trail of bodies they did leave was just as bad so that mixed with the secretive native of their work led to the lack of stars from them as well.

That said, when Tatsumi was on a normal mission they did actually get stars, or at least avoided a negative one, as he was good at avoiding collateral damage. It was a mix of his nature and his magic that had helped that but with his main missions being the secret ones he couldn't prevent the Black Bulls from amazing an impressive negative 40 stars this year.

"Well, we may be out of the running, but this festival is where they announce the total number of stars distributed over the past year and then crown the winning squad." Finral said. "It also means there are plenty of pretty women to sweep off their feet at it."

"So, the Golden Dawn then." Tatsumi said ignoring Finral's ladies man part and just saying who would win. "Got it."

"Pretty much." Finral said with a nod. "However, the festival is attended and enjoyed by citizens from all over the Clover Kingdom as the largest public event of the year, so it really is a lot of fun besides us coming last every year."

"And it is called…" Yami said as he began to strike a pose with the rest of the squad forming up around him. "…the Star Festival."

At that the squad cheered and clapped. Clearly they'd all enjoyed it in the past and were looking forward to it again this year after missing the last one which really helped sell it to them.

"Sounds fun." Tatsumi said before turning and looking at Akame. "A perfect event for a date."

"Well, if you insist." Akame said blushing, they'd had plenty of dates in Nean, Kikka, and just general hunting ones as those were a lot of fun with the added prize of meat at the end, but a festival date sounded more interesting and serious. "I do want to enjoy it and it will be nice to be at one in the open. In my past life my identity as an assassin was revealed right at the start because of my defection so I couldn't do these things."

"Right, I remember that." Tatsumi said. "So, let's have a great time at this festival."

"That's the spirit." Yami said glad that his two newest members were getting into it as well. "Now let's go and have some fun. Finral, portal."

"On it boss, and here I come ladies." Finral said as he formed the portal to take them as close to Kikka as possible. "Everyone get moving as I can't keep this open indefinitely."

They all cheered and passed through the festival to appear on the outskirts of Kikka. It was a sight to behold for Tatsumi and Akame as they walked into the town as a group and saw the stalls, performers, games, food, and of course all the people coming into the town on broom or carpet above them for the festival. It was a lot and they paused as they got in and Captain Yami turned to them.

"Alright now you rascals go and have some fun." Yami said with a grin. "The announcement of our impressive last place finish will be in a few hours so enjoy yourselves before that."

"Wohoo where's the wine." Vanessa said running off to find it. "Time to get wasted on some local brews and vintages."

"Festival food!" Charmy yelled brandishing a knife and fork that she produced from the pouch in her top and running off towards the stalls that Akame herself was hungrily eyeing as well.

"A bite to eat is good and then it is onto the fireworks." Magna said.

"I'll take that food and find someone to fight." Luck laughed running off after Magna.

"Time to find many sweet souvenirs for my angelic sister Marie." Gauche said walking off looking at a picture of Marie with a bloody nose.

"Ladies here I come." Finral said while Grey just exhaled smoke and walked off and Gordon just did his own thing.

"Well, Akame." Tatsumi said holding his hand out to her. "Shall we enjoy our festival date."

"Of course, my love." Akame said taking his hand in hers and interlocking their fingers glad that neither wore their gloves today so that they could properly hold hands before she suddenly began dragging him off to the nearest stall selling cooked and sizzling meat. "Now come on, I smell meat I've never smelt before."

"Haha of course we'd go there first." Tatsumi said with a smile as he let Akame drag him off to what would be the first of many food venders they'd enjoy and glad that they'd both saved their wages for a bit as it was about to get spent on Akame's voracious appetite.

Akame just smiled at that as they made their way to the first of many stalls selling skewers of cooked, spiced, meat. Akame naturally bought one of each kind while Tatsumi just got one as he couldn't eat nearly as much as his girlfriend could.

They paid and moved on with Akame just getting one of each thing from the stalls they went to so as to try as many different kinds or styles of meat as possible while Tatsumi was more measured with his purchases to avoid getting too full from all the meat he was eating as he did want to save room for some of the desserts on offer as well. He could eat a lot, but she always had him beat be it in their past life or this new one.

Of course, just thinking of that got Tatsumi thinking of the last few months since he got accepted in the Black Bulls and he couldn't help but smile at it as he and Akame walked hand in hand around the festival and took it in as they enjoyed it. It had been a wild few months, but he'd not trade it for the world.

Of course, things had started off with seeing Akame and his memories suddenly returning and all that that entailed. That had been a lot but with Akame he'd been able to process it and of course their mutual confession was the crowning moment of it. Their love couldn't be shared in their last life, but it had transcended that and now they could do what they'd wanted to do before they had died. Things had just gotten better from there.

First they'd told their tale to their squad and then the Wizard King who'd accepted it mainly because it was proven true by Marx, and they'd made plans for how to properly utilize their skills for the betterment of the Clover Kingdom. That was what led them to dealing with corrupt nobles who they would first investigate at the orders of Julius directly, via Yami, and then if there was proof of serious crimes Julius would sanction an operation to deal with the noble and those loyal to him or her.

These ops were under the table so as to avoid tipping off those who may try and stop Julius. It was the connections at play that meant that only the Black Bulls with their lack of familial ties could perform without an issue. It didn't help that some of the nobles had committed heinous crimes for which a summery order of death was an option but all that meant was that Akame and Tatsumi were the best for the job.

Naturally they did the jobs with brutal efficiency as it helped the kingdom and did so in a sanctioned way that helped a man in power who actually would make things better. It was made especially so because Julius always publicized the crimes after a noble had been arrested or killed as a way to both make an example of the noble's crimes and letting other corrupt nobles know that they could face a similar punishment if caught.

As such they had no problems with the jobs or carrying out the sentences when death was ordered, though for the most part the orders were to capture and only kill if unavoidable but some crimes were so bad that the noble had to die. The others understood this and accepted them because that was just what the Black Bulls were though they wouldn't join such missions if death was the order as those could only be carried out by the pair. Still the team was a family and to Tatsumi and Akame it was just like being with Night Raid again.

On the subject of Night Raid, they knew that the others were here thanks to Yami's information when he taught them how to use ki, which both now used as part of their fighting style as it significantly improved it, thanks to his meeting with Julius and some other Captains that Julius had suspected had reborn souls in their ranks. They knew now that all who'd died in the squad, that they knew of as Leone and Najenda were still alive when Akame died, had been reborn over the years here and all had made it into the Magic Knights being spread out across 5 squads though they hadn't seen any of the others yet.

