A/N: well this is another Christmas special update I am throwing up along with whatever fics I got ready for an update and this one happens to be one of them. More developments in this chapter and we'll have our first battle in quite a bit.

Chapter 11

Acceleration

Two days later Cornelia vi Britannia had arrived in Area 11 following her quick and brutal establishment of Area 18 which up until recently was the Middle Eastern Federation. Now the second princess of the Holy Britannian Empire had arrived in Area 11 to take the position of Viceroy to clean up the former nation of Japan intending to put down all forms of resistance against the ruling government. The welcoming ceremony was happening on the private airfield connected to the Viceroy Palace where Euphemia and former Viceroy Clovis were present to greet her along with a large gathering of soldiers in formation to offer a proper welcome to the princess.

As Cornelia disembarked the transport plane followed by her royal guard including her personnel knight, a man around her age with long slick black hair tied into a ponytail wearing glasses approached Clovis and Euphemia. Gilbert G.P. Guilford followed closely behind his princess while behind him was an older and much larger man with a scar across his face possessing brown hair and a tanned skin tone. Andreas Darlton completed the line up where among the other members of Cornelia's royal guards you could find no better team of Knightmare Frame pilots in the world.

Clovis couldn't help but feel ashamed as Cornelia approached franked by her royal guards, but upon stopping before the now former viceroy with Euphy standing off to his left on the side the proclaimed Goddess of Victory looked at her half-brother with a look of sympathy.

"You don't have to worry about Area 11 anymore brother I'll take care of things here, but you can be sure I'll repay the terrorists for the humiliation you endured."

Cornelia was genuinely being sympathetic, although she made no mention of the inhuman experiments her brother had been conducting on a woman for reasons unknown to her but decided against inquiring further of it. She knew her brother was going to be in serious trouble upon his return to the homeland and had no wish to place upon him any more burdens of shame and guilt.

He'll be lucky to avoid being disinherited.

The Second Princess thought, but on her way to Area 11 Cornelia did speak with her older half-brother Schneizel and the second prince assured her that he would do what he could for Clovis. Of course given the gravity of the situation and Clovis's recent failings as Viceroy it would be an uphill battle.

Around the same time at Ashford Academy a somewhat surprising event was taking place as Lelouch and Quattro both arrived in time for their homeroom class to begin another day at the academy. However things were going to be different as class started for the teacher to gesture in a new male student who Lelouch instantly recognized, but it took some effort to hide the look of surpise on his face.

"Please introduce yourself to the class," the teacher asked.

"I'll beginning at Ashford Academy starting today, I am Suzaku Kururugi it's a pleasure to meet all of you."

Kururugi isn't that your old friend before Japan became Area 11?

Quattro inquired to Lelouch beginning a telepathic conversation.

Yes, but how was he admitted into this school? I know in the past we had some Honorary Britannians from wealthy Japanese Families attend in the past but even if they got in they usually didn't stay long due to the harsh discrimination.

Well the Self-Defense Club is now gone so things might be better, but still…someone else might have pushed for him to attend.

That is most likely, but who would do that?

Lelouch was unaware that Princess Euphemia was Suzaku's unexpected benefactor who upon returning to Lloyd and Cecile had gotten word that Euphemia had enrolled his name at Ashford Academy believing that someone his age should be attending school. Lloyd had no issue with it as long as he could serve as a pilot for his new Lancelot once it was finished and Cecile thought it was a good idea as well agreeing with Euphemia's reasoning.

By the way don't forget that later this afternoon we got that meeting with Kyoto.

I know, Lelouch thought as he made eye contact with Suzaku who for a moment seemed very surprised to see that Lelouch was in his class yet he was quick to cover it up. The former prince knew it would no doubt be best that he has a word with Suzaku as soon as possible, but best if the two did so privately.

Meanwhile in another corner of the world, specifically in Northwest Highlands of Scotland of the British Isles, near the base of the Carn Eige Mountain was a military base and research facility. Judging from its outer appearance had recently been abandoned however inside its walls told a different story. Exploring the lower underground levels of the facility were Signum and Vita who were among the mages not only sent to investigate the site, but they were keeping an eye on Chrono who lead the group.

Upon investigating and questioning the Bureau Observer who was in charge of monitoring the European Regions of the world as well as checking over his files Chrono had found documents of abnormal activity in the Scottish Highlands during the course of Britannia's invasion campaign to retake the British Isles. Despite failures at such an ambitious campaign in the past the development of Britannia's Knightmare Frames along with newer amphibious models such as the RMI-13 Portman allowed for a more successful invasion of their northern waters attacking from Greenland before finally establishing landfall and a powerful foothold on the British Isles.

