Somebody Lost: You'll see.

Guest: I'm glad you like it.

Really, was there anyone who wasn't annoyed with Nina's xenophobia?

I like Shirley/ Lelouch too.

H-heh-heh-heh...

Oh, thanks for the suggestions. But not everyone's going to be paired up romantically.

lightshadow101: Good to see you're happy.

CodeMENT is pretty awesome. Episode 15 came out a mere month ago, so try to be patient, okay?

BlackmilkOulouch18: Pretty fireworks...

Yeah, CC likes pizza and Cheese-kun plushies and Dash likes takeout food and eldrich abomination plushies.

You'll see.

I'll make interactions, but it'll take some time for them to get fluffy, per say. I'm glad you like it.

I'll update when I can.

koryanders: Good to hear.

RandomName3064: You already got my private message, so yeah.

A young, teenaged girl with long shiny black hair, vibrant green eyes and a fine kimono shot down the halls. She had heard the news earlier and now she just had to see it. She rounded one more corner before she came to the lab door and opened it up.

The lab was fairly spacious, with a magnificent red knightmare frame gleaming in the light. By it's side was the skeleton of another knightmare frame. It's structure was bulkier than the red knightmare and a bit taller as well. Various scientists swarmed over it, either building over the skeleton or inputting more data.

The girl looked up at the second frame as the scientist, a woman with wavy blonde hair, nut-brown skin, a tobacco pipe, a mahogany red shirt barring her midriff, and grey pants with wide cuffs hovering over sandals.

"Is that it, Dr. Chawla?" she asked.

"Indeed it is," Dr. Chawla confirmed, "It's impressive to say the least, Lady Sumeragi."

"And they just gave it to us?"

"The data, instruction manual, materials, and drive were all included with the skeleton," she replied, taking a draw out of her pipe.

"How soon will you have it up and running?" Lady Sumeragi asked.

"It seems that whoever gave this to us wanted it to be used as quickly as possible," Dr. Chawla replied, looking at the knightmare frame.

"The programs attached to this frame have been specifically designed to help speed up the building and installing, as well as providing a system of power that can rely on multiple types of power, not just sakuradite."

"So basically, their creator wants this to be used in battle and soon," the younger female summarized, "Are there any bugs or viruses?"

Dr. Chawla shook her head. "We've combed over the frame three times now and are on the fourth sweep. Of course, it could be technology that our sensors can't find, but the chances of that are slim to none; this model here is almost a decade ahead of anything I've ever seen, yet even with all of the steps put in to let it be built as quickly as possible..."

Dr. Chawla trailed off, looking thoughtful. Lady Sumeragi blinked. "Dr. Chawla?"

Suzaku fought back a twitch.

He, Rai and Dash were at a supermarket nearing midnight, picking up groceries. A minute ago, Elle had called, possibly, for the eighth time since they got there, changing her mind about the food they were getting for her.

The brunet snapped the phone closed before turning to his companions and saying. "Now she wants squid and anything that has lamb or plums."

Dash and Rai both groaned at that. Now they had to return the items they just got and get new ones.

"I never thought that a soon-to-be mother would be so difficult to look after," Rai grumbled as he put back the cake mix and ketchup.

"Bringing about a child into this world is a very serious business and a mother's body has to change to accommodate it," Dash replied as he browsed the seafood section, "so it makes sense Elle's in such moods."

Suzaku said nothing as he tried to find either products with plumbs or lamb. What he wouldn't give to find such products, especially if both were combined to make a soup-like dish; maybe that would help Elle calm down.

How did this happen...?

Suzaku yawned as he made his way from the lab to his locker at the military compound. He was glad he'd be able to get home at a reasonable time tonight. He collected his belongings and was about to exit when-

"SUZAKU!"

A blur of black, red and grey shot over to him before Suzaku was slammed onto the floor with Dash on top of him.

"Wha-what are you doing here?!" Suzaku cried incredulously.

Dash seemed to calm down somewhat before he took something and set it in his hands. Suzaku blinked.

"What is this, and why does it say 'positive'?" he asked.

Dash blinked before he face-palmed as he said in a flat tone, "It's a pregnancy device; Elle's pregnancy device. She's going to be having a child; your child."

