Chapter 6: No Rest for the Wicked

I will do whatever it takes to have the life I deserve.

Even if it means siding with Atlas to achieve it.

The plan boiled down to one simple purpose. A desperate final retreat. I crawled through the tiny vents with my new sword on my back.

"I sent a team of Specialists during the onset of our crash to prevent the hanger bay from falling," Cordovin spoke into my headset," It was going great until those things showed up."

The Chimera Grimm is their official designated name. Unofficially, They are called Hunter-Killers.

A single one was strong enough to nearly kill an entire team of 4th-year students. I didn't need to imagine what eight of them did to the trio of Specialists and over a hundred trained Soldiers.

A monstrosity filled with unmatched intellect and ferocity exceeding even the oldest Alpha Grimms. Mainly because they are made of several Alpha Grimm splice together in a pool of pure evil as Raven explains the process. When I asked her how she knew this, Raven stated she saw it first-hand four-years ago.

Cordovin is sending me on a suicide mission.

"If you believe that you could take them down and clear a path for our retreat," the commander spoke with no faith in her voice," I will put in a good word to General Ironwood and help lighten your sentence."

I remain quiet to ensure the Grimm below doesn't hear me.

"When your mission is complete. You're allowed to break radio silences and call me back," She informed before her tone dropped," This is assuming we don't get overrun."

I can hear the sound of gunfire punctuating her point followed by the roar of Grimm.

"SHIT! SHIT! SHIT! THEY BROKEN THROUGH THE HALLWAY!" A panicked soldier yelled before the signal cut off.

If they die before I could accomplish my mission, I would lose my chance to end this war.

I memorized the route Cordovin explained to me once. A few more left and I could reach the exit.

Upon reaching my destination, I took a moment to survey the damage.

I was on a high platform overlooking the room lit by fires and the barely functioning emergency lights. I could see most of the dropships are destroyed with a handful still functional. I took note of all the light sources and planned my attack.

Eight hostiles with unique appearances from one another. These Chimera's are Salem's creations.

I draw from my experience hunting Danger Beast with high intelligence.

Stealth is my ally and speed is my goal. No matter how strong or smart they are, a well-planned ambush and knowledge of its weaknesses can bring it down before it realizes it is dead.

My semblance camouflages my presence from Grimm. It makes sense because aura is an emotional magnet for Grimm and since my aura is gone, I'm far less detectable.

I picked out my first target.

A vulture-like Grimm with four wings, mandible, and multiple eyes. It is the overseer keeping taps on everything below that it neglects to watch its vicinity.

It lacks the least amount of bone plate compared to its fellow hybrid Grimm.

I held the Mistranese sword in the position for a slash.

It is 10 meters away.

I crossed the distance in under a second. The sound I made is the equivalent to a needle on the steel platform.

I cut it down and disappeared into the shadows. I didn't even let the flicker of emergency lights and crackling flames catch sight of me.

Seven more to go.

All seven look up to see their overwatch dead.

These things must be mentally linked.

They let out a different blend of animal noises as two more came to investigate.

I brace myself for what could be a tense night.

Final one.

I weave in and out of destroyed dropships and bullhead to eliminate the next target. It's a massive King Taiju crawling on the walls.

Centipedes like legs.

Is Salem engineering these things to instill fear? Because it would work on the faint of heart.

I looked around for an opportunity and found it. A dust crate stood at an optimal spot.

I whistled at the bony snake to gain its attention. Its heads snapped in my general direction and I prepared myself.

It lunged at me at blinding speed. I sidestep the attack and let it eat a soon to explode crate full of dust.

The next head of the Taiju rushed at me and I dropped to the ground allowing it to slide across my blade.

The final Grimm dies with one half exploded and the other half sliced. I sighed in relief as I'm finally left alone in the hangar.

I press a button on the communicator on my right ear.

"Commander," I reported as formerly as possible," The hangar bay is secure."