Publically it was contributed to the genius and clever use of tactics using the new amphibious knightmare frames and deploying marines to mainland ahead of the invasion fleet, but from Chrono's review of the observers' files and investigating the base he was in now it was obvious that someone else was assisting the Britannian Empire in invading the Scottish Highlands. Furthermore what drew their attention to this base was the fact that someone had been broadcasting an SOS, but it wasn't anything normally associated with Earth as this SOS was the kind found on Time-Space Administration Bureau facilities.

"A base out in the middle of the mountains," Vita commented as she and the others went deeper inside. "Just what were they doing out here?"

"I don't think this base was simply just a staging point for the Britannian Army's campaign," Signum pointed out as the group reached a pair of heavy doors leading into a restricted area of the base.

Chrono didn't take an active part in the conversation between the two Wolkenritter as he was waiting for one of his men to undo the electronic locks upon the door in front of him.

Moments later the doors opened, but no one was prepared for what awaited them on the other side as they saw what appeared to be a laboratory as the hallway ahead of them had glass walls revealing a row of people inside tanks filled with what was likely a kind of preservation liquid. Not only that, but on the ground were obvious signs of a battle as the bodies of Britannian soldiers and young children ranging from the ages of ten to fifteen laid on the ground dressed in simple white clothing.

"What…is this," Chrono said stunned by the scene before him as were the mages in his company. Signum and Vita were equally just as shocked by the scene before them with the pink-haired warrior being the first to regain her composure.

"I don't know what they were doing, but we missed a coup d'état that must have taken place." Signum pointed out making her observation based on the position of the bodies in the hall before her.

"I see, so it's likely this base was supposed to have been abandoned as a result of the coup. I imagine they probably were meant to self-destruct this place, but something must have gone wrong." Chrono added remembering how the rest of the base was abandoned until they reached this part of the base.

"Hold on if they were supposed to blow this place up then why are we still here?"

"The advance recon group made certain there was no danger of any kind of explosions and disabled the self-destruct protocols they found in the power generator room. The system was armed, but it failed to fire so I don't know if anyone was even able to trigger it or someone stopped it." Chrono said trying to assure Vita that they were in no danger of the whole base blowing up.

"Just the same we should probably search this place and take anything that might be useful before the people who operated this base realize that this place is still standing." Signum advised.

"I agree," Chrono replied before turning to the fifteen mages in his company. "Some of you stay here and guard the doors while the rest of you with me."

Back at Ashford Academy the former prince was currently on the roof of one of the school buildings waiting for someone to come after signaling him using an old hand-sign language that Lelouch had created during his early days in Japan.

"Seven years since we used this," Lelouch said doing a repeat of the signal he used earlier. "It's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Meeting on the roof just like the old days," Suzaku said as he joined Lelouch by the edge of the rooftop behind the stone wall surrounding the perimeter of the rooftop.

"Yeah…"

"I am glad you are ok…I was worried," Suzaku said still concerned for what happened.

"I am alive and kicking thanks to you, but I have to admit I thought you had been killed."

"So did I, but when I was recovered they found that a pocket watch I was keeping on hand which deflected the bullet."

"Talk about lucky I guess it wasn't your time yet," Lelouch commented prompting a brief laugh from Suzaku.

"One of the men who were with me when I woke up said something similar."

"I see, but luck or not I am glad you are alright. You almost died trying to protect me."

"Don't worry about it I was just returning the favor from seven years ago." Suzaku replied as Lelouch seemed distant before a moment instantly reminding the brown-haired young man. "Wait about that girl who was inside the capsule."

"I don't know we got separated during the fray, but you would know more about her than me?"

"No the only ones who really knew anything was the inner circle of the royal guard."

"I see," Lelouch replied.

"So what about you, do I still call you Lelouch?"

"The records count my old identity among the dead so I go by the name of Lelouch Lamperouge now."

"Oh…"

"But what about you…how did you enroll here?"

"I am surprised as you are, but let's just say someone believed that a seventeen year old boy should be attending school."

"Who was it?"

"Would you believe me if I said I ran into your half-sister Euphemia."

"No way," Lelouch said as he was genuinely surprised by that revelation. "Euphemia, but how did you run into her?"

"That is a long story, but it was unexpected."

Back in Scotland on a mountain overlooking the base the TSAB were exploring Suzuka was standing on the edge of the cliff gripping a pair of binoculars upon realizing the Time-Space Administration Bureau had not only found the facility, but the self-destruct sequence had failed to go off. Behind her was another man who was clearly much older in his forties with long red hair tied into a ponytail with a small beard forming on his chin with yellow eyes. On his back he was carrying a large Zweihänder-style sword, but blade was an armed device with a blazing red gem in the middle of the hilt and a bolt-action cartridge loading system built into the blade. Oddly through the blade had a chain-blade wrapped around the edge of the large sword with a pair of blood red horns forming the hand guard and a spike at the bottom of the hilt. The handle was black with two prongs sticking out from under the hand guard protecting the exhaust for the weapon.

The Armed Device was called Naegling.

"The boss won't be happy about this?" The red haired man pointed out.

