Chapter 10
Suzaku stared across the bridge and his gaze never left the Kawaguchi Hotel and Convention Center.
There, inside that building, his friends from the Student Council and other innocents had been taken hostage by his own kind.
Kusakabe, he seethed silently with clenched fists. All you're doing is proving what the Britannians think that you are. Why can't you people understand that?
"Suzaku," Cecile's motherly voice came to him. "Are you okay?"
The Japanese youth took a deep breath to help steady himself. That's not what I should worry about right now, he reminded himself. "I'll be okay," he assured the woman he saw as an older sister.
"That's good to hear," she said. "You just seemed a little on edge, so I thought I should just make sure."
"Nerves, I guess," he told her.
"You know you can tell me whatever gets to you," Cecile reminded him. "I'm always here to help."
Suzaku's hands relaxed and his eyes softened. "Thanks Miss Cecile." He then tore his steady gaze away from where his friends were in danger; doing his best to reign himself back in. I can't help unless I'm ordered to, he told himself. I must have faith that the structure will save them.
The Japanese Warrant Officer then turned away from his friends and walked over to the A.S.E.E.C.'s mobile base and stood next to Cecile.
"How are you doing?" the blue-haired woman asked of him.
"I'm ready to go anytime," he responded.
"I know that," she informed Suzaku. "By the way, do you happen to know where Lloyd went? He promised to try my ham, turkey, and wasabi-paste sandwich this morning, but he's been curiously missing for a few hours."
Why would you do that to yourself Lloyd? Suzaku wondered. "When did he promise you that?"
"Let's see," Cecile pondered for a moment. "It was about four hours ago. I gave him the choice between that, or this lovely recipe I came up with that involves strawberries, motor oil, and fried pickles."
Suzaku blanched at that. Strawberries and fried pickles, okay. But motor oil? You know what; I don't even want to know. "Maybe he's trying to see if we can help with the operation?" he offered with a very strained smile. He had an idea where Lloyd was alright. As far away from Cecile's cooking as possible. Forget Knightmares and tanks, he thought. Cecile's cooking is, by far, the most dangerous weapon on the planet.
"That makes sense," she smiled back. "Although it is uncommonly particular for him to take the initiative on something like that."
"Yoohooo!" Lloyd's voice called to the two of them. "How's my favorite deviceor doing on this marvelous day?"
"Good," Suzaku replied simply as his boss arrived. He'd learned long ago that Lloyd is a true sociopath. The eccentric genius was an almost unparalleled mind, but Lloyd Asplund was lacking a single shred of compassion for anything non-Lancelot.
"There you are Lloyd!" Cecile noticed his approach. "I've got your lunch packed away over here." She then reached down and pulled a plastic bag from seemingly nowhere, and in it sat something that should've been locked away in a twenty-foot thick titanium walled safe four-hundred feet below ground. Cecile's cooking.
Cold sweat began to form on Lloyd's forehead as Cecile held out her death-in-a-bun sandwich. "I-It's fine, really," the white-haired man almost pleaded.
"I made it for you especially," the walking kitchen-hazard insisted.
"But I'm not that hungry," the A.S.E.E.C.'s head tried again.
"If you don't eat," Cecile scolded the eccentric genius, "you'll just get hungry later. And I don't want you getting crabby because of an empty stomach."
"Oh! I just remembered!" Lloyd said rather loudly. "I ate lunch with the Viceroy an hour ago."
"Really?" Cecile sounded skeptical. "What did you have?"
"A wonderful combination of delicacies was available for me," Lloyd rambled. "I ate a nicely cooked steak with broccoli and a twenty-year-old French wine."
"How was the pork cooked?" Cecile probed, hoping to catch her boss in his lie.
"It was steak," Lloyd corrected her. "And medium-well. Cornelia likes a little blood in her meat, but not much."
Suzaku came very close to applauding Lloyd's ingenuity. If there was anything to be admired about a man like the Lancelot's designer, then it was his ability to almost always weasel away from getting stuck with eating Cecile's food. That must be why he's so thin, Suzaku thought.
Cecile's depressed pout was so heartbreaking that Suzaku almost reached for the food just to get her to smile again. Almost.
Instead he said, "I think that George said that he forgot his lunch before we left.
The blue-haired scientist immediately brightened back up. "I'll be right back then," she answered. She then went off to find her next victim.
"You're really cruel, you know that Suzaku?" Lloyd told him after Cecile had gotten out of earshot.
"How?"
"What did poor George ever do to you to deserve such a fate?" Lloyd began to rant, like always. "You do understand just how difficult it is to find good help, don't you? I swear, sometimes it's like you just don't seem to care at all about poor Lancelot's health at all. Now George may not be as irreplaceable as me of course, but I can't handle everything myself if I want to make sure Prince Schneizel is happy and continues paying our budget. After all, we can't make Lancelot the way he is meant to be made without plenty of funds to throw around. Where is George, by the way?"
