Chapter 19: An Offer

"How do they feel?" Tatsumi asked, observing as Seryu opened and closed her new mechanical hands.

During their fight with Night Raids Sheele and Mine, she had sacrificed both her arms to save herself from a fatal blow. And now, days later, a strange man going by the moniker of Dr. Stylish arrived at their barracks. Apparently he had been the one to put guns into near every part of Seryu's body.

Something Tatsumi was still struggling to comprehend. She sacrificed so much of her body just to kill. It honestly worried him.

He understood her anger… her rage, but there had to be limits. Sure, he was angered by the man who murdered Captain Ogre, even vowing to kill him, himself. But he wasn't going to go about doing what she did to herself to himself.

"Like I can bring about more justice than ever before." Seryu's voice was monotone, eyes glistening a dark light as she twisted her left wrist, letting it fall open on a hinge to reveal a large cannon like internal mechanism. The sight of which turned her lips upwards.

He was scared, not of her. He knew there was something damaged inside her. No, he feared what she could become. He already saw it during the fight. When she mercilessly sent Koro, her dog… thing… into nearly downright murder an already injured woman.

The only reason that girl was still alive was because another member of Night Raid had appeared and knocked Koro away before grabbing Sheele and the other one before bolting away just as reinforcements arrived.

Tatsumi's foot rapped against the floor, fingers tapping against his elbows as he crossed his arms. Feeling his own bandages that laced them from the burns and cuts he sustained combating Sheele while Seryu dealt with Mine.

He couldn't comprehend why he was still alive. When he fought the Sheele girl, he felt like she was holding back against him. But when she went to assist her friend in fighting Seryu after knocking him away, she was ruthless. He couldn't understand it.

"Seryu, I… WE… need to talk." He grit his teeth and said.

Seryu tilted her head, an oblivious, blank expression on her face. The same she'd been wearing since they failed to capture or, well, kill in her case, the members of Night Raid.

"What about?" She asked.

"About what happened out there. What was that? You… you went insane. You weren't acting like yourself. You injured one of them and you just sent Koro in to kill her. I… Why would you do that? We could have brought her in, got her to tell us where her base is." He clenched his fists tight.

"She deserved it. She murdered captain Ogre, she murdered papa. She deserved it. They all deserve it. It is justice to put them down. And I shall be the one to serve it to them."

Tatsumi shivered at Seryu's curled lips and soft smile. She sounded… so… evil… but he knew she was right. After everything Night Raid did, murdering innocents. Murdering good men and women of the guard force.

"No, Seryu. Stop that, please." He pleaded, "you're scaring me. This isn't you! You're not some cold blooded killer!"

"SHUT UP!" Tatsumi recoiled back as Seryu screamed. Fury in her eyes, "why are you so intent on protecting those evildoers!? After everything!? They murdered captain Ogre IN FRONT OF US! And you just want to let them live!? Have they warped your justice to such a degree that you can't see reason!?" she argued, leaving Tatsumi silent.

"I thought you were different! That you would join me in bringing justice to the evil." Her eyes turned cold, seeming to glare down at him from up high, "now I see you are just a coward. Leave me alone Tatsumi. I don't want to see you anymore," she lay down on her bed, turning her back to him.

"Seryu-" he tried to say.

"GO AWAY!" she roared, causing him to nearly fall off his stool.

He still wanted to say something, anything. But he could only grit his teeth, forcing himself to his feet and turned away from her. Making slow, weak strides to the door, Pausing just before it to look back at her.

"Seryu… I'm sorry… I just don't want you turning into a monster… I'll… maybe I'll see you around again…" she didn't respond.

He sighed, turning back to the door, entering into the hallway, eyes planted solemnly to the floor while scratching his head. Not seeing the woman in white who had topped directly infront of him before bumping into her and staggering backwards.

"Oh, sorry. Wasn't watching where I was going," Tatsumi forced a smile to his lips, barely even glancing up at the woman before excusing himself and walking around her. The woman's gaze following him for a moment before she let out a snort of derision.

***

Seryu could feel her heart shuddering, why did she feel so terrible doing that to Tatsumi? She was angry with him, yes. How dare he even think Night Raid deserve even a little of mercy! Absolutely absurd. After everything they've done!?

But it still hurt, she could feel tears dripping down her cheeks, dying her pillow a shade darker. Trying to ball up her sobs into a small little ball inside herself that she didn't want to deal with.

She could tell that they had nothing to do with justice. They were selfish feelings. Feelings that a soldier fighting for the betterment of the Empire didn't need… That they shouldn't, have.

Yet it was still leaking out. Forcing its way through the walls she built up around those emotions.

"I see, so you love that boy then?" Seryu jolted upright, turning to the owner of the feminine voice. Her mind blurring to a stop when she saw the telltale white uniform of a specific general.

She had no time to cry, she launched off the bed, standing upright, metal hand to her head in a salute, "Greetings General!" she shouted. Forcing the tremble in her voice to a barely noticeable level.

