(Tatsumi's POV)

After the raid, the Jaegers and I returned to the capital with Esdeath unfortunately taking me to her bedroom. The 'great' General decided to take a shower while I, captive waited on her bed.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "E... Even though we got back home so late... I can't believe things suddenly took this turn...!!" I thought before suddenly everything was starting to go pink as I saw floating flowers before... I gasped and realized that I started zoning out......

"AH...! This is NOT GOOD! NOT GOOD!!! SNAP OUT OF IT MAN!!!" I sigh...... " Okay. Don't freak out. Just convince her to join the revolution. Do it! Take control! Take her down like a tomcat!"

*MEOW!*

Tatsumi's thoughts: "I MUST NOT let her intimidate me!"

Soon after, I heard the shower's shut off and the bathroom door open.

Esdeath: "Sorry for making you wait."

I turned to look at her only to see......... WHAT THE FUCK IS SHE WEARING!?

Tatsumi: "N-Not at all..."

I blushed, looking away, especially since her gigantic TITS were out! WHAT THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO DO IN THIS SITUATION!?

Esdeath: "You want something to drink?" she asked sitting down next to me, however I just began waving my arms around franticly.

Tatsumi: "Ah! No...! I'm fine, YEP!"

Esdeath: "You seam awfully nervous Tatsumi." She said leaning in closer to me.

Tatsumi: "N-No! I'm not."

Esdeath: "Heh... You are so cute~" she smirked at me seductively before she backed away and closed her eyes in a relaxing manor. "Well, I don't know the proper etiquette for this kind of thing either... But if we just follow our hearts, everything should work out, don't you think...?"

Tatsumi: "Uh... There's... something I'd like to ask you..." she looked at me curiously. "Um... Esdeath-San... You... like me, don't you?"

She looked at me for a hot second before BOOM! SHE LUNGED AT ME AND FUCKING KISSED ME! WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!? SHOULD I BE PROUD I GOT TO KISS THE EMPIRE'S STRONGEST OR TERRIFIED AS HELL!?!? She ended up pinning me to the bed and hovered over me.

Esdeath: "If I didn't... I wouldn't be doing this~"

Tatsumi's thoughts: "FUCK!!! G-GET A GRIP ON YOURSELF......!!!" I mentally warred with myself before I spoke out loud...

Tatsumi: "Th... Then I want you to hear me out!"

Esdeath: "Hm? Alright, go ahead...~ Nice and loud so I can hear you~"

I gulped before I began speaking.

Tatsumi: "I hate the current Empire!"

Esdeath: "So do most people. So what?"

Tatsumi: "If I'm going to fight, it won't be here. I'd willingly join the Revolutionary Army instead!" her facial expression showed that I caught her off guard as she looked displeased.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "I can't tell her who I really am... on the other hand, she wouldn't believe a flimsy lie... So this is the only way to put it...!!" then I spoke up out loud again.

"Why don't you fight in the Revolutionary Army with me? If you did, it would reduce their losses so much!"

Esdeath: "...Tatsumi..." she said with venom in her voice before suddenly... she SLAPPED ME! "... You're talking to a General of the Imperial Army, don't forget."

Tatsumi: "I... I know it sounds crazy, but..." I rubbed my sore cheek. "...If you don't change, we might end up as enemies someday."

Esdeath: "You don't have to worry about that." She said as she frigging hugged me... "You can just stay here with me. I know you've lived an unsatisfying life so far... But from now on, you won't lack any comfort." She then pulled away and looked at me.

"And I don't have a lover. You're the only person I regard as a man. You won't ever be lonely."

That... took me off guard...

Tatsumi: "Ah...... I'm really happy you feel that way, but... but I can't. It's not right that only I should get to be happy."

Esdeath: "Do you have family?" she asked sweating a bit as she looked at me concerned. "They'll be heavily guarded, of course."