"Your superior may be concerned by this, but I doubt the Mandarin is."

"I would be careful little girl, because the Mandarin must remember who is backing his operations with state of the art weaponry and technology. If my superior's identity is found out then your own boss will be in trouble as well."

"I know," Suzuka replied coldly putting away the binoculars. "I'll take care of this."

"Nope…my superior asked that I handle this matter. You can double check with your boss and you'll find he gave me the green light already. At the very least I got to make sure the doctor who we have detected is still alive is killed before he can squeal."

"Very well, but I suppose you'll be taking a squad of Yoshimitsu Troopers with you?"

"Absolutely," The red haired man replied with a savage grin on his face.

Deep within the base Chrono, Signum and Vita were exploring with a couple mages as support. After some in-depth exploration where they found a fully prepared laboratory where judging by the equipment they found suggested gene therapy and manipulation experiments had been carried out along with cybernetic augmentation on human test subjects. There were rooms for combat training and lastly a room where the failures and rejects were stored for further study. At last Chrono, Vita and Signum reached an office with a computer terminal still active. Chrono took a seat and began trying to access the files within the system to learn more about this place.

"Who would have thought something like this was going on?" Signum replied finding the body of another test subject. All in all the signs were perfectly clear that the test subjects had attempted a coup d'état, but the facility was sealed and then a poisonous gas was likely released to put it down. Even so her blue eyes showed a burning anger at the inhuman experiments that had taken place her.

"It's one thing if Britannia was behind this, but all of this technology around us is way above what this planet has." Vita added as Chrono found some entries.

"December 28th 2016 A.T.B. Subject 227 Dismissed as a failure and a new subject has been acquired for artificially creating a mage from a non-mage subject." Chrono said reading some of the entries out aloud.

"Creating a mage from a non-mage subject…what do they mean by that?"

"Aside from experimenting on cyborgs and cybernetic conversation on human subjects this facility has been researching methods for providing those without magical talent the ability to use magic through other scientific means such as cybernetic implants or genetic manipulation…maybe even both."

"And the Observer of this region knew this was going on?" Vita said as the red-head was clearly enraged over the idea.

"I don't think he knew the full extent of what they did here, but he was no doubt bought off by someone in order for them to conduct their experiments otherwise they couldn't have built this facility without someone noticing it."

"Yet how could they get virtually all of the observers involved in this…cover up," Signum asked.

"I doubt Ginga's superior could have been alone in this, but I think someone high up within the Buearu possibly were involved. However unless we can get Commander Hawkins to talk all we have is purely circumstantial evidence which could be easily overturned in court if he has the right lawyers behind him. His lack of properly reporting what has been happening on Earth could help, but we'll need solid evidence of corruption…even then the worse that could happen is that he'll be demoted."

"Then we just have to hope there is something in these reports then," Vita said after Chrono finished speaking, but at that moment an alert came from the mages at the entrance of the facility.

"What's wrong?" Chrono asked instantly seeing the worried face of his subordinate.

"Sir we got incoming they are coming at us…they are the same enemy troops from…arrrgghh," The mage called out before he was killed thus causing the communication line to go dead.

"Damn it I guess the Mandarin must have dispatched a force to demolish this facility or recapture it," Vita said readying her weapon.

"Likely the latter," Signum noted as she was ready for combat.

"I'll establish a connection with my ship and transmit the files? Even if we fight them off staying here will be too dangerous as they could attempt to reactivate the self-destruct or find another way to destroy this facility. If we can at least hold them off long enough for that hopefully the information these files have could help us in our investigation."

"We'll hold them for as long as you need," Signum said before exchanging looks with Vita before turning to the mages in their company. "The rest of you stay here and protect this room."

Heading out into the hall to intercept the incoming enemy force Signum and Vita were ready for the enemy.

"Vita I trust you read my report…if these troopers are the same ones I fought on Mid-Childa."

"Then these guys will likely explode when we beat them. I'll keep a distance from any of the ones I take down."

It wasn't long before three Yoshimitsu Troopers approached them armed with black rifles. The trio began shooting at Signum and Vita who blocked their initial shots with Panzerschild shield spells before Vita countered attacked with Schwalbefliegen Claymore. Although the enemy troopers dodged the four large projectiles the resulting explosions of them impacting the walls and floor left them open to Signum's attack as her armed device burned with flames as she went after one cleaving its rifle in two.

The troopers barely managed to draw their blades, but Signum had already swiftly dispatched of the one whose rifle she had cut in half. Vita was quick to join in with her hammer ready and going after one while Signum engaged the other one. The pink-haired swordswoman engaged the Yoshimitsu Trooper in fierce exchange of sword swings. The hallways were too confining to risk using some of her other techniques, but after discharging a cartridge to set her sword aflame using Purple Lightning Flash. She pressed her advantage against the trooper who had barely enough time to draw his sword not giving him not to grip is weapon properly.

