Shadow Knights Act 1
Origin
In 2010, the Britannian army invaded Japan and, with the new Knightmare Frame, annihilated the Japanese army. I, Kage Irvine, was a Duke as well as one of the most ingenious tacticians in the Britannian War Corps, and also was the initial head of the Britannian Weapons Research Facility. However, I took an early resignation after I saw the cruelty that was placed upon the "elevens" and had a mansion built in the mountains of Fujiyama, completely free of the pain of the elevens, and the tyranny of my mother country.
It was to my surprise when I found Ohgi waiting on my front step, alone and unarmed, asking for my support in the Black Knights. Of course, I was an activist in stopping the Britannians and they're cruelty toward elevens, but to ask me to help remove the Emperor's rule?
I suppose they were lucky in asking me over anyone else. I despised my own Emperor for the terror he placed upon the world, and I would gladly help them in destroying the Empire I once served.
Luck had also shined on them in another way. Although I had retired from the military, my research on weaponry continued, with my scientists all feeling the same way towards Britannia that I did… It seemed the Black Knight ran on luck a lot… Me and my squad though… that was a different story altogether…
"Irvine Kage?"
"Yes. What do you want?" Kage asked coldly.
"My name is-"
"I know who you are, Kaname Ohgi. I must admit I'm rather surprised that you'd just walk up to a Britannian Duke's door both unarmed and alone."
"I'd rather be diplomatic when possible" Ohgi replied, "I was asked to request your assistance"
"Me? Help the Black Knights…?" Kage thought about it for a moment.
"From your hesitation, I guess you may be interested after all"
"And who exactly suggested that you come to me for assistance?" Kage turned and walked back into his mansion, signaling for Ohgi to follow.
"Zero, Mr. Irvine. He said that you were against the cruelty placed upon the Japanese, and that you might be willing to aid us in our cause…"
"Sit" Kage commanded as the two walked onto the back balcony, then turned and headed into the kitchen, leaving Ohgi for a moment, then returned with a pot of tea and two cups, "Sorry to say that I'm not particularly fond of sugar, and since I very rarely get guests I've never found a point in buying something I won't ever use." He sat down and placed the tea set on the coffee table between the two men.
"That's fine, I'm not too fond of sweetened tea myself" Ohgi chuckled nervously.
"So you say that Zero himself thought of me as a possible ally?" Kage himself chuckled darkly at this thought.
"Uhm… Yes, he did…" Ohgi's nervousness quickly grew.
Kage stood and gazed at his side of Fujiyama mountainside, "Isn't this mountain beautiful, Ohgi? To believe that it was ravaged during the short Japanese war…." He sat down once again without waiting for a reply from Ohgi, "I have to admit, to risk sacrificing not only his best man, but his entire cause in an attempt to gain a uniquely strong ally as myself… it's absolutely insane… Yet, he certainly did choose the right ex-soldier to recruit…" he sipped at his tea.
"You mean you'll join us?" the excitement lit Ohgi's eyes and laced his words.
"I'd like to know what plans Zero has for me before I decide…" Kage once again took a sip of his tea, then looked at Ohgi's tea, urging him to try some himself.
Ohgi took notice of his gaze and slowly took a drink of the tea, half expecting to suddenly be knocked unconscious, yet, instead, it filled him with warmth and life, "W..What an amazing brew of tea…" he said in shock.
Kage chuckled once again, "not only am I an excellent research scientist, I'm also a seeker of new and unique foods and drinks. If I like the terms on my service, I will gladly make my brews and stews for the entirety of the Black Knights."
"Well, that's the problem…" Ohgi sighed.
"Hm?"
"You aren't going to be working for the Black Knights. You will be answering only to Zero and myself, and will be the leader of your own group of soldiers."
"And what is the point of this?" It was obvious that Kage was interested. Who wouldn't be? Getting to command his own squad of renegades against the empire, why, it sounded like a marvelous adventure!
"Zero requires constant food shipments and strategic equipments as well as new weaponry, but he can't have these… 'Pointless' raids pinned on the Black Knights… I'm not too fond of this idea, but since the supplies would only be taken from the Britannians and not the people, I can accept the minor guilt…."