"Lloyd," Suzaku deadpanned, "do you even know what George does?"
"Why should I? All he's doing is creating my designs for me. It's not like he's the one coming up with Lancelot's systems."
Suzaku let out a deep breath. "George left to return back to the mobile command center an hour ago. So I doubt that Cecile will find him anytime soon."
(Meanwhile, Suzaku had drastically underestimated Cecile's determination when it came to her cooking. A random lab techie was cursing Suzaku Kururugi and Lloyd Asplund to the deepest pits of Hell for making him eat Cecile's cooking. He would later come down with a horrible case of indigestion, diarrhea, and another disease that doctor's would later name as 'Croomy's Cooking")
Cecile returned a few minutes later with a beaming smile on her face. (Suzaku said a silent prayer in remembrance of George and all that he'd done to help him.) Lloyd was sitting on a hill that sloped down into the lakeshore, and Suzaku was standing behind him, stiff as a soldier at attention.
"Is there anything we can do the help with the rescue operation?" Suzaku asked his boss.
"I've already asked them," Lloyd answered tiredly, "and they said we're an irregular unit and don't acknowledge our chain of command. Besides…"
"It's too risky to entrust the matter to an Eleven, right?" Suzaku finished.
"Yes. I'm fairly certain that you're aware that Princess Cornelia is very discriminatory about Britannians and Numbers," Lloyd replied back to his divisions only pilot.
"So the Japanese still aren't being accepted enough into your structure," Suzaku stated. It didn't need to be a question.
"If that were true," Cecile pointed out, "then what's the point of even having an Honorary system?" Her question hung in the air for a brief moment.
Lloyd then piped up after throwing another rock into the lake's waters, "You really need to open your eyes a bit my darling Cecile."
"What do you mean?" Cecile said indignantly.
"It's all about appearances," the eccentric genius continued his lecture. "That's how the game of politics is played. It doesn't matter if it's true or not. If it seems like a possibility for the Elevens to achieve Britannian citizenry status and hopefully get away from the status as being an 'Eleven,' then it keeps the masses in line. A 'glimmer of hope,' if you will. This 'hope' lets the 'Elevens' think that becoming Honorary Britannians will solve all their problems, even though the reality is far from the truth.
Cecile appeared deep in thought as Lloyd finished his lesson on politics.
Suzaku had remained silent throughout Lloyd's lecture to Cecile because the Japanese pilot knew that the white-haired man spoke the truth. But I'm going to change all that, he vowed to himself once more. I swore to myself that I would peaceably change Britannia's rule by showing them that they're wrong with their own system. And then a peaceful change in attitude can come about.
Lloyd stood up from the grassy hill and stretched himself out. "Come," he said to the still-stunned Cecile. "Let's go make sure dear Lancelot isn't feeling lonely now. I can't have him feeling left out now can I?" The head of the A.S.E.E.C. then pushed his companion over into the mobile transport where all of the equipment for running the Z-01 Lancelot's systems was.
Suzaku sat down on the grassy hill and grabbed a rock that lied on the hillside. It wasn't an overly large stone, but it was a little bit smaller than his palm. The rock was smooth and a light-grey in color.
The Japanese youth gripped the rock tightly and cocked his arm to the side. He then whipped his arm around and flung his wrist, letting the rock fly towards the lake. The rock hit the water's surface and skipped four times before sinking underneath the waves.
Suzaku closed his eyes and allowed himself to remember the last time his father had brought Lelouch, Nunnally, and him to Lake Kawaguchi seven years ago. It was a happy time for all then. Lelouch and Suzaku had played around the water's edge and tried to describe the utter beauty of the scene to Nunnally, who'd had a wonderful smile on her face. Even the usually stoic Genbu Kururugi had a smile on his face. But then Suzaku saw a sight that had plagued his dreams ever since that fateful day over seven years ago.
Suzaku shook his head vigorously in an attempt to rid his mind of that picture. That image haunted him enough during the night. He couldn't allow it to start affecting him when there were other things that needed to be done.
He forced himself to look upwards, into the sky. A few hours must've passed without him knowing, for the sun was beginning to set in the west.
"Suzaku," Cecile's voice called to him. "Can you give us a hand? We've got some things to do in the cockpit and Lloyd wants to make sure that you're calibrated into the system's adjustments."
"Coming!" he answered back. Suzaku then glanced back at the Kawaguchi hotel. I must have faith, he reminded himself. I can't let my emotions ever rule over me again. The last time I did… his thoughts trailed off, unwilling to allow himself to finish that thought and relive the revolting moment again.
