History Fanfic / AlternateWorlds

-->Chelsea:''' (utterly flat) Clearly.

* HiddenDepths: Run seems convinced that Esdeath does truly love Tatsumi, but doesn't know how to properly express it. Chapter 16 implies that Esdeath ''does'' have a deeply buried conscience, or at least could have developed one had her MoralityPet (and second father-figure) not been killed so quickly. The fact that she shed a SingleTear the morning after she has sex with Tatsumi only adds to the confusion.

* SpannerInTheWorks: Esdeath drags Tatsumi away from his village without letting him say goodbye to his family and friends. [[spoiler:This leads to Sayo and Ieyasu venturing to the imperial capital to search for him, getting tortured by nobles, being rescued by--and ultimately join--Night Raid, and convincing Tatsumi to become a rebel spy when they finally reunite with him]].

* KickTheSonOfABitch:
** When Tatsumi sees a group of Imperial soldiers raping a Northern tribeswoman, he immediately attacks them, killing one and heavily injuring the others. They all deserved it.
** Tatsumi's beatdown of a group of crooked cops also counts.
** When Esdeath believes that Tatsumi is suffering from stress due to [[spoiler: Nyau and Daidara's deaths]], he laughs scornfully and declares that he doesn't care about them and that they deserved it.
** The destruction of the Partas Clan was a huge one.
** [[spoiler: Sayo]] gives a particularly vile noble a KarmicDeath by inflicting the same torture he infliced on his victims.
** River's NoHoldsBarredBeatdown at Esdeath's hands. Granted, her motives are hardly heroic (and she is responsible for making him said son of a bitch in the first place), but it's still refreshing to see the butt-kissing little hypocrite get smacked around for once.

--->'''Esdeath:''' (after Tatsumi rejects her initial offer) I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a pity I can't force you. (slaps her forehead as though she just remembered something) Oh wait, ''of course'' I can force you. (attacks him)

--->'''Esdeath:''' Do you want to know why I chose you?
--->'''Tatsumi:''' My irresistible charm and quick wit?
--->'''Esdeath:''' (giggles) That too, I suppose.
--->Later...
--->'''Chelsea:''' Remind me of what the Ice Queen sees in you again?
--->'''Tatsumi:''' (shrugs) My sweet and sunny disposition?
--->Chelsea:''' (utterly flat) Clearly.

--->'''Esdeath:''' (after Tatsumi rejects her initial offer) I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a pity I can't force you." (slaps her forehead as though she just remembered something) Oh wait, ''of course'' I can force you. (attacks him)

--->'''Esdeath:''' (after Tatsumi rejects her initial offer) I'm sorry you feel that way. It's a pity I can't force you." (slaps her forehead as though she just remembered something) "Oh wait, ''of course'' I can force you. (attacks him)

* DeadpanSnarker: Tatsumi, though terrified of Esdeath, is still perfectly willing to be sassy and insulting towards her. Even as early as Chapter 2, his sense of humor is viciously sarcastic.

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin As the title clearly indicates]], this is an AU story. In this case, a Night Raid assassin is found by Tatsumi and his friends and brought back to their village three days before Tatsumi's planned departure to the Imperial Capital. Before the man dies, he gives Tatsumi a bracelet and pleads with Tatsumi not to let "them" have it. "Them" turns out to be [[BloodKnight Esdeath]] and the Three Beasts, who are pursuing the man. Arriving at the village, they demand the bracelet, and despite his misgivings, Tatsumi decides to hand it over. Unfortunately, it attaches itself to his wrist, and Esdeath attacks him. As the fight goes on, the bracelet is revealed to be a teigu called Hermes, and Tatsumi is fully compatible with it, which is proven when his entire body is covered in armor that grants him [[SuperSpeed enhanced speed.]] Impressed, Esdeath invites Tatsumi to become her subordinate. Though strongly tempted, Tatsumi refuses, so Esdeath overpowers him and forces him to accept by threatening to destroy his village--though not before his final desperate attack managed to draw a single drop of blood from her, instantly winning her affection. From there, [[FromBadToWorse things get darker]].

