Mayu was lying in bed that night, trying to piece together everything. She came here to avenge her brother, but instead ended up joining an assassins group that killed in the name of revolution. Which then think about her brother made her miss him more. Her brother Mamoru, was one of the only people who was ever on her side. The village Mayu lived in hated her, everyone there treated her like a demon child. It was Mamoru, who kept her sane and happy. Restless from her thoughts, Mayu got up and walked around the hideout. As she walked through the halls she came across this large balcony that displayed the whole forest. Mayu walked over to the balcony catching the wind blow across her face she closed her eyes to put herself at ease.

"Big Brother don't go!" little ten year old Mayu cried holding onto her brother's leg.

Mamoru knelt down to his little sister, smiling, and placed his hand on her head, shifting her hair, "You know I must my little Yamakaji. General Najenda and I are going to help the Capital change their ways. So that one day everyone can be happy again. People won't hate those like you and look upon you as a hero."

Mayu sniffled with tears still falling from her eyes. She slams into her brother's chest as the two tightly embraced, "I'll miss you Big Brother."

"And I you my little Yamakaji," Mamoru said then released his little sister.

"Mamoru, it's time to go," said a silver haired woman on a white horse behind Mamoru.

"Be strong my little Yamakaji," said Mamoru getting on his horse, "I'll return soon."

"Little did I know that was the last time I ever saw my brother," thought Mayu clenching her arms, "He didn't deserve to die!"

"Didn't think I'd find you over here," said a voice behind her. Mayu turned around to find Najenda behind her, "Couldn't sleep?" Mayu said nothing and looked back to the view, "Beautiful view isn't it? I tend to lose myself in it at times."

"It's a view," said Mayu, "But it's no concern of mine."

"That's right," realized Najenda, "Your village is close to a forest so this view is probably normal to you." Mayu said nothing just continued to stare, "Do you miss them?"

"Miss who?" asked Mayu.

"Your village," clarified Najenda, "Can't have been easy leaving everyone behind. There has to be someone you miss."

"Hard to miss people who never cared about you in the first place," said Mayu, "Mamoru was the only person who cared about me and treated me like a person."

"I remember Mamoru mentioned that the villagers treated you differently, but he never went into detail," explained Najenda.

"It's probably for the best," explained Mayu, "Besides you'll find out soon enough, if things go south."

"What do you-?" Najenda was going to ask, but was interrupted when a green haired guy rushed to us. He also green eyes and red goggles on top of his head. He wore a long green jacket with a fur trimmed hood over a white and red ringer shirt and blue jeans with brown shoes. "We've got company!" he panicked.

"Lubbock wake everyone immediately!" ordered Najenda.

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"How many intruders and where?" asked Najenda as they all reported into the main hall.

"Judging by the reaction of my barrier, I'd say about eleven," explained a guy with green hair named Lubbock, "They're getting a little too close to the hideout if you ask me!"

"If they were clever enough to sniff us out out we should assume that they are tribal assassins," explained Najenda, "Move quickly, don't let them leave here alive."

As soon as Najenda gave the word, everyone darted into action, this gave Mayu a chance to see the rest of the Night Raid group.

Mine is a young girl of below average height. She has very long pink hair tied in twin-tails on the right and left sides of her head, although on occasion it is free-flowing. She has big pink eyes. She wears a pink outfit, consisting of a tied shawl with a high collar, a pink long sleeve shirt, a gown and black stockings with pink shoes. Mayu thought she was very flashy for an assassin. Mine also had a large gun like weapon.

Sheele is a slender woman with long purple hair and purple eyes. She wears a revealing sleeveless lilac cheongsam with detached lilac arm sleeves and white boots. She wore glasses and has a scar on her right cheek. Sheele carried a large scissor like weapon. She and Mine then later disappeared into the forest somewhere.

Bulat is a tall, muscular young man with blue eyes and black hair that he wore in a combed up, heart-shaped pompadour. He donned a black shirt with green shoulders, chest armor and white pants with black boots. He was asked to watch over Tatsumi during this attack.

As for Mayu, Akame, Lubbock, and Leone, the four of them split up to tackle the enemies alone.

Mayu positioned herself high up in the trees to find her enemies. Pulling out a concealed bow with no string or arrows. She then closed her eyes and focused her energy on the wind, grasping her weapon. She heard two guys rushing through the forest about a half a mile away.

"There you are," Mayu smirked aiming her bow. Taking a deep breath she drew back on the bow as the wind focused itself into an arrow notched on her bow, "May your death be quick and painful." Mayu releases the wind arrow as it rapidly approached its targets, weaving through the trees. Before they could even process the attack, the arrow pierced through both of their heads killing them instantly. "No one can escape my Fujin Kaiken's sight."