The brown-haired Japanese Knightmare pilot then turned away from his friend's plight once more and walked over to help out Cecile and Lloyd.
"What do I need to do?" he asked the woman of the A.S.E.E.C..
"I need you to begin the start-up systems," Cecile told him, "and run a systems check. After that, we're going to install the V.A.R.I.S. targeting systems and we need you to ensure that they're properly adjusted to how you pilot."
"Roger that," he acknowledged his responsibilities. Suzaku then sat in the Lancelot's cockpit chair and followed Cecile and Lloyd's instruction for over another hour before they reached a brief lull while a new adjustment was being uploaded into the Lancelot's computer systems that was meant to up the energy output from the Yggdrasil Drive.
Cecile asked while typing away on her computer pad, "Those students on the tape were friends of yours from school, aren't they? They're still negotiating, so let's not give up hope yet."
"I have faith in the system," the pilot answered her. "I prefer the logic of systems to individualist emotions."
Lancelot's optical systems then picked up movement from atop the hotel's roof, and Suzaku's radio blared, "Situation changing!"
"Miss Cecile," he said, eyes focusing in on the screen in front of him. He then had the cameras focus in on the rooftop movement.
"Huh?" Cecile noticed from behind him.
"That's –" the green-eyed youth began with wide eyes as the picture enlarged, showing a tied up man standing on the roof's edge with another man directly behind him.
"What are they going to do to him?" Cecile asked with distress rising in her voice.
"Oh, no," Suzaku realized. "Don't do it," he said as the J.L.F. member approached the hostage, hoping that his countrymen weren't going to do what he thought they were.
It was all for naught.
The J.L.F. member pushed the hostage off the roof and as the hostage fell Suzaku screamed out, "NOOOOOO!"
Suzaku's head dropped and his wide eyes stared at his shaking palms.
Another life I couldn't save, he told himself.
"Are you okay Suzaku?" Cecile asked him with concern layered in her tone.
The brown-haired Japanese youth was about to answer her and tell her that he would be fine, but his radio chatter calmed down and a single declaration was heard. "Zero has been sighted!"
The silence that descended upon the Britannian military camp was deafening.
Why are you here Zero? Suzaku calmly wondered, his mind at rest for the distraction. Could what you have told me that night actually be true?
Minami and Sugiyama, dressed in their respective Black Knight uniforms with their reflective glass visors pulled over their eyes, returned after ten minutes of scouting together.
"It's just as you thought Zero," Minami spoke up to relay their gathered information. "Cornelia's forces have been repelled in every avenue. They've also blocked off any possible escape route that the J.L.F. could take."
"Those fools," Lelouch spat through his mask.
"What do you mean?" Ohgi asked him.
"Kusakabe has doomed his men to death," the masked prince replied morbidly. "I can only guess why he even attempted such a farce as taking those hostages."
"Why's that?" Inoue asked.
"Wouldn't the Sakuradite Conference have been the perfect time to do what he's doing though?" Kallen clarified the question further.
"That is precisely why it is the worst possible time," Lelouch answered them calmly. "While world interest may not be a bad thing to have usually, in this case Kusakabe's actions are making it seem that all of the resistance are little more than simple terrorists. And now the world thinks the J.L.F. to be inhuman barbarians."
"But doesn't taking hostages give you a kind of leverage to get away from the battle with what you wanted?" Sugiyama inquired.
"What does it matter?" Tamaki blurted. "They're all just a bunch of stuck-up Brits. They're the ones who destroyed our Japan and made us into 'Elevens' anyways."
"Then tell me Tamaki," Lelouch spoke through Zero's mask, "why are you friends with Kallen?"
"Because she's my bud!" the hot-head quickly defended.
"But she is half-Britannian," the dark-haired revolutionist pointed out shrewdly. "And you are aware of this. If what you just said was completely true, then why doesn't she treat you like the filth you say the Britannians do?"
Tamaki was dumbfounded at that and tried to answer Lelouch's point, but wasn't able to. Kallen, on the other hand, was absolutely beaming.
"He's right Tamaki," Kallen said loud enough for everyone in the group to hear. "I happen to know some of those hostages personally." At this, everyone's ears in the Black Knights, minus Lelouch, were perked. "One of them is more afraid of the Japanese than anything, but she's becoming good friends with Suzaku Kururugi. Another is just an overall kind person. I hung out with her one afternoon, and she gave this starving Japanese child clothes and food out of her own money. The last one is a perverted she-witch who loves gossip, but she's so much more. She cares really deeply for everyone under her on the Council and tirelessly works to make sure that everyone always has a smile on their face. So you have to understand Tamaki; that not every Britannian is like the Emperor or even Cornelia. They're all just people; like you and me."
