As they got near the base, Gunnar made sure Tatsumi wouldn't say anything about him killing Captain Ogre and that Tatsumi was the one who was able to do it on his own. As for the indent on his shoulder from Ogre's sword, he was just going to have to improvise. "Just let them know you killed Ogre and I'll simply back you up on it, okay?" he said to Tatsumi. "This was your first night to kill someone and that's how we're going to leave it as. Just don't be too cocky about it or else I'll regret it."
"I won't, trust me." Tatsumi replied, then stopped when they were just outside the entrance. "But listen, thanks for backing me up back there. It's nice to always have someone watching your back." He then offered Gunnar a friendly smile.
"Just stick to the story, kid." Gunnar retorted.
Once inside, they made their report to Najenda. Akame and Leone were with them as well. Once completed, she spoke. "You defeated a powerful adversary on your own. I'm impressed," was her reply. She then asked Gunnar. "And you're sure you didn't help him out at all?" The tone in her voice was like she was implying he had something to do with it.
"Nope. No help whatsoever," said Gunnar with his arms folded. "The kid was able to handle this all without training wheels. I hardly had anything to do with it."
"Yup. Hear that, Akame? I did exactly what you wanted me to and I came out without a scratch on me." Tatsumi said with such confidence. And then he said in a bit of a bragging tone, "Now tell me how wonderful I am."
Before anyone could do anything, Akame suddenly stripped Tatsumi down to his boxer shorts for some reason. "The hell are you doing to me?!" he exclaimed. The deed was already done before Gunnar could do anything. And there was Tatsumi, standing in his boxers as Akame was...inspecting him?
After a while, she finally said in a softer tone "Thank goodness." The mutant then saw a slight blush in her cheeks and a small kindly smile. "I've seen people die from infection because they were too proud to report they're wounds. It's good that you didn't get hurt. It's hard for most people to survive and pass their first mission. I'm glad you survived." She held out her hand to shake his which he took in return.
"The only reason Akame was so hard on you before was because she was worried about your safety," said Leone.
"Learning to cook helped with your communication, and hunting taught you basic killing techniques." Najenda added. "Do you see that everything we do was for a very reason?"
"Oh uh...I guess not," said Tatsumi, seeing the reason behind it all. "Sorry Akame. I..I got the wrong idea."
"It's okay," said Akame. "Just try keep coming back alive, Tatsumi."
"Sure. As long you as you can keep looking out for me, Akame."
Gunnar could definitely see why they did what they did. He too was also given certain tasks and tests to prepare him for whatever came his way. Whether it was training sessions in the danger room or on-the-job experience against the Brotherhood of Mutants, he was made ready for what life threw at him and just roll with the punches.
Gunnar then broke up the golden moment by pointing out the elephant in the room. "Yeah but aside from that, was it necessary to strip him down to his skivvies?" he asked nonchalantly to Akame.
Leone, who also took notice, was stifling a laugh. "Oh my god! This is so adorable and cheesy! And the fact that you're half naked makes it more ridiculous!"
Turning bright red, Tatsumi covered himself up in embarrassment as Gunnar chuckled and shook his head in amusement. Soon, Najenda spoke. "Well, you're working with Mine on your next assignment so I expect your best." Tatsumi was not so happy to hear that.
"Yeouch! Out of the frying pan and into the fire!" said Leone amused.
"She's even worse!" cried Tatsumi. Elsewhere, Mine had a bad feeling that something was about to happen.
The meeting was over and everyone was dismissed. Gunnar was headed out for a late night run when a voice spoke from behind him. "A little late for a run, isn't it?" He turned to see Najenda.
"It's never too late for a run on a night like this. What concern is it of yours anyway?"
"Not really any of my own, but you should remember the penalty for trying to leave here."
Gunnar scoffed. "Relax woman, I don't really have anywhere else to go and I'm certainly not going back to the fucking Capital. Just a little run around the perimeter. Or was there something else you wanted to say?"
"I only wanted to thank you for sticking around with Tatsumi. And for assisting him."
"Look, all I did was play babysitter for a new recruit. He made a kill and that was that."
