The remnants of Tokyo City were little less than embers now. Nothing but a pile of rubble, smoke continuing to rise into the air. Proud buildings now slanted, some having been run into the ground. The sky was tinted orange, with white and black streaks as it's only painting, and the setting sun slowly dipping into the horizon. It was both a beautiful and decrepit scene for some, but to others, it was a moment of defeat.
In less than a month, the once proud nation of Japan had been defeated, all at the hands of a gigantic empire. The people were little more than living corpses now. Whoever survived the conflict were now in the outskirts, looking at the remnants of their homes. It was almost as if they were living corpses. Their clothes were singed, little less than rags, soot and bandages marring their skin. Of course, it was to be expected. Their home, their way of life, everything they knew… it was all gone.
He was no exception.
Sitting atop a small pile of rubble was a young child, no older than ten, with raven black hair, bearing a small, slim frame with a simple shirt and shorts, both articles singed from the flames, soot covering his small, angular face. Dried sweat clung to his skin, sticking his hair close to the flesh. His beautiful, violet eyes stared blankly out at the remnants of Tokyo. Just like the others, his eyes were empty, simply staring at the sight with apathy.
Everything was gone… everything he held dear, gone.
His sister, gone.
His best friend, gone.
His mother, gone.
His life… gone.
Everything around him was gone, reduced to ashes. Even now, he felt nothing in his heart. It was as if someone had ripped out whatever had given him emotions. Even in all of this horrid nightmare, he had found some solace in his best friend, the person whom he considered to be a like a brother, and his younger sister, who in spite of her disabilities, was a beautiful beacon of light, the only thing that kept him away from the darkness.
But, now… she was gone.
Everything he had… it was all gone.
Lelouch ran as fast as he possibly could, the smell of burning flesh stinging his nostrils and the ear-shattering screams ringing loudly in his ears. He could feel the sweat pouring down his face and his legs burning from all the running. It was almost as if he had been skinned alive and someone set fire to his exposed muscles.
He didn't dare look back at what was happening behind him. He didn't want to believe it, he refused to believe that his home, his own country had done something like this. Japan had done nothing to deserve this, so why were they invading? Had they done something to provoke Britannia? If so, what had they done? Lelouch and his sister, who was blind and crippled, were sent here to be used as nothing more but political hostages, and now, their worth was tossed aside.
He pushed everything away from his thoughts, ignoring the explosions trailing behind him as he went straight for the warehouse where Suzaku and Nunnally were at, waiting for him. If he could get there in time, they could get out of here and ignore everything, they could try and live as best they could, try to live blissfully unaware of the hell that had come in the form of giant machines.
Lelouch ducked into an alley when he saw a Knightmare shoot out from a corner, firing its rifle in the opposite direction of where Lelouch was, its back facing him. He used this opportunity to move undetected and evade the others, stopping briefly to take a quick breather. His hands were on his legs, sweat rolling down his body like a waterfall, and panting heavily with his chest heaving up and down.
He looked up, and his eyes widened in horror as he fell on his rear, screaming at the site. It was the corpse of a Japanese woman holding her child tightly, both of them charred and flames lapping away at her arms and legs. The smell of burning flesh invaded Lelouch's nostrils, and nearly caused him to vomit.
How could this have happened?
Why had this happened?
What did these people to deserve this?
What had Lelouch done to deserve this?
Was this God's way of punishing him? Should he have just kept his mouth shut and not barge into his father's throne room, demanding that justice be done and seek out his mother's killer? If he had done so, then what sort of life would wait for him and Nunnally? Would they be living as happily as they could, like how they were before any of this happened?
Lelouch stood as quickly as he could, shutting his eyes so tightly it actually hurt, his feet already moving and his muscles pushed to their limit as he ran past the corpse, offering a silent apology to the two before resuming his sprint towards the warehouse.
However, what awaited him was not a happy sight. As soon as he opened his eyes, they widened to the point where they threatened to pop out, tears beginning to form while his chin trembled. His knees buckled underneath him, and his legs fell to the ground. His arms hung loosely at his sides, wet streams cutting through the dust and grime that had collected on his face.
"No..." he whispered, almost pleading. "No, God, please no... This isn't..."
His voice became choked before his hands balled into fists and he angrily slammed them down on the concrete he sat on, his teeth grinding against each other harshly as he screamed out in agony.
The warehouse had been completely destroyed. Wooden beams were crooked, cloaked in flames as it was in the process of being burned to the ground. There was hardly anything left, all that sat there was nothing but a sea of flames that took everything away from him.
Suzaku and Nunnally... they were... they were...
"No... no, dammit, no!" Lelouch screamed out, banging his fists against the ground. "This can't be happening! Why?! Why did this have to happen?!"
Just then, a loud crash echoed behind him, causing the boy to leap to his feet and whirl around. A Knightmare had smashed through a building with a rifle in its hands, standing a few feet a ways from Lelouch, almost as if it were mimicking the reaper that had come to reap his soul.
Lelouch didn't feel fear.
Lelouch didn't feel sorrow.
Lelouch didn't feel sadness.
Lelouch felt anger. Standing in front of him was the reason, the reason for everything.
"It's because of you bastards..." Lelouch growled, slowly taking large steps towards the Knightmare, glaring down its muzzle with untold rage reflected clear in his purple eyes. "You're the reason... it's because of you that Suzaku and Nunnally are gone..."
"It's because of you that Japan is suffering..."
And that was when a defiant scream ripped out from his throat, almost like a roar that reverberated through the air. "YOU'RE WHY THIS WORLD IS SO TWISTED!"
The Knightmare fired off its gun, the bullets missing Lelouch, however they had blown the ground in front of him to bits, creating small dents. The impact was enough to send Lelouch skidding across the ground, his back grinding against the concrete harshly while his body tumbled around like a rag doll.
He managed to get back on all fours, his body aching everywhere while everything around him seemed to be nothing but a blur, a blotch of colors mixing together in water while his ears were ringing, the sound of bells echoing off harshly.
As his vision cleared, he regained his glare at the Knightmare, which had the muzzle pointed right at his position. His anger didn't fade away, and his fear didn't grow. Instead, it was his anger that grew.
Britannia... it was because of them... They were what was making so many people suffer! His country was enjoying-no, they were reveling in the chaos they were creating! They didn't give a damn about the suffering they were making these people go through! They just did this out of sheer boredom, they wanted everything for themselves as if like they were like a spoiled child that wanted everything this world had to offer!
"Damn you..." Lelouch cursed, struggling to get back on his feet, glaring at the ground out of self-loathing. How could he be so weak? How could he just sit here and wait for the damn monster to kill him like this?! "Damn you all!"
It was then that Lelouch heard the sound of an explosion echo in front of him, scraps of metal flying everywhere while a blast of hot air shot past him, blowing away at his clothes and hair. His head snapped up immediately to see the Knightmare replaced by a giant cloud of black and crimson.
What in the hell just happened?
Suddenly, the ringing in his ears had cleared up, and heard the faint sound of humming somewhere above him. His eyes looked up, and his mouth promptly fell open into a perfect 'o' while his eyes widened to the size of saucer, unable to speak or think. All he could do was look at the machine in awe.
It was unlike anything he had ever seen; in fact it looked like a piece of art. It stood in the air with a beautiful green light emanating from behind its back, and its body gleaming white. Its body was massive, easily towering over the Knightmares like a behemoth.
Lelouch was never religious, he never believed in God, however there were, at times, when he questioned if God had done things for a purpose. Was everything that transpired in this world apart of this design? Was there a reason behind Britannia's twistedness? What purpose was their for the death of his mother? It was only now that Lelouch finally understood the truth. The reality behind this twisted world.
In this world... there is no God.
