Fate/Geass: The Eden Vital War

Disclaimer: In this particular universe, I do not own or in any way shape or form hold a claim to the Code Geass, Fate/Stay Night, the Nasuverse or any other modern works that I may reference in this story.

Long ago, there was a war between Code-bearers and their Geass gifted armies over the power of Eden Vital, a war that destroyed the legendary continent of Atlantis and sent mankind back to the Stone Age. To prevent this, direct confrontations between Code-bearers are now forbidden, with disagreements to be resolved in a ritualized war of champions. But when V.V does the unthinkable and violates this tradition, he will soon learn that he is not the only one able to bend the rules for victory.

" " denotes speech

'italics'denotes thought

'bold' denotes location names

'bold italics' denotes skill use

Mobile Command Center, Black Knights HQ

As with any facility hosting full-time residents (or a fledgling army in this case), one of the most used areas in the Black Knights' mobile base was the kitchen, where those who were hungry could grab a quick bite to eat – or failing that, could sit and socialize with the others, catching the latest news and gossip. Generally, there tended to be at least one person there at any given time, so upon her arrival at the mobile base, Kallen Kozuki headed straight there, pausing at the open door as she took in a rather bizarre sight.

Zero, the mysterious leader of the Black Knights, master of Avenger and sworn enemy of Britannia was sitting at the counter, staring intently at what appeared to be a cored-out pumpkin resting on a Pizza Hut dish.

'Now this is odd.'

For one thing, no one had ever seen Zero eat (no surprise, given that that was rather difficult to do with a mask on), so for the masked figure to display this much interest in an item of food was unusual. Besides that, it was well known that Zero only ate pizza, having appointed Tamaki to the post of Pizza Supplier to ensure that some of the food was always in stock, so why—a pumpkin of all things now?

"Tamaki," C.C. spoke slowly, her voice dripping with such disdain that it could strip rust from metal, each word clear and biting. "What…is this?"

Sitting across from the leader of the Black Knights was indeed Shinichirō Tamaki, the self-proclaimed best friend of Zero, Internal Cleaning Supporter of the Black Knights, and most often seen face in the kitchen. Perhaps he would go on to open a bistro or other dining establishment, as some of the others had speculated, though he himself merely claimed to want to be a bureaucrat. Currently, the man (who was rather relaxed despite being in the presence of their supreme leader), was leaning back, hands behind his head, snorting as he eyed the pudding as well.

"Oh c'mon, Zero, it's a pumpkin pudding!"

So the hotblooded man answered, as carefree as always. To Kallen's amusement, Tamaki didn't even seem to notice that something was wrong, or that Zero was...annoyed.

"Pumpkin pudding," C.C. repeated, noting that the center of the pumpkin had indeed been hollowed out and replaced with a smooth and creamy filling. Her tone suggested that she was not quite satisfied with the reply.

"Yeah, pudding!" the man replied, his face taking on an almost incredulous expression. Could Lady Zero really not know what pudding was? "Haven't you ever had pudding before?"

"I know what pudding is, Tamaki," came the grating reply of the Grey Witch, making her displeasure and irritation perfectly known, "but why is it here instead of pizza?"

"Oh, that."

With two words, Tamaki waved aside the concerns of quite possibly the most powerful figure in the rebel underworld, a blithe smile on his face as he did so. It was almost as if he thought of the substitution as something inconsequential, nothing even worth noting in the grand scheme of things. After all, most people would be glad to have dessert first…right?

"Yes, dear Pizza Supplier," came the icy response. "That."

Of course, C.C. was not exactly most people, since pizza was one of the few things she enjoyed, as it happened to be one of her few lingering attachments she had to the time before she became immortal, reminding her of the herb, onion, and cheese topped flatbreads she had once bought from street vendors in her youth, each bite a delicious mouthful of flavor and warmth ("mouthful" conveniently being the meaning of the word that became "pizza"). There had, at the time, been literally nothing like it in the world – her favorite morning snack.

But the knowledge of this bread dish had not been widespread, and when her land of origin was consumed by the fires of war, the recipe was lost to the ages. Humanity retained an awareness of how to make bread, and an instinctive understanding that it could be better flavored, but it had taken literally thousands of years before anything like her beloved flatbreads was developed once again.

Those had been dark times, ages without cheese and tomatoes, without bread lightly sprinkled with olive oil, without those tasty mouthfuls to refresh her. Indeed, there were years when she had simply gone without food, since as an immortal, she didn't especially require it, with the World of C having recorded the concept of her form, allowing her to regenerate from damage based on that recorded template.

