WELL, now that the prodigal high note has been reached, methinks it's time for a little drama.
Kallen: Oh you had better not be planning what I think you are!
Kyugan: Relax, your evil twin isn't gonna be popping outta the woodwork.
Kallen: Damn ri-wait wha-?
Kyugan: Nor is your Gary-Stu old flame gonna show up to challenge Zero for your affections.
Lelouch: *Cowering under the table* He's not?
Kyugan: And no, you're NOT gonna get raped by a Knight of the Round. Suzaku on the other hand...
Suzaku: HEY WAIT A MINUTE-!
Kallen: *Ignoring him as he's hauled off by big beefy security guards with tight pants* Well that's a relief...
Kyugan: By the way, you DID remember to take those pills I gave you...right?
Kallen: Uh...no, why?
Odin: *Popcorn in hand* Fufufufufu... *Somehow eats popcorn through his helmet, cause he's awesome like that* This is better than soap operas...
Kyugan: You watch soap operas? *BITCH SLAP VENT!* Right...nevermind...But before we get this show on the road, Let me just assure you that No characters were raped, figuratively or otherwise during the drafting of this opening credit.
Suzaku: OH GOD NO! *Sound of being PAINFULLY Reamed, followed by a girl scream*
Kyugan: *Talking over the sounds of pain* I would like to remind all you people out there in review land that Rape is NEVER funny, and should be avoided in fiction save for dramatic effect, (and even then should be used sparingly).
Odin: Well said, on with the show!
Chapter 25: Wedding Crashers.
The day of the Empress' wedding to Crown Prince Odysseus dawned quickly, and preparations were made to have the ceremony performed at the height of day, signifying the beginning a new era in the history of the Empire and the Federation.
While everyone seemed happy for the newlyweds, the same could not be said for the couple themselves. The empress, for example was torn between her desire to leave the imperial city, and her reluctance to have to marry this foreign prince in order to do so. If it had been Xingke on the other hand, she'd have gladly jumped through as many hoops as the Eunuchs provided, if simply to spite the simpering old men.
Odysseus, on the other hand, was concerned over the sudden revelation as Zero as his long lost sibling, Lelouch. Why would his brother commit such atrocities against his own family? The Lelouch he remembered had been a brilliant, prideful, but nonetheless gentle young boy that doted on his younger sister like no other. And then there was that…strange transformation he displayed…was it all a trick? Perhaps a new advancement in Knightmare technology?
The two were walking down the isle, the difference between their ages all to clear just by going by their size alone. In truth, it looked more like a father leading his daughter down the aisle, than two to-be-weds preparing to make their solemn vows. Only the sight of Kaguya, who was watching the scene from a pew, a masked Zero and an oddly glowing Kallen as her escorts, and Schniezel, who was standing alongside the Knights of the round, kept the two from forgetting why they were here.
However, no sooner had they arrived before the alter, did the doors to the temple burst open, guests and betrothed looking back in shock at the figures gathered in the doorway.
In the doorway...
"We ask this question:" Li Xingke announced, the long haired swordsman backed up by members of his own guard, who shared his ideals "By the roar of the Heavens, the Voice of the Land and the Hearts of the people," he drew his sword as he spoke "how does this marriage represent the will of the Chinese federation?"
"Xingke have you lost your mind?" Xiao Ho demanded, the portly Eunuch rising from his seat in shocked outrage, only to be silenced by the long haired general, who denounced the wedding, before charging into the crowd, his sword lashing out at the guards as they moved to stop him.
"Cut off the broadcast!" the midget Eunuch ordered, even as the Britannian nobles were evacuated, the Eunuch's directing the guards against the long haired general, even as his own men brought up the rear.
"XINGKE!" a voice cried out, the stunned guards and Eunuchs looking up at the altar, where their empress remained despite Odysseus' attempts to guide her to safety, the silver haired girl's eyes wide with tears as she held her pinky in the air, calling out to her champion even as the Britannians looked on in disbelief.