There was a reason for that, Julius was still trying to learn why they'd been reborn in this world and wanted to keep things under wraps for the moment as he sought answers and learned how best to use them best. That meant that the fewer who knew the truth the better, so it was just the Black Bulls, the Wizard King, and Marx who knew. Of course, it was believed that two of the others knew as they were in the same squad but as nothing had come from it, it was also believed that they'd not told anyone about their situation.

As much as Akame and Tatsumi wanted to go and see the others they knew that this was for the best at the moment to go along with the Wizard Kings plan. In time they'd get the chance, but it needed to be done right and handled correctly so until then they would continue their lives as they were. That and both were happy with the Black Bulls and didn't want to go anywhere so perhaps all of them working together in time but from different squads would really help them all grow. It certainly expanded what they could do if they were in different places so that was an added bonus to the situation.

The Black Bulls had certainly helped them grow and Tatsumi loved his squad mates. They were an eclectic bunch of weirdos and failures just like Night Raid had been so perfect for him. He valued them all as if they were family and was honored to call himself a teammate to them. They were all unique though with Charmy able to outeat Akame he'd finally seen it all.

"Woah miss, your shooting is unreal, all bullseyes which is the highest score I've ever seen." A game stall owner said near them which wasn't unheard of, there were plenty of magic gun games around that got exclamations from the owners, it was the response that got them.

"Well, I am a badass sniper genius." An imperious, arrogant, stuck up voice said causing both Akame and Tatsumi to stop dead in their tracks, turn and look at the stall their eyes going wide at what they saw. "So of course, I'd be the best."

The girl who had spoken and just put down the gun she'd used was offensively pink to a level that was almost painful to look at. She wore a long sleeved light pink dress that came down to past her knees with a flared out skirt part and a dark pink, frilly, hem and dark pink row of button pairs down her chest. It went with her long pink hair that was done in a pair of twin tails tied with light pink ribbons and matching eyes. She completed the look with light pink platform shoes and straps on her legs with a dark pink belt and grimoire bag on her hip. In fact, the only non-pink thing on her was her black tights.

Akame and Tatsumi knew the woman at once though they expected a pink cardigan thing over her shoulders, but it wasn't there. Instead, she wore a pink robe over her shoulders with black diamonds in the center and a white fur collar that was fastened with a pale pink flower style at the throat and had a full pink cloak that fell to her ankles behind it. There was a small gold crest on the chest just below the left collar bone, but the detail couldn't be seen. Neither of them needed to see the crest to know what it was, the style of the Coral Peacocks was very distinctive after all.

"And yet you still have a washboard for a chest so you're not the best when it comes to endowment." Another woman in a matching Coral Peacock robe over her white shirt and black waistcoat though without the cloak part said with a chuckle. "Must be hard to be flat again. Fate must be a cruel mistress to do that."

"Shut it." The first girl said angrily as she accepted her prize, a giant pink fluffy plush bear, and turned away from her companion. "I don't need an overly sized chest like you to know I'm…"

"What Mine? And for the record my chest is perfectly average, it's not large like Akame's and especially Leone's were." The other girl said as Mine, for it was indeed Mine, had turned to look up the road and seen Akame and Tatsumi standing there holding hands just up the street from them and staring at the pair of girls which caused her to drop her jaw as her eyes went wide. "What's the…oh, well, this is certainly unexpected on several levels."

The other girl had walked around to stand next to Mine revealing she was wearing a red tartan skirt with a white hem and black, knee high boots with pink soles. Her hair was an off orange color, and she wore a pair of black earmuff things over her ears. As Akame and Tatsumi would have expected she had a lollipop in her mouth and seemed less surprised than Mine was to see them, at least until she looked down and noticed that the Black Bull pair were holding hands.

"Um, Mine, is it just me or are they holding hands as if they're out on a date?" The girl asked. "And wearing Black Bulls robes though that somehow doesn't surprise me, of all the Squads the Bulls' reputation is the closest to what we used to do only with more destruction and less, well, you know…"

Mine was just too stunned by the sight to say anything to Chelsea, for it was in deed Chelsea with her, as she stared at what was in front of her. She'd been shocked silent by the sight of, of all people, Akame and Tatsumi, standing up the street from them looking about a year younger than Mine.

Of all of them they were the ones that she expected to survive, to live to see the new dawn they'd fought so hard for, what Mine had wanted and sworn she'd see but she'd made peace in the end when she saved Tatsumi from being publicly executed and killed Great General Budo but took a mortal wound before killing him. She'd been able to save the boy she'd fallen in love with and while he'd been unable to return her feelings when she confessed them because he was in love with someone else she'd still died in his arms knowing she'd done the right thing after telling him how she felt.

Now, though, he was here before her again so clearly he too had died at some point and been reborn in this world of magic just like her and Chelsea had. It turned out that had Akame died and been reborn as well which was even more surprising, and if they were together than whatever blocks they had in their memories had to be gone like they had been for Mine and Chelsea. Their presence alone was enough to shock Mine into silence but when she saw them holding hands in the way she'd wanted to with Tatsumi when she'd finally accepted her love for him, well, she just went blank at that.

Tatsumi had rejected her because he had fallen for someone else, and he'd told her that as she died in his arms, but she'd accepted it before her life in that world left her still happy to have at least told him she loved him before dying. That someone was apparently Akame who'd also fallen for him which was another surprise as Mine wasn't even sure if Akame understood romance given her history.

It all basically just shot her brain causing her to stand there looking stupid while others stared at them. Chelsea, who was able to recover faster mainly because she'd never really codified how she felt about Tatsumi other than that he'd inspired her to do more in that final battle for her, which had also helped her be in a position to kill Bols. That said she did recall that her last memory of that life had been one of Tatsumi's smiling face as the rain began to fall and that puppet of Kurome cut her head off though with that gut wound she was a goner regardless.

All of that had come back to her when her block was destroyed a few years ago and she'd learn from Mine latter that night of Mine's own feelings for Tatsumi, which Chelsea had always suspected were there, and how she died too. Regardless, Chelsea hadn't expected Tatsumi, and certainly not Akame, to die in the rebellion but the evidence was irrefutable that they were here and standing before them. It also confirmed to what Chelsea had thought when she saw Mine, others who'd died in their last life were here as well.

Still, they were starting to draw attention to themselves, so Chelsea had to do something. She did so by pulling up her grimoire from the tartan pouch that she kept it in on her right hip and it flipped over to a spell that would be really useful right now. Her grimoire was gray with a line a third of the way down across the front and back cover that had a lock design in the center of the line, a tartan spine, and various cosmetic products over the front and back covers while the three leaf clover in the center was also tartan.