However, the machine that had presented itself before him, with the brilliant green light flowing out from behind it, almost like wings, Lelouch felt a sort of elation. In a world where God did not exist, he had found something else, something that provided, if only for this short moment, a light in this cruel, black void.
After the machine had disappeared, leaving him behind in the streets, he had been found by remnants of Japan's military soldiers. They had retrieved him, and took him to the nearest refugee camp. He hadn't spoken a word since then, and had not moved so much an inch. Shortly after arrival, Japan had declared it's unconditional surrender, and Britannia had achieved victory.
Two and a half weeks was all it took to obliterate Japan. It would be reduced to a mere satellite colony. Given Japan's abundant Sakuradite resources, it would no doubt become a hotbed of production for them. It's name would be stripped, and it's citizens would be given the option to become Honorary Britannians, or simply remain as "Numbers," sub-class citizens forced to live out in the ghettos.
It was all just so… stupid.
"…Lelouch." The boy did not respond, nor did he turn to address the speaker. He could recognize him by his voice, strong and deep with a iron tone, as one might expect of a soldier. Kyoshiro Tohdoh was a man in his late twenties, his dark brown hair swept back, and bearing a gaunt, hardened face with sunken cheeks. He was rather tall, garbed in a military uniform, and a katana held in his hand. Lelouch could not recall a time that he did not have that katana with him.
The man saw how listless and quiet he was, his face somber as he looked at the ruins of Tokyo. "…we were unable to get back into the city." He said quietly. "The Britannians have all but blocked off any and all entry. We were able to reach the warehouse, but…" he trailed off, the meaning behind his words not lost to Lelouch. He still looked dead to the world, almost like he was a corpse. He dipped his head, eyes closed in regret. "I am sorry, child…"
Lelouch said nothing. He continued to look at the desolate city, eyes empty. However, for the briefest moment, something danced in those amethyst eyes. "…mister Tohdoh…" he said, his tone oddly quiet and calm. When Tohdoh saw his eyes, he nearly recoiled from the intensity that shone beneath those eyes, which looked so eerily calm. "I… I want to…"
Underneath those eyes, Tohdoh saw only quiet, blazing fury.
"Destroy Britannia."
The date was August 10 of the year 2010 of the Imperial Calender.
The Holy Britannian Empire had just declared war on Japan.
The far-east island nation held fast to its neutrality, and now Britannia looms as the world's greatest superpower.
Rights to Japan's underground resources became a hotly discussed issue, straining the already deep-rooted diplomatic tensions between the two sides.
In the deciding battle for the mainland, Britannian forces introduced two armored units into combat:
The first was the humanoid Autonomous Armored Knight, known as the Knightmare Frame.
The second was the Mobile Suit, a powerful machine capable of wiping out hundreds upon thousands of units in a mere matter of seconds.
The enemy's forces proved greater than anticipated, and both the Knightmares and Mobile Suits decimated Japan's last line of defense on the mainland with little effort.
Japan became a dominion of the Empire. The country was stripped of its freedom, its rights…and its name.
Area 11.
The defeated and once proud nation of Japan was rechristened with a mere number.
Currently, in the world, there are three global superpowers:
The Holy Empire of Britannia, which dominates one-third of the world.
The Chinese Federation, comprised of the majority of the Asian continent.
The European Union, which controls Europe, Africa, and a portion of the Middle East.
The world has all but depleted it's fossil fuel resources, thus leaving mankind to different means of energy.
Sakuradite, a powerful mineral and fuel capable of powering entire cities and countries, and Solar Energy, a nigh-inexhaustible resource that can be harvested at any time.
The three Superpowers control three large-scale solar-power systems, the Orbital Elevators.
In the recent years, the power of the Mobile Suits have become widely pronounced, operating on others means of power, in contrast to the Knightmares, which are powered by Sakuradite, with Britannia as the lead manufacturer.
In spite of the overwhelming power the Mobile Suits possess, as well as their capabilities to engage in both aerial and spacial combat, there are only so few pilots who can control these machines of death.
The year is now 2016, six years since the fall of Japan, and still, the only Superpowers continue to wage war on one another for their own agendas, and petty ideals.
Yes, even now… the world insists on playing a grand zero sum game.
However, unbeknownst to them, a new power is about to emerge, one that will change the course of history.
Opening Theme: "Spiral" by Kana BOOM
Instrumental
Yukute habamu no wa akirame ya taida sa
Marude kage bunshin no you ni ni furueteyuku
Mushibamu honoo
Fukikese shippu de
Tomaranu kodou
umidasu rasen
Seisei seibai desu
Fuan de konnan desu
Naite fusaide, soredemo idomu yo
Saikouchou de neratte ute
Sette tsukande shousa wa dare da
Instrumental
Seisei seibai desu
Fuan de konnan desu
Naite fusaide, soredemo idomu yo
Saikouchou de neratte ute
Sette tsukande shousa wa dare da
Instrumental
Code Geass: The Miraculous Birthday
Episode 1: Celestial Being
Billy Katagiri of the Camelot Unit was, in a word, disappointed. Being a researcher and developer of the recent progression of Knightmares and Mobile Weapons, he was naturally a gifted scientist, especially if he was in the Camelot Unit. While not one of the more recognized developing units in Britannia, they were certainly successful, being funded by second prince Schneizel el Britannia. Billy himself was quite a prodigy, having graduated from Helios University at a young age before joining the Research Corps to study more on the mechanics of Knightmares. He was tasked with working under a nobleman by the name of Lloyd Asplund, a rather eccentric man known as the Earl of Pudding for... less than obvious reasons. Despite that eccentric behavior, he was able to develop a Seventh-Generation Knightmare. The man was certainly brilliant, having accomplished such a feat. However, in recent years, the development of Knightmares had seen a slight decline, as the Sixth-Generation Knightmare, the Sutherlands, had been commissioned not long after the defeat of Japan. At this point, Seventh-Generation Knightmares had yet to be developed, mainly due to the severe lack of data the prototype has yet to receive, as a result of not having gained a Devicer to pilot it yet, leaving it to collect dust.
However, Billy was more interested in Mobile Suits, rather than Knightmares. It was part of the reason why he joined the Camelot Unit, as it was funded personally by a prince, meaning he had more than enough money to study MS development. That was the reason he was even here at this demonstration. Recently, a newly-developed Mobile Suit was developed, this one being the supposed first 'easy-to-manufacture' Mobile Suit. It was no secret that Mobile Suits, in comparison to Knightmares, were low in number. This was because the materials used to design it were rather hard to come by, which was, quite honestly in his opinion, to be expected. After all, not too long ago, the world had used up all of it's fossil fuel resources. What's to say the resources it had to produce a Mobile Suit would also be depleted? One such answer to that question could be found here in today's demonstration.
"So, that's the Enact..." Billy muttered as he watched the machine intently. It was humanoid in form with a bright green color scheme, bearing a slim design with a tri-coned head and a black face, albeit with a yellow mark on the left side. It's waist was expanded, almost like an armored skirt with a silver instrument on it's left forearm, and a white beam rifle equipped to it's right. "The world's first solar-powered Mobile Suit." Unmanned Knightmare Frames, Sutherlands, began to attack the green Mobile Suit as it moved fluidly among the mock battlefield, soaring about through the air quickly and maneuvering around the gunfire. In a fluid motion, the Enact took aim and fired, piercing one Sutherland through it's head unit, destroying the Factsphere before the second shot sent it to the ground, striking through it's Energy Filler. The second unmanned unit fired off it's Slash Harkens, but the Enact easily avoided them, shifting to the left before grabbing ahold of the wires before it had a chance to retreat. With a tug, the Sutherland was pulled from the air, and swung around. The pilot of the Enact spun it around in a full circle, the machine twirling in place before it let go, letting the Sutherland to be sent flying, crashing into another and sending them both skidding to the ground.
