Chapter 48: Black
A/N: I like to have a mix of different types of heroine and villains. I want to write various tropes because I find it fun to do.
And AAAAAAAAA EMIYA IN HONKI STAR RAILAAAAAAAAAAA.
He charged forward with all the speed he could muster. Yet, I had already closed the distance in the time it took for him to take two steps.
"Oh shi-!" He cursed as I missed his neck by a hair breath," Haha! There it is! The killer!"
I must not react. I keep attacking, unloading enough strikes and slashes to keep both swords ineffective.
I wasn't going to defeat him immediately.
No, I need to prove a point.
I would have killed him if given the chance. I know what this trash did in greater detail. There is no redemption.
He tried to sweep my legs. I stomped on his knee and slapped him with my sword. He lunged and I punished him.
My fist slammed into his stomach.
He continued to taunt me despite the beating.
"Arghhaha, See that Mercury? A girl half your size punches harder than you!"
I swung my leg, he barely ducked in time.
"How's my weak-minded wife doing lately? Did she kill herself?" He nearly got decapitated," Shit! Almost got me a haircut!"
"Will you shut up and fight," I growled as we locked blades.
"Am I hitting a nerve girlie?"
I'M GOING TO END THIS BASTARD.
For everything he did to Martha and Mercury who must be hurting just as much.
For a family, he almost torn apart.
I'm going to bury him.
Flashback
This was after a secret business meeting a few weeks back. Schwarz Enterprise has agreed to back the restoration of Vacuo in exchange for a Dust Mine and some land.
Only old man Schwarz and Sky were in the meeting room with me.
We had talks about our future and my studies. It wasn't long until the old man wanted to get something off his chest, just in case he passed away.
"I believe I owe you an explanation about what happened before you were born," He sighed," My family weren't saints when we rose to power decades before the Great War. During the Great War, We were still vile scum. It wasn't until I encountered this boy determined to build his own company under righteous and fair values. An honest, dependable kid who shares the code of the knights of old. He is a dumbass who has gone too fast from this world."
"A little harsh old man?" Sky questioned.
"Valid criticism, I'm sure I'll reach my 100th birthday but for him," He paused," It's one thing to be hard working but another when you put your health on the line when you don't need to. That boy barely lasted a few years after retirement age. Please take care of yourself and take it easy when you're older, kids."
We listened intently to the story. I didn't need to be told who the boy was. He would be ashamed to see Atlas and his company now.
"From there we changed our ways and branched out," He smiled momentarily before frowning," Then Atlas started to change. It happened before he even got sick but there was a disease spreading slowly, maliciously. All forms of sin infested the once shining beacon of progress and civilization."
I wanted to blame Salem, blame that witch for the source of all darkness…but that isn't true. Human wants are what caused the decay. It's an unfortunate truth of humanity at its worst. Progress is amazing but there is a downside. The same can be said for a simple lifestyle which results in stagnation.
And stagnation will get a rude awakening.
"Is this why the family left our home?" Sky asked.
"Several reasons," He listed," We came close to bankruptcy because we refused to play ball with the newly formed oligarchy. For a brief moment, We follow through with their demands just to survive."
"I never heard of us faltering," Sky continued," Haven't this family kept its morale high?"
"She would have never run away with the man I hired," He explained," If I may admit my sins, I'll start by how I was the one that forced the White Fang to take a more extremist stance all because I wanted a few people gone and a reliable group to blame."
"You hired an assassin," I narrowed my eyes," Why are you telling us secrets that could end everything you work for?"
"A bad person can learn to do good with the right guidance even if that person is your junior. A bad person can still fall back into habits," he listed out," Yet, They can still pull themselves out of it."
I see where this is going.
"You're talking to us," Sky sighed," The family leaving with most of our assets is to avoid backlash and out of shame."
"Precisely," He nodded to me," I suspect you cracked a few eggs to get your organization into the position it is now. All I ask of you is to not sink further until it is too late."
It takes one to know one.
"What happens if I don't?"
"Martha is what happened."