I couldn't have said it better myself, the prince thought fondly as Kallen finished her monologue.
Ohgi walked over and gave Kallen an affectionate pat on the back. "You're right Kallen."
"We need to move," Lelouch told them all, effectively ending the touching moment of everyone realizing Britannians' humanity. He then turned towards Minami and asked, "Where are the news vans stationed?"
"About half-a-mile outside the military," Minami answered him.
"Good," Lelouch nodded with his mask. He then turned around and allowed his cape to flap behind him. "I will go procure us a way into the Kawaguchi hotel. Await my signal and then we move."
"Very well," Ohgi acknowledged his instructions. "We'll be right here until you need us."
I know you will, the masked youth thought softly.
Lelouch then trudged through the shadows of the night as a phantom would. His boots never made a sound as they fell upon the wet grass beneath his feet.
A large news van came into his view after a few moments of traversing in the darkness. The Black King emerged from the shadows as a ghost would and noticed the sign on the van that showed its number. It was van number three. The same one he stole last time.
"Z-Zero!" the lone man stationed at the van sputtered in shock. "What-what are you doing here?"
Lelouch couldn't help but grow a venomous smirk as the reflective glass panel covering his left eye slid open. He then ordered the nameless man, "You will ignore myself and my followers when they arrive. You will also give me this van, everything within, and the keys to use them all."
"Very well," the man accepted his new orders as his will was replaced and the faint red-lines circled his brown irises. The news crewman then began loading the van with everything Zero had instructed him with.
Lelouch then took out his phone and sent the signal for Ohgi and the rest of the Black Knights to come to his location. They arrived after five minutes of patiently waiting by the prince.
Lelouch threw the van's keys to Kallen, who caught them in the air and then studied them curiously. "What are these for?" she asked.
"We will now be heading towards the Lake Kawaguchi hotel," he informed them all. "Once there, do not panic. I have something that will stay the Viceroy's hands and will make her let us pass, unharmed."
"Must be something pretty big," Tamaki rambled.
Ohgi and Kallen briefly looked at each other and then looked away with unreadable expressions on their faces.
They must think I'll use my Geass on Cornelia, Lelouch figured from behind Zero's guise.
"By the way Zero," the Knightmare Ace of the Black Knights piped up. "What were the stakes of my duel with Guilford, if you don't mind my asking?"
"That is a question better saved for the moment," the prince told the crimson-haired woman. "Right now, we have innocents to protect."
"He's right," Ohgi agreed with him as the Japanese man laid a hand on Kallen's shoulder gently. "We need to do our jobs right now. You can ask him questions later. There are more important things to worry about right now."
"Fine," the blue-eyed beauty grumbled. She and all of the rest of the initial Black Knights then climbed into the news van.
Lelouch clambered atop the news van and stood next to the satellite receiver. A sense of nostalgia swan through him as he tapped his boot's heel on the van twice. Just like with Jeremiah when we saved Suzaku, he thought as the van advanced towards the Britannian military front.
They passed the outer perimeter without incident, just as they did last time. As they came to the bridge connecting the land with the Kawaguchi hotel, three customized Gloucesters came to a screeching halt in front of them, each of them holding a golden lance.
The center Knightmare had elongated, exaggerated horns that extended far beyond the others, signifying Cornelia's personal Gloucester. This Knightmare's cockpit block then opened up with a large hiss and Cornelia herself stood up from the confines of her Knightmare.
"Well, well," the princess began. "We meet again Zero. Are you a member of the Japan Liberation Front? Or perhaps you intend to help us? Regardless, our priorities take concern over yours at the moment." She then drew her rifle that eerily resembled a rapier and fiercely declared, "For the death of my half-brother Clovis, I shall take my revenge right here!"
The same monologue, the masked man pondered. And I thought that – he noticed that her finger was nowhere near the trigger on her rifle. So she doesn't want to kill me, he realized. She's expecting me to already know about Euphemia being a hostage, or she wishes me alive so she can question me herself. Perhaps both. But one thing is quite evidently clear to me; she has no intention of slaying Zero now.
"Cornelia," Lelouch then called across the divide between them. "Which would you choose? Clovis, who is dead? Or Euphemia, who is alive?"
The absolute lack of shock on the purple-haired princess told Lelouch everything he needed to know. The hotel had not yet been obliterated to a smoldering pile of rubble, so Euphy had to have been taken as a hostage. So that meant that Cornelia had to have expected Zero to come along and, possibly, save her sister in a way that she could not. After all, Zero is apparently very close with Lelouch and Nunnally, and they would be devastated if sweet little Euphy would be killed when Zero could save her.
"It is within both my power and my will to save Euphemia for you," he stated.
"I have no idea what you're talking about!" the Second Princess exclaimed, but anyone who knew her could tell that she was just putting up a front for the uninformed around them.
