"Hey! How did you sleep last night-" Wave saw Tatsumi with a sleep deprived face. "Not well, huh?"
"I was so nervous I couldn't get a wink. She said she wouldn't do anything, but when I woke up. I found her hugging me like a body pillow." Tatsumi replied, remembering it all too well.
Waved turned to Kurome, who was sitting at the dinning table. "Isn't it a bit early for snacks, Kurome?"
"Mind your own business." Kurome said.
Wave took a sip of his coffee. "You should eat more seafood, its good for you."
"I'd rather not reek of fish like you." Kurome verbally took a shot at Wave.
"Huh? What?!" He took a sniff of himself. "Tatsumi, do I smell?"
"Uh... Not really." Tatsumi starred at Kurome. 'What is this...? She looks awfully familiar. She's giving some serious déjà vu.'
Kurome looked at him with eyes of a predator. "You can't have any." She held her cookies.
"Um, no offence... But you look like that Akame girl from the poster." Tatsumi asked.
"We're sisters. We used to be very close... until she left me behind. At first, I thought she died during a mission... But the moment I saw her wanted posters with the Night Raid. I realized she left me behind..." Kurome had a nasty grin. "I'm going to kill her and make her a puppet, so that we can be close again."
"Tatsumi, we're heading to Mount Fake." Esdeath entered the room. We'll spend the next few days hunting."
"What's Mount Fake?" Tatsumi asked.
Esdeath put on her cap, "Mount Fake is Fake Mountain, of course."
Tatsumi smiled and thought, 'We're going to the outskirts. This is my chance to escape!'
Esdeath continued, "Kurome, Wave, you'll be both joining us. We'll be hunting Danger Beast while keeping an eye for enemies. Kurome and I will take the east side until dusk. Come nightfall, we'll switch, and Tatsumi will be with me." Esdeath smiled while thinking to impress Tatsumi by killing high level Danger Beast when they're paired up.
However, unknown to all of them. Dr. Stylish was silently eavesdropping on them.
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Tatsumi and Wave were both walking up the mountain looking for any Danger Beast.
"I didn't say this at the capital, but do you know Kakashi?" Wave strike up a conversation.
'Kakashi? This must be the one Kakashi gets his information about the Jaegers from.' Tatsumi smiled a bit. "Not much, we were just both raised in the same village. Though, I feel like I should've talked to him from time to time. How do you know about him?"
Wave remembering the first time he got to the Capital after the Imperial Navy gave him a short break. "Ah... well you see, after I got to the Capital. I almost got scammed by someone, until Kakashi took cared of them. So I'm really grateful towards him."
Tatsumi suddenly stopped and turned around towards Wave, while slowly pulling out his sword.
"Um, Tatsumi?" Wave asked a bit scared.
*Slash*
Tatsumi rushed past Wave and attacked the Danger Beast behind him.
"Thanks! I owe you one!" Wave unsheathed his sword.
"Don't mention it!" Tatsumi replied without looking back. 'Since he's the guy Kakashi gets his information from. It's best for him to live, and he's a fellow outskirt person as well. Although, this is also the perfect chance to escape... I hope you survive from Esdeath's punishment.'
The two were surrounded by a lot of Danger Beasts that looks like a tree.
After killing all the Danger Beasts without breaking a sweat, Wave turned towards Tatsumi's area. "Oh, was that it? Looks like you're done there as well. Tatsu...mi?" Only the parts of the Danger Beasts were left behind with Tatsumi nowhere to be seen. "Eh?"
Tatsumi was in his Incursio armor and was trying to get away from Wave as fast as possible.
"Tatsumi!" Waved called out while walking a bit. "Where did you go? Don't tell me he ran away?" Waved got chills running through his body. "This is bad! I get how you feel, but I can't let you do that! I don't wanna die either, you know?!" Wave looked at his Imperial Arm. "Guess I have no choice." He struck his weapon on to the ground and yelled out: "Grand Chariot!" An armor similar to Incursio engulfed him.
'This is probably far enough. There's no way he's going to come out this far.' Tatsumi thought before dodging out of the way from Wave coming in hot. 'Wh-what? An armor type relic, like mine?'
"Hey you." Wave was slowly walking out of the smoke. "Looks like I've stumbled upon a big catch. I know that Imperial Arm. Its Incursio. The prototype for my Grand Chariot. And more importantly... I know its wearer belongs to the Night Raid!"
The two Imperial Arm users were at a stalemate, both not moving until the other does.
'Change of plans. Capturing this Night Raid member takes priority over finding Tatsumi.' Wave concluded. 'He looks tough. They said my Imperial Arm is the improved version of Incursio. But I mustn't take him lightly.'
Tatsumi stared at Wave's armor. 'Is this Wave...? Or someone else... Regardless...' Tatsumi slid his foot a bit... The jumped away trying to escape from him.
"Huh?" Wave stood there in confusion.
'I can't allow Esdeath to find me like this! I have to get out of here fast!' Tatsumi thought before Wave appeared in front of him halting his advancement.
"I won't let you escape. Come and accept your fate- Gah!" Wave was interrupted by a kick from... Kakashi!