The remaining two Sutherlands tried to shoot down the Mobile Suit, but the Enact proved to be very versatile and agile, moving higher into the air before coming straight down at break-neck speeds. In a swift motion, it brought up it's feet, slamming them right down into the first Sutherland's shoulders, and pinning it to the ground. From there, it performed an execution, blasting the cockpit in a single stroke, destroying the system, and then fired off at the second Sutherland, just as it took aim at it. It's finger was already on the trigger, but the blast already shot through the cockpit. It simply stood there for several seconds before it lurched back, hitting the ground with a thud.
Everyone in the spectators box began to applaud the machine's performance, all of them being potential financial backers, military officials, and developers. For his part, Billy was still slightly unimpressed, a fact that had been voiced out from behind him. "The Orbital Elevator was pretty much done early in it's development, so the unveiling of that bucket of bolts is more or less a celebration." The scientist looked over his shoulder, seeing a familiar face. It was a man with curly blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a black jacket with a dress shirt underneath, along with a brown leather belt that kept his pants suspended, and brown dress shoes, complete with a red tie around the collar of his shirt. A playful smile was found on his face as he looked down at Billy, winking.
"Well, this is a surprise." Billy smiled pleasantly as the blonde man took a seat beside him. "Should the ace of the Goddess of Victory be here?"
"Oh, please." Graham Aker rolled his eyes. "You and I both know Cornelia wouldn't allow that...though that hasn't stopped me before." A laugh escaped the both of them, having yet to enjoy each others' company since Cornelia li Britannia's recent conquest in the Middle East, in order to establish another colony for the Empire. "Still, kinda pointless, don't you think?"
Billy nodded in agreement. "Yeah. The Orbital Elevator was originally scheduled to be completed three years from now, and yet we did it much earlier than expected." The scientist shrugged his shoulders with a grin. "Well, then again, I suppose it's worth celebrating. Although, I doubt my boss would be excited over something like this."
"Yeah," Graham laughed. "I've heard a few things about the Earl of Pudding, such as his obsession with his Knightmare. A shame, though, since I hear it's the Seventh-Generation Prototype." He gave his friend a questioning look. "He looking for a Devicer?"
Billy couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, Graham, but it'll be a cold day in hell before Cornelia lets you pilot anything other than a Flag."
The blonde knight sighed, leaning in his seat. "Worth a shot, though." he muttered before he gave the Enact a once-over, and looked at his friend with a knowing look. "So, tell me, what are your thoughts on the Enact?"
"Honestly?" Billy grinned. "The paint job and exterior is unique, but other than that, it's a cheap knock off of the Flag."
As if hearing this statement, the Enact's cockpit fell open. "Hey!" the pilot shouted loudly as he removed himself, dressed in a light green pilot suit, matching the color scheme of the MS. "I heard that, you bastards! Why don't you come over here and say that to my face!"
Billy and Graham were startled by this, surprised that the pilot was capable of hearing it before they shared another laugh. "Well, at least the audio pick-up is better!"
"...target point reached. Arrival in T-minus forty seconds. Will begin First Phase immediately. Disperse GN Particles upon arrival."
Inside the command center, which was overlooking the Enact's progress and debut, suddenly became on alert when the scanners went wild. "The hell is going on?!" the commanding officer demanded. He was garbed in a maroon red uniform with a dark green armband at his bicep, and a red cap covering his scalp, rough thickets of blue hair revealed beneath it. A nasty scar ran along the side of his face, and his golden eyes flared with confusion and fury. "Status report men!"
"We're detecting a unit entering the field, sir!"
"Dammit, this is supposed to be a training exercise!" the commander growled. Whoever was stupid enough to pull this stunt was going to wish they had never done it when he got his hands on them. "Who the hell is it?!"
"W-we don't know!" one of the men cried. "We can't detect it! There are no communication lines operating, either!"
That took the man by surprise. 'It's not showing up on radar?!' If they were utilizing some sort of stealth system, that meant they were doing this covertly. If that was the case... "Get me a visual!"
The men immediately began working on the command. In moments, the glass screen opened up the image of a descending white machine. It was hard to discern it, given the speed it was descending. All the commander could make out was it's blue torso, and the light that seemed to trail behind it.
His eyes narrowed, confusion and curiosity now present. "What kind of unit is that?"
"An unknown?" the pilot of the Enact cursed, holding the side of his helmet as he received intel from the command center, which was overseeing the demonstration. Needless to say, the pilot was not happy. With so many high-ranking people here, he could achieve a good position in the military. Hell, if he was lucky, he could be transferred into the Royal Guard! He had been training in the Enact's simulation programs, day and not, just for this day, and now there was some bastard waltzing in to steal his thunder? "Dammit, why now of all times?!"
Seeing the pilot's obvious aggravation and confusion, Billy and Grahram frowned in confusion. "Has something happened?" the researcher said. It wasn't until they heard the sound of mysterious humming, which was most definitely not the Enact's propulsion system. "What is that noise?" Billy questioned as he looked around. Eventually, they received their answer when the humming grew louder, and a figure made itself visible as it descended to the ground. It's appearance brought them all to shock, especially as it's form to them registered. It was slightly taller than the Enact, except it was far more humanoid. Most of it's body was colored white, bearing a dark blue torso and shoulders with a dark green luster at the center of it's chest, an orb of some kind, likely where the cockpit was located. It's feet and waist were colored red, while it's face was similar to that of the pharaoh, carrying a red chin. At it's forehead was a "V"-shaped ornament, and golden edgings were found at the neck. It's most prominent feature was the large weapon it carried in it's right arm, resembling some sort of silver blade that was as long as it's arm.
"Another Mobile Suit?" Billy breathed, slightly in awe. "I didn't realize they made a second one, nor they had the budget."
Graham, however, had different thoughts. He was very familiar with the design of Britannia's Mobile Suits, and each country had it's own unique style... but this model had a different style entirely. "Katagiri," he said, narrowing his eyes at the machine with scrutiny. "I don't think it's theirs." Not only a few seconds had he said that had the machine slowly turn to face the Enact, it's green-blue eyes staring right back at it. Had he not known any better, he'd say it were almost alive.
"Enact?!" Graham's attention shifted to one of the military personnel in the base, a radio held in his hand as he was trying to contact the pilot. "Can you hear me, Enact? Respond!" When it became clear he was receiving no response, he cursed. "Damn, communications are down!"
His brow furrowed together, looking back at the white Mobile Suit. "Is it jamming communications?"
Another soldier ran down the stairs, his face set into slight panic as he began to try and control the unease present within the observation deck. "E-everyone! We've been advised to evacuate!" he commanded, albeit with slight nervousness. It was clear he was not used to panic control duties. "This is not a drill! I repeat, this is not a drill!"
"Wait, then it's not a Britannian Mobile Suit?" Billy cried in shock as he stood to his feet. "Then who's is it?!"
Back with the pilot of the Enact, he was currently glaring daggers at the white and blue eyesore in front of him. "Alright, who the hell are you?!" he snarled over the open comms channel as the cockpit slid back into the Enact, the hatch closing in front of him before the system came online, allowing for further control. "The European Union?! The Chinese Federation?!" The pilot of the opposing Mobile Suit didn't offer a response. Not that'd matter, given that he was going to cut it down for trying to steal his spotlight. "Well, either way, you stormed in here uninvited." A confident smirked crossed his face. "And you're not getting away with this!"
As the spectators began to evacuate, the man who tried contacting the pilot stopped in his tracks, his face set into irritation and disbelief. "What the hell is that idiot doing?!" he snapped angrily, unable to believe the pilot's stupidity. "Doesn't he know how much money we put into designing that thing?!"
"It's a good opportunity," another voice interjected. It was a man around the same age, wearing a dark suit and bearing neatly combed brown hair. "It'll raise the Enact's value." A confident, smug grin crossed his face as he shrugged, gesturing his head to said Mobile Suit. "Besides, Patrick Colasour is the Ace of Area 6, isn't he?" A chuckle escaped him shortly after saying that. "Although, his personality could use a bit of work."
