Nunnally perspective:
Colour. So much colour. The deep maroon, light shaded evergreen, glittering golds, shining silver ornaments. The Christmas tree was always the most beautiful place to hide. All its many shades such splendour for the eyes. 'How could Clovis not enjoy painting Christmas trees, when there is so much beauty to be found?'. And so, here she would hide, amongst all the colours, until brother found her. He was always so good at these games. He knew where everyone would hide almost as well as he knows the hiders, but he never hid himself well enough. Soon the feast would begin, mother would give her a sip of only the smallest amount of wine, and then brother would put on his show. He would write it, Euphy, Clovis and Nunna would perform and Schneizel would play his newest composition for all to hear. Mother always said that everyone should have their own trade, almost like she were back in her commoner days.
Soon she would find her special, her little skill that no one else could do. But until then, she would hide and Brother will come looking.
A hand on her shoulder shook her from her reverie. Dreams of long ago and far away would elude her and she would awaken in this torment of captivity once again. 'Is this what brother meant all this time, to escape Britannia and capture? I have never been this scared since we had to leave Britannia. I call it Britannia now, not home. Is this our home truly, have I finally accepted after all this time?'
"Your Highness, do not fret, your brother comes for you." Such a droll voice it was, so deep and unnerving. Dread filled her veins rather than hope, how could her captor know so much about her? Was he friend or foe? Ally to father or ally to…
Dock Warehouse, Tokyo harbour:
KABLOOM!
Kallen burst through the front lines, dashing up the stairs to avoid the gunshow below. First she whipped out her pistol and started firing at the assembled riflemen on the upper galleys. While most shots went wide, two of them hitting two in the shoulder and head respectively, they took cover from the attack. This gave her all the time she needed to get in close. Holstering her pistol and katana unsheathed, she drove the point through one man's stomach. He cried in pain and blood splattered in one large spurt. She moved to the next which she sliced through his wrists and lopped off both hands. He stood there for a moment, then laughed at the absurdity of such an outcome. When his laughter turned to wails of pain, Kallen was already cutting through the neck of another, but was caught halfway. Her constant, mismatched polishing had crafted a few nicks in the blade which caught on some of his internal vessels. Whilst he coughed and gargled his own blood, the five other men plucked up enough courage to face the disadvantaged foe. But as soon as they took aim, two more rifle men on the other side took aim and blew their eyes out of their sockets. Sugiyama and Yoshida had taken the other galley and were now offering cover fire to their allies on the ground. Kallen pulled free of her trappings and pushed on. Further and further she went until, face painted red with blood, the back doors were blown open and more troops came marching in, with Zero among them brandishing his flare gun. 'Nunnally, before Zero realises she's here, I can get her back to Lelouch, but where is she?' She scanned the room and didn't see her. A small group of children were lined up to be loaded onto a truck for slavery. It turned her stomach to think at one point, she could have ended up like that if her mother had abandoned her. At the very least, her mother hadn't left her in those days to end up a slave, but all the same…
She rushed down the stairs and saw a man rubbing the powder from his eyes. Red eyed and bleary, it reached down for the children and held one tightly in his grasp. Kallen was all set to rush him and take him right there, but stopped when he brandished a knife to the girl's throat. She dared not make a move.
Inoue had never felt such a rush before. Delegated to behind the lines for medical aid most times, now they had advanced so quickly into the warehouse that she had to run to keep up. As she entered, what hit her first was the smell, the gunpowder and dispersed cocaine had mingled mid-air to create such an awful aroma, like rotting onions and burnt rubber. The grisly sights were too much for her eyes, not even Shinjuku was this gruesome. Gagging on the smell, she hunched over and retched. While coughing, she heard a shriek and looked up to see a much too young girl being hoisted up from the grasp of another girl seated on the ground. The man was out of his mind with fear as he held a small dagger to the child's throat while she wriggled in his grasp in an attempt to bite his arm. The other girl on the ground was reaching out for the child in a mad attempt to reclaim her, blindly grasping at air. Kallen stood before the trio and was truly a sight to behold and good reason for fear.
In the past, she had heard from others how ruthless she could be, how fast she was despite being the youngest of all of them. Everything told mostly by Tamaki after he had a few, but now seeing her dressed to the nines in the groups armour, this man was right to be scared. While they had all been given the uniform fit with samurai armour, Kallen had added her own spin by wearing the groups red bandanna around her mouth like a bandit but possessed a red tinted palette to everything as she was dripping with blood. Now she held a long Katana blade towards the man, but dared not make a move for fear of him hurting the young ones. Acting purely on instinct, she ran at the man from behind him and tackled to the ground. Dropping the child he tried reaching for a weapon, any weapon but came up empty. Inoue grasped the dagger he held to the child's neck and saw blood on the tip. A thin stream ran down the little girl's neck from where he nicked it and she saw red. Without thought, she jammed the poor child's head into her chest to block her eyes, and slit the man's throat. Blood poured out in a stream lasting only a second. His head flopped down and a puddle pooled beneath him.
She was tense until the young girl reached up to hug her and cried into her shoulder. "THNK OOUU!" she mumbled through the fabric, tears dampening her shoulder. She relaxed and cradled the sobbing child and shushed her to ease. Kallen was knelt beside the other girls, trying to gather them and keep them calm. She returned her attention to the young girl in her company who had now quietened, as had the gunfire. She looked up at her with tearstained face and asked, "Do you know where I am?"
"You are among friends, we're here to protect you."
"Will you protect me? Mother won't protect me; she gave me to bad men for money."
'How could she!', Inoue blustered, she had seen the like all over the ghetto in her area, but to be so bad it would be as widespread like this. 'We need to protect them, but we cannot raise the children in our type of environment. But what other environments are there to choose from.' One look at her face again, she knew what she had to do. "Come along, we will get you fed. Then…you and I are going home." She smiled ever so brightly, she just hoped Zero would be lenient to her looking after a little girl.
Zero perused the debris of the battle and flipped men lying on their stomachs over with a kick. Each one was a stranger to him, he couldn't recognize the one who took Nunnally. All that took a backseat as he twisted and turned to find his sister, hoping not to see her among the casualties.
