Chapter 2: Kill The Killer
The entire group of night raid stood in a circle as their leader Najenda spoke. With recent news of a another party enacting order of their own. Tastumi most of all was the most rattled, given how he's still relatively new. This added a level of unpredictability to his profession. Najenda then crossed her arms, sighed and began to speak.
Najenda: Well Nightraid I'll cut right to it.
Everyone stood and some of them with crossed arms.
Najenda: We have ourselves another hurdle to jump. It's regarding those acts of justice enacted within the capital's walls. I take it each of you are all fully aware of whom I referring too.
Leone: Yes, But the cool thing is we don't know anything about him.
Tatsumi then mustered up the strength to speak.
Tatsumi: Like whether they're a friend or foe. Or If we can trust them or not?
Akame: Precisely, which means we won't even make the attempt. There are too many stakes at large for us to try and befriend someone who's as deep in these "trenches" like we are, but aren't affiliated.
Sheele: But if he's such a powerful guy and we recruit him. That's a massive plus for us.
Mine: We can't take that chance. He's more than likely out on his own and won't affiliate himself with a group of covert assassins. Not to mention killing doesn't seem to be his forte.
She input to the already polarized discussion. Bulat then decided to also interject with his own opinion.
Bulat: I think we should at least take that chance. If worst comes to worst, he wants to take us out, we take him out first. It's a win win. Either he joins up, stays neutral, or he dies and we get him out of our hair.
Najenda: That's also a valid point, but I'm not entirely sold on the idea of attempting to recruit someone who could take one of us out. Then It's a double loss and a wasted effort.
Leone: Reality check Bulat. He's taking out street thugs, imperial police, and imperial personal alike. That puts killers, thieves, rapists, and other nasties on that list. Even though we help people, we could still be just brutal killers in his book.
Akame: And if we are on that list, he already considers us enemies.
Sheele: But's that's just an if. What if he doesn't know who we are?
The green haired Lubbock finally chimed in.
Lubbock: Trust me, our faces are plastered throughout the city. On top of that he seems to have connections to inside information on things that go on in the city. If he reads the news or is a smart as I think he knows exactly who we are.
Tastsumi: Then why hasn't he made a move?
Mine: Don't be stupid Tatsumi! He knows we're too good for him.
Leone then face palmed and answered Tastumi's question.
Leone: It could be a few things. One, he doesn't know where to find us. Two, he knows he can't take us, or three on the off chance, He might actually approve of what we do.
Sheele: So that might mean we can recruit him?
Najenda: Let's not get too far ahead of ourselves. It definitely seems like we have a greatly divided share of opinions here.
She then went to go and sit down at the table.
Najenda: Well, at this point there's not a much that even I can tell you all but to be vigilant!
She put a large emphasis on her last word. Wanting of course for all of her fellow assassins to be safe. Although she made herself seem foolish. How could a group of assassins be "safe"? She never really thought about it, but then again is wanting people you deem family to be safe foolish? She stood in deep consternation, as well as the rest of nightraid. However, everyone's deep train of thought was interrupted all at once.
Lubback: Okay, who's hungry?
Najenda: Before we eat, I'll brief you all on tonight's mission. The target's nickname is Zank the Executioner.
As the night progressed citizens of the empire eventually began to stay indoors. At night imperial police would patrol the streets, bridges, and sidewalks. The empire has a firm grasp of its people. However, the empire covertly will now allow the citizens to fend for themselves with knowledge of an extremely dangerous killer is on the loose.
[Name] stood looking out through the shades of his older house partly owned by his weapon smith. Rom was his name a grizzled older man. He a taller man and had longer shaggy white hair. He usually wore his dirty old garbs as though he were a man without. Rom had just walked in with arms full of lumber, he dropped it, and stretched his back, cracking his muscles.
[Name]: You're getting soft in your old age Rom.
[Name] said as he still looked out of the windows as families gather in their respective homes from curfew.
Rom: Bah,
He waved a hand and still stretched.
Rom: Worried about me?
[Name]: No more than I am with the rest of the city. People are giving up Rom. Turning a blind eye.
Rom: Theses are scary times. Parts of the empire has tightened its grip and the night raids not making it that much better on the citizens. Not to mention "Zank the executioner" is out there.
[Name]: They've tightened up security up around this part of town in the day. But they then loosened it at night, as though they want something to happen.
Rom: More than likely a result of that assassination of that oil merchant, then that Lokal guy. The knights are probably running scared.
[Name]: Unlikely. Also the killings didn't stop there. They got the police captain too. This night raid bunch is really making the rounds.
Rom: Maybe they're trying to draw someone out.
