Code Geass: Valiant R2 Chapter 10 - The True Death
[Belarus, Minsk Outskirts]
A mangled knightmare that was once a Samurai laid in a field of hot metal with a lonely cry.
"[STATIC]…Dark Command. Reques-…[STATIC]…-port on battle…[STATIC]…-last confirmati-…[STATIC]…of Ten and fleet…[STATIC]…"
"Patch that signal Johnny!" A soldier yelled "we need to contact those people"
A small team of E.U. soldiers hid in the wastes as the explosions ripped the land.
A young soldier franticly worked the radio amidst the raging battle overhead "Sir this is the best I can do with that ship blocking the Sat-Com"
"Damn it!" The Lieutenant yelled "We need that ship taken out!"
The Logres-class battleship Redrum floated overhead. It's crimson paint risibility blood on the pure white and gold. The largest Britannian fleet in Europe surrounded it along with overwhelming numbers on knightmare which included the next-gen Vincent-Ward.
The Redrum was blocking all coms out of the area which made nearly all clueless that X's forces and the EU had lost Minsk and nearly all of their forces.
"Sir I'm getting something on the shortwave!"
A staticy but deep voice emerged "This is the Shikage. If there's still anyone out there then listen carefully. There is a weapon under the ruins of the Valiant building. Go there and use it on the Redrum, I will distract their forces for as long as possible"
"He expects us to go back into that death trap of a city!" A soldier protested.
"Shut it Warner!" The Lieutenant ordered "He and all of the men who piloted these knightmares we are now hiding under were not natives to our land but they fought and died to get every citizen out. We would've lost Belarus a month ago if not for X's men. The Shikage is the hero of Belarus and we will do as he says!"
Johnny and Warner looked to each other before turning to there leader and nodding.
"Good" He said with a nod "Now check your ammo and move out. Use a salvaged weapon if you have to"
A moment later they were on the move.
In an abandoned building miles away, three Knightmare-Frames stood. Their metal beaten and scared with very little paint left.
"Lord Shikage, the knightmare are at full charge" An Japanese girl in a black valiant pilot suit said.
"Shall we ride to the end?" A Japanese man asked.
Kazuma nodded "No use in waiting any longer" He stood and turned to the Shinigami "Honor and Peace, We Valiant ones who ride to battle upon our iron horses. We are death. We are liberation. We are knights. We do not fight for self glory or in the name of a king. We do not dictate the freedoms of man nor tolerate those who do so. We do not declare war but strike at those who would harm the innocent. We do not die for our name shall live on in the hearts of our brothers and sisters forever"
"How sweet. You have a cute little mantra" Laughed a maniacal voice from outside.
The three rushed to their knightmare as bullets began to shower the building from all sides.
The Shinigami blew through the debris of the now collapsing building and immediately was hit with a bolt of Hadron energy which the armor absorbed.
"The Eleven scum who dare compare himself to the Knight of Two, Neo Waldstein" Laughed the same voice from earlier "Now you can die just like him!"
Kazuma glared at the knightmare opposite to him.
"Knight of Ten, Luciano Bradley" He growled.
He quickly sped away towards the city with the Percival on his tail. The Shinigami had much faster flight speed but also much less armament and defense.
"Don't think you can hide in these ruins!" Bradley yelled as he chased through the fallen buildings.
The Shinigami and Percival swerved in and out of the rubble of the city towards it's core.
Percival sped and stuck with it's lance only for the Shinigami to spin around and block with it's chainsword. Unfortunately the force of the hit knocked the lighter Shinigami through a nearby building.
After a moment the Shinigami flew from the damage and threw out a sickle on a chain which wrapped around the Percival's lance forcing it to stop spinning.
"Cheap trick" Bradley growled.
The Shinigami swung the Percival into a damaged building before charging with it's sword which was deflected when the Percival fired it's horn and then fired it's hadrons at the chain destroying it.
