Disclaimer: Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Studios
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When Lelouch could no longer see Kallen's form, he withdrew from the ledge and got on his feet. With a hunched back and lowered head, he walked aimlessly and stopped before a dilapidated wall. Suddenly filled with rage, he tightly balled his hand. With an anguished roar, he thrust his fist into the wall. The punch sent a tingling sensation up his arm and it pained him greatly, but he didn't hold back. If anything, the numbness in his hand only fueled his rage. He repeatedly struck the wall until he couldn't summon the strength to continue. He glanced at his gloved knuckles which took on a shade of maroon.
"IDIOT! WHY DID YOU DO THAT? WHY DID YOU THROW AWAY YOUR LIFE AS IF IT WAS NOTHING? DID YOU EVER CONSIDER THE FEELINGS OF THE PEOPLE AROUND YOU? THERE COULD'VE BEEN ANOTHER WAY!" He bellowed as he slammed the wall for the last time. His eyes were alight and wide with fury. His entire body shuddered between breaths and his shoulders began to droop in resignation. The anger that he held faded and instead left behind an empty shell. His tightly clenched fist unfurled and dropped to his side. His knees began to buckle, threatening to collapse.
He would have given up the entire mission if not for a single thought that crossed his mind. It was almost like a whisper that called out to him.
Maybe she survived the fall. Maybe she's down there waiting for you to come save her.
Lelouch's hunched over body straightened and a ray of hope flickered within him.
"That's right. What if she survived?"
He turned to peek over the ledge, hoping that something down below would give him a sign of some sort.
"…I have to know."
The violet-eyed man gathered the remainder of his strength and dashed down the corridors. A mysterious, soft whirring sound came from the left, but his mind was elsewhere. Without confirming whether the source was a friend or foe, he pushed on.
"Master Lelouch."
The voice calling him sounded familiar. At the sound of his name, he halted and turned to the gaping hole beside him. Hovering in the middle was the Guren!
Is that really the Guren? There's something different about it. No doubt, that Britannian scientist is the cause of this, but who could be piloting it? It couldn't be. It's—
"Sayoko!"
"Yes, Master Lelouch. The hangar was collapsing so I had to pilot the Guren SEITEN before it was crushed under the debris. Where is Ms. Kouzuki?"
"SEITEN? Never mind that. Sayoko, I require your services. I need you to take me to the ground directly under this wing."
"Of course."
The Knightmare's crimson arm reached out and offered its hand. Lelouch clambered on and wrapped his forearm around its index finger. Once he was secure, the Guren engaged its low thrusters and descended to the chaos below.
As they neared the ground Lelouch spotted a brightly colored object amongst the debris. It was a faded golden color with red and white embroidery. The sight of it triggered an image of Kallen, of her wearing an elegant dress of the same design.
"Sayoko, over there!"
She voiced a confirmation and clumsily veered the Guren toward the area he pointed out. The Guren landed and lowered its arm. The man jumped down from the large hand and rushed over to the golden-colored fabric. As he neared, he confirmed that it was indeed Kallen's dress. He had found her. Although initially glad, a sense of concern came over him. What worried him was the fact that he couldn't see anything else but the cloth. Doubts arose in his mind, but were quickly casted aside through sheer will. He got down on his knees and began to remove the rubble that lay atop of the dress.
He shoved a large piece of concrete to the side. The concrete groaned and rumbled as it was moved from its place. He heaved several smaller pieces behind him with a strained grunt. The sound of the bits thudding and cracking against the ground motivated the violet-eyed man to dig further. His arms ached, his legs were numb, and the pile of rubble was enormous, but the toil incited a sense of reward knowing that he was getting closer.
One by one, the large pile gradually disappeared with its remnants scattered around the sweating man. It felt like time had dragged on forever and his body was now catching up with the work he put in. He wasn't sure how much longer he could endure the labor, but he persisted anyway. Lelouch sluggishly lifted up a chunk and spotted strands of fiery red hair splayed all over the ground. He gasped and dropped the piece, unaware that it had almost landed on his foot. With invigorated strength, he took another in the same vicinity and threw it aside.
The crown of a head emerged from underneath. Excited, he removed another and another. Pale skin, a pair of closed eyes, a sharp nose, and soft lips revealed themselves from underneath the veil of dust.
He found her. He finally found her. After removing the last of the debris from her person, he remained still. His figure hovered protectively over hers, observing quietly for any movements.
"Kallen…" he whispered.
His heart beat furiously in his chest and blood pumped into his ears. He anxiously waited for some sort of sign of life from her still form. Minutes passed and nothing came out from his waiting except for the overwhelming feelings of anguish and despair.
His racing heart slowed and practically plunged into his stomach. His long arm reached out and wrapped around the red-head's midsection while another dove under her locks of fiery hair.
Deflated, Lelouch pulled her limp body closer to him and gently set her head against his chest. Salty tears streaked down his face and steadily dripped onto Kallen's dust-caked face. His body crumpled inward as he tightly held her against his chest.
He didn't care that the dust and blood were staining his clothes or the fact that Sayoko was quietly observing from the Guren. He stifled a sob and couldn't help but tremble at the influx of desolation washing over him. The gloved hands that wrapped around Kallen withdrew and quietly placed her back down onto the ground. With hot tears blurring his vision, he slowly rose and turned away. Lelouch swiveled on his heels to the kneeling Knightmare beside him.
"Sayoko."
"Yes, Master Lelouch?"
"Take me to the east end as quickly as possible. I must take care of a certain nuisance."
"Understood. What about Ms. Kouzuki? What shall we do with her?"
At the sound of her name, Lelouch winced. After seeing her in that condition, his soul was raw with pain, but he didn't dare show it. He still had to maintain his reputation as the cold and calculating leader even in front of Sayoko, his trusted confidant.
"Take her back to the Ikaruga. A funeral must be arranged for her," he muttered, just barely loud enough to be heard.
