The Conquerors bloodline

Chapter 9: Awkward Awakening

Tatsumi's life had taken a drastic turn this last month, from being separated from Sayo and Ieyasu, to their sudden departure once he arrived in the capital. And now his training within the Imperial police force under captain Ogre's command.

And ever since he joined, he couldn't help but feel a sense of incongruity. Every person he met, the other trainees and soldiers, they were nothing but kind to him. Willing to put themselves out there to help whoever they ran across during their patrols. In just two weeks he had gone out on patrol four times, each with a different higher ranking officer. And every time he had seen them apprehend criminals and help the injured.

Nothing like what Ieyasu had told him, he just couldn't see it.

"tsmi"

Even captain Ogre, with how gruff he looked would take time out of his day to have drinks with the other's, even having roped him and Seryu in. Seryu refusing to have any as 'they would affect her output of justice,' while Tatsumi was terrified of Ogre's demonic glare that would send shivers down his spine. Which, luckily for him would leave the moment he downed the first tankard.

"atsi"

He could barely remember anything from that night as he had clocked out halfway through his second cup. Waking up the following morning half-naked with a near unclothed Seryu ontop of him and a strange dog gnawing on his leg. A faint hint of alcohol on her breath. Apparently sometime after he'd gone out, she had been pressured into drinking. Herself having a worse tolerance for alcohol than Tatsumi as she was out like a light after the first few sips.

The days after had been awkward between him and Seryu, due mostly to him being unable to even look her in the eyes whenever they talked. Seryu having taken the experience in stride, whenever he wasn't looking, he could feel her eyes boring into the back of his head. When he turned back to her, he could swear she was blushing, but she'd always just tilt her head to this side with eyes like those of a puppy.

"TATSUMI!"

"WHA-!?" Tatsumi shot up from his bunk, colliding against the bunk above him. Pain surging through his head as he gripped his forehead. Turning to the person who had broken him from his thoughts, "WHAT THE HELL ARNOL!? Ow" he groaned.

"Oh shut your trap," Arnol, the blonde haired trouble maker of Tatsumi's bunk bro's said. "You're girlfriends looking for you. Hurry your ass up before she breaks in here and kills you."

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Tatsumi shouted with a red face. Ever since that night, everyone had been holding it over him.

"Really?" an unnerving smile took to Arnols face as he rooted around in his pockets. Pulling out a piece of parchment, unfolding it before Tatsumi. "Well, this artist depiction of your relation ship disagrees."

It took Tatsumi a moment to realize exactly what it was. His face bursting to red when he saw an extremely detailed pencil sketch of what was invariably himself dressed in only pants with an underwear clad Seryu sleeping atop him. His own hand on her hip.

Tatsumi lunged forwards, reaching for the accursed image. Only for Arnol to move it just out of his grasp. Tatsumi continuing to chase Arnol screaming obscenities all the while.

Had he been paying attention to his surroundings; he would have noticed the fellow barracks mates laughing as Arnol so nimbly lead him to the entrance.

"GIVE ME THAT" Tatsumi panted, a beastial look on him.

Arnol grasped the page by both edges, flapping it like a cape, "Ole."

Tatsumi charged forward, his aim the page. Or so Arnol had thought as just as Tatsumi was about to tear it from his mits, he threw himself to the side, tackling him through the door and into the yard. The barracks door flinging open as both collided with with the floor, sending a cloud of dust skywards.

"Got it" Tatsumi sighed in relief, finally having that horrible picture. Holding it up, he looked over it with a rising blush. Unbeknownst to him was the figure of the image, a certain auburn haired girl leaned over, looking over his shoulder to what he was holding. Her own face turning a shade darker at the sight of it.

Crumpling it into a ball, Tatsumi forced it into his pocket for proper disposal later. Standing, he turned around. Freezing in place as he meet with the red faced lieutenant who was kicking up dirt her foot. "S-Seryu" his voice came out in a high pitched squeak. "Y-you saw that?" he asked, hoping truly to god she hadn't.

But felt his world crumble when she nodded, not making eye contact with him. "I-I am so sorry you had to see that. Arnol was teasing me" he glared to the winking blond who shut the barracks door behind him. "I-I'm going to get rid of it as soon as I-"

"I don't mind," Seryu uttered, catching Tatsumi's voice in his throat. She bounced on the balls of her feet, hands locked behind her back as she stared at the ground.

"What?" Tatsumi said in disbelief. Mouth and eyes hanging as wide as the other.

"I I don't mind if you want to keep it," She mumbled poking her index fingers together.

Tatsumi's mind went white, unable to put a thought into motion as he could only look at Seryu, she was like a different person. Her usual happy go lucky appearance gone, replaced by a nervous girl who looked about ready to confess to her crush.

"It's it's a good drawing." She finally looked up to him with a slight curl of her lips up. Her eyes falling just shy of shut. While besides her, her dog, Koro was growling at Tatsumi, being ignored by them both.