"Yes, but that does question the cut made into your uniform."
A puzzled look came across the mutants' face. "The hell are you talking about? He killed the bastard and did so alone. I had nothing to do with it."
Najenda walked up to him and pointed to the tear in the right shoulder of his outfit. "This I believe is what I'm talking about?" There was no fooling her, though Gunnar had hoped that no one would notice it but apparently her one good eye didn't overlook it.
Gunnar sighed in exasperation. "Okay fine, the kid wasn't paying attention and forgot to double tap. Alright? Look, don't make a big deal about it. It's a learning experience I think he'll remember in the future. Happy?" he scoffed.
"I didn't say I was objecting to it." Najenda said smiling, her mechanical hand rested on his shoulder. "I only wanted to thank you for stepping in in case something happened." She then teased him by saying, "I didn't think you were a team player."
"I am a team player. I just don't sign on immediately. But that doesn't mean I should stand by like a jackass while someone gets hurt. If anyone does get in trouble, I'll be there for them. Now can I please go now?" He didn't like to be irritated, but he didn't want to get too close either.
"Yes you can go. Just please stay along the perimeters of the base, Gunnar."
Gunnar walks away while brushing off her arm. "Yeah sure whatever, 'mom'. I go where I wanna go and I don't need no supervision." He walked into a clear part of the forest and disappeared.
As Najenda watched him disappear, another shadow joined with hers. "Keep your distance and follow him. I wouldn't want anything to change his mind about leaving our little group."
"Sure thing boss," said a female voice from behind her.
Further into the woods, Gunnar was enjoying the serene quiet of the midnight air. The only noise accompanying him was the chirping of crickets and the moon his only light. He pulled back his hood and allowed the cool breeze brush against his face. He was reflecting on everything back home, wondering if his fellow mutants were still worried about him and if he'll ever see home again. It seemed unlikely but again, one can only hope.
He suddenly felt like someone was following him and stopped for a moment. Slowly, he looked over his shoulder and notices a small bit of movement behind a few trees. Whipping out a clawed hand, he faced the commotion and readies himself for anything. "Come out of there! Don't mess with me! I'm not in the mood for any bullshit tonight!" From out of the bushes came the spectacled Sheele, carrying her massive scissors. "Oh, just you." Gunnar sheathed his blades for now, but stayed alert just in case. "You guys make it a habit to spy on potential prospects?"
"Najenda actually sent me to keep an eye on you, to see where you were headed off to if you were staying within the perimeter."
"And if I didn't, you'd kill me?"
"If it were to be the case, then yes." Sheele held the giant cutting tool in front of her in case he either made a run for it or tried to attack her. With an exasperated sigh, he grew annoyed by this new development.
"Can't seem to let me out of your sights, can ya?"
"Najenda's orders, actually. She didn't want to see anything or anyone changing your mind about possibly joining us."
"Look," said an irritated Gunnar. "I've already said multiple times already. I've agreed to help you guys take down the city of corruption, but only on my own terms. Why is that so hard to comprehend?!"
Sheele seemed to feign a little from the way he responded. "It's only Najenda that's wanting you around. I'm only following her orders." She then asked out of sheer suspicion "I am wondering though, why are you so adamant about trusting us and wanting to join us?"
He decided to lay it out for her as simply as he can. "Let me put it in a way that even you can understand. If you were in my shoes being in a strange land all unfamiliar and don't know anyone familiar whatsoever, would you really be trusting of anyone?"
"N-no I don't think I would."
"Exactly. You can't just think people will immediately join you or believe you on their word and word alone. That's why trust is the biggest key of any team, or at least the thing that I want the most." He saw her looking abashed and sighed. I'm sure you have reasons why you joined this band of killers and I'm sure you're skilled in your own way. But I tend to do things my own way and I don't need to rely on anyone to help me. Otherwise,…they'd get in the way and get hurt…or something worse. So don't be taking this personal when I say-"
Just as he was about to finish his sentence, Gunnar suddenly felt something like a small car hit him square in the side as he felt something on top him as he could feel himself being bitten in the neck. Crying out in pain, he tumbled with the mysterious creature down the ravine as he punched it in the throat with his claws. As they came down to the bottom, the creature that attacked him released its grip on Gunnar's shoulder giving him the chance to push it off him.