'She remembers!' Xingke realized, the memory of that night so long ago, when he'd sworn to take the child-empress to the outside world, flashing before his eyes, firming his resolve and granting him new strength, the long haired swordsman fending off the attacking guards, charging right down the aisle towards her, the empress spreading her arms wide, as if to embrace him, only to blink as a hand landed on her shoulder.
At the Altar...
"I must admit Xingke…" Zero called out, the longhaired swordsman pulling up sort at the sight of the masked vigilante standing at the young Empress' side, hand on her shoulder "I didn't expect us to have the same idea."
"Zero…" Xingke called out, the swordsman standing tall as he walked towards the alter, though internally, he was trying to gauge how fast he could clear the distance between them before Zero could react "What is the meaning of this?"
"I'm merely returning the favor you gave the Black Knights in Japan." Zero replied, pulling a confused Tianzi against him gently "Like you, I cannot allow this wedding to continue…it would not be in the best interests of our respective people."
He reached into his cloak, the swordsman's eyes narrowing, only to blink as the terrorist pulled not a gun, but a strange, winged gem from underneath the mantle.
"And as such…I'm going to help you keep your promise to the empress…" Zero muttered, holding his crystal up to his helmet "By taking her to the outside world! TEK-SETTER!"
A flash of purple light blinded everyone in the vicinity, Xingke cursing, shielding himself with his arm as he glared into the lightshow, only to gape as the shadow of an armored form appeared as it died down, replaced with Zero's Tekkaman form, a stunned Tianzi being held in one of the armored giant's arms, bridal style. "Come…Empress." Zero offered, his tone surprising gentle, despite his fearsome appearance, his boosters powering up as he spoke "The world awaits!"
"Xingke!" the empress cried out, reaching out for her champion one last time, just before Zero blasted off, the bouquet she held scattering on the wind as the Tekkaman tore out of the chapel, shielding the girl from harm by Twirling his lancer to deflect debris.
Back at the Altar...
'Well played…Lelouch…' Schniezel muttered, the 2nd prince impressed despite himself as he watched the Tekkaman fly away with the empress 'And at last, I get to see your so called 'power'…fascinating.'
"What…what just happened here?" Odysseus stammered, the Crown Prince looking around in understandable confusion at this latest turn of events, as he wasn't one to catch up on current events, and so had no idea of Zero's strange new abilities "What WAS that thing?"
"Zero." Gino muttered, his features grim at being outsmarted by the Tekkaman yet again. Bad enough the terrorist had played him and Anya for saps, but now he'd snatched the bride out from under their noses.
"Calm yourself, Sir Weinberg." Schniezel ordered, nodding his head towards the sky, where a familiar white shape was bearing down on the Tekkaman "I had anticipated opposition…admittedly not THIS opposition, but I'm certain Suzaku can adapt."
'Not alone he can't.' Gino countered, though he said nothing as he helped escort the princes out, shooting a parting glance at the Lancelot Conquista as it tore through the sky 'Hang on Suzaku…I'll be there to back you up soon!'
Air over the Forbidden City...
"ZERO!" Suzaku yelled, his eyes hard as he locked onto the Tekkaman's retreating back launching the Lancelot's Slash Harkens "Hands off the Empress!"
A black blur imposed itself between the harkens, Suzaku narrowing his eyes as a new Knightmare, black, with a mane of red horsehair attached to it's helmet, deflected the grapples with it's blade, before moving to challenge the Lancelot.
"Your fight is with me, Suzaku!" A familiar voice declared, the Knight of Seven's emerald eyes widening in alarm as the black Knightmare rushed forwards, it's sword propelled by a built in projection system.
"It can't be!" the distraught Knight gaped, blocking the strike, barely, with his own sword, as he pulled the Lancelot back to get some breathing room "Todoh-sensei?"
Todoh did not answer, at least not with words, the former general, now military leader of the Black Knights, bringing the Zangetsu's blade down for another strike on his former Pupil.
