Turn 2: Remembrance
Kallen smiled as she reached for the toast on the red hot grate. She cringed slightly as it burnt her finger and she quickly nudged it to her plate, letting it cool. When it was cool, she took a bite from it, waving to her mom as she went out the door, running to school with her bag slung across her shoulder.
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Kallen let out a relieved sigh as she sat down in her seat just as the bell rang. She looked up at the board, recording what she saw on the board with a bored look. She sighed as she rested her head on her arm, her pencil poking her in her cheek. She looked out the window and frowned.
'I miss the fighting… it wasn't boring…' She thought.
Suddenly, loud sonic booms could be heard through out Ashford Academy. All the students and teachers held their ears, cringing in the pain of the large booms. Kallen looked out the window, looking for the source of the noise. She saw nothing.
As suddenly as they were there, the sonic booms were silenced. The teacher sighed and looked at her students.
"Must have been the new police force testing the new Knightmare frames." The teacher said, shrugging.
The whole school soon erupted with noise and panic as the earth shook beneath them. Loud cracking and crashing could be heard and Kallen jumped from her seat as the noises grew louder. She ran out the door as the walls of the class room collapsed.
Kallen looked back to see a large, ominously grey machine looming over her. The mech turned, its red-orange eye looking at her. The mech turned, crashing the building around it as a large cannon unfolded, the barrel pointing at Kallen.
Kallen's eyes widened as she started running.
The entire hall way was engulfed in flames as the mech fired a large grenade was fired at Kallen.
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Berlioz scanned the newly created rubble where a red headed girl previously was. He sighed, turning his NEXT, Supplice, around and boosting out of the building.
Three communication screens appeared and a light haired woman, Patricia Dam, a thin man with slicked hair, Zanni, and a Russian man with a shaved head, Anima, all looked at Berlioz with accomplished expressions.
"All clear, Berlioz." They all said at once.
"My section will be done soon. All forces converge on Ashford Academy." He said, closing off connections.
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Kallen coughed as she stumbled into a dark room. She flicked on a light switch and squinted as the light reflected off of an orange and red machine. Kallen dusted her self off and walked up to her Guren MKII. Kallen smirked as she climbing into the cockpit and positioned her self. She stopped for a second, and then reached into her shirt, pulling a necklace out from under her tan over-shirt. She inserted the red key into a slot and turned it.
Lights illuminated the cockpit and the words "G.U.R.E.N. MKII setup" flashed in front of her. She smiled and let out a comforted sigh.
'I missed this…I almost forgot we didn't move this after Lelouch came here.' She thought, grabbing the handles sticking out of main dashboard and rushed forward, bursting through the wall in a burst of dust and shrapnel.
Kallen turned the Guren around as the smoke cleared; searching for the grey mech she had seen earlier. She stopped and glared as she saw it round the western most corner of Ashford.
Supplice stopped as the new, but smaller, threat confronted it. Berlioz could be heard laughing as he aimed the grenade at the Guren. Supplice stabilized itself, digging its feet into the ground, and locked onto the Guren.
"Not so fast!" Kallen yelled, moving forward in an arc as Berlioz fired the grenade. She flicked a switch and started the charge for the radiant wave surger.
Berlioz switched to his arm weapons and aimed both at the Guren, rushing at her.
Kallen raised the silver arm of the Guren and boosted forward.
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Near the south section of the Japanese settlement, a white mech with odd panel arms and strange devices on its shoulders met up with a blue reversed leg NEXT.
"Any more word from Berlioz?" Zanni, the pilot of the blue NEXT, asked.
"Nothing… It's worrying me." Patricia Dam replied as a grey-blue quad leg NEXT slid in next to them.
"Have you heard anything from Berlioz?" Zanni asked Anima as he lined his mech up with theirs.
"No word. Should we hurry?" Anima asked. Without a second of thought, they all rushed as fast as they could to Berlioz's location.
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Berlioz gasped as his mech shuddered with the impact of the smaller mech.
Kallen grinned as she pressed the button on the handle, creating a chain-reaction in the arm's complex system. Supplice started to bubble with the wave surger's energy.
"No! Not here!" Berlioz growled as he tried to move Supplice's arm to shoot the Guren, but it was too late. Kallen had backed up as Supplice exploded violently.
The three NEXTs rounded the corner of the school to see their commander blown to rubble. Patricia Dam was the first to react. She switched to her plasma cannons and aimed them at Kallen.
Suddenly, a large Hadron cannon blast erupted in front of Patricia Dam , knocking Hilarios back. Kallen looked up to see the Mordred floating slowly overhead, the mounted Hadron cannons unfolding.
"Damn…" Anya said dully. "Missed…" She pressed a couple buttons and the red lasers ejected out, racing at Hilarios. Zanni moved his NEXT to block the blasts as Anima shot some down.
Kallen saw her chance and aimed her double barrel hand gun at , seemingly the strongest of the remaining three. Zanni quickly turned and began firing laser rifles at the Guren. Kallen quickly backed up, dodging the blasts.
'Those'll tear the Guren to shreds…' Kallen thought as she hid behind the corner of the building.