"Gotcha girly!" hissed an assassin appearing behind her. Without batting an eye, Mayu split her bow in half making two dual blades. She quickly struck the assassin with both blades sticking through his chest.

"Like I said," said Mayu coldly ripping the blades out of his chest, "None can escape my Imperial Arms." Mayu then sensed another assassin moving back towards where Tatsumi and Bulat are, "Where do you think you're going?"

Mayu followed the assassin and saw the rest of Night Raid meeting up after killing their targets. The assassin had his sights set on Tatsumi since he was furthest from the group. Mayu figured that since he knew he couldn't take them all on his own, he take out one of Night Raid at least. Mayu just waited for the assassin to make his next move, he's too alert right now to strike. Luckily the group had turned around to head back, Tatsumi now not being watched. The assassin felt that this was his chance to strike. Just as he pulled out his knife and was inches away from Tatsumi, Mayu quickly leaped down to slice his head off. Everyone was stunned for a moment, then Tatsumi looked at the assassin realizing how close he was to death.

"Woah," said Tatsumi then looked towards Mayu as she changed her weapon back into a bow, "Thanks Mayu, I almost didn't make it there."

Mayu huffed as Bulat called out to her, "Don't you think you cut that kind of close there Mayu?"

"What do you mean, Bro?" asked Tatsumi.

"Bro?" thought Mayu

"It seems to me that Mayu could have killed him way before he even pulled out his weapon," Bulat explained, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Mayu was using you as bait."

"What's your point?" huffed Mayu.

"My point is that we're a team," lectured Bulat, "We don't put each other in harm's way to achieve our goals."

"Cry me a river," snapped Mayu.

"Hey no need to be so rude," growled Leone.

"You act like I care," Mayu growled back.

"What's your problem?" Tatsumi jumped in.

"My problem is that my brother's killer is still alive and we're here killing lackeys," explained Mayu, "You all may want to change the Capital and take down the corrupt Minister, but I could care less. I'm here for one thing only."

"We get that," said Bulat calmly, "But it wouldn't hurt to try and make some friends while your here with us."

After a small silence, Mayu huffed and just before walking away she said, "Don't offer something you can't give."

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The next morning, Mayu made her way to the training field. Najenda had showed her around the place shortly after she was recruited. She finds a wooden test dummy next to a few others like it. Mayu takes a breath then begins to run through a series of punches and kicks against the dummy. At one point she stopped to see a large concentrated blast come out of the fortress, which she recognized as Mine's weapon shot. Mayu stopped and concentrated her hearing to see if anything was wrong, but it returned to normal shortly afterwards. Sighing Mayu went back to her training.

"This is a waste of time!" she thought beating down harder on the dummy.

"Looks like someone's training hard," smiled Bulat walking over to the training field shirtless, with Akame, Najenda, and Sheele behind him. Mayu ignored him and continued to train, "Well she's focused, I'll give her that."

"Mayu a word please," called Najenda. Hearing her call, Mayu finished by kicking the dummy's head clean off.

"Do you have a mission for me?" asked Mayu walking over, as she tries to wipe away the sweat from her face with a towel.

"Not yet no," answered Najenda, "I wish to go over a few things from yesterday."

"What things?" asked Mayu with a bit of sass.

"For starters, your weapon," began Najenda, "Is it an Imperial Arms?"

"That shouldn't surprise you," said Mayu, "You know that I come from a village where Imperial Arms users are most common."

"Your brother mentioned that their was only two Imperial Arms left in your village, one of which he possessed," explained Najenda, "I didn't think you would have the other."

"I don't," corrected Mayu.

"Then where did you get yours?" asked Bulat, "And what about the other one."

The thought of the other Imperial Arms user infuriated Mayu, "That's none of your business!"

"Then answer this," interrupted Najenda to avoid conflict, "What is your Imperial Arms?"

"The Vengeful Blade: Fujin Kaiken," sighed Mayu, "It's infused with Wind type Danger Beasts, allows me sense things around me and fire arrows made out of pure wind. I never miss and if I'm pissed my target is as good as dead."

"So your a long range fighter? Like Mine?" asked Sheele.

"Not primarily," corrected Mayu, "The Fujin Kaiken is both long range and short range, I can split it apart to make two blades to use if I must."

"And the drawbacks?" asked Akame.

"S'cuse me?" snapped Mayu.

"Every Imperial Arms has a drawback, a repercussion," explained Akame, "What's Fujin Kaiken's?"

Suddenly Mayu had moments of her life flash through her mind of her life. Everyone hurting her, hating her, despising her. All the pain and loneliness rushing through her mind. The only one who could make it all disappear, was dead.

"It's my burden to bared," growled Mayu, "Telling you won't change that."