"Raketenform," Graf Eisen called out as Vita tried to break through her foe's defense using the rocket-powered form of her armed device to overwhelm the enemy trooper.

Neither of the Wolkenritter was willing to allow the Yoshimitsu Troopers to use that special kamikaze ability of theirs and intended to take them down before they have a chance. Fortunately Signum and Vita were successful in defeating their foes and knocking them out, but as a precaution they kept their unconscious foes a safe distance from both one another and the two Wolkenritter as well.

"I thought there would have been more of them coming at us," Vita commented noting how easy the fight seemed.

"I know, but these ones aren't as skilled as the ones I fought on Mid-Childa." Signum added as well noticing the fighting skills of the ones she and Vita just fought didn't seem as formidable as the ones she fought before.

"Group two we haven't found the target yet," a statically sound from one of the downed troopers said drawing the attention of the two knights.

"Group three here we might have a location on the target. He might be concealed within one of the cryogenic storage cells. He likely sealed himself inside of one before the neurotoxin was released."

"Alright…find him and kill him, but make sure you dispose of all traces of the body." The red-haired man said.

"Roger that," The statically communication said before the line went dead. Part of the helmet the Yoshimitsu Trooper was wearing was broken open from one of Vita's hammer strikes allowing the two the unexpected opportunity to overhear a communication between their foes.

"There is a survivor, so that's why they haven't been coming at us at full force."

"Most likely, which means this survivor must be a person of interest to them." Signum said gripping her blade. "I am going to go and rescue him."

"Ok I'll stay here and protect Chrono and the others." Vita said taking up a defensive position near the entrance into the main office where Chrono was at overseeing the file transfer to their ship.

If they change tactics they might head straight for Chrono if they discover the file transfer is in progress, Signum thought knowing there was a risk. It might have been better if both she and Vita went to retrieve the survivor and even take some mages with them, but then that could leave Chrono vulnerable to attack especially if they try to overwhelm him with numbers. Of course they couldn't tell how many made up the enemy's force within the facility.

If they were serious they might have brought more experienced men for this, so…no doubt this team was hastily put together to erase the existence of this place and any survivors before it was discovered.

If that was the case as Signum also realized that would mean the enemy would likely grow more desperate as time goes on. They would need to get the survivor and leave this place as soon as possible before that desperation leads to the entire facility being destroyed.

Not long after Signum departed Vita's task at defending the hall was put to the test as a group of six machines came towards her. They were floating through the air similar to the gadget drones they had faced previously, but it was already clear that the ones Vita saw were different. They were large black polished spheres with a movable eye that emerged from the top of the sphere built into its armored body. The sides of the sphere opened up revealing a high-velocity machine gun.

With her hammer in hand Vita was ready to defend the hallway to not let one enemy pass her.

"BRING IT ON!"

Hurrying through the hallways Signum managed to find her way to the cryogenic storage chamber where the remains of test subjects and other supplies requiring cryogenic storage was kept. The room was much larger than some of the other chambers they had seen with a high ceiling where mechanical arms used for moving heavy items could be seen and openings on walls twenty feet off the ground could be seen used to move objects to and from the room. There she found at least ten Yoshimitsu Troopers searching through the room looking for the survivor. Signum steeled herself for a serious fight as she readied Laevatein ejecting another cartridge from the Armed Device.

"Laevatein," Signum began as her device began glowing.

"Schlangeform!"

"Go," The General of the Raging Fire said as the extended snake-like whip blade she wielded was engulfed in flames as she launched a sudden surpise attack on the Yoshimitsu Troopers.

"Luminous Dragon," Laevatein called out as she struck six of the ten enemy troopers with her surpise attack incapacitating them leaving them unable to fight, but she still had four more to deal with. Retracting the blades Laevatein switched back into its Schwertform to meet the incoming blades of the enemy troopers as two sought to engage her in close range while the other two aimed their rifles intending to provide fire support for their comrades.

Signum parried the sword strikes before dodging a hail of high-velocity bullets before launching a counter attack as she side-stepped her foe trying to cleave her in two with their katana before the pink-haired woman followed up her counterattack with a upwards vertical slice cutting the upper left arm of her foe before quickly delivering an incapacitating cut upon the right and left leg. She finished her attack with a swift roundhouse kick to the head of her foe dealing with one enemy with three left. Using a shield to deflect the bullets Signum moved closer to her next foe intent on finishing him quickly.

Vita on the other hand was being hard pressed in fighting against the smaller black drones as they unleashed a hail of machine gun fire attempting to turn the hammer-wielding red head into Swiss cheese, but the Hammer Knight managed to dodge each bullet fired at her. Thanks in part to her small size which gave her an unexpected advantage as well as the speed she was moving at. On the ground behind her laid the broken wreckage of two drones with only four remaining, but the way the machines moved and kept firing a seemingly endless stream of bullets made it difficult to get close without being hit.