Lelouch firmly declared, "I said that I am able to rescue yours and Lelouch's sister!"
Cornelia kept her weapon aimed at Zero's mask, but her brother could tell that it was a forced motion. Her mind wasn't in the act. It was a show to make everyone else believe that she was shocked and was considering his offer of help. But Lelouch knew that the Viceroy had decided the moment that he'd shown up.
The Second Princes then slowly lowered her rifle and an audible gasp came from the military surrounding them. "Very well," she whispered. "I shall accept your assistance Zero." Cornelia then turned to a random soldier to her left and ordered, "Inform the J.L.F. of Zero. We shall allow him by."
"Yes, Viceroy!" the soldier acknowledged with a crisp salute. He then ran off and left Zero and Cornelia alone in their discussion.
"I figured that you'd show up here sooner or later," Cornelia broke the silence.
Lelouch elected to simply remain silent whilst his sister spoke in order to prevent himself from dropping any more hints to her. He was fairly certain that Euphemia had already pieced it together and wouldn't tell Cornelia without his permission. Lelouch couldn't afford to let Cornelia find him just yet. It was still far too soon.
"You're a dangerous man," the Viceroy continued conversationally. "You killed my half-brother, and that alone makes you the most wanted man in Britannia and all of her colonies. That status will also gain you many allies in the world, both from within and outside of Britannia. However," she turned serious and stared deeply into Zero's mask. "If you allow my sisters to come to any harm then no force in the world will be able to spare you from my wrath."
The fact that she used the plural was not lost on Lelouch. Cornelia was subtly hinting about him and Nunnally as well. This could pose a problem if I don't handle it sooner, he plotted. I need to start growing the doubt immediately. If she finds us too soon, everything will go wrong.
"Word has been sent Viceroy!" a voice informed everyone present.
"Very well," she accepted. Cornelia then moved her Gloucester in order to create a path for the van to cross the bridge. "You may pass Zero," she said in finality.
The heel of his boot tapped twice once more and the van slowly drove forward.
As he passed the princess, he said simply, "Lelouch sends his regards to his sisters."
Cornelia's sharp gasp was heard as the news van housing the Black Knights began to cross the bridge.
Lelouch stared from behind his mask at the iron gate that was the last obstacle between him and rescuing all those whom he cared about within the hotel, almost willing it to let him pass. The gate slid open and a smile graced his face.
Excellent, he thought once more. All the operation's preliminary conditions have been met again. Now to deal with Kusakabe.
"What do you think is happening?" Cecile asked Suzaku as the Viceroy allowed Zero to pass.
"I don't know," the Japanese Knightmare pilot answered truthfully. But I do have an idea. Is it really possible that –
"Wonderful!" Lloyd's excited voice came from below them. "I want to thank you for that lovely order." The Lancelot's designer then turned toward the pilot and blue-haired scientist and said with an ecstatic cackle, "You've got the green light Lancelot! You've got orders to charge right at that linear cannon in the tunnel."
"Wait a minute," Cecile said, frustration evident. "You mean they're going to use him as a distraction to make an opening for them?"
"Yep!" Lloyd jittered on. "Seems like they're going to use the confusion to send in the Royal Guard."
"Seems like!" Cecile's voice began to rise.
Suzaku interrupted her before the protective woman could go on another tirade about Lloyd's utter lack of compassion again. "Miss Cecile!" She quieted down and brought her light-blue eyes to meet his green gaze. "I'm ready," he stated firmly. "If Lancelot and I are needed, and we're able to give the hostages an opportunity to be saved, then I'll do it. Even if it means being a decoy."
Cecile looked as if she wanted to protest further, but she didn't speak out. "Fine," she sighed in defeat. "I'll finish the preparations." The blue-haired woman then climbed down and logged in on her computer.
Lloyd, Cecile, and the rest of the A.S.E.E.C. (minus George) spent the next fifteen minutes beginning the start-up sequence for the Lancelot. During this time, Suzaku handled his responsibilities as Lancelot's pilot and made sure that he was completely familiar with every function, whether major or minor, of the White Knightmare.
Suzaku removed the data charger from the Lancelot's key port and placed the starting key into his Knightmare. He then typed in his passcode and the beginning screen appeared. There on the screen, beneath the Knightmare's name, was the Lancelot's creed: "Marching Ever Onwards To Tomorrow."
Lancelot buzzed and whirred to life underneath him, and Suzaku's radio then began his briefing.