"So… He wants me and this squad of men to perform the most dangerous work out of the entire Black Knights… Infiltration, sabotage, smuggling, and assassinations, huh?" a sly grin grew upon Kage's features. The thought! Taking silent revenge against his own country with no consequences whatsoever! How could he be punished? Of course he'd wear a disguise so that the poor fools couldn't recognize him, and no one in Britannia had seen or heard of any of his new weapons technology. No one would be able to identify him, and all the while he'd be helping Zero and his rebellion. What a joyous opportunity! Praise the luck that had just shined upon him!
"That would be about it." Ohgi nodded.
"And you say that I and my squad would not be recognized as the Black Knights?"
"I have to admit I'm a little confused about that myself," Ohgi replied, "But obviously Zero chose you for a reason"
Kage's grin gleamed even brighter, "Very well then! The group will be called the Shadow Knights, a freelancer group who does not work with the Black Knights, but refuses to give Britannia any chance at beating Zero and his men!"
Ohgi just stared at Kage in astonishment towards his enormous energy, "I suppose that alias could work"
"However!" Kage pointed at Ohgi, "You and Zero will address us as Shadow Squadron, just in case someone intercepts our conversations somehow. It will also be in honor of my joining the Shadow Knights, hence my first name translating into Shadow in English"
"But wouldn't that be a little obvious?" Ohgi pointed out.
Kage held out his hand and gave a thumbs up childishly, "I will begin supporting Britannia from now on, that way it wouldn't add up that I would support them while betraying them!"
"But isn't that actually a common tactic?"
"Ye-……" he sat down again, "I suppose it is…."
"And you're supposed to be the master tactician" Ohgi sighed then stood, "Well, I'll go report to Zero that you've agreed" He then began walking towards the door.
"By the way, Ohgi"
"Hmm?"
"who exactly are the men of my squad?"
"Just a bunch of vagabonds and anti imperials who specialize in the things you and your team will be doing"
"And has it been decided who the second in command will be?"
"No, but we have chosen 2 units who may be able to carry that status. Kazuko Ikitema and Kisuke Rakaimi. Kazuko is a master at stealth and is a technical mastermind , and Kisuke is a demolitions expert, and can wield any kind of weapon. We'll send you a transport so you can meet them and decide who will be your second in command"
"No need" Kage responded, "I'll have them both as my seconds in command."
"Why both?"
"Isn't it obvious? As the leader, I am a tactical genius and will command the attacks while on the frontlines myself, Kazuko will be my information and recon specialist and will assist in distracting the enemy, and Kisuke will be my frontal attack leader and will use the strength of his team and his explosives to finally clear the area so that we can get what we need and get the hell out of the hot zone and get the supplies back to the Black Knights."
"And you came up with that entire plan just from hearing about their specialties?" Ohgi stared at the man in amazement.
"Go inform Zero. I'll get all of my equipment ready. We're going to need a home base for Shadow Squadron. I can provide all the machinery and technology required to keep a successful independent squad going, but I cannot provide a building as an HQ since it would be easy to trace the costs back to me."
"I'll tell Zero, and we'll see what we can do. Until the next time we meet, Commander Shadow" Ohgi joked as he walked out the door.
I suppose this agreement could be called the prelude to my rebirth as a renegade Anti Imperial… but who said that was a bad thing? It wasn't more than a day before I was taken to the first official hideout of the Shadow Knights. The first people I met were Kazuko and Kisuke, and we immediately met eye to eye on our tactics and plans. Then I met the rest of the squad. All of them were, as Ohgi said, outcasts from the rest of the world who were looking for their one way to strike back at Britannia. Well, I can say proudly that they had found that one way. Serving under my tactics and technology, we will be the hammer of fate, We will be the ones who led the Japanese, no, the World, into a New Age!
Author's note: Yes I know I still need to work on my other stories but this idea has been pecking the inside of my head longer than the Finishing Files, Signing our Forever second chapter .. So I decided I'd write the first chapter here. The story will span the ENTIRE series, including the year between season one and season 2. We'll just have to see where it goes I guess ^ ^ PLEASE Read and Review!