That was a major understatement. If there was ever an individual who so perfectly embodied the idea of "arrogance" and "conceited ambition," it was Patrick Colasour. He had a large ego that only grew with each mock battle he participated, which meant he had quite the oversized head, given that he had won over 2000 Mock battles. While it may have been justified, as he was the ace Mobile Suit pilot, which were highly valued as much as Devicers, his arrogance made it hard to work with him. It honestly grated on some of their nerves, but there was little they could do. Right now, it was all a matter of leaving this up to Patrick, and increasing the worth of the Enact.
Sadly, Patrick's ego was already starting to make itself known as he sneered at the white enemy Mobile Suit. "Hey! Don't you know who I am?!" he shouted. "I am Patrick Colasour, of Area 6, and I have never lost a single mock battle!" The compartment on the Enact's right arm opened, allowing a hilt to appear from the hallowed out portion of the arm. Patrick removed it, revealing it to be a small, sharp-pointed blade with a circular edge, almost like a spike. "And I don't make any I don't know bullshit!" With that said, the spike seemed to whirl to life, spinning rapidly, and a loud, high-pitched scream echoed into the air. It caused everyone remaining in the spectator's box to cringe in pain, shielding their ears.
One of the military personnel snarled in anger. "What is that idiot thinking?!" His friend, however, remained confident, looking on expectantly.
The Enact charged straight forward, intenting to skewer the intruder, and in the process, regain his spotlight.
"...Exia, proceeding to target elimination."
The white Mobile Suit's eyes glowed, and in the next second, it brandished it's blade. With a swift, almost unreal movement, it swung it's arm upward, cutting off the Enact's hand. The action caused the spectators to stand there, gawking as the hand clattered to the ground, still clutching the blade. Graham's eyes widened, shooting up from his seat. "What in the hell?!"
It was hard to see who was more surprised, Graham or Patrick. The pilot of the Enact felt himself staring at the sight of the machine's missing limb in utter shock before his face morphed into anger and spite. "Y-you bastard... You just don't get it, do you?!" He brandished his beam rifle, trying to shoot off the unit's head, only for the machine to glide along the ground, twirling around and swinging it's blade once again, this time taking off the rest of the damaged limb. "I'm...!" In another swift bout, the enemy Mobile Suit cut off the arm holding the rifle. "Special!" Before Patrick could retaliate, the Mobile Suit went straight forward, and cut off the Enact's head. "I've done two thousand of these...!"
As the machine fell back to the ground, it's head and limbs severed, the white Mobile Suit flipped it's blade back into place, retracting into the compartment attached to it's arm.
The only thing Patrick could wail as his last words of defeat were, "MOCK BATTLES!"
The Enact hit the ground. It's movements ceased to function. The white Mobile Suit was victorious. Everyone was left stunned, staring at the sight in absolute awe, terror, and intrigue. Graham gazed at the machine with complete and utter astoundment, having never seen such fluid motion. He noticed someone in front of him holding binoculars, which were focused on the Enact's current state. "Excuse me," he said, snatching the binoculars from the man.
"H-hey!"
"I said excuse me, didn't I?" the blonde knight snapped as he looked at the machine for any notable signatures or marks. He examined the machine's exterior design thoroughly, taking in the white metallic sheen and overall design before noticing something engraved on the forehead. His eyes narrowed, waiting for the lenses to come into focus. Slowly, the words became eligable. "Gun...dam..." He lowered the binoculars, his face set into intrigue. "Is that the name of the model? Or..."
Billy looked at Graham, and then back at the mysterious Mobile Suit, glaring at it with scrutiny. "Gundam?" he parroted the name, finding it surreal and easy, rolling off the tongue. Was it the name of the unit? Or was it an anagram for something? Or was it, perhaps, the name of the group it belonged to? Regardless, he had never seen such an impressive machine before. It's fluid movements, it's swift action, the way it moved... it was almost human-like. 'The design reminds me somewhat of the Lancelot prototype Lloyd developed.' the researcher thought, seeing a slight comparison to the two.
"Exia, First Phase complete. Now entering Second Phase."
To the group's immense surprise, the machine developed a beautiful, almost unearthly light that flowed from behind it's back as it turned away from them, it's feet lifting off the ground, and ascending into the air, it's target clearly within sight. "That light again..." Graham frowned. That was the second time the machine produced that light. No doubt that light is what caused the disruption of communications.
Billy, however, looked more intrigued by the minute. "How can it fly without a propulsion system?" he questioned. "The Float System prince Schneizel's been interested in hasn't reached the development phase yet, and even then, it's not compatible with a Mobile Suit." He folded his arms. "Just what on Earth is that thing?"
Just then, the hatch to the Enact opened, revealing Patrick Colasour, relatively unharmed. "Where is he?" he demanded, looking around wildly, clearly furious. "Where did he go?!"
Graham chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. "I see." he said in understanding of the Enact's saftey features. "The Enact is superb in pilot safety." He looked back to the retreating form of the unknown Mobile Suit, known only as the Gundam. "But, that Mobile Suit..." he muttered. "Was this an attempt to hinder Britannia's military expansion? Or..." He narrowed his eyes. "Was it a warning?"
He looked back at the wreckage of the green solar-powered Mobile Suit. "Whatever the case, there's no way Britannia's going to take something like this lying down."
"Maintaining Ptolemy's perimeter distance."
Elsewhere, a large construct passed by remnants of a large structure, a familiar green light dancing around it as it passed through rubble of debris. Inside the machine were various people, each stationed at terminals. The first was a girl with long brown hair that fell past her shoulders, bearing dim green eyes. "We have now passed the scheduled completion time of Exia's First Phase." she reported, going over the present material on her terminal. "We assume it has now entered the Second Phase."
"I wonder if Zero is pulling it off." another member of the ship asked. He was a young male with dark blue hair and dark eyes, his face stern as he, alongside another young man, this one having messy brown hair and eyes, steered the ship.
"If not," the brown-haired youth chuckled playfully. "Then that's the end of Celestial Being."
"Enough with the idle chatter," the brown-haired girl snapped from her station, causing the two to flinch. "It's almost time to begin the Third Phase."
Just then, the doors to the deck area opened. "Don't be so uptight," the woman entering the deck said with a grin. She was a beautiful woman, perhaps in her early thirties, bearing red-brown hair that fell past her shoulders, ending at the shoulderblades. "After all, this is our big debut, so let's do it with a bang!"
A familiar smell fled into the brunette's nostrils. Almost immediately, she whirled on the older woman with large eyes. "Hey!" she said in disbelief. "A-are you drinking alcohol?!"
The male brunette looked over his shoulder in surprise. "Seriously? A-aren't we in the middle of a mission?"
"Hey, I'm just in charge of planning the missions, so why not?" the woman shrugged. "The rest is up to you guys." She took a quick drink of the canister in her hand, which contained the aforementioned beverage. Once the mouthpiece left her lips, she stared at the screen, which was currently reading the layout of the mission, as well as the current status of the docking bay.
The ship's docking bay opened up, revealing a runway designed within, extending outward for a machine to launch. "Container loading, complete." the female brunette informed the bridge. "Moving Kyrios to Catapult Deck."
"...this is what you wanted, right, Hallelujah?" a young man said to no one in particular as he and his machine descended into the Catapult Deck. He possessed slightly tanned skin and long dark hair, which covered the entire right half of his face. "A real fight." He received no real answer. Instead, he sighed as he slipped on his helmet. "This is really depressing for me."
"Kyrios has arrived to Catapult Deck." the girl reported. "Increasing linear catapult voltage from 230 to 520. Kyrios stabilized in linear field. Launch preparations begin."