Flashback end
I can't hate Old Man Schwarz for what he did. He had a whole city against him while half the world was against me. Sky and I gain a deeper understanding of each other's plight. We were emotional over a loss and threw everything away for a crumb of satisfaction.
We came to a silent agreement. We will never work with Marcus. Old Man Schwarz being shocked that Martha only has one child is enough context we need.
The way he speaks.
The way he carries himself.
How he fights.
This man has done too much.
Maybe he had a horrible childhood? Maybe darkness is all he knows? Maybe he was simply broken beyond repair?
Whatever backstory he had meant nothing when you can choose to stop and step back and reflect on what you have become. This same rule applies to Cinder Ella if I ever catch her again. What she did to the townspeople is beyond redeemable—no sob stories are going to excuse it.
He swung two swords from both sides. I parried one and grabbed the other with my hand. I wanted to make a point on how pointless this fight is.
Instead, I felt a spike shin guard collide with my ribs.
My aura absorbed the force and the penetrating spikes but it still hurt.
It hurts?
Why is it hurting this much?!
I felt the fluid rush to my mouth. I grit my teeth and force my mouth close. I disengaged when he lined up another kick.
What the hell? I was winning until now. It felt like an earthquake went off in my torso.
It's a good thing I'm wearing all black. A gothic style black dress, silk-arm sleeves, and semi-transparent black stockings with comfortable slip-on shoes. I let Militia pick out the outfits as a final goodbye.
If I get any cuts or wounds, my outfit would hide all the bleeding while it heals. I can't hide it if blood comes out of my mouth.
"Huh? You're not protecting your insides?" He tilted his head in confusion.
"Why…"I made sure to swallow all my blood," Did you use that kind of attack?"
Internal destruction is a technique used against heavily armored Grimm to damage them from within. It requires a lot of training to pull off but mastery of it results in pulling it off subconsciously. It gets to the point where a blunt weapon or brawler negates the concept of armor and durability unless the inside is also protected. Aura does exactly that.
"Habit," He shrugged, looked at his swords, and slid them into his gauntlet. The blades come out of the elbow while the grip transforms into brass knuckles.
"Is this why your aura is so visible? You're wearing it on your sleeves," he got into a new stance with one fist close to his chest, elbow bent, and one arm held in front.
The air changed. I thought he was out of his league but as it turned out, he was fighting in a style he wasn't used to. Marcus Black was never a sword man. He was a fighter using every part of his body as a weapon.
"Now I'm getting serious! Fight me like an animal!" He rushed me with renewed speed.
A haymaker came from the right. I duck underneath.
He launches a low kick, I block it with my kick.
Pain reverberated throughout my body leaving me unable to dodge the elbow in time.
My aura may as well not exist because it felt like I didn't have one.
A flurry of punches, knees, elbows, and kicks came at me. I can't allow a single one to hit me.
A fist hit my arm, almost forcing me to let go of Shūsen. The bone mended seconds later.
My ribs snapped and reshaped.
I blocked a fist but every bone in my hand was pulverized. It fixes itself.
It is pure, searing hot pain. Salem's blood is keeping me alive and the reason why I'm in so much pain.
Ah, Another life-threatening injury mended. As long as blood doesn't leak out of my body, I'll be fine.
He figured out my weakness and capitalized on it. Everything about this battlefield limits my options. I can't retreat nor use my strongest attack. I can't use any cover to confuse my enemy or hide.
An uppercut nearly connected with my face but I dodged it-
BANG
I just barely dodged a bullet coming out of the gauntlet as it went past my left eye. The bullet went by fast but some details on it didn't look right. I assume it personalizes decorations but the spinning blurred out what it was supposed to be.
I forgot his sword has a pistol mode. I watched as it entered the crowd but pinged off a spectator aura. The spectator brushed it off like it was an annoying peanut shell. A powdery stain is left where it hit.
No one ever got hurt by a single low-caliber round unless you empty a mag into someone.
I didn't bother dodging as more bullets peppered my body. I kept blocking the rounds even if I could handle the damage. He is going to need a higher caliber round for me to even feel something. I could always eat a few more leaves later if another impromptu fight broke out.