The feed spark with static for a few moments. I thought I was too late and everyone at the bridge was killed. To my relief, She answered.

"How are you alive!" I could hear her slam a table," I mean-Good work, Branwen. It seems your reputation precedes you."

I know why those Grimm didn't give me as much trouble. My semblance already boosted my prowess well beyond trained huntsmen. Also, I fought the Grimms on my terms with the knowledge I gather from hunting Danger Beast. The only differences between Grimm and Danger Beasts are that Danger Beasts are known to fight each other and could be tamed. Grimm is more unified and unlike Danger Beast, You can't eat them or harvest anything of value from its corpse.

"What is your next order commander?"

A few gunshots later.

"Everyone heads to the hangar!" Cordovin yelled," We're getting out of here!"

The signal cuts off and I decide to defend the area until they arrive.

It was barely 2 minutes until I could hear a loud explosion from above and the commotion of soldiers as they wiped out any Grimm in their path.

I did a quick headcount at 30 soldiers including Cordovin, her bodyguards, and to my relief, Sky.

"Child! Defend us while we get the ship running!" She ordered on the shoulder of one of her bodyguards.

"Yes commander," I answered, hiding my annoyances.

I slash a Creep as it nearly pounces on a fleeing soldier.

Sky stood beside me and fired his shotgun.

"I'll be helping you too," He loaded more shells.

"Thanks," I was glad the Grimm were coming in one direction.

I checked the condition of the sword and saw minor chips and scratches.

An Ursus rushed forward and I punched its head clean off to my surprise.

I stood side by side with the Huntsmen and we looked at each other. We silently agree on a plan and carry it out. Suddenly, gunfire crackled from behind us as soldiers formed a defensive line and protected the dropships.

The battle was chaotic as every single strike needed to count. A single slash ended 5 Ursus. A thrust of my sword killed 2 Beowulf's at the same time. I kicked a Nevermore with enough force to make it explode. I halted a Boarbatusk with my bare hands and swung it into a Death Stalker.

When the sword finally broke, I found a new one from the many corpses of fallen soldiers. I used every single limb including my knees and elbow to hold off the Grimm. I don't feel exhausted even after all this killing.

Finally, I could hear the metallic creak of a platform moving and the hum of dropships.

"Fall back now!"

I look behind me to see the roof of the hangar opening up with 4 Dropships slowly lifting off the ground.

Sky's stomach wounds finally heal but he still winces in pain from internal injuries. I rushed to his side to help him. The soldiers lay down covering fire as a pair of soldiers that I recognize as Cordovin personal guards lifted Sky onto his shoulder and bridal-carried me into the dropship.

Once we got in, the doors closed immediately and everyone onboard found themselves assaulted by intense g-force.

I was pressed against the back of the ship with a handful of soldiers. I could hear the cawing of Nevermore as they smash against the dropship.

I watch as the front windshield of the dropship becomes more cracked. It looked like we were fighting against a waterfall of Nevermore's. After what felt like hours instead of seconds, I saw the scattered moon of Remnant.

The pilot stabilizes the dropship and for a brief moment, everything felt weightless. Then we all came crashing down.

"Thank Atlas! We are safe!" The pilot spoke exhausted and picked up a radio," This is bird 1 to all birds. Respond. Respond."

The radio buzz to life.

"Bird 2 responding."

"Bird 3 responding."

"Bird 4 responding."

The soldiers and I slowly push ourselves off of each other. Once I broke free from being underneath Cordovin's guard, I walked to the front. On the top section of the window is the moon and the bottom is a sea of clouds.

"Bird 5! I need a response! Bird 5!" I look over to see Cordovin in the pilot seat. All she received was static.

"Bird 4 responding, I-I don't think Bird 5 made it commander. They were right next to us," A female voice reported with a depressed tone," But all six members of our aircraft are accounted for and we are still flight-worthy."

"Good, I want headcounts and status on everyone's flight capabilities," Cordovin ordered and the remaining dropships reported in.