"Herr Zero!" he turned to see Haw Haw had joined them. She wore the same attire he met her in, with a oversized grey coat the hung on her skeletal physique. Strapped to her back was a large transmitter that held a long wire stretching away from the scene. In her other hand, she held a large Camera attached to a tripod. How she could hold all these items at once was anyone's guess. He could barely carry a sack of flour over a long distance and she seemed even weaker.
"Ah! Good of you to join us Lady Haw Haw. Please make sure to capture the images of what was done here and the evidence of their crimes. I'm certain the public will want to know all about it." She saluted, getting straight to work with Tamaki trailing after her, holding up her now discarded transmitter and the photo flash. The weight causing him to waddle after her and huff in exhaustion. He returned to examining the scene and made his way up to the offices above the warehouse floor. Inside, Ohgi and Minami were pouring over documents and by their expression, were wary of what they found.
"Zero. It's just as I feared. We're dealing with…the Yakuza!" Everyone stopped in their tracks and looked at him in fear. Zero however didn't have the time. "What do you know about them and how did you find out?"
"Um…Well, they have transfer documents, ledgers, all here listing everything from Cocaine shipments to slave trade. And all of it-"
"Being offered up to Kyoto in exchange for weapons and protection. No wonder this country is corrupt. It was Osakabe I assume who performed these transactions." Zero intervened, that would explain how Nunnally was moved so swiftly. It was possible they took their most valuable piece with them as a cover. If so, then he would hunt the entire organisation.
"Yes, it was him, along with two others. I guess our cause isn't so righteous when made on the suffering of our people." Ohgi admitted, ashamed of his years of fighting for a morally bankrupt ideology.
"Then we end them, wipe out all infections." Everyone regarded Zero with some degree of incredulity. The Yakuza had been around for decades, practically centuries. To end them would be like promising to wipe out all cockroaches on the planet. "Zero, to go after the Yakuza, it's…"
"Ohgi, if we are to defeat our enemies abroad, we must be able to defeat our enemies within. Follow my lead and leave the solutions to me." They nodded and began to pile up the ledgers to be researched. They will be turned over to Rodowod and her associates, the media will have a field day with these. Nunnally wasn't down there and he had so many more problems spring up. If he could know the locations, he could kill two birds with one stone tonight. As luck would have it, that information found him alone in the office. "I think I may have found them." He turned to spot CC and Sayoko, the latter looking quite pale as though she had seen such a horrific sight. If the blood streaming from the corner of CC's mouth was any indication, it probably was a gruesome display. CC spoke again. "Sayoko found one alive, so I questioned him. Apparently they are hiding in Clovisland."
"And why would he willingly tell you this, it could be a diversion."
"And you still have much to learn about us nosferatu. Let's just say, he didn't…consciously tell me their location, but his blood did." Questions upon more questions for later, he had to remain focus, though he was becoming more and more frustrated with her attitude. He looked out the window to the warehouse floor and saw Kallen kicking over bodies and checking for any life, Rodowod photographing the corpses and the children being evacuated by Inoue. He grinned as a plan formed.
"Lady Rodowod" he ordered. She turned away from the grizzly sight she was photographing, giving Tamaki ample reprieve to avoid gaging, and marched up to Zero. "I believe that Clovisland has a new Ediscreen, am I correct?" she nodded and was about to begin explaining what it was. But Zero cut her off. "Then set up for a meeting and bring a camera."
Clovisland, 4 am:
According to tradition, the head of the yakuza family was known as a oyabun, at least that was what Tamaki told Zero from his extensive knowledge of criminals. For all his incompetence, he was quite knowledgeable about police bureaucracy and for all his brash violent attitude, it was amazing he still resisted the criminal underworld after so many years of exposure. It was because of Naoto, Kallen pointed out when he vocalised these thoughts. So that was who he was meeting now, oyabun Mako of the Tokyo clan Yakuza. All his lieutenants had gathered with him in front of the newly installed ediscreen.
Developed only a tear ago, Lord Edison had "commandeered" the French technology invented by a pair of "drunken circus sideshows" to create a large screen that would project moving images coming directly from a camera. It was composed of varying shades of brown and white colouring. Clovis intended to premier Lord Edisons new invention at his soon to be opened park. But as the economy worsened under his rule, the park fell to disarray and was subjected to vagrant intrusion and, right now, a mafiaso hideout.
Suddenly, the lights from all across the theme park flicked on, illuminating the area. Yakuza sodiers lying in the shadows were revealed and quickly moved about to avoid being shot at. Everyone but the oyabun was shaken, but he stood forward and called out his current enemy. "Come out Zero, we are here. I am willing to hear your complaints should you have any." He smirked in confidence, apparently Zero only had ten soldiers with him, at least that's what his informant saw at the hotel earlier. He was illuminated by the glowing light of the ediscreen projecting a film, it was Zero upper body, standing before them in the figurative sense, on a giant screen. A scowl marred his features as he realised what this meant. 'Zero Refuses to face me, but he and his soldiers might be hiding in the shadows, pinning us down.
"So Zero, you come to redeem yourself? That stunt you pulled, killing such an honourable Japanese warrior, have you know shame." Zero stood before them, all formed in a perfect half-moon and aiming a rifle at him. Yet he did not quake before them. He regarded them silently, before…
"What you consider an act of honour would for generations diminish the pride of Japan. A nation of vegetables, unable to do or say anything for themselves. That is what it is now, and what you desire it to be." His hand flew out from beneath his cape, each yakuza flinching and taking aim all around, unsure of what to fire at, but all that Zero did was hold up his hand. "I give you peace, for this one opportunity. Surrender your resources and reject this lifestyle of yours. What say you?"
The Oyabun strode up confidently out into the open and called out for Zero to hear, wherever he may be. "You have your path to your future, we have chosen our own. Therefore, we part ways here Zero. Do not come for us again, or we shall end you and your band." Then to their surprise, the image of Zero on the Ediscreen began to clap.
