Hello. It's been a while, hasn't it?

I honestly didn't expect for it to take this long to update. I've had this chapter completed for months now, but I never really got around to actually publishing it. You know, I never thought that college apps and high school could be such a burden. Oh well. Happy Mid-Winter Early Spring?

I've got a few things I'd like to say. First of all, I'm impressed by the amount of people who have read and responded to these little messages before each chapter. The dialogue I've received (compliments, suggestions, and critique) have all been very insightful. They've not only helped develop this story and my perception of the character's roles, but has also changed my general writing style and perception of the show.

Speaking of which, that reboot is happening. Frankly, I'm not all that excited for it. Say what you will, but I don't believe that Code Geass needs an extension. I appreciate where it was left off, I thought that the OVAs were fairly interesting (not canonical in the slightest, but whatever), and that Akito the Exiled was/is a decent filler series to satisfy my need for increased depth. There's just something rather uninviting about a R3, but that's fine. I'll probably just wait until it's all out before looking up some reviews.

You may note that there are small formatting differences within the upcoming chapters. Namely, the description of the date and time of the scene. When I initially wrote my chapters, I kept the date in mind and tried to indicate any significant time skips when they arose. At some point, however, I totally forgot about it. As I continued to write, I figured that it appealed to me as an element of readers connecting the dots, but after a constructing conversation with a reviewer, I realized how bad some of my transitions are. I'm making an effort to remedy these mistakes, but I'm really not feeling up to going back into some of the previous chapters to sort through them.

Regarding my previous comments on the characters of the series: This story has numerous reviews from people who disagree with my comments a while back on how I didn't want to include C.C. or Kallen in any sort of relationship with Lelouch. While I still favor my own views (it's not you, it's me), I feel that those people did a generally good job in justifying some of their character quirks (they can still piss me off at times, but that's fine).

Additionally, I've received a few reviews from people regarding some of the creative choices I've made (I haven't made that many yet, really), such as nerfing Kallen. I read a pretty well-stated review that argued that Kallen's backstory didn't warrant my need to reduce her power. While I still believe that Suzaku would be the superior pilot, the whole matter got me thinking about the KMF situations. Here's my idea: There are four central components of knightmare piloting: natural gifts (aces), physical prowess, experience, and technology (how good is the knightmare?). As far as my story is concerned, I think that I'll let Kallen and Suzaku be roughly even. While they're both aces, Kallen has more knightmare experience, and Suzaku is in a higher physical state. With that in mind, let's honestly give the other knightmares a break. Yes, this includes Tamaki. I always found it somewhat ridiculous how one-sided combat is in Code Geass when Kallen or Suzaku or some Knight of Rounds is involved. Yes, they've got a superior machine. Yes, they have their "ace" abilities activated. No, I don't think that they should be able to singlehandedly take on an army. I mean, seriously. I think that there should be more balance, especially since I'm of the belief that nearly any genetic gift (natural inclination towards strength or intellect or something) can be bypassed by training. I don't believe that aces should be able to easily stomp on people who have more than 10 years of experience piloting a knightmare in combat. Okay, when they're in a vastly superior unit that carries specialized weapons of mass destruction, sure. When it's a simply balanced duel, I think that there should be a bit more challenge before Kallen or Suzaku emerge victorious and scream "Zero!" at the top of their lungs for differening reasons. I understand that some of you might have some complaints about this choice, but this is something feels natural to a storyline. I realized the other day that one of my biggest anime pet peeves is when a character can just bypass the challenges that make a story a story. Maybe that's why I'm not that big of a fan of most of the 'Lelouch goes back in time, gets another Geass, and can have other people join him in the fun' stories. That's simply my case against most 'overpowered protagonists' in general, fanfiction or otherwise.

Sorry for getting off topic. Here's the next chapter. Also, the next chapter to be released won't be focused on Lelouch, but Charles.

9 - The Rolling Stones

"Tactics means doing what you can with what you have." - Saul Alinsky

Somewhere the Saint Franciscan Providence, Holy Britannian Empire

"Kanon."

"Yes, Your Excellency?"

"If I become emperor..."

"When you become emperor..."

"Yes. When I become emperor, would you be willing to serve as my prime minister?"

The room was so suddenly quiet that Schneizel looked up from his chess game to see if Kanon had somehow disappeared. His aide was still there, though; the man was simply frozen with an incredulous expression on his face.

"I'm being serious, Kanon."

Kanon spoke with a completely upbeat tone. "With respect, I would rather kill myself than take up your job."

"Why? It's not as though I plan to completely ignore the affairs of my nation like some other emperors that had best go unnamed."

"I realize that, but I still say no. If I had to do a quarter of the work that you do, I would go mad on the first day."

"But who else could I trust to aid my regime?"

"Sorry friend, but not me. I'll always be there to stab someone for you, or play blackjack, but not deal with politics. Perhaps Odysseus?"

Schneizel snorted. "Don't make me laugh. He'd probably only be good at foreign relations. I have no doubt that he'd be unable to control anything else."

"What about Guinevere?"

"A pretty face with a head of hot air. Her only purpose as is spreading rumors and her legs. The best thing I could do with her is having her blackmail the other noble families."

"Cornelia?"

"A rabid dog with a dependency on her sister. Even though she has her heart in the right place, she can't be diplomatic to save her life."

"Euphemia?"

"Too impulsive and empathetic. She has no interest in politics and too much interest in helping others."

"Ugh... Wait." Kanon leaped from his seat, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "I've got it! Truly, there is one who would be destined for the position of Prime Minister in your rule!"

"Oh? And who would that be?"

"Why, who other than the notorious..." Kanon dramatically brought a hand up to obscure his face. "Zero!"

Schneizel chuckled. "You're kidding. A terrorist as Prime Minister? The empire wouldn't last a day."

Kanon brought a hand up to his chest and set a foot down on the table. "Aha! That's where you're wrong! Imagine: you could be the dynamic duo that this empire needs! You could ensnare the hearts of the Britannian masses, while he rallies the Numbers to your side! You could promote order with one voice and empower justice with the other! The superb mixture of Machiavellianism and altruism! It would be the perfect combination!"

Schneizel stood and also struck a melodramatic pose, his voice matching the theatricality of his friend's. "Ah, yes! I can see it now! The wonderful Emperor Schneizel and the brilliant Zero would be the greatest team the world has ever seen! Legends shall be spoken of our shared wisdom and grace! It would be a true spectacle!" He brushed his hair with a dramatic flourish.