Although the signs of just how close the bullets were hitting her were clear on her knight clothing as there were signs of near misses on her shoulder and dress.

Wielding her weapon in its Gigantform she bashed another drone causing its internal works to explode, three down and three to go, but her situation started to turn around as more black drones were seen approaching from the hallway. But before the battle could progress further a voice behind her spoke words she had not heard in a long time.

"Eternal Coffin," An electronic male voice said before a single chilling blast shot pass Vita while four white bit-like devices flew ahead of her. The freezing beam hit the approaching drones head on as well as the ones Vita had just been fighting encasing them in solid ice. The beam was reflected off of the bits that had moved into position until all of the black drones had been completely frozen.

Vita turned around and saw Chrono standing there holding a white and blue staff, his storage device Durandal.

"That was unexpected timing," Vita said dusting a bit of ice from her hair.

"After I finished I heard gunfire and knew you and Signum likely encountered heavy opposition, but where is Signum?"

Speaking of whom Signum had finished clearing out the reminder of the Yoshimitsu Troopers, so after taking care to move their still forms to a safe distance away she began searching the room for the survivor. Checking a few of the most sealed cryo containers, but upon checking the last one a man who seemed to be partly frozen came stumbling out shivering terribly before Signum seized the man. He had black hair, a light blue collared shirt with a red tie and a white lab coat complete with black pants. The man was panicking, but Signum seized him by the shoulders and shook him.

"Calm down and tell me who you are?"

"I…I…I am Erik Breighner, a DNA Analysis Specialist a Major of Division 666 of the Time Space Administration Bureau," Erik replied not realizing who he was talking to.

"Division 666; I never heard of that division, explain yourself," Signum demanded raising her sword to the man's neck as he finally regain full awareness of his surroundings.

"Oh shit," Erik muttered recognizing Signum. "You're Signum one of those knights following the Yagami girl."

"You know about that, but I want to know about your involvement in this place."

"I was only assigned her to help with the experiments of using cybernetics and biochemical procedures to convert humans who possessed no magical talent into combat mages while others were turned into cyborg soldiers." Erik answered, but became more fearful when he saw Signum glare daggers at him. "I swear I was only following orders, but when the children fought back and launched a coup I took cover inside that storage unit to escape the gas the security system would release."

"You are going to answer for what you have done," The pink-haired woman said as her voice couldn't hide her intense dislike for the experiments that had been carried out here. "What is Division 666?"

"Division 666 was a black operations division within the TSAB's main branch that answered only to the high council. Our group conducted many missions and research projects the high council didn't want the general public and the rest of the Bureau to know about."

"High Council," Signum asked having never heard of the High Council.

"If you get me out of here alive I'll tell you everything including the new base we established in Japan."

"Very well, but you will tell us everything and I'll see to it that you will," Signum said with a subtle anger in her voice.

"So we got ourselves a squealer after all," A new voice said as Erik began panicking as the blood drained from his face.

The red-haired man slowly entered the storage room wearing a black and blood red battle dress uniform complete with knee-high polished red armored boots while on his arms were matching claw-like gauntlets. He wore a military supply and tool belt around his waist complete with a pair of hunting knives in sheaths and a dull gray breastplate with shoulder armor.

"Who are you," Signum demanded assuming a defensive stance.

"The name is Second Lieutenant Gary Biaggi of Division 666."

"Gray Biaggi," Signum said before a look of realization crossed her features causing the woman to grip her weapon more tightly than before as a look mixed with disgust and dislike appeared on her face as she glared at the man. "I have heard of you…the Heretic Knight of the Saint Church who was excommunicated for murdering his fellow members and killing a dozen innocent civilians on a good will mission. Not to mention there have been several reports of you being hostile to your commanders and being far too brutal and cruel in your methods of putting down terrorist groups."

"So the famous Signum of the Wolkenritter and leader of her little knights have heard about me…I am honored," Gray said as an evil smiled was smeared across his face.

"Sister Schach has told me all about you. I know that while you were among the strongest of the church knights you were the most savage and cruel, so much that after that incident you were kicked out. But you were supposed to have been sent to life imprisonment on an orbital prison."

"Well obviously that is not what happened, but since I am going to kill all of you I'll tell you that someone with some major connections within the Bureau got me transferred to Division 666. Turns out that someone loves my particular brand of doing business and to be honest I love my new post." Gray said as his evil smile grew wider while a look of bloodlust could be seen in his eyes. With his device Naegling in hand and ready as the chain-blades began spinning.

Signum was ready for a vicious fight as Gray's unsettling wide smile broke out into laughter before declaring.

"Now let's dance!"

Launching at one another at speeds difficult for the eye to follow a loud noise shot through the air as the blades of two armed devices met in a shower of sparks. After a fierce exchange of blows the two sword wielders became locked in a dead-lock, but the chain blade of Gray's Naegling began spinning trying to cut through Signum's weapon. The pink-haired woman delivered a head butt to Gray's head allowing Signum to pull away and launch a counterattack, but the blow the former church knight received only caused the evil grin on his face to widen even more.