"A wonderful performance oyabun Mako, but I hold all the cards in this arrangement." With the click of his onscreen fingers, the ediscreen exploded outwards, dozens of Ronin Knights streamed from behind where the screen once hung, all of them firing and killing whomever was in their way. 'They have their own sense of honour, despite their criminal nature, but we shall engage wholeheartedly in our true nature. By agreeing to meet me, you have put yourself in my sights. And now, this underground will cease to be.' One by one, the yakuza soldiers were shot down, each of them fleeing from the massive army. But then came in a ripper frame, towering over the knights and releasing a volley of bullets from a mounted gattling gun on the front in place of a cannon. Kallens ability to multitask came in handy as she propelled forward to gain momentum, all the while firing in a wide swinging arc that killed six men. When it was calmed down, Zero wandered over and saw the oyabun on his back with his lag bleeding profusely. The old man had died within a minute.
Back at the eviscerated theatre that held the ediscreen, Katrina was still standing behind a camera in shock. When Zero told her to set up the meeting using all this equipment, she would never have anticipated him blowing up the screen while she filmed and transmitted his speech. It was certainly an exciting project, but the fright she got from the explosion caused her to freeze up. She turned around and saw the entire park littered with bodies. And she smiled. 'Time to get to work'.
The Britannian's had arrived in full droves, ready to wipe out the remaining criminal elements in Colony 11. Suzaku was leading the charge in his royal plated honorary Paladin. Following swiftly behind the infamous white Lancel paladin was two more rippers. It looked the same as it did since the last skirmish, speeding along at high velocity and ramping up to the side of a ferris wheel. Firing its tridet grapples, the three pronged harpoons lodged in the metal girders and allowed him vantage over the battle grounds. Firing down at the enemy, he was struggling to tell Knights of Ronin from yakuza members. 'I can't kill Kallen, not when I owe her. There is no justice in killing her now.'
The Knights took to their rippers, speeding out to head off these new enemies and certain they could eliminate the two Brits. That served to be their undoing. As two attempted to rush in their own standard ripper frame stolen from the cargo. But the superior specs of the Lancel unit rendered numbers practically void. Suzaku dismounted from the ferris wheel, landing with a large thunk. An angry morse code was being passed through from Lloyd reminding him to be careful with the prototype. Suzaku sped at his enemies, firing a barrage of bullets at one and launching his harpoons to their left and right flanks respectively. While one was disorientated from bullets, the other swerved to avoid the harpoon and line, causing it to crash into the confused ripper and tripping over each other. Suazku's ally was doing well, Cecile being able to pilot a ripper as well as any soldier. Military service demanded training with all hardware. Although she did find herself surrounded by multiple soldiers, Suzaku swept in to save her, coordiated by a radio link.
"You are indeed the pilot that Earl Lloyd claims you to be Kururugi. It is a shame that Princess Cornelia's pride resists such a fact."
"With all due respect, you should show her highness the same courtesy as the Emperor, as you are a knight of his majesty."
"Then shouild I treat you with the same courtesy according to principle. You did put your life in my hands."
"Out of respect for your intellect and station sir Knight!"
"And not because you don't trust Lloyd with that same life. Use the cannon to detonate that fountain and create a distraction, this park is lost to the insurgents anyway."
"But we can't let them win." He fired off the main cannon, dispersing water everywhere and scattering the Ronin. "We need to reclaim this land or risk losing it forever."
"That is not why we are here, you merely explained we are in search of a kidnapper and his kidnappee. Scatter shot, it should take out the group gathered behind the shed. That aside, Zero will not remain, he is disorganised here and is lacking in any military strength, this is not his base of operations."
Suzaku fired widely, and grimaced at the pile of dead bodies piling around him. While Cecile was maintaining a perimeter, he took frontlines and was massacring these people outside of their rippers. 'They chose this life, if they wished to escape punishment, they must realise the honourary system can help preserve their lives.'
"Sherlock, how do you know these things, how are you able to co-ordinate me?"
"I am atop the ferris wheel. Pease try to avoid rattling me again, I do so fear heights. Oho, a new challenger approaches!"
Then he saw the red ripper frame. According to Holmes report, Lord Guilford had trouble with a similar machine. He approached cautiously, wary of what tricks the machine would pull.
Kallen, in her ripper, shot towards the Lancel unit, trundling along as fast as she could. When he came within firing distance, she blasted her main gun. However, he seemed to predict this move and pointed its own cannon downwards and blasted itself over the bombardment. It flipped over her frame and began firing as it sped at her for a change. She took off, evading its shots with a vickers. As she rounded a corner, she radioed Ohgi and Minami, "Ohgi, accelerate your frames out ahead of me and eject before you pass."
"But Kallen..."
"We can't win against this firepower and our rippers are being wiped out. At least with this I can catch it off guard." The complied, she took note of their ejection as they rolled before her and she zoomed off. She fired a harpoon into the wall she hid behind and continued forward. 'Suzaku relies on his advanced tech and doesn't consider lesser models able to pull off an attack'. As the cable flexed, she was plled into an arc and fired off round after round in hopes of nailing the Lancel.
"Kururugi, those paladins are a ruse, she behind you" holmes shouted into his radio. Suzaku turnde just in time to be blinded by an explosive going off right before him. 'The pilot must have run out of rounds.' Then he heard a harpoon lodge itself in the main body. 'I've been tethered!'
Kallen had fired off a harpoon and lodged itself in the main unit. She released the first harpoon and rushed forward, pulling the Lancel along behind her. But that became a flaw, as the weight of the Lancel ripped the harpoon launcher out of its placement on the rippers main torso. The frame was tossed forward and tumbled into a heap. With a bit of adjustment, she righted herself upright. But the Lancel wasn't done
As the Lancel took its shot, the round bombarded the red ripper tearing out its left track and causing it to spiral out of control. Kallen pulled and adjusted the pistons and valves to maintain stability, but the carbonite tank was reading critical. It was now or never, yet another ripper frame was lost to the Britannian's, she had to eject. But with a final twist of the gears, she spiralled the ripper towards the group of yakuza cornering the KoR. Giving a frustrated grunt, she pulled out and tucked & rolled away. "Damn you Suzaku, this will be the last time I end up like this. I swear it."