"Warrant Officer Kururugi," he was told by Cecile, "here is a guideline for your mission." A layout of the Kawaguchi hotel appeared on his main screen and reacted accordingly to his briefing. "According to Prime Search, the hostages are believed to be on the hotel's middle floor, and are locked in a food storage room. Advanced prototype weapon Z-01 Lancelot will use the utilities tunnel to move under the hotel. Once on sight you will destroy the foundation block and submerge the building. The area with the hostages should hold out for eight minutes. Hostage rescue and mop-up of the terrorists will be handled by other units. You will be using the V.A.R.I.S. to destroy the foundation. Set the Impact Rail to Anti-Material Level Three."
"The only variable in this," Lloyd said over the radio as Lancelot was guided over the hole into the utilities tunnel, "is that pesky linear cannon in the tunnel. Space is tight in there. The Lancelot will only have a forty-seven point eight percent evasion rate."
"Are we really going through with this?" Cecile asked through the radio.
"Yep," Lloyd calmly confirmed. "Make sure you both pull out of there before it's too late. Lancelot might be wrecked, that'd be unacceptable."
"Before it's too late?" Suzaku echoed.
Lloyd let out an amused sound that told him what the genius had meant.
"Understood sir," Suzaku relayed as the Lancelot began to be lowered into the tunnel.
The Knightmare's feet touched the tunnel's floor and the harkens retreated into their launchers. Suzaku then poised himself like a track sprinter and intently stared down the tunnel's length.
"Twelve minutes to operation start," Cecile informed him. "Commencing countdown."
A timer appeared on Suzaku's screen and began to tick down until the time he could try to save his friends.
Euphemia stared amongst all the hostages taken by the terrorists. She saw a terrified young girl being comforted by two blonde and orange-haired young women, they must've been the scared girl's friends. Next to Euphy were her personal guard detail who'd been assigned to protect her by Cornelia, each one successfully blending in with the rest of the hostages.
About twenty minutes ago, the terrorists had chosen a random hostage and escorted him out of the room, alone. Euphy despised it, but she knew what had occurred. The J.L.F. had executed him as a warning to her sister that they meant business and were tired of not getting what they wanted.
I need to get his name if I make it out of here, Euphemia thought about the murdered man. His family deserves to know that he died protecting royalty.
She then felt the firm grip of her bodyguard's hand on her wrist. The guard then tapped in Morse Code, "Are you feeling steady? STOP."
Euphemia li Britannia then sent back. "I am fine. I was just thinking of telling that man's family that he died protecting me. STOP."
"That is very considerate of you Sub-Viceroy. STOP."
"It's the least I can do. STOP."
Her guard then removed her hand from Euphemia's wrist and the princess looked up to check if any of the terrorists in the room had noticed their silent conversation. The pink-haired woman nearly let out a sigh of relief that none of the hostage-guards had noticed anything.
The Third Princess began to ponder on her situation and took in details of her captors, just as she'd been instructed to. There are four guards in here, she counted in her head. They all have automatic rifles. Better suited for keeping a group of people in line. Those are German SCHNEISAL thirty-two twenties, she noted to herself. Euphemia's very diverse education had given her an ability to pick out the make, model, and basic specs of most firearms. They have a twenty-round magazine with a firing rate of one-hundred twenty-five bullets-per-minute.
Euphemia never took her eyes from the J.L.F. guarding the hostages as she began to recall what she'd been taught about hostage situations by her sister's first Knight, Andreas Darlton.
First, she remembered, if your captors don't know that you're royalty, only inform them as a last resort. Do not make them aware of just how much leverage they really possess. Have faith in the military to rescue you.
Euphy had the utmost faith in her sister, but she realized that they were running out of time. It wouldn't be very long before the terrorists came back for another sacrifice.
If your captors either know, find out, or you inform them of your status of royalty, maintain your vigil. Do not allow them to get to you. You must never show fear to your captors. Fear will make them think that you are weak. Royalty is never weak.
If you are forced to reveal yourself to the terrorists, you will be placed in a precarious position of power. They will be forced to take time to confirm your identity and royal status. Time that could be used to get you out of there. You will then immediately become the hostage representative to the leader of whatever group that has taken you hostage. Once there, you must maintain your dignity without angering your captors too much. If pushed too far, they may execute you as a message, even if it would result in the full military might of Britannia coming down on their heads. You can't help anyone if you're dead and bleeding on the floor.
Once you are taken to the group's leader, you will more than likely be instructed to contact the head of the military that the group is at a standoff with. Do not attempt to do anything with this opportunity. That is what the terrorists will look for the first time. You are to only do as you are told by your captors. This will make them think you aren't necessarily an immediate threat.
Euphemia's lesson recalling was interrupted by a frightened whimper. She then looked in the direction of where the sound came from and saw that same trio of girls from earlier. The orange-haired girl had the smallest of their group wrapped in a tight embrace, as if she were shielding her friend from what was happening around them. The blonde of the three seemed familiar to Euphy, but she couldn't quite remember from where.