It wasn't until the 18th Century that C.C. had experienced the taste of that dish once again—with tomato sauce finally added to the mix once more, no longer thought to be poisonous like its close cousin nightshade. With that, pizza was born, and would become C.C.'s favorite dish for the next few hundred years.

"Heh," responded Tamaki, finally catching on to the disapproval in his boss' voice and thinking he needed to explain before he was demoted. "In honor of the new Governor-General's ascension, Pizza Hut is giving out a free pumpkin pudding with each order of three or more pizzas. And since you've had me ordering plenty these last few days, we've had enough pudding for every one of us!"

"Free…pumpkin pudding," the Grey Witch muttered, continuing to glare at the frozen pumpkin filled with pudding, as if having difficulty comprehending the spectacle before her. While C.C. was not averse to the idea of free food (all her food these days was free, courtesy of Lelouch vi Britannia's credit card), she failed to understand why Pizza Hut was giving out pudding instead of say…breadsticks or calzones.

Then came the sound of footsteps and a rustling of cloth, as the Black Knights' sub-commander Avenger entered the dining area, his lips curving into a smirk behind his black and silver mask.

"I guess they don't call the Governor General the 'Earl of Pudding' for nothing," was his snide contribution to the conversation. "Well, at least we don't have to ask if Pizza Hut supports the rebellion…"

The prince of lies trailed off, looking pointedly at the pumpkin on a plate, as C.C. turned instead to Kallen, the black oval of her faceplate staring blankly at the Knightmare Pilot.

"Kallen…do you enjoy pudding?" Zero asked, her tone rather…solicitous as she pushed the strange dish aside. "This is yours if you want it."

"Well…I guess I don't mind it," the redhead allowed, moving over to consider the dessert in question, "though I've never had it served from a pumpkin before…"

"Yeah, the nerve of those extravagant Britannians," Tamaki added, trying to put the blame for the pudding mixup on their common foe. "Ordering pumpkins just to use as bowls. What a crock!"

Zero turned to look at Tamaki once more, giving as much of a withering stare as was possible while her face was covered.

"Tamaki," the Geass Witch intoned, voice harsh and disapproving.

"Yes, Zero?" Tamaki replied, looking around nervously now. Zero's mood was finally breaking through his denseness, and somehow, he didn't think that Avenger and Kallen arriving on the scene was a coincidence anymore.

'Oh…crap. Zero found out about the lavish desserts I've been ordering. Or maybe the pizza order I mixed up and lost the other day. Or that I ate her other pudding, which is why she's asking so many questions about this one. This is bad. You know, all I wanted to do was be a bureaucrat, but no, Britannia just had to invade…'

Then a soft chuckle issued from the mask of the commander of the Black Knights.

"Well, far be it for me to disapprove of the resistance obtaining free food, especially if it keeps up morale," Zero allowed with a hint of warmth. "Consider yourself promoted to Recruitment Officer, like Ohgi, though this does not absolve you from obtaining Pizza for me, got that?"

Tamaki's chest swelled in pride as he heard Zero's proclamation of his newfound promotion, meaning that he'd finally been given a more official position than what was effectively go-fer and janitor.

"Thanks Zero," the man said happily, grinning a million dollar smile. "You won't regret this, man. Woman. Whatever you are."

With that, the Internal Cleaning Supporter got up from his chair and gave Zero a manly hug, which C.C. was…less than amused by.

"You're welcome," the Geass Witch replied, while inwardly thinking that it was better for Tamaki to help recruitment than be put in charge of something like Knightmare maintenance, since they still didn't have too many of those. "You have the rest of the night off, so please relax…somewhere other than here."

"Right. Got it. Sure thing, Zero."

With that, Tamaki left. In the wake of his departure, C.C. beckoned the two Servants to follow her to her personal quarters, but not before issuing some instructions.

"Kallen, bring the pudding with you. Avenger, you bring the pizza."

Avenger rolled his eyes, but complied anyway, since he hadn't had dinner yet, as he'd been in Zero's room filling out yet more of the paperwork that the green-haired witch preferred not to do. When questioned as to why, she had replied with the following:

"Most people think that the only things that are certain are Death and Taxes. Well they aren't. In modern civilizations, the only thing that's certain is paperwork. Besides, you're the Servant here…so get working."

The trio walked in silence back to the room of the Geass Witch and entered, all three of them taking a seat around the table that had been set up there, with Lelouch taking the opportunity to remove his mask, exposing his raven hair and purple eyes to the world.

