Disclaimer: Code Geass is owned by Sunrise Studios
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Kallen's eyes cracked open and all she could see was a dim, yellowish glow against off-set white. Beside her, she could hear the faint rustling of cloth and thudding of feet. She turned in its direction and saw radiant, violet eyes gaze down at her.
"Lelouch!" she exclaimed as she shot up in her seat—bad idea. Almost immediately after doing so, she regretted it. She let out an audible groan and made a move for her head. A damp cloth slid from her forehead and limply fell onto her middle.
"How are you feeling?" the man asked while slipping the cloth into the palm of his hand. "Do you feel any pain anywhere?"
"Um no, not really. I'm a little lightheaded from getting up just now, that's all."
"I see. That's good to hear then."
"Say, what happened to me?"
"You fainted."
"Eh? Fainted? For how long?"
"About an hour or so. I lost track of the time."
"Eh? What happened to me? Was I poisoned again?"
"No, I believe you overexerted your body while you were recovering from the effects. You should be a little more careful with what you do with yourself."
"Oh really?" she started humorlessly. "And I wonder what, or rather, who, is the cause of it: if I hadn't sprinted across the room and fought with you, I wouldn't have strained my body."
"I don't ever recall asking you to do such thing. You did everything on your own accord and I am to blame for it?" he shot playfully.
"What?" she fumed, her shoulders tensing.
He smirked at her bubbling anger and bent down to her eye level. He reached out and ran the back of his hand on her now pink cheek. As his hand slowly trailed down the milky-white skin, he couldn't help but frown.
Is there always going to be an obstacle that will divide us? Were we not meant to be together after all?
Lelouch shook himself out of his thoughts and realized he was still stroking Kallen's cheek. He noticed that she was shooting him a strange look: a look comprised two-parts of worry and one part of discomfort, or what appeared to be discomfort. He started to withdraw, but instead brushed past the side of her face and grasped the base of her head, feeling the light caresses of her hair entwining around his gloved fingers. He pushed himself off the floor and pressed forward until his lips met with the top of her forehead. He gently led her deeper into his kiss despite feeling her muscles tense against his palm.
"I'm glad you're better now," he whispered.
She was obviously startled, as shown by a low, surprised gasp and her habit of pulling back to stare questioningly up at him. She did just so and was now staring into those familiar irises. No matter how many times she looked at them, their radiance never seems to fail to mesmerize her. He could say the same for her passion that blazed in her own eyes and how whenever he would stare into them, he would drown in their intensity, but of course, he wouldn't dare say it out loud.
She doesn't need to hear such menial things. It's better that I keep this to myself.
Without realizing it, his eyes were wandering from hers and down her slender figure, mentally noting how the Black Knights uniform hugged her body and accentuated her womanly curves. She looked beautiful and she belonged to him and him alone. No one else could possibly come in between them and sway their hearts to look at another—he would make sure of that; he has to protect what's his, doesn't he? It took a moment for the dreaming man to snap out of it, and as soon as he did, felt the faintest blush creep up on his face. Not allowing himself to become further distracted with a certain someone sitting before him, he leaned away and got on his feet. With his back turned, he whisked the Zero mask into the crook of his arm and started to head for the exit.
Kallen was taken aback at his odd behavior and merely continued watching him walk away. It was only before he reached the first steps leading up to the steel doors did she call out to him.
"Where are you going?"
"I received a phone call while you were still unconscious. Ohgi wants Zero to attend a meeting in the conference hall. He informed me that our esteemed Britannian guests wished to negotiate a peace treaty and were waiting for my arrival. I should be going now: I'm afraid I've kept them waiting for far too long."
"Eh? Peace treaty? Something isn't right—that sounds too good to be true," she hissed. "Britannia would never resort to this."
"Indeed, I also do not expect such a discussion to occur. However, as leader of the Black Knights, I must be present. In any case, it shouldn't be too difficult to find out what our guests' real intentions are," he replied. "As soon as I'm done, I'll return by your side," he slyly smiled while pulling up the dark cloth over his mouth and sliding the bulky mask over his head.
"I'll be off now," the man concluded as he disappeared behind the closed doors.
Lelouch took no more than twenty steps towards the conference hall before he heard the doors open behind him. He swiveled on his heels just in time to see a woman with hair the color of hair running in his direction.
"Wait!" she cried. "I'm coming with you!"
"Kallen?"
She stopped before him with a determined glare. Despite her little mad dash, she hadn't broken a sweat. Her breathing was a bit labored, but otherwise, she remained relaxed as if she had gone out on a stroll. Seeing her current state, Lelouch couldn't help but admire and feel somewhat envious of her athletic ability. Then again, she was his personal bodyguard and Ace of the Black Knights; she had to condition herself to react and endure in the toughest situations.
"You're not supposed to be out here, Kallen. You only just regained your consciousness and you're already overexerting yourself when you should be using this time to rest."
