7 Tatsumi

"Tatsumi!" Ieyasu called out as he ran down the street towards a brown-haired boy wearing a tan sweater vest. Said boy turned his head and looked around in awe at the capital city. Only for him to hear his name called out. Turning to who called him, a smile making its way to his face when he saw his good friend Ieyasu walking towards him, waving his hand in the air to get his attention.

"Ieyasu!" Tatsumi shouted and ran to him. Grabbing each others out held hands and pulled the other in for a short one-armed hug. "I was worried about you." Tatsumi said looking around for someone else, "where's Sayo?" he asked. Not noticing the slight jolt that went through Ieyasu.

"She's working," Ieyasu replied, patting Tatsumi's shoulder. "I'll tell you about it in a bit. I've got some news for you. Let's find somewhere to eat first." Ieyasu bobbed his head in the direction of the city, beginning to walk deeper into it with Tatsumi beside him. Still looking like a kid in a candy shop, in awe at the sheer magnificence of the Capital city.

"This place is amazing. Everythings so… big," he said.

Ieyasu frowned, his expression growing darker. "Tatsumi…" he muttered, drawing Tatsumi's gaze to him due to how cold the tone seemed. A shadow almost visibly looming in Ieyasu's eyes, "this place isn't amazing. Never say that about this place."

Tatsumi's mouth hung open, dumbstruck that after the months of travel he'd actually say that about the goal of everything they'd been training for, "what do you mean? Look at everything, how can you not think it's amazing?"

Ieyasu came to a halt, raising his head up to look over the heads of the people crowding an open square, "because of that."

Tatsumi followed Ieyasu's gaze. Horror filling him when he saw nearly a dozen people strung up. Their shirts torn from their bodies along with their right arms. A single large spike impaling their shoulders to wooden crucifixes while their other arm and legs were strapped to keep them suspended mid-air. Some alive and screaming… most dead and lifeless.

"W-what the…" Tatsumi couldn't finish, his hand raising to cover his mouth.

"Rebels," Ieyasu said, scowling as he turned away. Continuing to walk, Tatsumi only realizing he was steps away after a few seconds. Rushing to Ieyasu and grabbing his arm.

"Ieyasu what the hell is going on!?"

Ieyasu turned, looking Tatsumi in the eyes, "punishment, that's what's happening. Their members of the rebel army could be some foreign dignitaries for all I know, maybe a few civilians as well. They all did something 'unlawful' or just pissed someone in a high position off. Hell, maybe one or two of them are up there because someone wanted to see it for fun." Ieyasu's voice was laced with hatred and disgust to this city.

"This place is corrupt Tatsumi. There are no good people here. We never should have come here," the last part a whisper as he pushed into some tavern near the square where the commotion was.

Finding a seat by the window with Tatsumi taking the seat opposite of him. Tatsumi already feeling everything crumbling around him. How could somewhere praised as the hope of the lesser be so cruel?

"How could this be? After everything we did? All the training?" Tatsumi gripped the sides of his head.

Ieyasu snorted, "get your head off the ground, Tatsumi. If Sayo were here, you'd have a bruise the size of aunties wart on the back of your head." A smirk overtaking his ruthless expression, returning to the familiar jovial face he had prior to his arrival in this wretched city.

Tatsumi chuckled and looked up to Ieyasu, "yeah, you're right… I'm just… I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want to help somewhere that does such cruel things to people."

"Then don't."

"Huh?" Tatsumi double took.

"Join some mercenaries, a merchant guild or something. Go nomad, become a farmer. Hunt danger beasts. Do anything to get yourself far away from here. That's what me and Sayo are doing. Just whatever you do, don't get trapped here. It will tear away at you until all you have left is a few short breaths left in your lungs." Ieyasu said with a pained expression.

Tatsumi was left quiet for a moment before saying, "you're leaving?"

Ieyasu solemnly nodded, "both me and Sayo, we were offered a job by some travelling merchant from a country in Wakoku, Tenrou. I'm going to be a guard while Sayo takes on an apprenticeship under the guy."

Slumping back into his seat Tatsumi looked lost, "You're leaving for another country? What about the village? You two can't just be leaving us all behind."