"Lancer and Assassin have arrived in Tokyo," the immortal began manner-of-factly, giving a report of what she knew to her Servants. Then her voice took on a slightly softer tone, as she continued. "Further, Berserker is no longer incapacitated, and Archer…died."

"Berserker?" Kallen asked, tilting her head as she peered at the enigmatic form of Zero. "Do we know who he is?"

"He was piloting the White Knightmare in Shinjuku," C.C. replied evenly, recalling the means used to stop him, and how that had probably served to awaken his full potential. "I trust you remember that unit, Avenger?"

As it happened, Lelouch had a very good memory, especially for people or machines that had almost ended up killing him. Thus, he nodded.

"Do we know who Archer was, or who killed him?" Avenger asked, looking for ways to take advantage of this—or at least for data on possible other enemies.

"I don't know of Archer's identity, but his killer was most likely Berserker," C.C. answered flatly, her voice devoid of its usual playfulness when alone. "Even I can't sense Assassin unless he's in combat—and he only appeared after Archer was already dead."

"And the others?" Avenger pressed, continuing his line of inquiry.

"Lancer just arrived, Saber is still in the Chinese Federation, and the less said about Caster the better," the Geass Witch responded, relaying what she knew. "So unless it was one of you two…"

The redhead shook her head, since none of the people she had encountered during the day would have matched the image of a rampaging warrior.

"No, the only person I came across was the new sub-viceroy," Kallen answered, a statement that drew a curious look from Lelouch.

"And who is the sub-viceroy?" the black prince asked solicitously. "Perhaps we can use her as a source of information…"

"The Third Princess of the Empire, Euphemia li Britannia," was Rider's response, edge of her lips quirking up into a faint smile. "She's...very impulsive."

Lelouch could barely suppress his shock at the mention of his first love.

'Euphie…I see you haven't changed…'

"How very interesting," murmured the Geass Witch, smiling crookedly under the mask of Zero. "So you met Euphie, eh..."

"...how did you know she called herself Euphie?"

"Call it a hunch."

Camelot Research Lab, Tokyo Settlement

After his blackout at the boundary wall of the Tokyo Settlement, Suzaku Kururugi felt rather disoriented. Unable to recall what had happened during the past few minutes or so, all he knew for sure was that he had apparently been in a fight, since the back of his head still stung with pain from a blow he'd apparently taken.

"But why would someone attack me?" the pilot wondered out loud. "I'm just an Honorary Britannian."

For that matter, how had they managed to surprise him, when he'd been instructed in the arts of combat since he was a child? It was a puzzle, that.

Aside from that minor inconvenience though, Suzaku was uninjured, and further, there was no one else around, which he found to be curious – what exactly had happened during that missing span of time? He remembered a voice in his head, mentioning the green-haired girl, and he remembered sitting down, but afterwards, his mind was blank.

'Maybe I was hit in the head harder than I thought,' he mused, sighing as he walked. 'Or maybe this is one of the side effects from whatever happened to me in Shinjuku.'

Without anything else to do, Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi decided to report to the only place where he had been somewhat accepted – the research lab Camelot, where his job was to pilot the Z-01 Lancelot, the first seventh generation Knightmare in existence. It was a bit of a walk, but the Honorary Britannian didn't mind, since it gave him a chance to clear his head.

After some time, he arrived at the organization, sliding his access card to gain entrance, where he witnessed a flurry of activity, with the blue-haired Cecile Croomy at the very center of it, directing technicians to and fro.

'Why so many Knightmares? And where's Earl Asplund?'

Where the research facility had once housed only the Lancelot, the workspace was apparently also home to several Sutherlands, including an odd looking model with orange parts and light grey armor, as well as what seemed like a half-built model using Lancelot parts on a Sutherland base. But Suzaku supposed that Earl Asplund might have chosen to test a new design in his absence, so that was understandable. No, what concerned him the most was that—

"Welcome back Suzaku," Cecile said, having caught notice of his entrance while he was still looking around.

"It's good to be back, Miss Cecile," he replied, still confused. "What's happened since I've been unconscious?"

"Many things," answered the slightly frazzled blue-haired director of Camelot. "The most important things are that Lloyd is now the Governor-General, leaving me in charge of the lab, and that he's ordered all Sutherlands to be recalled and refitted with technology developed for the Lancelot. As you can imagine, the military isn't exactly happy with him at the moment."

"Huh? Earl Asplund is the new Governor-General? But what happened to Prince Clovis, Miss Cecile?"