"Hey you two." Chelsea called out gesturing to them. "Come over here so I can cast a spell that will ensure we don't get attention."

Akame and Tatsumi hadn't been too surprised to see Mine and Chelsea, they'd been told that they were in the Coral Peacocks by Yami the day he taught them to use ki, but they'd not expected to run into them so suddenly and right in the middle of this festival. However, they had and of the others these two were the best as they were also clearly unblocked as well so this could be told of the current situation and Akame and Tatsumi hurried forward to stand in front of Chelsea and Mine.

"Thanks." Chelsea said as the grimoire flipped to the right page while glowing with magic. "Transformation Magic: Open Air Privacy."

Akame and Tatsumi looked in confusion at that as the air shimmered around them to create what looked like a glaze in the air that surrounded the four of them. They could see out, but it was like looking through opaque glass and the people around them just walked past as if they weren't there, even walking around them if on a collision course for them.

"Er, what did you do Chelsea?" Tatsumi asked finally breaking the silence. "We know a Transformation Mage, we have one in our Squad, but we've never seen transformation magic like this."

"Ha well I am the best there is at this kind of magic." Chelsea said with a grin. "As for what I did, well Open Air Privacy is a spell that does just that, it transforms the air around us to make sure that we can't be overheard while also transforming us to those who look through the transformation in the air, well on the surface as Transformation Magic is like that, to look like something that should be avoided. Usually, it's crates or something but it can be less pleasant like trash or a pile of shit."

"Wait but what of those who saw it be used?" Akame asked.

"They see us transform but when they come back they won't remember." Chelsea said. "The only ones who will see us are those who are still around but it will just look like we're having a hushed conversation to them. It's a really useful spell. Magic is amazing, I can do so much more with my grimoire than I could with Gaea Foundation though that is still my strongest spell and replicates what that did for me making me the strongest Transformation Mage out there."

"Oh, now who's bragging." Mine said finally recovering, well mostly recovering, as Chelsea had given her an opening for a jibe back at her. "And you call me arrogant."

"You are arrogant." Chelsea said which neither Akame nor Tatsumi could disagree with. "And your magic isn't even that great of a transition from your Imperial Arms."

"I can recreate Pumpkin and my Mental Magic is just as strong as the mental power that I used with her back in our last life." Mine said defensively as she turned to glare at Chelsea. "Though I use a wand nowadays to focus the power more as it is more convenient and fitting for this world."

"I see that neither of you have changed." Tatsumi said with a smile noticing that Mine had a gaudy and ultra-feminine pink wand hanging from her belt that he'd missed earlier because it blended into all the pink she was wearing. "That is good to see."

"Oh right, we got distracted." Chelsea said turning on them with a grin. "I know I want answers from you two so start spilling. What…"

"You want answers, get in line." Mine said interrupting Chelsea as she glared at Akame her jealousy flaring. "So, you were the one who had Tatsumi's heart, Akame? Explain."

"Wait that's what you want to know?" Chelsea asked turning to look at Mine again. "That can wait, I want to know how they died, when they died, when they were born here in relation to us, when they got those blocks or whatever was in our minds removed, and what their magic is though I am sure Tatsumi's is something like Armor Magic as he had Incursio."

"That is right on the money, Chelsea, my attribute is armor." Tatsumi said with a nod. "I'm an Armor Mage."

"And I have Blade Magic." Akame said. "Which given that I used Murasame, that I can recreate with a spell though lacks the one hit killer effect, makes sense. Still haven't met anyone else with my attribute however so it's pretty unique."

"See that was easy." Chelsea said to Mine. "Now the other questions before we let Mine have her jealous fit over this that will be fun to watch. Most importantly, how did you die and how did you remove your blocks?"

"We'll tell you both, but you have to also tell us some things as well." Tatsumi said as Akame nodded next to him. "Mainly what you've been up to here, what you did before your blocks were removed, and why you never told your Captain about things. After all that we can go from there because the Wizard King is aware of our situation and where we all are, so we need to inform you of what the plan is."

"Oh, yeah, that is actually really important." Chelsea said surprised that the Wizard King was aware. "Fine, we'll go first so that you can tell us everything in one go, but you are going to have to really explain the whole Wizard King thing."

"When are we going to deal with this development." Mine said angrily gesturing to the hand holding in front of her. "I want to know about that above all else right now seeing as I was rejected for Akame as I fucking died."

"We can tell you when we tell of our deaths and the removal of our blocks." Akame said coolly, she'd heard from Tatsumi that Mine had confessed to him before her death which had made her feel what she'd learn from Vanessa was jealousy though as she'd landed Tatsumi she knew she'd won and if she saw Mine to remind her of that which she would do. "So, start with how your blocks were removed."

"Not much to say there." Chelsea said with a shrug. "For whatever reason I was reborn here a year before Mine and actually had a similar youth to last time as I was a servant in the employ of a cruel noble who enjoyed hunting commoners but I didn't learn of that until I accidentally saw him taking a bribe from someone else to partake in that horrid act. That disgusted me and rather than find a rich husband, I killed the noble after I got my grimoire and could use proper transformation spells and then left to make my own name somewhere where I could do good."

"And that led you to the Magic Knights?" Tatsumi asked. "Not some freelance noble hunting or what not?"

"I still had the block so I didn't really know what to do but I figured the Magic Knights would be a good start as they might have the power to stop nobles like that, or at least give me access to them." Chelsea said. "So, I went to the entrance exam and impressed Dorothy in it enough that she took me though she was asleep the entire time, so I don't know how she noticed anything. For a year I was a good Magic Knight, in part because I was still worried about that murder I'd committed, and helped Dorothy a lot, so she brought me to the next exam a year later and that's when I saw Mine as she was one of the entrants."

"I just wanted to get stronger to avoid feeling weak again." Mine said. "Seems like fate or whatever sent us here has a cruel sense of humor as I was born on the Clover/Diamond border to parents from both sides of it and grew up an orphan in Kiten. I was bullied for having Diamond Kingdom blood in me and this was during their invasion, but I didn't let it get to me, I got stronger, got my grimoire, and headed to Kikka to become a Magic Knight though I didn't see Chelsea there."

"Ah so Chelsea was the one who had her block removed first." Akame said.

"Given how the entrance exam is set up with the balcony for the Captains and the Magic Knights they brought with them while the examinees are in the arena it makes sense." Asta said. "Easier for Chelsea to see Mine first and then deal with the pain of the block's removal."