[[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin As the title clearly indicates]], this is an AU story. In this case, a Night Raid assassin is found by Tatsumi and his friends and brought back to their village three days before Tatsumi's planned departure to the Imperial Capital. Before the man dies, he gives Tatsumi a bracelet and pleads with Tatsumi not to let "them" have it. "Them" turns out to be [[BloodKnight Esdeath]] and the Three Beasts, who are pursuing the man. Arriving at the village, they demand the bracelet, and despite his misgivings, Tatsumi decides to hand it over. Unfortunately, it attaches itself to his wrist, and Esdeath attacks him. As the fight goes on, the bracelet is revealed to be a teigu, and Tatsumi is fully compatible with it, which is proven when his entire body is covered in armor. Impressed, Esdeath invites Tatsumi to join her. Tatsumi refuses, so Esdeath overpowers him and forces him to accept by threatening to destroy his village--though not before his final desperate attack managed to draw a single drop of blood from her, instantly winning her affection. From there, [[FromBadToWorse things get darker]].

* SadisticChoice: Doubles with {{Squick}}. [[spoiler: Ieyasu reveals to Air that, while he was being tortured by Aria's family, the matriarch forced him to choose between drinking poisoned water or drinking her urine. He chose the latter.]]

** Bols' is also this for Esdeath and Tatsumi, much to the latter's chagrin despite the man's good intentions. [[MyGodWhatHaveIDone He regrets it]] after Tatsumi explains how she "recruited" him.

** Numa Seika, to an extent. He still dies, but he [[DefiantToTheEnd goes out like a champ]] and receives a proper burial arranged by Tatsumi--in stark contrast to his canon counterpart, who was built up as a credible threat, [[UndignifiedDeath but was tortured into complete submission by Esdeath, who then killed him with a kick to the head as an afterthought after chaining him up and forcing him to lick her boot.]]

** [[spoiler: Sayo]] becomes much more dangerous upon [[spoiler:inheriting Pumpkin after Mine's death. She's a natural with long-range weapons and quickly becomes a proficient sniper.]]
** [[spoiler: Ieyasu,]] though still lacking a Teigu, did receive a bag of shurikens from Leone. He quickly adapts to throwing them to the point [[spoiler: that he has enough accuracy to take out Kurome's right eye.]]
* TrainingFromHell: The training regimen Esdeath forces upon Tatsumi is predictably brutal. The ''first'' thing she does is have him strike a wooden pole until his knuckles bleed; she makes him spar with Daidara; and she chases him with her dragon--both to increase his speed and to remind him that she can catch him if he tries to run away.

* WhamLine:
** "Esdeath-sama, you're bleeding!" Which leads to...
** "River... I think I'm ''in love.''"

* WhyDontYouJustShootHim: [[AvertedTrope Averted]]. [[spoiler: Seryu shoots Mine in the back just as she is about to depart with her comrades.]]

A side story, called ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11618977/1/Alternate-Worlds-Shorts Alternate Worlds: Shorts]]'', was created after the release of Chapter 16, for the purpose of adding "deleted scenes" that the author felt wouldn't have fit in the main story.

* VillainousCrush: Esdeath is just as attracted to Tatsumi as she is in canon. Unlike in canon, it's not PlayedForLaughs.

** After seeing that Hermes is completely compatible with Tatsumi, Esdeath tries to convince Tatsumi to become her subordinate. He refuses, so she [[CurbStompBattle beats the hell out of him]] and [[JoinOrDie holds his village hostage]] to make him comply.

* DrowningMySorrows: Tatsumi tries to get drunk whenever Esdeath isn't around just so he can try to forget he even knows her. The second time he does this, he nearly [[spoiler: kills Run]] in a drunken rage.