Hello my fellow Akame ga Kill fans! I've been tossing around the idea of writing an Akame ga Kill fic ever since I finished the anime. I, like many of you, was pretty disappointed by the anime's ending. The ending just left me feeling kinda empty and unsatisfied, kinda like I had watched the whole thing for nothing. I have since started reading the manga, and I have to say that the manga is fantastic. This fic will follow the plot of the manga, with a few moments from the anime, with my own personal twist on it. This fic will have Tatsumi paired with Akame, Mine, Leone, and Chelsea(possibly Esdeath later in the fic. It all depends on what happens with her in the manga.) Tatsumi will be slightly stronger than in canon, but not super OP. Basically he won't be getting his ass handed to him nearly as bad early on. Also a few other characters that die in the story will stay alive in this fic, I won't reveal who they are just yet. So I hope you're all ready for it. Without further ado let's start the fic.

"Speech"

"Thoughts"

Teigu

"Dream"

Disclaimer: I don't own Akame ga Kill! or any of its characters.


(Imperial Year 1024; Five Miles Away from the Capital)

"*Sigh* I hate sleeping outside." Tatsumi groaned, as he wrapped himself in his winter coat. The young man had been traveling for days to reach the nation's capital. He had left his home village in the countryside, with two of his friends, so that they could join the military together and send money back to their home village. But along the way bandits had separated the three of them. Now Tatsumi was all alone, and he had no idea where his friends were or if they were safe. "If I'm lucky I'll reach the capital tomorrow afternoon. Maybe then I'll finally be able to sleep in a real bed, instead of leaning against a tree." Tatsumi shifted around so that he could get comfortable against the hard ground. Once he found a suitable position, Tatsumi's eyelids began to droop as sleep overtook him. "Sayo, Ieyasu I hope you're both alright."


(Tatsumi's Dream)

Tatsumi didn't know where he was. All that surrounded him was an endless sea of darkness. Picking a random direction, Tatsumi began to walk through the never-ending blackness.

"Where the hell am I?" Tatsumi mumbled to himself, peering into the darkness surrounding him. "This place is really starting to creep me out..." However Tatsumi stopped when he small beam of light in front of him. Racing towards the beacon of light, Tatsumi was surprised to find a shimmering cloud of what appeared to be mist. "What is this stuff?" Reaching out, Tatsumi touched the mistlike substance. Tatsumi immidiately recoiled his hand when the mist began to glow brightly. The young man stood stunned, as the mist began to replay images from his life. "Woah, this is really trippy. I wonder if it can show me memories of Sayo and Ieyasu?" Almost instantly the mist began to show past memories of Tatsumi, Sayo, and Ieyasu training for their journey to the capital. Tatsumi smiled, as he relived the precious moments with his friends. As Tatsumi watched the memories roll by an idea popped into his head. "I wonder..." Tatsumi reached out and touched the mist again. "...Can you show me what lies in my future?"

The mist began to glow a deep shade of blood red, and a low grumbling sound echoed throughout the empty void. Suddenly a new series of images began to appear. What first appeared nearly made Tatsumi vomit. To Tatsumi's utter horror and disgust the first images were of an auburn-haired girl's decapitated head impaled on a large pole. A small crowd of people had gathered around the pole to gawk at the grisly display.

"OH GOD! Please show me something else! Change it now!" Tatsumi yelled, as he tried to avert his eyes. However something was drawing Tatsumi to look at the grotesque images, he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. Tatsumi let out a sigh of relief when the mist began to shimmer, as it prepared to show another set of pictures. However what the mistlike substance showed next was no less gruesome. The next set images were of a busty blonde-haired woman who was lying in a pool of her own blood. Tatsumi nearly gagged when he saw that the woman's stomach was littered with over a dozen bullet holes. "W-What the hell is t-this? Why a-are you showing m-me this?"

"You wished to see your future boy, and that's what I'm showing you." A demonic voice echoed from within the mist. "You will watch what your future entails."

"N-No! Stop this!" Tatsumi shouted, as he tried to close his eyes. But an unseen force was keeping Tatsumi's gaze locked onto the mist. "P-Please let me go!"

"You must witness these events child. Learn from them, and you may just be able to change your dark future for the better." The demonic voice said, as another series of images appeared in the mist. This time the images showed a green-haired boy being cut in half down the middle by an unseen assailant's sword.

"What the fuck?!" Tatsumi exclaimed, feeling bile rise in his throat. Forcing down his vomit, Tatsumi prepared for the next barrage of pictures. However what appeared next was very different from what had previously been shown. The mist now showed Tatsumi holding onto a petite pink-haired girl. The pink-haired girl appeared to be talking to Tatsumi, as he held her hand.

"Don't die. Don't you dare die." Tatsumi said in a pained voice, as the pink-haired girl cupped his cheek. "You're gonna stand on the winning side, aren't you?"

"What are you saying? I'm already on the winning side." The pink-haired girl said, before she leaned forward and kissed Tatsumi gently on the lips. "I love you." Moments later the girl's eyes closed, and she went limp in Tatsumi's arm. The images quickly began to fade, as Tatsumi let out a pained scream; tears pouring from his eyes.

"Oh God..." Tatsumi breathed out, feeling a few tears escape his own eyes as well.

"This is the last memory that I'm going to show you boy." The demonic voice said, as the mist began to morph and change once again. "You best watch closely and learn from this." Once the mist had finished changing it began to broadcast the last set images. Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw himself dressed in elaborate dragon-like armor. His entire body was covered in blood, and it looked like he could barely stand. Next the mist showed a dark-haired girl with red eyes approaching.

"I'm sorry." Tatsumi said to the girl, forcing a pained smile onto his face. "Looks like I couldn't keep my promise..." The girl rushed forward, and she caught Tatsumi in her arms before he fell over. She embraced Tatsumi tightly, as he seemingly died in her arms.

"You promised me! You said you'd survive!" The red-eyed girl screamed, her voice laden with sadness and grief. Tears began to pour from her eyes, and she began to shake slightly as she held Tatsumi close. "Tatsumi...I...I...never got to tell you my feelings."