Both coming up to their feet, the mutant clone looked to see what it was that side swept him: it was a Jackaleo. A Class 2 Danger Beast that was common in the Empire. It had big horns that grew from each side of its head onward. Big in size, it had yellow fur and a lion-like mane as well as three red eyes. And it looked like he was it's next prey.
As Gunnar had read earlier, Danger beasts were divided into six classes: Class 4, Class 3, Class 2, Class 1, Special Class and Super Class. (Class 4 being the weakest and Super Class being the strongest). Hearing footsteps behind him, Gunnar looked to see that it was Sheele coming to aid him with giant scissors at the ready. "Keep away!" he said, holding his hand out to stop her. "This sucker's mine!" Unsheathing the other claw, the lone X-Man challenged the Jackaleo in a defensive stance as he stepped towards it.
The great beast started to circle him as he did the same, both locked onto each other as many animals have challenged each other for decades. Both man and beast looked for any weaknesses or openings, continuing to anticipate who would attack first.
"Come on! Let's go!" Gunnar growled. The Jackaleo snarled in response before roaring as it charged him. With a shout, Gunnar leaped at the beast and slashed it across the face with a right and stabbed it in its shoulder with his left. The beast growled in pain as it lashed at him nearly hitting his midsection. The mutant clone took a swipe as the Jackaleo tried to gore him with its horn. His clawed hand came down as it sliced its horn. As soon it did however, the jaws of the beast soon came up to latch on his arm.
Screaming in pain, Gunnar immediately used his free hand to upper cut into the beasts' jaw as his adamantium claws came out through the other end with a hard crunch. Hefting it up high, Gunnar held up its head until he felt the Jackaleo go limp, soon becoming bereft of life. He released his claws as the danger beast slumped to the ground with a thud.
Panting, Gunnar fell to his knees as he allowed his arm to heal itself from the bite as he grunted from the pain. Sheele, who had been watching him doing what he does best, was impressed that he was capable of killing a danger beast on his own. Unknowingly, she almost stumbled down the rest of the hill as she came over to him. "Told you I could handle myself," he said as he started to get up.
"Didn't doubt you. Just wanted to step in in case you had trouble." Sheele said as she got near him. She looked at the corpse as he did. "Looks like a near full grown adult. Pretty big at this age, possibly bigger."
"How do you know?" he asked giving her the side eye.
"I…don't know. I was just taking a guess."
Feeling slightly annoyed, the mutant looked back to the fallen Jackaleo. "I don't suppose you have a cart or some rope on you?"
With a exasperated sigh, Gunnar carried the carcass of his freshly killed Jackaleo with Sheele following alongside him. They made their way back to the base, being silent most of the way. Gunnar, finally tired of the silence, finally asked her why she joined Night Raid.
Growing up in the low districts of the Capital, Sheele's clumsy nature caused many people throughout her life to often consider her useless, isolating her from nearly everyone. At one point in her past, she did have one friend who didn't mind her personality, but was attacked by her ex-boyfriend. Sheele killed the ex-boyfriend in order to protect her, revealing that she had a strange talent for killing.
However, in the end, this broke the friendship. Soon after, a gang related to the man she killed earlier sought revenge against her and had already murdered her parents. Sheele coolly killed the group and was later scouted by the Revolutionary Army, who had learned of her ability; thus she soon became a part of Night Raid. By joining, she wanted to use her talent in a way that would make her useful to others by helping fix society.
After hearing her story, Gunnar was a little perturbed to think that anyone would be perfect for killing as if it was a natural talent like teaching or painting. The clone was created for killing so why in the world would anyone think it would be fine? He was beginning to think that almost everyone in this world were just cock-sucking assholes if they thought this was a natural way of life. Whatever the case may be, he still had to endure it a little longer and prayed that by some miracle he'd find some way back home.