Prologue

Hello everybody! I arrived with a new story. An Akame ga Kill! Story. This one is based on JyggalagJones story 'The Invincible Warrior'. Also, I want to thank him for helping me on some ideas for this story. But this is my own version as you might already know, it is called 'The Thin Line'. As you probably read at the description, you might have a good idea of what it is about. The only important things you need to know are that this is a Tatsumi x Kurome pairing, kind of OOC Tatsumi, he will be less naïve if you're wondering, and that Tatsumi will have a Teigu similar to Killua's or Kakashi's powers. Also this is the prologue so it will be shorter in comparison of the rest of the chapters. With that said, let's go to the story!

Legend:

"Talking."

'Thinking...'

Prologue: How it Began

"So, why did you call me Old Man?" Young Tatsumi asked the elder of his village that got a tick mark on his forehead for being called like that.

"Don't call me like that! Now Tatsumi; do you still remember Ken-san?" The elder asked and Tatsumi nodded. After all, Ken was the retired soldier that thought him and his friends, Ieyasu and Sayo, how to fight.

"Yeah. Did something happen to him?" Tatsumi asked worried about the former soldier. He arrived into their small village some years ago, and he had been living there for some years now.

The elder shook his head "Nothing like that. The thing is, that he got you a present for you. He is busy right now, so he asked me to hand them to you." He said putting a pair of gloves made out of black leather covered with white, metallic scales over them.

Tatsumi eyes sparkled seeing the beautiful gloves. The elder smiled sadly knowing what's coming next. "Do you like them?" Tatsumi nodded excitedly "Then what are you waiting? Put them on."

Tatsumi obliged and put the gloves on his hands. He moved his fingers liking the sensation of leather on his skin. "They're really cool. Thanks! I can't wait to show this to Ie-"

"Do you know what a Teigu is Tatsumi?" The elder interrupted him and Tatsumi looked at him confused.

"No. Why should I?"

The elder released a sigh and looked at the boy into the eye. "Tatsumi, a Teigu is a weapon created by the first emperor to protect the empire he created. He created 48 of these mysterious weapons. These weapons have the capability of giving its user great power."

"O-Okay, but I don't see how it is related to me." Tatsumi asked not really sure where this conversation was going.

"Tatsumi, those gloves are a Teigu." The elder spoke and Tatsumi eyes widen.

"W-What?"

The elder nodded "Lighting Artist: Zeus. That's the name that Ken-san said it had. According to him, it has the abilities to create and mold lighting."

"Really?! So cool! So, I can create storms or something like-"

"There is a reason why we gave you this." The elder spoke again and Tatsumi looked at him.

"There is? I thought that this was a gift."

The elder sighed before talking. "The taxes the empire is putting on our village are increasing every month. It will reach a point where we can't afford to pay them anymore. That's why we decided to hand you the Zeus Tatsumi. We need you to save the village."

"We need you to kill."

This froze Tatsumi blood "W-What!? Kill? I can't kill! Who I'm going to kill anyways!?"

"Forgive me Tatsumi. Please do. It kills me to do this to you. But you need to understand! This is for the greatest good."

"The greatest good?" Tatsumi asked and the elder nodded.

"That's right. Think this Tatsumi; for one life, you could save this village. One sacrifice, to save us. Please my boy, I'm begging you."

Tatsumi didn't know what to do. The elder of his village. The one that is supposed to guide him. Protect him. Is telling him, no, begging him to kill.

All his life, he was tough do good. To help people. Not to harm them. But, if he can save his people for harming one single person.

Isn't it better?

With that in mind, he made a decision that would change his life, and the fate of the empire forever.

"I-I'll do it."

The elder nodded grimly. "Thank you Tatsumi. I really appreciate it. Now, Ken-san should explain and teach you how to use your new Teigu."

Tatsumi nodded slowly as he stood up and readied himself to leave. "I'm truly sorry my boy. I'm trully sorry."

*3 Months Later*

"Ready to rock n' roll kid?" Ken asked 11-year-old Tatsumi that nodded shakily. Ken was a tall, slim old man. He has long white hair that reaches his shoulders, purple eyes and a moustache.