With that the last images faded away, leaving Tatsumi visibly shaken. The young man didn't know what to make of what he saw, he merely stood still in complete shock. There was no way those images could have actually been from his future, right? Surely he was just exhausted, and was just having strange dreams and hallucinations. Yeah that had to be it.

"Well you've seen some of what your future holds." The demonic voice said, as the mist began to fade away. "Due what you please with this information. For your sake, I hope you can learn from this and change your cursed future." With a blinding flash of light, Tatsumi felt himself forced out of his dreams.


(Back in the Real World)

"GAH!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as he shot up off the ground. The young man was covered in a cold sweat, and his breathing was labored and ragged. Tatsumi's head throbbed, as memories of his dream plagued his thoughts. "T-There was no way any of that was real. I was just having some sort of fucked up dream. None of that is actually going to happen." Tatsumi ran his hands through his hair, as he gazed at the forest surrounding him. He was surprised to see that it appeared to be early in the morning already. "Well I better get going. I should be able to reach the capital later today." As Tatsumi began to pack his belongings an overwhelming sense on uneasiness overcame. He once again began to see images of his previous night's dream.

"There was no way any of that was true...but just in case I'll keep my eyes open." Tatsumi thought, as he slung his pack over his shoulder. With a light sigh, Tatsumi began to make his way through the forest. Once Tatsumi was back on the path leading towards the capital, he pulled a map out of his pack. "Hmm, looks like I'm only about two miles away from the capital now. If I keep up this pace, I should be able to get there a little past noon." However, Tatsumi was shaken from his thoughts when a scream echoed out from the path ahead.

"AH! It's an Earth Dragon!"

"Shit! I didn't know they came out to main roads like this!"

"Heh, looks like I'll be able to get some danger beast hunting in before I reach the capital." Tatsumi said with a grin, racing towards where the screams had come from. As Tatsumi ran down the path, he finally caught a glimpse of the danger beast. The Earth Dragon was a massive cockroach-like monster with long antennae, large claws, and blood red eyes. Tatsumi then spotted two men running away from the massive danger beast.

"Get the hell out of here!" One of the men yelled, as he ran away from his carriage.

"Looks like I'll be able to save people, and make my name know." Tatsumi said with a grin, unsheathing his sword. Closing the distance, Tatsumi leaped into the air and slashed his sword across the danger beast's chest. The monster howled in pain, as blood sprayed from its open wound. Tatsumi came to a skidding stop in front of the beast. "A class-one danger beast, Earth Dragon huh...A worthy opponent." The danger beast let out a mighty roar, causing a smirk to spread across across Tatsumi's face. "Looks like I really pissed you off." Letting out another roar, the Earth Dragon smashed its fist into the ground where Tatsumi had been standing. However Tatsumi had been prepared for this, and had jumped into the air; dodging the monster's attack. Tatsumi landed on the beast's giant arm, and sprinted towards its head. "It's over now!" With several precise slashes of his sword, Tatsumi had decapitated the colossal danger beast.

"H-Holy shit..." One of the men breathed out in shock, as he watched the headless danger beast crash into the ground.

"That was amazing kid!" The other man cheered, as he ran towards Tatsumi.

"I can't believe you took out that danger beast all by yourself." The first man exclaimed, following behind his friend.

"But of course." Tatsumi said with a cocky smile. "Something like that is a piece of cake for me." Tatsumi never noticed the men's deadpanned looks, as he continued to gloat. "My name's Tatsumi by the way. Better remember my name, because it's gonna become real famous in the capital soon enough."

"I guess that means you're trying to make a name for yourself in the capital then?" The first man questioned, quirking an eyebrow.

"You got it!" Tatsumi exclaimed with a wide grin. "I'm going to make it big in the capital! That's the dream of any country boy!" Tatsumi was surprised to see the two men share a skeptical look. "What?"

"The capital...isn't the shining jewel you think it is..." The second man answered in a serious tone. "It's lively for sure, but it's full of monsters even more grotesque than that Earth Dragon."

"What...so danger beasts come into the city too?" Tatsumi asked in a confused tone.

"I'm taking about the people." The second man explained, unconsciously clenching his fists. "People with the hearts of monsters...that's all you'll find in the capital." Tatsumi flinched slightly, as a barrage of images from his dream flashed into his mind. "Hey, are you okay kid?"

"Yeah...yeah I'm fine." Tatsumi replied, as he scratched the back of his head. Neither man noticed the subtle uneasiness in Tatsumi's voice. "Well I appreciate your warning, but there's no way I can turn around now. I...We...Are going to make money in the capital to help save our village. Well I better get going." With one last wave, Tatsumi continued on down the path towards the capital.

"That kid doesn't know what he's getting himself into." The first man said with a frown on his face.

"I give him three more days tops before he's killed." The second man said, beginning to walk back towards the carriage.

"I don't know. That kid has got some serious skills. He just might be able to make it in the capital." The first man said, sitting down in the carriage. "Now come on. We have to get these supplies to Lubbock at Night Raid's hidden base."


(30 Minutes Later; Entrance to the Capital)

"WOW! This place is amazing!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as he gazed at the expansive city before him with wonder in his eyes. "So this is the capital." Tatsumi grinned like a child, as he began to walk through the city streets. "If I do well here I might be able to buy the whole village. Better find the military barracks quick."

As Tatsumi walked past a small cafe, he never noticed a busty blonde-haired woman sipping her tea. The woman had been listening to Tatsumi the whole time, and she couldn't help but sigh as she set down her cup.

"Hmm, so another country boy has been lured in by the capital's charms." The woman said, as a hidden smirk spread across her face. "Maybe I should have some fun with him."

After asking for directions, Tatsumi finely found himself at the capital's military barracks. Noticing the large line, Tatsumi patiently waited his turn. After waiting for almost two hours, Tatsumi finally found himself at the front of the line.

"So...you want to join the ranks too..." A rather bored looking officer asked, handing Tatsumi a form. "Then fill out this form and give it back to me."

"Does this mean I'll start off as a grunt?" Tatsumi asked, earning a groan from the officer.