Another girl at the terminal, this one being the youngest of the group, bearing bright pink hair with a somewhat calm and expressionless face, began inputting various commands. On her screen came the face of the pilot, garbed in an orange suit, his helmet over his head. "Transferring timing control to Kyrios."
"I have control." the pilot said, his hands coiling around the controls of the Mobile Suit. His eyes narrowed, glaring at the dark space in front of him. "Kyrios, commencing operation."
With a swift motion and pull on the controls, a white and orange-colored machine shot out straight from the Catapult Deck. It resembled some sort of Fighter Jet, only five times larger, both in width and length, and at it's head was a long, steel barrel, likely a rifle of some sort. It soared straight out into the black vastness before it, a brilliant green light trailing behind it, as if lighting the way.
"Here at Heaven's Pillar, a grand celebration is taking place, celebrating the ten year anniversary of it's first electrical transmission since the completion of it's construction here at the European Union. A party is being held, here, in the geostationary orbital station."
True to the reporters words, a grand ball was held within the Orbital Station, found within the territory of the European Union. Many people, be of it of social ranking, importance, or of military standing, could be found drifting about the room, all dressed in extravagent clothing, sans those of military standing, as they were dressed in dark blue uniforms, complimented by their red trims.
"Many contributors to the construction of the Orbital Station," the reporter, a young woman with chin-length chestnut brown hair and green eyes, said with the trained smile present on her face, microphone in hand. "such as ambassadors of the European Union, company representatives, and military personnel are in attendance."
One of the party guests drifting about was a young woman with alabaster skin, dressed in, oddly enough, a cheongsam, and her dark green hair, styled into two separate braids, the remainder stuffed into buns. "May I offer you a drink?" a waiter asked, approaching her from behind. Once the woman turned to face him, his face burned, and his cheeks were dusted with pink, taking in her exotic beauty. She must have been from the Chinese Federation, likely here for diplomatic situations no doubt. It was not uncommon for foreign diplomats to visit other countries, negotiating trading deals or peaceful solutions to conflicts. Even still, the waiter could not help but notice how beautiful she seemed to be.
Her smiled only made his heart beat faster. "Yes, I'll have one." she said, floating over to him before taking one of the drinks off of the tray. As she did so, she offered the young waiter a teasing grin. "They say a blushing man is no man at all," she teased. "Just to let you know." She giggled as she turned away, satisifed with the results of her work, the young waiter left in a spluttering mess. As she drifted away, back to the windows, she took a long drink of her beverage, idly noting the bittersweet aftertaste it brought to her. "Mistress." Her attention shifted to the man floating beside her. He was also dressed in Chinese attire, this being more formal, consisting of slacks and a shirt with a pink flower pinned to his chest. "It has begun."
Upon hearing this, her face became one of the utmost seriousness. Her dark brown eyes stared off into the black ink-like vastness of space, fully aware of what was about to unveil itself to all of the world, and make it's intentions known. "They're finally about to make their move."
"Here come the Gundam Meisters..." the older member of the bridge said, looking at the mission screen displayed in front of her. "...of Celestial Being."
In Area 6, the military was left in a total state of an angry, frenzied disarray. Green jets danced around the air, shooting off round after round, hoping to strike down the illusive white Mobile Suit - the Gundam. A pack of fighters, gathered into the three-man triangle, formed into their attack pattern, gliding through the air as they made their charge against the enemy unit. However, as they began to make their approach, the unit aimed it's arm at them. To their surprise, within that same compartment, where the blade had retracted, was a beam rifle. It immediately shot at the planes, forcing them to make evasive maneuvers, dancing around the air to avoid being shot down, all the while maintaining their approach. Seeing that they were not making any headway, the Gundam instead forgone shooting them down, and went for the most effective-approach: up close, and personal. Brandishing it's blade once more, the Gundam charged forward, and swung it's sword, slicing right through the wing and rifle attached to the plane, thus sending it spiraling towards the ground.
Another flight of units swerved around, aiming to strike from the back. They had the Gundam locked into their sights. "Gotcha!" the leading pilot said, opening fire on the target. At such close range, there's no way it could-
The Gundam, without even turning, dashed to the right, evading both the gunfire, and the planes. "Damn! What mobility!" the pilot of the plane marveled at the strength of it's enemy. "I never know such a unit existed!"
"Don't break formation!" the commanding officer shouted over the comm link. "Reinforcements will be here any minute!"
True to the commander's words, more green jets began to emerge, this time striding down the landing strip located directly on the Orbital Elevator.
"As we thought, there are Britannian forces located inside the pillar."
"LOCKON! REINFORCEMENTS APPROACHING! REINFORCEMENTS APPROACHING!"
As the orange, mechanical ball cried out, a man dressed in a green pilot suit bearing wavy brown hair and sharp green eyes chuckled, having leaned back in the cockpit of his machine, awaiting for such an event like this to occur. It was, after all, mentioned in today's forecast. "Even Zero can't take 'em down that easily." he said as he pulled down the large piece of machinery above his head, down to eye level. It resembled an oversized gun, albeit lacking a barrel, carrying a trigger and handle for him to use, as well as a scope on the left side. "Alright, let's get started!"
He grinned as he took aim. "Dynames, Lockon Stratos, charging forward into our maiden battle!"
Meanwhile, back to the Gundam's battle, a barrage of bullets went straight for it. It brought up it's blade to defend against it, repelling the barrage before dancing around in the air, switching between defending against the hailstorm of metal or evading them. One might think it to be a work of art from a certain standpoint, but the pilot remained calm and cool, maintaining a steady distance from it's opponents. "Keep your distance!" the commander advised. "It may be a new model, but it's alone! Surround it, and take it down!"
One jet had managed to do just that. It had found itself directly behind the Gundam, the white Mobile Suit locked in sight, but soon found one of it's wings destroyed, blown apart by a pink blast, piercing through the metal in a single shot. The plane was sent spiraling to the ground, like many of it's fellows before it since the battle had begun. The others quickly grew bewildered, as the shot had not come from the Gundam. "E-enemy attack!"
"From where?" As if to answer that question, another pink beam was fired, ripping apart an accumulation of clouds before piercing another plane, and sending it into a downward spiral.
"From below?!" It was unbelievable. Even with all of the technological advancements they've made with their weaponry, be it with Mobile Suits or Knightmares, it was still considered impossible to possess such long range, nor accuracy.
"...Lockon Stratos."
There, down below, resting comfortably in a rocky region, was another Mobile Suit. This one was just like the first, being humanoid in from and bearing a mostly white color scheme, except instead of blue, it possessed dark green, and the "V"-shaped ornament on it's forehead was lowered, covering it's eyes while revealing a large blue lens, almost like a third eye. It laid on it's back, wielding a long rifle, bearing an equally as long barrel. Inside the cockpit, Lockon Stratos grinned. "Dynames," he announced with glee. "has targeted, and is ready to fire."
With that said, it unleashed several more blasts. While not hitting the cockpit, the blasts had done their damage, shooting down any unfortunate plane in the air that found itself in the green-colored Gundam's crosshairs. "Firing from the surface?" one of the remaining pilots gasped in utter shock and disbelief. Then, to his dread, he found himself being stared down by the blue Gundam. All he could do was scream as it raised it's blade, and swung it down with the intent to defeat him. It sliced straight through the wing, and like the rest of his comrades, he was thrown down to the ground.
The Gundam swiped it's blade back into it's sheath. For a second, it's eyes shined brilliantly.
"Second Phase..."
The green Gundam pulled up it's rifle as the "V" slid back up, hiding away the third eye. Lockon Stratos smirked in victory as he pulled the targeting assistance system up.
"...complete."
"That Mobile Suit is exposing Area 6's undeclared fighting strength?"
