14 A Mother's duties

Raven still had yet to hear back from Budo or Esdeath about the promotion. She spent the next few days going about her business while silently purging the more corrupt officials in the Capital. Everyone assumed it was Night Raid, luckily enough.

On one night, when she wasn't busy or being flirted with by Esdeath, she encountered a rather frantic man with a large build, wearing some kind of Teigu she thought looked weird.

As she stared him down, he felt his instincts screaming at him to not fight the woman before him. Reading her face, he could only tell she was trying to remember something about him.

~No.. I must kill her now.. Kill her! Kill her! BEHEAD HER!~ He gradually built up his own bloodlust and madness while Raven thought calmly to herself.

~I think I remember him..? Was his name Zank or something..? I know he liked beheading people. Honestly, not the worst offender I've come across so far but..~ She stopped upon feeling his ever increasing agitation and bloodlust.

"Ah, you're going to attack me?" Raven asked, seeing him pull out his wristblades.

"Isn't it obvious!? Hahaha!! I'm going to silence these voices with your screams!" He maniacally yelled as he charged at the waiting Raven.

-Earlier, several blocks away-

Esdeath had left the Capital on Honest's orders. She chose not to bring her beasts along with her. As for why, Night Raid had no idea. But the three of them were in one isolated area now, ripe for the killing. That's what Akame and Bulat were doing, with the assistance of Mine, who had set up on the roof of a building opposite of their battleground. Bulat was taking on his former superior, Liver. Akame was dealing with Nyau and Daidara.

Akame was determined to kill the three so she could have a chance to meet with her Mother. She desperately wanted to know what kind of person she was. Their attack had gone well, too. Akame had managed to sneak attack Daidara while Bulat called out Liver for a one on one fight. Daidara was forced to cut off his arm, which had been afflicted by Murasame's curse and was supporting Nyau, who was on the defensive against the assassin.

Akame had watched the sadistic boy-looking soldier use his Teigu to transform into an adult. Though he proved more of a challenge, physically, he all but assured his death by becoming easier to hit. She ducked, jumped and sidestepped his attacks until he was in range. Daidara tried to help pull him out but he was missing an arm and bleeding fast and was thus too late to save his comrade, who took a long slash across the chest by Murasame.

Akame swiftly moved back and watched as the curse spread out across the fearful Nyau's body before locking on to Daidara, who began to run towards Liver. Deciding to take the opportunity when he turned away from her, Akame bolted after the heavier man and leapt off the collapsing Nyau to behead Daidara, who didn't see the assassin coming. After that, she saw Liver and Bulat fighting.

Their battle was going to leave the isolated area of the barracks so Akame knew she had to finish him off before he could call more guards. Her presence was quickly seen by Liver, who became increasingly nervous. He knew they could contain him and thus opted to try and break out to try and get Raven's assistance. He just didn't realize those two weren't the only ones there.

Mine took her shot and a large hole was blasted through Liver's stomach. Bulat caught his former superior with a regretful expression as Incursio was put away. They had wrapped up the mission yet..

Akame needed to see her Mother. She felt a radiating presence nearby. She felt in her instincts this was where she was. Finally, she was going to meet the Mother who left her and Kurome behind. She tightened her grip on Murasame and arrived just in time to see another target run straight towards her Mother, who looked unmoved.

Akame's eyes widened in shock, she jumped down to street level and sprinted towards them. It looked as if it were in slow motion for her. As soon as the target got within three feet of Raven, her hand unsheathed her blade. Two feet, the blade was swung. One, he was split in half, vertically. His running momentum carried the pieces of his body around both sides of her and landed behind her in a wet 'squelch' noise. Sheathing her blade once again, she turned her previously unimpressed eyes to Akame and widened them.

~Why is she in the Capital..? It's dangerous.. she's known here. Maybe.. Yes, they had to have sent her to kill me..~ Raven sighed wistfully and prepared to avoid engaging the assassin.

The assassin who sheathed Murasame and started to fast walk towards her. Confused, Raven started backing up just as fast but Akame picked up the pace.

~She's determined to kill me.. ugh..~ Raven sighed and started to turn around and run, yet stopped once she heard a whimper from behind her.

Her Motherly instincts kicked in and she stopped to look at Akame, who had launched herself into her and grabbed onto her uniform. She had tears in her eyes and from the emotions Raven could feel coming off her, she felt sad, angry and.. abandoned? That one hurt Raven to feel the most. It was something she often felt in her last life.

"I.. You're.." Raven tried to form a coherent sentence but she soon found herself rubbing the top of the girl's head.

"Listen it's not safe to talk here.. You're wanted and I can't be seen with you. You have a hideout here in the Capital. Take me there. I promise, I won't let anyone know of it, okay? And please stop crying.." Raven finished with a sigh.

Akame nodded and wiped her eyes, leading her towards the Night Raid's hideaway in the Capital. As soon as they entered, Raven had a blade to her throat, courtesy of Bulat. Mine was aiming Pumpkin at her across the room. She put her hands up as a sign of non aggression.

"I have no intent on stopping or killing you all. I think that should be clear from the fact that I left Chelsea alive" Raven calmly stated, lowering their wariness to her a little.

"Akame.. I know she's... but you can't just.." Mine was about to chastise her but when she saw the hope in Akame's expression she gave up.

"Well.. I guess if Akame vouches for ya" Bulat lowered his blade and watched Akame nod gratefully toward him.