"What the hell do you think?" The officer asked in an annoyed tone. "You'll likely be sent off to a remote region for your first assignment."

"I don't have time for that!" Tatsumi shouted, as he slammed his fist down onto the officer's desk. "See what I can do!" Tatsumi unsheathed his sword, and performed several flashy moves. Thrusting the sword, and twirling it in his hands. "If you think you can use my skills, then enlist me starting as a captain." Before Tatsumi had time to react, the officer shot out of his seat and threw Tatsumi out of the barracks. Tatsumi growled as he turned to glare at the officer. "What the fuck!? You can't even give me a chance!?"

"Get real you fucking brat!" The officer shouted in an angry tone. "You have to enter a lottery before you can even become a soldier!" A tic mark formed on the officer's head, as he angrily pointed at Tatsumi. "Ever since this recession started we've been flooded with applicants! I can't go around testing each and every one of you! And there's only so many spots we're allowed to fill!"

"Oh...is that so?" Tatsumi asked with a sweatdrop.

"If you've got all that scram you little shit!" The officer screamed, slamming the door shut behind him.

"Maybe I could make myself know by causing some trouble." Tatsumi thought, as he crossed his arms over his chest. "But then I might get arrested...Hmm, what to do..."

"Hey there~" A sultry female voice said from behind Tatsumi. "You seem to be in tough spot kid. Can I lend you a hand?" Tatsumi's leaned his head back to get a better look at the woman behind him. The first thing Tatsumi spotted was the woman's large breasts; which were barely being held in place by her black tube top. However Tatsumi's eyes widened when he got a look at the girl's face. She was the woman he had seen dying in a pool of her own blood from his dream.

"GAH!" Tatsumi screamed, as he quickly backed away from the busty blonde. "There's no way! This can't be real! That was just some crazy dream! This has to be some kind of huge coincidence!"

"Oi, you okay kid?" The woman asked, giving Tatsumi a confused look. "You look live you've seen a ghost or something."

"H-Have we met before?" Tatsumi asked, as he felt his heart beat rapidly in his chest.

"Hmm..." The girl hummed, as she scanned Tatsumi up and down. "Nope, I've never seen you before."

"Shit...maybe...maybe...that wasn't just a dream. This woman is definitely one of the people I saw in the images from my future, there's no doubt about that. She must be connected to my futurein some way...And it seems like she wants to help me." Tatsumi thought, as his mind began to race.

"So...what's your story?" The blonde woman asked, snapping Tatsumi out of his thoughts. Tatsumi simply gave the woman a blank look in response. "Let me guess...You've came from the country to follow your dream in the capital, right?"

"H-How did you know that?" Tatsumi asked in a shocked tone.

"When you've lived the capital as long as I have, you can spot country boys from a mile away." The woman replied, placing her hands on her hips. "So...I know a way to get you into the military real quick."

"Really!?" Tatsumi exclaimed, as his lit up in excitement.

"You want me to tell you?" The blonde asked, earning several rapid nods from Tatsumi. "If that's so...then treat me to a nice meal." The blonde woman flashed Tatsumi a smile that made his heart beat even faster than before.

"S-She's beautiful." Tatsumi thought, as a slight blush spread across his face. "I guess I can buy her lunch if she's willing to help me."


(Five Minutes Later; Bar Down the Street)

"Aw man!" The blonde cheered, as she slammed her empty mug of beer down onto the table. A ruddy red blush covered the buzzed woman's face. "Having a drink in the middle of the day is the best!"

"I think you might be overdoing it just a little." Tatsumi said, observing the bottles of alcohol that were littered across the table.

"Drink up kid!" The blonde exclaimed, leaning forward in her seat; giving Tatsumi a very generous view of her exposed cleavage. "Let's live it up a little!"

"*Gulp* S-So you mentioned a way to get me into the military." Tatsumi said, as he tried to control his raging blush.

"Oh right...that." The woman said, as she poured herself another drink. "For that you'll need money and connections."

"Money?" Tatsumi repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"I've got a buddy in the army." The blonde explained, stopping to take a sip of her drink. "Grease his palms a little, and you'll be in the army in no time."

"I see..." Tatsumi said, as he began to root through his bag. The blonde woman's eyes widened considerably when Tatsumi dropped a large bag of money onto the table. "Will this be enough."

"Oh, that's way more than enough." The woman said, her eyes seeming to change into dollar signs. "You've got a ton of cash on you."

"Well I've been collecting rewards for the danger beasts I've killed on the way here." Tatsumi explained, showing the woman his sword.

"Hmm, you must be pretty strong then." The blonde said, grabbing ahold of Tatsumi's money. "With this cash you'll be a captain in no time."

"Oh thanks!" Tatsumi cheered in a happy tone.

"Four-fifths of this should do it, I think." The blonde woman said, making her way towards the bar's exit. As the blonde walked, she put a considerable sway in her hips. "I think you'll learn a lot from meeting me kid. Bye now. I'll go talk to him now. You just wait right here." The woman gave Tatsumi a sultry wink before she walked out of the bar. "Maybe when I get back we can continue our fun in some place a little more 'private.'

"O-Okay." Tatsumi managed to say in an infatuated tone, as he waved to the leaving woman. "I see. So connections are important here." As Tatsumi sat at the table, he didn't notice the bartender shaking his head in disappointment.

"That kid was quite the looker, but he won't last another day in this city." The woman thought, as she walked out of the bar; with Tatsumi's money slung over her shoulder.


(Ten Hours Later)

"Hey kid, we're gonna be closing soon." The bartender said, as he finished wiping down a table.

"Oh, it's fine I'm just waiting for someone." Tatsumi said, turning to face the bartender.

"Yeah I saw that." The bartender said, as he walked up to Tatsumi. "I hate to break this to ya kid, but that woman's not coming back."

"WHAT?!" Tatsumi roared, shooting out of his seat.

"I honestly can't believe someone would be so trusting in the capital these days." The bartender said with a shrug of his shoulders.