Tatsumi: "It's not that... I want a country... where everybody can live in freedom. That's why we can't keep this corrupted empire..." I said, clenching the bed sheets.

Esdeath: "Tatsumi..."

Tatsumi: "If you care for me, then imagine this. There's a girl in some village... who loves someone the way you do right now, but... in this unstable world of poverty and hunger... she might never get to act on her feelings." I turned and looked at her. "D-Do you get what I'm saying!?"

Esdeath: "I DON'T! Because those are the feelings of the weak!" she answered loudly and abruptly, catching me completely off guard. "The law of the world is survival of the fittest. The weak are weeded out. Those who die only do so because they are weak." What... was I hearing...?

"Tatsumi... you may have been underprivileged, but you still trained yourself, didn't you? It's because you became stronger that you caught my eye. But those who remain weak are doomed to perish."

Tatsumi: "I..." I clenched my fists before standing up. "... I can't like someone who thinks that way...! If you care about me... then PLEASE! THINK ABOUT WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT!"

She looked up at me, blushing before...

Esdeath: "I can't." she stood up as well and pointed at me. "Don't get the wrong idea! I'm not going to be influenced by you Tatsumi. You're going to be influenced by me! There will be no other way!"

Tatsumi: "... Well, if you expect me to change, it's NOT going to happen! Even if you torture me!" I looked away, pouting a little.

Esdeath: "Heh... You're so stubborn~ But... I guess that's why..." I glanced at her, only to see holding her chest and looking down as if she was in deep thought. Then suddenly, she sat back down on the bed. "Well, you must be tired from all the excitement of today. We'll talk again later. For now, let's get some rest.

Tatsumi: "Uh......" She's not expecting me to sleep in her bed with her...... right...? "Okay... I'll be on that sofa over there!"

I began walking over to it before she grabbed my hand! OKAY! SHE WAS THEN!

Esdeath: "I won't try anything tonight, so just sleep in the bed!" she demanded... I CAN'T DO THIS!!!

Tatsumi: "OH RIGHT! I'M GOING TO TAKE A BATH!!"

I yelled as I ran towards the bathroom, getting out of her grip but before I entered it...

Esdeath: "This place was built specially to be safe for only those who excel in self-defense. Budo's guards are all over the place. So forget any funny ideas you might have."

AND...... I'm doomed...

Tatsumi: "Okay..."

With that... I entered the bathroom and locked the door behind me just in case she tried anything funny...... The guys back at Night Raid said that the inside of the Palace is crazy bad too... Welp, there goes my hopes of running away or attacking Esdeath...

CHAPTER 13: KILL THE SEDUCTION

(3rd Person POV)

The next day, Wave was in the meeting room with Kurome and Akaruime, who were both eating their snacks before Tatsumi entered the room. Wave, being the first to notice the secret assassin, turned to greet him.

Wave: "Yo. Last night, did you sleep well—er... at all?"

Tatsumi looked completely drained of all life.

Tatsumi: "I was so nervous, I didn't get any sleep at all... She said she wouldn't do anything... but when I woke up she was spooning me...!"

Wave just looked at him out of pity before Tatsumi noticed Kurome and Akaruime. Wave did as well.

Wave: "Kurome, Akaruime, it's first thing in the morning, and you're already having candy."

Akaruime: "Quit blabbering and mind your own business."

Wave: "You both should eat more seafood."

Kurome: "If we did , we'd start to smell like you, Wave."

Wave: "HUH!? REALLY!? I SMELL!?" he began to sniff himself as Tatsumi just deadpanned.

Tatsumi: "Nah, I don't... think so..."

He sweats a little before glancing back at the two girls, noticing how their appearances seemed very... familiar...

Tatsumi's thoughts: "What the...? Their looks... and those names... 'Kurome'... 'Akaruime'..."

Suddenly, the two looked at him before Kurome held the pouch in a protective manor as Akaruime pointed Himitsume at his face.

Kurome and Akaruime: "We're NOT giving you any candy!"