Cecile Croomy pursed her lips, unsure how much to tell the poor boy, as she didn't want to overwhelm him with shock. But then, she figured that he would hear about it sooner or later, so it was probably best to get it over with now.

"Clovis is dead, Suzaku, killed during the Shinjuku Incident along with his entire command staff."

At that, the Honorary Britannian's hands curled into fists, his frame sagging in despair at the realization of the magnitude of his failure. Apparently, the terrorists had not only overrun Shinjuku and released poison gas, from what he'd heard, but…

'I didn't think things were this bad.'

"Then…the terrorists won?" he asked, at a loss for words. 'Then…what happened to Lelouch and that green-haired girl?' "Did they ever catch who was responsible for the killings?"

Miss Croomy said nothing for a moment, going instead over to her workbench, from which she retrieved a box of sandwiches before walking back to Suzaku.

"You must be hungry, Suzaku," she answered at last. "Have one."

"Thanks," the pilot replied, taking one and biting into it, discovering within the flavors of—'ginger, sugar, and wasabi?' It wasn't exactly the best thing he had ever tasted, not that he had the heard to tell her that. "It's…good."

The scientist clapped her hands together in delight.

"I'm pleased you like them," the director of Camelot said, practically glowing in response to the praise. It wasn't often that anyone had actually praised her cooking…or even thanked her for it. "Anyway, is there anything I can do for you to help you get reoriented after a week in a coma?"

"Actually…" Suzaku began hesitantly, before going forward with his request. "Could I ask you a favor Miss Cecile?"

"Yes, Suzaku?" she asked in that gentle, almost motherly way of hers.

"Could you check the list of casualties from Shinjuku? A friend of mine was caught up in it, and I want to know if he's ok."

"Hmm," Cecile replied, giving the man a hard, almost quizzical look. "Is this the person you nearly stopped a bullet for?"

"…yes."

"Sure…but can I ask you something in return?"

The Lancelot's pilot merely nods in acquiescence.

"From your psychological profile, you hate letting people die, yet you're in the military," Miss Croomy summed up, noting the rather strange contradiction. Why is that?"

"I'm in the military to stop people from dying," was the response, one that brought a frown to the usually pleasant scientist's face. It was impossible to save everyone…you could only save those you chose to…ultimately, you would still have to kill, still let people die.

"That contradiction will get you killed someday."

'…I hope so'

Government Bureau, Tokyo Settlement

Meanwhile, at the Government Bureau, Governor General Lloyd Asplund was quickly learning that he couldn't just hole himself up in his office like he could when he was the laboratory, much to his dismay. A transport shuttle carrying Second Princess Cornelia li Britannia would soon be arriving, and as the Governor General of Area 11, Lloyd supposed that he would have to greet her, though really, he was only doing it to keep Camelot in the good graces of the royal family. And while he didn't know for sure, he strongly suspected that the princess would probably be as stern as her nickname "Witch of Britannia" suggested, probably angry about Zero and the unrest among the Elevens, among other things.

'And it's probably just because they're Elevens,' he groused, almost depressed at the thought. The bureaucrats that the Earl had had to work with all week had beaten clean the bloody stains where that horse used to be, grinding it under a Knightmare's landspinners again and again, giving Lloyd a terrible headache.

At least when Cecile explained political niceties to him—ok, scolded him or rapped his head when he messed up too badly—he didn't mind too much, but to hear the politicians talk…

Not for the first time, Earl Asplund wondered why anyone would have wanted this ridiculous job, though a moment later he conceded to himself that the minor benefits were…sometimes…worth it. He had, after all, managed to dig up some interesting data on the projects of Clovis and Bartley, as well as order around those stuffy military types into doing what he wanted.

Indeed, Lloyd had almost danced a giddy jig in glee after he had won the Sutherland debate, seeing as it as a way to get back at all those who had doubted his precious Lancelot. He really had to thank Zero for the opportunity, as otherwise, they never would have backed down from their grandstanding to let him tinker with all those Knightmare Frames.

'Or let Cecile tinker with them, I guess,' the Earl admitted reluctantly, some of his enthusiasm ebbing as he did. While it wasn't unusual for a Governor General to have a pet project…or five, he had left the project to Cecile, who he supposed would be happy enough to work without him always looking her shoulder—even if he missed her. Or even her cooking, on occasion (not that he'd admit that to anyone-least of all her).

Oh, what he was served as Governor General was nice, he supposed (especially the pudding), but there was no personality to it, only recipes that had been hammered down time and time again with almost mechanical precision, till the cook was nothing more than a cog in a machine.

Personally, he preferred something with more flair.