"S-She was a fraud!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as gathered up his belongings. "I'll just report her to the police!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." The bartender said, stopping Tatsumi in his tracks. "It's technically your fault for falling for that woman's tricks."

"Son of a bitch!" Tatsumi thought, as he angrily slammed the money he owed for the drinks onto the table. After paying, Tatsumi stormed out of the bar back onto the capital's streets. "SHIT! After paying for that meal I'm completely broke!" Tatsumi growled, as he crumpled up his empty coin bag. "That big boobed...I mean that woman! This is probably what she meant by learning something from her!" However Tatsumi's anger started to ebb away when he remembered the images of the blonde woman shot to death. "*Sigh* Even if she robbed me, I don't want that to happen to her. I hope she's alright." As Tatsumi continued to walk through the streets, he was spotted by two men.

"Look, it's a country bumpkin walking down the road with a sword over his shoulder." The smaller man said with an evil smirk.

"Hand it over now." The larger man demanded, holding out his hand. "That's an order."

Tatsumi paid the bandits little mind. He simply unsheathed his sword, and quickly smashed upside them head with the hilt. When the bandits fell over unconscious, Tatsumi sighed and resheathed his sword.

"What's wrong with everyone in this city..." Tatsumi said, stopping to stare at the palace that towered over the rest of the capital. "I wonder how Sayo and Ieyasu are doing...Have they reached the capital yet?" A few moments later, Tatsumi leaned against a wall and slumped to the ground. With an annoyed huff, Tatsumi pulled out his winter jacket. "Damn it, I guess I have to sleep outside again." However, before Tatsumi even closed his eyes a carriage came to a halt in front of him. Tatsumi eyed the carriage suspiciously, as a blonde girl around his age stepped out. The young girl obviously came from a rich family if her clothing was any indication.

"I don't think that boy has a place to stay...the poor thing." The girl said to one of her guards.

"Again miss?" The guard asked, avoiding the young girls gaze.

"I can't help it. It's just my nature." The girl said, as she walked up to Tatsumi. "Did you come from the country?"

"Yeah..." Tatsumi replied, getting a strange vibe from the girl.

"If you don't have a place to stay...you can sleep at my house." The girl offered with a warm smile.

After dealing with the busty blonde woman from earlier, Tatsumi was a little apprehensive to take the girl up on her offer. "I don't have any money, miss."

"Well if you did, you wouldn't be sleeping out here silly." The girl said with a short giggle.

"Miss Aria can't leave a poor boy like you out here to freeze." The first guard said, placing his hands on his hips.

"You best accept her offer." The second guard said, as he felt a chill run down his spine. "If this kid knew what was in store for him, he'd run like a bat out hell."

"Well..." Tatsumi said, as he rubbed his chin. The girl seemed nice enough, but so did the woman from earlier. But she was offering him a place to sleep, and the thought of a bed to sleep in was too tempting. "It's better than sleeping outside."

"Then it's settled." Aria said, helping Tatsumi onto his feet. "Step into my carriage, and we'll take you to my home."


(10 Minutes Later)

"W-Wow." Tatsumi knew that the girl probably came from a wealthy family. But the young man was blow away when he stepped into Aria's home; it was more a mansion then a home. The foyer alone was massive enough to fit a normal sized house inside it. Tatsumi was blown away by all the priceless items scattered throughout the house.

"Ah, looks like Aria has brought home another guest." Aria's father said, turning to look at Tatsumi.

"Well it's her way." Aria's mother said with a warm smile. "How many does this make it now?"

"Those older guards must be must be really strong..." Tatsumi thought, as he observed the guards stationed around the large manor. "They could only be kind to complete strangers like because they have experienced guards." Tatsumi smiled and let out a sigh of relief. "This at least proves that there are good people in the capital."

"Thank you so much for taking me in!" Tatsumi exclaimed, bowing to show his appreciation.

"Oh, it's quite alright. Please make yourself feel at home." Aria said with a smile.

"Yes ma'am!" Tatsumi said, continuing to bow to his hosts. "I...uh actually have a favor to ask you."

"Well what is it my boy?" Aria's father asked, gesturing for Tatsumi to take a seat across from him. After Tatsumi explained his situation, Aria's father leaned back in his seat. "I see. You want to join the army to help save your village."

"Yes." Tatsumi said, nodding his head.

"What a wonderful dream." Aria said with a small smile.

"However...you should know. Though the capital is peaceful, three sides of this country are flanked by hostile tribes. You will likely be sent to the border to fight them." Aria's father explained, clasping his hands in his lap.

"I'm prepared for that." Tatsumi said, clenching his fists.

"I must say I admire your courage young man. That's youth for you." Aria's father said with a smile.

"Did you come from village alone, Tatsumi?" Aria asked, causing Tatsumi to gaze at the floor.

"Actually, I left the village with two of my friends, Sayo and Ieyasu." Tatsumi replied, as his hand wandered towards the gift the village chief had given him before the left. The chief had said the idol would grant him God's protection. "We trained for months, and were ready to all join the army together. But we were separated on they way here. I haven't seen them in a while."

"Oh my, that's awful." Aria's mother said, as she gasped slightly.

"They're both strong, so I'm not too worried." Tatsumi said, his hand tightening around the idol in his shirt pocket. "It's just that Ieyasu is simply awful with directions, so I don't know if he'll be able to find where we all agreed to meet up."

"I see!" Aria's father said, as he slapped his knee. "I'll have a chat with one of my friends in the military. Then we'll try our best to find your friends."

"Thank you so much!" Tatsumi exclaimed, standing up and bowing once again.

"My hunches are usually pretty spot on." Aria said with a warm smile, causing Tatsumi to turn and look at her. "I'm sure you'll be reunited with your friends very soon."

"Miss Aria..." Tatsumi said with a slight blush dusting across his face.

"Alright..." Aria's father said, as he stood up from his seat. "Why don't we call it a night."

"Uh...is there anything I can help with while I'm here?" Tatsumi asked, causing Aria to clap her hands excitedly.

"Oh! You can be my bodyguard tomorrow, along with there others!" Aria cheered.