"I-Uh-that-it-I-just." Tatsumi regurgitated a sentence of non words. Trying to find just what to say to her. Then the worst possible thing burst from his mouth, "You-you wanted to see me?" Of course he would divert from the topic at hand. Why deal with the aftermath when you could just not deal with it at all?

Seryu looked surprised at first. But slowly her smile grew a shade brighter, nodding her head, "yeah, I want to go out on a late-night patrol. Crime has been picking up in the red light district and I thought it would do you good to get some more experience in." she said.

"Y-yeah it would," he gulped, scratching the back of his head having no idea where to go as they both fell to silence. "S-so, should we go?"

Seryu nodded with a hum.

***

"Sake is so good after a thorough interrogation," Ogre cackled as he walked through the pleasure district of the capital, patting his belly with a contented sigh.

"Ah, Ogre-sama!" Two men called out to him.

'Hmm? Who's this?' he thought turning to the two shrew looking men dressed in kimono's. Both rubbing their hands together nervously as they spoke with him.

"We wanted to congratulate you on a job well done," the fat one said.

"And thank you for the other day," the thin one said.

Ogre laughed, "No problem. Just be sure to come to me should anything trouble you." Both men nodded. Swiftly leaving Ogre to his thoughts of himself being the king of this city, that he was the highest authority capable of doing anything his heart wished. From killing any man or woman or taking any woman that he fancied whether they liked it or not.

And no one could stop him. If they did, they may just find themselves opposite his blad as it came down upon their necks.

Suddenly, Ogre paused in his stride. His hand shooting to the handle of his blade as he felt intense bloodlust in the surroundings. The origin of which was easily traceable to a dark cloaked man a few metres ahead of him. The mans head down, following a young woman clad in a lilac cheongam with detached sleeves. Her eyes to the sky with an aloof expression.

Ogre squinted, gripping his fingers around his blades handle as he followed the man who always kept himself shy of the girl so as to not rouse her suspicion, though it seemed she wouldn't even noticed if she stepped on a bug with how distracted she was with the passing stars.

"Hold up there! You in the cloak!" Ogre shouted. Drawing the man's gaze back to him. His face concealed in the shadows of the hood, only his mouth visible. Ogre saw him scowl in irritation. Turning, her charged the girl, grabbing her around her stomach and blocking her mouth with his hand, dragging her into an alley way.

The girl kicked and screamed; her voice muffled by his hand as tears poured from her purple eyes. Reaching out to Ogre to save her from her impending demise.

Ogre grinned, a cackle falling from his throat. His blade unsheathing as he power walked after the man, "finally, something fun to do~" he said, just imagining beheading the man and taking the girl for a ride. What with the perfect opportunity before him, why wouldn't he? A free whore for him to use was just making itself known. No way he was going to let it escape.

"STOP, DON'T YOU DARE COME ANY CLOSER OR I GUT HER!" the man shouted, a dagger now held to the terrified girls neck. Her eyes screaming for help, not struggling in fear of the blade digging deeper into her neck.

"Then two corpses leave this alley," Ogre laughed. Watching the man drag his hostage deeper into the dead end alleyway. "You really didn't think this through did you? Such bloodlust, I could taste it in the air." Ogre licked his lips "hand the girl over, and I might just let you live long enough to meet my favourite interrogation tools."

The man gritted his teeth, his lips curling up to show his gums. His back finally coming to touch the alley wall. Now completely entrenched and trapped in a literal corner.

"There's no where to go! Just give up!" Ogre lifted his arms up to show just that, the two walls besides him, all lacking a single opened door. Leaving only two avenues of escape, up, or around himself. "I'm in a good mood today. So, if you drop the girl, hand over the dagger and get on your knees. I might take it easy on you." He lied through his teeth.

The mans dagger began to tremble, a sign of his confidence dwindling. "Dammit-dammit-dammit-dammit," the man burst fired. His grinding teeth the only sounds in the entire alleyway. "SHIT!" the man finally shouted, pushing the cheongsam wear girl forward, falling to her knees with her right leg falling out of the slit entirely. Showing off her soft, imperfection free thigh. Her knee high socks making a light indentation as it pressed the undoubtedly soft skin down.

Free from the man, the girl scrambled, crawling on the floor until she was behind the safety of Ogre before turning back to him. Ogre, not having followed her, didn't notice her expression morph from one of fear to that of utter indifference.

"Don't go anywhere," Ogre said to the girl. Keeping his eyes trained on the man who was looking down at his dagger. Throwing it forward, clattering to the ground by Ogre's feet. The cloaked man collapsing onto his knees with his head hung down.

"Good good" Ogre stepped over the dagger, making quick, lumbering steps until he stood over the man. Grabbing the top of his hood, Ogre tore it back, wanting to look his newest victim in the eyes. Ogre's grin turned to a frown when he saw not fear or hopelessness, but a cocksure grinning boy with crimson eyes.

Ogre threw the man to the side, diving in the opposite direction as air sliced where he had just been standing. But he was not fast enough as he felt searing pain course through his arm. His eyes falling to where his arm should have been, were it not now laying on the floor in a puddle of blood.