Suzaku couldn't think; it was as if he had been struck by lightning. "Eh?" he said weakly.

"Y'all are gonna have a bouncin' bundle of pink flesh monkey commonly referred to as 'a baby'," Dash dead-panned.

!-!-!-!

She and I haven't had sex at all since we traveled back in time, Suzaku thought, and the only other time we've had it at all is the night before we met Dash and Rai. I don't understand how it could have happened.

Yet it was. It wasn't like Suzaku was upset; a new life was something to celebrate after all. But...

I can't believe I'm really going to be a father.

Elle looked back Suzaku from where she was laying on the bed. The two were alone in the apartment, Rai being off with the Black Knights and Dash still free-loading at the Statfeld's manor.

"Hey," he said rather lamely.

"Hey," she greeted, smiling slightly.

He walked over to her before kneeling down and taking her hand in his own and asking, "Are you feeling okay?"

Elle forced a chuckle out. "There's a kid inside me. There is a legitimate human being growing inside me right now and it's gonna come out in roughly eight to nine months. I'm not really sure how I feel."

Suzaku pressed a kiss against the skin of her knuckle softly before he gently cupped her face in his palm, looking at the slightly older woman with a tender and loving expression. Elle melted almost immediately as an equally warm smile graced her lips and she touched his face as well.

"We're going to be parents, Suzaku," she whispered, "We're gonna to be a mama and papa."

At that, tears started to prick Elle's eyes before Suzaku carefully wiped them away. A tiny laugh escaped her lips as she gripped his hands, golden-brown eyes closing as she clutched at the skin beneath her fingers before the two leaned in, their lips brushing against one anothers.

"I don't know how this happened, Suzaku. But what I do know is we're going to do the best we can for this little one," Elle told him, before setting a gentle hand on her belly.

Suzaku glanced down where her hand was. "Is it all right if I...?"

Elle chuckled slightly before she lifted up a bit of her shirt, revealing the skin of her lower torso. "Go ahead."

Suzaku leaned down to look at the belly, feeling rather awed. To think that in just under a year, he and Elle both would be taking care of a child. It wouldn't be easy; he still had to help Lelouch and possibly reshape the world after all and fight in a lot of battles. Yet, he felt as if he could really do it.

Man, I really have changed; if this happened to me when I was still me ten years ago...

Suzaku shook his head to clear the thought before he reached out and stroked the skin, making Elle giggle slightly from being tickled.

Just then, Suzaku's phone rang again. He flipped it open. "Yes, Elle?"

"Asshole," Elle growled, "Where the fuck are you? I want ma Cheetos."

Suzaku suppressed a groan. She wanted another new food now. "We're still at the store, sweetie," he said gently, "I'll get you your Cheetos."

Elle sounded like she was going to reply before she groaned in pain before Suzaku heard something spilling and there was silence for nearly a minute.

"Elle...?" Suzaku asked softly, feeling worried.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! GIMME MA CHEETOS!" Elle bellowed back into the phone, rattling Suzaku.

"Of course dear," Suzaku said as kindly as he could before he heard the line click off.

He set the device in his pocket before he went to go find Dash and Rai.

It was nearly midnight. Lelouch was silently typing away at his laptop, amethyst eyes scrying and sharp as eh read over documents and reports and filed different orders and typed up his own strategies.

CC, meanwhile, had fallen asleep hours ago in his bed once more, hugging her Cheese-kun plushie, and smelling of pizza, as usual. As he finished reading another report, he heard wheels gently creak against the floor.

"Still up, brother?" Nunnally asked gently.

Lelouch nodded absently before he heard his little sister wheel over to him.

"I can ask Sayaka to make you some coffee," she suggested, "She's still awake."

"You have school tomorrow, little sister," Lelouch said gently.

"That doesn't stop you from doing all of those reports, big brother," Nunnally chuckled, as she laid a hand on her brother's shoulder.

The raven-haired male smiled softly.

Yes, Nunnally knew about Zero and the Black Knights. He expected her to be surprised or upset. He didn't expect her response when he said it was for her or how she told him.

It was the morning after the Black Knight's debut and the two of them were eating breakfast.

"I know you're Zero, Lelouch."