"Ah is that so? Well, you should know better than to underestimate me, Zero," she grinned. "I was never the type to want to sit still."
"Regardless, I'm not taking that risk—I will not have you faint again," he stressed.
To that, her grin grew an inch wider, and her determination, greater. She seemed to be enjoying this.
"Either way, as a member of the Black Knights, I should be there as well. Besides, what is Zero without his captain?"
He briefly paused and gazed down at her through the dark screen of the mask. His calculating side emerged and was immediately sent to work: a myriad of options and consequences were carefully contemplated and sifted through his mind's filter.
Kallen clenched the hem of her uniform and eagerly waited for his answer. She didn't think that the length it took for him to consider her accompanying him would stretch and distort her sense of time. One minute passed…two minutes…five? Her anticipation grew so much that anymore waiting would have driven her crazy. Who would have imagined that she, one of the strongest of the Order, would start to crumble under this sort of pressure? Fortunately, she was saved—by the utterance of four simple words.
"Fine," the tall figure grumbled. "I'll allow it."
Obviously displeased that he didn't get his way, Zero resumed his trek to the conference hall without waiting for a redheaded captain to catch up. Kallen sauntered along at a respectable distance behind him, boring a tiny hole into the back of his mask with her inquisitive stare. She was pleased that she got what she wanted, of course, but it usually wasn't like him to be so compliant—if anything, he was the epitome of stubbornness.
She had a feeling, though, that he had allowed her to stay because he felt guilty for what happened back in the room, or rather, what almost happened; every now and then when his arm would brush against the empty holster fastened at his waist, he would jolt a little. Even if his frame was shrouded by that dark cloak, she knew well enough what was going on. She had the urge to reach out to him and tell him that he shouldn't feel guilty, that it was behind him now, but now wasn't the time. Hopefully, he would be engrossed in other matters to remember the incident, but even for her, that was quite the stretch. The man's mind itself was like a database—what were the chances of him forgetting something like that?
She pouted: a small crease forming above her furrowed brows.
No, stop it. It's in the past—concentrate on the present. We have a meeting to attend and those kinds of thoughts will only sidetrack us.
Focusing dead ahead, Kallen continued to march forward in tune with Lelouch's thudding footsteps towards their destination. However, she couldn't help but wonder…
What does Britannia want from us?
The two turned into a nearby corridor and stopped less than a foot from the doors. They were tall, simple, yet elegant doors—surprisingly fitting for a conference hall.
Lelouch glanced over his shoulder at the somewhat tensed captain.
"Nervous?"
"Eh?" She slightly jumped. "No, of course not. I'm just preparing myself for the worst. We don't know what tricks Britannia will pull, right?"
"That's true, we don't. Whatever it may be, everything will eventually turn out alright. It has so far, hasn't it?" he assured.
"Mm," she nodded. "You're right; I shouldn't worry so much; there's only so much that can happen at a conference."
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah."
He gave a tiny nod before proceeding towards the doors. They hissed open and disappeared into the walls as the pair stepped into the spacious room and shut tightly behind them. Lelouch took no more than five steps inside when two black barrels were thrust into either side of his face. The familiar clank of the rifles rang by his ears and cut him in his tracks. Kallen immediately moved to push him out of the way, but a distinct voice prevented her from doing so.
"That's enough, Kallen. We aren't here for you—we're here for him."
That voice…
Blue eyes sought for the owner of the voice and found what they were looking for. What they found, though, was not what she expected. There, frowning with a rifle nestled against her side was the brunette pilot.
"Chiba!" Kallen exclaimed, failing to hide her shock. "Why—"
"Please don't resist," another butted in. "We don't want you to get hurt because of this."
Kallen whipped to the opposite end and saw a tall figure of medium build look down at her. With his round glasses and strands of his dark violet hair obstructing his eyes, his normally stern face appeared much harsher and underneath that, hurt. In fact, turning to both of them, she saw that a certain sense of sadness and betrayal underlined their angry faces. Something was wrong—she could feel it deep in her gut: what could have been said to them to make them like so? Her anxious eyes were concentrated on the ridged surface of Zero's mask.
Could it be…?
"Ah, I see Zero has finally arrived," a low voice boomed. "Perfect timing as always; I was beginning to worry whether you were going to come at all."
Everyone turned their attention towards the back of the room where a lavishly-dressed man of fair skin and hair entered, followed by a slimmer man and a woman with a sharp face and long, lavender locks. They filed into the room and settled into the chairs with the towering man in the center and the two seated on either side of him.
"'Welcome', would be the proper way to greet a guest, but since it's your own conference room, I suppose that isn't necessary. Let us introduce ourselves—"
"No need," Zero growled. "Schneizel, Britannia's capable, second prince: I should have known you were behind this mutiny. So, was this your true intention? Tricking my team into believing you story after falsifying the declaration that you came to discuss terms of peace?"