Is that, she wondered, Milly Ashford? Immediately bells were going off in the princess' mind. Euphy couldn't help but grow a faint smile and hid it behind her hand. Now I'm certain that Zero will show up soon enough.
A new man opened the door into the hostages' makeshift prison. He was plain with hardened eyes and an overall military air about him. The new J.L.F. member walked in and whispered something to one of the other J.L.F. soldiers in the room.
Euphemia strained her ears in order to listen in on whatever news the new soldier was bringing, but all she heard was, "…Kusakabe is meeting with him in a few moments."
The Third Princess' mind was immediately swimming with all the possibilities of what this could actually be. There aren't many people who this Kusakabe was said to take an interest to. The file on the Lieutenant Colonel stated him to be quick to anger and very patriotic, but not diplomatic in any way. I highly doubt that he'd meet with either of sister's Knights, Euphemia mused on Kusakabe. The only person I can think of in Area Eleven right now that he'd willingly meet with would be… Euphy's magenta eyes widened as she realized just who the new arrival to the party was. Zero!
The Sub-Viceroy had to fight to maintain her composure and not draw attention right that very minute. She couldn't afford to reveal herself yet, regardless of how much she wanted to. Euphemia couldn't bring herself to believe that these soldiers would believe her unless one of the hostages was under duress and she offered herself up instead.
It was just that moment that the scared young girl who was near Milly looked up and rasped out, "An… Eleven."
The J.L.F. member's eyes flashed with rage as he growled out, "What was that?" He then twirled around and aimed his weapon at the terrified girl. "We're not called Elevens! We're Japanese dammit!" the soldier roared.
Milly quickly grabbed the frightened girl and wrapper her arms around the small one's head. The blonde pulled her friend closer to her and spoke back with a hint of annoyance at the man, "Yes, we're aware of that. Just lay off of her."
"Then correct her!" the man demanded.
"Fine!" the orange-haired girl spoke up with a courage that she'd been hiding. "We'll correct her!"
"How dare you speak to me like that!" the man growled. "You three! Come with me to the next room and I'll teach you a real lesson." Euphemia recognized that man's tone quite easily and realized his intentions with the three young women.
She moved to stand and reveal herself right then, but her bodyguard grabbed her wrist and shook her head.
Once the man forcibly pulled the shrieking young girl to her feet, Euphemia li Britannia had seen enough. She had other places to be now anyways. Euphemia broke her bodyguards grip and stood up, glaring daggers at the offensive creature who was close to forcing himself on one of her childhood friends and two of Milly's friends.
Euphemia then demanded, "Stop it!"
"Who the hell are you?" the man growled out in response as he threw the frightened young lady to the floor.
"I demand you take me to your leader right now. Understand?" she spoke in a commanding voice. Lelouch had told her it was her 'Princess' voice.
"What?" the J.L.F. man shouted at her.
Euphemia didn't even bother looking at her pleading guard. She would ensure that Cornelia knew that this decision was made by the Sub-Viceroy of Area Eleven and Third Princess alone and that her elder sister wouldn't crack down on her detail for her own actions.
"You're addressing Euphemia li Britannia," the princess revealed to them all as she removed her false glasses. "The Third Princess of the Britannian Empire."
A collective gasp rang out from everyone in the room, whether they were hostage or soldier. Euphemia's eyes briefly flickered over to Milly and the blonde had a look of both admiration and gratitude in her ocean-blue eyes.
Euphemia then softened her voice and asked the terrified girl sprawled out on the ground, "Are you alright young lady? You haven't been hurt?"
The girl retreated into Milly's arms, then turned towards her and squeaked out, "No."
"Very well." Euphemia then faced the J.L.F. soldiers and spoke in her royal voice once more, "Take me to Lieutenant Colonel Kusakabe immediately. I have things to discuss with that man."
Two of the four soldiers were able to shake off their shock first. "Very well," one of them said. He then pointed at the beast and ordered, "Radio the Colonel and tell him about her." He then pointed to the other two in the room and said, "You and you will come with me to escort this Princess to the next floor. I'll radio in some replacements right quick."
The man then spoke into his radio and requested three men to take over guarding the hostages. The replacements arrived after a few tense minutes of impatiently waiting by Euphy, who was ready to finally speak to Zero.
As the princess and her three escorts left the storage closet, Euphemia appeared the image of peace and serenity. However, on the inside, she was anxious, nervous, and beyond happy at finally being able to confront Zero.
I wonder how tall he's gotten?
A/N: (Beat to Eminem's Without Me playing in the background)
Guess who's back.
Back again.
dripley's back.
Tell a friend.
Guess who's back. Guess who's back. Guess who's back. Guess who's back. Guess who's back.
