Code Geass: Knight of Revolution
Disclaimer's the same as it always has been.
Huh, 61 Reviews, 8,455 Hits, 6 C2s, 39 Favorites, and 53 Alerts. I never thought this could get that popular. It's no Lunatic Chaos, but it's worth it.
Chapter 9: The Stirring Wind
"Big sister Euphie? Cornelia . . . it's me Nunally."
Nunally heard the glass shatter over the phone, her face expressed worries and concern. Apparently Halbdenkul had been right, neither of her half sisters expected to hear her voice. He sat beside her with Lelouch, who was holding her hand. Needless to say he was extremely paranoid with this crazy plan, but he saw the benefits if this succeeded. Even if it failed though, the two princesses would be rattled, the Guistizia's seeds of doubt and suspicion were already planted.
Feeling her brother squeeze her hand gently, she faced the open phone line in front of her. Beside her, Hal wore an eyepiece over his left eye; a live digital feed connected from Morgen's high-powered scope showed him the room Nunally was now talking to. Through the connection between cell phones and the transmitter on Guistizia, they were getting crystal clear sound reception. He could hear Morgen chuckling at Cornelia's priceless facial expression.
"Hey Hal, this is something for the scrapbook isn't it?" He laughed along with her despite how cruel they were treating the sisters.
"Yeah, the last time I saw her like that was when Euphie put her favorite plushy in the tub to wash it." Morgen tried to stifle a laugh, and failed miserably, the sights on the video feed on her rifle shook violently in time with her hysterics. The silence on the phone remained through her laughter, unheard by anyone else but Hal over his link with her. By the time she stopped and readjusted her sights, Cornelia - gaping with fearful wide eyes - jumped up from her chair, pointing at the device.
"Halbdenkul is that you?! How dare you bring that up!" Lelouch and Nunally both glanced at the Knight of Two who scratched the back of his head. Lelouch looked like he was about to fall on the floor laughing. Nunally merely raised her eyebrows in surprise.
"Oops, did she hear that?" Back in the room with the Li Britannia sisters, Guistizia choked on his laughter at Hal's comment at getting caught. Euphemia put her hands in her lap, staring at them as hard as possible while her face turned beet red. Cornelia hadn't yelled at her back then, but she had started crying as she sank to the floor. She had never felt so bad in her life.
Halbdenkul had heard the Third Princess' shrill shriek and thinking that one or both of them were hurt, rushed to the room to find Mr. Bear in a half full tub of warm, soapy water. The situation had been saved with drying out Mr. Bear in the sun of Marianne's villa while they played with Lelouch and Nunally. Marianne had laughed so hard he thought she'd break her ribs. The Vi Britannia children had never figured out why Cornelia brought one of her plushy animals with her that day.
Now they both knew, and Cornelia probably realized she'd never live it down if who she was talking to really were the Vi Britannia children. She turned and glared at Guilford who stood there in shock, his glasses slipped halfway off his face. He threw his hands up in defense.
"Guilford, you better keep this to yourself or else!" The man pushed up his glasses and gave the sharpest salute he knew he'd ever give her.
"Yes, your Highness Cornelia!" When she nodded and turned around to face a grinning Guistizia, Guildford struggled to hold down a sudden urge to break down and laugh until his sides hurt.
'No wonder she keeps tight keep on her room. Her image would be beyond repair if they knew she was a stuffed toy lover. Who knew? The Rounds are dangerous on and off the fields, what horrible blackmail material.'
"Um, big sister Euphie? Is everyone okay? Something broke didn't it?"
"Everyone's fine, we're just surprised, is it really you Nunally?" Tears began filling her lavender blue eyes. She couldn't believe her precious half sister was still alive. Cornelia leered at Guistizia, who sat patiently in his seat after calming down from her embarrassment.
"How do we know that? Don't be fooled, it's only a voice!"
"I would appreciate you not calling my sister a liar Cornelia." She stopped in her rant and stared at the phone.
'No, no, no, no, no! Only one person ever got that defensive about anyone talking about his younger sister, even to all our parents. Is Halbdenkul being genuine, did they really find them?'