The purple haired girl standing over it. In her hands a large pair of scissors almost as tall as herself.

Rage filled Ogre, he had fallen for a trap. "YOU FUCKING DARE YOU WHORE! I'M GOING TO FUCKING ENJOY USING YOUR BODY AS PRACTICE!" Ogre roared, rushing the girl. His blade swinging down in a powerful arc. The girl rose her scissors. Using the side of them to block, launching her towards the opening of the alleyway.

As Ogre was about to go for another attack. He felt more pain, a weight had found itself on his back, pain welling in him as he felt something pierce through his back, piercing into his lungs, his ribs cracking as the sharp dagger was wrought straight down, cutting through all organs in its path.

"How" Ogre looked back, eyes clouding over as he collapsed onto the ground, dagger still lodged in his back. Where was the bloodlust? It was there just moments ago. But now there was nothing.

Parc sucked in a deep breath, pulling out his bloodied dagger from Ogre's back. Swiping it off to the side to get as much blood off as he could. "Rest in hell asshole," he grunted. Looking up to Sheele who was walking towards him with Extase returned to its sheeth.

Parc stepped over the corpse of the once captain of the Imperial police force. He strode quickly up to Sheele, grabbing her chin and lifting her head up to inspect her neck where he had held his blade. Letting out a relieved sigh when he saw nothing but perfect, undamaged skin.

"Thank god I didn't hurt you," He let Sheele go, giving her a warm smile which she reciprocated in kind.

"Even if you did It wouldn't have mattered I wouldn't have been angry" she said.

"Doesn't matter if your angry or not. I still would have had to blame myself for leaving a mark on your skin." He winked.

Sheele rolled her eyes, stroking a strand of hair over her ear on the right side of her face, showing off the small scar beneath her eye, as if to show she already had one.

Parc chuckled, cupping her cheek in his hand, stroking a finger over the scar, "this one is different. I think it adds to your beauty."

Sheele's cheeks grew a subdued red. But returned to normal when they heard grunting behind them. Both turned to what they thought was a dead Ogre, yet his persistence seemed to still be there as he crawled towards them, the gash on his back and his missing arm spouting blood constantly.

Parc frowned thinking, 'need to sharpen my blades again.'

"Koro! Where are you going!?" Parc and Sheele's eyes shot to the alleyway entrance at hearing a swiftly approaching voice.

"Sheele, go. I'll finish off here," he said pulling his hood back over his face.

Sheele nodded, kicking off the ground and climbing up the wall of the alleyway with surprising deftness. Escaping into the night.

Parc gripped his dagger tight as he glided towards Ogre. His arm raising to grab Parc's trouser only for a steel-toed boot to connect with his cheek, sending him sprawling onto his back in agony as dirt and stone ran into the wound. "Just die," Were the last thing Ogre ever heard as a blade lodged itself to the guard in his neck, piercing out the back, severing his spine.

Standing, Parc felt a presence entering the Alleyway. Turning his head, he met two sets of eyes, one amber, the other green. Both wide in horror as they saw their infallible captain dead on the ground.

Neither able to make a move initially, until Parc shot off the ground, following Sheele's route to the rooftops, both the girl and boy chasing after him but unable to follow him once he reached the roof. 'Fuck, Tatsumi.' Parc growled. Stopping just at the ledge overlooking the alleyway.

The girl curled up on top of Ogre's chest, bawling her eyes out while Tatsumi, dressed in the armour of the imperial police. Stared up at him, fury in his eyes.

"I'm going to kill you," He heard Tatsumi say.

Snorting, Parc replied, "yeah, we'll see about that."

***

"Parc" Sheele said as they walked out of the meeting room where they had just debriefed Najenda, Informing her of Ogre's successful termination as well as learning that Akame and Leone were able to get rid of their target. An oil merchant named Gambal who bribed Ogre and ended up having the clients husband executed after framing him for the crime.

"Yeah?" Parc looked to her, locking with her amethysts.

A light flush took to her cheeks, "thank you for that no one has ever called me beautiful before Especially not after I got this " she rubbed the scar on her cheek with sad, remembering smile. How she had first come to learn of her talent to kill, and when she lost her only friend.

"Well, everyone is an idiot then. If they can't see a treasure right before them, than this country really is screwed," he snorted. "And Sheele, as I said, this little scar only makes you more beautiful in my eyes." He once again stroked a finger over the scar.

Her flush never seeming to go any brighter than a faint pink as she let her cheek rest against his palm. "Thank you" she muttered, "but I am no treasure not anymore not for a long time"

Parc's finger halted, a soft sigh escaping him as he lowered it, gently stroking down the side of her arm topping at her wrist, "Sheele, do you want me to show just how much of a treasure you are?"

Sheele confused expression was all the answer he needed. Grabbing her wrist, Parc winked and slowly lead her down the hall, following it, climbing the stairs entering the depths of the mountain side headquarters.