"Indeed! And together-!"

"We would be-!"


Area Eleven

"-unstoppable! Your Highness, Zero is the target we should be most concerned with!" Colonel Walrond spoke stiffly, his single functioning eye not wavering from Cornelia's gaze. "As the coordinator of the last three counter-offensives on the JLF, I can confirm that they are drowning in logistical problems. They've lost their only two strengths: manpower and stealth."

General Alex spoke up. "I'm afraid that I must agree with him, Your Highness. Zero has proven himself to be a formidable adversary! The JLF have been nothing but a nuisance for the last several years!"

"Taking on the Black Knights head on while there are still rogue pieces in play is dangerous and simply inviting trouble." Cornelia smirked at the thought of likening the war to a game of chess, but she didn't banish the thought, given the personal significance of Area 11. In fact, it almost felt respectful to use chess terms in memory of her younger brother. "Are you watching us all now, Lelouch? Nunnally? Are you cheering us on?"

She cleared her throat. "These JLF terrorists have been spawning far too much chaos in the Eleven population for too long. Our sources say that Zero still isn't entirely accepted by the wider Eleven population, and we are expending resources right now to keep it that way. We need to act as soon as possible to take out the outlying factors. Suppose that the Black Knights managed to merge with the JLF now.- Zero would have access to a large amount of weaponry and troops!"

"Even still-"

"How do you suggest we find them? So far, we've only ever been able to track Zero's location hours after he'd been somewhere."

"But-"

Darlton stepped forwards, his chest puffed out. "Brigadier General, Her Highness has already given her reasons. Are you defying the orders of the Viceroy?"

The offender snapped to attention. "I apologize, Your Highness! My intentions were not to offend you!"

Cornelia nodded to him, then looked across the assembled group. "As I said before, our mission is to eliminate the Japanese Liberation Front stronghold. Recently, the Eleven population of Narita have started reporting suspicious vehicles and large groups of soldiers moving up and down the nearby mountain."

"Thanks to their cooperation, these Elevens have effectively narrowed down our search area by tenfold. Now, since we have a general idea on their location, our forces can completely encircle them."

"We will be launching a four-pronged attack up the mountain, with a cooperative-independent company structure. The objective is to eliminate as many JLF members as possible and to locate documents within their facility that detail their suppliers. The leaders of the four assault forces will be myself, Darlton, Alex, and Gottwald."

The crowd murmured and glanced at Jeremiah, who was touting a smug expression.

"I thought your radical group was dead, Gottwald." A nearby colonel smirked and raised her eyebrows. "I heard you were demoted."

"My faction may have fallen, but I continue on. The actions of my subordinate shouldn't be mistaken with my own."

"Our assault will be supported by one G-1 command unit, a medical facility," Cornelia's face twisted as she recalled the bitter realization she had faced just the day before, "a standard reserve force, and the ASEEC experimental unit."


One Day Prior

"What do you mean 'we don't have a report'?!"

Guilford held the papers for his liege to see. "Your Highness, the doctors reported that there was no knightmare pilot treated for any wounds during the Saitama Ghetto purge. They directed my attention to the 100% fatality to reported casualty rate."

"Do we have an ID on the pilot?"

"Most of the troops say that his face was covered in too much blood to tell. The best thing we have was that his hair was black."

"You just described the majority of the Eleven population! That's all we have?!"

"I'm afraid so, Your Highness."

"What about the evac team?!" She was desperate now. They had been so close...

"They all say that they all had gaps in their memory right when Zero appeared."

"Why didn't I get a report of this?! We... We almost had it! We almost captured a solid connection to Zero, Darlton!"

Her loyal subordinate winced. "I... I know."

Cornelia groaned as she fell into her chair. "Our forces are being compromised by these stupid, filthy terrorists, and we don't even know if it until after it's over! Did we find the original pilot?"

"We found his body."

The princess grimaced and sighed. "Make sure that he gets a posthumous promotion. Also, we need to instate some of the identification policies so this thing doesn't happen again. I want you to draft up something, Darlton. It doesn't have to be too complicated."

"As you command."


"Jeremiah, I'm serious!" The dark-skinned knight scowled, the reports she had brought were scattered across her commanding officer's desk. "Even though it sounds ridiculous, there's still evidence that supports me!"

Margrave Gottwald tiredly rubbed his brow. "I understand, Villetta, and I agree with you; there's definitely something strange going on. If your theory proves correct, then it explains for why Zero was able to bypass our security so many times, and why Kewell turned traitor." He paused, looking warily at his subordinate. "But I simply don't have the time for these things, Villetta. Not since I was able to restore my position. Maybe after the Narita operation, but not now. I'm working hard to restore your rank, but I can't drop all that just to go after one lead. We have enemies here that are ready to tear us apart, and even chasing down Zero's contacts isn't worth it right now. However... If you really need help immediately, I suggest talking to that Diethard fellow. He might be the person you'll need."

Villetta fumed as she stood outside Jeremiah's office. Though she wholeheartedly respected the man, he really could be a completely ignorant idiot.

The knight frowned as she thought childishly, "Some help you are, Jeremiah. When I capture Zero, I'll make you beg for just a tiny shred of credit."


Ashford Academy

Kallen was unusually quiet the next couple of days. Though Rivalz and Nina seemed to be entirely unaware of any changes, everyone else -including Suzaku- realized her mood change. Lelouch, of course, took the entirely passive approach and did nothing. Milly chose to simply be a bit less energetic around Kallen. Suzaku asked her what was wrong, and nodded politely when she dismissed his concerns. Shirley also openly wondered what the problem was, and hugged Kallen when she said that it was 'nothing'.

Of course, this prompted warm smiles from the entire council... except for Milly, who chose to start making perverted suggestions that prompted split reactions from the rest of the council: a third in revulsion, a third in wonder, and a final third in embarrassment.

Kallen and Shirley immediately leaped out of the friendly embrace with red faces, only to be grabbed by Milly and pulled into a group hug. Rivalz and Nina were each pulled into a dreamland that appealed to a more... primal mindset. Suzaku scratched his neck awkwardly as the flush in his face slowly faded away, and Lelouch (who had been enjoying the rather tender atmosphere just a moment before) frowned and silently thanked whatever greater power above that Nunnally wasn't there.