"Come now, is that any way to treat your older—"
"I've heard enough! You've succeeded in achieving what you came to do, so take your leave and return to Britannia."
At this, Schneizel's playful smile dropped.
"Rash as ever, I see. However, are you the one to accuse me of falsifying anything, Zero the Miracle Worker?"
"What is the meaning of this?" the redhead cried out.
"We found out the truth," Minami started.
"And we think you should know as well," Chiba finished. "Everything was just one huge scam conducted by Zero."
Hearing their words, Kallen's heart began to sink and her body started to feel heavy. Gulping nervously, she bit her lower lip and spoke.
"What? You're not making any sense: what truth? What scam? Zero is our leader! Everything he's ever done was for our cause! Are we going to turn our backs after all we've been through together? We would have been nothing if it weren't for him and now your loyalty is wavering because a Britannian told you otherwise?"
This was bad—she had to find a way to convince them that Zero's actions were not what they appeared to be. How though? It was impossible, much to her chagrin. Everything, all the progress made, all they've established now hangs on a thin thread. The only one who remotely has any chance of fixing the situation is him.
"Oh? You seem to have retained a follower, or perhaps, it's because she's not aware?" Schneizel chuckled. "You're the Ace of the Black Knights, Stadtfeld Kallen, am I correct?"
"It's Kouzuki. I abandoned my Britannian identity long ago."
"My deepest apologies. Ms. Kouzuki, I've heard much about you and I must say I am quite impressed with your excellent piloting skills. You are indeed a formidable opponent against the Knights of Round. If you'd like, I can put in a request and a special recommendation for you to join."
"Sorry, but someone already made me that offer. I have no interest whatsoever in becoming a Britannian dog."
"Hm," Schneizel mused as he leaned forward into his entwined hands. "You're an interesting woman. I wonder… would you feel the same after knowing you're being used by the very man you so admire and trust? Shall I continue, my dear Lelouch?"
"No, that isn't right! None of it is what you think—"
"Kallen," Chiba interrupted. "It's true—Zero's been using us from the very beginning."
"But Chiba-san—"
"We've heard the testimonies and seen the reports. Kallen, I know it's a lot to take in, but it's real—there's no denying it: we're nothing more than pawns to him. He possesses a special and dangerous power called Geass, which he used to control us and Princess Euphemia to act against our will and he's even Prince Schneizel and Princess Cornelia's younger brother. Do you see? He's been lying and hiding things from us the entire time."
"Unfortunately, the information I present to you is indeed the truth. You and your friends are all mere pawns in his game of chess to defeat the king. It was a shock to me as well, to find out that our supposedly-dead brother is the mastermind behind these terrorist attacks."
"We assumed he had died when he and our younger sister, Nunnally, were exiled to Area 11. Never did we expect him to be living and breathing before us, much less take on the Zero persona," Cornelia added.
"And we're glad we were able to meet him once more. I'm hoping to meet with dear Nunnally again sometime soon."
Kallen opened her mouth to protest, but a low voice that resonated in the large room didn't give her space to.
"Schneizel, answer me, what business do you have here?"
"To negotiate peace, of course. Wasn't this established earlier?"
"Out with it, damn you! You've already turned everyone else against me—you have no good reason to be here still without another motive."
"Hm" Schneizel lightly smirked. "That's very observant of you, Lelouch. Very well, since you caught me, I might as well reveal it: I came to witness the downfall of the great terrorist leader. This, dear brother, is my 'check'."
"I see…so you plan to have me gunned down by my own crew."
"If it comes to it, I must. I will lose a precious family member in exchange for world peace, but with the current, unstable condition of international relations, it would seem I have no other choice. In order for his subjects to follow, the king must take the lead, isn't that right, Lelouch? One life sacrificed for the lives of thousands."
"Hmph, it would appear so. I'm curious though, why are you telling me all this? Now that I'm aware, aren't you afraid I will turn the tables against you?"
The prince snorted a chuckle.
"Dear brother, who do you take me for? Did you believe I would come here unprotected without first covering my bases? And if I do recall correctly, you've yet to defeat me in a game of chess; what in that arrogant little head of yours made you think you would win now?"
"That was years ago," Lelouch barked. "We were children then."
"That may be so, but nothing has changed since then. Even now as I stand before you, the fearsome Zero, I only see an overgrown child with a bad temper who needs to wake up and return to reality. Tell me, do you honestly believe your naive ideals and childish methods would change an iota of this decaying world?"
"We shall see about that," the dark-haired youth growled.
"We shall see indeed," Schneizel muttered as he motioned for him to leave.
Upon hearing the cocking of the weapons, Kallen got into position to throw herself in between the protruding rifles. With her fists balled and legs bent, she was ready for what she presumed was about to occur. She heard nothing but her own shallow breathing and the hesitant shuffling of the rifles shifting in the assailants' hands. Their faces couldn't be seen—she didn't dare take her eyes off of the barrels that invaded her peripheral vision. She waited for when their uneasiness would subside and the sound of triggers being squeezed—only then would she act.