Lelouch nearly spat out the tea he had just sipped before getting it down and coughing a bit. He looked up from his food at Nunnally, questions running rampet in his head. He couldn't believe it. How did she find out? Was it because she was at the hotel?

"Nunnally, I-!" he began.

"And if," Nunnally said with a stern expression, "if you're doing this just to give me the world I selfishly wished for, when all I want and need to be happy in this life is to be with you and our friends, when I don't care what people think of me and you shouldn't either, and especially if you continue to try to use me as an excuse, then I won't be able to call you my brother anymore."

Nunnally had also met CC. She seemed very happy to formally meet CC, now that her eyes were open. The two got along very well, but Lelouch still kept a close eye on CC. He didn't want that green-haired witch corrupting his sister.

"Brother, Nunnally said softly, "What were you fighting with CC about earlier?"

Lelouch grimaced as he remembered.

Lelouch nearly dropped his laptop.

"... what."

CC looked up from where she had gotten out of the swimming pool. "You should tell the Black Knights who you really are."

"What brought this on?" he asked.

CC, so far, had done next for him, except messing up his room, using his money and generally being a nuisance rather than an accomplice. So he was both surprised that she would offer him advice and bewildered at how stupid said advice was.

"I told you that Zero is a symbol. If my men are to believe in it, then I must not show them my face," Lelouch said to CC, as he typed in a few more keys, "Especially right now of all times."

"I think she's right."

Lelouch stared at his sister in disbelief. "What."

Nunnally looked back at him and said, "I think CC's right; you should tell them who you are. If you don't, then someone might find our about you and turn them against you with that knowledge if they ever get the chance."

If it were anyone else, then Lelouch would have dismissed their words. But Nunnally was the one who was saying them, and her expression was so serious, so knowing, Lelouch caved in.

"But I can't tell them yet," he told her, "Not when there's the chance they could still turn their backs on me if they found out."

Nunnally nodded. "That would be smart. If they trust you, and you trust them, then you could do it when both conditions are met. Speaking of, how are the plans for Narita going?"

A few days prior, he had been given quite a hefty amount of information from one reporter Dietard Reed about an assault that had been planned on the Narita mountains. It included the strength of Cornelia's forces as well as the strategy involving the strike.

If Lelouch played his cards right, then he would succeed in establishing the Black Knight as an army, striking a powerful blow against Britannia and starting the war that would change the world into what-

"Brother."

Nunnally's hands gripped Lelouch's tightly a moment later, distilling his train of thought.

"Nunnally," he said softly, looking back at her.

His little sister smiled at him soothingly.

Rai was rendered speechless.

No, not by Nunnally.

Definitely not.

Nope.

Before him, was the most beautiful creation he had ever seen.

Again, not Nunnally.

No.

Just no.

Stop insinuating otherwise, Author!

A young woman with blonde hair tied back, red turtleneck, blue jeans and black jacket rolled her storm blue eyes from where she was sitting in IB English 2.

Fine, geez...

A knightmare frame stood side by side with the Guren. It was pale blue with silver trim, it's build bulkier and a bit taller than the Guren. It's head had a helmet-like visor with two eye holes and curved ram horns and it's eyes were red. The chest and cockpit were a pale violet, it's right arm had a blaster attached to it, two sets of slash harkens at it's hips and wrists and it's left arm was deathly white and had broad claws, similar to the Guren. On it's back was a giant warhammer with a silver head and pale blue handle.

Kallen looked back at him before looking back at his frame. "Did Elle make that?" she asked softly.

Rai nodded, eyes still glued. "I knew she was working on frames, but I never imagined that she would send something like this along with Guren. This should have taken her more time than when we just got here."

Could she had been working on this since Sir Dash and I met them?

"The Guren Mk-II and the Seiso MK-I."

Rai and Kallen looked back to see Zero walk up to them, regal and mysterious. However, Rai had gotten over his mysteriousness and now heartily agreed with his comrades.

Zero.

Was.

A.

Ham.

"What do you think of them?" Zero asked Rai and Kallen.

"They're incredible," Kallen said.

"I've never seen anything like it," Rai replied truthfully.

At that, Zero tossed them each an item. Kallen caught hers with ease while Rai momentarily fumbled with his. The item was a microchip key with a jagged rhombus colored pale blue and silver, with black eye-like features near the chip, with a black round key-chain like loop.