By the time he got the chain off the Shinigami was gone.
"Stop running you filthy Eleven!" Bradley barked before flying higher and unleashing a rain of Hadron shots from his hips which devastated the already ruined city district below.
Suddenly the Shinigami burst from the smoke and struck with his sickles only to be blocked by the Percival's shield.
"Now you're mine!" Bradley yelled as his shield opened to reveal it's missiles.
"Damn!" Kazuma cursed as he flew backwards and began dodging the missiles. He was able to avoid all but two and his armor absorbed the damage at a high cost.
Bradley laughed "You think that fancy armor of yours will protect you forever? Let's try THIS!"
Warnings blared inside the Shinigami from multiple contacts that had somehow gotten behind him. His energy level was also showing only 4% remaining.
"The Redrum has the ability to hid itself from radar as well as block satellite connection" Kazuma deduced "I assume I was the test before you attacked Horai Island. Am I correct?"
"So the worm isn't so stupid afterwards" Bradley laughed "I'll kill them all before they can even power-up a single knightmare. I'll burn them all and then take that Kozuki bitch to the old man after I'm done with what's left of her"
Kazuma chuckled.
"What are you laughing at!?" Bradley yelled.
"I'm no longer a shadow" Kazuma explained "I have done what even the Reaper has not done"
Bradley growled "It doesn't matter now!" he aimed his hadrons as the ship and other knightmare did the same. He began to grin "What does a ninja of X value most?"
Kazuma closed his eyes as a smile spread on his lips "I value more than all… My Death"
The Shinigami glowed bright white blinding all before it imploded into a tiny ball of energy that simply dissolved in the air.
Bradley sat speechless by the answer. It was never that when he asked the question. Everyone begged for their lives just before he would snuff it out. Never had he seen a man kill themselves to take his joy away
He was pulled from his stupor by a sudden explosion below.
A tall building which had withstood everything from the past month of battle finally collapsed causing a ton of smoke and debris to fill the air around it.
"FOR THE SHIKAGE!"
The dust glowed white before positron energy beams tore through the sky surrounding the Redrum and it's armada.
"What is this!?" Bradley growled.
"Ser Bradley we have to get out of here!" One of his Valkyrie said.
"The Belarus forces have remobilized and have a battleship!" Another reported.
Rising from the smoke was a massive warship as black as night. It's rear was similar to a Logres with a Avalon in the center of each wing and each of the two had a double barreled super positron cannon on each side. It's center was that of a huge Ikaruga with two massive Hadron Cannons on each side. The ship was covered in smaller energy cannons and rain cannons along with several catapults for knightmare.
Bradley went white with fear at the site of the massive vessel and fled with the remaining knightmare, leaving the britannian ships to burn as a distraction.
[Horai Island - Valiant Command Room]
Hitomi was standing on a small lighted pad. Across from her stood a hologram of Juliet, Leon and Yuna.
"Looks like Shikage is still unable to attend… X and Kallen as well" She said taking a seat "Status report!"
Leon nodded "Executioners have seceded in holding the Brits out of China thus far"
"Hydra and Ikaruga have had little trouble in stomping out the few warlords and Eunuchs trying to get control here in China" Juliet reported proudly.
"Lightning Squad is enroute to Cambodia as per plan" Yuna piped in.
"Lord Hokage!" An officer yelled out to get her attention.
Hitomi looked over to his console "Whacha got for me?"
He brought a hologram between the commanders showing a 3-d image of Minsk in ruins "We received this image from the Euro-Sat a few moments ago. No activity within the city at all. They're all dead or evacuated"
"What about Kazuma!?" Yuna yelled.
"It had to have been the Redrum there to keep us from noticing a battle of this scale" Leon said looking at the damage.
Hitomi frowned "Scan the area for loses on all sides. I want to know the damage before reporting to X"
"Yes ma'am" He said going back to work.
"Why didn't Kazuma abandon Belarus?" Leon asked "One city is not worth the loses he had to have sustained. And where could he be?"