"That sounds good to me." Aria's father said, turning to a nearby guard. "Gauri, I'll leave this to you."

"Understood sir." Gauri said with a salute.

"You for everything you've done for me today!" Tatsumi exclaimed, earning a smile from Aria's mother.

"We're happy to help. Now you pay it forward to some else too." Aria's mother said with an almost creepy smile.

"I sure will!" Tatsumi said, just as one of the guards arrived to escort him towards his room. Once Tatsumi found his room, he quickly climbed into bed. "I'm so lucky. I got saved by a some good people. Next I need to find Sayo and Ieyasu. I just hope both of them made it to the capital safely."


(The Next Afternoon; Capital's Shopping District)

"Hurry! Let's go the next shop!" Aria cheered, pointing out another store just up ahead.

"Please wait Miss Aria!" The guards, who were carrying her numerous purchases, exclaimed as they lagged behind.

"Tch, looks like we'll be staying home next time." The guard standing next to Tatsumi said.

"Aria sure bought a lot..." Tatsumi said, as he stared at the mountain of boxes with wide eyes. "The amount is utterly ridiculous."

"It's not just Miss Aria." The guard explained, watching Aria enter another store. "All young girls are like this."

"Really? The ones I know pick out their clothes right away." Tatsumi said in a confused tone.

"Never mind that. Look up." The guard said, gesturing towards the palace that towered over them. "It's the royal palace."

"It's freaking huge!" Tatsumi exclaimed, finally getting a good look of the imposing building. "That's where the emperor lives?!"

"No..." The guard said, causing Tatsumi to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Not quite...True, the emperor lives in the palace, but he is but a child. He is being manipulated from the shadows by the minister. He's the one responsible for all the corruption and decay of this once great country." The guard's eyes shifted around to make sure no one was watching. "You best watch what you say around here. They'd have our heads if they heard us talking like this."

"Then..." Tatsumi said through grit teeth, as he tightly clenched his fists. "The heavy taxes that are plaguing my village are also..."

"Are common knowledge in the capital..." The guard, as he pointed over towards a nearby wall. "There's also those guys we have to worry about." Tatsumi's eyes followed where the guard was pointing. Attached to a nearby brick wall were several wanted posters. Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw one of the posters for a girl named Akame. The girl looked eerily to the red eyed girl from his dream. Tatsumi broke out into a cold sweat, as he scanned over the wanted posters.

"Night Raid?" Tatsumi asked, turning to face the guard he was with.

"They're a group of assassins who have been terrorizing the capital." The guard explained, as he grabbed one of the posters. "As the name suggests they mainly attack at night. They target high ranking government officials and wealthy families. So you best be on your guard."

"N-No problem." Tatsumi said, trying his best to sound confident and determined. "I have feeling I'll run into this Akame girl and Night Raid very soon."

"One more thing..." The guard said, as he tapped Tatsumi's shoulder. "You're helping with that." Tatsumi turned around to see the other two guards struggling to hold up a massive box.

"What the hell kind of training is this?!" Tatsumi exclaimed in an annoyed tone.


(Several Hours Later)

Night had once again descended upon the capital, and almost everyone in Aria's home was fast asleep. Everyone but Aria's mother. The older woman hummed to herself, as she walked through one of the manor's hallways.

"Now then...time to write today's journal entry." Aria's mother said, as she held her small journal close to her chest. "Heh, I just can't seem to quite this hobby..." Before the woman could say another word, her entire world turned upside down and immense pain coursed through her body. "Huh?" In that instant Aria's mother saw that she had been cut clean in half at her midsection. Blood sprayed from her severed torso, coating the walls and her unknown attacker. The older woman died before the top half of her body even hit the ground.

The assassin, revealed to be a busty purple-haired woman, swiped her large scissor like weapon; spreading the blood that coated it across the hallway. "I'm terribly sorry." The purple-haired woman said, as she bowed her head.

It was at this moment that Tatsumi shot up in his bed. A chill ran up the young man's spine, as quickly scrambled out of the bed. "What the? There's an intense sense of bloodlust in the air..." Tatsumi rushed to get dressed, grabbing his sword as he bolted out of his room. As Tatsumi raced through the mansion's halls, the guard's words about Night Raid echoed in his mind. "I didn't think I'd run into them this quickly!" Tatsumi came to a skidding stop when he spotted several shadowy figures, standing on what appeared to be wire threads, outside one of the manor's windows. "There's no doubt. That has to be Night Raid!" Tatsumi clenched his fists, as he stared at the silhouetted assassins. "Are they targeting this family just because they're rich?" When Tatsumi lowered his gaze, he spotted several guards running out to face the assassins. "What do I do? Help them...or guard the family?!"

"Heh, three guards. They're our targets as well." A green-haired man said with grin. "Akame, they're all yours."

"I will eliminate them all." Akame said, as she leaped off the wires she was standing on. The dark-haired girl crashed into the ground a few feet in front of the three guards; her hand immidiately reaching the hilt of her sword.

"Okay guys...whatever you do don't let her sword touch you, no matter what!" The head guard yelled, as he lead the other two guards in a charge towards Akame.

"Eliminate." Akame muttered, before she shot forward at a blinding speed. In the blink of an eye, Akame had unsheathed her sword and slashed the lead guard's throat; blood spraying from his wound. Before the next guard had a chance to react a large spear punctured his chest. A large armored assassin walked up to the guard, and withdrew the spear from his chest.

"This...is what I deserve..." The lead guard managed to say, as he felt poison race through his body. As the poison spread, ink black marking spread across the guard's body. "For having a...rotten soul..." The guard collapsed as the poison reached his heart, causing it to instantly shut down.

"W-What th-the..." The last guard said, looking in horror. Deciding that fighting wasn't a possibility, the guard turned tail and started to run away. "Fuck this! These guys are way worse than any monster!" The man didn't make it three steps before he was shot in the back of the head.

"Pathetic." A petite pink-haired girl said, as she lowered her still smoking gun. The girl's eyes were hard, as she glared at the dead guard. "Deserting your comrades under enemy fire."