The two dueled in mid-air, black and crimson blades clashing repeatedly, the Zangetsu's greater strength actually forcing the Lancelot to retreat, Suzaku going for his VARIS rifle, only to be forced to block as Todoh used his sword-mounted Slash Harken to halt the action, the Black Knightmare seizing the high ground as he descended on the Lancelot.
"Yes!" Suzaku grit out, having been hoping for his old master to leave such an opening, pulling out the VARIS and firing off a shot "NOW!" However, it seemed the old general had learned some new tricks, as the VARIS shot was deflected by a red wall of energy that emanated from the Zangetsu's helm "The same system as the Gurren?"
"So it does work…" Todoh mused, the general smirking approvingly as he gazed down at the stunned Suzaku "With this Zangetsu, I can take on a class-one Warrior like Suzaku."
Apparently the Knight of Seven didn't share his former Sensei's sentiments, as he quickly powered up the VARIS booster, aiming the barrel of the weapon at the Zangetsu, only to curse as Todoh, having predicted such a move, maneuvered himself so that the Zangetsu's back was to the forbidden city, Suzaku's eyes hardening as two more Knightmares flew up to join the Black Knightmare, a blue Akatsuki, and the all-too familiar Gurren.
"Stay back!" Todoh ordered, the co-commander of the Black Knights glaring over his shoulder for emphasis, his Zangetsu moving into an attack position as he charged the Lancelot "This is my duel! Kururugi Suzaku, taste defeat!"
"Not yet!" Suzaku countered, lashing out at the black Knightmare with his own blade, narrowly dodging a strike to his flank, only to curse as Todoh's 'Shadow long sword' sliced through the Lancelot's float unit.
"General Todoh, we need to fall back!" Kallen called out over the intercom, the Gurren intercepting before the Lancelot could land a glancing kick, sending the White Knightmare spiraling away from the Zangetsu "Zero said we were to regroup immediately once he'd cleared the city."
"Understood." Todoh muttered, though he didn't like the idea of leaving his battle with Suzaku half finished. Military strategy dictated he finish the traitor off, but their duty was to secure the Empress and Zero's escape route, and that had been completed.
With Zero and Tianzi...
"Please calm yourself, Empress Tianzi." Zero asked, the Tekkaman flying just fast enough to clear the walls of the Vermillion City, but easy enough that the g-forces wouldn't hurt his passenger "Open your eyes…we're already outside the city walls."
Tianzi blinked, opening her eyes, one hand coming up to shield her face from the wind, her eyes widening as she gazed out at the fast expanse of land beneath her, which seemed to stretch all the way to the horizon.
"Beautiful…isn't it?" Zero asked, the empress looking up into the Tekkaman's armored face, noting the almost gentle look in those glowing purple eyes "Kaguya told me about your country when she came back from her trip…I'm glad to see she wasn't exaggerating."
"Yes…" Tianzi agreed, her fear of this strange, armored giant slowly fading away at the mention of her best friend, her gaze returning to the countryside, watching in amazement as a flock of cranes flew past, heading for the distance.
"I must ask that you hold on." Zero apologized, the Empress blinking as he began to descend, turning away from the view as he made for a highway, where a large tanker trailer was driving along, the back opening to reveal a hollow interior "But it's best if we stay off their radar for as long as possible."
Tianzi nodded, holding onto the Tekkaman's neck as he landed, crouched on one knee, setting her down gracefully on her feet, the Tekkaman standing back as Chiba's Akatsuki came in for a landing, a beaming Kaguya emerging from the carrier the female sword had used to ship in the Gurren.
"Are you alright your majesty?" the Kyoto princess asked, smiling at her friend as she drew closer, only to stumble as the trailer veered sharply to the right, Zero catching the two girls before they could fall.
"My apologies for the rough handling." Zero offered, the armored warrior setting the two back on their feet, as he continued to kneel before them "I wish we didn't have to go to such extremes to grant your wish."