"Ms. Kouzuki, do not worry. Out of respect, we have arranged for a court hearing to take place in the Ikaruga's storeroom with the rest of the Black Knights."
"Oh? Interesting decision for the Cold Blooded Strategist," the violet-eyed man muttered under his breath. "You want to savor this moment that badly?"
"That is incredibly generous of you," Kallen started cautiously. "Why would you do such a thing?"
A single chuckle escaped from his lips as his smirk widened.
"I am, after all, a very generous man. I wish for our dear brother to stand trial under Britannian law, but I'm afraid my request does not apply to a terrorist, especially for someone as dangerous as Zero. Instead, a trial will be conducted here by your friends, so if you will please, we will commence shortly."
"And what if we don't find him as guilty as you make him out to be?"
"That will be decided. In a court of law, it is not I who will enforce the punishment; therefore, I have no say in what your friends wish to do with him. If they choose to forgive him, then so be it, but I warn you, the likelihood of it passing is very slim."
"We'll see about that," Kallen murmured.
"I believe this discussion has come to an end. Shall we proceed?"
Schneizel gave a slight nod towards the gun-wielding duo, who then returned the gesture and made their way towards the motionless figure. They placed dark visors over their eyes as they approached and pulled out a pair of steel handcuffs.
"Hands in front," Minami ordered as he readjusted the rifle in his hands and firmly held his finger against the trigger.
"Do you consider this necessary? I don't have anywhere to run to."
"We can't take any chances," Chiba explained while encircling the steel cuffs around his wrists. The locks clicked together and a whir sounded—a clear indication that Zero wasn't going to go anywhere.
He took a glance at his bound hands and softly chuckled.
"Hmph, who would've known I was to fall like this."
"This wouldn't have happened if you had trusted us more," Chiba bluntly stated. "We would have followed you into the pit of hell and back."
"Perhaps so," he replied.
"What should we do with Kallen?" Minami asked. "We can't bind her and we're definitely not going to shoot her."
"She's going to come with us. She's a member of the Black Knights just like anyone else here and she deserves to witness the trial of our ex-leader" the brunette turned to the frowning pilot. "I trust you will behave accordingly? I don't want to put these restraints on you."
The redheaded woman let out a displeased grunt, but otherwise nodded in agreement. Blue eyes stared intensely into Zero's blank face for a sign or signal of any kind—she needed to know what to do to get them out of this situation. Unfortunately, not so much as a word or a gesture was given…how encouraging.
"Let's go."
The group filed out of the conference room and silently marched to the storeroom. The sound of their boots thudding against the floor filled the empty corridor as a death-like aura surrounded the air above them. A prisoner held in steel moved one foot after another towards what he figured was his end. Two armed guards walked beside him like stone walls and a somber-faced woman trailed closely behind—the perfect image of a troupe of escorts.
Lelouch sadly smiled at the scene.
All that's missing is a brightly-colored uniform and a row of prisoners he mentally joked.
They reached the end of the narrow corridor and stood in front of the secured gate that would lead the ex-prince to meet his fate. The steel doors slid open and there they entered; at that moment, a switch was flicked on and multiple spotlights were centered on the masked man.
Lelouch and Kallen groaned under the burning intensity as they tried to shield themselves behind their arms.
"Prepare yourself, Zero!" a voice bellowed.
"How dare you fool us like that!" another shouted. "We know all about your Geass!"
Violet and blue eyes slowly adjusted and were finally able to see what lied before them. Nearly a dozen of Knightmares were positioned around them—all of which were aiming their rifles directly at a certain man. Above them was a single row of gun-toting warriors donning the iconic Black Knight uniform—their faces contorted and creased with a mix of betrayal and anger. No matter how anyone saw it, the situation was definitely not a favorable one.
Not too far off on the side was a slender, blonde man shouldering a studio-sized video camera.
"And so the legendary hero, Zero, is being tried for his wrongdoings by none other than his own, the Order of the Black Knights. Our savior has been accused of several counts of treason, manipulation, and deception—how will he fare in a court of justice?"
"Diethard" the masked man hissed. "Is that the story you prepared?"
"I regret it so; I admit that I wanted to record your rise to victory over Britannia, but unfortunately, due to complications, the programming has been cancelled. The best I can do is document Zero's death as tribute to whom was once our beloved leader."
With his bundle of dark, golden hair obscuring one eye and the camera the other, it was the perfect way to avoid eye contact. At this, Lelouch snarled: the placement was either clever manipulation or great coincidence—either way, he couldn't use his Geass on the reporter. Scanning the storage room, he figured that using his power on a good number of the Black Knights wasn't going to be a problem—what was, was the cluster of Knightmares; there was no way he could trick the pilots into exiting the machines and fall into the clutches of his Geass.