"Valiant Dark Minsk branch was the most important facility next to the Islands themselves" Juliet informed.
Hitomi nodded "Juliet was the only one outside of high-command to know what was happening there. Kazuma only knew it was an experimental weapon far too powerful to fall into Britannian hands"
"What was it?" Yuna asked in wonder.
"The Resolute" Hitomi said simply "Merging all tech we know into one ultimate package. It's a part of X's end game and thus useless to us at the moment"
"What's it missing?" Leon asked "it's hard to believe the boss would lack the necessary funds to obtain it"
Hitomi shook her head "It's not the funds. It can run on twenty Positron power cores but even with all of that it cannot become fully combat ready"
"You need more power then all that!?" Yuna exclaimed.
"Neo said he had found the perfect thing before we lost him last year and was able to perfect the P-Cores with it yet needs this unknown item to fully power the ship. He called it FLIEJA"
"So what do we do?" Leon asked "We can't just wait for the Redrum to sneak up in us"
An alarm filled the room.
"I guess they already got here" Hitomi said standing.
"Ma'am we got a ship emerging off coast with several EU IFFs along with several ID numbers from Death Squad"
"Could they have taken our knightmare?" Hitomi wondered to herself.
"A shadow goes to the light and vanishes from this world" A voice came over the comms in Japanese "Though we no longer see it, the shadow will always remain a part of us all"
Leon raised a brow "And that means what exac…"
"KAZUMA!" Yuna screamed and fell to her knees "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!"
"Clear the Resolute to land and send the news to all remaining Valiant towers" Hitomi ordered plainly before looking back to the comms "Who?"
"Knight of Ten, Lucaino Bradley. Lord Hokage"
Hitomi turned to the other commanders "Yuna and Leon return to Horai, Juliet continue to support the Black Knights"
"What are we going to do?" Leon asked.
"Kill them all"
[Ashford Academy Clubhouse - Ball Room]
"At last we see true fear in the eyes of the Grim Reaper" Dante laughed.
"You dare use their images against me!" Neo roared.
"Image?" Mandy said getting his attention "Who outside of us Knights know that my sister and I both lost it to Gino on the same night"
Kayla chuckled "Wow he's good"
"And who other then I would know you killed me personally for believing in what I wanted" Freya growled "Such a hypocrite. You're no better then those you seek to destroy"
"Impossible!" Neo gasped "Hitomi and C.C. assured me that no one less then a Code Bearer could have physical contact with someone in C's World. And no geass user could have the power to bring you back"
Veronica laughed "Correct you are. We serve a higher being than any other"
"You're the ones who took Xavier!" Kayla growled "You're with that Alucard guy!"
"Alucard?" Neo questioned "Like Dracula backwards?"
"Alucard is nothing compared to our master!" Dante barked "Lord Nex is a being not bound by the laws of C's World and Geass. But this is of little concern of yours when you're about to die"
Amanda frowned "Sorry Neo but I have no control over myself"
"Well I do but you're not who I'm after" Freya said before bursting in flame and vanishing.
"Well then" Veronica said walking towards Neo "Let's continue where I left off, Then I'll find that little bastard and kill him too!"
[Government Bureau - Throne Room]
"Little Nana's all grown up and playing with boys" Isabella cooed.
Nunnally went red "Aunty please"
"Oh come on I know you haven't done anything" Isabella whined "If you're like your mother then the poor boy wouldn't be able to function. She wanted it all the time for weeks after her first"
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT!" Nunnally screamed while holding her hands where her ear would be if not for her power armor.
"Come now Bella" Henry said "I could tell stories about you far worse, plus look at the result of your son's overactive libido"
Isabella shook her head and shrugged "Being a great warrior does wonders for the bedroom"
"LALALALALALALALALALALALA" Nunnally continued trying not to hear the embarrassing conversation.
Suddenly a sword emerged from Henry's chest.