These bullets are strange.
I backhanded a round coming for my eyes like an annoying mosquito. A white powdery substance on my long sleeve, silk black glove.
"Those guns are useless peashooters," I taunted, his gauntlet clicking. I felt an irritating tingle on my nose," Those bullets aren't normal are they?"
Now I feel like my chest is hurting.
"It isn't lethal against humans with active aura," he smirked," But you are right. Those aren't ordinary bullets. It is poison rounds I used to cap my unsuspecting target. I couldn't buy normal rounds after coming out of retirement."
"This just put you on the ground of being arrested and canceling the match," Sky stepped forward. The spectator who got hit immediately took off his shirt and tossed it far from him.
The world is spinning. My chest felt like it was being stabbed, repeatedly. Even my limbs are numb.
I can regenerate internal damage. Why is it working so slowly?
'Oh no, Everyone here got their aura up, and a few stray particles are harmless. You should be asking her," He pointed to me," Your aura is unique. You can't use dust. You're inside isn't protected. That body of yours is cold. Is everyone getting it? Akame Branwen is built differently. A little too different."
I rushed forward. He wasted his opportunity to attack me with a monologue. What is he thinking?
Maybe the monologue is for someone else?
The feeling of numbness, pain, and dizziness finally faded. I'm still not done with you.
Our weapons clash once again.
I only target his gauntlets and greaves. While throwing only punches and kicks to the body.
I still take damage. The pain lingered before fully healing. This won't stop me even if my body carries on and my consciousness doesn't.
I think I did black out but momentarily.
The crowds seem to have gotten closer to the battle.
Ah, They did.
The barriers were down as they cheered loudly for my victory. Thank you but now I have less room to move and less room for the media to witness it.
I'm waiting for the right moment.
Normal PoV
Academy Temporary Residency
Qrow shook his head in disappointment at the battle onscreen. He would have ended If he was fighting that wife-beating bastard. He knows of Marcus' reputation in his prime but what he sees now is a far cry from those legends.
The battlefield even favors Marcus more because Akame needs a wide area to move. Plus, certain moves are banned in a tournament setting. Akame can't instantly slice through an opponent's aura. Akame's new sword waves attack would overkill anyone.
Marcus injuring Akame's organs isn't against the rule. It isn't an oversight but because those moves are useless against someone with an aura. Poisoning on the other hand is a gray area. If it isn't a lethal concoction then it is allowed but the issue starts if an aura-enhanced body can handle it, like a lightweight drinker compared to him.
That isn't even getting into his niece's performance being lackluster. From an outside perspective, Both of them are putting up a fight worthy of two experienced Huntsman and Huntress. Qrow knows his niece.
She is taking the fight personally.
"Can we go watch it live?" Ruby asked her dad and uncle.
"It's gonna be over when you get there," Tai looked at two distinct bars captured by a camera.
Akame is still 95%.
Marcus is at 45%.
"H-How? That man landed more solid hits on Akame," Yang was flabbergasted.
"Aura isn't some perfect defense. Akame has been depleting her opponent's by attacking his weapons. Aura is used on weapons too but you don't lose the same amount compared to hitting the body or limbs," Qrow explained.
"Think of aura as currencies when it comes to attack, defense, technique, speed, and all the good stuff," Tai added," Your big sister is pretty much Jacque Schnee with her reserves."
"She toying with him!" Yang shouted.
The drunken huntsman knows that the aura level doesn't show what is happening. The assassin figured out Akame's weakness and abused it. It doesn't matter if Akame's aura level appears much higher. She'll black out from the pain of her insides being shredded or worse.
She still took a dozen kill shots…
'What kind of hell have you gone through?' Qrow worried about Akame's mental health. This is unlike her to play with her opponent. Akame hates Marcus even more than him,' She must be prolonging the fight for the camera. It would be boring if she instantly won.'
"Sis is beating him like she beat us," Ruby said," You're right!"
'I'm going to yell at that girl,' Qrow pinched the bridge of his nose,' The Mistral Champion is next after that obstacle course.'