"I-I guess..." Tatsumi said and Ken frowned.

"Look kid, I know that this 'job' is hard. And maybe a little immoral-"

"A little?" Tatsumi questioned him but Ken ignored him.

"But this is to save your village. I choose you an easy target. Look." Ken said taking a picture out of his coat and handed it to Tatsumi. Tatsumi grabbed it and saw that it was the picture of an older man, maybe the same age of Ken. He had short, spikey hair, a full beard and black eyes.

"His name is Yoi. He lives alone in a cabin here on the mountain. They are paying us 1.000 for his head." Ken explained and Tatsumi nodded and looked at him.

"And why are we killing him?"

Ken shrugged "Don't know. Maybe he pissed the wrong people. All I know is that they are paying us."

Tatsumi widen his eyes "W-What!? We're killing him because some people don't like him!" He demanded.

Ken nodded grimly "Yeah. This is the world we live in. Where little kids have to get their hands dirty to pay the taxes of their villages." He said giving Tatsumi a stern look. "And besides; YOU are killing him. Not me."

Tatsumi started to get afraid now "W-What do you mean that you are not going to help?"

"I mean it how it sounds. Look kid, I'm old. I only came here to show you were to get jobs and where to get paid. Next time, I'll stay training Ieyasu and Sayo while you do the job. I'll stay here, and make sure no one comes. You go up there and kill the target."

Tatsumi nodded and started to walk towards the cabin in the cold snowy mountain. Even thought it was only some meters away, for Tatsumi it felt like it was hours to get to the door.

He picked the lock with ease, thanks to the training of Ken and opened the door the quietly trying not to call the attention of the objective.

Once inside, he saw how small the cabin was. There were three rooms. A bedroom, a bathroom and a living room. In the last room, there was Yoi seated in front of the fire while drinking something.

"You come to kill me boy?" Yoi asked in a rough voice and Tatsumi widened his eyes, not expecting to be discovered so soon.

"How did you know I was here?"

Yoi let out a chuckle. "Old man tricks. Boy, before you end my life, would you take a cup of tea with me?" He asked and Tatsumi looked unsure of what to do. Yoi turned his head to his direction and gave Tatsumi a warm smile.

"Please, I don't talk to a lot of people. And you seem like a nice person to have a conversation before I leave."

Tatsumi nodded and decided to comply the man last wish. He sat down on a chair next to Yoi. The older man served tea to Tatsumi and handed it to him with a smile. "Here you have."

"Thanks." Tatsumi said accepting the offer and taking the tea to his lips.

Yoi did the same with his cup and after he was done, he let out a refreshed sigh. "That was good. Now, tell me boy; how old are you?"

"Why?" Tatsumi asked eyeing the man in suspicion that chuckled.

"I want to struck a conversation boy. So, how old you are. I am 61."

"I'm 11." Tatsumi said and Yoi's eyes widened before narrowing.

"Kids this days. In my times, kids of your age where out playing. Not killing people. Y'know, you look like a nice kid, so tell me; why are you doing this?"

Tatsumi looked at the floor with a sad expression. "My village needs the money. They choose me and gave me my Teigu. I need to do this. Hell, I can't even take out these gloves even if I wanted to. They are stuck with me. And I need to use them to save my people."

Yoi nodded "Well, both of us finish our teas. So, there is only one thing left to do. Don't you agree boy?" Tatsumi nodded and turned his head to the old man and his eyes widen seeing him take out a knife and lunged forward, trying to stab him on the stomach.

Tatsumi jumped out of the way in pure reflexes and stood up looking at Yoi in pure shock "What are you doing!?"

"I'm sorry boy. But I can't allow you to take my life. I don't know who sent you or why did he send you. But I refuse to die today." The old man said getting into a stance ready to fight.

Tatsumi gulped hard and got crouched and hold his right wrist with his hand. While the right hand was open, a small, blue, lighting could be seen on his palm.

"Lighting cutter." Tatsumi said as he ran to a surprised Yoi that was to shocked seeing that kind of power being used by such young boy.