Uttering those words tugged at his heartstrings. He never thought that it would turn out this way. The realization that she was only human and whose life could be snuffed out so easily came a little too late. If he had come to that conclusion much sooner, perhaps it would have turned out differently.
She wasn't supposed to die.
He narrowed his eyes and a sharp frown pulled on his lips as he coolly waltzed up to the Knightmare. The metallic arm was lowered once again and the cloaked figure effortlessly stepped into its palm. The Guren rose from its knees and launched itself into the air, gliding around the destroyed building to the awaiting Shinkirou.
Explosions lit up the sky. When one faded away, another took its place, and from the distant combustions fell the ruined remains of defeated Knightmares. Clouds of dust and debris wafted from the fallen, creating a thin veil between the battling machines. The main contributor was the infamous Knights of Rounds. Their advanced Knightmares flitted about the sky in the blink of an eye and obliterated dozens with a single energy blast. They pushed back the waves of enemy Knightmares like nothing.
The warriors couldn't take much more. Just when Zero's troops were on the verge of surrendering, a black frame shot up into the sky in front of the Knights. At the sight of the frame, the charging Knightmares halted.
"So, you've willingly shown yourself before us. How imprudent of you… Zero. Suzaku, we'll be leaving this matter in your hands. Deal with it accordingly," Waldstein commanded.
"I understand," he replied.
The White Reaper strafed forward as the others dispersed. The Lancelot slightly crouched while shifting its energy rifle in its hands. Neither of the men moved from their positions while explosions steadily echoed in the air all around them. The aura between the two was so thick and heavy, it was almost suffocating. Only a tiny spark was needed to ignite a heated battle between the former-friends.
From inside the cockpit of the Shinkirou, a transmission came from the intercom. The familiar voice blared in Lelouch's ears as he glared at the hovering Lancelot. The bitter tears that clouded his sad eyes were gone and were replaced by pure rage. Cold, piercing eyes and a vengeful soul were all that was left of him.
"Zero, can you hear me? Cease your operations. I possess an armed heavy tactical class warhead. If deployed, it will cause damages of over 40 million L. So before it—"
"Do you think I can believe you just like that? You're mistaken! Jeremiah!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!" a voice boomed.
Before Suzaku could register where the voice was coming from, an apartment complex collapsed and a plume of particulates covered the ground. Appearing from the dust cloud, a large sphere-like frame shot out at the Lancelot like a bullet. Suzaku was able to deflect his attack in the nick of time, but was unable to maneuver out of his position as he was forced backwards.
"Siegfried—Lord Jeremiah!"
"Kururugi Suzaku, I should thank you. Because of you, I have found where my loyalty truly lies. It lies with Lord Zero!"
A jade-colored spark resonated around Siegfried's exterior and circled about the Lancelot. Panels on the top opened and released a wall of heat-seeking missiles. Sensing the attack, Suzaku thrust himself away from the frame and skillfully dodged the barrage. Several explosions sounded behind him and disfigured clumps of metal descended to the ground.
He recovered from the attack and poised his rifle at the Siegfried. A powerful blast of energy shot at the sphere-like frame, but Jeremiah effortlessly shifted to the side. A line of Knightmares who were unfortunate enough to be in crossfires burst into flames before they too fell from the sky. In response, another barrage of missiles was launched. The Lancelot brought up its energy shield, but a few stray missiles struck the community below them. In the corner of his eye, Suzaku took note of the damage they were causing with their duel and charged into the front of the Siegfried in attempt to stop its attacks.
"Lord Jeremiah, I wish to end this meaningless fight. Please surrender and—"
"I will do no such thing! I must fulfill the wishes of My Prince. Do you know what your foolishness has done to him? Do you think that ending this battle would erase his agonies?"
"That's no reason to bring everyone into this!" Suzaku cried as he spiraled towards him. "What happened is between me and him. No one else has to die because of us!"
Meters away from reaching the Siegfried, the Lancelot was suddenly thrown off-course. Coming out of nowhere was the Knightmare of Britannia's Vanguard Lancer, Guilford!
"Lord Guilford! Why—"
"Kururugi, you must understand. We both serve our lords. That's the way it is!"
"You…You're being manipulated by his Geass! He is not—"
"I have sworn to protect and serve my lord at all costs. If Princess Cornelia commands me to, I shall wholeheartedly perform that duty!"
"Lord Guilford, he is not Princess Cornelia!"
"Silence! How dare you denounce the name of my lord?"
Guilford gripped his lance in both hands and twirled it, rapidly gaining speed. His thrusters ignited and he crouched into a sprinting stance.
"Suzaku, don't engage with him! Fire FLEIA! Kill Zero!" Nina commanded.
The emerald-eyed man ignored her and disconnected the transmission. During this time, Guilford charged with his lance, only to be stopped by a green energy shield. Without a moment to waste, the Lancelot shoved him aside and targeted a certain Knightmare nearby. Lelouch grabbed hold of the control panels and fired several energy beams. To his dismay, the White Reaper easily darted through them and was heading straight at him. Jeremiah acted quickly and trapped the Knightmare in his energy disruptor.
Lelouch smirked, obviously pleased with the results.
"Good. With Suzaku out of the way, nothing else will stand between me and victory."
The violet-eyed man keyed in a command and prepared to fire another beam into the Lancelot's cockpit. A distinct whirring sound reached his ears and was growing louder. In an instant, the cannon was withdrawn and the energy shield came up in its place. Striking directly at the Shinkirou's chest was a wired projectile from Gino's Tristan.
"Britannian Knight of Three!" Lelouch growled.
"That's right. I've come to rescue my fellow Knight here. Defeat is not acceptable on a Knights' battlefield and it won't happen now."
He veered away from Zero and struck the Siegfried with a powerful energy blast. The force was just enough to free the Lancelot from its grasps. The white frame flew out of its range and recovered with a sudden charge at the motionless Shinkirou. The two frames clashed while the others were occupied with their own battle; ribbons of light streaked the dark sky. Both of the men struggled to gain the upper hand, but neither could obtain it. When one had the opportunity to, it was shut out by interfering enemies.