The anticipated battle between the second strongest and strongest fourteen-year-old. Qrow is confident his niece could handle it but the next round after is going to be a league of its own. The Huntress who is worth an entire team of Aceops and the mysterious prodigy with silver eyes.
'Akame better not throw the match,' He sighed as Marcus' aura leveling got close to 10%.
Akame PoV
Marcus grabbed his chest.
It took me a while to get a grasp of that technique that has been used on me often. Even before Salem gave me her blood. My mother put a palm to my chest and sent me flying with the same kind of attack. I didn't suffer internal injuries at the time.
Umber may have destroyed my heart during a spar. It was painful. I don't understand how I'm alive nor am I willing to test if I'm immortal.
Aura protects against those kinds of attacks.
Except when it isn't active.
All it took was a flicker of his dying aura and a discreet jab hidden from view by the encroaching audience. The adrenaline delayed his reaction time.
He collapsed after a few exchanges his aura still intact.
"Call it! He needs medical attention!" I yelled, sheathing Shūsen.
"Everyone step back!" Theodore screamed into the mic," The victor of this battle is Akame Branwen."
The crowd cheered and patted me on the back. I felt a hand on my head and I instinctively kicked whoever touched it.
Schwarz grasped in pain.
"Sorry!"I turned to him and immediately apologized, placing one palm on his cheek and another on his shoulder.
Suddenly, I felt my legs leaving the ground as someone carried me on their shoulder.
"Good job, Akame," Robyn congratulated.
The crowds roared with joy as my men discreetly pulled Marcus away. I'm going to question him later tonight.
Another boy stepped out of the mailing office.
Is that…Mercury. I never got a picture of him nor did I trust the vision I was given four years ago is updated. That boy who's maybe a few years older must be him.
There so much going on that I lost track of him. He started to walk off in the chaos. We locked eyes once but there was no emotion in them. It is just vacant. I've seen those eyes before.
I couldn't find his signature in a sea of aura as I was carried away by the crowd and-
A gunshot rang out.
"Hey! Drop the champion. She still got business to attend to," Vernal yelled with her sniper rifle pointed up. Robyn complied and the crowd parted. She somehow materialized next to
The first thing I asked Vernal when I approached her was…
"Vernal? Did you get a new weapon again?"
"Oh the old one disintegrated," She smiled.
"How?"
"Our prisoner," She nonchalantly revealed," Meet my new child, Vere Dies!"
It wasn't much different from her last weapon, an assault rifle mixed with a Mistral Gleave. It is now a sniper rifle mixed with a spear with a cleaver-like blade. I think this is the third time she got a new weapon. The issue I have with it is how morbid it sounds.
Vere Dies…Ver Dies…Vernal died.
Is she purposely giving herself a death flag?
I checked her aura color and knew it was still hers.
"Are you serious?" I deadpanned.
"Nope, My weapon is still my real name. Whenever I reveal myself, this is gonna be called Vere Dies," She winked," Cool right?"
"Why aren't you up there?"
"Because you needed some help," She smiled while putting something on my hand and a collar on Mercury.
Wait a second?!
I attempted to let go of the leash but it got stuck to my hand. Mercury awkwardly reached for the button to unlock the collar but it also glued.
She ducked beneath the leash and skipped over to Sky.
"Hey, I heard you would love to pre-order Akame," SHE DIDN'T JUST!
Angry bubbled up inside my chest as I took out Shūsen and slashed at her. She dodged and started sprinting away like her life depended on it.
Because it ABSOLUTELY DOES.
I chased her.
"Akame stop!" She laughed," I'm your best girl and wingwoman."
"How about you find a guy for yourself and leave me alone!" I raged.
"I guide others to treasure-" She weaved beneath another slash,"-I cannot possess!"
"I'm guiding your soul to the crossroads!"
"Shinigami," She complained," We're in the desert now!"
Huh? We ran outside the city already.
"Your nether region is going to be dryer than the desert if you keep this up," I raged even as the weight got heavier.
Weight?
I stopped running.