Tatsumi jerked back in shock.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "T-That Greed! No mistake about it, it's Akame and Kuraime's! They've got to be related to them!!"

Kurome: "What?"

Tatsumi: "Nothing... Not to be rude, but... you look a lot like that Akame girl I've seen on the wanted posters..." then he looked at Akaruime. "And you look like that Kuraime girl."

Wave: "Ah, I thought so too."

Akaruime: "Yeah... you're right... Kuraime's amazing..."

Kurome: "And Akame too... they're both valuable assets... Even thought they turned their backs on the empire."

Akaruime: "Oh... I hope I get to see my dear Kuraime again... Big̀ ̡sis n͏ee͡d͝s̵ t͡o͜ d̢ie̕...͟ b̨y ̶my H̛iḿi̵tsum̢e͢ ̡of coúr̛sȩ. ̶S̢e w̛e c̷an͏ b̨e togeth͢e̷r f̢ore͝v͝e͢r̷.́"

Kurome: " I'll see her... my dear Akame... An͟d e̷x̀ec͡ưte ͠h͡er̕ wi͡th̢ ̵m҉y̷ o͞w̕n͏ ҉two ̸h̡a̧n͝ds. A̴f͜t͢e͡r͞ ́a̶l̴ļ, śh̵e's m̵y beĺo̕v̡e͘d olḑer s͞is͝t͏er."

Both males were taken aback significantly by the fact that Akame and Kuraime are the elder sisters of Kurome and Akaruime respectively, though to hear the fact that the younger sisters want to kill their elder sisters...

Esdeath: "Tatsumi!" everyone turned to face Esdeath who entered the room. "We're going hunting today. We're heading to Famo."

Tatsumi's eyes brightened up upon hearing this.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "We'll be leaving the city! My chance to escape!!"

Esdeath: "You're coming too, Kurome, Akaruime and Wave. Famo's the ideal place for an ambush, we'll search for bandits while hunting Danger Beasts!"

Wave, Akaruime and Kurome: "Roger!"

Esdeath: "We'll split into two teams until nightfall. When we get there, Kurome, Akaruime and I will go east. Wave and Tatsumi will search to the west side." She said as she slid on her thigh-high heels. "I don't know what Kurome or Akaruime are capable of yet. This is a good opportunity for me, as their General, to get a complete picture of their skills." She completed as she adjusted her hat.

Wave: "Huh? So you've already made up your mind about me?"

Esdeath: "You had a good teacher. You're already as strong as you can me. Be proud of yourself." She said smiling at him, catching him off guard.

For Tatsumi however, he saw this as an advantage.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "So I'll be with Wave. He won't be keeping real close tabs on me. He'll probably be easier to lose than Esdeath..."

However, immediately after...

Esdeath: "At night, we'll switch. Tatsumi and me together." He panicked a little from that as everyone in the room looked at him.

"The Danger Beasts that come out at night are more powerful. It will be my chance to show him my abilities!" she thought as she smiled to herself.

Unannounced to any of them however, one Dr. Stylish was listening in from outside the room...

>>Later<<

Wave: "I know my water Danger Beasts, but... I'm at a complete lost in the mountains."

Wave and Tatsumi, who were paired up, were making their way through the mountains, with the former in the front.

Tatsumi: "They often launch surprise attacks using mimicry. You have to be wary of even the stones by the road."

Wave: "Woah!" he exclaimed, slightly freaked out. While they kept on trekking, Tatsumi looked down.

Tatsumi's thoughts: "I knew it... or more like... it was unavoidable... Coming here makes me think of Aniki..."

Wave: "Y'know..." Tatsumi glanced back at him. "... I couldn't say so in the palace, but... you've got it rough. If you ever need someone to listen, I'm there for you."

Tatsumi: "...Thanks a lot." He was slightly surprised at his kindness. "But I'll be okay. I mean I'm already used to being treated like that anyway." He said as he turned around and gained a gloomy face.