"Suzaku, can you make the shot, the pilot is out in the open." Holmes voice rang in his ear, but he didn't fire. It was Kallen, the one person he swore not to kill this night. 'You and Zero saved my life Kallen. Consider that debt repaid.'
"Sorry Sir Holmes, I have been damaged and must withdraw." He got the go ahead from Lloyd, but cast a look back at the hall of mirrors where Kallen was headed. 'Even if Zero may be a murderer, Kallen knows Nunnally, she will save her. I guess I must have faith in her tonight. PLease Kallen, just this once, prove me wrong about Zero.' He relented and drove back to meet up with Lloyd and Cecile.
Kallen ran from the burning wreck towards the Hall of Mirrors where Zero had entered and Sayoko had followed. 'If they were lucky, Sayoko will find Nunnally before Zero. He needs to get back out here and take command!'. She ran to the back door entrance, kicked it in and jogged to the storage area, where she came upon a familiar sight.
Ten minutes earlier, with Zero and Sayoko, Hall of Mirrors.
"Damn these Ronin scum, they have ruined everything. Get the girl and move out, we need a new base of operations." The last remaining head and his lieutenant of the Yakuza in Tokyo was running to an auto with a suitcase filled with as much banknotes as possible. No sooner had he said this, than the sound of someone landing on the roof of their car. The stopped and saw a body draped across the roof with another person dressed in concealing black standing above. "Oh…OH KAMI…a Kunochi!"
"This is the end of your reign, oyuban." She swung a katanna through their heads. What remained slumped to the ground, unmoving and bleeding stumps. Another soon followed them through the door carrying a paltry hand gun. He had barely a moment to recoil at the sight of the bodies when a kunai lodged itself in his neck. Sayoko materialised out of the shadows and ran to find her mistress indoors.
While inside, she ran to the storage room where all the thugs were hiding. Great relief overcame her as, when she flung open the doors, Kozuki was there to tend to the child, who was distressed and panicing having just woken up. It was when she caught a scent of a familiar enemy did she pull back. 'If my Lord does not wish for Nunnally to know of my involvement, then I must realise it is for her benefit.
Lelouch was searching the interior of the hall of mirrors from where the Yakuza had been hidden. 'Cornelia must be having a definite effect on the scum of Tokyo if she is forcing the once noble houses into hiding in carnival attractions.' Explosions were heard outside, much to Lelouch's irritation. He had only hope that Ohgi would take initiative and remove themselves from the fight. 'They're earlier than I had anticipated, they must have someone who can predict my moves. Cornelia, for all your experience, you lack the strategic values me and Schneizel held so highly. That has always been your disadvantage in our chess matches. That leaves another who's hands are prodding where they shouldn't. Maybe Suzaku can give a me some information.' He knew that Nunnally had to be here somewhere. Then he heard a rustle, like cloak unfurling in the wind. He reeled on this being, gun in hand, and saw this mans silhouette. "Reveal yourself to me, monster, and I shall be lenient in my justice". He could see not a soul anywhere, at one moment, his shadow seemed so far away, the next it felt as though it curled up next to him in comfort, a chilling sensation. Yet the mirrors reflected nothing back to him.
"Ohohoho, and what justice it is! Such carnage and blood, I have enjoyed these past two days."
"Do you think this is simply a game for me, something for your amusement. I tell you this, it ends when I have you in check, your soldiers are eradicated, Britannians are arriving and you have no new tricks that I haven't already seen."
"I think not…my Prince!" He didn't let his words affect him, but it was hard not to recoil at this revelation a little. That being said, he remained steady in his aim, before lowering his gun in acquiescence.
"Tell me, what purpose does Nunnally serve you when you know all this?"
"Come with me." The figure stepped forward into the light so that Lelouch could see him somewhat better. There he knew why he could not see him in a house of mirrors, he had no reflection to cast, each mirror was devoid of any life. This man grasped him on both shoulders and surrounded the pair in red tendrils that seemed to lift them into the air. They evaporated and passed through the ceiling up to the roof where no one could bother them.
"Why here? Why Clovisland of all places?"
"Freedom to do whatever you choose. It's peaceful for me to listen to the sounds of death, I am glad you brought your soldiers with you. Though I must admit, I had hoped to see what you could do on your own with this power. You have more patience and resolve to remain anonymous than most nosferatu I have known."
"What is your name, monster?"
"Monster, not I. I am merely a humble servant of his majesty and one you should take heed not become your enemy."
"A name…now!"
"I have a message for you." He lunged forward and grasped Zero by the neck, held him aloft so his toes dragged the ground. And in the luminescent glow of the fairground lights, he could finally see what this thing was that captured his sister, sent so many pawns to their deaths and now threatened his life. Altough bound in similar garb that he found CC in, black leather restraint suit found on most asylum inductees, but over it he wore a coat of deepest maroon, complete with a hat of similar colour, but his eyes, they shone a deeper red than he could have ever considered. For the first time in seven years, he felt genuine fear, so intense he gripped at his wrist tightly in reflex. "I am known by only one name now…Alucard. And you dear Prince, have become a hinderence to his majesty. Should you raise your fists against him again…well, you remember what happened seven years ago, don't you?"
"So you know me…you've known all this time, why did you only kidnap my sister now, why only bring me out here to warn me…unless you act on your own accord…that's it, you're trying to break free while my father has you imprisoned." Alucard grimaced and retracted his hand. He fell back deeper into the shadows and whispered out before he left.
"Think on this warning, my Prince, and consider it well." No sooner had he said this, then CC burst up to the roof with Sayoko following swiftly behind ready with a blade in each hand. Alucard regarded them briefly, his eyes seeming to glow when they landed on CC, who in turn recoiled from his gaze. Since meeting her, he had never thought to see CC so petrified before. "Look to her my Prince, and see the pain she hadth brought this very night." With that final cryptic remark, he disappeared without a trace. Upon reflecting his final remark, he cast a critical gaze over CC, who bowed her head in shame and Lelouch knew immediately why. She had set this all in motion!