He didn't even notice until he felt his abdomen pierced and then his back.

Tatsumi struck the lethal lighting into his stomach, but it was more force than intended, so he ended up going through his entire body.

Yoi dropped the knife and spitted some blood on Tatsumi face as tears started to come out of the young boy eyes.

"S-S-Sorry..." Tatsumi managed to say as Yoi put his hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry..." Yoi said coughing a little blood "...For making you do this boy." He said before losing all strength on his body and dying.

Tatsumi got his arm out of the now corpse. He looked at his arm and his eyes widen with horror when he saw it covered in blood. Then he turned to see the Yoi now on a forming puddle of his own blood.

Feeling that everything that he ate during the day coming back to his mouth, he ran towards the bathroom and puked everything there.

Even after that, he stayed there, panting looking at the wastes on the toilet. He felt a hand rubbing circles on his back.

"You did well kid." Ken said kindly to him and Tatsumi could only ask...

"Why?"

Ken sighed "Look Tatsumi; in this world, good and bad people is an abstract concept. It is up to you to decide who lands in which category. Because believe me, there is a thin line between those two."

"And where do I land now?" Tatsumi asked crying again.

"That's up to you kid. Killing is always wrong. But sometimes, there can be made an exception. Like now. This is to save your village. This is for the greatest good."

Tatsumi nodded and stood up shakily.

"Hey kid, can I give you an advice." Ken said and Tatsumi looked at him.

"Don't let this change you. If it is needed put a mask to change between Tatsumi the assassin and Tatsumi the kid." Ken suggested and Tatsumi nodded slowly. But he already decided.

He hated killing.

*7 Years Later*

"So, are you three ready?" The elder asked Tatsumi, Ieyasu and Sayo that nodded their heads for the exception of Tatsumi.

"I still believe that this is a bad idea." He complained and Ieyasu patted his back.

"C'mon buddy! This is a great idea! We join the army, we gain money, we make a name for ourselves and then we save the village! We had been training for this our entire life!"

"Well, I still think that we can save the village if you guys actually join me on one of my jobs." Tatsumi complained and Sayo gave him a teasing smile.

"Weren't you the one that said that you didn't want us to go, to avoid getting a trauma?" She teased and Tatsumi chuckled and scratched the back of his head.

"Well, what are we waiting then? Let's go to the capital!" Ieyasu said and Sayo and Tatsumi nodded.

"Oh, and before you go, take this." The elder said handing Tatsumi a wooden statue.

Tatsumi grins "Thanks old man. We can make some money out of-Ouch!" Tatsumi exclaimed as he felt the old man smack his head.

"It is not to sell you idiot! It is an idol of our god. Keep it with you, and it will keep you safe." The elder explained and Tatsumi nodded as he put it inside his shirt.

With all said, the three friends left their village and went towards the capital.

*Present*

Tatsumi opened his green eyes to look at the roof of the cart, he is paying to get to the capital faster. He sat down and passed a hand through his hair. He just dreamed about how he got here to this moment.

He stared at his right hand to see the glove again. The same hand that had taken so many lives.

Shaking his head to take those thoughts out of his head, he started to think on Ieyasu and Sayo. Wondering if they are okay. After a bandit attack, they got separated. He can only hope that they meet on the capital.

The capital.

Releasing a sigh thinking about that place. He never had been there, but he had listened to the stories of how that place truly is.

And none where really pretty.

"Excuse me sir; how long till we get to the capital?" Tatsumi asked the driver.

"Ehm, some hours. Why don't you take a nap on the mean time? It might help you." The driver answered and Tatsumi nodded and accommodated back to sleep.

He will meet his friends again.

And save his village.

Even if he has to dirty even more his hands.

And done! This was the prologue of 'The Thin Line'. I hope you enjoy it. Any constructive or positive review is welcome. I hope I did well on making Tatsumi new past and Teigu. Next chapter we start on the main story.

Till Next Time.

Roy D. Harper.

Next Chapter: Knowing a Powerful Truth.