Wave: "Yeah... Trust me I understand that... I just get this weird feeling you and I are kind of similar, don't you?"

Tatsumi: "Similar? What are the two of us have in common?"

Wave: "Huh? Uh... I'm not sure how to explain it... It's like... we deal with the same problems or at least... gonna deal with the same problems?" he lowered his head in gloom as faded images of Kurome, Akaruime, Bolas, Seryu, Dr. Stylish and Esdeath appeared above his head.

Tatsumi: "Yeah." He said immediately catching on as images of Mine, Akame, Kuraime and Leone appeared above his head as well. "I totally get it. We're practically like brothers..."

Wave: "Well... since we're both in the same boat, let's get along."

However, immediately after he said that, he looked up to see Tatsumi with a cold glare. He reached behind and pulled out Incursio's key which was in the form of a sword before he lunged at Wave and struck a Tree-like Danger Beast behind him.

Tatsumi: "WATCH OUT!"

Wave: "You saved me! I'll return the favor!" he said as he took out his blue sword and got into a battle stance with Tatsumi, as more Danger Beasts surrounded them.

Tatsumi: "What favor!?" he exclaimed before suddenly he realized......

"Oh! My body acted on its own to protect him, but... This... is my chance to get away!" he thought.

Wave: "There's so many of them. And unlike the ocean beats, I think these aren't edible."

Tatsumi: "They're not that tough, but they do have us outnumbered."

Wave: "Well then... here goes!" he exclaimed as the two rushed into battle. "Let's put them down for good!!! We'll make firewood out of them!!!"

>>Later<<

After the battle, all of the Danger Beasts were killed and Wave stood in the center of them, wiping the sweat off his head.

Wave: "Phew... That ought to do it. Looks like we're done here. Tatsu-" he cut himself off upon realizing that he was all alone... and Tatsumi was nowhere to be found... "😀 Huh? What? Where?"

With Tatsumi, he was transformed as Incursio and was speeding down the mountain before leaping over a ravine.

Tatsumi: "You can't usually escape from someone with a Teigu or Zodiac... but...". he halted for a moment. "Since I have a Teigu of my own... It's a whole other story."

Back with Wave, he was walking around the mountain, slightly panicking from losing sight of Tatsumi.

Wave: "... That's weird, Tatsumi... Where'd you go?" he called out before his eyes widened......

"D-Don't tell me... He ran away!?" All of a sudden...

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! OH NO!!! I GET WHY YOU DID IT BUT I CAN'T LET YOU! I'M TOO YOUNG TO DIE!!!" he yelled in absolute panic before he calmed down and looked at his sword... "I don't have a choice..."

Then, he stabbed the blade of his weapon into the ground before......

"GRAND CHARIOT!!!!!!!!"

Back with Tatsumi, still in the Incursio Armor, was kneeling as he was resting from his run.

Tatsumi: "I should be safe this far out, right? There's no way he could've followed me..." All of a sudden, a loud sound was heard, catching Tatsumi's attention. Then, a black object slammed into the ground, forcing him to roll out of the way. "Wha...? Who is this guy...?"

From the smoke, a sleek Black armor with what looks like a floating transparent object was floating on his back and the same type of material was over the eyes and forehead of the Helmet... It looked like a...

Tatsumi's thoughts: "It's the same type...? An Armor Teigu!?"

But... Little did Tatsumi know... it was Wave...

Wave: "Woah, woah... I just came across a whopper... I recognize that Incursio... It's the prototype of my Grand Chariot... And what's more... The fact that you have it on means you're with Night Raid, right? I see... Shifty people... hide in shifty mountains!"

Both armored warriors were now in a standoff, waiting for the first one to make the move...

Wave's thoughts: "New Objective—While he's right in front of me, I'll take care of this Night Raid guy—Then I'll look for Tatsumi!"

END
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And there we go. Not much changed in this one.