Kallen had forgotten about her, she realised when she saw her in this room. Kallen took hold of her hand and guided it to her face. "Nunnally, do you remember my voice? Do you know who I am?" The child pondered for a moment, realised, and threw herself into a hug much like any other child would have done. Kallen picked her up bridal style and carried her to a chair speaking with her along the way.
He had calculated she would be moved around this time and therefore be at the back where he came in from, ready for transport. At the very least, she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire, even if a few men's lives were cost. Out of the corner of his eyes, he saw Kallen sneak away from them all with a little bundle in her arms. 'She's the only one who would recognize her, I must stop her from leaving.' He chased after her onto the docks and called out her name. She stood shock still and slowly turned to face him. In her arms lay Nunnally, untarnished, uncovered with blood. He couldn't remove that image of her, bloodied and broken, from his memory.
"Kallen, why have you taken this child from the scene of the crime?" she looked guilty at first, at betraying her leader, but became resolute and stared him in the mask.
"I will not let this child become a martyr or an expendable bargaining tool for munitions. You know of my attendance to a Britannian academy, Nunnally was kidnapped. I'm sorry Zero if I must disobey you, but I will not-"
"KALLEN! Do you think me so single-minded in my conquests? Was tonight not an example. To save this world, sacrifices are necessary." She held onto her tighter when he said that, possessively so. "But the lives of the innocent, whether Britannian or Japanese, is never one of those lines we cross." She relaxed a little bit more and looked at him with a greater degree of reverence. "To be honest, I expected to be the one to say this to you, given your history. But I suppose we know how each of us think of one another at this point. I'm disappointed for your failure to follow command and hold faith in my tactics, but proud of your unwavering commitment to justice and equality. This is a step in the right direction."
Although a faint tint came to her cheeks, she still held a stoic expression in front of him. "I wouldn't say equality per say. I owe a debt." Nunnally had not said a word out of fear for the proximity of the masked revolutionary. His voice she recognized from the radio, it sent a chill down her spine to hear it this up close.
"Greetings Nunnally. My apologies for your mistreatment at the hands of these hoodlum's. They shall be dealt with post-haste."
"Do you mean to kill those people?"
"When they have destroyed the lives of so many, a clean death shall be their reward." While it shook him internally to see her recoil at his words, the thought that she would never associate these words with Lelouch was motivation enough.
"Suzaku had said you were a radical, but I never imagined this. If you kill your own countrymen, where do you draw the line?" 'I never taught her that diplomacy before, or any diplomacy. She's been spending too much time with Suzaku.' The distant sound of whistles could be heard as the royal constabulary was marching towards their position, signalling time for them to move.
"My dear Nunnally, we must part ways here. My subordinates will see you home safe and sound, have no fear of us Ms Lamperouge, we do not harm the innocent. We follow a very similar path, though I took the one more…tumultuous. My agents will escort you on your way back. Goodnight." He turned with a flip of his cape and strode off towards the warehouse to clear away the assembled men and women. Kallen carried Nunnally through the darkness and made it to the back streets where a truck they had acquired a week earlier was hidden, being driven by Sayoko who shushed Kallen as to not reveal her identity to Nunnally. She hid her armour beneath a large coat and wore a paddy's cap over her eyes to conceal her identity. As she rode to the Academy, Nunnally perked up at the closeness of Kallen and the low rumble of the engine. "Kallen, are you a rebel?"
"No Nunnally, just a freedom revolutionary."
"I don't think that term exists."
"Well, we'll make sure it does, because that's what we are. Please, believe me." She gave no indication if she did or did not, but held onto her, like a safety blanket, all the same.
"Kallen?"
"Hmm?"
"Did you tell Zero my name or that you were looking for me?"
"Huh…no, no I didn't."
"Then how did he know my full name." her eyes widened slightly at that. 'How did he know that? Is it his mole in the police or some informer? That must be it…surely it is.'
SC Building:
As Kallen reached the Council building, Nunnally still piggybacking on her shoulders, she couldn't help but feel a sense of exhaustion sweep over her. It had been non-stop running, fighting and sneaking. Honestly, after nearly seven years of combat and rebelling, it came as a surprise that she could be tired from doing such basic activities in a rebellion. 'In hindsight, I suppose we never truly helped anyone. True, we tried saving as many people as possible, but in the end, so many were being caught up in the cross fire…now we're killing our own people, like the samurai of old.' Such a burden weighed heavily upon her shoulders. And that burden just so happened to start moving again having fallen asleep on the way here.
"Kallen, are we nearly there? You must be tiring from carrying me all this way." She whispered, almost like they were sneaking around like in a game. Kallen smiled in good humour. 'Of course, She gets kidnapped and then asks me if I'm ok.'
"I'll carry you for as long as necessary, we're only a little bit away now. Just rest easy and you will see your brother soon." She whispered back, but grimaced at her words. 'How to explain myself? Do I say I found on the side of the street or report the police found her? No, Lelouch wanted to stop the police from getting involved, maybe if Sayoko is there, but…what about…Suzaku? Lelouch trusts him, maybe I can convince Suzaku to take credit finding her.'
"Kallen, are you ok? You seem very scared." Deciding to bite the bullet, Kallen set her down on the steps to the Student Council hall.
"Nunna, I need you to do something for me, something that is very hard. I need you to tell your brother, tell Lelouch that Suzaku saved you."
"Oh Kallen, you mustn't ask that of me. To lie to big brother. I'm sure he will understand, I know that I do, truly." Kind words, well intentioned though they might be, were naïve and short-sighted. Lelouch would never understand. Out of his mind with grief for his missing sister, he wouldn't let her near the Student council again to protect Nunnally.
"This is for your protection, both of yours. If I can keep you safe for as long as I can, there needs to be this one secret." She sounded so desperate to her own ears, but they were running out of time.