"Yup, that wasn't pleasant, but I rode it out and used my magic to transform myself so that Mine wouldn't suffer it during the exam while I processed the revelations I was dealing with as best I could where I was." Chelsea said. "It certainly explained a lot of things I'd been feeling regarding corruption and how to deal with it, along with the skills in stealth that I had but couldn't understand until then. During this time, Mine showed her talents with her magic control and accuracy so I told Dorothy to recruit here. Captain Charlotte also wanted her as well but Mine chose the Coral Peacocks much to the surprise of some."

"I didn't get a good vibe from Charlotte; she struck me as too much like me in some ways and I didn't think I'd work well for a Captain like that." Mine said. "And the Coral Peacocks are pink, that was a big sell for me."

"Of course it was, that is so you Mine." Tatsumi said with a chuckle. "And I take it you saw Chelsea when you got back to the hideout."

"That would be correct." Mine said trying to fight down a blush at Tatsumi's words. "She waited until I had been assigned a room, which she took me to in her transformed form and then dropped it when we were alone so that I could deal with the removal of my block in private with just her. As with Chelsea it explained a lot of the strange feelings I'd had growing up regarding the need to get stronger, survive at all costs, and how much of a badass sniper genius I already was."

"It was the easiest and funniest way to do it." Chelsea said with a grin. "No one around to be confused and I got to see Mine go through the removal of the block thing all on my own. It also gave us the moment we needed to chat about what the hell had just happened and what to do from there."

"Well that all makes sense." Akame said. "So, you chatted and that was when you decided to keep it from Dorothy."

"Correct." Chelsea said as Mine nodded. "It was just too implausible to be believed without some way to magically confirm we were telling the truth so best to not worry her with it, to just do our jobs and try to figure out on our own. We didn't even know if there was a way to magically confirm our story so why bother."

"There is a way." Tatsumi said. "Akame was the one who found it out and that was how she was able to confirm that what we had was a literal block in our memories that gets removed when we see someone who is also reborn from our old world."

"But before I explain that." Akame said. "What have you done since the block was broken?"

"Really not much more than the what we said." Chelsea said. "We didn't think we could tell our Captain about it as she'd likely not believe us so instead I just played off my desire to work with Mine as wanting to show her the ropes, as we're both commoners so it was best I do it. The squad is basically run by an elitist ass in Kirsch Vermillion who's a royal prick in both senses of the word, so he didn't care what we did as we were beneath him thanks to our low births."

"Thanks to Dorothy always being asleep he's the one who runs the show as the Vice Captain." Mine said. "Though Chelsea's magic has been of some help as it allows Dorothy to sleep without worries outside whenever she wants to nap in the sun, that came in handy a little over a year ago when an assassin came after her. Clearly that assassin wasn't as skilled as us seeing as he failed and then chose death rather than be tortured for information by Dorothy in her Glamor World."

"Er about that." Akame said. "I know who he was, we were both raised in the same assassin school and survived the brutal training and culling regime to get our first missions. As you said, our lives seem to have been mirrors to our old ones up to when we joined Magic Knight Squads."

"Ok we are diving into that as well." Chelsea said. "But yeah Dorothy was confused by the attack though she later said that she'd learned that it was some plot to remove the non-noble Captains. It actually got our Vice Captain at the time embroiled in its aftermath and while it couldn't be proved that she was part of the assassination attempt, her mother was arrested for being a funder of that school causing her to resign not just as Vice Captain but as a Magic Knight as well. Kinda hard not to when it's discovered that your mother was at least in some small way partially responsible for the attempted murder of your own Captain who you would be in line to replace if she died."

"Oh, I remember her." Akame said. "Yeah I'm sure the daughter was part of it, she would have replaced Dorothy after all, but there was no proof. That woman torched her records and never confessed to what couldn't be proven. She even had some kind of block put on her memory to protect it from Mushroom Head's magic so there was little to connect the daughter to her crimes, so they just chucked her in prison and left her there."

"Wait you know?" Mine asked. "How?"

"Who do you think was the catalyst in bringing that school down." Akame asked simply. "I was sent after Yami Sukehiro but failed to kill him however rather than die or kill myself I chose to defect after being capture. My story was confirmed by the Wizard King and his assistant Mushroom Head who used a spell to look into my memories. That's how we learned of the block, how we proved our story when Tatsumi and I saw him a while back after Tatsumi's block was broken, and how we got the intel to take down the school. From there it was just using the evidence we found to track down and arrest the nobles backing it which we did. Some still elude us, but Mushroom Head is still investigating and we're helping him."

"Somehow none of that surprises me." Chelsea said with a chuckle. "But yeah that's basically been it. We work together and other than when Dorothy, who as a former member of the Forest of Witches isn't biased on class and oddly not on gender as well despite the normal misandrist views of the witches though she can't say no to a cute girl in need, needs our magic we basically just do our assignments and serve the kingdom. It's not glamorous and not like what we did for the Revolutionary Army, we can't do that without backing at the moment, but it helps in its own way."

"Though as we tend to leave bodies more times than we apparently should we don't get many stars." Mine said. "Not that we mind that so long as the mission is accomplished."

"Yeah we have a similar problem." Tatsumi said. "Hard to give stars when you either cause wanton destruction or kill pretty much everyone attacking you."

"That was never something I had to worry about as my skills are stealth and infiltration, but yeah that's basically what we've been up too." Chelsea said. "So now spill, how did you end up dying first and go from there."

"Yes, how did you end up dating." Mine said finally able to get the answers she wanted even if they would hurt because she did still love Tatsumi, that hadn't changed when she had had her block destroyed but she'd almost moved on as she didn't expect him here only to see him and have her feelings flare up again. "That's what I want to know."

"Well, we died in the final battle." Tatsumi said starting with that though he knew he'd have to address that issue in time but he had already told Mine he didn't reciprocate her feelings so it shouldn't be too bad he hoped. "After Mine died there was still one more thing to clear up which was Kurome who contacted Akame via code for their final battle."

"It was a long time coming and we met in the church were our feud began and while we did have to deal with a sudden Danger Beast appearing we took it down and then fought our last duel." Akame said. "Wave tried to stop us, but he couldn't and Tatsumi came to ensure it. Wave was broken by that point and had lost his reason to fight so he basically gave up when Kurome told him that she had to do this and that if things had been different they could have been friends though I am sure she meant something more than that."

"A shame, I was hoping that you'd not have to kill your sister." Chelsea said. "That's why I tried to kill her, but she somehow survived."

"And dodged my shot." Mine said. "That was unreal, she shouldn't have been able to do that."