"No demons are fooling us!" Kai declared and twisted the blade and sliced the man in two.
"Well that was fast" Isabella said nonchalantly "He was never much of a fighting man anyway. Always playing off my successes and our good name"
"Kai that's my aunt and uncle!" Nunnally called "Don't hurt them!"
Kai dropped to her side and fell to one knee from the pain in the other.
"They're both undead" He huffed "monsters brought back from the beyond by dark art. Or in this case Geass"
"Wouldn't her anti-geass device stop us?" Isabella asked "As it has not and I am Neo's mother, shouldn't you trust me?"
"Aunty Bella is my mother's closest friend Kai" Nunnally said "She must've been taken by V.V. after the assassination"
Kai shook his head "The Kozuki clan knows of a being able to bring the dead back from the afterlife. A demon king who is said to have led a army of monsters across the world"
"The legend of Infinity" Nunnally gasped "A long fought battle between the Order of Infinity and the Dark One. The mark of Infinity has been seen in nearly all of history. Arthur had a Knight of Infinity, Napoleon Bonaparte was said to be a believer in the legend, and even my brother Arthus fly's the banner of the order"
"So little is know about the monster who's forcing us to do this" Isabella said sadly "All I know is that you are a threat to his goal, as is Neo's war. We Valiant's are connected to the Order of Infinity at our roots"
"What do you mean?" Kai asked.
"The Order of Infinity is not a order lasting through time but instead emerges when the Dark One's forces becomes strong. One man seems to appear in pivotal moments in time and reforms the order. In fact it was called the Order of Infinity only after Arthur's war with Mordred. No other name for it was given but a name of it's leader, Imperia." She paused for a moment "We Valiant have records of our house all the way to it's founders. Luna Imperia and Nero Valiant"
"So by ending the Valiant line and all those following their example, this Dark One hopes to rule the world or something?" Kai asked.
Isabella shook her head "Before we came here we were in C's World where a young man calling himself Nex came and corrupted our souls. Some of us are willingly doing this and some are fighting the urge to kill as I am. He is the Dark One"
"ENOUGH" Boomed a disembodied voice which caused the room to shake "I MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRACTED BY MAO MINDFUCKING YOUR DAUGHTER BUT YOUR REFUSAL OF MY POWER WILL NOT GO UNPUNISHED"
"Nunnally you have to completely destroy me!" Isabella ordered.
Suddenly her head dropped.
"Aunty Bell" Nunnally called timidly.
Slowly her head raised showing her eyes completely black. Beside her the two pieces of Henry slapped together.
"Nunnally they are no longer alive in there" Kai said "All that remains is their killing power"
Isabella's geass shined in both eyes. Both Valiant's raised a hand and summoned a demonic sword.
[Ikebukuro Station Rooftop]
"To think that will all become a battlefield again" Kallen said looking out over Tokyo.
"When we liberate Japan it will become the beacon of hope for the entire world" Lelouch said proudly "Just as the Black Knight and Valiant Dark are symbols of unity for all peoples for a brighter tomorrow"
Kallen smiled at the thought of the future without the fighting. Where her Neo and Logan could be a real family.
"What do you have planned for after this is all over?" She asked.
"What?" Lelouch said shocked by the question.
"I know you and Elly are in love" She said smirking "Remember Neo can read her mind"
Lelouch looked away blushing "I never really gave it thought. I've been busy"
Kallen smacked the back of his head "You can't be Zero all the time. Lelouch deserves a future with the rest of us. Don't you ever dream of what your life could be like"
"When the time comes I will give it thought" He promised "But right now I need to ensure we all survive long enough to see a future"
"Fine" Kallen huffed "But remember you're planning for two. Elly will follow you anywhere. And if you hurt her…"
Lelouch cringed knowing what Neo and Kallen could do to him with little effort.
His phone rang then, breaking the silence that had fallen.
"Yes Rolo?" Lelouch answered.