It seemed that Nunnally would not accept, but, very reluctantly, she held her hand out with her little pinkie held out. "Suzaku told me about this one when I met him." Kallen knew immediately what this promise meant. She recalled her brother doing something similar when they were younger and were secretly celebrating their mother's birthday. They wrapped their pinkies around each other's, then Kallen softly sang;
"Cross your heart,
hope to die,
eat a thousand needles if I die,
pinkie promise song."
Nunnally smiled in recognition, having heard it so many times when she and Lelouch made a promise to one another. She gently took Kallens hands in her own and caressed them as though they were her mother's own, before she pulled away and slumped in exhaustion of the past few days. Kallen resisted tearing up at the sight, knowing the nightmares that would sure plague her. She passed her gently to Sayoko, who had hung back and witnessed the exchange, and slipped away home. Sayoko gave her a cursory glance of appreciation and curiosity, laughing to herself about a little scenario that played out in her mind, before making their way into the clubhouse. As she laid Nunnally to sleep, she could hear shouting from beneath the hiding space beneath the house. 'It seems the master and miss CC has returned.'
Hidden passage, Clubhouse, Ashford Academy
Lelouch paced angrily around the room while CC sat cross legged atop the worktop he had until recently used to search a corpse. There was venom in his eyes as he spoke; "You knew that Nunnally means everything, my goals and her dreams are intertwined. So too is our lives, whatever happens to her would end me."
"And you needed to see the world objectively. Like everyone else, you labour under a pitiful delusion that we are normal, that everything is normal. Is this how it should be?"
"What are you talking about, I see the world as it truly is, divided by injustice and intolerance. That is why I lead it to a better place, where everyone is equal, where everyone is partial to justice."
"You are just as blind. There is no divide, it is just a mask worn to hide our desires. There is no divide, because everyone is capable of great evil."
"So they labour under the delusion of this divide, under the façade of what is order. Yes, I see it now. Chaos is what reigns, yet we chose not to see it. For order to come, chaos must be present. I will bring them that chaos, and from the ashes shall spring a new world of order and equality."
"You have truly learned much from your trouncing at the hands of Cornelia."
"Must you bring that up."
"Yes, there is only so much room for such an ego. You needed to see. You needed to know."
"The corruption we will face. Even if Japan is saved, criminal elements will cause it to come crashing down. Why, why do you care?"
She whipped her head around to face him and glared so harshly. She brought her hand up and, using three fingers, stroked them across her back, hers arm and her chest. "Nunnally bares those scars now, so that no other will ever bear them again." Even as the Ronin's helped those poor children, each face was replaced with Nunnally's. Sickening him to the core when he could see Nunnally weeping openly into the arms of Kallen all the while she hurt to even move. And that was how he saw this world. Every commander was Clovis, every soldier was Suaku and every child was Nunnally.
Kaguya offices:
It had taken them a days' worth of travel, but the duo had finally arrived in the Tokyo settlement. It would be here that they will deal with the Kyoto group. One had a large grey beard that came to his stomach and wore large rimmed glasses that encompassed his whole eyes. The others hair came down to the lower back and the fringe obscuring most of her face. The both wore large brown cloaks that covered their entire bodies. And both were large and bulky beneath their clothing concealing what was hidden. The two figures entered the building, still cloaked and donning a large hat on each head. They were led through the cold foyer and to the second floor where another pair was waiting outside the offices. Inside, two old friends were meeting.
"So you have heard the news."
"All of Colony 11 has heard the news Kaguya, now it will only be a matter of time before our own life is taken. Be it from Cornelia or Zero."
"But why would Zero incense the Houses. Surely he knows of our importance to the Japanese people. Removing us does him no benefit."
"Unless he plans a coup or perhaps even a complete revolution of our customs."
"At the very least, the removal of some of the more…archaic traditions."
"You must be quite displeased, I'm sure. But Japan will not accept another monarch so soon after the last."
"Nor will they accept an elitist collective of old men who do not realise they are now irrelevant." She finished with a smile, while Kirihara only tightened the grip on his cane so much that it began to creak with strain. A knock was heard at the door and Kaguya's aide poked her head in. "My lady, you have guests that need attending to." She disappeared back to allow the two patrons entrance. "I'm afraid this conversation will have to resume at a later date. Please…have a nice day." That smile returned and Kirihara rose with a groan before leaving. "Good health…princess." When he left, she turned her attention to the two new attendee's. "Now then, how can I help you?"
"We bring urgent news from Kyoto."
"And that is."
The silent companion next to the speaker unveiled three kunai and swung them at her. She ducked beneath her desk and hid. Their cloaks removed, they wore instead dark grey swards wrapped tightly around their bodies and masks that concealed their faces. "Before I die, let me know the name of my killer and the two he sent in his place." The proclamation came from underneath the desk.
They didn't reply, only whipping off their large cloaks and diving over the desk while the other kicked it backwards to reveal Kaguya crouched while holding a short double-barrelled shotgun. She tried to fire at one, but he jumped out of the way and the blast instead struck the wall. One held a kunai to her eye, the other a short blade kitana to her neck. "We preserve our duty and loyalty from our first breaths to our enemies last." Just as they were to deliver the killing blow, the door was kicked in and the two others came in with swords drawn. Unlike their combatants, they were still clothed in their bulky cloaks and large hats.
The two lunged at one another. While the woman and the silent ninja struck with heavy blows, the male and the talkative ninja paced around one another. The latter lunged, but the other just glided to the side with ease, each swipe with the kunai were missing their mark and the ninja panted with exertion. "Fight like a man!"
"I'd rather fight properly." Came a cocksure reply. Realising their mission had failed, he whipped out a smoke grenade, attempting to heave it at the ground. Instead his hand was sliced off at the wrist and the small grenade was crushed in the hands grip. He howled in pain and retreated, but his attacker pressed. Using the hilt of the Kitana and is sheath, he directed a blow of the hilt to daze his enemy. On the ground, the swordsman kicked him in the face.