"Yo! Finally found you after we were separated." Kakashi waved at Tatsumi. "Get back to base, the others are waiting for you not to far to escort you back."
Tatsumi nodded and left quickly.
"Red Eye Demon... That was quite rude interrupting someone." Wave came out of a rock.
"Can you let us go? We don't have to fight." Kakashi asked.
"Says the guy who kicked me!" Wave rubbed his arm a bit. 'Damn, even with my armor, that kick was powerful. He wasn't bluffing back then when he said there were will be casualties.'
*Shhing*
Kakashi jumped back from the ice spikes forming from below him.
"Hmm, it seems more guests have arrived." Kakashi eyed at Esdeath and Kurome appearing beside Wave.
"Wave... Where's Tatsumi?" Esdeath asked
Wave gulped. "W-well you see... I'm sorry! He escaped!" Wave bowed down.
Esdeath eyes narrowed. "You will be punished once we get back." Esdeath then pointed towards Kakashi. "Red Eye Demon! Let's fight! I want to see if you're just all talk."
Kakashi activated his Sharingan. "Just the two of us?"
Esdeath jumped down near him. "Just us. They will watch from up there."
"I see..." Kakashi appeared in a quick instant to kick her in the gut.
Esdeath was quick to block with her ice. 'He's quick, I can see how even with Wave's Imperial Arm would be out classed by him. But what is the Red Eye Demon's Imperial Arm?' Esdeath jumped away and unsheathed her sword.
Kakashi pulled out two kunai, as both of them rushed each other.
*clink*
*slash*
*clink*
Both Kakashi and Esdeath were on par in terms of speed. Deflecting each others slashes and attacks.
"Kurome... is this really happening?" Wave whispered to her.
Kurome nodded and whispered back. "But they are both holding back. They don't want to reveal all their cards... Especially the Red Eye Demon. I can feel it... He's got more cards hidden."
*poof*
A smoke appeared and Kakashi was replaced with a wood log.
"Its been nice battling, but I've got to go. See ya!" Kakashi teleported away from them.
Esdeath slowly walked back towards Kurome and Wave with a worrying look on her face. 'He was just playing with me... He could've attacked me with a lot more speed... Granted I was holding back as well, but he held back a lot. Red Eye Demon... Where did you come from?'
"General Esdeath?" Wave spoke bringing back Esdeath from her thoughts.
"...Both of you... If you're going to fight the Red Eye Demon, do it with at least someone else. He's that powerful. Let's head back... and Wave." Esdeath stopped walking.
Wave gulped. "Ye-yes ma'am?"
"Don't think I forgot your punishment." Esdeath turned to Kurome. "Kurome, tell Seryu and Dr. Stylish to search for Tatsumi's track."
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"You fought Esdeath head on?!" Akame yelled. "Don't you know how terrifying it is to hear that from you?!"
"Yikes, I have never seen Akame this emotional towards someone." Tatsumi whispered to Leone.
"She's just that worried about us, especially towards Kakashi. Someone who made her fell in love for the first time." Leone whispered back.
Kakashi was listening to all of Akame's scolding and didn't dare to talk back. After she was done, she was in tears. Kakashi hugged her, "I'm sorry for doing something rashly, but I had to know if we could take her down, should it arise. And, I'm not going to die."
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Inside the Imperial Palace...
Waved was kneeled down with heavy concrete blocks on his knees.
Esdeath sighed sitting on her throne with Run beside her. "Wave, your body is skilled, but your mind is weak. Take responsibility for your actions..." Waved looked up towards Esdeath. She had a terrifying gaze on him, which made him gulped. "Or else I will personally punish you.
Seryu entered the room and saluted with Koro, her Imperial Arm. "Captain! My apologies! Not even Koro could tracked him."
"Koro is primarily a combat Imperial Arm. Don't worry about it. And what about Dr. Stylish?" Esdeath asked.
"He still hasn't gone back to me." Seryu replied.
"Sounds like we don't have much hope." Esdeath said.
"Captain, regarding to Tatsumi..." Run spoke. "What should we do, if he resurface as an enemy?
Esdeath turned away after hearing him. "To be honest, I love Tatsumi, even now. Perhaps that feeling is intensified because he's no longer within my reach. However my subordinates' lives take priority. Capturing him would be ideal, but do whatever you need to." Esdeath fixed her hat on her head and started thinking about Tatsumi. 'If you're weak enough to be killed by them, then so be it. But you're stronger than that.' She got up and started walking through the hallway. 'You have the will to survive. Its quite strange. I'm sure we'll met again, Tatsumi. No, I'll make sure we do. And when that time comes, you'll answer to my feelings. Prepare yourself Tatsumi.'
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Dr. Stylish was walking through a forest while his minions were following Tatsumi's scent. "You made a commendable effort to cover your tracks, but my enhanced soldiers can pick up even the faintest of scents. I knew he was suspicious the moment I laid my eyes on him. He adapted far too quickly for a simple blacksmith." He snapped his fingers. "Bingo! You better believe I just found the Night Raid's hideout."