Everanix: Thanks for the advice, I'll keep it in mind!

Tyler Ci Britannia: Don't worry, there's plenty of chapters to go! 20-50 more sounds about right, but it looks like it's going to be closer to 50 at this point...

~Chapter 9: Choice~

"I knew you would be alright."

RR picked up the phone and dialed. "It's time. Have you found someone yet?"

"Yes. He's a very interesting young man. Kallen's son. I think he has a high potential."

"Now that all the conditions have been fulfilled, I'm going to her."

"And Robert? Would he interfere, do you think?"

"Yes. But what can he do? I don't think he would go as far as he did before. He loves this family too much."

"Kaguya Sumeragi is a good mom, isn't she? If she saw you now, I think she would understand why we made that choice. I… I reget the choices we've made so much…"

"It was the only choice we could make. A choice for the world, and for the next generation."

"I know. But… it's still a hard choice. Especially now."

An few hours earlier, New Camelot, Britannian Republic

Agnes watched Cornelia running for the door and braced herself. 3…2…1… she was out, with almost the whole guard on her tail. There were just five left with her. They've underestimated me.

None of them saw her coming. With three lightning fast kicks she knocked out all of them. She picked up one of their standard-issue guns and ran the opposite way. I am a Britannian guard.

Several guards ran towards the presidential office. I am a Britannian guard. I am one of you. Her right eye glowed red and the geass sigil flew to the guards before they had a chance to see her true form.

She saluted their officer as they passed her. "Sergeant Villanueva reporting! Messenger to HQ!"

He returned her salute, more concerned with protecting his president than with a lowly sergeant's duty.

"Retreat! All guards retreat! This is an order from EG-27, code Hawthorne! The Cornelia still in the palace is the culprit! I repeat, retreat and capture the Cornelia in the palace!"

She smiled. I can hardly believe it's all going to plan. Now the security office will be empty – except for our target.

The red-haired boy was sprinting towards her. And… now! She release her geass at him. He slowed down when he saw her. "Sergeant Villanueva reporting! Messenger to HQ!"

"I didn't think we had a Villanueva in the service. Right now, I am HQ. What is your message?"

"Sir, the president has been taken hostage by her look-alike! There is no way to tell between them!"

"I see. Well, you can give this message to the kidnapper. 'I…' Are you listening carefully?"

"Yes, sir!"

"I know who you are." Before even she could react, he twisted her arm to disarm her and knocked her out cold. "Agnes."

"So, do you have any idea who our real parents are?"

"No. Both of you just showed up on the doorstep one night about four years ago. Bobby was carrying you, poor thing. You had already reached maturity then."

Four years?! "But we should remember them, then! I was thirteen and Bobby was ten. We should still remember…"

"You've had that nightmare ever since you came here. I think that something traumatic must have happened to both of you and you blocked out your memories in hopes of making a new life. I don't want to assume anything, but it's possible your parents died in a fire."

I was standing on a grassy hill looking out at the distant mountains and forested valley. I looked back towards the house.

It was burning.

I ran towards the house, but the faster I ran the more distant it became. Everything faded into a whiteout.

"That makes sense…" But there's that one part I don't understand…

Suddenly I heard Bobby's voice.

"Come with me. Trust me. Do you trust me?"I saw strange images of people walking, and skulls, and a mark I seemed to remember.

"I… I don't understand. Who are you?"

"What are you talking about? I'm your little brother. And you're Tatiana, isn't that so?"

"No… I don't remember…"

"Good." The whiteness seemed to close in on me and the images came faster and faster.

I looked towards Bobby. He was looking at me in a way I have never seen before – a mix of protective and scared. Why would Bobby be scared? And why would he be the one to ask for my trust? Wouldn't I already trust him? We're brother and sister, right? And why would he be glad that I didn't remember anything?

"There's something else you should know."

"What?"

"My maiden name is Sumeragi."

"WHAT!? As in Kaguya Sumeragi, the first chairperson of the UFN?"

"That's me." She smiled. "I didn't like the fame as much as I thought I would. So I retired and came back to my hometown. That's when I met your Papa, Akira Mihara. We settled here, away from all the politics and messiness of the cities, and planned to live out our days farming."

"That's right. But we weren't able to have children, so when you two came along it was like a miracle. We would do anything for you."

"Bobby, Tatiana, you may not be our children by blood but for the past four years we have raised you as if you were. We love you both so very much. We're so sorry we lied to you, we just wanted you to treat us as if we were your parents." She started to cry. "I'm so sorry."

"Mama." She looked up. "Mama, thank you. You did what you thought was right. You will always be Mama to me, no matter what."

She tried to smile and cried even harder. I hugged her close. "I love you, Mama!"

"Tatiana, I love you, too!"

Awwwwlll... Kaguya sure grew up, huh? Review please!