In the corner of his eye he could spot the silhouettes of two decorated men standing casually in the corner of the platform. Faded, violet eyes gazed down at him as a triumphant smile streaked across his smug face. Beside him, Kanon held a similar expression, but of a lesser degree. Lelouch scowled at the sight and tightened his fists together.
"Zero," Ohgi called. "Tell me, is what has been said of you true? Did you use your special power to force Princess Euphemia into commanding the SAZ massacre?"
"Don't try to lie, either! We have proof that you confessed!" Tamaki exclaimed angrily.
"Yes, I admit Princess Euphemia was indeed under my control. I had her carry out my order."
"And what about us? Did you use your Geass on us too?"
"…Yes, I did."
"We trusted you!" Sukiyama snapped. "Inoue and Yoshida died for you!"
"How could we have ever trusted you?" Toudou growled. "We should have known you were trouble from the start."
"Wait!" Kallen cried as she stuck herself in between Zero and the fuming members. "Please! This is too one-sided! Didn't we get this far thanks to him? Would we have made this much of a difference if we were still just a band of rebels? If anything, we should—"
"Are you on the same side as this traitor?"
"Get out of the way, Kallen! I don't want to shoot you along with him."
"Do you want to die?"
"What are you doing standing there? Someone take her away!"
"Quiet!" Ohgi demanded.
The noise abruptly subsided and everyone eagerly waited for what he had to say. Ohgi peered down from the platform and locked eyes with the fiery woman. She was always known to be hard-headed and downright defiant, but something about her stance set him off. It then hit him: she was willing to put her life on the line to protect the one who he deemed a traitor and an enemy to the Order. Why him? He noticed how her blue irises lit up like never before, brimming with determination and sheer will.
Why though, does this side of her surface whenever the topic of Zero is brought up?
"Kallen, stand aside. I don't want you to get involved in this"
"I refuse! Ohgi, this is ridiculous! Everyone makes mistakes—that's what makes us human. Why is he the only one who is being shunned for his?"
"This is a different matter altogether. Betraying your friends is unforgivable, regardless of the situation. He himself confirmed his deed."
The team cocked their weapons and the Knightmares whirred to steady their aim.
"Wait!" she protested.
"It's no use, we've already agreed on his punishment," Toudou commented.
"Please listen to me! What he did is not what it sounds like!"
"She's defending him?"
"Is she under the effect of Geass?"
"No! I'm not!"
"Now he has her under his control!" Tamaki declared. "He's tricking her into convincing us that he's not a traitor."
"He's not a traitor! If anything, we're the traitors for turning against him after all he's given us."
"Kallen, it has been decided. I wanted to believe in him wholeheartedly, but I cannot overlook this. Who knows what else he's kept from us? And you? Why are you shielding him? How do you know you're not just a pawn in his twisted game?"
"Because…" she muttered. "He wouldn't do such a thing! I know him and—"
A deep, rumbling laugh resonated in the air. Not a soul uttered a single word as a lone figure grasped the front of his mask. The maniacal laughter began to subside, but the confusion and fear that crawled into the onlookers' hearts still remained. Their hands and feet trembled for a moment before they steeled themselves for what was to come. The thing was: anything could happen.
A soft whir sounded as the back compartments of the Zero mask folded within itself and a black, leathered hand moved to remove the bulky thing from its owner's head. Underneath, a shock of ebony hair and distinct features revealed themselves. Violet eyes of royalty glared up at the row of former allies and a devilish smirk crossed his lips. The mask collided with the floor and rolled against the man's foot, staring up at the onlookers with its usual blank, emotionless expression.
Kallen's eyes widened at the fall of the mask and the sudden exposition of Lelouch's identity.
"What are you doing?"
Lelouch tore away from the raised platform and turned to face the surprised woman. The tiny hairs on Kallen's neck stood on end; she didn't like how the situation was playing out—a cold, almost demonic aura surrounded him. His attention was no longer on her, but on the row of men that stood above him. Her lips parted once more to question his actions, but weren't able to voice another word, for her window of opportunity disappeared in a second.
"Fools, did you only realize this now?"
Ohgi's scowl deepened at the youth; a dangerous glare was shot in his direction.
"Zero, so in the end, you were—"
"Were what? Using you? Yes, of course I was. What purpose could you possibly have, if not as pawns?"
"Zero!" Tamaki cried out.
"Lelouch…" Kallen called.
From behind, Chiba and Minami raised their rifles and prepared to fire upon their ex-leader.
"It's a little early to think of shooting me, don't you think?" Lelouch mused. "The trial hasn't quite ended."
The two glanced at each other and lowered their weapons. Their eyes, burning with hatred, were now glued onto the spotlight-centered man while they waited for what he had to say.
"And you, Kallen, were the best among them. Your skills and gullibility made you the most brilliant pawn of them all. I initially thought that you would be the most difficult to control, with your hardheadedness and personal ideals, but surprisingly, you were the easiest. By showing you the tiniest affection, you instantly clung onto me and did exactly as I had predicted you would."
"W-What are you saying?" she asked him. "This can't be true."
"Oh but it is" he chuckled, never taking his eyes off of the row of soldiers. "Honestly, what did you expect? I needed an army to execute my whims and you, a bunch of disorganized rebels, were just what I wished for."
"No," she whispered.
She ground her heels and lunged at him, her hands immediately latching onto the front of his chest. Her thin fingers curled and yanked the dark cloak into her fists, firmly ensnaring the man to keep him from escaping.
"No, this isn't true! It can't be—tell me it isn't! What about all those times we spent together? Did they mean nothing to you? Are you telling me that everything was a sham?"
"Yes, it was. Those supposed feelings, all that I've ever revealed to you, was to get you to trust me—nothing more, nothing less, and it worked wonderfully."
"I don't believe you!" she exclaimed as she drew him closer. "Tell me the truth!"
Lelouch paused for a moment, still refusing to look away at the observing audience. Kallen noticed this and clenched her teeth.
"Look at me! Look at me and tell me! Please!" she cried as she started furiously shaking him back and forth.
"Whether you do believe me or not does not concern me," he replied coolly, his expression unchanging. "You no longer hold any value."
Kallen let out an almost inaudible gasp; she could practically feel his icy fingers sink into her chest and slowly rip her heart out. Searching his smug, arrogant face, she saw no remorse or sorrow—nothing that would prove his words false. She hoped—prayed that they were. Seeing this strange and foreign man standing before her, she couldn't help but want to scream.
"You're a monster," she hissed. "How could I have ever trusted you?"
"It wasn't hard to. I fed the desperate hope and now they stand behind me willing to lay down their lives for my sake. Interesting, isn't it? Knowing how easily one's will can be bent with the simple action of extending a hand."
Anger welled up in her chest and a certain fire spread throughout her system.
"You bastard."
"Call me what you wish, but you cannot deny that my efforts resulted in progress no one else could have achieved. Speaking truthfully, you needed me—much more than I needed you."
Tears now began to prick at the corner of her eyes and her grip tightened. Her throat felt constricted and it was difficult to swallow. She lowered her head so he couldn't see the rising anguish on her face.
"Hey, let me ask you something."
"If you must."
"Lelouch…" she started, just barely louder than a whisper. "Back in your quarters…when you asked me to stay with you forever…did you mean it?"
"And what will you do if I give you my answer?"
"I would stay by your side," she shot, rearing her head to him. "I'd stay and be your captain for as long as I could."
"Intriguing, but you're mistaken. I don't recall ever asking you such a thing. It must be your imagination. I wouldn't dare say it aloud, much less to a lowly Eleven such as yourself."
Her body tensed at hearing him utter such cruelty.
"I see," the redheaded pilot responded, clearly disheartened. "I don't know how I could have been so naive. To think for a second, I thought we'd stand by each other's sides until the end, but if this is who you truly are, Lelouch, then I guess this is goodbye."
Her hand, stiff and strained from gripping the silken coat, slackened. Her body, willed to stay, dragged reluctantly behind as she forced herself to part.
One step—another and another. Each step that led her further away became increasingly difficult to take. How far had she gone? It took all her strength not to turn back, all of her damnable pride to push herself away; yet she still was unable to travel very far, judging by how distant the platform seemed. Was leaving this monster, their supposed leader, so difficult?
Behind her, she could hear Chiba and Minami undo Lelouch's shackles and shuffle towards the sidewalls, as to not get caught within the crossfire. She could feel Lelouch's eyes on her, watching intently as she was walking away.
"Goodbye, Kallen. Live happily."
Her eyes widened and she whipped around; blue met with violet. His haughty smirk melted into a soft, forlorn smile. He looked resigned, ready to give in—ready to die.
What am I doing?
"Wait!"
"Fire!" Toudou roared.
The sound of rifles cocking reverberated through the room, filling her with a sense of dread. "No!" she screamed as she sprinted towards his motionless frame. She extended her arm to him in hopes of being able to reach him before the barrage of bullets could, charging at him with all the strength her legs allowed her. In her struggle, she could have sworn she heard her name. Someone out there was calling for her, yelling her name over and over, pleading for her to turn back while she still had the chance to, but she ignored the cry—she had to. She had made up her mind: she was to die in his place.
What made her come to that conclusion, she didn't know, but she did know that she had to act fast to save him. Her sudden decision, though, begged the question: why? Despite the harsh treatment and malicious words aimed to hurt her, what compelled her to sacrifice her own life for his? Just minutes ago, he had told her that she was of no significance to him and that he wouldn't have bothered in the first place if it weren't for her usefulness: all the more reason to give up on him, right?
It's for the sake of Japan's freedom, she reasoned. He's the only one who could accomplish such a monumental feat—we can't do it alone.
No, that wasn't it—it definitely wasn't it. Who was she trying to fool? She knew better. It wasn't for Japan, her people, or the Black Knights: it was for him.
His last words, his goodbye, shuddered through her core; its surrendered and morose tone struck a hidden note in her heart, one she thought wouldn't be touched for a very long time. She didn't want to hear him look and sound so pitiful—not again. That fateful day on the Shinjuku construction site, she had made a promise to herself that she wouldn't let him fall that low ever again, that as his personal guard, she would dedicate herself to protect his heart as well as his body, but over time, the memory of such a promise eroded and buried itself in the recesses of her mind.
Her eyes shut involuntarily, her body bracing itself for the bullets. She persisted, pushing herself forward even then, and felt the cloth of his cloak brush against her fingertips, only to be thrown back by an unknown force. Seconds later, a massive object slammed into the ground ahead of her. She tumbled across the floor for a good foot or two with her face buried within the crook of her arms; as she was gathering the will to continue, a wave of bullets pressured her to lie flat on the floor. She cowered in an incomplete fetal position at feeling the bullets fly above her, hearing the casings ping and ricochet off the walls, and smelling the remnants of the steaming gun powder.
Confused and jarred, she curled up within herself and tried hard to bite back the tears that threatened to spill; a single tear escaped and trailed down her pale cheek and disappeared into the floor.
I failed: I didn't make it in time.
She held her breath for the sound of a body crumbling to the floor to confirm her fear. Her heart beat rapidly in her ears for those few seconds, but when she heard nothing of the sort, her eyes snapped open. She raised her head and what she saw before her had her scramble to her feet.
Towering above all else in the wide cargo bay stood the menacing black and golden form of the Shinkirou, the threat of destruction in the air. Lelouch stood behind the hulking automaton, unharmed and wearing an expression of shock that mirrored her own.
"S-Shinkirou?" she mouthed, her voice escaping her.
"Are you alright, Brother?"
"Rolo!"
"Fire! Shoot the Shinkirou as well!" Toudou ordered, all of the soldiers following his commands. The roar of motors sounded as the Knightmares readied their weapons, taking aim at the massive golden form.
Then it was gone.
"What? The Shinkirou vanished?"
"Where did it go?"
Kallen's knees buckled and she collapsed under her weight. She couldn't summon the power to get back up or even lift up her head; it was as if an invisible person was pushing down on her and refused to let go. Recalling on the events that played out, she didn't know how to feel: her mind was composed of a mix of relief and anguish. She was overjoyed that Lelouch was alright and that he was now safe, but what now? What was going to happen to them now that their leader had gone? Were they still allies? No. No, they were enemies now. He wouldn't dare show an ounce of mercy for them and neither would they for him. If that was their fate, then so be it, but even so, she couldn't help wince at the thought.
"Kallen!" a voice shouted, followed by various footsteps. A pair of hands cupped her forearms and whisked her up; another helped heave her numb body atop the back of one of the members. A few words were exchanged and off they disappeared behind the sliding doors.
Above, observing from the shadows, a statuesque man nodded to his assistant. The thin man returned the gesture and fished out a small rectangular phone.
"Anya, Zero got away. Go after him and destroy him."
"Understood; if that's what you wish."
Britannian Knightmares patrolled the air and hovered just above the tree line, their mechanical eyes scanning the forest floor and the treetops. Not more than a few minutes when one would fly by another would follow suit. From the looks of it, a respectable fleet was sent to search for this one man.
"Has Zero been located?"
"Negative, we can't find the target."
"Widen the search. He has to be around here somewhere."
"Yes, sir!"
A machine zoomed past and the shaken leaves floated to the ground. There, underneath the thicket of branches and leaves, a black and golden Knightmare rested. Radiant eyes peered upwards at the steaming trail that the passing automation left behind. A weighted sigh was released from his lips as he approached the limp boy sitting in the cockpit.
"We should be safe here."
Glazed, violet eyes slowly opened and focused on the face in front of him. Upon registering whose face it belonged to, the boy relaxed and flashed a weak smile.
"I'm glad," he wheezed.
The short burst to freedom that he had taken took a heavy toll on his health. The effects of using the time-stopping Geass were definitely showing: his breathing was labored and it seemed just as difficult to keep his eyes from drooping shut. His hands, paler than the whitest chalk, clung onto the Shinkirou's controls as if his very life depended on it. His tanned hair which once looked strong and healthy was clumped and drenched in sweat; his face nearly glistened with the amount of sweat that rolled down the sides of his face. Though the boy had achieved what he came to do, the victory was bittersweet. The life that he tried so desperately to make good of was rapidly slipping from his fingers. He knew it and Lelouch knew it.
"Why, Rolo?"
"I was just…I had to."
"That's not an answer" the man asserted. "After the wrong I've done you, why did you save me?"
"Because…you're a liar," he mumbled.
"What?"
"You…lied, right? About trying to kill me…about…not liking me…and wishing I never existed. You were just…taking out your anger at me, weren't you?"
"Yes, you're right: I did lie. I knew I wouldn't be able to fool you."
"I knew it all along," Rolo grinned. "Because you're my big brother. I know everything about you."
"Thank you, Rolo, for all you've done," Lelouch answered, enclosing the boy's hand with his own.
"No, Brother…I should be the one thanking you."
"What have I done for you to be thankful for?"
"I was a tool: the organization's and yours. Even so, because of you, I was able to experience what having a family was like and…for the first time in my life, I was happy. We may not be true brothers, but… the memories we had were real—that's more than I could ever hope for."
"I see. In that case, I am even more grateful for sharing your time with me. You are my one and only little brother, Rolo."
"I'm glad…" the boy whispered, his voice fading. "...Brother."
Those glazed eyes of his shone brightly as they began to shut, as if he had found his resolve. Slowly, that warm light began to vanish as well and a certain coldness started to take hold. His head rolled over and eased into the side of his chair; his once-smiling lips drooped and parted as he drew in his final breath. Gone.
Just like that, the boy who had stuck by him, the boy who insisted on calling him his brother, was gone and what was left was a cold, empty shell of what was once Rolo Lamperouge.
"I'm sorry," Lelouch breathed heavily.
He got up from the ground and was about to walk away, when something dangling from the boy's pocket caught his eye.
"Hm?"
Looking closer, he realized that it was the porcelain locket that he had given him. The violet-eyed man leaned in closer and took the trinket in his hands, pulling up a large chunk of the broken phone along with it. He ran his finger over the heart's smooth surface and quickly undid the knot that bound it to the plastic remnant.
He still kept this?
The locket was stuffed into one of his pockets while the phone lay on his palm.
Lelouch gently pried one of Rolo's hands from the controls and placed the broken object in his hand before curling his stiff fingers around it. The man reached over and slipped his arm behind the boy's back and, with much difficulty, half-dragged him out of the Shinkirou's cockpit. With a loud grunt, Lelouch jostled the body until it was settled on top of his back and walked into the forest, the crunching of twigs and leaves and the drone of the patrolling Knightmares filling his ears.
Many hours had past, for the endless blue sky had taken on various shades of crimson and gold. The sun was dipping into the horizon as its brilliant rays shimmered across the water, gradually disappearing to the other side of the world as if to bid farewell. There, standing on a cliff over a mound of earth, was a dark-haired silhouette looking into the distance. In one hand, he held the tiny locket, while in the other, was a sizeable log. He took a step towards the edge of the cliff and thrust the log deep into the patch of ground right above the mound, just hard enough so that it wouldn't topple over. After regaining his breath, he opened his hand and took a long glance at the shining locket before draping it over the head of the log.
The man took a couple steps back and admired his hard work. The feeling of accomplishment, however, was very brief and fleeting.
I won't die here—I definitely won't. There are still so many loose ends that need to be tied and evil that needs to be stopped.
"Rolo, I will surely come back and give you a proper burial, but first…" his lips twisting into a snarl. "My father, Charles di Britannia, as punishment for introducing so much suffering into this world, I will have you accompany me on my journey to hell—that I promise you!"
He angrily whipped around and stalked through the forest, his shadow receding into the folds of the trees.
Everyone, I will return and unleash a power the likes of you have never seen, dare even imagine! For turning your backs against me, feel the full force of my wrath!
Lelouch pushed aside a protruding tree branch and caught a glimpse of a black and golden figure sat hunched underneath the ever-growing shadows. He approached the hulking Knightmare and nimbly climbed inside the cockpit. The hatch closed on him and the control panel flashed brightly. Grasping the controls, the machine shifted and whirred to life. In no time, it kicked off into the air and flew into the distance.
The youth stared out the displays as he hovered over the seemingly endless sea of darkened trees and smiled ruefully.
"Kallen," he whispered lowly. "I'm sorry it had to turn out like this. If the circumstances were different, I wouldn't hesitate to allow you to come with me, but I must finish this struggle. Soon enough, I will be by your side once more; I can only hope that by then, you will forgive me."
-
And the Black Knight's Betrayal has arrived! To the guest, Skylark360, who asked me to not derail the Black Knights as the writers had done in canon, I hope the chapter was able to satisfy your request. If not, I do intend to include a more detailed insight/flashback of the betrayal, so hopefully then it'll work out.
Special thanks to Foxtrot Uniform Charlie Kilo for helping me improve the more action-based parts of the chapter. It really made a difference! I'm looking forward to working with you again in the later chapters.
Lastly, thank you everyone for sticking around this long! The end is unfortunately nearing and I'm getting a little teary-eyed even thinking about it. :'(
Well, let's see where this takes us: until next time! Drop a review or two once in a while and I'll see you later!