Ieyasu shook his head, "We're not, we asked to have part of our salary shipped back to you guys whenever possible. They pay really well, by the way. And yeah, you probably won't see me again."

Tatsumi squinted at his mention of 'me' not 'we'. "I can't believe you're just leaving. When do you go?"

"End of the day. This is the last day I was going to wait for you before handing a letter to one of the bosses contacts here to give to you if he saw you enter the capital." Ieyasu's chest fell, feeling a stinging pain rising from his throat along with the taste of metal. Barely forcing it back down before it entered his mouth entirely.

Looking out the window, Ieyasu saw a figure standing with the crowd. Not staring up at the crucified, but to him directly. The same boy who had rescued him and Sayo just a few days earlier. Parc. Ieyasu nodded to him. Getting one in return.

"Tatsumi, it seems the boss wants me back earlier than I expected. I'm sorry, but I've really got to-" he could no longer hold it back as the sting of iron rushed his lips and into his waiting palm. Fingers tightly shut to stop it from spraying over the table or Tatsumi who barely seemed to recognize his cough. More focused on the boy standing with the crowd looking at them.

"I… I'm going to miss you, man." Tatsumi turned to Ieyasu, but froze when he found no Ieyasu standing there, "Ieyasu?" Tatsumi's headshot to the entrance, only just catching Ieyasu's back as he passed by the door. "H-hey! Ieyasu!" Tatsumi stood about to chase after him. His hand rubbing against the table they had been sitting at, feeling a sticky feeling on the tip of his fingers.

Looking down at his fingers, Tatsumi's eyes widened, "blood?" he muttered. Realization dawning upon him. Dashing after Ieyasu who had stopped just outside the tavern, looking back to Tatsumi with a weak smile.

Their eye contact broken as a large chested blonde walked in front of them calling out, "two of your best, Rivia!" The moment she was out of his way, Ieyasu was gone. Tatsumi burst from the inn, spinning in circles looking for him.

"Ieyasu!" he called out again and again but to no avail. "Dammit Ieyasu. Why didn't you tell me?" Tatsumi's arms fell to his sides. Something was wrong with his best friend and he kept quiet about it.

Looking up to the crucified, Tatsumi couldn't linger on them for long. Turning his head away with shut eyes, 'we shouldn't have come here.' He thought beginning to walk away. His gaze firmly planted to the ground. Not noticing that someone was standing in his path until he bumped into them, sending only himself to the ground as it felt like he had run into a brick wall.

"I'm so sorry!" Tatsumi urgently said looking up to the person he bumped into, "I wasn't loo-" his voice hitched as he caught sight of the giant of a man. So heavily muscled that not a single part of his armour-clad body was left with fat. His face rough with a single large scar covering his entire missing left eye. His other an ominous crimson with the pitch-black sclera.

The man's brow rose as he looked down to Tatsumi with crossed arms. "Don't worry about it." He said lifting his gaze back up to the punished.

"Hmm? Ogre, who are you talking with?" a soft voice asked as the head of a girl leaned behind the now named Ogre's back. Her hair long and auburn, tied in a ponytail with amber eyes. She as well was dressed in armour belonging to the city guards.

When she saw Tatsumi on the ground she realized and quickly skirted behind Ogre. Leaning down with her hands on her knees, "hello there, let me help you up," she asked, holding out a hand to him.

Tatsumi looked dumbfounded for a moment looking between the girl's hand and her soft eyes. His own hesitating for a second before taking it and being pulled to his feet. "T-thanks," he stuttered, blushing as the girl gave him an incredibly warm smile.

Separating their hands, the girl noticed a small red splotch on her own hand, "are you bleeding? Do you require medical attention? I can take you to the nearest medic if necessary," she asked.

"What?" Tatsumi looked to the splotch of Ieyasu's blood on his hand, "O-oh. No, it's not mine. My friend, Ieyasu. I think it's from him. We were just talking and he up and left the table without saying anything. I heard him cough, next thing I know his blood was on the table. You haven't seen him, have you? Black hair, white band around his head?"

The girl pondered for a second then shook her head with a frown, "no, I'm sorry. I don't recall ever seeing anyone like that. Not recently at least. I'm sure you will find him soon enough," she gave him another smile that sent his heart beating a bit faster.