"Lelouch be careful" Rolo urged "Jeremiah's on his way right now. He's an assassin from the order. My geass didn't work on him"
"He's alive? and what do you mean assassin?" Lelouch asked "Why didn't Neo and Elly take care of him?"
"Shirley brought a guy with her just as Jeremiah appeared" Rolo explained "Neo and Kayla are dealing with him now. Elly is on her way to you now via car"
The screeching of tires could be heard below.
"She's here now" Lelouch said.
"Good don't do anything rash until we're all together" Rolo said hanging up.
Lelouch turned to Kallen "You ok to fight?"
Kallen took the contact out of her left eye revealing her permanent geass ablaze. A nearby small tree on the roof suddenly shattered.
"Oh yeah I'm ready" She smirked.
[Ashford Academy Clubhouse - Ball Room]
Amanda started the fight by punching at Neo who blocked with his metal arm but was still thrown back by the force. He flipped himself in mid air so his legs landed on the wall and propelled himself at Veronica and activated his energy blade and sliced at her who suddenly had a demonic sword that deflected the attack. A gunshot was her behind him which his geass showed coming for him but was deflected by Kayla's sword. Dante then appeared in front of Neo faster than his Geass could follow and punched him in the gut propelling him upward into the ceiling which cracked at the impact before Neo fell back to the floor with a hard thud.
"Teleportation" Kayla growled "Even with my power you're using geass"
Dante laughed "My power is not geass but instead that which geass originated"
"Lord Nex was the creator of Geass in this world" Veronica explained "It brings chaos to this world just with it's presence"
"Geass is not evil" Neo said slowly standing "It's the user that turns it evil"
"Ah yes but power corrupts and even you as honorable as you claim to be, have fallen to the darkness and used your power for personal gain" Dante said "You're goal with Kallen was to flirt your way into the smaller resistances and make them join you"
"And along the way we fell in love!" Neo growled "The end result is all that matters!"
"Neo ignore him and look out!" Kayla said as Amanda fired another shot at him.
Neo jumped to the side causing the bullet to hit Dante in the head. He just laughed as the wound closed.
"We cannot be killed so easily" Dante taunted.
Kalya ran towards Amanda who began firing her rifle in earnest at the younger girl. Kayla got close and with a quick slash the older girl's head was in flight.
"Eh not so hard to kill" She chuckled weakly.
Suddenly Amanda's head flew back to her shoulders.
"Aw fuck!" Kayla cursed before passing out from gunshot wounds.
"Well that was fast" Veronica laughed "Poor Xavier is going to be mad we hurt his little sister"
Neo's eyes burned brighter with his anger "That's it! I've had enough of this shit!"
He took out his phone and a hologram image of a sub in the water off shore appeared and a missile launched from it.
"So you're going to blow us up?" Dante laughed.
"Neo what about the students here!?" Amanda said shocked "You couldn't"
"He wouldn't" Veronica stated "He's just bluffing"
"He doesn't bluff" Amanda said.
Neo stood ready for battle "You don't have much time before I end you. Let's make the most of it"
Dante growled and ran at him with black flame around his hands. Neo dodged his strikes and did a back flip while kicking him just as Veronica slashed where he was. When he landed he activated his shield as Amanda started to unleash a hail of gunfire. Veronica came again and began slashing but her dodged while deflecting the continued gunfire which emptied the gun. Dante appeared above him and brought his fist down but at the same time Neo converted his shield into a full powered cannon and fired at Amanda which tore a large portion of her left side away. The recoil pushed Neo safely away from Dante's hit which hit Veronica instead which crushed her skull into the floor.
"Agile little bastard!" Dante roared as the others began healing "Even with that Geass showing you our movements, you'll tire out while we remain always powerful"
Neo was panting already. "He broke a few of my ribs with that punch earlier and it's getting hard to breath"
Neo's phone beeped loudly and he smirked "I don't need much longer now"
Dante roared and disappeared. Veronica charged again and began trying to impale Neo with little success while Amanda was still reconstructing. Neo was backed into the wall where Dante suddenly appeared and grabbed Neo's metal arm.