"Ah, I think that was just plain old running away." The green-haired man said with a sweatdrop.

"T-They were all massacred...in seconds!" Tatsumi thought, as he stared at the carnage before him with disbelieving eyes. Gritting his teeth, Tatsumi tore his eyes away and took off down the hallway once more. "I've got to at least protect Miss Aria!"

In another part of the mansion, another assassin was finishing off her target. The busty blonde-haired woman Tatsumi had met the previous day was holding up Aria's father by his throat. However now the woman's hair had elongated, she had catlike ears on top of her head, a tail swayed from side to side behind her, and her hands had become covered in fur with sharp claws; her grip slowly tightening around the man's neck as the seconds ticked by.

"S-Spare me...P-Please...I-I have a daughter..." Aria's father struggled to say, as the blonde woman's grip continued to tighten around his neck.

"Don't worry. You'll be meeting her in hell soon enough." The woman said, raising her head to reveal slitted golden eyes.

"Not my daughter too...have you no mercy?" Aria's father asked, just as the blonde woman snapped his neck with her bare hand.

"Mercy?" The blonde parroted with a sadistic glint in her golden eyes. "That's a word I've never heard before. You'll have to explain what it means when I see you in hell some day."


(Storage Shed; Just Outside of the Mansion)

"Miss this way!" A guard yelled, as he pulled Aria towards the storage shed.

"W-What's going on?" Aria asked in a frightened tone.

"We must get you inside the storage shed, you'll be safe inside there!" The guard exclaimed, as the shed came into view.

"Miss Aria, I finally found you!" The guard and Aria turned around to see Tatsumi behind them; panting heavily from running the whole way there.

"Tatsumi!" Aria exclaimed, as a look of relief spread across her face.

"Perfect timing!" The guard shouted, pointing at Tatsumi. "We'll seek shelter in the storage shed, and you stay out here and hold the enemy until the authorities arrive."

"That's the worst fucking idea I've ever he-" Tatsumi was cut off when he heard someone land directly behind him. Spinning around, Tatsumi's eyes widened when saw the dark-haired girl with red eyes from his dream. "...Oh fuck me." The girl, who now knew was named Akame, unsheathed her sword and shot forward. "I guess I have no choice!" Tatsumi yelled, as he too took out his sword. But as Tatsumi prepared to attack, the images from his dream replayed in his mind.

"You promised me! You said you'd survive! Tatsumi...I...I never got to tell you my feelings." Tatsumi's stance faltered when he remembered the pain in Akame's voice, the tears pouring from her eyes. She looked absolutely devastated that he had died. This girl obviously was very precious to him, as he was to her, and he couldn't bring himself to hurt her.

"Not a target." Akame's monotone voice snapped Tatsumi from his thoughts. The dark-haired girl leaped into the air, looking like an angel of death, and used Tatsumi's back as a springboard. Tatsumi quickly spun around, and saw Akame sprinting towards the guard and Aria.

"Shit! She's coming this way!" The guard yelled, as he pulled out his gun. Loading a fresh clip into the weapon, the guard opened fire on Akame. However the guard could only stare with wide eyes as he watched Akame dodge all of his bullets.

"I will eliminate..." Time seemed to slow down for Akame, as she approached her targets. She quickly ducked and dodged the speeding bullets being fired at her. Once she was close enough, Akame horizontally slashed her sword; decapitating the guard protecting Aria. "...all targets." Aria could only cower away, as Akame approached her. "You will be buried as well." Tears formed in Aria's eyes, as she prepared for the finishing blow.

"Wait!" Tatsumi yelled, slashing at Akame with his sword. He didn't want to hurt the girl, but he had to keep her away from Aria some how.

"You're not one of my targets, so there's no reason to go out of my way and kill you too." Akame said with a deadpanned look.

"But you want to kill this girl right?!" Tatsumi asked, protectively stepping in front of Aria.

"Yep." Akame simply said.

"Yep?!" Tatsumi repeated in a shocked tone. The young man continued to stare Akame down, as the air filled with tension. Tatsumi didn't want to hurt this girl, maybe he could convince her to leave Aria alone. "Listen Akame..."

"How do you know my name?" Akame demanded, as she glared at Tatsumi. The dark-haired girl tightened her grip on her sword, as she leveled it on Tatsumi.

"There's wanted posters of you spread all over the city." Tatsumi replied, earning a nod from Akame. "H-Have we ever met before, because I swear I've seen you before."

"No, we've never met." Akame said, her tone emotionless. "Like you said, the city is littered with wanted posters with my image on them. That's likely where you've seen me before."

"No...no...I'm talking about before I came to the capital." Tatsumi explained, lowering his sword slightly.

"Hmm, like I said I've never seen you before." Akame said, her sword never moving. "However I did notice that you faltered slightly when I first arrived. Was that because you believed we had met before?"

"Kinda..." Tatsumi replied, in a confused tone. "It's hard to explain really...I don't fully understand it myself either..."

"Listen." Akame suddenly said, cutting Tatsumi off. "If you don't move out of my way, I'll just have to kill you too."

"I don't want to hurt you Akame, but I can't run away now!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as he raised his sword again.

"I see..." Akame said, her eyes hardening. "Then I will bury you as well."

"I'm so fucked." Tatsumi thought, gulping audibly.

As Tatsumi and Akame continued to stare each other down, the busty blonde exited the mansion. She shook her hands to try and get the blood off them however. However the blonde stopped when she saw Akame staring down one of her opponents.

"That's odd...it's not like Akame to not be finished yet." The blonde said in a confused tone, as she continued to approach Akame. Her eyes widened when she saw who Akame was fighting. The blonde face palmed when she saw that the boy she had swindled money from the other day was fighting Akame. "Are you serious? Shit, that kid has some seriously bad luck."