I look around to see the desert with the walls of Vacuo quite a distance behind us. There are two pairs of footprints and a thin line running through the desert.
"He didn't make a sound. I think he is into it," Vernal interjected.
"Mercury!" I got to my knees and attempted to take the collar off.
No no no! Please tell me I didn't kill him!
"Take off your gloves and unlatch the leash from the collar," she pointed out.
I have gloves on. I could have taken off my gloves instead of struggling for a few seconds and then chasing Vernal. I'm an idiot.
He was breathing heavily. I checked his pulse to make sure he was alive.
"Pull him onto your lap. He'll forgive you faster," Vernal, the worst wing woman, suggested," I gotta go before Amber realizes I'm gone."
She patted me roughly on the shoulder.
"Don't you leave me!" It was too late. Vernal flew away like a coward.
I look at the collar still around his neck and the long-sleeve glove next to him with the leash still stuck to it.
Mercury coughed painfully.
He's still unconscious and I don't want to reenter the city with all the commotion going on. Even if I call someone it is going to be hard to explain.
Qrow is going to give me a shit-eating grin, throw a condom, and fly away.
Dad is going to murder him.
Everyone else is busy and Vernal pisses me off too much.
Maybe I should call-
I reach for my scroll to find it missing.
She took it when she patted my back. This sneaky little-Fine! You win.
The desert floor isn't a good place to lie a head on and I don't have another comfortable place to lie on beside my…
I sighed.
The heat doesn't bother me because of my body temperature. It would help keep him cool until he wakes up. It's going to be awkward if I carry him back and more importantly…
I need some alone time to talk to him.
Vernal, You conniving, little-
I stop myself from mentally cursing.
I brought his head over to my thighs and let him rest. Now that I think about it. His face is going to be sunburned. I got nothing to cover his face. I look at his zip-up, gray jacket.
Let's get this over with…
I quickly unzipped his jacket, slid it off one arm at a time, and threw it over his face and neck. I'll just stay here for now. I would rather not be dealing with the crowd.
I took a moment to look at the rest of him. Mercury has on a black, ribbed tank top beneath his jacket. He got black jeans and a gray combat boot.
He has so many scars and brunt marks.
I stopped myself from tracing them.
Mercury, How badly has he been treating you?
The tank top didn't hide anything. He has well-defined muscles. From his bicep, pecs, the contour of his abs, and even his collarbone. The jacket did a good job of hiding them and the scars.
Mercury has been trained to near death like me. Except I put myself in that situation. My mother didn't abuse me because I asked for more and took it.
Our bodies would look just as broken if the God of Darkness didn't wipe all my scars clean. Now I just look like a porcelain doll. It is as if I went through all my battles, training, and problems without even a scratch.
Mercury stirred in his sleep/unconsciousness. I would never expect our first meeting would be this unique. I accidentally choked him. I'm sure he'll forgive me.
I've eavesdropped on the boy's conversation before. They said waking up to a cute girl's thighs would be preferable to a comfortable bed.
Boys…
I shook my head. Mercury is forgiving me. I hope he doesn't take too long to wake up. My legs are starting to feel numb.
A/N: Somehow, Akame's icy thighs now have plot relevance.
I just love writing Vernal when she enters gremlin mode. She turned Night Raid into a 'Shipping Company.' Akame should be glad she wasn't born a guy because that would be much worse.
Aki Branwen, the abused and neglected swordsman MC who is level-headed but has a dark personality. Melanie would be the one running off to be with Aki instead of Militia. On top of the Xiao Long charm, Qrow wingmanship, a lot of potential ships, and Ver being a 4th wall-breaking gremlin.
There are plenty of mistakes because, at the moment, I need to hurry to work. I would add more to the story and this note but I got less than 15 mins. I will admit that Sky and Akame have the same personality. She would consider it but they're both aren't romantics. Sun is the golden retriever she enjoys being around. Mercury is just gonna end up being pampered. Militia is head over heels in love and subservient. I'll probably add more interest.
Vernal isn't gonna give up. She will never let Akame down. She will never turn around and hurt her.