"Lelouch?" She stared fearfully at the small phone. Part of her dared to hope, part of her dreaded the truth, one would close the door on a failure that still haunted her in her dreams. The other door would close that door, but open to a better future where the previous would send her into darkness.
"Yes? I'd better hear an apology, or I'll make Guistizia take it out on you. They place blatant facts in front of you and even go so far to get my sister involved and you don't believe? How desensitized has our father made you Cornelia? Euphie, I don't mean to be harsh, I've missed you too, but we don't consider Britannia our home anymore."
"You're alive, truly alive?"
"Guistizia, hand them the phone would you?"
Without question, the Knight of Eight rose from his chair and took the phone from the desk and carried it to Euphemia. Cornelia and Guilford walked up behind the chair and looked at the small video function. Euphie began to cry with one hand over her mouth as she saw Nunally in what was clearly a wheelchair, her eyes shut as she patiently looked at the phone. Holding her hand beside her was Lelouch, with a slightly annoyed expression as he looked at Cornelia. Hal sat to the side with what was clearly monitoring and communication head set array on his left ear. She could imagine that he was keeping in touch with Morgen, wherever she was out there.
"Well Cornelia? I'm waiting for that apology." Cornelia sighed at his glare. They looked like older versions of what she knew. Even his glare was the same, and nobody could reproduce that trait. Her gaze softened.
'It's really them, Empress Marianne, maybe I haven't failed after all.'
"Alright, I'm sorry Lelouch. Can you really blame me though? Wouldn't you be rather disappointed in me if I just believed a sound alike?"
His face looked humored for once as he huffed and squeezed Nunally's hand again. She reciprocated and smiled, pecking him on the cheek.
"You can't be mad at her Lelouch, they believe us. Aren't you happy?"
"Part of me is, the other part is worried."
"If this has anything to do with Zero, you don't have to worry Lelouch, I'll get him and avenge Clovis."
At her words, Nunally suddenly took a worried look. Halbdenkul chuckled with Lelouch and Guistizia. The sisters looked concerned at their half siblings, then at each other and back again. The laughter between him and the two Knight of Rounds was beginning to disturb them. Nunally's look told them she knew what they were laughing about and Cornelia began to fear the answer to that.
"Why should I worry about myself sister?"
It took a moment of thought, then Cornelia and Euphemia both looked at Lelouch as if he'd suddenly grown another head. On the screen Lelouch brought out the mask of Zero, (I'm sorry, I want to say Zorro so damn bad. Okay . . . back to fic.) as Hal brought out the mask he wore during the Suzaku Kidnapping incident. Euphie brought her hand to her mouth again, this time in disbelief and mild horror. Cornelia clenched her fists.
"Why? Did you really kill our brother?"
"I did," Lelouch continued on before either of them could say anything. "I killed him because I could not stand by and watch him slaughter innocent lives. His actions were no different that father's, the strong preying on the weak. I hadn't met with Halbdenkul and the others until afterwards."
Lelouch looked to his half sisters and took everyone by surprise. Cornelia couldn't believe her eyes. Lelouch was bowing his head to them. He kept his head down as he spoke and she had to strain to hear his words.
"I'm sorry Euphemia, Cornelia, Nunally. I think a part of me didn't want to pull the trigger. I spent quite some time afterward hurling my guts out as I relived that moment. But at the time all I could feel was a dire impulse to make someone pay for the sins of our father. Morgan and Guistizia talked to me about it and I realize that my fury needs to be focused and forged, not carelessly spread amongst those who are innocent in our family. I'm sorry, I knew how much he cared about you two despite his habits."
The groups on all sides were speechless. None of the Rounds knew what to say either; they hadn't expected him to go that far. Nunally placed a tentative hand on his shoulder. She knew how he felt inside. Clovis had been peaceful until someone or something messed up his daily routine, then he got an attitude and made bad judgments, otherwise, he was a completely polite and well-mannered gentleman.
"Lelouch? Do you hate father that much?" Euphie's voice sounded more curious than worried. She had seen his heart in his eyes, which cared deeply for his siblings but held a steel resolve. Cornelia saw it too, and had to admit she was interested in his answer as well. "Did you have some plan in mind for the future with this Zero identity?"