"Try fighting without this!" Dante said squeezing the arm until it shattered.
Veronica stabbed again while Neo was still in Dante's grip but Neo ejected the arm.
"This isn't good" Neo thought "Come on hurry!"
A clicking was heard and Neo turned at the sight of Amanda aiming right at him.
Before she could fire a large cylinder came crashing through the roof before crashing right into her.
"Oh come on!" She said with only her head not crushed "I'm happy I'm not killing you but why am I taking most of the damage!"
Veronica growled and began attacking again which Neo jumped back from. Suddenly the cylinder opened along the side shot out a rocket which connected to Neo's empty arm socket.
Veronica jumped at Neo while he was still in the air which sealed her fate. The rocket fell was to reveal a new arm which Neo aimed at her as spikes covered the fingers and the hand grew.
"Goodbye!" Neo said and fired the Wave Surger on wide fire.
"Veronica!" Dante called as his sister burned away into nothing.
Neo landed and was quickly punched by Dante who ran with him on his fist before crashing into a wall. Dante then formed a black fireball in his hand and threw it at the cylinder which Amanda just got out from under. The large mobile arsenal melted from the supernatural flame.
"You killed my sister!" Dante screamed "We don't get a second afterlife! She's doesn't exist in any form now!"
"Good" Neo declared "Let's get on to you now"
Neo grabbed Dante's head with his hand but he teleported to Neo's side and bent the arm at the elbow and snapped it in half. Neo tried moving away but Dante picked him up by his throat and held him up before letting go and punching him away. Before Neo could hit the other side of the room, Dante teleported under him and kneed him in the gut and then slammed him down and kicked him in the side.
Neo rolled several feet before spitting up blood.
"So ends the story of Neo Valiant" Dante laughed "The man who united the world's military. Soon the savior of the people and his ace will be dead. Killed by his love, your whore sister"
Neo tried to say something but only choked up more blood.
Dante smirked "Your mother and uncle are also here. Their dealing with your protégé and her ninja knight. And lastly Freya is dealing with your immortal"
"I'll kill you!" Neo choked out.
"You can barely breath" Dante laughed "You have no weapons left and no ally's left in Area 11"
"Enough Dante!" A woman said behind Dante.
He turned around just as something slid past him on the ground. He quickly turned back to Neo only to get stabbed in the heart by Neo's geass sword.
Dante's eyes went back to normal and his body began to disappear from the bottom up.
"Mother I'm sorry for all the pain we caused you" He said turning back around.
C.C. walked forward and wrapped her arms around him "It's okay Dante. You and Nicky were the only ones to make me feel happiness in this immortal life"
Dante cried "I love you mother"
And he was gone.
C.C. wiped her eyes quickly before walking to Neo.
"I saw and heard nothing" He groaned out.
"Thank you" She said helping him up.
Neo looked around "Where's Mandy?"
"She's the one who gave me the sword" C.C. said "She found it in that missile after Dante blew it up. She used it on herself before giving it to me"
"Thank you Mandy and I'm sorry" Neo said solemnly "Now witch. Tell me everything you know about this Lord Nex"
"Did you forget about Shirley?" C.C. asked.
But said girl was long gone.
[Government Bureau - Throne Room]
Nunnally fired her P-cannon which was cut in half by Isabella's sword. She was blinded by the energy in the air after the attack which Isabella used to strike but was blocked by the auto shields in the Iron Maiden. Nunnally slashed out with her sword but Isabella deflected the attack and attacked again only for the shield to block again.
"Nunnally those shield will die out eventually" Isabella said as the two continued the same pattern again "You can't stay on the defensive. You have to destroy me completely!"
"STOP SPEAKING AND KILL HER!" the voice ordered and she lost her will again.