I've created another chapter here for all of you, I hope you all can appreciate it like you all have done for the rest. I originally didn't intend on returning to Once More, with Feeling until around the end of June, but a fan (who know who you are *Cough, Cough* Sakura Neko-Chan) messaged me last week and reminded me of my fans out there eagerly awaiting my next update. So... here it is. That fan's message helped me to remember my drive on this story and I've cranked out two chapters in about five days worth of writing (or around twenty-five hours).
However, just because I have Kawaguchi finished, doesn't mean I'm going to just post it right at the same time. I want this chapter to seep into your minds and build up the suspense for the grand finale. I know, I'm just evil like that. *Warning: Evil, insane laugh coming* MUHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAH! YOU ALL ARE SUBJECT TO THE WRITER'S WHIMS! AND THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO!
Ahem, sorry about that. I haven't gotten my usual evil rant in for over a month, and it's been building up for a long time. Thank you for all of you guys' and gals' patience on my story. A lot has happened to me over the last month-and-a-half. I had to move back home, and that's all that you all really need to know. Unfortunately, this means no more orgasmic cookies to motivate me further by my beta. BUT, that doesn't mean I won't keep on writing. Writing helps me in more ways than anyone could hope to understand, and this last week I've felt happier than I have ever since all this shit started happening in my life. I'm not complaining, mind you, I did this to myself, and I'm going to face the music that I've conducted. It's just not as easy to do it as I thought as it would.
Now then, reasoning on my chapter time. I haven't written much Suzaku in awhile, and I felt that the deuterogonist from the series had earned a little more screen time. He's an important, complex character in my story, so anyone wanting Suzaku to be bashed should leave now. I actually liked Suzaku, he was the perfect contrast Lelouch, like L was to Light (Don't even get me started on a Death Note rant). Also, in my story, Lelouch knows that this Suzaku hasn't betrayed him, so there's no reason to hate someone who hasn't done you any wrongs. Now he may not be my deuterogonist, but the White Knight is important. My deuterogonist has been made plainly clear to you all. I mean, she has the second-most POVs, short only to Lelouch. (It's Kallen, in case you guys didn't know.)
Now for the rest of it all. No, Cornelia doesn't want Zero dead anymore, if that's not clear enough. Lelouch and I have very devious plans regarding her, but those won't show up for a very long time. Probably not until Part 5. Oh, I also have named Part 4, in case you all wanted to know. Its name is "Guren and Geass" for what all will be happening in it. I don't think that it'll be as long as Knights and Princesses has become, but hell, I thought Part 3 was going to be, at most, five chapters. Yet here we are, reaching the sixth installment with two more to go after it.
I'll be honest with you all. I never expected my story to ever become as large as it has, and there's still no end in sight to it. Hell, Chapter 9 (MY chapter 9, mind you) has gotten nearly FIFTY FRICKING REVIEWS! Granted, it's been a long time since I've updated again, so that would be where most people would probably leave a review after reading it the first time. I've almost reached six-hundred favs and follows. I guess that I should tell you what my goal is for my story, but I'm willing to wait for a few years before I reach it.
I want Once More, with Feeling to become the MOST favorited and followed story on the Code Geass page here on Fanfiction. Now, I just thought it to simply be a pipe dream, because, let's be honest. There are the Big 3 as I call them, each one with over two-THOUSAND favorites and follows, and here I was. Never even tried to publish any of my writings before and rather timid with absolutely no "Old Shame" to look at and see where my writing needed improvement. I like to think that I've grown as I've been writing this story for you all. Now, don't take this as me being cocky and not respecting Allora Gale, kyugan, or Cal reflector. I've read each of those stories and I respect their plots and writing styles. It's not really possible to have such a successful story if it's crappy. However, now that I've told you guys this, what do you think? Do you think that it's possible for my story to become the Code Geass story? I've always been told, "If you're going to dream, dream big."
Thanks for listening to my ranting, it feels good to let all this out every now and then. I've been stewing on this for the longest time. There will be another update here soon, but it depends on when I get enough done to finish Part 3. It'll either be this upcoming weekend or the following one. I have to finish writing up the rest of Part 3 and then get going on my Naruto fic, and this Inheritance Cycle fic that's been bouncing around in my cranium for weeks now. These damned plot bunnies are so annoying, but my beta has heard my ideas and told me to give 'em a go. I wish that I could come up with some crappy ideas every once in a while so that I can just focus on one thing at a time, but alas, I am not so lucky.
Thanks again you all. I really appreciate you guys staying with me so far, and hope to keep you all on as my story begins to begin its true divergent plot. Because it's not until Part 4 where the changes made really begin to make an impact. You'll understand in the next chapter what my reasoning is behind waiting for the changes to take affect.
Later all, I'll see you next time in the Kawaguchi Finale.