"I-I y-yeah. I probably will." He couldn't say that his friend was leaving the country now. He'd dug himself an awkward grave and was now going to lie in it. "Uh, I'm Tatsumi by the way." He finally introduced himself.

The girl nodded, placing a hand over her chest and nodded her head, "Seryu Ubiquitous. Officer in the Imperial police force," she waved her hand to the large man behind her, "and this is Captain Ogre, my superior."

"Greetings," Ogre curtly nodded to Tatsumi.

"Imperial police?" Tatsumi pondered, looking up to the crucified once again, "If… if you don't mind me asking. Why do this to people? What did they do to deserve this?" he asked.

Both Ogre and Seryu's brows rose in surprise. Both understanding that Tatsumi was likely from outside the city walls. "Well, they are all criminals of course. Each one of them has done something despicable and are now put out in public as an example to others who may make their same mistakes." Seryu nodded vigorously with her own words.

Tatsumi was left with a blank. He should have expected such an answer from the very people who strung them up.

Seryu rose her hand to the man furthest to the left of the dozen, "that one, Terril Vambr raped seven women, killing five." She moved to the next beside him, a woman, "Amber Tornal, butchered her husband and five-month-old baby with a knife." Then next.

"Ate a man's heart… murdered a family in cold blood… drowned her daughter in a pig trough…" on and on she went until she came to the last, a man at the centre of them all, flies buzzing around his desiccating corpse, "Arc Vetillian, one of the leaders of a band of insurgents calling themselves the 'Revolutionary army,' he has personally seen to the raid and pillage of over twenty villages. Killing all but the woman who he dragged back to his camp and where he and his men raped them until they died. Not to mention his ties to those despicable Night Raid fiends." Seryu scowled at the mention of them.

Tatsumi couldn't think straight, he had just heard every one of their names and crimes. Not even one he could reason wouldn't be up there. Not like what Ieyasu had told him. "I-I… are you sure?" Seryu looked to him, "I mean, how can you be so sure they all did that stuff?"

"Because, the Imperial police is the figurehead of justice," she held her arms out, leaning her head back to look to the blue evening sky, "we do not arrest or harm the innocent. Our blades are only for the scum licking at our boots, tainting this city." Tatsumi shivered, her fanaticism almost visually leaking from her.

Tatsumi pushed himself to his feet, taking steps away from Seryu and Ogre. "Kid," Tatsumi stopped at Ogre's gruff voice.

"Y-yes?"

Ogre looked him up and down sending his hair on end at every point he looked, locking onto his blade, "you travelled here alone?" Ogre asked.

"N-no. I came with my friends but we got separated a while back. So for a bit… I guess?" Tatsumi replied, fearful at the sharp gaze he was getting.

"Hmm…" Ogre stroked his chin. "How would you like to join the Imperial police, boy?"

"What?"

"Not as anything high or special. A grunt at best. Night Raid has been particularly vicious this month and my reserves are beginning to diminish to worrying degrees. Just a few days ago they murdered an entire guard squad assigned to the Tellien." Ogre grumbled, "you look like you might have what it takes to get up there in the ranks, after a few years of course." Ogre gave a surprisingly warm smile.

Seryu's eyes seemed to sparkle, "you should join!" she shouted out, "there nothing better than the feeling of dispensing justice on the unlawful, bringing peace to the city. I can assure you that it is the best job in the world!" She puffed her chest out, knocking her hand against her metal chest plate that conformed to her bust.

"I-" Tatsumi wanted to speak but was interrupted as Ogre spoke up.

"It will also pay well and you can expect a decent raise after your first year. Even more, if you can earn yourself a rank."

"I-" He went silent, his mind in disarray. Who was right? Ieyasu? Or them? They told him everything about the people strung up. But Ieyasu's his best friend? He wouldn't just lie to him. 'I need answers…' he thought. Clenching his fists tight and looking into Seryu's eyes with determination, "I'll… I'll join you."