Even his creations weren't made for mass production and profit, merely for the sake of advancement, for seeing what could be done. In that way, he wasn't a scientist, an empirical incrementalist who developed things little by little—that kind of thinking had led to the Sutherlands, which, except for the one he and Cecile had built together, was utter and complete rubbish. No, Lloyd was an artist, taking bursts of inspiration and running with them, acting on temperament, angst, giddiness, and despair, melding them all together into one indescribable whole.

"Your Excellency."

If there was one thing the Earl of Pudding wasn't suited for, it was politics. He would be the first to tell anyone that—and yet it seemed that everyone else had been even more incompetent, since apparently, his childish fits of pique, irritating demands, sarcastic tongue, and infamously sharp mind (on top of getting results, of course, the only thing that mattered) worked wonders. And he did have to admit that for once, it was refreshing not to have to deal with any higher-ups, the sort that asked for "performance reviews" or to see the results of an experiment they barely understood, then verbally tore it to pieces because of their sheer ignorance.

'At least Cecile won't have to worry about that.'

That much, he would make sure of—though, Lloyd admitted that he would drop in every once in a while to oversee the creation of the Lancelot Club, a design for a new machine based on a Sutherland base with Lancelot parts. It would be Cecile's new machine—compensation for the fact that following his upgrades, her Sutherland Air would no longer be unique.

"Your Excellency."

Ah, the annoying voice again, one or another of the many aides about the Government Bureau. Really, it wasn't as if…

"Governor-General Asplund?"

That was a new voice. Feminine, youthful sounding…there weren't too many of those in the Bureau. Curious, Lloyd looked up from a design he'd been sketching in his spare time—only to come face to face with Princess Euphemia li Britannia.

Raising an eyebrow, the white-clad man stood, adjusting his glasses before bowing very, very slightly.

"Hmm…Sub-Viceroy was it?" the Earl of Pudding asked in turn, deciding to reply to this one. "I suppose I'll be working with you from now on. Though I should warn you, politics is the worst job you can find yourself doing."

Inwardly, he was a tad surprised. The princess had been a student up until recently, and hadn't even made her public debut yet, and they wanted her to work under him? She was going to pick up any number of bad habits, but if that's Britannia wanted...

'Oh well, onward Christian soldiers and all that…'

"Your Excellency, the transport with Princess Cornelia has arrived," the aide interjected, seeing that the frustratingly difficult Earl had finally looked up. 'Honestly, he's an Earl. Does he have no grasp of political realities?' "As Governor General—"

"Yes yes," he said, waving the aide away dismissively, though the lackey stayed right where he was. Lloyd just rolled his eyes. "What is it?"

"I'm supposed to escort you to the location, Your Excellency," the assistant continued. "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, Your Excellency?"

"Well then, off we go," the Earl replied, somewhat petulantly, as the aide led the way there.

"That wasn't very nice of you, Earl Asplund," Princess Euphemia commented as she fell into step besides the scientist. "You should be more considerate of those who depend on you."

"Why? We're all replaceable, just cogs in a machine, Britannian and Eleven alike," came the reply, one that the princess found rather disturbing. "Just as a devicer is merely a component of a Knightmare, nothing more."

"That's…not true," the Sub-viceroy protested, though Lloyd didn't listen.

"Why not? Afraid of the truth?"

The Governor General's footsteps quickened, and Euphemia was forced to hurry to catch up with him as they walked on in silence to the hangar. An honor guard was already there, and the Governor General and Sub-Viceroy took their assigned places, walking to meet the newly arrived Second Princess.

"Your Highness," Earl Asplund said with a cordial bow, proving that he could be a gentleman if he felt like it.

"Governor General," Cornelia acknowledged, nodding once in deference to his station. Then she turned to her sister. "Sub-Viceroy. I heard what you did, Euphemia…you shouldn't be so reckless."

"I know, Sister. Forgive me. But..."

"As for you, Governor General," the Chief General of the Imperial Army continued, drawing her weapon and pointing it at Earl Asplund's head. "Where is Zero? Why haven't you caught him by now?"

"How should I know?" the Earl of Pudding replied with one of his airs and shrugging, a move that almost made Cornelia's trigger finger twitch and fire. "Besides, pointing that at me won't help you catch him any faster."

"Are you sloppy, senile, corrupt, or what?" Cornelia snapped at him. "I want the enemy of the Empire caught! Get Zero!"

"How charming, like a child after a toy," Lloyd commented, his mocking nature back to the fore without the moderating presence of Cecile. "Besides, how can I without suitable Knightmares?"