Nunnally activated her energy wings and flew back but Isabella followed by jumping with a slash which hit the shields and threw her back.
"I'm sorry aunty" Nunnally said before unleashing a huge positron beam from her chest which engulfed Isabella.
Nunnally fell quickly as her armor fell apart but Kai caught her before she hit the ground.
"Are you ok Nana?" He asked looking her over.
She nodded "Yeah but where's Henry? Weren't you fighting him?"
"He disappeared when you defeated Isabella" Kai said.
"It was to ensure I would be the one to kill you"
Kai turned around only to be hit away and into a wall where he fell unconscious.
Isabella stood over Nunnally with tears pouring down.
"Aunty please fight for control" Nunnally begged "Neo has a son. You could be a part of his life"
"I know of Logan" Isabella said "That boy will surpass his father as is the Waldstein way. He must live"
Nunnally made to stand but her leg wouldn't move.
"My implants are out of power" She said with fear as Isabella slowly walked towards her with a sword raised.
"Please Nunnally do something!" Isabella begged "Don't let me kill you!"
"Kai!" Nunnally screamed as light enveloped the entire room.
[Ikebukuro Station - Train Line]
Kallen and Lelouch ran along the train with the psyco cyborg Jeremiah hot on their tail all the way to the end.
"A mechanical body and you've got a geass canceller" Lelouch said panting from his run "Your vengefulness is truly top notch Orange Boy"
"It's not vengefulness" Jeremiah stated "It's sheer loyalty"
"Loyal to a man who hides behind the power of geass!" Kallen growled.
"Is Zero any different" Jeremiah said nearing them.
The top of the train opened revealing a Gefjun Disturber which froze the cyborg in his tracks.
"From your performance I figured you must be using Sakuradite" Lelouch bragged.
Clapping was suddenly heard.
"Mao!" Kallen gasped.
"The guys that hunted you and Neo in Pendragon?" Lelouch asked.
Elly suddenly walked out of the front train car clapping. Surprisingly she was wearing her black and crimson Valiant uniform and wore her hair down and also wasn't wearing her eye patch. She looked like the old Elly.
"Good work Lulu" She said walking to him "I thought I would jump him but you took care of it"
Lelouch breathed easy "It's just Elly"
"Elizabeth Waldstein" Jeremiah growled "Another traitor. You faked your death to serve Zero"
"Oh that's a lot of hate pouring out of you" She teased "All because you failed in your duty so many times"
Lelouch placed a hand on her shoulder "El are you alright?"
"Never better darling" She said sweetly "Thinking about all those ways you're going to be too busy to have a family with me"
"What?" Lelouch gasped "How did you…"
Kallen threw Elly away from Lelouch with her Geass.
"Something's not right here" Kallen said.
"Oh Kallen, You must be so proud to be a mother who leaves her son with ninja and soldiers while you go parading around with your baby daddy" Elly said plainly.
Lelouch looked to Jeremiah "What did you do to her!"
Jeremiah activated his geass canceller which then sparked out from the Gefjun effect.
Elly shook her head clear "What happened?"
Suddenly Kallen activated her geass and picked up Jeremiah with his blade out and held him between Lelouch and Elly who couldn't move their feet.
"What's going on here!?" Lelouch asked.
"It's not me!" Kallen cried.
Clapping was heard again but not from Elly. Mao appeared walking atop the train to them.
"Oh this is so much more fun than simply reading minds" He said happily.
"Unhand me at once!" Jeremiah ordered "We appear to both want the same thing here"
"Oh no you don't" Mao said "I want to kill all of you. You don't want to kill this boy"
Jeremiah tried to slash at Mao but couldn't move.
"Say your real name" Mao ordered Lelouch.
"11th Prince Lelouch Vi Britannia" Lelouch declared unwillingly.