"You've met him, Kururugi Suzaku. He's here at Ashford Academy as a student now because he met you am I wrong?"
"Suzaku's alright? Thank goodness."
The Lamperouge siblings talk made Euphie's older sister glanced at her in mild surprise. She'd heard and read all about the Zero incident with Suzaku, but not that she'd come in contact and helped him get into school.
"Yes Lelouch, how do you know him?"
"His family helped Nunally and me before the invasion and we were separated during it. The Japanese are a good people with a large amount of history and pride. Many of them can put a Britannian to shame if they gave half an effort. I've never agreed with the numbers concept, it robs people of their identity and freedom. Good people are being oppressed by father's idea that since some people are better, they have the right to trample the less fortunate. Does that mean they can treat Nunally like dirt? I won't have it! The least I can do to repay him is to retake Japan from Britannia!"
The Britannian Family members stood spellbound by his conviction. Nunally sat in awe of her brother, she'd never seen him like this. Cornelia remembered father's dismissal of her investigation shortly after Lelouch's meeting with Charles. She was infuriated that people looked at Nunally like a worthless doll. She was one of her siblings despite only being half blood. She was slowly beginning to realize just how close Lelouch was to the truth about Charles. If anyone treated Euphie that way if she got hurt, she wouldn't stand for it.
'I think I finally understand how Lelouch is feeling. Living among the common people must've shown him something we can't see from our positions. To act in the name of the people, to protect its people, wait that's the same as what . . .'
"Halbdenkul, is this what you meant when you disowned your title?" Her sudden vehemence caught the man off guard as he instinctively backed from the phone he sat in front of. Recovering from her spontaneous shout, he looked her hard in the eyes, searching. Something about them had begun to change, and he knew what it was. The winds were blowing stronger. He liked what he was seeing.
"You're finally beginning to understand what the true meaning behind my vows as a Rounds means Cornelia. I'm proud to have you as one of our Princesses. If you permit, I'd like to be able to serve a true Royal family once again, but to do this, things must change."
Guistizia and Morgen nodded, believing the same ideals as their friend. They had believed that Lelouch and Nunally would be different than Charles, but if others could be brought into the fold, it greatly increased their odds of success. The recent events and this moment was enough to turn them into believers of miracles. But they also realized that this road would be long and hard, filled with blood and suffering. Freedom was never free.
"The road to freedom is stained in blood Cornelia. The leaders will fall into darkness and despair, drenched in the price of freedom by leading men and women to their deaths at times. However, if we reach the end of the road unbroken, forged by trials and the fires of hell into the light of day, then they have the soul of a true king. We ex-Rounds believe this with all our being and believe that Lelouch can go the distance." He stood and walked behind the two siblings. Placing a hand on both of their shoulders gently, but firmly, he looked at Euphemia and Cornelia. "However, I feel that if he is to remain intact, he needs those who understand and support him in ways Morgen, Guistizia, and I can't. Will you help him?"
Turmoil boiled and churned inside her heart. One decision would reunite her with precious loved ones while forsaking everything she had worked for. Everything thing she knew would be torn down and swept away. The other would turn two siblings who she through she had failed eight years ago into her worst enemies, enemies that she loved. In return though, he accomplishments against the EU would stand pristine, unsullied by distinguished service. She silently knew that Guilford would follow her anywhere, regardless of her decision, and for that she was eternally grateful.
"I'll do whatever I can to help, it may not be much, but I'll be there." Cornelia couldn't believe her ears as Euphemia spoke with a conviction she'd never heard from her before. The reaction of Nunally and Lelouch was similar. Hal looked humored as he accepted her words.
"Ah, there's that inner fervor that we saw within you during your younger days. Somehow, we knew that with your demeanor you'd take the mantle of supporter and wear it well, better even, than the majority of many before you. Cornelia? What of you? Remember, it is your decision and yours alone. It would be wonderful if you'd join us, but we won't hold it against you."