There was a long silence for a few moments. Even as the Atlesian moved to vacant chairs to strap themselves in, I could see the sorrow in everyone's eyes. Why would they celebrate after what they've been through?

"24 survivors out of 1590 crewmembers," Cordovin spoke solemnly," Roughly 98% mortality rate, Akame. What do you have to say for yourself?"

I remained silent. There is nothing I could say to disprove my involvement nor plead my innocence. Words mean nothing if I don't back it with my actions.

"And I'll repay those deaths with the death of my mother and her bandits," I vowed.

Cordovin looked away from me half-believing my commitment.

"Buckle up child," She explained to me," Get some rest. We will reach the nearest military base by morning."

I found an empty seat and buckled up. I rested my eyes and waited. I didn't want to sleep in case I'm betrayed. I can't even fall asleep because of my lack of fatigue.

The chatter on the radio, the metallic hums of the dropship, and the snoring of exhausted soldiers were all I heard at night.

I felt light shine in my face and I opened my eyes.

"Finally awake," Sky yawned.

"I can't sleep."

"You can't sleep? After last night?" He questioned me as he stretched in his seat.

"It's-I have to stay vigilant," I answer without revealing any detail of my semblance. It is helpful on the battlefield but it's discomforting to be hyper-aware at all times.

"Your eyes and skin," Sky pointed out," Is that the cosmetic effect of your aura or semblance?"

"Cosmetic effect?" I ask him," What is that?"

"Ya," He responded, "I would have thought you been taught that?"

"I'm not taught everything," I have been studying general education courses while hiding.

"Some people have similar semblance and aura color. Except, for example, one person could have blue electricity and another could be pink flames. It usually corresponds to the color of one's aura."

"I see," I took note of that info," Sky, What about your semblance?"

"I could use my aura to sustain myself," Sky explains," At the cost of a lower overall aura level, I could go on for weeks without eating, sleeping, or drinking before I start feeling the effect."

"Interesting."

"It could be done by anyone but sometimes, A semblance just overly specializes in an aspect of a person's aura," Sky lectures," My partner Keppel could remote detonate dust."

The huntsmen smiled sadly.

"I'm sorry for what happened to your team and your uncle."

"As their leader, it's my fault for losing them to the creature of Grimm. When the money comes in, I'll break the 3 million for their family," He uttered," It isn't enough to wash away my failures. But I have to start somewhere. On the topic of uncles. Akame, Your uncle has been looking for you."

Wait? My uncle?

I shifted through my memories if I had an uncle. It has been 10 years and my recollection of Patch is faded. I remember having an uncle and I always associate him with the smell of alcohol.

"My uncle?"

"Qrow Branwen," Cordovin spoke from the front seat," The only reason why I didn't just execute you back on the airship is that your uncle and General Ironwood seem to have a business relationship. He somehow put aside his misguided hatred of Atlas to ask for our help in bringing you home."

I could tell she is holding information back. That could have been the case before my first kill but now I doubt I'll escape with a slap on the wrist. Unless I'm willing to work with them to wipe out the tribe.

"Qrow Branwen," I let the name hang on my tongue, "What about my family? How are they doing? Can I contact them?"

"I don't know and frankly, I don't care," She answered bluntly," We are approaching the base in a few minutes and as a formality, I have to put you in handcuffs. If you haven't noticed, My men kept their gun off safety for a reason."

I didn't even remember any of them buckling in or setting their guns aside last night. They are all awake; weapons-ready.

"I understand," I held my arms out and Sky snapped handcuffs on me.

Whatever it takes to get home and avenge those I love.

I look out the cockpit window to see white buildings and high fences.

"It takes a lot of willpower to turn yourself in. Before I hand you over, I'm sorry for trying to kill you yesterday," He sighed," I was running on emotions just like you."

Emotions.

It wasn't emotions that forced me to kill. It was my semblance betraying me. Maybe I could seek out my uncle to help me control it. I look down at my arms. Why isn't my semblance fading away yet?