The Shinkiriou's beam managed to hold off the Lancelot while Jeremiah and Guilford dealt with Gino. At one point, the black frame was able to push the white machine back, but had little effect. Skillfully strafing and barrel-rolling about in the air, the Lancelot recovered and began going on the offensive. The dilapidated buildings beside him began to topple over, threatening to bury him. Suzaku shot the Hadron Blaster and pierced the building's rigid bodies while easily maneuvering through the falling objects. Within a split second from emerging from the dust cloud, he activated his boosters and thrust into the Shinkirou's Ultimate Shield.
The Lancelot battled fiercely to pierce the shield, but had no luck. Sparks of energy flew from both the shield and the White Reaper as the Knightmares maintained their positions.
"Zero, answer me. If I am the reason that you've started all this then—"
"Don't be so conceited. What makes you think that you are the reason? My sole purpose is to create a peaceful, gentler world. None of it concerns you."
"It does concern me! The world you're trying to create doesn't exist! Can't you see that? You're sacrificing thousands of innocent lives for something that might not even be possible to achieve. You are betraying—"
"You are a man who betrayed your parents, your country, and your own people. It is not a surprise that you'd turn your back against friendship as well. Who are you to question my goal or my methods? Sacrifices are always needed in order to create something more beautiful. We've both made our share of sacrifices, but the difference between yours and mine is that mine are for a greater cause. What have you sacrificed for? For whom? Tell me, weren't they all for personal gain?"
"That's not true! Everything I've done was to save Japan! Zero, if anything you are the one guilty of personal gain. You've torn this country apart and for what? For your sick games? That's the most selfish thing I've ever heard! Everyone near you is suffering!"
"Silence!" he roared.
The Shinkirou and Lancelot were suddenly propelled in opposite directions. Before Lelouch could initiate his next attack, his radar beeped rapidly.
"What?"
From above, a maroon Knightmare flew towards him. The Ultimate Shield was once again brought up and deflected the attack just in time. Sparks crackled and flew in all directions. Through the wall of electricity, Lelouch could see the faint outline of the Mordred.
"I wonder…. are your shields superior, or is my Stark Hadron?"
The bulky components of the Mordred merged together into an enormous cannon. The cannon hummed and 4 bright balls lights lit up before firing themselves into the Ultimate Shield. The impact was so great that it forced the Shinkirou back at alarming speeds. Thick rays of energy reflected off the shield and shot out at all sides.
This is not good. At this rate, even the Ultimate Shield can't withstand this much force…Damn! I can't do anything in this situation. I'm a sitting duck!
A low growl rumbled in his throat as he glared at the maroon Knightmare. The Stark Hadron blast continued beating on the shield mercilessly. The powerful beam seemed to be growing stronger by each passing moment. Just before the shields were about to give out, the Mordred's attack ceased. In the blink of an eye, a brilliant ball of light emerged from above and struck the Knightmare squarely in the chest. The sphere of light faded and revealed itself to be the Guren SEITEN!
"Captain Kouzuki reporting back to the front lines as head of your personal squad."
When Lelouch recovered and finally opened his eyes, they nearly popped out of his head. He couldn't believe it! The woman that he thought had died not too long ago was here in front of him.
She's alive!
"K-Kallen!" he cried happily.
His heart was jumping in joy. It beat so furiously that he thought that it would burst from his chest. He almost couldn't believe it, if not for the soothing, confident voice that rang in his ears. His waning fighting spirit rejuvenated as he eyed the familiar crimson Knightmare. Its frame was altered here and there, almost recklessly. There was something about the new frame that exuded a certain sense of reliability, intimidation, and ultimately, power.
"Alright, now we can turn the tide in our favor!"
"Yes!"
The powerful Knightmare extended out its energy wings and charged right at the Mordred. The deadly right arm of the Guren SEITEN launched itself towards the Mordred at lightning speed. The arm connected onto the frame's head and with the flick of Kallen's hand, sent the Knightmare hurling towards the earth. Lelouch watched silently from behind the frighteningly powerful Knightmare.
"Why did Anya not resist? She just took the damage without fighting back," he mumbled to himself. "Something is not right here."
"Zero, your orders?" the warrior inquired.
"A-Ah. Excellent work, Kallen. Now all we have to do is secure the Governor and victory is ours—"
"Oh? Is that so? Well now, looks like I'm going to have to try a little harder to make sure the Black Rebellion will not succeed," a voice interrupted.
"Who—"
Several missiles exploded in front of the 2 Knightmares. Luckily the Shinkirou's shields were online and the Guren SEITEN absorbed the impact. If the Shinkirou had been in an attack mode, it certainly would have been heavily damaged. But that wasn't important at the moment. What was, was the emergence of a new opponent.
Kallen growled and swiveled around to find the origin of the missiles. Hovering nearby was the Percival!
"So that is the Ultimate Shield, eh? Comes pretty handy doesn't it?"
"Vampire of Britannia!" Kallen spat.
"I see that you've got your hands on a nifty little machine there. I'm curious to what it's capable of. Let's find out, shall we?"
"Lord Bradley, we have authorization to terminate the Guren," a muffled voice sounded.
"I don't care whether we do or not. I just want to start killing! In battle, that is your only option!" He cried.
Without warning, he shot a cord straight at the Guren SEITEN. Kallen charged straight at it and easily knocked it over to the side with the swish of a hand. She was nearing the Knightmare and was about to strike until the Percival activated its lance. The weapon whirred as it began to spin and gain a tremendous amount of speed.
He retracted his arm and shot forward in attempt to pierce the Guren, but had no such luck. Kallen foresaw the attack and dodged to the side. The Percival launched a barrage of heat-seeking missiles at the crimson Knightmare to which The Guren managed to circumvent each of them. The menacing Knightmare was closing in and when its target was within range, reached out with its right arm. The silver hand of the frame propelled itself straight at the Britannian machine. Before it had a chance to connect, the Percival activated its thrusters and sped about the darkened sky.