Away from the demonstration area, and away from the base, Billy and Graham had taken refuge inside the latter's military-issued Jeep, a loan from a friend of his in the colony. They remained in the parking lot, observing the battle from a relatively safe distance, and were currently discussing the possible reasons behind the attack. "Yeah." Graham nodded, observing one of the smaller variations of the Orbital Elevator established in Pendragon. Each Area that was under Britannia's control, either immediately or some time after it's occupation, were immediately subjected to construction plans to make smaller versions of the Orbital Elevator, or rather "sub-stations," which would be directly connected to the "main station" in Pendragon. "It's trying to show Britannia that Area 6 has more military power than what it's allowed by the rules set into place. It is possible to regulate, or expand military power, if the Viceroy of that Area has gained approval from high-ranking officials, like the Knights of the Round for example, but Area 6 isn't one of them. In other words, this is both a check and a warning."
Billy, intrigued by the idea, looked to his friend for answers. "Why would it do that?"
Graham shrugged his shoulders. "You'll have to ask the pilot of that Gundam thing."
"Hm."
"But," Graham turned his attention back to Area 6's Orbital Relay. "I really can't see Area 6, much less Britannia, taking this lying down."
Back at the European Union's Orbital Elevator, otherwise known as "Heaven's Pillar," the command center was relatively quiet. Many soldiers were at their respective terminals, typing away while bearing idle, yet relaxed faces. They knew that today was going to be a peaceful day, as the celebration wouldn't attract much attention. Besides, they doubted that anyone would be stupid enough to try and attack the station now of all times.
One of the soldiers frowned when he saw something pop up on his terminal, but sighed as he rubbed his neck tiredly, having been working for close to five hours now. "Another reading on the e-sensor." he said tiredly. "There sure is an awful lot of space rubble lately."
One of his colleagues leaned in, looking at the information displayed on the terminal before he showed concern. "Hey, isn't it's mass a little too great?"
"I'm sure it's just some remains of an old generation satellite getting caught." another soldier chimed in, a carefree smile on his face as he worked. The two seemed to agree with this logic until a sharp, demanding tone cut in from behind them.
"Get me a visual at maximum magnification." a commander ordered his troops. "Don't forget that the ceremony's still going on."
"Roger that." the first soldier said, doing as he was told as he input the proper commands into his terminal. The larger screen in the room, which showed the image of the satellite array antenna that extended outward from the Elevator, began to shrink in on the area of disturbance. To their shock, they say something grinding against the dish arrays, creating a sparking light. This caused everyone in the bridge to grow concerned as the soldier, now awake and alert, sat straighter in his seat. "I'll magnify the image!"
The image then zoomed in closer. What it showed was dark green Mobile Suits, one armed with a rocket launcher, and the others, armed with rifles. The commander instantly snarled in rage. "Mobile Suits?!" he snarled, immediately recognizing the model. They were called Hellions, a fourth-generation Knightmare that had been developed by the Chinese Federation during the invasion of Hong Kong by the Holy Britannian Empire.
"Unbelievable..." one of the personnel said in utter astonishment. "They snuck in with the debris! With the shield's interference, not only the Mobile Suit, but the pilot would've-" As if one cue, one of the Hellions suddenly exploded, left only as mere scrap that floated about. "What did I tell you?!"
"It looks like they mean business."
"Are they terrorists?"
Rather than answer that, the commander gave his orders. "Order Defense Force Three to scramble!"
With that, the facility was put into high alert. Alarms blared loudly like the wailing of a newborn echoing through out the halls as soldiers made their way to their own units in order to intercept the targets. "Dammit all!" one of the soldiers complained as he floated to his unit. "Of all the things to do at a ceremony!"
"B-but, sir..." The higher-ranking officer looked down, seeing a younger man already at the hatch to his Mobile Suit. "I've only had 120 hours of simulation training."
"Then just crash into them!" the soldier snapped. "You'll get promoted two whole ranks!" He flipped himself inside the MS as the hatch closed behind him.
"They're using Hellions?"
In the halls leading to the hangar bay, a soldier bearing a gaunt, war-aged face and a scar along his left eye scowled in anger. "Damn the Federation," he cursed the country's name in contempt. "This is happening because they'll sell weapons to anyone! Even another damned country!"
"Oh, my..." the girl in the cheongsam giggled as she watched anyone wearing a military uniform vacating the ball room. "They're leaving without the rest of us. How selfish of them."
"Shall we evacuate?" the man asked her.
The girl smiled. "Of course not." she said. "But, way to go, Sumeragi Lee Noriega. Your weather forecast was spot-on."
"MAXIMUM ALLOWANCE IN B3 AREA. 300 SECONDS UNTIL SECONDARY TEAM SCRAMBLES. LURE UNKNOWNS AWAY FROM B3 NONCOMBAT ZONE."
"CONTROL TO ALL UNITS, 0287 UNTIL UNKNOWNS REACH THE PILLAR."
"All units," the commander shouted over the comm link. "Control latitude. We're going in hot! Block the enemy's route!"
They did as they were complied, and adjusted their units. However, shortly after, new information from the command center popped up on the main monitor. "ENEMY HAS CHANGED COURSE!" The commander gritted his teeth. "Damn them! They're hiding behind the ring!" Sure enough, the Hellions moved from above, hiding away from the EU forces as they continued their advance towards the pillar. The commander was growing more and more frustrated by the day. These were a bunch of goddamned cowards! "We're going after them!" he shouted as he charged after them.
"S-sir!" the cadet cried, chasing after his superior. "We can't do this alone!"
"Don't give up!" he shouted back as he opened fire, adjusting his unit's position to achieve a better firing position. The bullet streams had completely missed their targets. The Hellions shot right through it, their progress completely undeterred, leaving them closer to their target. "Dammit!" Seeing the attack failed, the soldiers gave chase to the enemy forces. Once they were within range, the two Hellions at the rear opened up the large carrier in their possession, revealing three salvos, all of them ready to launch at the Orbital Elevator.
"The enemy is getting ready to fire!" one of the soldiers at the terminal shouted in fear. The commander gritted his teeth, hands clenched tightly. On the image, the salvos were launched, shooting straight for them. The soldiers became only more fearful and worried. "It's on course for a direct hit! We can't intercept in time!"
However, just as the missiles had reached the half-way mark, a pink beam came from nowhere, destroying two of the missiles. The remaining one struck the Elevator, causing a slight tremor to reverberate through the tower.
The tremor passed through the ballroom as well. The guests immediately became confused, looking around in confusion. "What's going on?" one of the guests questioned, searching for the source of the tremor. One of the girls merely gave a knowing smirk.
"A Gundam." she whispered with glee. "Gundam, Kyrios."
To the pilots' surprise, a orange blur flashed right past them, shooting straight for the Hellions. "Wh-whoa!" the cadet cried, feeling his unit shaking slightly. "Who's that?!"
"Miss Sumeragi's forecasting really is amazing." the pilot of the orange Gundam remarked, his eyes trained on the targets. When his presence finally became known to the enemy, they dropped the now-empty salvo-carrier, whirling around with their rifles at the ready. However, the Gundam was much faster, shooting down one of them quickly while diving upward, easily evading the second enemy's gunfire. Maneuvering around the streams was almost like child's play to him, performing a barrel-role to avoid another burst before firing off another round, blasting the second one away. He didn't bother to stop his flight, shooting past the downed enemy and bringing up the image of the third enemy unit, which continued it's advance. The pilot frowned when he saw the armaments attached to it's body. "A suicide attack?" he questioned before sighing. "Man, what is it with terrorists?"
He tapped the side of his helmet. "Tieria!"
"The unknown is charging straight for us!"
The commander growled in frustration. Even with the appearance of the unknown craft, likely a Mobile Suit, they still had one more enemy chasing after them! It was a last resort, chasing after them with futile attempts, yet the enemy was more than willing to sacrifice itself, if it meant damaging them. It would be impossible for the armed forces to reach the enemy in time. 'dammit all!' he shouted in his mind. He dared not look weak in front of his subordinates. 'Damn these sons of-!'