The female swordsman was having considerable difficulty landing a blow, as the ninja kept jumping over each swipe and bounced off any surface to gain leverage. When he was sure to get the drop on his enemy, he flipped over her head and attempted to slice her back. Instead he was met with a blade piercing through the bulky cloak and stabbing him in the stomach. He crumbled to the ground in pain and lowered his head in disgrace. As the swordswoman raised her blade to execute him, its swipe was blocked by her ally's steel.
"Chiba, practice restraint." She stepped back and sheathed her sword, all while bowing. The swordsman turned his attention back to Kaguya, who was seated back in her chair and stared at the fighters with an odd sense of fascination. "I must confess Lady kaguya, I did not feel comfortable wearing these ridiculous disguises. But it seems your intuition was correct." He removed the beard and glasses, shrugged off the cloak and hung up the large hat. The young captain sat before Kaguya who smiled with concealed glee at seeing the miracle worker dressed in such a ridiculous façade. His companion too undressed the garments, revealing the youthful, short haired beauty that was Nagisa Chiba, who took the liberty of shutting the doors and keeping guard. "Now then, you wished to speak privately."
"Yes Captain Urabe, you see, with Cornelia's recent attacks on our establishments, we could very well be seeing the end of all rebel factions in a matter of months. Cornelia knew where to strike that would garner the best results for quenching all further rebellions, the funding behind it. Now instead of individual attacks…"
"She can singlehandedly retake Japan in one stroke of the sword."
"As well as seizing our fortunes to assist with their ailing country. I have heard rumour that taxation must increase even among the Britannian's."
"Spare me the politics, they do little to interest me. What would you have me do?"
"With little to no funding, the Knights of Ronin have not only commenced three major attacks on Britannian troops, but is also securing our future against corruption. I would like to direct a majority of the Six Houses funds towards Zero and his Ronin Knights."
Chiba chose this moment to speak up, "But that would cripple the JLF. Surely this motely band of rebels can do little more than light skirmishes against Britannia unlike the well-oiled machine of the Japan Liberation Front." But Kaguya cut her off with the wave of her hand.
"In the past almost two months, the KoR has performed seven raids on Police constabulary headquarters, twelve raids on arms routes along the border of the settlement, three direct assault operations against the Britannian military led by General Cornelia and has raided five opium dens and cartels. I could go on, but it would be faster to name out everything the JLF has done in that time."
"So you suggest we all join forces with Zero for the time being."
"I want to spread word, we are in our last legs of rebellion. Soon, the hope for Japan will be lost unless able men come to our cause. In two months, I want enough able-bodied men and women to be trained to defend Mount Fuji. We only need to hold our nerve and wait for the right time."
"Chiba, we must gather Asahina and Senba, and notify Todoh. We shall gather as many men as possible. If he's the man I think him to be, then he will rush to our aid regardless. It must be a show of good faith, Japans future hangs in the balance." She bowed in response and started to leave while donning her disguise. Urabe was about to join her, but Kaguya spoke up.
"The man you think he is captain, do you know who he might be?" she asked, barely containing her excitement at finding out.
"Better, I know what he is. If he is as altruistic as I know him to be, I can estimate his next location, the carbonite refinery near Okinawa."
'Then if that is truly the case' Kaguya thought to herself, 'Zero may be in need of some better equipment. I wonder if Miss Rackshata has perfected the ripper yet.'
SU Building
A celebration was in full swing involving the small band of council members who knew of Nunna's disappearance. There was much eating and drinking and cooing over Nunnally's safe return. Milly was taking charge. "And who would have thought anyone could take so poor and sweet, an innocent little child. My word, Shirley was in a fit over it the entire time." Shirley for her part, was gracious enough to assure Nunnally they would remain even more closely knit than before. "We will not let another man take you, so long as we are on these grounds Nunna."
"Yeah" butted in Rivalz, "That's why we are going to stay here forever." Nina chose this moment to pipe up, "Yeah, especially with your marks, that won't be a problem." she was too ingrained in her readings and notes to pay particular attention until now.
"Hey, no need to be so picky."
"I'm just glad that Sayoko and Suzaku were there to save her, a toast, to our honourable Japanese allies in this most taxing time." Milly raised a glass up high.
"Literally in this case, the taxes have gone up overnight. All thanks to the Knights of Ronin." Rivalz put in. Kallen took note of what he said and decided to make her retreat, but Suzaku followed closely behind. When he reached the foyer, he saw Kallen standing there, as though she expected him. 'I guess she didn't want to cause a scene.' He pondered.
"So Suzaku, shall you do your duty? I mean I'd hate to go and I doubt Earl Stadtfeld would be too much happier for convicting her daughter. But, that choice is out of my hands." She gestured Suzaku towards her wrists, ready to be bound, yet the poor soldier was shocked still, unwilling to move. Kallen looked incensed at her identity being discovered and was ready to bolt at a moments notice. 'Manipulation, lies and abuses of power. These can help you Suzaku, this situation is the perfect test. Will you use them, just as he had, to maintain some semblance of order?'
"No."
"No?" she was surprised to hear the, from what she learned from their interactions, usually anal Suzaku who suck by the rules. 'Manipulating the system in light ways. He's learning.'
"I'm off duty, so I guess…I have no jurisdiction on school grounds right now. Have a good day Miss Stadtfeld. But." He strode up to her and glared at her dead in the eye, "Do not think about involving Lelouch in your schemes. This rebellion is wrong and I will not see either of them be warped or manipulated." She nodded, still too angered to be scared by him and left.
"You proved me right and wrong last night, not all rebels are so bad and co-operation can work, even in little ways."
"And you proved to Me Suzaku, sometimes lies are necessary." She called back at him, failing to notice his frown. 'You have no idea Kallen, you have no idea.'
She didn't make it too far before she heard someone say her name.
"Kallen" Lelouch called out. He jogged after her and met up. "I never did get to say thank you properly…or to even say sorry." He looked abashed and hung his head in shame. So, she decided to relent at least a little. 'If it's about two days ago, but I suppose, considering…'
"I'm surprised. Getting an apology out of the infamous Lelouch seems like a small victory around here. But please, continue."