The detached hand weaved about in the air in search of its victim, impaling several Knightmares along the way as the Percival maneuvered behind them. Countless explosions surrounded the two and dyed the sky a golden shade.
"Oh ho that was a close one."
"The next time won't be so lucky!"
"Is that so? Dear Eleven, do you know the true meaning of the battlefield?"
"What are you talking about?"
"Hmph. Don't you know? Killing people in everyday life is a crime, but here on the battlefield, you are celebrated as a hero for the number of people that you kill. Ironic, isn't it?"
"Oh? So tell me, why is Mr. Vampire of Britannia telling me this? Do you want to become a hero?"
"Not quite. I don't care about those medals and recognitions. I just want to take the thing that's important to my enemies—life. To openly take away their lives is the greatest thing that's ever happened! I just can't get enough of it!" he laughed.
"It seems that you truly live up to your name, but you know, I find you repulsive. The world would be better off without you!"
The Guren raised its silver hand and summoned a swirling energy disc in the palm of its hand.
"Take this!"
She thrust the hand forward and released the deadly disc in the Percival's direction. The enemy Knightmare held up its shield and braced itself for the attack.
The energy disc briefly cut into the shield before deflecting off it and hurling towards the community below. As soon as the Britannian frame revealed itself from behind the shield, it thrust its lance towards the crimson frame. Kallen unsheathed her close-combat weapon and met his lance with equal force. She quickly countered his attack by shoving his weapon away and surged forward in a last ditch effort attack. Like this, she was vulnerable to any countermeasures so she had to make it count. Thankfully, the silver hand of death reached out and firmly clutched the head of the Percival in between its claw-like fingers.
"What? This can't be!" he exclaimed.
"So what is the thing that's most important to you?" Kallen mocked. "Is your life the only thing?"
"Damn you! You dare threaten me? I will not be defeated by a mutt!"
Kallen smirked in contempt. Before he could utter another word, she flicked a switch and activated the deadly weapon. A shock of powerful radiation shot out from the silver hand and engulfed the Knightmare in its wave. What was once the vessel of Britannia's Knight of Ten was now bits of rubble and ashes.
Lelouch, who had been observing wordlessly from behind, was left speechless. It hadn't been too long since he enlisted her help along with the others, yet in such a relatively short time, she effectively proved how skilled of a pilot she was and how powerful the Guren had become. It was almost terrifying to behold.
It's so fortunate that she chose to be on our side…
"Good work, Kallen. Now that he is out of the way, all we have to do is secure Nunnally and—"
"I won't allow that!" another interrupted.
The Lancelot dropped from the sky and was directed at the Shinkirou. The Guren SEITEN positioned its weapon and rammed straight into it to intercept. The two Knightmares clashed and sent sparks flying everywhere. The air was thick with tension as the two pilots, once schoolmates, stood face to face as enemies. The Lancelot engaged its boosters in an attempt to break the Guren's guard and force his way to the Shinkirou. At the realization of his intentions, Kallen activated her own boosters and propelled forward, counteracting the White Reaper instead.
His plan wasn't working as much as he had hoped and so he had to think quick on his feet. The White Reaper then shoved itself off the Guren and into the other direction just far enough to brandish his rifle. He trained the weapon and fired the Hadron Blaster at the motionless bystander in the back. The energy blast however, did not reach its target. In fact, it was nowhere close. The Guren sprinted across the sky in the blink of an eye and as soon as the shot was fired, it was intercepted by the crimson frame and deflected back at the Lancelot. He tried to dodge the incoming energy blast, but was a little too late.
The blast had connected with his leg and bore a hole straight through it. Although Suzaku was shocked that the machine could deflect his Hadron Blaster, he snapped himself out of his stupor and refocused. Lelouch and the Shinkirou would have to wait, for he set his target on the more dangerous of the two. With her incredible battle sense, Kallen had predicted that he would shoot at her next and summoned an energy disc before he was able to turn the rifle towards her. Just as the Lancelot was about to fire another blast, the rifle was split into two and crumbled to pieces.
Kallen launched the Guren's silver arm once more and snaked it towards the Britannian Knightmare. The Lancelot brought up its energy shield, but the deadly hand proved to be too much for it. At the slightest pressure from the hand, the energy shield collapsed, leaving the Lancelot wide open for attack. Kallen saw this as well and seized the opportunity to charge directly at him. Suzaku unsheathed his sword and swung at the Guren in a last-ditch attempt. The Guren effortlessly blocked the attack and shoved the sword to the side. With the sword out of the way, the crimson Knightmare swung its left arm through the air and amputated the White Reaper's arm with a clean slice.
Suzaku briefly launched himself higher into the air and tried to hold off the powerful machine with a roundhouse kick to the head. Unfortunately for him, the warrior grabbed hold of the Lancelot's leg and twisted it with such force it nearly disconnected it from its body. Adding insult to injury, she retaliated by performing a roundhouse kick as well. The kick connected with the back of the neck and sent the Lancelot soaring in the other direction. She rushed to where the dilapidated Knightmare hovered and raised her sword high above her head.
"Goodbye Suzaku," she said solemnly.
The great sword was plunging towards the Lancelot's chest and in any second, both Suzaku and his Knightmare would be no more. There was only a tiny margin of space before the sword would impale him. In that short time, very little could be done if not anything at all. Suzaku could choose to either accept his death or use that short time to come up with an escape.
He had chosen the latter.
The Lancelot swiftly kicked the sword to the side and miraculously escaped by barrel-rolling to a relatively safe distance. A secret weapon unknown to Kallen and the Black Knights unfolded in front of them. The Lancelot's remaining arm now wielded a compact navy-blue gun. From it, he fired an energy blast in Kallen's direction.
She easily sidestepped it and sought to taunt him for his terrible aim, but was silenced by a sense of urgency overwhelming her. Something was out of place. What was it that gave her this feeling of dread? The small ball of energy hovered in the air behind her. It shone brightly, emanating rays of light in all directions. Its radius grew larger and larger at each passing second, giving off an intimidating force.