Gray recovered quickly and tried to slice Signum in half with a horizontal cut, but the woman dodged it before thrusting forward with her blade yet her foe parried it. The two began to take to the air as Gray headed near the ceiling of the large chamber they were battling in as Erik was taking cover behind some metal crates. After their blades met again in an exchange more fierce than the last Signum thrust her blade sword almost impaling Gray's face, but the red-haired warrior turned his head to the side to evade it. However Signum's blade managed to cut his cheek leaving a cut that drew blood, but instead of grunting or showing sign of pain the pink-haired woman saw the opposite.

"OH HELL YEAH YOU DREW BLOOD…NOW THIS IS A FIGHT!"

This man is completely insane and he is a bloodthirsty battle manic as Sister Schach said.

Using a powerful swing to pushed Signum back the woman readied herself for more, but Gray had a different idea in mind as he swung his blade down in front of him as a blood red magic circle used by Peter and a few others appeared below his feet.

"Now fly my fangs," Gray commanded as eight red spear-head shaped bits materialized around him with blue gems in the center of the three-prong blades. The blood red bits encircled the room fired crimson beams of energy at Signum forcing the woman to dodge, but at that moment Gray came straight at her with his blade raised eager to cleave the woman in two. Between fighting off her homicidally insane foe and his small bit-like devices attempting to shoot her down the fight was becoming more heated between them.

Signum dodged the first swing and several shots, but Gray delivered a roundhouse kick to her face stunning Signum for a moment. The General of the Tome of the Night Sky recovered quickly blocking with her scabbard, but pulled back to avoid being shot. Coming together the eight spearhead shaped bits rained down a rain of energy upon Signum while Gray released a blade of crimson energy from his sword. It seemed the attacks had hit their mark engulfing much of the area around Signum in a chain of explosions engulfing a good part of the chamber, but a blazing arrow of purple mana came flying straight Gray who barely managed to deflect it in time. As the smoke cleared Signum stood with her clothes slightly burnt holding Laevatein in its Bogenform.

"Fly my falcon!" Signum said before releasing another Sturmfalken arrow.

Gray blocked the arrow as his spearhead bits closed in attacking Signum again, but moving out of the way the pink haired woman got behind her foe just as he cleaved the incoming mana arrow into two. The pink-haired woman delivered a deep slash into the back of her foe causing Gray to cry out in pain, but Signum took care not to kill him but merely incapacitate him. However to her shock Gray recovered from a blow that should have ended the fight and punched her in the face knocking her back.

But before she could recover and Gray could land a horizontal cleave a certain hammer wielding red-head arrived on the scene. Vita charged right into the fray using Graf Eisen in its Raketenform to not only quickly fly to aid Signum, but also to increase the swinging speed of her hammer in the hopes of quickly overwhelming her foe.

Gray dodged and moved to the left and right to avoid being hit, although he was forced to use his sword to block Signum's strike as she took the opportunity to double team her opportunity with Vita dodging the Red Fangs trying to shoot her. Thanks to Chrono and the other mages accompanying him they began trying to shoot down the flying bit like projectile weapons.

The tide of battle was turning against Gray, but as much as he enjoyed a good brawl like this he had a job to do.

"I could use a hand in here!" Gray shouted out as twenty Yoshimitsu Troopers poured into the room with Chrono and the mages standing with him to engage them head on.

One mage went down being stabbed to death, but Chrono lead the remaining mages under his command to fend off the rest of their attackers, but noticing the enemy reinforcements coming in Signum and Vita knew they had to finish this fight and escape. Although Vita was torn between breaking off to help Chrono as she saw another mage get killed by the enemy soldiers and Chrono was in danger of being overwhelmed.

Vita you have to help him, I got this one.

Ok…

Vita instantly went to Chrono's defense unleashing a barrage of silver spheres using her Schwalbefliegen to break up their ranks before moving in to join the melee to combat enemy soldiers. Signum was left to battle Gray on her own again, but right before Vita could reach the ground she was attacked by six of the eight red spear head bits. A quick Panzerschild deflected most of the shots, but the seventh red bit was traveling alone along the ground before suddenly the tip of the bit produced a red energy spike.

"Diamond Dust," Durandal called out as Chrono unleashed a area-of-effect freezing blast of ice that froze everything in front of him catching most of the enemy troopers in the attack thanks to Vita's attack that gave him just enough time to prepare the spell and for his remaining subordinates consisting of two mages who were left to get out of the way.

A few Yoshimitsu Troopers remained, but their numbers were now much more manageable than minutes ago where Chrono lost six good men to them. But suddenly Chrono felt a sharp pain enter his back before looking down to see the tip of a red blade coming out of his chest.