Temporary Black Knight Base

"Interesting." The documents Oghi had just handed Zero outlined a comprehensive report of a Britannian operation. And it was no small endeavor, either. Britannia was planning to attack the JLF Headquarters. Apparently, a journalist for HI-TV had included this in his application. "This is a good opportunity to use the Gurren... And to test all of the recruits."

Zero snapped the folder closed. "This information... It's almost makes too much sense to be a trap. Of course Cornelia would target the JLF; they were the ones who captured Euphie. She's responding in full force now... This 'Diethard' man may be the person I need, since he seems to be so intimate with the Britannian military."

He spoke to Oghi, who was still waiting for orders. "This weekend, we're going hiking."

"Huh?"

"... To the Narita Mountains."

"Oh... Well then, I better start getting everything ready." Oghi rushed away.

Zero turned to melt back into the shadows (like all cool people do) when Kallen, who was waiting off to the side, stammered, "W-Wait!"

He turned back, looking at the girl. "What is it, Kallen?"

Kozuki bit her lip and looked at the key to the massive knightmare next to her. "T-Thank you. For everything, that is. Without you..." She bowed to him, taking care to be as respectful as possible. "I will fight honorably for you!"

Zero stood still. "... There's something more." He glided forwards. "Does it regard your mother?"

Kallen straightened up and stepped backwards shortly. "Y-No! No... It isn't... just her."

"Tell me, Kallen. What's wrong?"

Kallen closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.

Inhale.

"I'm sorry, Nunnally... Lelouch..." It almost felt like betrayal, but it was her duty. Japan came before anyone else.

"There's a boy at my school... I think that he knows that I'm a terrorist."

Zero was silent. Kallen took it as a pass to continue.

"When I was talking to him a few days ago, he knew I was only half-Britannian, and he acted as though he knew what I was doing outside of school."

"Who is the boy?"

"I'm so sorry, Nunnally." Kallen knew that she was doing the right thing, but it still felt so terrible. She had just robbed a girl of her elder brother, like Britannia had done to her. "His name is Lelouch-"

"-Lamperouge?"

Kallen blinked. Once. Twice. "Do you know him?"

Zero gave a chuckle, which sounded odd through his voice manipulator. "Of course. He's well-known in the Britannian underground. Besides... I've met him before."

Kallen opened her mouth, but no words came out. "Lelouch knows Zero's identity?!"

"Rest assured, he doesn't know who I am. We only talked for a short while, and we played a game of chess."

"Who won?" Kallen found herself asking despite the great deal of more important questions.

"It was a stalemate."

There was silence.

"I hope that one day we can have a rematch. That game was unlike any other I played..." He chuckled again. "In response to your unasked question, there will be no reason to... silence him. Mister Lamperouge is far from our greatest concern."


A Few Days Later, Atop the Narita Mountains

They had climbed the mountain at Narita willfully, and now they wished to back down. Couldn't they see that there was no escape? Lelouch had thought that the dozens upon dozens of knightmares surrounding the base of the Narita mountains would serve as ample motivation, but the "Knights of Justice" were now showing signs of cowardice. What had happened to their bravado?

"Perhaps I overestimated them. They may have a tendency to endure conflict, but they aren't yet willing to throw themselves upon a battlefield." But that didn't change the fact that this was their test. Those who passed would go on to become true warriors. Those who failed would be consumed in the flames of war. At least they would die to defend one of the last strongholds of their nation.

Tamaki had yelled and pitched a fit. His stupidity coupled with his boldness was growing to be very irritating. Now, the loudmouth was challenging the commander's authority, something that was absolutely intolerable in any functioning military.

"So be it." Without a single flourish or frivolous movement, Zero produced a handgun and aimed it at Tamaki, who was still pulling his own weapon off of his back. Oghi, who had been trying to reason with Zero, stepped out of the way and looked back and forth, seemingly unable to pick a side.

Then, in spite of the rapidity of his draw, Zero slowly pointed the gun up to his head, where he calmly rested the barrel against his side of mask.

The excavators chugged on through the Black Knights' silence.

"Our path of retreat has been cut off. If you think that you can survive without my guidance, then shoot me! Someone! Anyone! I am but a puppet with cut strings if you can lead better than me! My only purpose is to command, so kill me now if you refuse to follow!"

The Black Knights stared at him with wide eyes. If Zero died, then... what?

"Since you joined the Black Knights, you have had but two options: live with me, or die with me!"

No one stepped forward. No one attempted to usurp command. Tamaki placed his gun on his back. "Fine, fine! You're in charge here!"

"Anyone else?" Zero tightened his grip on the weapon. "Now's the time to make your claim!"

No one wanted to.

"I'm glad that we could all come to an agreement." Zero put the gun back beneath his cloak. He turned away. "Now, we make our statement."

"Attention Britannian forces. This is the Black Knights." Zero taunted over an open channel.

Cornelia smirked and eagerly tightened her grip on the controls. "This is Cornelia li Britannia, Viceroy of Area 11, Chief General of Britannia's Armed Forces, and Second Princess of the Empire."

"For the sake of preserving both of our forces, I ask that you stand down and leave the JLF intact. " Zero wanted to laugh aloud. "As though Cornelia would ever stand down to this challenge. She's too stubborn for that!"

"Is that a threat, Zero? Surely you realize that interfering with this operation would be reason enough for us to turn our sights on you!"

"The Black Knights will accept these repercussions. However, I once again urge you to withdraw in peace. If you choose to attack the JLF, we have no choice but to respond in full force. Both your soldiers and the civilians whom are no doubt listening to this broadcast are at risk. Our forces have grown larger, dear Viceroy, and the very earth of Japan stands with us. Do you really value your own pride over the lives that are under your control?"

"How dare he." Cornelia seethed inside her unit. "Guilford," she said through clenched teeth as she changed radio channels, "order the reinforcements to draw closer, and to watch our exterior. The Black Knights may attempt to coordinate with the JLF and breach our encirclement from outside."

"Very well, Your Highness. What of Narita?"

Exhaling through her nose, she debated and calculated. "We... evacuate the Elevens. Remove all potential for collateral from the city. I know that we already had an alert, but I'm elevating it to a viceregal order. Non-combatants' deaths will just be blamed on us at this point. Zero will just make it our fault."

"That will take around ten minutes if we rush, Your Highness. How do we proceed?"