This isn't a problem. I didn't have a personal shield in my past life and it wouldn't affect me now. I need to make sure I don't suffer any crippling injuries.

"But what about medical aid?" I look at my burnt clothes and redden arms. I spotted dozens of tiny scratches coated in dry blood and bruised turning a various shade of black and blue. My knuckles are cut open and blackened. I should at least feel pain throughout my body but besides knowing I'm hurt, I felt nothing.

"Sure, We will get you medical aid first and then process you," the commander dismissed," Now be a respectful and compliant guest or else we would have to sedate you."

"I understand."

"I'm going to radio to Base about you, " Cordovin flipped a few buttons and grabbed the radio," Special Operative Caroline Cordovin requesting immediate landing."

I listen to the way Cordovin speaks and it is far more technical and has more acronyms compared to my time in the military. Granted, We didn't have flying machines in my world nor advanced communications.

"We are escorting a POW," She reported," Rank S. Designation: Shinigami."

At that moment, calm professionalism dropped faster than a dead body.

"THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE?!" The man on the radio screamed," How are you able to capture her?!"

"It cost me an entire airship, thousands of soldiers, three fresh specialists, and 3 Mistranese Huntsmen-in-training," Those words were spoken lividly.

She makes it sound like I killed all of them.

"Gods help us," I could hear a silent pray on the other line.

"We need immediate medical aid to the POW and my men. I want that arranged as well as an immediate call to the general."

"Consider it done, Specialist! You will land at LZ-4."

Is my reputation that infamous?

I look out the window to see a literal army form a circle around a spot marked LZ-4 on a concrete runway. I'm starting to think I might be shot first before I could get off the runway.

"We need to sedate you. They would see you as less of a threat if you're unconscious," Cordovin suggested.

"No," I refused," I wouldn't know what will happen to my body while I'm unconscious."

They could plant a tracking chip under my skin or kill me in my sleep.

"Have fun being the center of attention," the short woman dismissed, "Hand me the sword, child. You need to be unarmed."

I did as I was told and kicked the sword over to Sky.

When we finally landed, I was welcome with enough firepower to wipe out a herd of Goliath. Even my escorts are fearful that they will get caught in the crossfire. I'm starting to think it was a bad idea to turn myself in.

Regardless, I'm already in their custody. Now I have to prove to them I'm on their side. I looked around the base for any blackbird and found none. Raven's lack of presence worries me. There are plenty of opportunities for her to reclaim me but not once did she attempt it.

I continue to look around for an escape route in case Atlas decides to discard me. If they do, I will have to fight my way out and deal with my 'mother' and her bandits on my own.

2 Days after Akame Capture

I sat in a comfy chair with the new room being someone's office instead of an interrogation room or my cell. They give me a fresh set of clothes consisting of a white button-up shirt, a black skirt, and an ankle tracker. A man in a white military uniform sat with his arm resting on his wooden desk. His Acesops flanking me.

"Is this your desire Ms. Branwen?" General Ironwood could barely hold his disbelief at my responses.

"I want to kill Raven Branwen," I spoke with no hesitation," She needs to be stopped at all cost."

"Good, We agree with one another," Ironwood nodded," But I can't send out a child. If we are going after the tribe, I want you to tell me everything you know so my fleet could take care of it."

"But this is a personal mission, General. I already told you everything I know about the tribe."

"Do I have to remind you," the General raised his voice," Even if I ignore the moral issue of sending a child soldier to assassinate her mother, You're a captured prisoner. I want to believe you're telling the truth about switching sides and the gossip from the underworld is lies. But Specialist Cordovin and the survivors debriefing support those rumors. Secondly, I can't place my trust in you for the simple reason that I know you are hiding more intel."

I am hiding more intel but it's to protect the people I owe a favor to. I'm not going to ruin the twins' life even if her mother is a crime boss. I owe them for keeping me away from the bandit life for the last four years and offering me the feeling of normalcy.