"Hmm, no need for that. Seryu Ubiquitous. Treat me like a… 'friend'… yes, that's the word."

Seryu gulped.

"I have come to check on you. How do you feel?" Esdeath asked, eyes traveling over every inch of Seryu analytically.

"I am currently in sub-par condition ma'am! A few more days of rest and reacquaintance with my new arms and I will be at full capacity for handing out justice to evildoers!" Seryu kept her head held high, Arms locked to her side.

"Impressive, not many are as quick recovering as you are. Especially after such wounds."

"Thank you, ma'am!"

Esdeath frowned, "at ease. I'm not here to bite your head off, Seryu. I merely wish to talk." Esdeath, moved towards the chair Tatsumi had just been sitting on. Placing herself atop it while crossing a slender leg over the other. "Take a seat, an injured soldier should not be up and about just yet."

"Y-yes, Ma'am!" Seryu fell back onto her bed. Back straight, hands on her knees, Looking Esdeath in her sapphire blues. Her arms only slightly slumping into a more relaxed position.

Both were silent. Esdeath continuing to inspect Seryu, unleashing an ominous pressure on the girl who could only shiver in response.

"Of all the people to ambush Night Raid successfully. You were not the one I expected. Some orphan child with no training on espionage. And yet, you are the only one in this entire city to even so as remotely say you did it successfully. Albeit, failing to even bring back a single one of their heads."

Seryu's head hung down. She knew how pathetic it was. After everything, the nights of waiting. Watching the movements of shadows. Predicting where their likely meeting points would be, their escape routes. After all of that all she had to show were two missing arms and broken pride.

"But, you are still the only to have ever done so and survived. Along with a… Tatsumi, boy. I am guessing he was the one who left this room in tears?"

Seryu froze, "He-he was crying?" she stuttered.

"Hmm, yes. Though he didn't seem to notice it himself. Tell me, what is it that brought both of you to such a state?" she asked.

Seryu felt a lump in her throat, even more guilty than before. Wiping her eyes dry of residual tears she said, "He… didn't like how I reacted to Night Raid. He didn't want me to kill them when they were already injured. I thought he understood justice, it just turned out he didn't." She wiped away a tear before it could fall.

"I see. Well, I am sorry for that. But if you wish to hear my opinion. What you did was indeed correct. Yes, if we allowed mercy we may have perchance gotten information from them. But chances are they would kill themselves before they could say anything. An even higher chance they may send one of their own to prevent them from speaking."

Seryu seethed, "to their own comrade?" how could someone abandon their team like that. They may be the scum of the world. But they must still have some morals to their own. Or were they just so lost to their evil means?

"Yes, quite monstrous isn't it?" Esdeath smirked, as Seryu nodded in response. Doing her utmost to hold back a rising yawn.

Though Esdeath still easily saw through it. "I can see you need the rest. So I won't waste any more time. I am forming a small team of Teigu users loyal to the Empire. I wish for you to-"

"I'll join." Seryu needed to hear no more as she blurted out, eyes groing serious, locking with Esdeaths.

Esdeath teeth showed through her smile. Standing she said…

"Come to the palace courtyard tomorrow by noon, no later." Esdeath turned on point, sliding her way to the door. "It will be a pleasure working with you."

***

Tatsumi had found himself aimlessly wandering the city after his argument with Seryu. His mind a haze, not even processing he had entered into the red-light district. The same one where Ogre had been murdered.

Ever since then he hadn't come back here, not on his own time at least. Only whenever he went on a patrol or when Seryu dragged him around for one of her midnight, Night Raid hunts.

"God… Seryu…" he felt heartbroken, he never thought she would ever say that about him. Was she correct? Was he being coward for not killing Night Raid? He didn't think so. He thought by letting them live, letting them deal with the repercussions of their crimes would put him higher up than them. Differentiate him from their cold brutality.

"MHM! HMM!"

Tatsumi's steps halted as he heard muffled noises coming from an alleyway he just passed. Lifting his head, Tatsumi wipped away his tears and looked into it. Only seeing darkness. But he could still hear the muffled noises.

Approaching the alley, he could hear more, wetter noises. Squeelches like someone was slapping the water in a bath. "Hello? Anyone in here? Are you okay?" He called out stepping into the dark alley way. Hand travelling to his shoulder where his sword would normally be sheathed.

"Tatsumi?" A familiar blonde haired head appeared from behind a crate. "Yo, man, how you doing? Hear you and you're girlfriend took on a Night Raider and got right fucked up."

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Tatsumi stomped his foot down. Arnol just chuckling as the wet squelches continued coming from where he was standing.

Arnol looked forwards, breaking contact with Tatsumi, "hear that, still not accepting that fact." He chuckled.

"Yeah, don't expect him to ever do that. Ain't got the balls to even confess." Another male voice came from where Arnol was.