He held his back as he went to sit down in a comfortable cushioned chair that was positioned next to a couch that Kasumi now slept on with her new garbs.
Rom: Maybe Zank, possibly night raid, could be me, or more than likely. . .
[Name]: Me. Zank is more than likely going to be out there. I'm going after him.
Rom made a hand gesture while leaning outward and gesturing to name.
Rom: Don't get ahead of yourself. Your skills are exceptional, but you don't have the means to fight someone like him, nightraid, and the empire. I mean I sit here and craft your equipment, but it's not like I can make you a damned imperial arms.
[Name]: I know that. Which is why I'm going to pay night raid as visit.
Rom: What now?! That maniac is out there and plus you don't even know where they ar. . .
Rom smirked and leaned back into the chair to calm himself.
[Name]: I don't have to know where they are to know where they're going to be.
[Name] then looked over on the couch to see Kasumi sleeping. She and [Name] rarely spoke to each other. It's a strange dynamic. All she remembers is that Dark figure who rescued her, took her to a random street and took off. Then this random guy found her wondering around town and took her in.
She doesn't speak that much at all, she only says the proper mannered things like please and thank you. Her parents raised her well, imagine how this girl felt to see her parents' corpses right before her. She's more than likely in some sort of catatonic state due to the trauma.
[Name]: I'm going out, keep her safe.
Rom looked over to the corner and spoke back to [Name].
Rom: Fine, If you die I'll just tell her that. . .
Once he looked back and [Name] had left the house.
[Name] was already in his dark garbs traversing the roof tops of the city. He felt as the cool nightly air breezed into his skin. The night was so empty. No one was outside, as he continued his running he stopped to survey the area. He can see rather far off in the distance a open courtyard. There appears to be 3 individuals. One lying down and the other two fights so fast it's almost impossible to determine who they are. There are numerous sparks flying throughout the entire courtyard.
[Name] then decided to jump off of the houses and continue towards the courtyard. He was near the entrance as he saw a girl and a larger man battling. After several moments the girl stopped and she stood motionless for a short time. So start exclaiming things at the top of his lungs. At this moments [Name] knew this was the executioner. Zank ran towards her but then jumped up to slice the person laying behind the girl.
[Name]: Now's my chance!
He threw an incredibly sharp throwing star and once it connected it sliced Zank vertically up his face, spewing blood everywhere as the person moved over and Zank fell hard to his knees.
Zank: What the HELL! I searched you with my imperial arms. You had nothing on you!
Tatsumi: Akame, he's now's your chance!
He screamed while still lying down injured.
Akame then snapped out of the trance and spun around and immediately slashed the shocked Zanks throat clean through. He then fell almost silently. Akame gathered Tatsumi and departed as Zank thank Akame for ending his torment. As she left she looked back at Zank's corpse but far off in the distance saw a figure move deeper into the shadows of the courtyard. Akame knew they weren't alone.
The Next morning
The gleaming sun peaked over the mountains at the night raids fortress. Around the grassed area Tatsumi was kneeling before a few rocks. These rocks were the grave stones of his fallen friends. He began to stand, but Akame walked up behind him with a apron and threw it upon his back.
Akame: What are you doing? It's time for breakfast. You may be injured but you can still pull your weight.
Tatsumi: Akame?
Akame: Hm? Who was it you saw when you were hypnotized by Zank?
Akame's heart skipped a massive beat, one of happiness and joy to see the sight of her younger sister Kurome. However, those feelings quickly were smothered like a small fire and nearly died.
Akame: I'll tell you when the time comes. But I'll tell you this much. Everyone in night raid is important to me, that includes you too. And. . .
She looked over to the side in guilt.
Tatsume: And what? Come on Akame?!
He exclaimed. She retorted.
Akame: Last night you could've died.
Tatsumi relaxed and smiled.
Tatsume: I'm sorry. .I didn't mean to put our lives in jeopardy like- -
Akame: No Tatsume. After you were defeated and I was tranced. Zank headed straight for you and not me. Someone stopped him from killing you and stunned him, buying me time to finish him. We weren't alone last night.
Tatsume: Oh. . . .Well it's was obviously one of us.
Akame: No one else from night raid was anywhere near us Tatsume.
Tastsumi: That's right. You don't think?
Akame: More than likely. Let's go.
She then turned away with a smile and walked off.
Tatsume: Woah, hey wait up!
Akame: It's all meat dishes for today.
Tatsumi: No way that can't be healthy! Can you at least throw in a few vegetables?!
Akame: Nope.
They walked off, for breakfast time it was. Akame knew from that moment on, they have a new ally. So at least for a day she could rest with her new family.