Bulat was about to speak, but Najenda stopped him, then said, "Do you mind demonstrating some of your close combat skill with us then?"

Mayu then walked over to the Fujin Kaiken leaning on a nearby tree, "Do you have anything better than these dummies?"

"I do," smiled Najenda, "But you won't be need that."

"You want me to show you want I can do right?" questioned Mayu.

"Yes, but you'll be using these," explained Najenda as she handed her two wooden daggers, similar to her weapons, "Can't be using Imperial Arms against your peers."

"So who am I fighting?" asked Mayu.

"Sheele, do mind being Mayu's sparring partner?" asked Najenda, surprising the others.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" asked Bulat, "I'll be happy going a few rounds with--"

"No it needs to be Sheele, if she accepts," interrupts Najenda.

"If your sure," nodded Sheele.

"What's the big deal?" thought Mayu as she readied herself for the fight. Sheele was given two long wooden swords to try and replicate her scissors, "I know everyone here is an assassin, but why is everyone so worried about me fighting Sheele. Doesn't matter, if they want a display of my abilities, so be it."

The two stood on opposite sides, readying for battle. Sheele crossed her swords pointing at the ground. Mayu placed her left blade in front of her with the blade side facing Sheele, while her right was placed over her head blade side facing the sky. The two eyed each other waiting for Najenda to start the fight.

"On my mark," called out Najenda, in that moment Mayu saw Sheele's eyes gloss over as if something possessed her, "Fight!" Sheele rushed over to strike in a blink of an eye.

"Shit!" thought Mayu as she quickly blocked Sheele's scissor like attack with her dual blades, "She's fast!" Mayu quickly pushed away Sheele's blades, and went to strike her chest. Sheele again swiftly moved away appearing behind her, attempting to 'slice' her head off. Mayu rapidly recovered and used her blades to hold each of Sheele's blades in place.

"She's precise without hesitation," analyzed Mayu, "Is how all of the member of Night Raid are? The bloodlust in her eyes, does she intend to kill me? What is she?" Mayu removed her blades and backed away her head just enough to avoid the colliding blades.

"That's enough," Najenda called out, which the Sheele's eyes changed back to normal, "Thank you Sheele."

"Did I fail some test of yours?" asked Mayu eyeing Sheele as she returned to the others.

"Not really," smiled Najenda, "Not many people can hold up to Sheele's speed and strength. Much less attempt attacks to counter her. Well done."

Mayu continued to eye Sheele as Akame and Bulat checked on her. Sheele smiled and laughed lightly as the three spoke.

"How? How can she show so much bloodlust to her target, in front of everyone, and no one be afraid of her?" thought Mayu, "They act like nothing has happened at all!"

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After washing up, Mayu went back to the balcony from the night before. Najenda said that as soon as Mine and Tatsumi got back from their reconnaissance mission, she had a new mission for them. Mayu wanted to clear her head before jumping back into the fray. She couldn't wrap her head around how Night Raid treated Sheele.

"Why?" Mayu thought clenching her fists.

"Monster!" a villager yelled out.

"Why don't they hate her?" she thought crying.

"Stay away Devil Child!" called out another villager.

"Mayu, are you alright?" asked a calm voice behind her. Startled, Mayu turned around sharply to find Sheele, looking at her with troubled eyes, "Is everything okay?"

Quickly wiping away her tears, Mayu turned her back on Sheele, "I'm fine! What do you want?"

"Boss asked me to come get you for the briefing," explained Sheele, "But if you need another minute we can wait."

Just as Sheele was about to leave, without turning around Mayu asked, "Why?"

"Sorry?" asked Sheele.

"Why don't they hate you?!" snapped Mayu holding back tears, "How can they watch you fight and still consider you a friend? Why don't they fear and hate you?"

After a moment of shock, Sheele composed herself and walked over next to Mayu, "I think I understand you now Mayu." At her words Mayu stared at her confused as Sheele continued. "I felt it the moment we fought. Our natural talent to kill, is the same. As to answer your questions, I'm not sure. Night Raid has been my family since the Capital cast me out after killing these men, who went after my closest friend." Mayu was about to say something, but Sheele stopped her. "And before you say something, she hasn't spoken to me since, probably out of fear. I'm guessing you grew up with people fearing and hating you and your brother was the only one who cared."

"I wanted to kill them you know," explained Mayu, "Everytime they hurt me, everytime they scolding me for being born. I wanted to make them pay. Slowly as painful as possible, but my brother was always there to keep me in the light. Even when he left to serve the Capital, I kept reminding myself how disappointed he would be if I gave into that darkness. When I learned he was killed, I almost gave in. I almost took revenge on everyone, but then I thought that killing these people does nothing. Instead I need to kill the one responsible for his murder. I'll make them pay!"