"We lost the advantage of surprise, so now we must treat this as a siege. Maintain the encirclement, secure the points of interest. We'll continue the advance after we tie up the loose ends."

"Yes, Your Highness."

The heat in the cockpit noticeably rose as the purple-haired princess fumed. "This is ridiculous! How could they have anticipated this attack? What does he have planned? Who the hell does he think he is to deny his chance for peace?!"

Lelouch grinned behind his mask as he saw the halt in movement of the Britannian units below. "Good, Cornelia. Now, I want you to lie in wait, trapped within your own speculations. I may have sacrificed the advantage of surprise, but you still don't know what I plan to do. How does it feel, Cornelia?" He could almost picture her anger. She could never keep her emotions from overtaking her when they were children. This form of revenge may be petty, but it was both effective and amusing. "How does it feel to be helpless?"

"General Katase, I know you heard my broadcast."

"Zero, what is the meaning of this?!"

"I saw Cornelia was going to make a move against the stronghold of the Japanese resistance, and I couldn't allow it to stand."

"If you were so committed to our survival, then you would have notified us beforehand!"

Lelouch lied with an unseen smile on his face. "I'm afraid that I had no choice, General. I suspected that they were monitoring radios in this system for a while now, and contacting you would have prompted a full attack before we were prepared."

"And what's changed that is allowing you to contact us now?"

"I've already revealed my presence and called for peace. I have no doubt that they're listening in as we speak, but I don't plan to deliberately leak plans to them."

"Very well, then. What can I do for you, Zero?"

"General Katase, I humbly request that you temporarily relinquish control of your forces."

"..." There were no words to capture the extent of the JLF commander's feelings on the suggestion.

"I am well aware of the audacity of my request, but it is a... favorable option nonetheless."

"Tell me why." The general spoke with tight anger, yet it seemed that he was still open to reason. "Tell me why I should entrust my men's lives with you. After the occurrence at Kagawachi, I'm... less than eager to grant favors to you."

"Simply put, General, I can't guarantee the safety of your soldiers if they aren't understanding of my plan."

Katase spluttered at his implication. "Are you daring to threaten the JLF, Zero?! You have some nerve to make demands!"

"General, I would tell you more, but that would be leaking too much information on open airwaves. Launch your ECM, and I shall contact you on a private channel."

A bearded tactical officer frowned as he adjusted the dials. "Our connection was lost, Princess Euphemia. It seems that Zero wasn't lying about their jammer."

Euphemia nodded, then turned to one of her military aides. "Can we continue the operation under these conditions?"

"Of course, Your Highness. It is a fairly common tactic to attempt to block communications, but we've developed countermeasures for such trivialities." He indicated a crew of technicians who were intently typing into their terminals. "The final call rests upon the Chief General, but she would directly notify us if we were to withdraw.

"Sub-Viceroy, the temporary network is online!" One of the communications officers bowed stiffly before retaking his seat.

The princess nodded in response, before asking the more pressing matter. "How is the second evacuation proceeding?"

"It's on schedule, Your Highness. There were a few Britannians and Elevens that refused to leave during the first order. In a few more minutes, we should have the green light to launch the operation."

"What about Zero? Has he been sighted yet?"

"Not yet, Your Highness. Our reserve forces have reported nothing, and the evacuation teams haven't spotted anything suspicious. It is entirely possible this was a bluff to buy the JLF time, but Princess Cornelia doesn't wish to be caught off guard."

Euphemia grimly stared at her sister's IFF signal on the digital map. "But then that conversation we heard...?"

"It could have been false, but it also also could have been truthful. It is best to factor in as many possibilities as necessary."

"Sub-Viceroy, we have clearance from the evac squads!"

Euphemia turned to her aide. "Major, please contact the Viceroy."

He saluted in response and launched the communications system. A series of numbers flew across the screen as the call was made.

"Yes?" Cornelia's frustrated visage appeared on the display.

Euphemia smiled as she spoke to her sister. "Viceroy, all the townspeople have been evacuated from the city. Zero contacted General Katase of the JLF and requested permission to take command, but the general seemed reluctant to join him."

"Very well. We'll strike quickly, then. Thank you, Sub-Viceroy."

Lelouch chuckled silently as he watched the Britannian units eagerly rush towards the summit. "Right into my trap, Cornelia. You're in for quite the surprise... And you'll know that it's all your fault." He grinned maliciously as he watched two purple flares fly up from the enemy forces. Hundreds of these pawns and knights were falling right into his enormous gambit. "All that's left is to get my own pieces into play."

Cornelia frowned at the lack of opposition that they were facing as they scaled the mountain. "Is this Zero's work?" She patched through to Darlton. "Do we have any enemy contact?"

"Nothing so far, Your Highness. We haven't engaged a single enemy yet."

Cornelia's frown deepened as she reported these findings back to the G-1. "I anticipated that the JLF would choose to attack, not entrench themselves. Even though this is less dangerous for our troops, an extended siege isn't something I want to deal with."

"All preparations are complete! Black Knights, prepare to move out! Our mission is to launch a full attack on the Britannians for two reasons: we will help the JLF's escape," Lelouch's eyes narrowed, "and we will capture the Viceroy! The JLF will fully collaborate with us for this mission, and will serve as our supporting fire after the initial wave. Our offensive will be led by the Gurren Mark Two!"

Lelouch glanced down at the manual in his hands as he switched channels to connect with the Gurren. "Kallen, use Penetrating Electrode Number 2. Settle this with one blow."

Kallen responded with the expected data readings and reported the activation of the Gurren's chief weapon. Lelouch's eyes were alight with eagerness as the red knightmare's hand began to glow. Electricity danced wildly around the machine as it released a massive dosage of gamma radiation into the heat medium that carried the energy deep underground, into the water veins that crisscrossed below.

"Did it... Not work?" Lelouch blinked as he tried to see if his plan was coming to fruition. If this didn't function, then there'd be some major problems.

Thankfully, the ground began to tremble with great force. As the underground water table began to violently expand from heat, the terrain above vibrated with terrifying power before the pressure completely shattered it. All the way down the mountainside, dirt and boulders were displaced as the mountain face began to crumble. The destabilized stone was unable to remain intact as the natural foundations at the base of the mountain collapsed, prompting a terrifying landslide that carried the wrath of a vengeful nation.

Countless Britannian knightmares were swept up and away by the flood of land. The sky was riddled with contrails from the dozens of ejected cockpits, while the ground was littered with scraps of metal.