"After what I saw earlier...there's absolutely no way I can beat her." Tatsumi thought, his grip on his sword tightening. "But I can't worry about that now...If I can't save this little girl..." Tatsumi and Akame both sprinted forward at the same time. Their swords clashing when they met int the middle. Tatsumi grit his teeth, as he struggled against Akame's strength. Sparks flew off the clashing swords, as they grinded against each other. "There's no way I can save a whole village." The two fighters broke away, and almost immidiately clashed swords again. Tatsumi was stunned by Akame's incredible speed, he was having a hard time tracking her movements. Seeing a possible opening, Tatsumi slashed horizontally at Akame.

However Akame was prepared for this. She jumped over Tatsumi's attack, and kicked him in the chest. The young men went sliding back from the force of Akame's kick. Before Tatsumi could fully recover, Akame was on top of his again. Reacting quickly, Tatsumi rolled out of the way and tried to kick Akame's legs out. But again, Akame was ready and dodged Tatsumi's attack. Knowing the Akame would dodged, Tatsumi tried catch Akame off guard with a punch. However Tatsumi's eyes widened when Akame spun around in the air, and grabbed ahold of his fist. With a grunt, Akame hurled Tatsumi back towards Aria.

"Hmm, he's not too bad." Akame thought, as she landed back on her feet. "Most opponents would have fallen already. But I must end this quickly." Readying her blade, Akame shot forward. Tatsumi was still recovering from being thrown, so he had no time to defend himself. The young man gasped when he felt Akame's blade strike his chest.

"Tatsumi!" Aria yelled, as she watched Tatsumi collapse to the group. However Akame kept her distance from Tatsumi.

"Heh." Tatsumi laughed, as he slowly got back onto his feet. The young man smirked when he saw Akame standing several feet away from him. "So you won't approach me even if I've dropped my guard."

"I didn't feel my blade bite flesh." Akame said, as she watched Tatsumi reached into his shirt.

"My friends from the village have protected me." Tatsumi said, pulling out the idol that the chief had given had idol was almost completely broken after being struck with Akame's sword.

"Hmm, that kid is facing Akame and her blade and is still alive." The busty blonde thought, as she watched the fight unfold. "That kid sure can hold his own. Maybe it's time I jump in, and repay this kid."

"Rest in pieces." Akame said, as she ran forward with her sword prepared to strike Tatsumi down.

"Wait a minute, Akame!" Tatsumi shouted, waving his hands defensively. "If it's money you guys are after, let the girl go. This isn't some battlefield, so don't kill an innocent girl!" However, Tatsumi's words fell upon deaf ears as Akame prepared to go in for the kill. "It's no use! She's not listening to a word I say!"

"Hold it." Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw a blonde woman grab ahold of Akame. "Cool your jets Akame."

"What are you doing, Leone?" Akame asked, leaning her head back to look at Leone.

"We still have some spare time, don't we?" Leone asked, looking up to smile at Tatsumi. "Besides I owe this kid. So let me pay him back."

"HEY! Your that big titted-" Tatsumi yelled when he recognized who the blonde woman was.

"Yes, I'm that pretty lady you met the other day." Leone said with a sickly sweet smile. The blonde woman let go of Akame, and walked towards the storage shed. "Listen kid. You were worried about us hurting an innocent girl..." When Leone reached the storage shed's locked door, she swiftly kicked it open. "...I wonder if you can still say that after seeing this." Leone stepped aside, so that Tatsumi could look into the opened storage shed. "Take a good hard look." Tatsumi walked up to the storage shed, and gazed inside...It was an action he immediately regretted. The storage shed was filled with mutilated human bodies, most of them hanging from the ceiling and missing limbs. The entire building reeked of decaying bodies and human waste. "This is the dark side of the capital."

"Wha-What the hell is this?!" Tatsumi said, almost to stunned and disturbed to speak. Like with the mist in his dream, Tatsumi couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from the disgusting display before him.

"These people would invite in no name people from the countryside with their sweet offers...and then play with them by torturing them to death." Leone explained, crossing her arm underneath her chest. "This is the true nature of those 'innocent' people you wanted to defend."

It was then that Tatsumi saw something that knocked all of the breath from his lungs. Hanging amongst the mass of bodies was Sayo. The girl was naked and covered in blood. Numerous cuts and bruises littered her body, and one of her legs was even but off. "S-Sayo? Is..Is that you Sayo?" When he didn't get a response, Tatsumi felt his heart drop. "...Sayo!"

"So one of them was your friend." Leone asked, just as Aria tried to sneak away into the woods. "Where do you think you're going? You're asking for way too much if you think you can run away, little missy."

"The family that lives here did this?" Tatsumi asked in an emotionless tone.

"Yes. And their guards kept silent about it, so they're just as guilty." Leone said, as she held onto Aria to keep her from escaping.

"S-She's obviously lying!" Aria pleaded, struggling against Leone's grasp. "I never even knew this place was here. Are you going to believe me, the one who saved you, or them, Tatsumi?!"

"Ta..tsu...mi..." A weak voice called out from a cell to Tatsumi's left. "It...really is...you...isn't it..." Tatsumi's eyes widened when he saw his other friend Ieyasu locked in the cage. The boy's body was covered in blood and sores.

"Ieyasu!?" Tatsumi exclaimed in a shocked tone.

"That girl approached me and Sayo...and she led us back to her home." Ieyasu explained, as he glared at Aria. "We passed out after eating a meal she gave us. When we woke up, we were in here." Ieyasu grabbed ahold of the bars of his cell, and grit his teeth. "T-That bitch... would torture Sayo for hours!"

"And what the hell is wrong with that?!" Aria shouted, slapping Leone's hand away. "You were all just useless country bumpkins! You're no better than livestock! I can treat you any way I want!" Aria had an almost demonic look on her face, as she continued her rant. "And for a farm animal, that girl had such beautiful hair and way too much attitude! While I have to suffer with this unruly hair of mine. So I made her pay for it! You should thank me for how thorough I was with her!"

"They were just demons disguised as humans." Leone said, snarling slightly at Aria. "Sorry I stopped you Akame."

"I will end her slowly, like she did with her victims." Akame said, as she raised her sword.

"Wait." Tatsumi said, his hair hiding his eyes.

"Please don't tell me you're still going to defend this girl?" Leone asked in an annoyed tone.