"Kurome was never as strong as I was so while I went to the elite squad Kurome went to an experimental one where they pumped her with enhancement drugs that she became addicted to." Akame said. "I think they put them in her cookies to keep her addicted to them. Those drugs, while still unable to put her at my level, did give her enhancements that allowed her to dodge your shot and survive your needle. However, she was greatly weakened by the latter which is played a factor in our final duel. I would have won regardless but with the wound I think Kurome knew that she wouldn't survive the duel."

"So, you did what you intended to on doing." Chelsea said.

"I saved Kurome by killing her." Akame confirmed sadly. "It was quick in the end, she wasn't strong enough to truly challenge me and a stabbed her through the gut with Murasame for a quick, clean, kill and held her as she died. We let Wave take her body and Yatsufusa afterwards, I think he found a place to bury her with it, and Tatsumi held me as I cried and promised me not to die once more."

"Which he clearly failed at." Mine said her jealousy flaring a little at Tatsumi holding Akame but he had held her as she died so she wasn't too jealous that. "So how did that happen and was it before you two got together?"

"No, I was going to tell Akame how I felt about her after the final battle as that was the right time to do so." Tatsumi said. "The revolution came first and Akame, Leone and myself as the last remaining members of Night Raid charged in and went for the Emperor. That was when he revealed this giant 500 foot tall Imperial Arms that was stored beneath the throne room and that only he could use."

"Wait the 10 year old Emperor used an Imperial Arms?" Mine asked shocked.

"Words cannot describe that monstrosity." Akame said. "It destroyed the Palace and a large portion of the city in the final battle, which killed countless civilians in the process, but Tatsumi faced it with the aid of Wave who'd finally defected and come to help out in that battle. During the battle Incursio was damaged and needed to repair itself but Tatsumi was Tatsumi, so he activated one final time despite his wounds."

"It was as if you were all with me." Tatsumi said recalling the moment. "I went beyond with it and evolved Incursio into a new darker gray form with wings and flight. I used that and Wave's help to punch a hole in the Imperial Arms that the Emperor was using to cripple it and bring it down though the Emperor wasn't killed. However, as a result the giant thing fell to an undamaged area of the city so I flew down to stop it and save as many people as I could. It, well, my arms were shattered trying to arrest its fall, and then my legs demolished as it hit the ground and I tried to bring it to a stop. I did in the end and saved a lot of people but the moment it ended I knew that I was dying."

"I had been helping by killing the royal guard that remained and then rushing to Tatsumi." Akame said and the sadness at the memory was clear in her voice. "But by the time I'd found him I knew that it was too late. I'd come to terms with the fact that I was in love with him after Esdeath almost executed him following his capture but with the deaths of Lubbock, Susanoo, and your death Mine, what had to be done with Kurome and the final battle I was going to wait for the new era, but Tatsumi broke his promise."

"I got to see Akame one last time and apologized for failing to keep my promise to her as I fell forward." Tatsumi said. "But I was dead before she caught me."

"Woah that is tragic." Chelsea said her eyes wide at the story. "And somehow fitting for us."

"It was hard catching Tatsumi's body like that after everything and to add to it Esdeath was still alive." Akame said. "She was the last left of the Empire but with the defeat of the Emperor and the Minster almost certainly dead by Leone's hand at that point Esdeath was done with them, and she actually felt sadness at Tatsumi's death showing that she was genuine in her feelings."

"Yeah well I never shared them and frankly she scared me too much." Tatsumi said with a shudder at all the memories he had of Esdeath. "And her views were such that she'd never defect, so she had to be killed."

"I know and I also knew that it was time for me to face Esdeath and end the war." Akame said. "Which I did in an epic duel that resulted in me piercing her left arm, but she severed it to avoid the poison killing her and then pressed on after freezing the stump. In the end I had to use Murasame's trump card, Little War Horn, to beat her by waiting for that time freeze thing she did and then slashing her shoulder to hip in the aftermath to ensure that she died. She used the last of her strength for one more attack however and created an ice spike that she sent through me from my gut to my back to fatally wound me. She was then going to die with Tatsumi, but I stopped that so that I could die by his side which I did a few moments later."

"Poetic." Chelsea said as Mine just pouted in a mix of anger that Akame got that while all she did was die in Tatsumi's arms, jealousy that their feelings were mutual, and sadness at how they'd both died. "And then you were reborn here. Which begs the next question of when that happened. How old are you two?"

"We're 16." Akame said. "You?"

"18." Chelsea said.

"17." Mine added.

"So, there is a time distortion, Sheele looked around 20 when I saw her last year." Akame said.

"Wait you saw Sheele?" Mine asked amazed. "So, it's true, the others who died were reborn here? We theorized it what with us here and seeing you two confirms it even though we didn't expect you to have died, but we've not had the chance to find them yet. My appearance did confirm my death to Chelsea, and I confirmed Lubbock's and Su's deaths to her, but we presumed the rest of you had survived."

"As far as we know all those who died before me have been reborn here, at least from Night Raid, but those who's fates we don't know we can't confirm so we don't know about Leone or the boss." Akame said. "It was after my defection, which included joining the Black Bulls though I'm still on my suspended sentence for trying to kill Captain Yami, which I got 5 years suspended for that with yearly reviews. Failed my first review because I didn't let them know that my block had been shattered by seeing Sheele because it made me realize that Tatsumi had to be here as well so I focused on finding him one day, but I am on track to get my next review in about 6 months' time, and I should be pardoned then."

"Well, you did try to kill a Captain so that does make sense, even with your cooperation and willingness to serve the Wizard King can't just ignore a crime like that." Mine said. "But back to Sheele, she's here?"

"Yes, a member of the Blue Rose Knights but she doesn't know that she's been reborn from what little I can tell." Akame said. "I ran into her, literally, in Kikka and that was what shattered my block when I looked at her, but her glasses were knocked off, so she didn't have the same experience as she couldn't recognize me without them. She has Scissor Magic by the way which is fitting. That's how my block was removed, and I spent the next few months continuing my job as a Black Bull as I got ready to find Tatsumi once we had a new member of the next entrance exam but, well, fate smiled upon me instead."

"Of course it did." Mine growled. "We'll get back to Sheele being here at some point but fine, that's how you got your block removed. How did you ger your block destroyed Tatsumi? Also, you're backstory here, tell me."

"As sharp tongued as ever I see, nice to know that you've not changed Mine." Tatsumi said with a smile that made Mine blush and Akame narrowed her eyes a little before she cozied up closer to her boyfriend to remind Mine of her place not that Tatsumi noticed other than how Akame's impressive assets were now pressed up against his arm which he didn't complain about at all. "As for my backstory, basically the same as before so much more normal. I was born in some forgotten village in the forsaken realm that was right on the border of the Strong Magic Region between Clover and Spade with more magic than a noble and a strange, unheard of attribute to them."