"All units, retreat immediately! FLEIA has been fired!" a Britannian commander exclaimed. At once, an entire fleet of Britannian Knightmares abandoned their positions and fled for safety.
"Huh? FLEIA?"
She stared at the the growing energy sphere for another moment before speeding away.
"Everyone! Something is not right. Retreat now! Everyone, get away from the area as fast as you can!" Kallen barked into the intercom.
Without warning, the sphere rapidly shrank to about the size of a bowling ball before rapidly transforming into a massive ball of radiation. From then on, time seemed to have slowed. Hundreds of Knightmares, both of Britannia and of the Black Knights, fell victim to the encroaching light. Their screams of agony echoed in the air as they disappeared within the grasps of the deadly energy.
Kallen flitted away from the explosion and searched left and right for the Shinkiriou. She found him in the distance, unmoving and simply hovering in his place. She flew towards the Shinkiriou as fast as the Guren would allow her to and reached out to him. However, the heat of the radiation was hot on her heels and the distance between them was still great. Fear arose in her and sent chills up her spine.
"Zero! Zero, you must escape! You'll be killed!" she cried.
No response.
Kallen grunted in frustration. She had to get the Shinkirou moving and somehow get both her and Lelouch to safety. Time was running out. She had to come up with something or else they could lose their lives. And here, at the height of the rebellion, was the last place she wanted to die in. She raised her silver arm and aimed it at the motionless Knightmare. The hand launched at him and securely wound itself around its body.
She retracted the cord to make it more controllable with the Shinkirou now firmly fastened. Kallen knew that every second was precious and she couldn't afford to waste time. She could practically feel the deathly light closing in on her. At full speed, she soared past the hovering Knightmare. She successfully managed to get him moving but because of the extra weight, she struggled to fly at a speed fast enough to outrun the approaching light.
Kallen took a glance back and saw that the light was advancing faster than she had expected. The hot radiation began to seep into the cockpit and the warrior was greatly alarmed. Death was knocking at her door and there wasn't much else she could do.
But she had to try.
Now facing forward, all of her attention was focused entirely on escaping. She willed the Guren's thrusters to allow her to fly faster, but her efforts did not paid off. The next thing she knew, everything was completely white.
Everything that was in the way of the massive ball of light was gone. All that was left of the Tokyo Settlement was an enormous, gaping hole. Very few structures remained; several of them were heavily damaged and ready to collapse. There was no apparent sign of life within 45 miles of the explosion. In a matter of seconds, a thriving, technologically advanced community was leveled and turned to dust.
Hovering above the former-settlement was the Lancelot with pockets of its body still damaged from the blast. Parts of its legs and arms were missing and only the emergency boosters were supporting its flight. The Knightmare's pilot stared blankly at the devastating effects of FLEIA. He half-expected to break down at the sight, but he was so used to seeing so much destruction that it no longer had an effect on him. The loyal, principled Kururugi Suzaku still remained, but his former caring self no longer existed. It was all thanks to Zero that his heart had turned cold and indifferent. And for that alone he was spiteful.
He firmly held the controls in his gloved hands and decided to land. The Lancelot gradually descended towards the massive dent and landed directly in the middle. The cockpit hissed open and an emerald-eyed man stepped out. He leaped down onto the barren earth and gazed about. All he could see around him were walls of dirt and concrete ruins that were hundreds of feet high.
He absent-mindedly kicked debris from his feet and walked around the length of the hole, mentally taking note of its massive size. He tried to remember the events that took place the night of the incident. He distinctly remembered the Guren just about to sink its sword into his core and was waiting for the inevitable. It was then he recalled a chilling voice shout at him just before he was to meet his fate. The voice echoed in his mind, commanding him to live on.
Suzaku sighed deeply.
Everything is gone. Hundreds, maybe thousands more have lost their lives because of his stubbornness.
The man pondered for a moment longer before his thoughts were interrupted by a voice calling him. However, he couldn't make out what the voice was saying to him. It was coming closer and it sounded urgent. Suzaku's eyes wandered up to the mouth of the hole and found a panting soldier looking down at him. He noticed something round and oddly-shaped held in the hands of the soldier.
"Lord Kururugi!"
"What is it?"
"The search team has found something important."
"Bring it to me."
"Yes, My Lord."
The soldier dropped down to the floor and lowered himself onto the loose dirt. He slid down the wall for several feet before recovering and scrambling towards the motionless figure. He halted before the pilot's feet and held up the object. It was Zero's mask! The mask was severely damaged; parts of it were missing and thick cracks extended across the front. About a quarter of it was gone. It was almost unrecognizable if not for its unique shape and the remnants of its navy-blue screen.
Suzaku took the mask and gingerly held it in his hands. He stared deep into the cracked screen as if he could see the owner's face underneath it. His face remained blank as his mind raced about.
Does this mean Zero is dead? Will the terror finally stop? Lelouch, this is what your ideals have gotten you into. If not for your so-called miracles and your unethical methods, you'd still be alive. You'd still be someone I'd call a friend. However, the hand of fate has divided us and turned us against each other. As a commemoration of our friendship, I will erect a memorial in your name…your true name. Goodbye, Lelouch.
"Good work," he muttered in a low voice. "I will take this back to His Highness immediately. Continue searching for survivors."
"Yes, sir," he saluted as he rushed away.
A plethora of emotions stirred within him at the culmination of events that took place. But in the end, as his superiors wanted, Zero was dead. But at what cost? Were the lives of the thousands of innocent people worth the life of one? Without another word, Suzaku hopped back into the Lancelot and ascended into the sky, deep in thought.
Meanwhile in the Ikaruga, a thin man half-staggered, half-crawled into his quarters. His hunched body threatened to give in and send him falling to the floor. Luckily, he managed just enough to make it safely onto the couch.
The moment his body made contact with the upholstery, all of his remaining energy disappeared. The man's head hung low, letting his long, dark hair fall over his face. Violet eyes drooped and gazed blankly at his limp hands as they settled in between his knees.