"CHRONO!" Vita called out in horror as Signum saw what had happened as her own eyes widened in horror at the potentially fatal wound to the TSAB Admiral.

Gray laughed gleefully before saying.

"Ooops, my bad...I had intended to skewer him through the heart, but with how slow he was I slipped. Gotta love this new Earth-made Armed Device there is no bullshit, no white gloves, just pleasure and business at the same time."

Signum was enraged as she attacked Gray with greatly increased ferocity hell bent on taking the former Church Knight down while Vita swiftly engaged the enemy troopers allowing one of the surviving TSAB mages to catch Chrono as he fell while he was choking and convulsing terribly.

"Well, it's a tragedy and so, but you still…have a chance. With both of you, you can pull a quick dimensional Teleport spell. However, as times are, with much luck, he has two local hours. You stay, he dies. One of you tries to pull the Teleport alone, and it will take more than two hours due to the power, and again, he dies. Both of you go, and he MAY live. Tick Tock, Tick Tock, the clock its running, and the sand of his life it's slipping through your hands darling, so what's your call?" Gray taunted, but as for Erik the final red bit impaled the man through the heart.

"ARRGGGH," Erik cried out in pain as he fell forward.

"DAMN IT," Signum shouted in rage as now the survivor and their best possible lead on the Mandarin was now lost to them.

"Uh…Signum…the Mandarin…the Royal Family of Britannia…they are…" Erik tried to speak, but his eyes lost the glow of life in them as he passed away.

Then in a daring and suicidal move the last two mages after helping Vita defeat the last of the enemy soldiers charged at Gray to engage him head on. The two managed to shove Gray into one of the passages near the ceiling where crates and containers were moved by means of mechanical arms to the hanger for transport.

"Lieutenant Signum, take the Admiral and get out of here!" One of the Mages a blonde haired young man cried out.

"NO," Signum shouted as she move to reengage Gray, but one of the mages used his intelligent device to unleash four blasts of energy to bring down the ceiling cutting her off. Vita was already preparing for an emergency teleport to the ship. "DAMN IT…THOSE…THOSE," Signum was outraged that not only Chrono was mortally wounded, but now she had allowed the loss of two more mages who sacrificed their lives to allow them to save Chrono.

"Signum…we…we got to go I can't teleport Chrono on my own," Vita said although she was equally as torn up by what had just happened.

"You're right we can't let their sacrifice be in vain, but mark my words I'll see to it that monster is brought to justice for this one way or another."

The two escaped with Chrono in tow, but Signum was determined to make Gray pay for what happened and the homicidal red-head as expected swiftly killed the two mages who gave their lives to ensure Vita and Signum could escape with Chrono. The battle didn't end as he wanted it, but he was able to complete his initial objective at least.

Later that afternoon Lelouch was currently dressed as Zero standing behind the shadow of a condemned building in one of the ghettos near Shinjuku along with Graham while Quattro was also with them but she was elsewhere. The former Admiral was in disguise of course, but still Lelouch was feeling a little apprehensive about the upcoming meeting with Taizo Kirihara.

"You are certain this will all go smoothly?"

"I am and we do have the Z-01 Lancelot which is something I doubt Kyoto can ignore the possibility of getting a look at."

"Just the same we have Quattro to back us up if things go south. She should be rendezvousing with us in the Lancelot is everything goes well."

"Must you always assume the worst?"

"No, but I rather be prepared for every possibility."

Graham smiled as a black limo approached them. The limo came to a stop as the driver side window was rolled down revealing a man in his late thirties wearing a black suit and hat with brown hair and a mustache and brown eyes.

"Please gather your allies and get in the limo as per my master's instructions." The driver replied as Graham and Lelouch compiled and the driver exited the limo. After the driver opened the doors for them politely before the two got in upon which a long drive began.

The drive itself took a few hours as the sun was setting with the limo driving through a long winding tunnel. Lelouch suspected correctly that this was likely an underground road used either for VIPs or vehicles needing to avoid the public roads. The black hair young man suspected where they were going, but he and Graham were silent through the drive. At last the car stopped before it was carried up on an elevator for a few minutes before stopping. The car continued on before coming to a complete stop and the driver exited his limo to let his passengers out.

"Please excuse the inconvenience the master will see you now."

Graham and Lelouch stepped out of the limo where they saw that they were inside some kind of industrial chamber with a large series of pipes and machinery throughout the room, but what got their attention was a large window showing a breathtaking sight. The Toyko Settlement from Mt. Fuji, but this only confirmed Lelouch's suspicious about where their meeting was going to take place.

"We're at the Fuji mines," Graham inquired, but he was almost certain of it as well.

"Indeed, but given who the members of Kyoto are it shouldn't be surprising they have this much influence and power isn't that right," Lelouch said before turning his head to look over his shoulder to a figure hidden behind a curtain.