"Don't bother using that as an excuse. You're the one who recalled all the Sutherlands, leaving Area 11's Knightmare garrisons stripped to the bone!" the Chief General snarled once again, annoyed…but holstering her weapon before she did accidentally shoot the man. She didn't understand why the Emperor had not assigned her to be the Viceroy, only allowing her military jurisdiction—after the Governor General.

"Oh, they have Glasgows. Those are enough to keep order," the Earl of Pudding responded blithely. "Besides, I'm taking the trouble to upgrade those pieces of junk with technology from the Lancelot, making their abilities far greater than normal..."

"But in the meantime…" Cornelia li Britannia trailed off, annoyed. Did this man really have no understanding of how to run an Area? Did he think it was just an extension of his research laboratory? She suppressed a hiss of frustration. "That would be the seventh generation Knightmare Frame?"

"Yes, the only one that might stand up to Zero's mysterious power," Lloyd stated. "A fascinating power it is too…I wouldn't mind the chance to study it up close. Even so, to get more data I'll need better Knightmares, hence the upgrades."

Cornelia opened her mouth to speak, closed it, then opened it again.

"I understand that the Lancelot's pilot is an Eleven," the Chief General said at last, trying to find a topic that would not overly annoy the man, or set him off on a fit of pique.

"That's correct, an Honorary Britannian."

"Still, I would like to win without having to rely too much on the Numbers," Cornelia replied, her inborn prejudice against the colonials all too clear.

"Tch. Numbers, Britannians, a devicer is just a devicer, tools to be used," Lloyd countered, raising one of his slender eyebrows from behind his glinting glasses. "And as Governor General, I have final authority on deployment of the Special Engineering Group's resources."

"And as the Chief General of the Imperial Army, I have final authority on deployment of the armed forces," the Second Princess answered him, the two glaring at one another, unwilling to concede authority to the other.

"Those who risk their lives on the battlefield are the ones who deserve to rule," Euphemia cut in, trying to defuse the situation before things escalated any further. "I understand the theory, sister. But still..."

Cornelia broke the uneasy match of staring brinksmanship first, offering something of a compromise.

"Hmph...fine, I trust it will not be a problem for you if I use your Glasgows to attack rebel groups then, Earl Asplund? With your Lancelot as backup?"

She didn't use the most gracious tone, but then, Lloyd wasn't the easiest man to get along with.

"Do as you like, as long as I get the data I need for the Lancelot," the man replied whimsically, becoming slightly less agitated.

"And how soon can the Sutherland Airs be completed?"

"I suppose that depends on how cooperative the devicers are," the Earl quipped, knowing how hard it was to find reliable pilots for his advanced technology, though the thought of having developed the only Sixth and Seventh generation Knightmares in the world was...exhilarating.

'That is...unless Rakshata has finished that machine of hers...'

"Oh, alright, that will do for now," Cornelia allowed, knowing she wouldn't get anything further from the man. "Do you have anything further to add?"

With that, the same aide that had escorted Lloyd and Euphemia to the hanger chose to pipe up, as he had taken down some notes on events arranged to celebrate the arrival of the dignitaries.

"I do, Your Highness…as far as official welcomes go, there is a special event that is being prepared at Ashford Academy in honor of our Governor General and Sub-Viceroy. As I understand it, it involves using a Knightmare Frame to make the world's largest pudding."

Sword of Akasha

Within the underground temple complex that served as Britannia's foremost research laboratory on Geass, V.V sat before a thought elevator, communing with Caster on the various developments that had transpired thus far.

"So we have the first casualty of the Eden Vital War…Servant Archer has fallen," V.V. spoke softly, a slight frown of displeasure on his face. "Unfortunately, he died before leading us to C.C."

'A true pity, as the only reason I did not have Assassin go after Saber instead was the hope that he could find the other Code-bearer. Hopefully, he will be able to eliminate Servant Rider though, as that class is notorious for having powerful Noble Phantasms.'

"Lancer, that is, Lord Guilford, has also arrived in Area 11, so now six of the seven champions are known," the young immortal continued, the Thought Elevator carrying his words to the mind of his contractor. "One also hopes that Earl Asplund's new project with his Knightmares is keeping him busy – and that the presence of Cornelia and Euphemia will distract him from any mention of the work of Bartley, as the man was always too curious."

"Indeed, dear brother," boomed the voice of Charles zi Britannia. "But if he becomes too curious, you always have Servant Assassin in place, do you not?"

"That I do, Charles. That I do."