Sheele sighed then placed her hand on Mayu's shoulder, "I understand, but you know it'll be a lonely path by yourself. Night Raid will accept you for who you are. You just have to open up to them and trust them. Even if it's just a little, you might find in time, that they've become like family to you." Mayu looked away for a moment thinking on her words before Sheele said, "Come on the others are waiting."

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"Night Raid has a new mission," explained Najenda, "This time our target is a distant relative of Minister Honest, Iokai. He's been using the Minister's name so that he can kidnap innocent women and then beat them to death. Iokai also has six mercenary guards, they are equally guilty. I'm counting on you guys go take him out."

With that order the group proceed to their target. Iokai was holding up in his palace of a house, he was scheduled to leave in a few hours. Mine was to kill him from her sniper position with Tatsumi, while the rest of us were to take out his guards.

They group rested as we waited for Mine's shot, Lubbock in particular went over to a tree to take a nap. As the rest of them prepped their weapons, Mayu walked over to Lubbock.

"Do you think it's wise to take a nap?" asked Mayu.

"Why not?" asked Lubbock, "We have to wait for Mine's cue, why not grab some shut eye for a bit?"

"How bout trying to earn your pay?" teased Leone walking over in her Beast Mode, which gave her a lion like appearance.

"Why do you guys have to be so cruel?" complained Lubbock.

Mayu grew uneasy standing next to Leone, considering the two didn't get along very well. She would have huffed away from her just to be stubborn, but Sheele's words from earlier rang in her mind. Just before Mayu walked away to prepare, she muttered, "Sorry."

Leone perked her animal ears up hearing Mayu mutter an apology, however didn't have much time to react on it as Mine's shot was heard. "Let's get this show started." A few moments later four of the guards appeared before the six of them, "What do we have here? Nice of you guys to save us the trouble of chasing you down." In almost no time at all Bulat, Akame, and Sheele took down the guards. Mayu couldn't even make a move before they finished them off. As Leone punched the life out of her target, she smiled, "Oh man that felt so incredible!"

"She's kinda strange," thought Mayu.

"That was rather a pleasant challenge wasn't it?" added Sheele.

She didn't want to admit it, but Mayu was in awe of these guys.

"Something's not right," observed Akame, "I thought the boss said we were supposed to kill six."

"Oh man," complained Lubbock, "I didn't get to kill anybody! So I guess there's one left..."

"Too bad Lub," mocked Leone, "I'm docking your pay."

"What?!" shouted Lubbock, "You can't do that!"

"Wanna bet?" laughed Leone.

While Mayu watched Lubbock struggle, she couldn't help but worry about the two missing guards. "If they aren't here with the others, then the only place that makes sense would be...." Mayu pondered, ".....Tatsumi! Mine!" Without a word Mayu rushed to the spot where they were supposed to meet up with them. Mayu didn't completely understand why she was running so quickly. They don't really care about her, why would they? She gave them no reason to like her or even trust her. So why does she even care? Suddenly Mayu heard multiple shots from Mine's Pumpkin, followed by bigger shot. When she finally arrived, she saw that one of the remaining guard was lying on the ground with a giant hole in his chest. She also noticed that the two were arguing about something. Mayu sighed with some relief, but it was short lived when she heard rustling nearby. The sixth guard then leapt out of the trees straight for Tatsumi. In an instant Mayu, quickly pulled out her dual blades and rushed between Tatsumi and the guard.

By the time Tatsumi turned around, he saw Mayu stabbing her blades into the guard's chest. He gasped for air, but all that came out was blood. Stunned Tatsumi said, "Mayu?"

Mayu then pulled one blade out and sliced the guards head off, before taking the other one out. Mostly covered in blood, Mayu looked towards Tatsumi and Mine. "Are you two okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," nodded Tatsumi.

Mayu then turned her back on them slightly embarrassed, "I'm glad."

Just before walking away Tatsumi called out to her, "Hey Mayu!"

Mayu stopped, "Look, I'm not used to people putting up with me. Most people tend to not associate with me. I'm....sorry for treating you as such...."

After a moment of silence, Tatsumi said, "I see. You figured we were like everyone else, so you distanced yourself because of it. With everyone barking back at you, you didn't even want to give us a chance.....But you know if your willing to try and open up...I think the rest of us will too. And thanks by the way, for saving my life." Stunned by his response, Mayu looked back at him. "How about we start over?" smiled Tatsumi walking over to Mayu holding out his hand, "Hi, my name's Tatsumi what's yours?"

Holding back tears of joy, she reached out for his hand, "Mayu."

Little did she know, besides Mine, the rest of Night Raid had followed her and was watching them.

"Just maybe...." thought Mayu, "Maybe I can finally leave my life of sorrow behind. Once my brother has been avenged!"

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