"I acted rashly and out of spite. What happened to Nunnally was not your fault. May we sit?" he led her to a bench outside of the clubhouse and the two sat each other on opposite sides. For a few tense seconds, Kallen fidgeted while Lelouch said nothing and sat back thinking. "Apparently, Nunnally was found by Sayoko, the man who took her was a desperate drunkard who held no true power to affect us. I had thought we might be exploited by him, yet I was…"
"Paranoid, I'd say."
"I'd say cautious, but if you say so."
"I do say so, this is the most we have spoken in nearly a week. Sometimes I feel you're hiding something, not just from me, but your friends as well."
"Are we not friends, I thought our conversation was going so well."
"Quite the contrary, you still haven't answered my question."
"How about you tell me your secret and I'll tell you mine?"
"Don't answer my question with another question!"
"That's all your getting from me today Kallen, but that's more than most usually get from me."
"I feel so fulfilled, how about a medal?"
"I don't think so, we're not exactly in the military are we?" he cast a cursory glance at her, she didn't even flinch. 'Good girl Kallen, this is how you play the game. By playing others at it'. "You seem tired Kallen, maybe you should rest at home, maybe greet your family as though you might never see them again. After Nunnally, I never know when something like this will happen again." She rose and left, striding away with a confidence he knew most sickly women wouldn't have. What he didn't know was, he had gotten to her a little bit.
He was soon joined by Suzaku.
"Not going back in?"
"Nunnally has more friends than her own brother, some even act her age rather than their own."
"I suppose."
"Suzaku…thank you, for helping to find her and keeping this as low key as possible. I really couldn't have done this without you."
"Well, I had to tell some people. Four at the most, but I wouldn't have been able to find and protect her & Sayoko were it not for my colleague."
'A colleague, could this be the man who checked my move. Possible, not even Suzaku could predict my movements. But this only begs the question…'
"Who is this colleague of yours Suzaku?"
"…A consulting detective."
Stadtfeld Estate
As Kallen returned to her home, she expected to find that woman who used to be her mother sweeping shards of chandelier glass from the dining room, yet she was nowhere in sight. Lelouch's parting words had lit a fire beneath her to rush home. An adrenaline rush where she felt like she could do anything. That was why, when she saw Nunnally so easily forgive her brother for not protecting her, having such confidence in his ability to save her, how could she not think to Naoto. 'What would you say Naoto? Would you be so willing to forgive her? I just...I just want her to be gone.' She doubted even her own thoughts.
She ran up to the hovel that was her bedroom, certain that she was asleep in her usual dazed state like she always was. That was how often she found her in the mornings, drooling and lucid, devoid of any motivation. It fell to Kallen most times to wake her and she was always greeted with that sight. It was tempting some mornings to willingly let her lie there and see her be fired, but she knew deep down, she could never accept it if she was personally responsible and chose to let her wallow in sorrow until she willingly surrendered.
But as it was, her room was devoid of life. Only the cruel chicken scratch that were death threats written in britannish and japanese alike were there. It was the size of a closet, even her own had larger space than her own mother, and contained only a dank bed with tattered sheets and a dresser that looked rummaged through.
"She's gone finally." that shrill voice rang up behind her, Lady Stadtfeld looked down disinterestedly at the scene, "Finally abandoned all hope and all luxury afforded to her." Then a tight hand grasped Kallens shoulder, "I suppose this means we will be spending more time together" she hissed.
Kallen tore herself away from her grasp and rounded on her. "Move your gaijin derriere out of this place right now, or so help me God, I will roast you on a spit." It had the desired effect as te stick thin woman sped away, carrying what ruffles in her dress she could manage. She crawled into the cramped space and rumaged through the sheets looking for any evidence as to where she might have gone. 'Just like how Zero did the prior night.' When she opened up the dresser, a grim sight was found. A spindly needle covered lightly in blood and dripping with white fluid was nestled in a bundle of broadsheet. 'Oh mother...is this how far you've fallen? Cocaine as your escapism. Did...did I do this to you?'
It shook her, to know just how alone she was in this cramped space, her brother was gone and now her mother abandoned her, just like her father. That night, she laid down in the tattered sheets and snuggled close up into her scent. Just like how she used to with mothers kimono. 'Mom...please come back.'
Knights of Ronin mobile HQ, at the edge of Tokyo, Early morning
They all took up the weapons that they had forged, their weapons, from this day until their last. Tamaki held his former service pistol, once owned in the line of duty with the police constabulary. Inoue with her dagger, taken from the false liberators soldier whom she felled with. Minami with his rifle, the first rifle taken from Britannian ambushes and gleaming with underuse, hopefully he would never have to use it. Ohgi with his newly bestowed German Mauser, imported specially along the black market and gifted to him by Zero as a reward for their alliance. Kallen with her own Katana, gifted in blood from Naoto Kozuki, their founder, a sacred family heirloom gifted through the years until it found her hands. As Lelouch stood before them on the pedestal of their headquarters, he raised his hands to signal to oath they would promise. The oath of Bushido.
"By my honour, by my pride, we stand together, aside, aside.
In the name of justice, no wrong shall be spared, no evil unpunished, no good unrewarded.
By my loyalty, strong as iron, hold it true, a promise to myself and a promise to you.
We hold these truths above all else; Rectitude. Courage. Benevolence. Politeness. Veracity. Honor. Loyalty. We swear it upon the blood of our ancestors and the dignity of Japan."
They quietened down and awaited his call to arms. He said nothing. Did nothing. His hand grasped his wrist tightly. Until finally, he raised both hands to his sides and proclaimed.
"ARISE, KNIGHTS OF RONIN!"
And so here it is. Finally, after all this time, you have your next update. And it only took...THREE MONTHS, JAYSUS! Sorry about that, I had the worst writers block ever. But now I know my structure and my use of foreshadowing.
Did anyone guess who the vampire was before this chapter, congratulations, you get a cookie. (Raisin and oat, I'm stingy like that.)
Hopefully I will get my next chapter out before...I don't know, before TFS puts out a new episode of DBZ abridged. So plenty of time then!
Please R&R.