A/N: Pizza Huts in Japan really do sell the Pumpkin Pudding dish, among other things. Certainly a wider selection of foods than those in the States sell, at the very least.

Information on Servant Caster

Personal Information:

True Name: Charles zi Britannia
Class: Caster
Champion of: V.V.
Alignment: Lawful Evil

Strength: C

Endurance: B

Agility: E

Luck: D

Mana (Phantasm World): A

Noble Phantasm: EX

Details:

"We will fight hard. We shall struggle, compete, plunder, and dominate. And in the end, the future shall be ours." – Charles zi Britannia

As twin brother to code-bearer V.V., Charles zi Britannia's childhood years were marred by an internal feud in the Imperial Family called the Emblem of Blood, a period of deception and assassination that resulted in the deaths of many royals - including their mother. This was the beginning of Charles' desire to create a world without lies and destroy the Gods, an ambition that he maintained after his ascension as the 98th Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire, prompting Britannia's militaristic expansion in the last decade in order to capture the Thought Elevators needed to harness the power of the Sword of Akasha.

Only 10 years old when he made his original Geass Contract with V.V., with the latter upgrading this to a Servant contract at the beginning of the Eden Vital War.

A cold and callous individual, Charles is willing to do whatever it takes to achieve his goals, the destruction of the gods in Ragnarok, which includes waging war against the world, though he prefers diplomacy and bargaining. He has little apparent care for his children, or for anyone else, seeing them as pieces to be used (and sacrificed, if need be), for his own ends. This, combined with the memory alteration ability afforded to him by Geass, makes him one of the most dangerous men in the world.

Physically, he is not the most powerful combatant. However, his status as Emperor of the Holy Britannian Empire gives him control of the most powerful army in the world, and in Phantasmagoria, he wields formidable magic capable of crushing other servants, even being able to use a Phantasm World itself as a weapon.

Skills:

Territory Creation: A
The skill to build a special terrain that increases one's capacities as a magus. If fighting within the boundaries of Pendragon, or within Caster's Phantasm World, increases the rank of spells by one.

Charisma: B
Natural talent to command an army. It increases the ability of one's army during mass combat. Charisma is a rare talent, and B-rank is enough to lead a country.

Clairvoyance: B
Allows clear vision of distant targets, and improves body movement and reaction time. This rank (in Phantasm World) allows Caster to see through objects

Battle Continuation: B
Does not give up easily / the ability to stay alive. It allows for battle even on the verge of death, and allows the user to stay alive until they recieve a clearly fatal blow.

Mind's Eye (True): B
A "combat logic" that allows for calm analysis of the situation and the enemy's ability in spite of danger, and consideration of all possible actions in a particular situation. If there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of success.

Military Tactics: B
Tactical knowledge used not for one-on-one combat situations, but for battles where many are mobilized.

Geass:
(sealed when fighting in a Phantasm World)

Geass of Absolute Alteration: Caster's Geass allows him to freely alter an individual's memories at will; he may also seal the ability of another Geass user, as well as physical abilities such as eyesight, though the influence of this ability may be cancelled a Code-bearer. Eye contact is required for use.

Noble Phantasms:
(sealed unless fighting in a Phantasm World)

Phantasmal Infiltration: B
If Caster is caught within another Servant's Phantasm World, this Noble Phantasm acts as a fast growing "seed" that supplants the others' world with his own, allowing the use of Marble Phantasm

Knights of the Round (anti-unit): A
Allows the planar manifestation of twelve phantasmal knights with D rank abilities and no Noble Phantasm. These Knights will remain for a maximum of 3 minutes, or until slain.

Marble Phantasm (Anti-World): EX
As magic is the ability to impose one's will upon the world, Caster possesses the ability to transfigure his Phantasm World at will according to his vision. As the user is the source and core of the Phantasm World, he can change the world as he wishes, but in the end, what he can act on is only something within the scope of nature. A transformation independent from his world (such as an enemy Servant dying instantly) cannot be realized, unless done indirectly (ex. turning the atmosphere in the world into blades of wind that rips an enemy apart)

Information on Servant Saber

Personal Information:

True Name: Li Xingke
Class: Saber
Independent Champion of Eden Vital
Alignment: Lawful Neutral

Strength: B

Endurance: D

Agility: A+

Luck: E

Mana (Phantasm World): B

Noble Phantasm: C

Details:

"Forgive me. I believe it was a bit early for them to understand us, the Chinese Federation..." – Li Xingke

As a military officer of the Chinese Federation, Li Xingke is characterized by his fierce loyalty to the Empress Tianzi (instead of the Eunuchs that claim to represent her, but usually use her as a puppet), as well as his desire to help the impoverished citizens of China. His devotion to the Empress stems from a encounter long in the past, when she spared his life after he was caught giving medicine to a prisoner. He has a binding promise to the Tianzi that one day, he will help her leave the Forbidden City, so that they may see the world together, a promise strongly shapes Li's actions and agenda.