Hilarios aimed her arm weapons at the Mordred. Anya braced the shield for an attack, but Hilarios' arms simply started to glow a bright blue-green. Zanni quickly helped 's effort to attack and fired laser rifles at the Mordred.
Anima sighed. "This is boring. I'm leaving if Berlioz is dead." He said unremorsefully. This pissed off Patricia Dam.
"What are you saying?!" She nearly erupted. "Berlioz was our fear leader, how dare you betray him!?" Patricia turned Hilarios to line up with Red Cap. She pressed a button and the MADNESS arms fired the kojima at Red Cap, burning a hole in the core, through and through, causing it to explode.
Zanni turned to face Hilarios and boosted into it as a sort of slap on the wrist.
"What has gotten over you?!" Zanni growled, shooting 's right arm with a laser rifle. "We're now short two men!"
Patricia Dam remained silent. Patricia was a confusing woman. She had much mental instability and her worst was her co-dependency on Berlioz and her anger issues.
"Sorry… Zan…" She said solemnly. The Hilarios turned around and quickly boosted away. Zanni soon followed.
Anya sighed as Kallen came out of her hiding spot. "Boring… memory deleted."
Kallen sighed hopelessly. "You'll never change." She said as she looked up at Anya. "Should we follow?" She asked.
Anya turned the Mordred. "No… They will not attack without order from Supplice." Anya said.
This caught Kallen off guard. "Supplice… that grey mech?" She asked.
"Yes. Their leader." Anya replied even duller, sounding slightly annoyed. The Mordred turned slowly and began to fly away.
"Wait!" Kallen called. "We need to work together. We need to reinstate the Black Knights. If this is Britannia, this means war." She said seriously.
The Mordred stopped. "Do what you wish. I don't care. Don't involve me." She said, flying away fast.
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Kallen sighed as she got out of the Guren, climbing down and stretching. Something caught her eye and she turned to her left. She gasped.
"Zero… Lelouch… is…" She stopped. "No. It's you, Suzaku." She frowned as she glared at the masked figure in front of her.
Zero reached up and pulled his mask off. His brown hair fell down and he frowned at Kallen. "You sound less than enthusiastic to see me." He said, walking up to her.
Kallen remained stoic and backed up. "Why did you kill Lelouch? I don't need his Geass for you to answer me." Kallen snapped.
Suzaku remained silent.
"Too cowardly to say it?!" Kallen yelled at him. "You dare…"
"He asked me to." Suzaku said calmly.
Kallen was shocked. Her eyes widened as she stood still and her mouth open. "You… he… asked you to?" She stuttered.
"Yes, for the Zero Requiem." Suzaku replied, put his mask on again. "We must restart the Black Knights. There have been attacks all over the world by the 10th generations." He said, his voice altered by the mask. "Do you wish to be Q-1 again?" Suzaku asked.
Kallen knew he was smirking beneath the mask. "Fine, but you better know what you're getting into." She said, frowning.
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Kallen sat down on her bed, worn out by the day's events. She hadn't seen her mother, and wasn't too worried. Before the rebellion, she hadn't been home much, so it wasn't too much of a surprise.
Kallen pulled off her over jacket as her stuffy room began to make her sweat. She looked up at the ceiling and closed her eyes. "I wish this war doesn't make me lose someone else…" She thought out loud. Kallen sighed as she sat up, running a hand through her hair and straightening it out. She smiled as she stood up and went to the bathroom. 'I think I'll take a shower… this day was rough.' She sighed, turning on the water.
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Kallen closed her eyes as the warm water covered her body besides her nose and above. Kallen leaned back, letting her hair become submerged.
'Who were those four…' Kallen thought, remembering the large machines she had encountered earlier. 'Berlioz… Supplice… Wait, isn't that a composer and his song is Marche Au Supplice?' Kallen started to wonder in her thoughts. 'And that woman… she killed her own friend. Is this what this war is going to be…?'
Kallen went underwater completely and closed her eyes, letting the warm water cover her forehead, calming herself down.
She started to think of more calm memories. 'Brother… I miss you… our time together…' Kallen smiled softly underwater and continued. 'Zero… Lelouch… I… I…' She popped her head out of the water and growled.
"That asshole left! He told Suzaku to kill him! What a loser!" Kallen nearly screamed, punching the wall. Kallen winced as a small stream of red trickled from the wall to the steaming water. Kallen sighed as she felt her eyes water with tears. "Lelouch…"
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Kallen walked into a destroyed building, looking around cautiously. 'This is it…' She thought, looking at the message on her phone with a map.
Kallen turned on her heel as she heard a footstep. In front of her stood Zero and a few of the former black knights; Ohgi, Tamaki, and Todou. Kallen smiled as she walked over to them.
Todou cleared his throat. "So… we're really doing this?" He asked in his deep but coarse voice.
Zero nodded. "Yes. With Kallen here, our chances are much higher for a successful rebellion." He said, looking at all of them.
Kallen smiled. 'Lelouch… you would be proud.' She thought as she looked around. "Is this all of us?" she asked with a fading tone.