The town of Narita wasn't spared from the sweeping landslide, either. Countless buildings and streets simply exploded from the raw power of rocks in motion. The last cars that were escaping the conflict barely cleared the city limits before the mountain fell upon their homes and businesses. The few unfortunate souls that remained perished quickly from massive blunt trauma and suffocation.

"Zero! What the hell is this?! Was this your plan?!"

"General Katase, the time to strike is now! This opening won't last long!"

The Black Knights headed straight towards a isolated KMF groups as the enemy tried to intercept their attack. The soldiers were dispatched with ease, largely thanks to Kallen's obvious ability in the Gurren. Along the still-intact side of the mountain, JLF forces emerged from previously-hidden tunnels, taking advantage of their enemy's disorientation to pick off confused knightmare squadrons.

In short, it was a slaughter.


Kyoshiro Todoh was a practical man known for his intelligence and tactical mindset, as well as his sharp attitude. Yet, for once in his life...

"Can you repeat that again, General?" Todoh struggled to keep his face from looking absolutely shocked. They had entered the battle from behind enemy lines, expecting to salvage the JLF, but it seemed that the Holy Swords...

"I said that we are currently collaborating with Zero, Todoh. He came to us with a deal we couldn't refuse. He brought us this landslide so that we could have an opportunity to strike back at Cornelia's forces."

"So why can't you send us reinforcements immediately?!"

"I must first clear this with Zero. He took temporary command over the JLF for the duration of this battle, so that we could minimize losses from his landslide. I'm trying to contact him now so that he will send forces to you."

... The Holy Swords were at the disposal of Zero.

A new communication alert popped up on his heads-up display. Todoh scowled as he accepted the private connection. "So it's you, Zero."

"Indeed. It's a pleasure to finally meet the legendary Todoh Kyoshiro."

"I would like to have the same feelings to you, Zero. After all, you have achieved great things in a short window of time..." He paused as he traded a quick series of blows with the opposing knightmare. "However, I can't help but wonder what you have planned after taking charge of the JLF." He inhaled sharply and dodged away from a rather close lunge by the enemy.

"I assure you that I have no intention to take control of your resistance group, Todoh. My only desire at this point is to capture Cornelia li Britannia, which is why I personally am coming with my core squadron to subdue her. I've also dispatched a large JLF team to assist you in holding of those reinforcements."

"It is appreciated. Just know that my own troops can only fight off these forces for so long. After that, you'll be on your own."


Cornelia stopped short as she saw the red, demonized knightmare that blocked her path.

"Well..."

A member of the Royal Family was expected to be a role model for every Britannian. From a very young age, every royal child was taught how to behave, from talking to drinking to playing darts. It was a common expectation that a prince or princess demonstrate perfect behavior in any situation. Even in the face of certain death, Cornelia should've been able to compose a well-articulated warcry, ballad, or punchline that could be printed in gold leafed books for centuries to come...

"Shit."

... She really didn't care about her years of etiquette lessons at this point.


"Funny how these things pan out." Lelouch smirked victoriously as he watched Cornelia stand frozen before Kallen's knightmare. "How far you have fallen, Dear Sister. I look forward to our reunion."

The two knightmares lunged into action, with the princess attempting to make a desperate escape in the matter of seconds. "Nice try, Sister. I'm surprised that you could even get past Kallen, but your little evasion attempt stops now."

He fired over Cornelia's knightmare, letting her know that her escape route was cut off.

But of course, something had to screw it all up. And of course, it was that damnably inconvenient White Knight. For a while, it had seemed that the Black Knights could reasonably do battle with the Britannians, but now, they required backup.

"How embarrassing." Lelouch scoffed as he requested help from Katase, who thankfully obliged. At this point, the General could've downright refused his requests, but the thought of aiding in the capture of an imperial princess was very enticing to the old general.

"Oghi, aim for the purple knightmare's legs. We'll drag her cockpit out of this battle if we must!"

"Yes, Zero!"

"Zero!" Suddenly, the ground near the Viceroy was kicked up by a group of knightmares forming a protective circle around her.

Lelouch shook his head. It couldn't be him... But that tone! That arrogance! That contemptible nationalism!

"I, Jeremiah Gottwald, challenge you a duel! I'll show you what happens to fools that dare challenge the unquestionable might of the Imperial Family!"


Cornelia chuckled. Count on Gottwald to make an appearance when you least expected him. "Lord Gottwald, I order you to capture Zero! Leave the Lancelot and the Red Knightmare alone; they're occupying each other. All we need to do is get Zero, and this entire war is finished! This could be the end of the Area Eleven resistance!"

She could hear the energy in Gottwald's voice as he responded. "Yes, Your Highness!"


"Retreat, Kallen! Retreat!" Even though she was going even against the White Knightmare, Zero simply couldn't risk having her captured. He was pushing his own knightmare as fast as it could go while occasionally firing behind himself aimlessly. His comrades were doing their best to block Gottwald's line of fire, while also evading any unnecessary hits.

"Zero!" Orange was closing in fast, and his voice was filled with absolute delight. "This is the end for you! I will restore my honor!" He cackled and fired a few shots near the legs of their knightmares.

Oghi tried to turn around and fire, but the rapidity of the situation only allowed for him to let loose a few bullets before being forced to eject. Jeremiah paid little attention to him.

"This is Zero, calling all Black Knight and JLF forces! I'm requesting immediate aid to the Gurren and myself! I repeat, Kallen and I are in check!" He swerved on occasion to avoid Jeremiah's aim. His legs had already been clipped a few times, but there was no major damage to the system. Jeremiah continued to gain on him.

"What do I do?" Lelouch gritted his teeth as he shakily maneuvered the knightmare. It was only a matter of time before Gottwald caught up to him, and then he'd be helpless. Geass might not be enough to get him out. "Think, damn it!" He snarled, barely succeeding in leaping over a fallen tree. His ears were ringing and his head was starting to hurt. "No, not this again!"

"For Japan!" A call echoed from the mountaintop. Ten knightmares slid down the slopes, firing upon Jeremiah.


The nobleman scoffed as he slid into cover. "How dare these impudent monkeys bother to challenge me! They can't hope to touch me!"