Seryu bubbled up with excitement, grabbing both his hands and bouncing up and down. A blush on Tatsumi's face from the contact, "that's great! I'll take you to the barracks to get settled in!" she giggled, turning to Ogre and saluting him, "Captain! If I may excuse myself I will take Rookie Tatsumi for preliminary training!"

"Go ahead. No need for the formalities, Seryu." Ogre waved her off.

"I could never!" Seryu shouted, "you are my captain and I will treat you as such! Excuse me, captain! I shall return post-haste after delivering the rookie." Seryu grabbed Tatsumi's hand, tugging him away from the square with a drop of sweat on his cheek.

'What have I gotten myself into?'

***

Ieyasu launched into another fit of coughs. Splattering his second napkin of the hour with blood as he lay in one of Night Raid's spare medical beds. To his left was Sayo, still comatose after everything she went through.

"Thanks for that…" Ieyasu's voice was weak as he spoke to Parc.

"No thanks needed. The least I could do was let you say goodbye to him." Parc leaned against the wall between Sayo and Ieyasu's beds with his arms crossed.

"No… really. I owe you one for saving us… I couldn't have lived with myself if Sayo had died…" his eyes were growing weary, a fact Parc had noticed. "Sayo… she's… she's special… please… take care of her for me…" Parc silently nodded his head without second thoughts.

Ieyasu laid his head back, blankly staring off into the stone ceiling of the base. "Hey… Parc… when she wakes up… could you tell her… she's a terrible cook…" Ieyasu's eyes flickered shut, his hands going limp by his sides as the lubora finally took his life.

Parc watched him take his final breath. A mournful expression on him, a sigh escaping his lips. "She's going to dig you up and make you regret those words," he chuckled. Another sigh forcing its way from him, killing his chuckles dead.

"It's not nice to eavesdrop," Parc tilted his head to the right where Ieyasu's bed was. Looking over his body to two more beds beside him were Eris and Maya, the two girls he had encountered the same day he joined Night Raid.

Eris, the one closest to him pushed her body up until she was sitting on the bed. Her blanket sliding down her chest and onto her lap. Turning her head to look at him with dark chocolate eyes. Her brown hair hanging to her shoulders with a single strand on the left side of her face making itself to her chest level.

She had been dressed up in a plain white shirt and pants from whoever treated her and her sister. The top few buttons on her shirt unbuttoned giving her a V-neck where a dark red tattoo-like mark covered the entirety of the front part of her neck and jowls, sharpening to a point at the centre of her bust.

Eris lifting her arm to her chest after noticing his gaze lingering there. Parc shook his head with an amused smirk. She looked uncomfortable with her clothes like that, but she had no other choice. When Mine had first covered it, she had nearly had a seizure. For whatever reason that was, they didn't know. But they assumed it had something to do with her Teigu, one that not even Najenda knew of, meaning it was likely not one of the 24 known ones. So chances were it was one of the other 24 that were lost during the civil war centuries ago.

"You doing better? Throat hurt?" he asked. Getting only short and consecutive nods as she wasn't able to speak currently due to how her throat was still damaged from using her teigu in her exhausted state. "Well, that's what you get for shouting at someone trying to help out," he gave her a teasing smirk.

Eris stuck her tongue out at him with a small, hoarse "Hmph!" and turned away from him. Her focus fell to her sister who still lay on the bed. She could tell she was awake, maybe even for longer than she herself had been. But she was just so unresponsive, her eyes those of dead fish, losing the brown, smoky lustre they had once had before those pigs of the Imperial army captured and toyed with their bodies.

"She'll be fine," Parc said attracting Eris's watery eyes back onto him as he now stood beside her bed. "Give her time, what she went through was rough. Just get better yourself and then start worrying about her."

"Mmm…" she looked down unable to keep eye contact with him. Laying back down with a plop while returning to look at her sister.

"Do you want some soup? Akame's started simmering it last night, so it should be done by now." He asked, Eris unresponsive until he noticed a small nod from her. "Then I'll be right back," he backpedalled away from her bed, casting a small look to Ieyasu's bed. 'Hopefully, Leone's done with his grave by now…'

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If you're curious as to what Eris and Maya look like, they are basically Kosaki and Haru Onodera from Nisekoi respectively.

Tatsumi chapters will appear every now and then to add a little plot from the other side