"Yes. This is all… for now. Soon, more will come when Britannia unleashes more of the Collard." Zero said. The other four looked at Zero simultaneously and equally confused. "Collard…" He started. "… Are no different than the knights of the round, but stronger and more in number."
Kallen blinked. "So, were those four…?"
"Yes, Collard mercenaries, Berlioz's elite squadron, to be exact." Zero explained. "Now, we must hurry. Britannia is going to unveil the new #1 Collard. We must execute him." He said, walking into a dark hallway. He flipped a switch in the next room and four Burais and the Guren MKII sat in stasis.
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Millions of people were gathered in the main agora of the Britannia capital. A large storage container was placed in the main stage and guarded by glascows. On the main stage next to the storage contained was Nunnaly, the new Empress of Britannia, though she preferred being called a leader. Next to Nunnaly stood a few fancy dressed men, a German woman and one woman who looked Japanese. A lot of the crowd members noticed as well.
The shorter, German woman, Wynne D. Fanchion, leaned over and whispered to the other woman, Kasumi Sumika.
"Don't worry, Kasumi." Wynne grinned. "They'll warm up to you and all of us very soon."
Kasumi nodded. "Yeah… but is this…" Wynne silenced her as Nunnaly raised her hand and the crowd silenced.
"Thank you." Nunnaly started. "I am glad you all came for the unveiling of the newest defense force for Britannia and the world." Nunnaly signaled to a guard and he moved his glascow to unhook the container. The large door was pulled upward by two more glascows and the crowd gasped at the sight in front of them.
In the container were four NEXTs. One was a dark blue with odd looking weapons and an aeriodynamic design. Another was a black reversed leg mech with a shotgun and rocket launcher. The third was a brilliant bronze NEXT with energy weaponry. The Fourth was a red, heavy mech with large barrel arms…
But it was the fifth that got the most attention. The most unique of all was a brilliantly shining, and obviously new, aeriodynamic white NEXT with a strange design. Its core was wide and had wing-like protrusions.
A man with dark hair stepped up and grinned. "I give you, the newest defense of the world!" He called out, projecting his voice. Otsdarva, the man speaking, climbed into the dark blue NEXT and booted the system. "…The NEXT!" He exclaimed as his mech flew into the air quickly.
Suddenly, a large rocket hit Otsdarva in the back and the whole crowd was covered in smoke. When the smoke cleared, five masked people stood atop the storage container.
"We, the Black Knights, are here to stop this madness!" Zero proclaimed loudly as a few Burais charged through nearby buildings and fired slash harukens at Otsdarva, The projectiles were easily deflected by a shield.
Zero and Kallen both flinched. 'I hadn't predicted this...' Suzaku growled. "We will not allow this to happen while standing idly by!" A large explosion erupted behind the Black Knights. More smoke covered the crowd and a large shadow blanketed the crowd and the stage.
When the smoke dissipated, a large, white and gold NEXT was floating above the Black knights. It held an assault rifle in its right arm and a medium sized rectangle with two prongs and an energy source. The most prominent detail was the large triple cannon wings it sported on its back.
"This… is our Noblesse Oblige!" Zero exclaimed as the white mech picked them all up and flew off.
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Zero stood accomplished as the Black knights all sat relaxed in the main headquarters. Kallen was the only one missing, as she was asleep in her room. A light haired man stood next to Zero.
"Gerald Geraldine." Zero started, looking over at the NEXT pilot. "That is an impressive machine. Noblesse Oblige… a very appropriate name." He chuckled.
Gerald laughed as well. "It wasn't my idea. I am the second Noblesse Oblige pilot. Leonhardt died recently, and he gave me the title of Rosenthal's NEXT." He explained. "Where is that red-headed girl?" Gerald asked suddenly.
Zero looked at him confused. "Why?"
"I heard she is an experienced Knightmare Frame pilot, and I wanted to show her how to pilot a NEXT." He said.
Zero paused for a second. "No." He replied. "She will need to make her own so she can feel at home. She prefers fast machines. The Noblesse is strong, but a bulky NEXT." Zero said, looking at the Black Knights. "But all of you will soon be getting new 10th gen. knightmare frames." Zero said.
"Why not Kallen…?" Todou asked.
"Kozuki will be allowed the privilege to create her NEXT when we get the parts. From now until then, Kallen will not be joining you for the missions." All of them gasped, even Gerald.
"Zero… I mean no insult, but Kallen is…"
"…Without the better machine of all of us." Zero interrupted. "Kallen will either have the best or no mech."
All of them nodded. Better to have a good ace than the worst.
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Kallen let out a small sigh as she looked at her phone. "That about sums it up, Lelouch." Kallen said with a small smile.
Lelouch was silent for a moment. "Understood… Well, I will meet up with you soon. You have this number if you need to talk to me." He said. "Don't get yourself killed."
Kallen scoffed. "I won't." Kallen smiled. "I lo…" she stopped herself as she heard Lelouch laugh.
"I know, Kallen. Well… call me when you need me." He said, ending the call.
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Well, another chapter, another rebellion. I hope you enjoy the flashback leading to R3. The later chapters won't be as dreary as this one. There will be more action and comedy.
----- SilverARyuu