Jeremiah's knightmare leaped into the air, narrowly avoiding the incoming fire. "You're lucky I'm out of ammo, you filthy primates!" As he landed, he produced a large baton and charged his enemies. As he grabbed the first burai, he bodily lifted the machine and used it to shield him from their comrade's fire. Then, he moved to the next enemy, quickly breaking the sensory array above the main body, forcing an ejection of the cockpit. Just as the machine was about to launch the pilot, Gottwald pushed the knightmare downwards, forcing the ejection to aim directly at another knightmare. The collision prompted a blinding blast, and the blanket of fire provided him with the cover he needed to approach the next enemy.

He continued to systematically demolish the opposing machines with ease, each one taking little more than a few seconds. Still, it felt like too long. "I must capture Zero!" The last enemy was disarmed and beaten in three quick blows. Jeremiah allowed the pilot to eject as he snatched up their gun and resumed the chase. He had lost his reach on Zero, but a few well-placed shots could supplement his disadvantage.

Putting years of experience and skill to use required only a single deep breath before he lined up a shot with Zero's fleeing knightmare.


"That was only a temporary measure. Those JLF troops were just some grunts, so they won't be that good at slowing him down." Zero felt the ringing in his head die down as he fled. "Good. Now then, I just need to retake a command point so that we can safely recover Kallen."

The sounds of fighting from behind ceased. There was a moment of silence before another shot rang out across the quiet battlefield, and Zero was losing control of his knightmare.

"Motor failure! Right now?!" The system diagnostics showed that the right leg of his knightmare was losing power and wouldn't be able to sustain a fast-paced roll. "Damn it!"


Gottwald was in pursuit once again. It wouldn't be long before he would be upon Zero. He fired at the slowing knightmare's legs, and they started to crumble. "Hm. So it comes down to this." He brought his knightmare in front of the fallen terrorist, and opened a direct communication channel. "Surrender now, Zero! Your acts of terror are over! This is the end for you!"

The masked man laughed. "Surrender... Why would I surrender?" Zero was clearly trying to buy time, but Gottwald was getting impatient to restore himself.

"Zero, exit the vehicle now and lie in a subdued position on the ground! Do not attempt a rocket ejection!"

"As if I would listen to you, Orange Boy!"

"O-O-Ora-Orange!? What the hell does that even mean?! You!" He reached a hand forward to wrench the cockpit out of the knightmare, but Zero had already ejected. "Damn it!" He took aim at the shrinking pod, only to realize that he couldn't risk killing Zero. A simply death-by-combustion was too good for the terrorist. And what really pissed Jeremiah off was that Zero knew how much he was worth.

He would hunt Zero down. He would throw that terrorist before the princess like the misbehaving bastard he was.

And it would be perfect.


Zero's fingers flew across the console as he attempted to hail allied forces, but there were none nearby.

"At this rate...!" He was about to open up the cockpit and step out when he heard the rumble of an approaching knightmare. "Damn! Is it Orange already? I need more time...!"

"Zero! I'm going to grab you! Don't move!"

"Kallen?" Zero was greeted with the sight of a crimson knightmare that was reaching for his machine.

"Yeah, it's me! Thank goodness you're okay! I was worried that you were already caught!"

"I'm glad to see that you're alright, Kallen. How did you manage to get away in order to find me?"

"I was able to push the white knight over a cliff, and then Tamaki and a few others showed up and kept shooting the guy as he tried to climb up. After a while, the knightmare decided to go another way, when I heard your first distress call. Tamaki's unit was destroyed by it, but I think they all made it out okay."

"That's good." Zero calculated their options. "What's the status of the battle? How many were killed?"

"I think... We're winning, Zero, but we can't get to the princess anymore. There's already been some fresh Britannians that are joining in. They've got way too many soldiers for us to fight. We lost a lot of Black Knights in the battle, too."

"Alright. Tell the Black Knights that we're retreating. We are not prepared to fight a war of attrition. Also, see who survived from the original team. I'm losing reserve power now, so I'll be in radio silence for some time."

"Yes, Zero!"

"You there!"

Kallen sped up her knightmare. She knew that voice, and it meant trouble. She couldn't risk a fight while Zero's life literally rested in her hand. "Screw off, Britannian pig! I'm busy!"

"Don't you dare try to evade me! You may have a good knightmare, but that will not be enough to overcome my skill!"

"Leave me alone, you stupid ass!" Kallen shouted in her cockpit, trying to speed the Gurren up.

The sound of gunfire greeted her as she tried to press ahead. "Shit!" Kallen weaved in and out as a few shots narrowly missed her. "I can't let Zero get hurt!" She held her leader's cabin close to her body as she continued to evade gunfire.

Jeremiah was pushing his knightmare to the limit, but it was to no avail. The other knightmare was simply too fast! "I can't let Zero get away! I must stop him at all costs!"

He would have to shoot to kill. No mercy.

The mere thought of Zero's death brought a satisfied smirk to Jeremiah's face.

"To Your Majesty, Empress Marianne, and Your Highnesses, Lelouch and Nunnally, I ask for guidance. Bring me strength so that my blade may strike true. All Hail Britannia!"

The Gurren was a tough machine, but even it couldn't sustain several direct hits without consequences. Kallen let out an angry growl. She hated being so helpless, but there was so little that she could do in her current position. She couldn't exactly drop her charge just to engage in combat. Even a skirmish could end up killing Zero, especially when he was the target. "But doing nothing won't solve anything!"

"Kallen, status. What's going on out there?"

"It's the Purist Gottwald! He's hot on my tail, and I can't fight back!"

"Can't you out speed him?"

"I can, but I need to move around too much to avoid getting shot!" She swerved narrowly. "There's no cover where we are right now!"

"What about combat?"

"I can't possibly put you- ... I need your permission to quickly put you in a very dangerous situation!"

"I trust you, Kallen. Take whatever action is necessary."

"He trusts me." Kallen noted with some pride. She shook off the distracting thoughts. "Hold on to something!"

"I am buckled in."

Needing no further hesitation, she tossed Zero's cockpit high into the air. Jeremiah's knightmare stopped and took aim, but that was far more than what Kallen needed. "Take this!" Kallen punched the opposing knightmare square in the chest, forcing it to lose its shot. As the knightmare rocketed backwards to continue taking aim, the Gurren darted forwards to take ahold of its arm. As Kallen began bombarding the machine with radiation, she was surprised to find that its arm was detached from its body. "Oh, nice try!"