"Dirk?" Tatsumi muttered, hearing the familiar voice. Stepping further into the alley to pass the crate. Eyes widening in horror when he saw the origin of the muffled noises and wet squelches.

A girl, much, much younger than himself. Stripped naked while Dirk and Arnol had their way with her immature body. Her eyes watery and dead.

"You'r gonna have to wait a bit if you want a go. We just started." Arnol said with a chuckle, continue to thrust his hips forwards.

"Wh-what are you doing!?" Tatsumi shouted, disgusted and petrified that they were doing this to a child.

Arnol snorted along with Dirk, "Oh calm down. She's the one who wanted it. Even if she didn't know it. We're just granting her, her wishes."

If Tatsumi had his blade, he would cut them down right here. Turn them in to the guard. Rushing forwards, Tatsumi sent a fist to Arnol's face, sending him crashing to the ground, bare ass scrapping against the floor.

"THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING!?" Arnol shouted. Dirk pulling himself loose from the girls face, rushing Tatsumi to send a punch of his own.

Tatsumi ducked under it, sending a single punch to Dirk's stomach. They were slow, much slower than Seryu or even those members of Night Raid.

Dirk fell back, holding his stomach in pain, spittle flying from his mouth as he gasped for air.

In that time, Arnol had launched off the ground, tearing his sword from the sheath layed against the crate. Sending a singly horizontal slash to Tatsumi, who once again easily avoided it, fist arriving firmly in Arnol's diaphragm.

"How could you!? To a child!?" Tatsumi screamed at the downed Arnol. Gasping for air, his sword having fallen from his grasp behind Tatsumi.

"She's… an orphan, Tatsumi." Arnol grit his teeth and looked up at Tatsumi, "no ones going to fucking blame us for screwing some nobody brat without any parents." Arnol, forced himself to his feet, looking the horrified Tatsumi dead in the eyes, his own cold. Any goodwill between the two gone to the wind.

"What is wrong with you!?"

"NOTHING! That's what!" Arnol argued, "this is how the Capital works Tatsumi! The weak are our prey! We are the gods here! We tell a whore to bend over she BENDS OVER! If we want to use some brat! We use them! How do you not understand this!?"

Tatsumi was going to scream, but anything that came from his mouth stopped. Hearing a sharp slash flowed by gurgling. Turning back, Tatsumi saw, there laying on the ground was Dirk, along his neck a long, bloody streak, spewing blood into the alley.

"Hee…. Hahaa…hahahaha!" The girl laughed manically, clutching Arnol's blade in her hands. Standing over Dirk's body with the bloodied blade.

"Tsk." Arnol rushed to Dirk's sheathed sword against the crate. Tearing it free before bringing it blade side down across the girls body, severing her into two, killing her instantly.

Tatsumi clutched a hand to his mouth. About to throw up.

"Look at what you've done!" Arnol roared as he approached Tatsumi, "Dirk's dead because you got in the fucking way!" Arnol wasted no more breath, grabbing his pants from the ground and pulling them on. Pushing his way past Tatsumi.

"Captain's going to be fucking pissed when he hears about this," Arnol grumbled.

Tatsumi couldn't break his sight from the girls body. Was… was this what he signed up for? To let people just do this and get away scot free?

No. He wanted to stop exactly this… this injustice.

Tatsumi's hand rose to his shoulder, tearing the patch from it. Holding the Empire's emblem in his hand, staring down doubtfully at it. Stummbling back wards until his back met the wall, sliding down it until he was on the dirty stone floor.

His mind falling back to when he spoke with Ieyasu… when he told him about those strung up in the main square. How many were innocents. That some might have been framed. And now, now that he looked down at the girl… he couldn't help but feel he may have been right.

Over the months he worked in the Guard forces. He had seen young ones strung up out there. But all of them were criminals. Murderers. Yes, he found it a harsh, harsh punishment for a child. But he always reasoned that they deserved it.

But now… Now he could just imagine this girl. If she hadn't been killed. Would she have been strung up and killed? Would she be framed for something to keep her from talking?

Tatsumi's head knocked against the stone wall. Staring blankly into the sky, "what do I do… Sayo… Ieyasu…"

It was on this day two bodies would be found inside an alleyway in the red-light district. One, that of a loyal soldier to the Emperor. The other, a young child wanting to join Night Raid, by proving herself through murdering a the soldier in cold blood.

But not far away from the bodies, just against the wall, was a small scrap of cloth. On it, the insignia of the Imperial guard forces.

The owner, long disappeared into the night.

***

Okay, next chapter should be a 'Cultural research project' by the time of writing this AN I haven't done it yet. So, I can't really confirm or deny if it will be.

Also, did I mention how Akame ga Kill is a terrible world to try and write a 'cultural research thesis' because of just how serious it is?

Or is that just me being a little too dedicated to making a plot?

It's probably that.

Yeah, its most definitely that.

Though, once we get into other worlds that will probably change. Don't think any of the next worlds will be as serious or deal with such dark topics.