"Armor, right?" Chelsea asked as Mine fought her jealousy at Akame's actions because she knew full well what her friend and romantic rival was doing and as she'd lost there was nothing that Mine could do about it. "That is rare, I've heard of it before but only in passing and as it was in reference to a Crimson Lion King I was certain that it wasn't you."

"Correct, took them a little to properly identify it in fact because of how rare it is, and I'll get into who that other Armor Mage is in a moment." Tatsumi said though at this point it was clear who that person was. "I spent my time there training in various things because I knew that it was the right thing to do and then when I was 16 after working with my grimoire for a year following the ceremony where I got it, I came down for the Magic Knights entrance exam. Nailed it and got recruited by the Black Bulls and that's when I saw Akame. That shattered the block and explained all the strange feelings that I'd been having."

"It was a shock to say the least, even made me drop my meat which I've never done before or since but that was a special exemption." Akame said with a smile. "But it was what got Tatsumi to remember his past life and so I rushed to hold him through the backlash of the block shattering and the whole pain of our deaths and his own internal pain at his failure to keep his promise to me. Then we confessed and made out right there on the common room floor on the hideout for my first kiss though Esdeath claimed that from Tatsumi in our last life. That was a little awkward for the others, but I wouldn't trade it for the world."

"My you are bold though that does explain how you ended up together and seeing as you already loved each other and had planned to confess before it wasn't hard to go straight into a relationship given that your love literally transcended lifetimes." Chelsea said with a grin as Mine raged. "Did the Black Bulls question things though?"

"Seeing as we were babbling on about our old lives they questioned everything." Tatsumi admitted. "And because the Captain knew that Akame had the block he figured out that what we were referring to was related to said block, while I also final understood all those strange feelings that I'd had before it broke, and so we told the Squad everything."

"By the way only the Black Bulls know, well them and the Wizard King and Mushroom Head." Akame said seriously. "And this is considered classified while the Wizard King looks into it to decide where to go from here. As fellow reborn souls you're allowed to know if we ran into you naturally, especially you two as it was presumed that you didn't have your blocks anymore, but you can't spill a word of this by the orders of the Wizard King."

"We've been silent for 2 years." Chelsea said. "We can do that with ease."

"Though now tell us about the others as I do want to know about them." Mine said still angry and jealous over the love before her but pushing it aside as she knew that she had to accept her defeat on this front. "Where are they and why haven't you sought them out? At the very least why haven't you sought out Sheele especially now that you know she's a Blue Rose Knight."

"Wizard King's orders and as he's an actual ally just like the boss was only with institutional power we don't want to defy them, that and it may revoke my suspended sentence." Akame said simply. "He wants to formulate a plan for this and deduce where everyone is. We saw him a few days after we told our Squad what had happened, and he confirmed it and began to investigate. That was how he was able to learn, via the magic attributes that are all tied to our Imperial Arms, where the others were and confirm that they were here by talking with their respective Captains."

"Where are they?" Mine asked. "Bulat, Lub, they are really here as well? Judging by the fact that you said Captains that means that they are Magic Knights as well, they've got to be."

"Yup both are Magic Knights like us, so it seems as if all of Night Raid were destined for the Magic Knights." Tatsumi said. "Bulat is a member of the Crimson Lion Kings and the other Armor Mage while Lub is with the Green Praying Mantis."

"That is somehow fitting for them and explains why we haven't seen them." Mine said though she'd already all but assumed that Bulat was the other Armor Mage, but this had confirmed it to her. "The Crimson Lion Kings are based here and we're seldom in the Capital or near it while the Green Praying Mantis Squad has their own area of the Common Realm that they are based in. We rarely cross that squad especially with their Captain's, er, nature."

"Lubbock was the one who actually saved Jack during the assassination, as a commoner he was the third and final target of the attack as it was designed to kill all non-noble Squad Captains." Akame said. "All of us had magic items on us that hid our magical signatures but Chelsea's illusion and Lub's wires helped alert Dorothy and Jack while Yami has a way to sense people that doesn't use magic hence why he found me before I attacked and then beat me quite handily in the ensuing duel that we had."

"I've heard some things about Captain Yami but hard to believe much given your Squad's reputation." Chelsea said. "But good to know and it sounds like Lubbock has some kind of wire based magic."

"That's exactly what it is apparently." Tatsumi said. "He has Wire Magic, which like Sheele's Scissor Magic and Akame's Blade Magic it seems to be unique to him. Meanwhile Bulat and I have Armor Magic because we used Incursio. Shame I'm not unique but it makes sense."

"It does and fitting for them in many ways, my Transformation Magic is similar in that it is clearly based of Gaea Foundation but not unique like Wire, Blade, or Scissor Magic." Chelsea said. "I wonder though, can Jack's Severing Magic cut Lubbock's wires? If we all have spells tied to our Imperial Arms then Lub's got to have Cross Tail."

"I think he does and yes Jack can cut them but only after a he's gotten really into it apparently as Jack's magic is strange that way." Akame said. "My Blade Magic has some similar properties to Jack's Severing Magic in that both can cut just about anything though the differences is I simply increase sharpness until it cuts what I want it to cut while Jack's is magic based and adapts to what he's cutting while also not limited to tangible concepts from what I've learned. I've studied it a bit given how it's the closest out there to my Blade Magic."

"And my Armor Magic does have the same adaptability that Incursio had." Tatsumi said. "It can shift and change to keep its protection as it adapts to situations that I am in, including adapting to withstand Akame's blades now, but naturally I've not had a chance to test it against Jack the Ripper. One day I will as it will make my magic stronger and as it may take him some time to cut it he'll love the challenge."

"He does have a rather unsavory reputation but then again Lub was a perv, so he fits there." Mine said which wasn't untrue but at the same time only Tatsumi seemed to know that for all his perversity Lubbock was in fact in love with, and loyal to, the boss. "Though it is a shame we can't see him, Bulat, or Sheele again just yet."

"I am sure that in time we can." Akame said. "Just give the Wizard King time and he'll decide how to go forward."

"We will be telling our Captain of this and to forward it to the Wizard King so you two should be brought into this as soon as everything is approved and sorted." Tatsumi said with a grin. "That does mean that you will no doubt have to deal with Mushroom Head and his memory spell but when it is all sorted it will be great to work together again."

"Yup killing people together, just what we used to do." Chelsea said with a smile whole Mine just blushed at the idea of working with Tatsumi again even if she knew she'd never have him and a glare from Akame to once again reminded her of her place. "So, what kind of spells do you two have with that magic? As I said my Transformation Magic is like it was back in our last lives with Gaea Foundation but more at the same time as the spells are more varied."