"They are yours," Zero stated.

Rai's eyes nearly bulged out of his sockets as he looked back at the Seiso. That beautiful machine was his?!

"You are both outstanding pilots in your own right and have proven yourselves over more than once," Zero said, "As for myself, I am but a commander. I would not be able to use either Knightmare frame to their full potential."

Kallen smiled. "Thank you so much, Zero. We won't let you down."

Rai nodded as well before he looked back up at the Seiso as Zero walked off to deal with the new recruits.

Oh Elle, thank you so much.

"Hey Rai."

Rai turned back to Kalen, who held something behind her back. "I've got something for you. Close your eyes."

The silver-haired male did as he was told and closed his eyes. A moment later, he felt Kallen put something on his head.

"Open them."

Rai's eyes opened to see Kallen holding a mirror to him, showing his reflection. A red, thin headband with dark blue stitching on the sides was around him now.

"Even if no one else says it, you're not just one of the Black Knights; you're one of Naoto Kouzuki's freedom fighters," Kallen said, smiling at him.

Kallen-!

Rai smiled, feeling his chest swell with warmth. "Thank you. I'm truly honored."

Euphie fought back a grimace.

They were just minutes away from the battle beginning at Narita mountain. She had her own command center, but she knew Cornelia had given it to her only if it would pacify her.

It was infuriating to be treated like she was made of glass. Still, she knew her older sister was only thinking about her safety. The knightmare frames were being deployed as she awaited for her sister's signal.

Speaking of frames.

She hadn't had much time to see or speak with Suzaku ever since that afternoon when she met him, again thanks to her older sister. She then turned back from the table and walked to the exit.

"Your highness?" one of the guards said, "May I ask where you're going?"

"I simply wish to make sure the Lancelot is operational," Euphie said, "Please let me by."

The guard looked like he wanted to say something else, but he simply stood aside and allowed her to pass. She soon arrived at the hanger and was about to open the door-

"... place now, Suzaku," Lloyd said, though he sounded less than pleased.

"I'm sorry that it's like this, Lloyd," Suzaku said gently.

"It' fine, Suzaku; it's for his Majesty's sake after all," Cecile said gently.

"Yeah..."

Euphie blinked. Were they talking about her father? That was the only "majesty" she knew. Well two, if she counted her father. Or was it someone else?

"So, how's Mrs. Kururugi doing these days, hmm?" Lloyd suddenly asked, his tone more suggestive, making Euphie simultaneously blush and flinch.

"..."

"Suzaku?" Cecile said, sounding concerned.

Euphie pressed her ear harder on the door. What's wrong with Suzaku?

"Euphemia!"

However, Euphie wasn't given the luxury of hearing his reply when Cornelia's barking voice drowned it out. She turned back to face her sister, who had both her knights by her side.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sternly.

"I only wanted to see if the Lancelot was functioning properly," Euphie said truthfully.

"There won't be any reason to deploy it," Cornelia stated haughtily.

Sister...

Shirley yawned.

"You okay, sweetie?"

Shirley looked back at her father from where they were sitting.

"It's fine, daddy," she said, cracking her back a bit, "Just a little tired.

Her father chuckled. "I'm not surprised; we did get up at four in the morning."

"But we had to get up then anyways," Shirley pointed out, "We put off the supply packing when we got here last night because we were so tired, and now we're paying for it."

"Still..."

"Yeah."

Father and daughter looked out from where they were standing. Before them, lay a small town and other mountains and forests, the sun shinning over the landscape brilliantly.

"I'm glad I was able to come to Narita with you, daddy."

Kallen shivered.

"You okay?" Rai asked.

The red-haired young woman nodded. "Just a little cold and tired. I couldn't get much sleep last night."

At that, Rai took off his Black Knight's jacket and handed it to Kallen. "You can use this."

"What a gentleman."

The two pilots were currently hiking up the Narita mountain with Zero's envoy and equipment and soldiers. Today was the day when the war against Britannia would begin, and this time, Kallen would make sure it would end in nothing short of victory, and especially without any unnecessary lives wasted.

"Do you have them?" Rai suddenly murmured to her.

Kallen nodded back.