His thoughts were cut off when the image suddenly went dark. "What?!"
"What? What's going on?"
"We deserve an explanation!"
The girl in the cheongsam grinned further, ignoring the confusion around her. They were all ignorant of it. Ignorant of the change that was about to make itself known to the world. And yet, through that ignorance, they would bear witness to it... the ones who would challenge this decrepit world.
"Virtue."
Standing in front of Heaven's Pillar, and barring the way of the Hellion, was another white Mobile Suit, though in contrast to the previous three, this one was much more bulkier, bearing a black torso, large black pauldrons, and in its possession, a large black cannon. The pilot, wearing a purple pilot suit, bearing a cool and collected facade, simply stared at the target with apathy. "Virtue, preparing to destroy target." they said with a calm tone. The Gundam brought up it's cannon, a brilliant light emerging from it's muzzle.
A second later, a gigantic blast shot forward, engulfing the enemy unit. It was completely consumed by the light, metal and wires and pilot and all being ripped apart, left with nothing behind. As the light died down, the enemy unit was gone. There was nothing left it. Not even a singe bit of scrap. As the orange Gundam turned around, the large machine pulled back it's cannon, hefting it on it's shoulder while it's eyes burned bright blue. The pilot closed his eyes.
"Confirming. Third Phase, now complete."
The orange-clad pilot gave the bulky Gundam a slight glare. "Don't you think that was a little excessive?"
The blast of light had not gone unnoticed, nor had the destruction of the enemy forces. From the ballroom, which had a clear view of the spectactle, the news crew, alongside the rest of the party members, were left gaping in confusion. "What?" the newcaster blinked rapidly, trying to understand what had just happened. "What's going on?"
The girl, who stood off to the side, smirked. "A reformation." she answered to no one in particular before she turned to leave, her bodyguard trailing behind her.
In Area 11, a news broadcast was being held, viewed by hundreds of millions. As one might expect of global news coverage, there was information to be found in other countries, due to the diplomatic relations between countries, regardless of the growing hostilities. Normally, news was rather limited on the two superpowers besides Britannia, though recent events were currently far to large to be ignored.
Good morning. It's time for JNN News. First, we continue our coverage on the attack that took place at the high Orbital Station in the European Union, "Heaven's Pillar."
Among those viewing the news report were the students of Ashford Academy, a prestigious school founded by supporters of the late Marianne vi Britannia, former Knight of Two, and fifth consort to his Imperial Majesty, Charles zi Britannia. Despite being a Britannian institution, the school accepted by Britannians and Honorary Britannians, though as one might expect, this resulted in heated tensions, both inside and outside the classrooms. The latter half of which were disgusted, angered, and furious about their history being warped by Britannia, all because they were marked as the victors in the world's eyes.
About daybreak today, Eleven time, the European Union's high orbital station was attacked by what appears to be terrorist mobile suits.
The screen changed to the news anchor that had been present at the party, who was shown to be floating inside the now-empty ballroom, her face placed into the expected "false reporter" that one was often shown to have.
Around 6:00 p.m., Greenwich Mean Time, missiles were launched at the high orbital station by mobile suits believed to be terrorists.
To the surprise of the viewers, the screen then changed to the footage captured by the news crew. It showed the battlefield that had taken place just outside the ballroom, a giant beam of light that had slowly died down. It shifted to the left, revealing a large, white Mobile Suit, carrying a black cannon.
The missiles were then struck down by an as-yet unidentified Mobile Suit. This image was taken by the JNN crew that just happened to be on location.
As the news continued, with the spectators left in shock and awe, three students entered the cafeteria. One was a girl with blonde hair and blue-green eyes, while the other two were Elevens, both bearing brown hair. One had a more shy and meek look to him, wearing a sweater instead of a blazer over the dress shirt, while the other wore the traditional uniform, though his hair was slightly more curly, and has soft green eyes rather than brown eyes. "What is it?" the blonde girl, Louise Halevy, questioned. "What's going on?"
The one she was addressing, a girl with orange hair and light brown eyes, turned to answer her. "They're saying that guy took out the terrorists." Shirley Fenette told them.
The meek-looking boy, Saji Crossroad, became more interested as he started at the image intently, while the curly-haired boy, Suzaku Kururugi, frowned in confusion. "A mobile suit?" he asked. "Did they say who he belongs to?"
"That's what they're trying to find out." Shirley shrugged.
Saji's eyes narrowed. "What's going on?" Suddenly, the image changed back to the news anchor.
We now have an update on the incident. JNN has just received a video message from an organization that claims to have prevented the attack. It is not clear who they are, or if the contents of the video are genuine, but we believe they are closely involved with the incident.
Please watch, as we broadcast it, unedited.
With that finally said, the image then cut to the video. What it displayed immediately was a single room, Victorian in style with only an open window and lamp, as well as a carpet in view. Near the window was a singular individual, placed in a chair with a hand held firmly in a silver cane. He was quite old, perhaps somewhere in his fifties, bearing a dark suit with a purple cravat and black gloves. He was bald, with the remnants of his dark hair found only cut above his ears, and at his chin, where he carried a heavy beard and mustache that joined together, even reaching to the corners of his jaw. His face was gaunt and serious, staring back at the viewers with the utmost seriousness they had ever seen, a single eyepiece over his right eye.
At first, he was silent, as if gauging the audience, before speaking, his tone even and steady, yet his voice sharp and clear like a knife.
"I would like to make this announcement to every single human born and raised on Earth."
Already, after a few mere words, they felt drawn in by his speech. His manner of speaking, it carried a certain weight to them, almost like the words of the Emperor of Britannia himself.
"We call ourselves simply, Celestial Being. We are a private-armed organization in possession of the Mobile Weapon: Gundam."
"A private armed force?" Louise repeated, unable to believe such a thing.
Suzaku frowned in confusion upon hearing the name of this group. "Celestial... Being?"
"The main objective of Celestial Being's activities is to completely eliminate acts of war from this world."
Elsewhere, in the Settlement, a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair and almond eyes was also watching the video feed, albeit her mind was racking with confusion. She felt as if she had seen this man before, her brain already rumbling through it's archives to discover where she had seen this man. Beside her was a man with black hair, tied back into a ponytail, the right side of his hair longer and more wavy, while his blue eyes narrowed, traces of interest and excitement.
"We do not act for our own benefit or for personal gain. We have chosen to intervene for the greatest goal of all: to rid ourselves of the scourge of war."
In Pendragon, sitting upon a golden, decorated throne with the Britannian flag draped behind it was a bear of man, his shoulders broad and taut, the owner being equally as imposing with a hardened face, eyes as cold as steel, and a sharp, frosty beard at his chin, wearing golden paudrons with a cape flowing behind him. His face was straight-laced, staring at the screen. If looks could kill, the man on the screen would be dead in a heartbreat, yet somewhere beneath those eyes was recognition, as if recognizing the individual before him to be an equal, or perhaps someone of interest.
This was a rare thing indeed, for the one who watched the video feed was none other than Charles zi Britannia, the Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire.
"As of this moment, I make this declaration to all humanity."
"Territory, religion, energy..."
In the European Union, a young woman in her teens, carrying long light blonde hair and light blue eyes stared at the screen with interest and curiosity about this unknown group's ideals. She was garbed in military attire, a blue blazer with red highlights and gold trims, complete with white gloves and a decent length black skirt. At her side was a teen of Japanese descent, bearing dark blue hair that was tied back into a braid, and sharp blue eyes, wearing a similar uniform with the cuffs at the forearms, and in place of the skirt were blue jeans and leather boots.
"No matter what the reason or excuse..."