"No..." Tatsumi said, unsheathing his sword. With a single slash, Tatsumi bisected the girl at her waist. "I'll be the one to kill her." Tatsumi's eyes were emotionless, as Aria's blood stained his shirt and his blade.

"I know she was a despicable person...but to cut her down without hesitation." Leone thought, as she rubbed her chin.

"Heh, heh...that's my Tatsumi..." Ieyasu said with a toothy grin. "I'm happy to see that bitch go." However Ieyasu stopped suddenly when he threw up some blood.

"What is it Ieyasu?!" Tatsumi exclaimed, as he threw the cage door open and held Ieyasu in his arms.

"He's in the final stages of Rubola disease." Akame explained, as she walked up to Tatsumi. "The wife of the house enjoyed injecting her victims with drugs, and recording the symptoms in her journal...I'm sorry Tatsumi, but there's no saving him."

"Ta-Tatsumi..." Ieyasu struggles to say; his voice was extremely weak and labored. "Sayo...never gave into that bitch...You should have see the way she stood up to her...So I also want to make you proud." A large smile spread across Ieyasu's face, as he clenched his fist. "Up to my last moments."

"It was sheer willpower keeping him alive this whole time." Akame observed, as she gave Tatsumi a brief sympathetic look.

"W-What's happened to the capital?" Tatsumi asked himself, as he held Ieyasu close.

"Let's go, Leone." Akame said, turning to leave.

"Say, why don't we take the kid with us?" Leone asked, as she walked up to Tatsumi. "Homebase is always short staffed." Leone grabbed the back of Tatsumi's shirt, and began to drag him off. "He's lucky, brave, and you must agree that he'd got talent."

"I will agree that he is a skilled fighter." Akame said, glancing back at the kicking and screaming Tatsumi.

"Let me go! I have to bury them!" Tatsumi screamed, as he struggles against Leone's grasp.

"Tatsumi...please...help me...don't...leave me here..."

Tatsumi's eyes widened when he heard the soft voice. It was weak and barely above a whisper, but he knew he had heard it. There was no doubt it was Sayo. She wasn't dead!

"LET ME GO!" Tatsumi roared, before he bit into Leone's hand.

"God damn it!" Leone shouted, releasing Tatsumi from her grasp. Free from the blonde's grip, Tatsumi raced back towards the storage shed. "That little shit bit me!" Leone's eyes widened, as the words left her mouth. The blonde gazed down at her bleeding hand. "H-He bit me. Does he know what he just did? He just marked me."

"Let's just leave him." Akame suggested, as she watched Tatsumi run off.

"No..." Leone huskily breathed out, as she followed after Tatsumi. "He's seen my face, so we can't let him get away."

"SAYO!" Tatsumi yelled, as he burst back into the storage shed. The young man's eyes widened when he saw that Sayo was indeed conscious. Tears began to pour from her eyes when she saw Tatsumi.

"I...I knew...you'd come back for me...Tatsumi...I knew...my voice...would reach you..." Sayo said weakly. "P-Please help m-me."

"Don't worry Sayo, I'll get you down!" Tatsumi quickly unsheathed his sword, and cut Sayo down. Getting a good hold on the girl, and being careful around her missing leg, Tatsumi gently lowered Sayo to the ground.

"T-Thank you...Tatsumi..." Sayo said, before her eyes closed once again.

"Sayo...Sayo! SAYO!" Tatsumi shouted, fearing that Sayo had died before he had a chance to help her.

"Step aside." Tatsumi turned his head to see Leone standing over him. Doing as he was told, Tatsumi moved away from Sayo. Leone pressed her ear against Sayo's chest. It was extremely faint, but she could still hear a heartbeat. "She's still alive, but she's fallen unconscious. If we don't get her help, she will die soon."

"If you help Sayo, I'll come with you freely!" Tatsumi pleaded, practically begging Leone. "PLEASE! She's a skilled fighter like me! She can help too!" Leone's eyes softened when she saw tears form in Tatsumi's eyes. "Please, help her."

"Fine, we can have a doctor try to save her when we get back to base." Leone said, as she hoisted Sayo's unconscious form over her shoulder. "But we have to hurry, do you understand?"

"Yes! Let's get moving!" Tatsumi exclaimed, shooting to his feet.

"Good then follow me." Leone said, as she raced back towards where her comrades were with Tatsumi in tow.


(Two Minutes Later)

"You're finally back." The armored assassin commented, as Leone and Tatsumi approached.

"We better get out of here soon." The green-haired boy said, as he held up a watch.

"You're both late!" The pink-haired girl shouted, crossing her arms over her chest. "What the hell were you doing?!" However the pink-haired girl quirked an eyebrow when she saw Tatsumi and Sayo. "Who the hell are they?"

"We don't have much time to explain, but he's our newest comrade." Leone said, causing the pink-haired girl's eyes to widen. "And if we can save this girl, she'll be joining us too. But she needs a doctor fast, so we have to really put the petal to the metal. Bulat, you'll have to carry Tatsumi so he can keep up with us."

"Don't worry, everything will be better soon." Bulat said, as he picked Tatsumi up.

"Operation complete. Let's return to base on the double! We have a life to save for once!" Akame exclaimed, as she raced across the rooftops with the rest of Night Raid behind her.

"What a turn of events. I wonder what's going to happen to me." Tatsumi thought, as he felt the cool air rush over his body. As Tatsumi was carried across the capital's rooftops towards Night Raid's base, he couldn't help but feel that his dark future had gotten just a little bit brighter.


And done! That's the end of the first chapter for this fic. Will Sayo live? Or will she still die? We'll find out next chapter. So what did you guys think? Please remember to follow/favorite, PLEASE REVIEW I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK, and PM me any ideas you have for this fic. Just as a reminder the pairing for this fic will be Tatsumi x Akame x Leone x Chelsea x Mine and possibly Esdeath. I have no idea when the next chapter for this fic will be out, because I have three other fics to write and I'm in college and I work. So please just be patient, the next chapter will be out eventually.

P.S. Please check out my other fics if you get the chance.

So until next time, I'm outta here.