Cornelia grit her teeth in frustration. She felt like she'd played right into their hands. Now that Euphie'd joined them by her word, she couldn't bring herself to fighting her sister. However, the look in her precious sister's eyes told she knew what she was getting herself into. They'd lost their siblings before; she wasn't about to lose them all over again. Not when she had the decision to stay by them. Thinking back on it now, she began to realize just how petty the family was internally. She wasn't really interested in the throne, only being a good military leader. She had gone through the Military Academy with Knight of Nine Nonette and feared her military prowess, and she'd respected Halbdenkul's achievements, saying some of them dwarfed her own.
She understood Hal's message, by doing this, the nation would gain its independence in the long run, but become isolated, prioritizing quality over quantity. The military had quantity, but genuine Royal Knight, much less Rounds level quality was actually far and few between. That wasn't saying that the military wasn't incompetent, that was far from the truth, but she had noticed a sharp decline over the recent month of true soldiers. Something inside her craved the idea of leading true soldiers into battle, even if it was against her own family. She laughed at herself. If she did decide to oppose them, she knew his other underlying message.
'I guess I'm more simple than I thought I was. Lelouch, you've matured, and with Halbdenkul by your side you've become quite a force to be reckoned with. He may not be much of a Knightmare devicer, but his combat experience is astonishing. The video reels of New Zealand with Ernst before they became Rounds are beyond anything I've seen.'
"It's obvious that even if I chose not to, I couldn't oppose Euphie seriously. Even if I did, you'd end up crushing me with the fastest possible results wouldn't you?"
"I'm glad you're sharp sister Cornelia. I don't want to divide you two if at all possible."
Lelouch and Nunally smiled on their end of the line. Cornelia huffed and let her shoulders sag. There was still a large problem though.
"Lelouch, Zero is still a problem, and we can't just say that we suddenly found you and Nunally. What are we to do?"
To everyone's surprise, Nunally spoke up, having had a thoughtful expression on her face for some time.
"What if we just have Zero say he has?" Both groups gawked at the idea as their minds finally wrapped around her suggestion. Morgen, who was disassembling her weapon after both Li Britannia's agreed to an understanding, dropped her scope caps. Almost as a collective group, everyone leaned toward the phone or her.
"WHAT?"
"No one knows who Zero is right? So he could say that he has a proposition for you and then reveal us. That way, the situation stays in everyone's hands. Brother can continue playing the role while we figure out exactly how to handle get Japan free. Cornelia, you can orchestrate battles against Zero to make it seem real, until we can think of a realistic ultimatum? Is that what you call it? To get back Lelouch and me, and give Zero a 'victory' for Japan."
She held her fingers up like quotation marks when she said 'victory'. Everyone present looked at her like she was another being from another planet. Not hearing anyone, she frowned and began to stare at her lap, thinking that they didn't like it.
"I guess that's too absurd." She muttered softly. Lelouch's soft touch on her shoulder told her he was laughing silently. His laughter rose in volume as he put his mind to work on what she said. Hal leaned back in his seat with an amazed look on his face. On the rooftop from the museum, Morgen clutched her sides in hysterics.
Guilford and Cornelia both found themselves plotting, their internal clocks wound around her younger half sister's idea. The more they thought about it, the crazier it seemed, but the payoff of success was monumental.
"That's it Nunally! It's perfect." Lelouch hugged her gently, she smiled and returned the affection. Euphie smiled, she understood the basic implication, and liked the possible results immensely. Doing this could end up reducing lives lost drastically.
"Well, it's seems our wildcard wasn't Zero, or this meeting, but Nunally. It's an audacious plan, but one that's beneficial to everyone. I think we can wait until later to work out the details, tonight's been tiring as it is. Princess Cornelia, Princess Euphemia, thank you for thinking this through with open minds. We are eternally grateful."
"Not at all. It's such a weight off our shoulders knowing Lelouch and Nunally are alive. This future seems genuinely bright. I hope we all do our best."
Nobody commented on Euphie's words. No one needed to. The winds of revolution had stirred. Change was about to begin, starting with Japan.
Haha! I'm done with this chapter! By the way, has anyone listened to Code Geass Sound Episode 2?
Also, to listen to it, go here. It's hilarious. Four things to sum it up: Miko Girl Anya, C.C. Cosplay, meaningless chanting by Suzaku, and Godzilla pwns most everyone, paparappa! The video's on you tube dot com followed by the following.
/watch?veg7ywgPxhEo