"Oh this is fun!" Mao gushed "did you all know Orange here was a guard in the palace? No? oh well he was. So you are going to kill a Prince of you beloved empire and the son of you precious Marianne"
"My prince, milady I beg your forgivness" Jeremiah said with tears "You became Zero for Lady Marianne and you serve him for Lady Isabella"
Elly shook her head "I do not serve Lelouch, I love him"
"Yes yes so touching" Mao said "Now onto the killing games! His Highness or Lady Waldstein"
Elly nodded "Me. I'm his knight, it's my duty"
"No!" Lelouch shouted "There can be no future without Elly in it. Without you I couldn't go on as Zero even for Nunnally's sake"
Mao smirked "I could pick both… I wonder what the future Lady Valiant would decide"
He forced Kallen to swing Jeremiah back and forth between Lelouch and Elly, getting closer every time.
"Enough Mao!" Kallen screamed "Take me!"
"How about everyone!" Mao cheered.
Lelouch and Elly pulled out pistols and aimed at each other. Kallen brought Jeremiah to her throat.
"Now one the count of three you all kill each other" Mao ordered "One… Two… Thr-"
Suddenly a large missile crashed through the roof.
"Well this is unexpected" Mao said inspecting it.
The others couldn't talk due to his control but Lelouch and Elly had fingers slightly pulling on triggers, Jeremiah had a blade pressing into Kallen's neck and she had geass force starting to put pressure in Jeremiah's head.
The missile popped open as Mao was standing over it and C.C. jumped out slapping a Geass Canceller around his neck which released the others from him.
"C.C!" He cheered "I've missed you so much!"
"Mao" She said with pity "I should have killed you long ago"
"I know you don't mean that C.C." He smiled "I love you C.C."
She looked around him to Kallen "He has to be completely destroyed"
"What are you saying C.C." Mao said stepping closed to her "We can be together forever now. Just the two of us. I still have a big house in Australia for us"
He continued to beg to deaf ears before his body was instantly crushed into nothing.
"Now that all of that mess is taken care of, you might want to disable the Gefjun field before you kill a potential asset" C.C. said looking to Jeremiah who was now passed out.
Lelouch quickly turned off the train which reactivated the cyborg's functions.
"Was that all true Jeremiah?" Kallen asked "I find it hard to believe you never connected the name Lelouch or the picture. Neo and Elly did on the first day at Ashford"
Elly shook her head "If it had come from anyone but the Ashford's and if they didn't say it was for Marianne, Me and Neo wouldn't have believed it. Neo had Hitomi looking for them right after we met her"
"I pledged my loyalty to Lady Marianne and served in combat with Lady Isabella" Jeremiah said solemnly "I don't serve V.V. Only Lady Marianne"
Lelouch stood above him and placed a hand on his shoulder "Jeremiah Gottwald. Your steadfast loyalty and honor are desperately needed here. Will you serve as my knight in Elly's place"
He bowed his head "Yes your Majesty!"
"Wait what about me?" Elly asked.
"You've been promoted" Lelouch said simply as he went to leave.
Elly just looked confused.
"Your welcome" Kallen said walking past her after Lelouch.
C.C. just laughed.
Jeremiah stood and smiled with a bow "Your Grace"
As she thought about it, instead on hearing a ding on a light she heard bells.
She ran after them laughing "Lelouch! You're going to tell Neo!"
[Government Bureau - Medical Ward]
Nunnally slowly awoke to her usual darkness. She raised her hand to her hand in a ninja hand sign yet no sight came.
"You're nearly out of energy" Kai said beside her.
"Will i get it back?" She asked scared.
Kai nodded but remembered she couldn't see it "It will take a few months. You unleashed so much that you nearly died. No ninja could do what you did and live. Not even Lady Hokage"
She smiled "So it's all over now"
Kai grabbed her hand "No. I'm leaving here soon. I've already made arrangements"
"Please be safe" She said squeezing his hand.
He kissed her softly "Don't worry, I'll be with the best"
Chapter End