Jeremiah gritted his teeth as he struggled to shoot at the slowly plummeting cockpit of Zero. This was it, his window of opportunity, but that demon of a knightmare was too much! It seemed to fly past everything he had, and that hand had almost melted him! He let another grunt as the red knightmare batted away his gun arm. "God Damn Eleven!" He tried to recover some sideways movement, but the overall structure of his knightmare was failing. There was little chance at him gaining any possibility to shoot Zero.

But he didn't need to shoot Zero now, did he?


Kallen continued to destroy the Purists' knightmare as the radiation surger cooled down from its last use. Even though Gottwald had far more years of experience and some natural talent, her innate skill and superior knightmare made the battle impossible to lose. He began focusing on fighting her instead of taking down Zero. His blows were well-placed and strong, but they were merely an annoyance to the Gurren. "Stop squirming!" She reached forwards and grasped the knightmare's main body, finally prepared to reuse her special weapon.

Oddly enough, he stopped squirming.

In fact, his knightmare grabbed on to her own and attempted to lock it in place with its remaining arm. "What the hell?!... Oh no!"

Her few precious seconds of combat were over, and there was no time before Zero would be crashing into the ground. Microwaving Jeremiah now would only take a few seconds, but those were seconds she didn't have.

Instead, Kallen chose to use her free arm to bash the head of the knightmare. Then, she shattered its only arm by pulling her weaponized appendage free. As he reeled forwards, she darted away to gently catch Zero's airborne pod.

"Zero, are you alright?!" She waited, but there was no response. "Zero?!" Kallen was fearful of her leader's fate. "I have to help him if he's hurt! He trusted me, and all I did was throw him into the sky!"


Jeremiah battled against his controls as he forced his knightmare to press on. All around his heated chamber, red lights flashed and alarms chirped. The strange knightmare had done a number on his system, and it wouldn't be long before the heavy damage would force a full failure. Already, his knightmare had attempted to launch him once, but he refused to give up so easily. Even though that red demon had dealt with him like a mere pest, he wasn't willing to lose. Not this time. A maniacal light was reflected from the red lights of the cockpit. "I will not be defeated so easily! I will not falter now!"


Kallen let out a yelp as a blunt force collided with her knightmare. She nearly dropped Zero's cockpit, but managed to keep ahold of it. Turning, she let out a growl. Why didn't this stupid Britannian just go away? His knightmare was practically destroyed, but it seemed that it was being held up by sheer willpower, and nothing else. He'd done enough to the Black Knights for the day, so why couldn't he just stop?

She swatted at Jeremiah's knightmare and fled the battlefield. The knight's howl echoed within his cockpit as the ejection system successfully triggered and launched him into the horizon.

"Damn." Zero had no idea what was going on around him. After he'd had his rather rough landing, the computers around him had started blinking out. Any attempt to communicate with Kallen had failed, and he was figuratively and literally left in the dark.

"This battle... Did not go as planned." He may have been rather bold and heavy-handed, but that was part of the plan. In fact, it was essential that Cornelia move her reserve units into the danger zone. This battle would likely mark a historic defeat on her part.

But it was far from perfect. Even though he had swept aside Cornelia's pawns, more had taken their place. Even when he had placed her in checkmate, Cornelia ended up with an ample supply of knights to protect herself. She managed to simply produce pieces out of nowhere. And there was that one knight...

Zero leaned his head against his hand. "The White Knightmare is becoming far greater of a problem than I imagined. Even though Kallen can fight it face on, the Gurren is our best knightmare. We only have it because those Kyoto fools were generous. Britannia on the other hand... They have limitless resources and far more pilots. Who knows what would happen if the Emperor decided that Area Eleven requires a Knight of Rounds?"

He shook his head. "The game is getting too complicated. I only have a few pieces; Britannia outnumbers us a million to one, and that's only when looking at their knights. I can't battle them like this... Even with all of Japan on my side, I don't have enough resources. I can't keep on fighting these skirmishes, either. Even though I practically crippled the enemy, there's always more to fight."

But what else was there? Zero was a symbol of justice. He was the incarnation of balance and equality. If he couldn't do it, then how would Nunnally's dream become reality? "I have to fight a different kind of battle. If they outnumber me, I have to simply bypass their numerical advantage." How? Sneak attacks? "Some objectives can't be secured so easily." Recruiting Britannians? "There's some sympathy already, but not many would be willing to give up their comfy lives for combat. The rest are either uninformed, or simply don't care."

"Think, Lelouch! If you're so damn smart, then think of something!" He growled and shook his fists. "What can I do?" The Black Knights were dependent on him! The world was dependent on the Black Knights! How could he possibly manage to shoulder the responsibility of the whole world?

What was holding him back from victory?

"We don't have an army." He realized. Even though Zero had convinced his troops that they were no longer a resistance group, he knew otherwise. "We're simply better equipped than before. They may have experience and top-notch weaponry, but we still aren't a true power. Cornelia's men are experienced, disciplined warriors. They are practically bred to battle. They respect command and are dedicated until their last breath." The thought emerged of himself leading an army of such caliber. The rivers would run red with the blood of his enemies. "Yes! If I could control a force like that, I'd be unstoppable! No general, no army, no Emperor could stand in my way!" He chuckled. "It will take time to expand our ranks, and even more time to train them. But eventually, I will impose my will upon them, and I'll have a true army."


Later That Evening

As darkness gathered above, a group of battle-weary Elevens crowded around a red knightmare. They were a few miles away from where the battle had taken place, in a complex of abandoned industrial buildings. The Black Knights and the Japanese Liberation Front stood side by side as friends and comrades rushed to help the wounded.

"You're Ohgi Kaname, correct?"

Oghi started and turned around. He had been smiling about their victory and reflecting on the simple brilliance of Zero's attack. He was greeted with the sight of a very severe looking man outfitted in JLF uniform. Behind him, three men and one woman were standing with ramrod straight posture and their arms crossed behind their backs.

The vice-commander of the Black Knights stepped backwards in awe as he realized who had spoken to him. "Y-yeah, I am."

Todoh Kyoshiro's eyes looked straight into Ohgi's. "Do you trust him, Ohgi?"

His piercing gaze made the man nervous, but the sub-leader still responded. "I do. I believe that Zero can help us."

"Do you think that the Black Knights will be able to liberate Japan singlehandedly? After today's events, Zero will become the only hope for freedom."