"Really?" Tatsumi asked. "I actually didn't know much about it back then so how is it more varied?"

"Pretty much the only things I can't do is change magic from one attribute to another, affect non magical things that aren't air around me though I think the natural mana in the air here helps me on that front, and fully transmute something non magical into something else non magical." Chelsea said. "That last one though, if it was permanent, would actually be Transmutation Magic and not Transformation Magic and as far as I know that doesn't exist, that would defy the laws of nature. Course this is magic so it may exist somewhere and just not been realized so you never know on that front."

"True, there is magic that does defy the laws of nature, the Wizard King's Time Magic is such a magic I am sure of it but even in my assassin training I've never heard of Transmutation Magic." Akame said. "As for my Blade Magic, I can basically make various bladed weapons or items and they have different properties. I have one special spell that requires a little time to prepare as well as it requires a technique I'm not that good at yet, so I don't use it that often. Mainly it's Murasame and various ranged blade magic spells. It's also all offensive magic."

"That fits you perfectly though." Mine said. "Whereas Tatsumi has got to be defensive."

"For the most part I am." Tatsumi admitted. "I can make 4 different kinds of armor, including Incursio, as well as some shield and protection spells for myself and others, a binding spell and a torture spell that I don't use. My armor suits come with weapons that are presumably associated with those kinds of armor, and yes Incursio does have the same spear, though I'm also trained in the sword and hand to hand combat and Akame is helping me get better with a katana like blade."

"They're really fun sparring session." Akame said with a smile that Chelsea laughed at while Mine pouted in annoyance. "It's certainly different sparring now that, you know, but we still go hard and don't hold back even with our new developments."

"I bet." Chelsea said with a grin before asking Tatsumi a follow up question. "What about Incursio's trump card? You said that it can still adapt but what about its invisibility?"

"Not yet but I am sure that as I grow and get stronger it will come." Tatsumi said. "Back when I first used Incursio it was stamina based so I am sure that that is how it will work here as well so I'll be getting my stamina up as much as possible to see if that works and even if not it's still good to have high stamina."

"For may reasons I'm sure." Chelsea said having too much fun with the love triangle around her though she did feel a pang of jealousy towards Akame for being with Tatsumi romantically but as she'd never truly considered Tatsumi in that light she was able to quash it pretty well. "Stamina is important for many things."

"That it is." Tatsumi said completely missing Chelsea's meaning though Mine certainly got it and was formulating revenge on her frenemy when they got back to the hideout later. "One of those other things might be the final change that Incursio did before I died. I'd love to get that darker gray suit with wings that allowed me to fly again, but that hasn't happened yet."

"Well, I am sure…" Mine began before there was a sound that rang out through the city, and the crowds began to move and look to the special building that was in Kikka and used for this event. "Never mind, we're out of time it seems."

"What's going on?" Akame asked. "Your spell isn't ending, is it Chelsea?"

"Nah I got as much magic as a high ranking noble so I can hold this for ages." Chelsea said shaking her head. "No, it looks like it's time for the announcement of the results, so let's see how we did this year."

"We're last but it will be interesting to see the others regardless." Tatsumi said as Chelsea dismissed her spell and the turned to look up and could just about make out what was going on.

"Citizens, thank you for attending this year's Star Festival." Julius Novachrono's voice boomed out from a magical item that was floating in front of him which enhanced his voice and got all their attention. "The Magic Knight Squads have done many great deeds this year and this festival is to recognize those deeds and celebrate the hard work these 9 Squads do in keeping the Clover Kingdom safe and secure for all who call it home."

Tatsumi, Akame, Mine, and Chelsea all looked to the sound to see the Wizard King himself standing on the ramparts of the wall with Marx, or as Akame and Tatsumi still called him Mushroom Head, next to him. The crowd were cheering and thrilled to see the Wizard King in the flesh as he addressed the crowd.

"This year we've suffered the usual attacks from both the Spade and Diamond Kingdom though nothing compared to the latter's invasion several years ago." Julius continued seriously which quieted down the crowd. "There have also been ongoing investigations into other criminal actions within our own Kingdom. However, the brave and valiant work of the Magic Knights have repelled and addressed these issues throughout the year. That is why we hold the Star Festival, to honor their defense of our fair Kingdom and the service they provide us."

This was again met with cheers from the crowd as many recalled the help of the Magic Knights throughout the year in various ways. Sure, some Squads did better jobs than others, some were more specialized in what they did, and there were always the Black Bulls causing more damage than good but still it was thanks to the Magic Knights that they were safe and able to enjoy this peace and stability.

"So now for the moment you've all been waiting for, the pride of the Clover Kingdom, the Magic Knight Captains!" Julius announced to the cheering crowd and the level below him 8 men and women stepped out of the dark entrance way and onto the lower balcony thing there for the crowd to see as Julius introduced them including the newest Captain who'd just taken over that day. "Captain of the Silver Eagles: Nozel Silva. Captain of the Green Praying Mantises: Jack the Ripper. Captain of the Coral Peacocks: Dorothy Unsworth. Presenting the new Captain of the Aqua Deer: Rill Boismortier. Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings: Fuegoleon Vermillion. Captain of the Purple Orcas: Gueldre Poizot. Captain of the Blue Rose Knights: Charlotte Roselei. Finally, Captain of the Golden Dawn: Willian Vangeance."

As soon the Wizard King was done there was a round of cheers for the Captains with those who were big fans of various Captains, mainly William, Charlotte, and Fuegoleon, cheering for them specifically while others were intrigued by the new and very young looking Captain of the Aqua Deer. Akame and Tatsumi agreed that the boy was definitely young, only 18 or 19 it seemed, so he must be impressive to achieve such a rank at so young which attested to his power and potential as he had to be the youngest Captain ever, right?

Of course, it also didn't go unnoticed that one of the Captains was missing but when it was clear that it was the Black Bulls' Captain no one seemed to care. Still, it was frustrating to both Tatsumi and Akame that their boss wasn't on the stage, it just looked so unprofessional.

"Why doesn't it surprise me that Captain Yami isn't there." Tatsumi said with a sigh. "I bet he's drunk in that strange getup he had on and forgot what time he was supposed to be on stage or whatever you call that."

"Because it's the Captain, he doesn't need to be there." Akame said simply though she did wish that he had been as she was loyal to him and knew him to be a great man and leader so he should be there to show his position at least. "We're last and disliked by basically everyone even if they don't know some of the stuff we really do to help the kingdom so why bother."