The bent figure trembled slightly in his seat. The shocking effects of the FLEIA explosion were catching up to him now. Everything was coming in waves and he wasn't sure how to process it. A distinct chill was sent up his spine as he recalled the moment right before his memory went black.
Lelouch watched helplessly as the great ball of light neared him. Everything was engulfed in its rays and vanished under its light. He merely hovered in the air, unable to register the fact that his life was in danger. He faintly heard the exclaiming voices that sounded from the intercom.
"What is that? It's coming closer!"
"Retreat! All forces, retreat immediately!"
"Get out of there!"
"Zero! Zero, you must escape! You'll be killed!"
Just before the light had reached him, the Shinkirou was being pushed backwards by another being. Through the monitor, he saw the outline of a crimson Knightmare. The Knightmare desperately tried to get the both of them out to safety, but it seemed hopeless. The light was quickly approaching them and there were no signs of it stopping.
As if a miracle had happened, the light suddenly stopped. It rapidly shrank and disappeared. Numerous carriers and Knightmares crashed into each other from the force of the powerful gale of wind that the light created. With the threatening sphere gone, the night was deathly silent. No one dared move in fear of another blast.
Lelouch was outright stunned. He stared dumbfounded at the gaping hole in the center of what was once the Tokyo Settlement.
'That could have been me. I could have died without ever completing my mission. All my hard work would have been a waste.'
He didn't even realize that the crimson Knightmare from earlier was still dragging him away from the site. In fact, it was more accurate to say that he didn't care.
The static from the intercom beside him woke him from his daze. Voices could be heard, but was not understandable. Then another thought crossed his mind. Lelouch whipped out his communicator and punched in the numbers. He anxiously waited for the receiver to pick up, but all he heard was the dial tone.
"The person you've called is unavailable, please leave a message or call again later—"
Lelouch grunted in frustration and redialed. The reattempt was just as futile as the first. The voice kept repeating the same line over and over again. After the 4th try, he gave up. He yanked the communicator from his ear and dialed in a different number.
'Please answer.'
He was now feeling desperate. He hadn't heard from Sayoko or Rolo since the explosion. He needed to know the situation and how Nunnally was faring. The line rang for some time before a click interrupted.
"Yes, Brother?" a voice answered.
"Rolo, I can't get a hold of Sayoko. Please tell me you three are safe."
"Brother, Sayoko was escorting Nunnally out on the Britannian transport shuttle. They were in that light. They didn't make it."
"It's alright," he continued. "Let me talk to Nunnally for a bit."
"Brother, Nunnally and Sayoko are dead!"
"DON'T LIE TO ME," he bellowed before calming down. "Just…just let me talk to her…please…I beg of you…"
"I'm sorry,"
That was about as far as his memory went. Anything after that was a blur. He didn't even know how he ended up at the Ikaruga. That Knightmare was most likely the one responsible. He later found himself at the hangar deck of the Ikaruga. From the monitor, he could see several of the Black Knights head towards them. Even from high up in the Shinkiriou, he could clearly see the elation on their faces.
Although he did wonder why they were excited at the machine next to him, he didn't have the time to investigate. Any longer and he would be putting his identity in danger, which would then force him into a corner. No matter what, he had to conceal his identity.
Who knows what would happen if they knew. Mutiny? Assassination? Disorder? There would be a higher percentage of those occurring if that were to happen. I cannot lose them now… not yet…
While the chattering crowd was engrossed in the crimson machine, Lelouch quietly opened the cockpit and stealthily hopped down. Pulling up the hem of his cloak up to his face, he managed to slip by without anyone seeing his face. Once safely behind the doors, he made his way through the winding corridors to his quarters. Now here he was, all alone with no way to vent out his pent up emotions. He had an urge to punch something, another wall perhaps, but when he saw the maroon stain on his glove, he set the thought aside.
His hand was still sore from the last time he had slammed a wall and he didn't want to experience the pain again. He thought of taking a walk, but then remembered that he had thrown away his mask and didn't have a replacement in hand.
He was practically trapped inside his quarters. Luckily, few people ventured this deep in the Ikaruga, so he knew that he wouldn't have a hard time dealing with them.
But now he was fidgety. He didn't know what to do next. All he wanted to do was find Nunnally and bring her back safely, but he couldn't even do that. He couldn't do anything. He felt completely useless. His purpose and his drive were gone.
"You know, sulking really doesn't suit you," said a soft voice.
Lelouch turned around and saw C.C. by the door, pizza and Cheese-kun in her hands as usual. She calmly walked across the room and plopped herself down on the couch beside him. Lazy golden eyes looked straight into violet. When their eyes locked, Lelouch noticed something out of place. He realized that her normally indifferent eyes were not present. They instead held this sort of inquiring feeling, as if she was genuinely interested in what was bothering him.
"After telling you so many times, I'd figure you'd learn to knock before entering a room," he started.
"Hm it's not like it's going to make a difference. We share the same living space, so I don't see the need to knock."
"Do as you wish, witch. There's no sense in even trying anymore. It's only a matter of time before this all ends anyway."
"True, but it really all depends on you, doesn't it?" she broke eye contact and turned her attention to the pizza slice. "So, it seems that something is bothering you again. Which is it? That destructive weapon? Nunnally? Or perhaps it is that girl…Kallen?"
Lelouch froze.
Kallen!
He remembered the red-haired pilot was fighting Percival just before Suzaku had fired FLEIA, but he couldn't remember what happened to her. He desperately tried to recall it, but the memory slipped from his fingers. His heart began to beat rapidly at the thought of her disintegrating under that bright light. His injured hand started to throb. His clasped hands subconsciously tightened and he turned his gaze to the floor.
"I guess it is her then," C.C. sighed.
"C.C. tell me, is she alright?"
"I have no idea. I simply passed by her ward and went on my way."
"Ward? What ward? Where is she right now?"