Ohgi frowned; something was confusing him. "What do you mean, sir? Is there something wrong? After all, isn't the JLF...?" He trailed off, unsure how to continue. Fortunately, Todoh followed up.

"The Japanese Liberation Front is finished. Even though our command staff is mostly intact, we lost our stronghold. During the end of the battle, General Katase managed to evacuate the remaining men, along with our files. After that, he triggered the base's self-destruction."

Todoh looked around at the crowd, who waited with bated breath as the red knightmare attempted to open up Zero's cockpit. "The Black Knights are the natural successor of the JLF. It's obvious that Kyoto trusts you, since they gave you the Gurren Mark 2. But I still wonder what Zero's personal motives are. The JLF was originally composed of former soldiers who wanted to continue doing their duty. Some of the smaller groups in Japan fight for freedom, and others fight for revenge. But Zero seems to have a different agenda entirely..."

A hush fell over the crowd as the pod cracked open. As the last rays of sunlight fell upon the Land of the Rising Sun, Zero stood above the hundreds of gathered Elevens. "People of Japan, today was a day to be remembered!" His cloak billowed majestically as he spread his arms. The crowd cheered. "Today, we not only managed to stop a Britannian offensive, but we responded in full force! The Black Knights and JLF stood united against Cornelia's forces, and we emerged victorious! The princess's army is in ruins, and her pride has been beaten back!" As he shook one of his fists, the cries of joy rose in volume. "Though many men and women lost their lives in this battle, they died for a purpose! They died for the dream of a free Japan!" The cheers swelled. "Soon, we will grow more powerful than Britannia itself, and we will use our strength to ensure that they never conquer these lands again!"

As the crowd roared its approval, the Gurren gently brought Zero to the ground, where he was quickly surrounded by his supporters. "Zero! Zero! Zero! Zero!"

Ohgi was shaken from his thoughts once more by Todoh. "He never refers to himself as Japanese." The soldier narrowed his eyes at the masked terrorist. "He avoids saying that he is Japanese." The Holy Swords started exchanging dark looks.

"Sir, are you saying that Zero's a-" Asahina shot a dark look at Ohgi as he lowered his voice. "-a Britannian?"

"No. I will not make that judgement just yet..." Todoh stopped and squinted. Zero was approaching.

Oghi subconsciously straightened up as Zero approached. The masked man made a nod to him. "I suppose congratulations are in order, Oghi. I just heard a great deal of how you guided the troops in my stead."

"Oh? It was nothing, really."

"Nonsense, Ohgi. The fact that you took charge in my absence is very important. I'm glad that you are my second-in-command."

Zero then turned to face Kyoshiro. "It's a pleasure to formally meet you, Todoh." He stuck a hand out from beneath his cloak. The JLF soldier gave a short pause before shaking the extended hand.

"It's a pleasure to meet you in person, Zero. I appreciate your aid in the battle. The Black Knights saved the JLF from certain disaster." He retracted his hand. "What happened to the princess, though? As I remember, we were holding off your personal forces when you had surrounded the princess."

There was a slight shift in Zero's posture that made him seem ever so slightly agitated. "Ah yes... There is a knightmare who has been a consistent thorn in my side ever since Shinjuku. It seems like the Britannians got their hands on next-generation technology that is comparable to the Gurren. Not only does it seem to have shields to protect it from our weaponry, but it's just as strong and just as fast as our Gurren. Today, it appeared just in time to save the princess and engage with our ace before more Britannian reinforcements arrived."

Todoh nodded. "That reminds me of my next question, Zero. Who did you nominate to operate the Gurren? I was shocked that there was anyone in the Black Knights that could operate an experimental knightmare."

"Our resident ace is Kallen Kozuki. She's the sister of Naoto Kozuki, who led this group some time before I did, as I understand. Kallen has proven to be an exceptionally valuable soldier."

Todoh nodded and looked up at the Gurren. It truly was an intimidating machine.

"Well then, it was nice to meet you, Todoh of Miracles." Zero began walking back towards the Gurren. "I'm sure that we'll meet again sometime soon."

"Huh?! The Todoh?" Tamaki stumbled up, a silly half-grin on his face and a bottle of beer in his hand. "Oi! Todoh! You're here to join the Black Knights, huh? That'd be really cool!"

Ohgi flushed in embarrassment. "Tamaki, don't be rude! Todoh is a comrade!" He grabbed Tamaki's arm. "And where on Earth did you even get alcohol? We were in a battle all day!"

The spiky-haired man shook off his friend's arm. "I goddit, I goddit! Geez, Ohgi! 's just a victory drink! You need to relax, y'know?" He chuckled and took another swig from his bottle. "I'm just wonderin' what the JLF's gonna do now that their base 's destroyed, right? 'd be a waste to just stop, y'know?"

Ohgi looked at Todoh. "I-I'm so sorry for his disrespectful behavior. Please excuse us."


Todoh stood still for some time, watching the crowds of rebels disperse and head home. He could hear the Holy Swords' apprehension, but he had other thoughts to attend to. What was their role in the world now that the JLF had fallen from grace? What was the path they were meant to walk?

"Todoh, surely you don't plan to join these hooligans?!" Chiba finally spoke up. "Those aren't real soldiers... They have no discipline, no real loyalty!"

Asahina chimed in. "It isn't the people I'm worried about; they all seem good. What really concerns me is Zero. He's just not... right. There's something in the way he walks and talks that makes me feel weary of him. I worry for Japan's future under his guidance."

Todoh turned to face the worried faces of his four soldiers. "What say you, Senba? Urabe?"

"It would be foolhardy to dismiss such an important person so quickly. While I do agree with Asahina, I think that we should carefully consider Zero's actions in the future before drawing any extreme conclusions."

Urabe spoke next. "I don't know what to think yet, but I'm willing to give Zero and the Black Knights a shot."

Chiba scoffed. "You would listen to that fool? Didn't you hear what Todoh said earlier? Zero could be a Britannian."

"Enough for now." Todoh brought a cell phone out of his pocket. "We have more immediate concerns. We must regroup as soon as possible and determine our next steps while the Britannians recover." As he dialed Katase's personal number, he reflected back on his meeting with Zero. "That man was confident even in defeat, and I can't blame him. Even though he failed to capture the princess, this battle will still be considered his." His expression tightened. "The question still remains: Who is Zero really fighting for? Is he here for Japan, or something else?"