"Heh," An elderly man with a cane sitting behind a curtain sitting cross-legged on a mat dressed in dark green kimono robes eyeing the masked man in the room with him. "This sacred mountain was once known for its clean waters and quiet beauty, but now has been bent to the empire's will. This room along with the rest is a testament of the hideous violation a reflection of what Japan has become…it pains me so."

What they thought was a window was not as it faded revealing a metal wall as Graham turned around removing his disguise.

"I apologize for not showing my face, but Zero you wear a mask so I must insist that remove it."

To get his point across as the elderly man made his demand four Glasgow Knightmare Frames emerged from the shadows from a connecting chamber with assault rifles in hand aimed at Lelouch and Graham.

"You seek an audience with me Taizo Kirihara and this is how you treat me," Lelouch said as he grinned under the mask as Kirihara and his two bodyguards were shocked by the fact that Zero knew who he was. "After all this isn't the first time we met…it was seven years ago at the Kururugi Shrine along with my sister."

Taizo Kirihara was stunned, but soon realized who Zero was.

"Its…you…"

"It's been a long time hasn't it?"

"Alright that is enough Zero," Graham said stepping forward. "Lord Kirihara I think it's time we get to the business at hand, but I must ask that everyone but me, you and Zero must leave the room."

"WHAT…there is no way we'll do that." One of Kirihara's bodyguards shouted, but Graham exchanged glances with Kirihara who ordered.

"Leave us…NOW!"

Reluctantly the Knightmare Frames and the bodyguards left the chamber leaving Kirihara alone with Zero and Graham.

"Would you be so polite to drop the illusion and join us, Lady Kaguya," Graham called out with a sigh.

"There it's no one in this room?" A female voice called out to the surpise to Kirihara.

"Cute try Lady Kaguya, but it's time for Kirihara to learn of the full truth, and the real enemy in the shadows of Britannia," Graham said as a young fourteen year old girl wearing a red skirt with red and black shoes and blue gems on top of them. Adding to her outfit were a pair of long knee-high socks pink shirt with a collar and long white bell-shaped sleeves with blue gems on the black fingerless gloves she wore. She had waist-length black hair styled into two long tails tied with red bows at each end. Kaguya also had green eyes and a pale face like a doll wearing a gold ring-like grown on her head holding a staff.

The staff was an intelligent device named Yata no Kagami. It was a light blue staff with a small circular mirror sitting at the top of the staff with two polished silver rings surrounding it. There was a revolver-style cartridge system installed on the device near the top of the staff.

"All right, Graham-sempai," Kaguya Sumeragi said with sigh removing the illusion spell she had used to hide her presence.

"Lady Sumeragi how did you get here," Kirihara asked clearly wanting an explanation while Lelouch was equally surprised by this revelation, but he realized quickly where Graham's connections with Kyoto came from.

I see so that explains Graham's connections with Kyoto…he was dealing with them through Kaguya, but how do they know each other? Did Kaguya's father have dealings with Graham originally?

"I knew Lady Sumeragi's father before he was assassinated during the war, but I think it time I reveal the full details of my relationship with him and some truths you are presently unaware of Lord Kirihara." Graham began.

This should prove to be interesting…

Lelouch thought as he silently observed what was happening.

"An incident that happened seven years ago served as a pretext to war between Japan and Britannia, but Lord Sumeragi and I did not realize we were being used by the one who calls himself the Mandarin."

"The Mandarin I heard of him…the international weapons trader?"

"Yes, but he is much more than that." Graham began before taking a deep breath before he stated. "The Mandarin is in fact not of this planet, but he is an alien from a world called Mid-Childa. Seven years ago I was deceived by agents loyal to the Mandarin with information related to a relic that took the life of a dear friend. I should have realized something was amiss, but my desire to avenge my friend's demise blinded me to the manipulations around me. An innocent Japanese girl had been set up as a scapegoat and two members of the Britannian Royal Family were conveniently set in the SAME city where the dangerous relic was located hoping that went it went wild they would be killed giving Britannia the perfect justifiable pretence possible."

Lelouch was a little surprised by this, but he knew the reason for being sent to Japan was under the hope that he and Nunnally would be killed. However the method for it to happen wasn't exactly as he thought it was going to be.

How long did Graham know this?

I think it's about time we tell you everything…we did say we would reveal everything when the time was right. Graham replied to Lelouch telepathically, but obvious to Lelouch was the fact that Kaguya was looking at him with a love struck look on her face and a bit of blood dripping out of her nose.

A/N: Lelouch's meeting has gone well with Kirihara, but we are shown that Kaguya is revealed to be another magic potential, although she is nowhere near as powerful as Fate and Nanoha, but her skills aren't bad. And a cookie for those who noticed that the new character Gray I based off of Ali al-Saachez from Gundam 00, a real vicious piece of work.

Lelouch vs. Cornelia in the next chapter, but what is going to happen when Hayate and others find out those same details Graham is about to tell Lelouch and more.