"The hospital ward. She's probably still there, actually. Judging by the looks of her injuries, it doesn't seem like she'll be able to leave so easily."
Her words caused his ears to perk up even higher.
Injuries? …That's right; she had fallen from the Britannian Headquarters and fought against the Knights of Rounds. Of course she got hurt. How can I be so clueless?
"Tell me where it is," he demanded. His eyes immediately lit up at the thought and found himself suddenly wanting to see her.
"Go 2 floors down and go straight down the hallway. Somewhere near the conference room, there should be a sign with a red cross on it. That's where you'll find her," she replied in an even tone.
"What's her room number?"
"Figure it out," she teased with a small smirk playing on her lips. She was clearly enjoying torturing him.
"I really don't have the time for this C.C." he hissed. "Tell me the number."
"How should I know? I only passed by it once."
"Fine. I'll find out myself," he declared as he strode to the door.
"Oh by the way..."
Lelouch stopped and turned his head to her.
"I notice that you aren't wearing the Zero mask. What happened to it?"
"It got damaged. I have no use for something broken."
"I see. Alright then, you may go," she said as she waved him off.
The door hissed open and out the man went. As C.C. had instructed, he boarded the elevator and went down 2 floors. He made sure that no one was roaming the hallway. So far, luck seemed to be in his favor. No one was present. He couldn't even hear their voices echo about the Ikaruga.
They must have gone out.
Although the coast was clear, he was still carefully observing the doors for someone to appear. It seemed like forever before the sign finally came into view. At the sight of it, Lelouch sped up his pace and practically sprinted into the ward. He was already panting by the time he had rushed through the doorway. He straightened himself up and quickly scanned the numerous windows.
Many of them were already occupied by injured soldiers and pilots, but none of them was the one that he was looking for. He turned the corner and was met with another ward. He scanned through this one as well, but was still unable to find her. At the 3rd wing, Lelouch found a particularly large room near the back. Curious, he peered into the window and found a thin figure lying in the bed. The first thing that he saw was the head of fiery-red hair. Glancing over the woman's body, he recognized its soft, distinct features. It was unmistakably his dear Kallen.
As soon as he stepped inside the room, the figure's eyes snapped open. Deep blue eyes met with violet. All was still inside that hospital room. Recognition was evident in the young woman's eyes as soon as she realized that she wasn't in danger. Her lips parted and turned upward into a broad smile.
"Lelouch!" she cried as she quickly sat up. The next minute, she was clutching the side of her head in pain. The man immediately felt concerned and he approached to ease himself onto the edge of the bed.
"Are you alright?" he asked as he brushed away a few strands of hair from her face.
"Mhm. Just a few bruises here and there, nothing too serious really."
He noticed that the bandage wraps were spotted red where her forehead injury was. He also took note of the multiple bandages covering her face and arms.
So many wounds…how can she say that she's fine?
"That's good to hear. I'm glad you're back, Kallen."
"Thank you, but um, Lelouch, is it alright for you to be here like this?" she asked.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, wouldn't you be discovered? You're not wearing your mask."
"True, the chances are much higher, but the possibility is lower since we're in a secluded area. I had to make sure you were okay."
Kallen's cheeks flared up and once again prevented her from replying with some witty remark.
What's wrong with me? I'm turning soft! I can't believe this is really happening to me!
She hid her annoyance and continued to avert her gaze from his. Then suddenly, her eyes widened and she whipped her head towards the door.
"Somebody's coming," she hissed under her breath.
Lelouch acted quickly and dove under the bed. He barely managed to slip in before the white door creaked open. Several pairs of black boots entered the room and waltzed calmly up to the bedside. 2 pairs were on one side and another on the other. The man on the right started talking.
"How are you feeling today?"
"I'm still a little woozy, but it's not a problem. I'm still good for battle."
"Kallen, being able to fight isn't thing to be worrying about right now."
"It should be! If I can't fight, then I'm completely useless to the team!"
"That isn't true and you know it. We have plenty of people here that are incapable of fighting and we don't look at them any differently than any other member."
"But Ohgi—"
"He's right," another interjected.
"Toudou?"
"If you are so intent on fighting, then it's best that you tend to your body first. An injured pilot is just as bad as no pilot. You of all people should know that."
"It would be a good idea to listen to these two, Ms. Kouzuki. They seem knowledgeable enough. Besides, even if you do heal up, what is there for you to do?"
"Diethard!" Ohgi muttered.
"Let me explain. Our forces, along with Britannia's, are weak at the moment from the FLEIA bombing. It would take weeks for us to recover, so even if you have a quick recovery, you'll just be sitting around like the rest of us."
"Not if Zero has anything to say about that!" Kallen exclaimed.
"That's right; Zero has the majority say in this matter. We would have to consult with him," Toudou added.
"But where is he? Nobody's seen him since then. He couldn't have died in that blast, right?"
"That is unlikely, Ohgi. The Shinkiriou is in the hangar. Rakshata is inspecting it at the moment."
"So that rules out his death. That's a relief. I shall go on ahead and look for him right away," Diethard added.
A pair of black boots turned and walked out the door, but as soon as one left another came in. This time it was different. The shoes were slimmer than the previous ones and the new visitor didn't enter the room as the others had.
"Toudou-san, the troops are calling for you," a female voice stated.
"What is it, Chiba?" Ohgi asked.
"The recruits wish to train themselves for combat and request Toudou-san to be their instructor."
"Hm alright. I'll be there," the stern man grunted as he followed the woman out of the ward.
"Ah well, I guess I'm gonna have to go too. I also need a little freshening up, but I hope Toudou will go easy on me this time. Get well soon, Kallen," Ohgi added as he trailed after the two.
As soon as everyone was clear out of view, Lelouch remerged from under the bed and pulled up a chair next to the red-head.
"It looks like everyone is really worried about you huh?"
"It's only natural. Ohgi has always been there for me and everyone else is practically like family," she said coolly as she turned her head to the side. Her cheeks grew warm and thought she was able to hide it, but was doing a terrible job at it. Lelouch saw through her façade and smiled. However, his smile faded and his expression turned serious.