"True." Tatsumi agreed. "We work better this way, and it is a lot like Night Raid, so I don't mind too much I just wish he took this seriously enough to be on stage."

"At the very least Captain Dorothy could have been awake for this." Mine said with a stamp of her foot to emphasize her annoyance at the sight of her and Chelsea's Captain sleeping while standing up on the stage. "It's almost as bad as missing it entirely. That makes us only slightly better than the Black Bulls."

"Welcome the bottom, it's nice and comfy here." Tatsumi said with a grin.

"Shut it Tatsumi." Mine said.

"Meh it's her schtick." Chelsea said as she popped in a fresh lollipop and then handed one to Akame who eagerly accepted it. "Let here have it."

"Fine." Mine said giving up because it was clear that their Captain wouldn't change at all. "She could at least explain how she sleeps like that."

"That's a trade secret I don't think anyone will ever get out of her." Chelsea said as Akame enjoyed her lollipop.

"Anyway, it is time for what you've all come for, to announce the standings and in first place…" Julius said interrupting them as Marx created the image for all to see before the words of the winning squad appeared as the Wizard King paused for effect before the name appeared but with it there he confirmed it. "The Golden Dawn with a record setting 96 stars!"

The crowd cheered at the expected results as the image changed and showed the list of things that the Golden Dawn had done to earn all those stars. Akame and Tatsumi just took it in as they watched understanding that they would be last, so it was more to see where Mine and Chelsea's Squad came than anything else because it wasn't like they'd be contending with the Golden Dawn anytime soon.

"Yes it has been a strong year for the Golden Dawn as they retain their top spot that they've held for the last two years running." Julius said as the image cleared, and he continued with the rest of the results which would just show the name of the squad and nothing more as there wasn't anything really special this year until the end and that was more a dishonorable mention but given that Squad it was to be expected and sorta why they existed after all. "And now onto the rest of the results as you are expecting it. In second place, with 93 stars, it's the Crimson Lion Kings."

This got a cheer from the crowd as Fuegoleon just smiled where he was while Nozel stewed next to him at once again falling short of his rival and with such a close gap between Fuegoleon and William the former was more motivated than ever to best him. Yami would be laughing at this, but he wasn't on stage, the only Captain still not present and as he was lounging in his festival attire he wasn't going to be there not that he was needed anyway as he knew they'd be last. Julius expected this from Yami though and just plowed on.

"In third place it's the Silver Eagles with 88 stars." Julius continued and just went through the list as really only the top Squad was important while the rest just jockeyed for position. "In fourth it's the Purple Orcas with 76 stars. Fifth, the Blue Rose Knights with 72 stars. Sixth is the Green Praying Mantis with 65 stars. Seventh, the Aqua Deer with 53. Eight it's the Coral Peacocks with 51."

"We were 8th?" Mine asked aghast. "And only 51 stars, how?"

"When your Captain sleeps more than an average cat, your first Vice Captain resigns under a cloud of suspicion and your new one is an elitist royal ass it happens." Chelsea said with a shrug. "Not like we'd crack the top three anyway and we still beat those two."

"True at least at this I beat Akame." Mine grumbled.

"We weren't in the running to begin with, so it wasn't a race at all." Akame said shooting Mine down and she was proven a moment later.

"And in last with an impressive negative 40 stars, a new record for worst result ever, the Black Bulls." Julius said to finish it off though at this point everyone was expecting that. "Thank you all for coming to this festival and keep enjoying it and another year of peace and prosperity in the Clover Kingdom."

With that the speech ended and the Wizard King and Marx left their area, King Clover had supposed to be there as well, but he'd fallen asleep so hadn't come, and the Captains retired for their own private party that Yami would join them at. It also signified the end of Akame and Tatsumi's time with Mine and Chelsea as they had to get back to base and wait for the Captain to report in to him what had happened, when he got back and likely sobered up that is.

"It was good to see you again and know you're in the same boat as us." Chelsea said with a smile as the festival began to draw to a close smiling at Tatsumi and Akame as she too knew that it was time to part ways again. "We'll see you soon I'm sure of it, especially given what you've said about the Wizard King."

"Definitely, we'll put in the word, so they know." Tatsumi said with his usual carefree smile.

"Yes, well, it was nice." Mine agreed with a small smile at seeing his smile that she'd fallen so hard for once again. "Seeing you two again even if, you know…"

"Yeah…" Tatsumi said as Mine was making it a little awkward.

"We'll get past it in time, don't worry." Akame said with her own small smile. "I look forward to working with you again Mine, Chelsea."

"Same Akame." Chelsea said.

"Yeah sorry, I have no right to be like this." Mine said with a sigh. "I do want to work with you again as well Akame, you are a dear friend before anything else, so I know that we can do it. I swear that together we'll make the Clover Kingdom better than the Empire."

"We will." Akame said with a nod. "See you soon."

The other girls agreed, and they went their separate ways. After all that had just happened Mine needed to vent and talk things over and Chelsea was the only one who she could do that with so she'd get the brunt of Mine's coming rant while Akame and Tatsumi just walked to their meeting point with Finral to go back to base still holding hands.

Overall, they'd had a good festival and really enjoyed their date. They got their time together, had a great time, and even ran into Mine and Chelsea who were both clear of their blocks as well so they could chat openly about it and really catch up with their old friends.

Yes things were looking up, they just had to inform the Captain about when he got back as they started another year as part of the Black Bulls. Little did they know what the coming year would have in store for them and where the Black Bulls would be ranked in only 12 months' time.

I think this is a good place to leave this nice, long, and at least partially sweet chapter off with some nice foreshadowing of what is to come. As y'all can tell, Tatsumi's time with the Black Bulls has helped a bit as they aren't at negative 50 stars this time but whether or not he'll be able to prevent them from getting to many negative stars before Asta arrives to prevent them from beating the Golden Dawn (they would have won if they weren't so deep in the negative when Asta first arrived) still remains to be seen. Anyway, this chapter helps recap what's been going on, shows a nice date between Akame and Tatsumi, and brings in Mine and Chelsea as the first of the other reborn to appear with their memories in tact and they will be appearing again soon while the others will appear in time. There really isn't much more to say about this chapter and next up is the first chapter that is within the Black Clover timeline, so we've reached the end of the prologue arc of sorts and are moving into the proper story now. I don't have anything else for you so I'll leave this chapter off here. If you liked it then please follow, favorite, review, PM, etc. it is all appreciated and helps me get better and stay motivated to keep producing more content and any questions asked I will do my best to answer both privately and at the start of the next chapter. Until next time.

Stringdog