Elle had made her own modifications to the Guren's Radiant Wave Surger to make sure that it wouldn't cause as much destruction, as well as pinpointing the spot that would minimize the damage but still create a strong enough landslide.

Even so, Kallen thought, grimacing, it doesn't mean that it'll still turn out as such. This time, there's more to lose this time.

"You're going to Narita?"

Shirley nodded. "I'm visiting my father this weekend."

If Shirley dies here, how will he react? Kallen wondered, looking at the masked man at the head.

It had been a while since CC had been on a mountain. She preferred to avoid the rock formations because it had ceased to be horrifying and just became tedious to scale them and especially if she died on them.

Still, this mountain at least wasn't covered in too much snow.

"Here you are."

CC blinked as Dash looked up at her from where he had appeared.

"May I ask are you doing up here?" she asked.

"I wanted to see how this'll go down," Dash said, smiling, "I'm personally rooting for my nephew."

CC said nothing but she simply walked down the incline before her.

"Hey, who do you think will win this?" Dash asked as she came up to him, "I'm personally putting my money on Lelouch, but I know not to underest- imate..."

Dash trailed off as CC looked at him, their faces barely a few inches from each other. He looked surprised and a bit weirded out, but there was something else in his eyes. What exactly it was CC didn't know, and his face seemed to get redder.

But what she saw before her was a young man who had no idea what he had condemned himself to a tedious and meaningless hell. He hadn't grown up at all since she saw him last.

He's just like Mao.

"I know that look you have," Dash suddenly said softly, his expression serious, "And you're wrong. I know what I've done to myself and I accept it. I accepted it then, and I'll still accept it even if it's millennia later."

CC frowned as she looked beyond the other immortal. What Dash was saying was ridiculous. One didn't just accept things like that on a simple whim. She knew that people like Dash would often become the most cynical and pessimistic people in humanity.

"... do you know why snow is white?"

Dash blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"Just answer."

Dash looked thoughtful before he said, "Before I do, can you please tell me why you think it's white, CC?"

"It's because it's forgotten what color it is," CC said simply.

"... I don't believe that."

CC looked back at Dash. "Oh?"

"I don't know why snow is white, but I don't think that it's because it forgot it's color," Dash said, "Everything that is or was is such a certain way for a reason. We may not understand most or even any of them, they may come off as superficial or hopeless, but they're still there. That's what I believe. And..."

The expression on Dash's face as he looked at CC was nothing short of loving as he said, "I'm happy snow exists, because I love it so much."

CC couldn't help widening her eyes in slight wonder at Dash, and she could have sworn the mountain' climate became a few degrees warmer. Just then, both immortals heard footsteps above them and CC caught a glimpse of the cape Lelouch wore.

"Oh my," Dash said in a short and slightly higher pitched tone, "time to abscond!"

With that, his code glowed brightly before the immortal man's body shimmered cold red and he vanished.

Kallen looked up as the sounds of machines droned in the air. She stole a glance at her fellow halfbreed, the silver-haired male looked very nervous. Kallen couldn't blame him, though. This would be his first step into truly fighting a war.

She was nervous as well, but for very different reasons. She had the tools and knowledge to change the battle, but even so, there were still many other factors and events that could make things go radically wrong.

"It has begun."

Kallen and Rai looked up as Zero came over to them once more.

"What the hell, man?!" Tamaki snapped as soon as he saw him, "We're totally surrounded!"

"I'm aware of our situation," Zero said, "At this point, the only way to freedom would be to fight our way out."

This brought gasps and whispers of disbelief and shock.

"Is he serious...?" Rai wondered, eyes wide with surprise.

"So in other words," Tamaki said, "you expect us to fight our way through one of the strongest superpowers in the world, which by the way, is being led by freaking Cornelia?!"

"Correct. It will take nothing short of a miracle to win this."

"What are you saying, Zero?" Ohgi asked.

"Even messiahs had to preform miracles in order to be believed in."

"BULLSHIT!" Tamaki yelled.

"Tamaki-" Rai began, trying to calm him down.

"Stay out of the grownup business, kid!" Tamaki snapped at Rai before addressing everyone, snapping, "This guy's doomed us, he's not fit to be leader of anything! I could make a better leader than-"

At that, Zero pulled out the gun. Kallen saw Rai stiffen and tried to move forward, but Kallen quickly gripped his shoulder, holding him back.