"Am I …considered family to you?" he whispered.
Kallen jolted in surprise. His softly spoken question demanded all of her attention and so she faced towards him. She saw that his sharp eyes somewhat softened as he held his gaze. Almost immediately, she could tell that the question held a deeper significance, but she didn't know how to answer. Her mind just froze.
This isn't just a yes or no question, there's something behind it. There's always another meaning behind these types of questions. What is he really asking me? Do I consider him as a brother of mine? If I say something like that, will he be offended?
Kallen started to open her mouth to respond, but no words came out. She stared helplessly into his violet eyes in search of a hint, but could find none. She tightened her fingers around the rough blanket and drew it closer to herself.
"I…no, you're not." She uttered. "I…I care about you very deeply, but you're not like the others. They are like brothers and sisters of mine."
She cringed at her words. They were uncharacteristic of her and it sounded awkward coming from her lips. His piercing stare did not help either; she felt uncomfortable under jis gaze and all she wanted to do was dive under the blanket and disappear from the rest of the world.
"But you're different. You're something else to me," she concluded.
She went over her words in her head and a thick shade of pink crossed her face. In an attempt to preserve what was left of her dignity, she quickly turned to the side and set her focus on the floor. She could feel Lelouch's stare bore into her and felt her neck and ears begin to feel hot. She couldn't take the pressure anymore.
I wish he'd do something instead of just sit there and stare at me. Please, just move your hand or stand up or something! If you're not going to, I am!
"I'm glad to hear you say that. Truly, I am."
"Eh?"
She heard rustling and suddenly saw rich, blue cloth in front of her. The familiar golden lining on the cloth indicated that it belonged to Lelouch. She knew that he was going to do something, but she had no idea what. She simply waited for what was to come next. However, what happened was not what she had expected. A warm, gloved hand reached out and cupped her chin, slowly pulling it up to meet with soft eyes. She softly gasped when his body moved closer towards hers. She noticed the gap between Lelouch's face and hers was slowly disappearing. Her heart pounded in her chest and she was certain that he could hear it too.
His hot breath fanned her face, causing her body to stiffen. Her cheeks flared up and were practically the same shade as her hair. Her mind just stopped functioning at this point. She eyed the parted lips that were inching toward her and squeezed her eyes shut.
Lelouch crept closer and closer until he was about a centimeter away from kissing her voluptuous lips. At that moment, she tightly closed her eyes. It was a simple movement, or rather, a gesture, but it said a lot more. He saw through his heavily lidded eyes just in time. He stopped and eyed her for a moment. He spotted fleeting emotions of anticipation and nervousness on her face. For some reason, that simple, almost innocent gesture was enough to stop him from pushing any further.
He instead placed his hand on the back of her head and drew it closer to him as he moved forward. He briefly kissed her forehead before breaking contact. He stepped back just in time to see her clear-blue eyes open and lock with his.
She gaped at him in curiosity and confusion. It looked like she wanted to say something, but it seemed like she wasn't going to be able to.
"I'll be going now. I'll visit you again soon," he said as he turned to the door. Instead of walking out, he merely stopped in front of it.
"Kallen…how would you feel if you were able to return to Ashford?"
"W-What is this about?"
"I'm simply curious. What is your answer?"
"I'd…that would be a nice change from going off into more battles. I'd really like to see everyone again. It's been a while hasn't it? We should go back and at least catch up with everyone."
"I understand. In that case, you should be prepared."
"What? Are you kicking me out of the team?"
"No, nothing of the sort. Just be ready when I call for you, understand?"
"I understand," she whispered.
"Alright. I'll be going first," he ended as he started to move. The white door slid open and closed behind the thin figure. His silhouette strode across the wing and disappeared from sight, leaving the pilot behind to only wonder what his intentions were.
Lelouch snuck back into his quarters and scanned the room. Everything was about the same as it had been before he left to visit Kallen. The only difference was that there were multiple empty boxes of pizza stacked on the table. From the couch popped a neon-green head of hair and a pair of golden eyes. They peered at him, waiting for him to announce news or give a command.
"C.C. I'm going back to Ashford."
"What for?"
"I need to lay low for a while. Where better to do so than my own school? Not one student suspects my identity and I won't have to wear that bulky mask all of the time. Perhaps I can gather some information as well. So tell me, witch, how do I get there?"
"And why should I reveal this to you? What's in it for me?"
"If you don't tell me immediately, I will lock you in this room and feed you what the prisoners are eating."
"Oh? Why such a harsh treatment? You know I was only joking…" she sighed. "There is a pod attached underneath the Ikaruga. It will take you underwater and if the inputted coordinates are correct, it will lead you to the designated site."
"So that means it will lead me somewhere else other than the academy?"
"Correct. As of right now, the coordinates are set to take you into an aquarium. The whale section of the aquarium is where the pod will emerge."
"That won't work. People would be coming in and out. I'd be discovered as soon as I come up."
"This particular section of the aquarium is old and rundown. It's practically abandoned, so you won't have to worry too much about that. Just make sure you emerge after closing hours."
"Alright then. I'll be leaving immediately, so take care of things here. Order an immediate search for Nunnally. She must be found. Any act of rebellion will be seen as treason and shall be severely punished. I'll contact you again at the end of the day for your report. If anything else happens before then, call me as soon as possible, understood?"
"As you wish," she replied sarcastically.
Without delay, Lelouch rushed out of the room in search for the pod. A flurry of ideas stormed his mind and a new set of plans was about to be set into motion.
-
Ah being sick never fares well. Cannot think…but anyway, what is this, the 10th chapter? Wow this story has come pretty far, considering how it was originally a one-shot! So, what do you think? Are you guys up for another 10 chapters or so? Let me know your thoughts in the review box!
*As a side note, in the Author's Note of the previous chapter, you see a random 3. For those who are wondering, it was actually supposed to be a heart, but I guess the site doesn't allow those arrow signs.
Have a great day as always! (: