Chapter 14: The Talk

~Third POV~

When everyone reconvenes at the appointed spot Hinata and Tatsumi both began to speak of what kind of enemies they will be facing from the information they gathered for the day. The two made sure to speak in great detail to ensure that everyone listened to the info exchange.

Hinata was the first to explain the situation of the island.

Stating the obvious was that the citizens in the Conomi Islands were living as slaves with no real power to kill the Fishman or even drive them off. They have tried in the past to call for help but the issue with the Sea King made them stop all attempts to try to get help by sea.

Some tried to fight them during the day with swords, pitchforks, and flintlocks but the skin of those Fishman usually leaves a dent of damage knowing it works on guns. But they have soon ripped apart from their strength.

With that, the mere idea of a rebellion was snuffed out as they went out of their way to get rid of their opposition. And those that tried were captured as Arlong himself presented himself the executions himself in front of the public.

There was more in greater detail how they operate as they all have one base of operations in Arlong park where they enslaved a young girl at a very young age to work for them in creating maps of the East Blue.

Hearing this Saeko and Ruby were both shaken but Tatsumi remained calm as he studies their expressions fear was shown in Saeko and Ruby one of anger as he views them carefully.

Once everything has been said Ruby wanted to say her piece to everyone in a heated tone to everyone, "Guys we have to do something about those Fishman! These guys are hurting people we have to go in and rush over to defeat!!"

A small chuckle escaped Tatsumi's voice as he heard Ruby's response as he reasons to her while getting, her attention as he smiles, "That sounds nice and all Ruby. Except for the fact we are very much outnumbered here. And those Fishman aren't exactly wanting to make peace with humans."

Ruby puffs her cheeks as she tries to reason with Tatsumi about what is right while Hinata and Saeko listens in to the two, "Tatsumi we have to help those villagers, and we –"

That was when Tatsumi shuts her up by responding in a harsh tone as he won't be spoiling her the reality of the situation as he talked to her, "We what exactly? We go in guns blazing last I checked Ruby we need an actual plan and I know their numbers. I had to get the information out of one of them the hard way as – "

It was then Ruby interrupted Tatsumi as he was kind enough to let her to as she responds to Tatsumi with some doubt then horror, "Wait how did you get the exact number of Fishman anyway and why… you didn't…"

Tatsumi for his part responded with a light shrug over his shoulders as he responded, "If you are thinking I tortured the Fishman. Then yes, I won't deny it, nor I would let an idealist take this seriously Ruby. I'm a realist I'm just doing what we can to know."

Ruby for her part looked at the others with a pleading expression knowing what Tatsumi did was wrong but there was no response from the two. Unlike in her world, their view of morals is just as abstract as Tatsumi's is for Hinata.

Saeko on the other hand knows what the Tatsumi world he lives in is just as dangerous as Ruby's world. The difference is between the two is Tatsumi is being real as he experienced what his world is while Ruby is a daydreamer not realizing how cruel her world could be not taking it seriously enough to train as if her life depended on it.

*Swoosh*

Seeing that Ruby isn't going to be getting help as she isn't the protagonist like her show she then rushes off as Tatsumi sees Ruby vanish using her [Petal Burst] surprising everyone but Tatsumi acted at this seeing it was evitable really.

Ruby is too optimistic while Tatsumi is too realistic the difference between the two will certainly drift them apart as Hinata and Saeko looked very concerned after all Ruby was still 15 years old.

Tatsumi was the first to respond as he went out in the night as he tried to search for Ruby as he told the two, "Don't worry I'll go after her! Just be sure to stay hidden I'll bring her back!!"

*Swoosh*

With that Tatsumi began to chase down the little red riding hood in the night…

…

…

~Tatsumi POV~

Fucking hell Ruby.

I know you like to play the hero in your world and all, but you are completely dense as a fucking rock at times!

Hell, your show expressed that much how dense you can be and how deadly you truly are if you give up that goody to shoe act and start killing your enemies. She is by a definition an idiot but with the abilities of a speedster and molecular user if she knew how deadly she can be then most enemies in her way would die from just a touch alone.

Can you imagine how many lives Ruby would save if she had the guts to finish off her enemies is she could just end them it would save a lot of trouble?

For what Ruby is at times she only sees the difference of the plain old white and black, good and evil, light and darkness. And she is believing in self-delusion that she will save everyone and be everything is ok like a story?

Yeah no that kind of shit stops now.

Because it's that same mentality that pretty much screws over practically everyone for following her as a leader. And this right here is a prime fucking example of it when others don't see her views of what needs to be done or are willing to accept them, she ran the fuck off!

There is no such thing as heroes. Those who claim that title for themselves live in their world of delusion. Everyone lives with their perceptions of right or wrong.

Those who see fit to call themselves the forces of good and those who seek destruction...

It's all a matter of perspective.

But for me, I see power as the means to change everything prime example is from One Piece that they choose everything with power. Unless you have power, you can't change anything.

Sigh…

For now, I have to search for Ruby after not wanting to come with the truth about how I work with my problems. But I rather not have her go off dying on me now.

…

…

While I was trying to get close to where Ruby was I managed to find her sitting up on the tree branch as she looks out at the distance. With her there I went ahead and got close to her but not demanding seeing that she looks afar.

Well, I guess it's time we talked since all this time we haven't been exactly talking eye to eye of sorts as we began to sit down on a stary night seeing an actual full moon. I didn't want Ruby to be afraid as I demand her or something as I waited to see what she does next.

We sat for a while as Ruby only kept on staring at the night sky seeing the full moon till she finally asked me some questions, "Tatsumi… what exactly is that in front sky… the circle in the middle of the night its… very pretty…"

Settling with myself on the tree branch as I sit down, I began to reply to her questions to calm her down from running away, "That's the moon, Ruby. It looks like a full moon this time. There are other phrases for it crescent or half showing itself in the sky."

We just sat for a while as Ruby took a picture with her Scroll her version of iPhones and we sat in silence.

It was a while before Ruby finally responds to me in a confused tone as she talked to me in a sad tone, "Tatsumi… why do you have to resort to the things you do? You couldn't have killed them if it was your choice you could've let them go?"

Closing my eyes at the stary night sky I replied to Ruby my answer as I have a feeling that we're going to be talking a lot about each other, "I couldn't for the reason they could have tipped off Arlong or others. As for the torture… I already talked about how my village was being attacked by raiders and bandits it was when I was done taking their shit that I have to be serious."

That doesn't seem to answer her question but regardless I continued to explain to her while looking out at the sky, "Me, Ieyasu, and Sayo all agreed to get rid of them once and for all, and for that we needed information. When I tortured my first person, I was disgusted what I did, but I did it in the name of surviving as well as protecting those close to me."

Waiting for a bit Ruby then asked in genuine curiosity to me as she spoke in a kind voice, "Why? Why exactly do you need to be that extreme to protect someone? Don't you have people in charge to take care of it?"

Now that was funny as I laughed out loud a bit as I responded to Ruby with a serious expression as I was shaking my head, "Nope. We are on our own here with my friends. Not even the Empire cared for their people, so we were left on our own to deal with our problems. I had to live a hard life at the beginning with my mother abandoning me in front of the Chieftain footsteps. From then on my only purpose was to get stronger someday."

Silencing filled the air between us as we kept our sights from the moon as it was my turn to reply to Ruby about her life in a soft tone, "So, what about you Ruby? You seem to have people caring for you if you have the luxury to ask me these questions?"

It was when Ruby began to talk to me about her life or how it's like with her family being Huntresses and Huntsmen protecting humanity from the Grimm. But she also talks about her family life being so… lonely at times.

She further went on to explain to me that when she first came here, she thought she could become a hero but that was shattered by how we are taking it very seriously compared to her expectations.

But what caught her was that she managed to see the bodies of where I hid the Fishman I hid from plain sight as the color from her face drained knowing how I was serious I was to my enemies.

The Marg Panther Cubs were one thing she can get over but a sentient being is another as she asked another question, "Tatsumi… do you think yourself a bad person for killing?"

Glancing at the night sky I gave her my honest reply to her question as I spoke out, "No I simply don't care. Those who see fit to call themselves the forces of good and those who seek destruction it's all a matter of perspective. Tell me Ruby do you think I'm a bad person for killing other people?"

Taking a look at Ruby she nodded her head at that as I responded to her in a hypothetical question as I spoke to her, "Ok but tell me this Ruby. If you were to catch a person who to say he has done rape, kidnapping involving with human trafficking, using drugs to break their victim's minds, and the list goes on, would you kill that person if he had a lot of wealth to escape from punishments only to repeat it? Would that make me as bad as the man you captured?"

Seeing her tremble, a bit at my question I replied why did I kill, to begin with as I spoke kindly to her about my situation, "Ruby… when my friends found out the location of the raiders and bandits that meant harmed to my village. A nobleman armed them in return for my villager's women and kids. Does killing that person and everything that was connected to him make me a bad person?"

What I said was the truth all of it.

That is what happened when Ieyasu and Sayo found out as I did only make us sick to our stomachs for that happening. After that point, we killed off everyone in their sleep and killed the nobleman on the road robbing him of his belongings as well as torture practice on him.

Ruby on the other hand seems to be lost in thought from the talk we had probably wanting to make her conclusions. But it looks likes to me that she's considering my words now.

She has time to grow only if she learns through her mistakes would she become more mature to a proper adult at least. But like Ozpin said before they are only kids so they should have their moments to enjoy it as their role being kids won't be forever.

The silence was broken as Ruby began to speak again as she talks to me with a lost tone, "Tatsumi… what exactly drives you to do what you want and train as you did? What will it be in the end you want?"

That answer has always been the simplest to me as I responded to Ruby with a grin ending the conversation as we returned to the other members being calmed down now, "Simple. I want to live."