"I know Leone was here a few days prior too. I'm not against you all" Raven added, making them all confused.

"Leone isn't on the wanted.." Mine muttered and glared at Raven, trying to figure out how she knows about Leone.

"I need to ask her.. Come.." Akame led Raven to one of the rooms and shut the door before looking at her with mixed emotions.

"Why did you abandon Kurome and I!? Did we do something wrong!? Did you.. Did you never even love us..?" Akame gripped her collar and asked with a hurt, tearful expression.

Raven's eyes widened and her thoughts were briefly overwhelmed by what kind of misunderstanding had happened here. Then, it clicked.

~What is she..-No.. she thinks I'm her Mother, doesn't she..~ Raven realized as Akame's eyes begged for an answer.

~She's not going to believe me if I say I'm not, is she? We do look very similar. Poor girls..~ Raven came to a conclusion as she gently put her hand on Akame's and sighed.

"None of that.. You were the best things to happen to me, Akame. I thought I was sending you safe, to a Capital city in this nation after fleeing from Wakoku. I was.. wrong. This place.. which I thought may have been safe was a den of snakes. I love you and your sister both but a life on the run.. and with powers like mine.. I was afraid you would both be killed. It may not feel like it but it was for your safety.. as good as that did.." Raven felt Akame's grip slacken as she sniffled and wiped her eyes.

~This is really important to her.. It'd break her heart if she really knew. I'm adopting both of them.. They deserve better~ Raven stroked her head and felt Akame embrace her in a hug.

"Don't go again.. please.." She silently pleaded.

"I won't be going anywhere without you.." Raven tightened her hug and rubbed her back affectionately.

After a few minutes of silence, Akame spoke up again as she looked at Raven, far calmer now but still pleading.

"Please, we have to save Kurome.." She asked, seeing a reassuring smile on Raven's face as she nodded.

"I'll help you both. I'm trying to change this Empire for the better.. to find you two. I support Night Raid in it's killing of corrupt officials but the Country can be saved. The Emperor is naive and being led astray by that fat piece of shit, August. But I may be getting a role as General very soon. With that, I can work with Budo to overthrow the Prime Minister and purge this Country of its sickness" Raven stated, seeing the light in Akame's eyes as she listened in awe of her Mother's plans.

"You joined for us.." Akame seemed to get emotional again.

~Not technically wrong.. I wanted all of them to live in a far less terrible world~ Raven thought as she mindlessly rubbed her new daughter's head.

"I'll save Kurome too.. Don't worry. But I have to continue with my plans. By the end of next month, you'll see" Raven stated with a determined glint in her eyes as her horn receded until it was one and her sclera returned to white, reverting to her more controlled appearance due to Akame's increasing affection on her and her own feelings of maternal affection on Akame and Kurome.

"Mother, your looks.." Akame blinked and stared at the woman who now looked almost exactly like an older version of her.

"That explains why I felt so much.. better" Raven reached up and felt her now singular horn and muttered.

"I have you to thank for that, Akame. In all this negativity.. I can keep my spirits up, thanks to you" Raven smiled and hugged her once again.

"But I should return fast or I'll likely be called into question for why I was out so late" Raven hummed and felt Akame shift a little, looking as if she were uncomfortable.

"I.. We killed your comrades.. But I-" Akame raised her voice to try and defend herself but heard a soft snicker from her mother.

"Liver, Daidara and Nyau? That's good. While I can't say I disliked Liver for being loyal and grateful to Esdeath, I hated Nyau. Sick little bastard ripped off innocent people's faces while they were alive. Though when I joined and 'heavily discouraged' that, he did it a lot less. Daidara I barely have an opinion of but he wasn't that much better than Nyau" Raven shook her head.

"Good.. they needed to be taken care of Esdeath can be eliminated" Akame said in relief.

"No" Raven firmly denied.

"But Mother! She's-" Akame was interrupted by Raven clasping her shoulders firmly.

"I will take care of Esdeath, okay?" She left no room for negotiations as she stared into Akame's red eyes.

"..Okay.." Akame turned away as Raven nodded and let go.

"Now I really do have to go back. I'll say I tried to find the culprits for all this time" Raven turned around and started to leave but faced her new daughter once more.

"I'll see you soon, Akame. We'll fix this place together" Raven saw her eyes light up as she nodded with determination.

Raven left without much issue and returned to the now busy barracks, speed walking back to look as if she were in a hurry. There, she saw Esdeath over the corpses of Nyau, Daidara and Liver. She looked sad, though Raven knew she would simply justify their deaths as being 'too weak'. As soon as she was spotted, she received a series of mixed reactions from the new people with Esdeath.

Run was there, not to her surprise. Though he showed a look of anger upon seeing her.

"YOU!? I finally found you! Those children.. What happened!?" Run yelled, demanding answers from her.

"Run.. I'll tell you a little later. Just know I didn't kill the children. Things got out of control and I killed the one who did" Raven sighed before she was embraced by Kurome.

"Mother!!" She yelled in a mix of happiness, relief and sadness.

"I'll have to explain to you later as well.." Raven sighed as she watched the emotionally traumatized girl cling to her.

"Mother...? And your new appearance? This is the true you, is it? Breathtaking.." Esdeath went from solemn to happy in a split second and wanted to join Kurome in her current activity but stopped and looked to the corpses.

"But this can wait until you explain your whereabouts and after we bury them.." Esdeath's brows tightened upon looking at the bodies.

"I'll be doing a lot of explaining, it seems" Raven sighed.