"...if there is an evident act of war being carried out, we will commence intervention with our force."
In the Chinese Federantion, the High Eunuchs gathered together, all of their white-garbed faces painted with worry over what sort of influence these figures will have over the world. Meanwhile, behind the group, seated in an ornate throne was a young albino child with white hair and red eyes, wearing a dark yellow dress, easily recognizable as the dress of the Empress. At her side was a man with long black hair, wearing a dark blue tunic with black shoulder pauldrons, a sword at his hip, hands clasped behind his back. Empress Tianzi looked to be very interest, and perhaps hopeful, about the message this group was creating, whereas Li Xingke, her ever faithful guardian, glared at the screen, wondering what this group's true intentions were.
"Any country country, organization or corporation that promotes war will also be a legitimate target for our intervention."
"We simply call ourselves Celestial Being. We are an armed organization that was established to eliminate all acts of war from this world. I repeat..."
In Area 11, at the Narita Mountains, a group of men, all garbed in the same attire, watched the message with clear worry in their faces. At the center of the group was a gaunt man with sunken cheeks and dark hair swept back, narrowed eyes staring at the screen as he sat in the sieza position, a katana sitting beside him while his fellow comrades watched the broadcast. Needless to say, the message this group gave was quite interesting, and at the same time, worrying for anyone that was engaged in conflict.
Kyoshiro Tohdoh narrowed his eyes at the figure. "They're claiming responsibility?"
"You gotta be shitting me!" Patrick, who was a man with fiery red hair that came down to his neck and carrying currently furious brown eyes, screamed as he stared at the screen. If he could, he would strangle the old man's neck. "These are the bastards that put me through this?!"
"Wait..." Kinue Crossroad's mind suddenly clicked as her eyes widened, garnering the attention of her partner, Diethard Ried. "That man..."
"The world..." the girl in the cheongsam, Wong Lieu Mei, said with pleasant delight as the leader of Celestial Being broadcasted his message for all to hear. "...is about to change."
In the Middle East, watching the broadcast were two women. The oldest had long, dark purple hair that fell past her shoulders, possessing the fierce gaze of a warrior, eyes narrowed in both ferocity and recognizing a potential threat, wearing a dark red suit with a cravat, and a golden high-collar, complete with a white cape that hid her shoulders. Sitting on the couch was a young woman with bluish violet eyes, carrying vibrant pink hair that fell down her shoulders, hands clasped over one another as she stared sadly at the screen. Euphemia li Britannia recognized that the group had good intentions, evident by their declaration to rid this world of war, a goal she whole-heatedly supported.
However...
"They want to solve the problem of war with more war." she said sadly as she watched the broadcast.
In Area 6, Graham threw his head back in laughter as he drove his Jeep through the rocky terrain. "This is real entertainment!" he claimed with a wide grin on his face while Billy stared at him with slight puzzlement and exasperation. "Using force to get rid of war?" He snapped his head forward, a fierce smile on his face. Deep within, he could already feel his heart pounding for it, the desire to engage in combat, to see these powerful warriors, to face them in the heat of combat for himself. His heart was leaping for the chance to face off against that blue Gundam! The one who so valiantly cut down it's foolish enemies!
"Celestial Being, your very existence in itself is a contradiction!"
"Can you hear it, Ribbons?"
Somewhere else, in a luxury suite hotel room, two men sat at the balcony, one with a wine glass in hand while the other looked at the azure sky with a look of wonder. The first man was older with reddish brown hair tied back, a strange whimsical smile on his face while dressed fashionably with a red suit and a black tie around his neck, his left leg crossed over the right knee and his right hand resting on the armchair. The other was a young man with light green hair and strange purple eyes, wearing a traditional outfit with a satin white top over a baggy gray shirt, a black collar around his neck.
"It is the sound..." Alejandro Corner said to Ribbons Almark as he raised his wine glass to the high heavens. "Of the reformation of humanity."
Inside the Ptolemy, where the crew members of Celestial Being watched and maintained the video broadcast which was being shown to all of the world, the pilot of Kyrios, Allelujah Haptism, smiled in joy. "Hallelujah..." he breathed in awe of their accomplishments... of the change they would soon bring to this twisted world. "All of the world's evil is exposed to us."
Tieria Erde, a purple-haired man with red eyes, and the pilot of Virtue, turned his head away, his arms folded. "Humanity is being tested..." he said simply, as if it were a fact. "By Celestial Being."
Sumeragi Lee Noriega looked down at the ground in slight sadness, knowing that she and everyone else in this organization have just descended down the path of no return. "This is a dreadful wrongdoing..." she said in slight sorrow, thinking about what her lover would say if he could see her now.
"Well..." Lockon said as he ceased the video feed from his communicator. "We've started it. It can't be stopped now."
At his feet, Haro jumped up, it's "ears" flopping as it bounced. "WON'T STOP! WON'T STOP!"
The brown-haired sniper of Celestial Being smiled down at the ball before looking to the pilot of the blue sword-wielding Gundam called Exia. He was wearing a blue pilot suit, and had yet to remove his helmet, which he was in the process of doing so, unlocking the pins and straps that connected it to the suit. "We've just picked a fight with the whole damn world!" he said, showing concern for the pilot. Unlike the other Meisters, the blue-clad pilot was the youngest, only sixteen years old; still only a child to the man. "You understand what this means, right, Zero?"
The pilot of Exia removed his helmet. It slid off easily with the straps undone, pulled away from his head, and held in his hands. "I understand..." he said slowly, staring up at the impressive and awe-inspiring form of the Mobile Suit GN-001 Gundam Exia. "Because..."
A gentle wind passed by, causing his raven-black hair to flap almost comically while his violet eyes stared back at Exia's shining blue ones. Staring at it brought forth both a sense of nostalgia and euphoria to him. This had been his first real sortie, the first time he had ever truly stood side by side with the machine that had guided him away from the darkness, the machine that had become his ideals, the want and desire to eradicate the twistedness from this world. Even now, the rage in his heart had yet to quell the fury that remained, after six years, but now he had an outlet to unleash this anger out on.
"We are the Gundam Meisters..." Zero Nula spoke with conviction. "...of Celestial Being."
"Even messiahs must create their own miracles." -Zero
Episode 1: Enter Celestial Being
Author's Notes
Well, I bet none of you expected this to happen, did ya? Well, to be perfectly frank, neither did I until I re-read Code Geass: Miraculous Birthday...and found myself cringing. I hate rewrites, just to be perfectly honest, but I couldn't look at it the same. You know what my thoughts were?
It was garbage. Total, utter GARBAGE.
So, yeah... this is a rewrite of Code Geass: Miraculous Birthday. Before I end this chapter, let me clear things up:
1 - Lelouch has taken the place of Setsuna F. Seiei, but the character has not been removed from the story entirely. Setsuna will not make a proper appearance until the second half of the story.
2 - Due to the mixing of the plotlines, the storylines have been split into two parts: Gundam 00 will be the first half, and Code Geass will be the second half.
3 - The Britannian Empire takes the role of the Union, the European Union as the Human Reform League, and the Chinese Federation as the AEU.
4 - In the previous version, there was a limited number of Mobile Suits, and even fewer pilots for them. In this version, there are many, but there is still a low number of pilots, due to Knightmares being the dominant weapon in the world of Code Geass, though that is not to say they will be the most powerful. Compared to a Mobile Suit, they're still pretty much scrap metal unless it's Knightmares like the Lancelot Albion, or the Guren S.E.I.T.E.N.
5 - The name Nula is Latin for zero, hence why it's apart of Lelouch's codename in Celestial Being.
Anyway, that's pretty much it. Leave your comments in the reviews, and tell me what you think. Did you like this story? Did you hate it? Do you prefer the original? You all have a wonderful day or night, wherever you life, please be safe.
Demons Anarchy of Pride, signing off.