"Kallen-!" he protested, but Kallen shook her head.

Tamaki froze with a fearful look on his stupid mug once more, only for the masked man to then grip the barrel of the firearms, offering it to the others.

"Our path of retreat is cut off," Zero said, "If you think you can win without me then shoot me! Someone. Anyone."

Rai looked genuinely shocked and upset when he said that. Kallen stiffened as she realized that it was no longer Zero she heard, but Lelouch.

Lelouch, did you really expect someone to take such a chance?

No one moved. A moment later, Zero flipped the gun so he was holding it properly again. "Since you've joined the Black Knights you have only two choices. You may either live with me or you may die with me."

Tamaki grimaced before he turned away, grumbling, "Fine. Do what you want."

"We acknowledge you as our leader, Zero," Ohgi said.

And you'll keep doing so, Ohgi, Kallen thought, holding back a scowl, That I promise.

The tension seemed to simultaneously lessen and increase as they began to get into place. Zero went off as well. Rai looked visibly relieved now and Kallen smiled gently at him.

"Sorry. If you hadn't stopped me, I would have screwed things up more," the silver-haired boy apologized to her.

"Don't worry. You didn't and that's what matters," Kallen said, before she took the jacket off her shoulders and handed it back to Rai.

"Thanks..."

Jeremiah let out a low exhale.

Today was it. The battle that would start the beginning of the war. He kept his gaze riveted on the forest for any signs of anyone, but saw nothing.

"Jeremiah..."

The teal-haired man looked over Kewel, who held a serious and stern expression on his face, cerulean blue eyes shining with determination.

"I'll destroy Zero today," he said in a low tone, "And I'll restore honor to us both. You have my word."

Villeta smiled at that but Jeremiah kept his face perfectly blank as he said, "Godspeed, Kewel."

Forgive me, my friend, Jeremiah thought, gripping the edge of his Sutherland, but for the sake of my lord, I cannot let you fulfill your promise.

Rai shivered.

He felt the Seiso's controls beneath his hand start to get damp. He withdrew his hands and wiped them on his black jacket before wiping his forehead as well.

The battle hasn't even started and I'm already sweating buckets.

His Black Knight jacket was tied tightly around his waist, revealing a tight, black turtleneck tanktop and black gloves that ended at his wrists.

Just focus. You're a good pilot, you can fight, Rai kept thinking over and over, You can do this.

As he continued thinking, he felt the ground beneath him shudder, before a loud rumbling filled his ears and he knew Kallen had begun the battle. He was silently and very thankful he wasn't one of the Britannian knightmare frames as the rockslide came down.

After a few minutes, Zero's voice boomed through Rai's radio.

"All preparations have been accounted for! Black Knights, prepare to MOVE OUT!"

Rai gripped the controls and moved Seiso forward. He was nearly jolted back at how smoothly the machine worked and soon got used to it as he drew forth the warhammer, whose name was Sutōmuburō.

Kallen's going to the front with Zero, Rai reviewed, and I'm supposed to be back-up for them if things don't go the way they want. Cornelia's got limited reinforcements, so if we smash through them, then we win!

Last time, the Lancelot disrupted things quite a bit. Even though Tohdoh and the Holy swords showed up, they weren't enough, especially after the Guren crashed. But this time...

Just then, Rai saw some Sutherlands coming his way. They fired at him with their anti-knightmare assault rifles, but Rai easily dodged them. A few bullet's banged against the frame, but did nothing to low Rai down as he cut down the machines before him, leaving behind a trail of smoke.

Another squad appeared a minute later, but Rai tore through them like a hot knife through butter. He knew that he was killing people with friends, family and loved ones, even as his slash harkens ripped a cockpit to shreds before he brought Sutōmuburō smashing another Sutherland down and crushing it's cockpit under the hammer's force.

I killed more people, Rai thought, eyes wide but calm, Why can't I feel anything?

And the first part of the Narita battle comes to a close.

Seiso= Azure Frost.

This name was ridiculously hard to come up with because I had two other really good names; Toukanse, or "Frost Giant", and Shousou, or "Azure Iris", so I just combined the names.

Sutōmuburō= storm blow

Seiso is based off of the appearance of the frost giants from Norse mythology.