If I have to deal with Ms. Malachite's criminal syndicate one day, I will find a way that gets the twins out of harm's way first. Hopefully, I could convince them not to follow in their mother's business practices.

Besides, Ms. Malachite makes the effort to help the local community even if it's based on having a positive PR campaign. Raven, on the other hand, is a cancer cell that needs to be killed off. Society as a whole would improve if I wipe out the tribe. Meanwhile eliminating Ms. Malachite Syndicate would cause a power vacuum that would throw the city and the surrounding region of Mistral into chaos. I have already caused enough destruction with the death of one man.

"And it's impossible to get near my mother without someone she trusts. Do you think my Mother would give a damn about surrendering to you because I'm captured?" I fired back," What next for me then? If I'm going to be a bystander to the demise of the women that took 10 years of my life away, Could I at least head home?"

"You committed grave crimes against Mistral and Atlas. Murder, even if you claimed it as the result of your semblance, is something that can have you be charged and trialed as an adult," the General spoke loudly," There have been cases were lifetime imprisonments could be your future."

I tightened my fist at the thought of no longer having the freedom to live my life.

"Does this mean there's no point in turning myself in?" If this is the circumstance, I will leave.

"If you tell us everything you know I could work with both kingdom councils to ensure you serve only eight years in Mistral juvenile detention and a few years in jail," Ironwood offered," But there's another option."

"What is it?"

"I want you to come to Atlas under the watchful eye of my Aces Ops Ms. Branwen. There is a greater war against the forces of Grimm and I find it wasteful to let a potential defender of humanity rot in jail," He slid a scroll toward me," I'm offering a chance for underprivileged students to enter combat school and Atlas Academy. You have shown exceptional skills on par with the most experienced huntress. I can even have you admitted to my academy a few years early."

I looked at the scroll and saw a digital pamphlet for Atlas Academy.

"I know what you're trying to do General. The intent is blatant, You want me to become a specialist in your army," I called him out. He hasn't even allowed me to make a single phone call to my father or contact my uncle.

"I'm offering you the very best course for your life Ms. Branwen," Ironwood attempted to convince me," I'll allow family visits 24/7 and Atlas will cover for any essential expense. This is your chance, Akame. We will work together to change the public perception of you. I doubt you could choose another option, Akame. It's either a lifetime in jail, life on the run if you somehow escape, or being a pariah to society even after you serve your sentence. Please, I want you to turn your life around. I'm offering you a pardon but I want you to earn it. I'll give you some time to decide."

The silence permeated the room as all eyes were on me. My arms still have the marking days after I activate my semblance. I haven't slept once but I don't feel drowsy and my wounds are healing at a normal auraless rate.

I know Ironwood is part of the war against Salem. If I surrender my freedom to Atlas, I'll be guaranteed to fight an eternal war.

I'm damn if I don't accept it, and I'll be selling my soul to Atlas if I accept the offer.

"I made my decision."

A/N: Akame does look good wearing white.

Long story short, I have trouble getting my computer to work. This chapter was meant to be a part of the last chapter. And the last chapter was supposed to be separate. It could have been posted a few days ago.

Now I'm keeping a very tight lip on what will happen in this story. Akame is willing to kill thousands of bandits and criminals for the chance to earn peace. A mountain of corpses is only going to make her situation much worse. And joining Atlas also has its downside too. Especially what happens in Vol 7.

Ironwood seems manipulative right now but he truly wants to help Akame while helping to save Humanity.

The story is filled with many dilemmas and decisions for Akame to make and the uncertainty of it. She is powerful but power comes with a price when she has a massive target on her back. There are going to be moments when power alone isn't going to bail her out.

Now about Akame semblance activating willingly. It still has to follow the Trigger-Target rule no matter what. It also serves as both a story purpose and to balance out Akame already OP status.

Also, the idea of Akame being the daughter of Salem sounds like a nice concept. But someone else should write that.

Now Read and Review.