At the outbreak of the Eden Vital War, Xingke was chosen as one of the 5 independent champions of Eden Vital itself, meaning that he did not start under service to a Code-Bearer—and that his abilities as a servant were to be sealed until coming into contact with another. As of this date, he is the only nonawakened Servant, though events with Assassin threatened to unseal his abilities sooner rather than later.

As Servant Saber, Li is exceptionally skilled in close combat, especially with swords, capable of drawing his blade, striking, and sheathing it without his victims perceiving the blade being drawn or Li moving. He also possesses considerable skill as a Knightmare Frame pilot, though this strains his body almost to the breaking point. In addition, he is highly intelligent (on the level of Avenger, though lacking the mental partition ability), as well as well versed in tactics, making him a dangerous foe to face.

Similarly, in Phantasmagoria, Saber is one of the strongest of Servants, his ultimate Noble Phantasm rivaling that of Berserker himself, though he suffers from a lack of endurance, due to his physical self's terminal illness.

Skills:

Riding: B+
Ability to ride / pilot things or creatures. Saber can ride most vehicles (including Knightmare Frames), up to and including those which require nearly superhuman skills, though he will suffer a two rank drop in Endurance if overly stressed

Charisma: C
Natural talent to command an army. It increases the ability of one's army during mass combat. Charisma is a rare talent, and C-rank is enough to lead a large army.

Vitrification: B+
A serene state of mind. A mental protection that nullifies mental interference. By limiting his fighting spirit as a martial artist, Saber can conceal his presence.

Battle Continuation: B
Does not give up easily / the ability to stay alive. It allows for battle even on the verge of death, and allows the user to stay alive until they recieve a clearly fatal blow.

Mind's Eye (True): B (C)
A "combat logic" that allows for calm analysis of the situation and the enemy's ability in spite of danger, and consideration of all possible actions in a particular situation. If there is even a 1% chance of a comeback, this ability greatly improves the chances of success. However, if he is distracted during battle by a threat to the Tianzi, this ability is reduced by one rank.

Expert of Many Specializations: A
A total of 32 different skills ranging from tactics, academia, espionage, assassination, swindling, rhetoric and others can be used with proficiency of Rank B or above

Geass:
(sealed when fighting in a Phantasm World)

Perception of Absolute Life: Saber's Geass allows him to perceive the life force of living creatures in the form of lines and dots, with Saber being the only one who can interact with these lines and dots. These lines may be traced with a sharp object such as a knife or a sword, which consequently damages or annihilates one's life force-or can be used to easily cut a living being into pieces. Healing from physical damage caused by this is possible only if cutting the line doesn't completely separate a part of the object from the object itself.

Noble Phantasms:
(sealed unless fighting in a Phantasm World)

Boundary of the Wind King: C
A mysterious wind that protects Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi like a scabbard. Through multiple layers of compressed and gyrated wind, it distorts the refraction of light and renders what is inside, the shape of the blade, completely invisible. As a secondary function, it can be used as a distance attack by releasing the compressed wind at once, acting like a hammer made out of wind.

Volumen Hydragyrum (anti-unit): B
A battle tool of fluid metal manipulated by Saber's will, this Noble Phantasm has the ability to search, attack and defend. It can attack with the shape of a whip, a spear or a blade that rotates freely, sharper than a razor; like a current of hyper high pressure, it can even cut through titanium and diamond. However, as the attack of the whip or the blade relies on centrifugal force, the power is at the base, and none on the extremity; thus, knowledge of close-combat allows an opponent to read through the orbit of the attack.

Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi (anti-army): A++
The sword recovered the body of Yamata no Orochi, Ama-no-Murakumo-no-Tsurugi ("Sword of the Gathering Clouds of Heaven") is a Saber's greatest Noble Phantasm, an ultimate fantasy existing as the crystallization of valor. It is a holy sword that converts the mana of the owner into light, intensifying the kinetic energy by convergence and acceleration, with the end result a wave of light that can mow through the surface of the Earth. To release this ultimate secret technique that holds an energy equaling the total of Saber's entire mana, both hands are needed. It is usually concealed within the Boundary of the Wind King, as its second function in myth was to control the winds themselves.