"You knew?" Tianzi wondered, looking into the armored face of her kidnapper/liberator with something akin to wonderment, even as Kaguya hugged her close with a smile.
Back with the Todoh's team...
"Get lost!" Kallen roared, using the new and improved Radiant Wave Surger's Long Range option to wipe out a fleet of pursuing attack helicopters and jets that the High Eunuch's had doubtless sent after them, Todoh deploying the Zangetsu's shoulder mounted machine guns to mop up the stragglers, as they hovered over the trailer, protecting it from aerial assaults.
"You're in a fiery mood today, Kouzuki." Todoh noted, the normally solemn Colonel's tone laced with approval at his fellow pilot's unusual fierceness, as he sliced through several more of their would-be pursuers "More energetic too."
"Let's just say I had a pretty good motivator." Kallen replied, smirking slightly at the former General as she wiped out yet another wave of pests, watching them detonate in the air like fireworks, a dull glow in the pit of her stomach as she remembered the events of the previous night, only to pull up short as the trailer reached the collapsed bridge, where Asahina and a small army of Akatsuki's lay in wait.
The redhead had to admit, she felt a little jealous that the Gurren's Radiant Wave Weaponry was being employed by other Knightmares, watching as Asahina and the others launched RW missiles at the oncoming forces, but she got over it soon enough as she recalled that, unlike the Gurren, their weaponry wasn't as versatile, the redhead leaping into the fray with a yell, blasting at the oncoming troops from long range.
In a holding cell...
"Judging from the look on your faces," Xingke muttered, the man's features grim as he sat in a confinement cell beneath the Eunuch's feet with his followers "They've taken down our strike force."
"And how did you know that?" Xiao Ho demanded, the fat Eunuch gazing down at the disgraced general and his cohorts, intrigued despite himself, as he'd honestly been debating how to broach the subject.
"If I were in their place," Xingke noted "I'd hang back and stage an Ambush at the Shinchu ravine." He nodded in approval as he saw through their strategy "Then I'd join up with my main force in Chao Pei."
"Xingke," Xiao Ho simpered, the fat Eunuch gazing down at the general, visibly impressed despite the younger, slimmer man's earlier betrayal "We're willing to overlook your crimes, if you bring back our empress."
"We'll even give you a new weapon." The midget Eunuch added, smirking as the man looked up at him in shock.
On the Ikaruga...
"Things seem to be going well…" C.C noted, walking up alongside Zero, who was in human form once more, the man chowing down on hotdogs in the cafeteria, replenishing his energy in case another battle took place "How did you know Xingke was planning a coup de tat?"
"I didn't." Zero replied, the Tekkaman swallowing his food in one go and washing it down with a can of soda "I was simply planning to abduct the empress myself, Xingke simply had impeccable timing."
"So it was all a coincidence." The immortal noted, smiling ruefully as she sat down across from the Tekkaman, nodding her head at Kaguya, who sat at the man's right, and Tianzi, who sat next to the Kyoto princess "Still, how did you know about this valley?
"Our scout patrols encountered several of Xingke's troops lurking in ambush at the bridge." Todoh replied, walking up to the table with a bowl of plain soba noodles on a tray, Chiba at his side with a plate of teriyaki "While we were setting our traps, we found them setting up some of their own…" he snapped his chopsticks evenly apart "A little…coercion, and they spilled everything."
Tianzi flinched slightly, only to relax as she met Kaguya's gentle, reassuring gaze, the two girls sitting hand in hand as they waited for Zero to finish eating, the empress looking up at her friend's husband with interest.
She had to admit, he was handsome, with his pointed, elegant features, his ebony black hair that fell just under his ears, unlike Xingke's waist-length locks. The small scar under his eye intrigued her, part of her wanting to know where he'd gotten it from, but unable to bring herself to ask.
"Diethard and Ohgi have informed me that reinforcements from India have arrived on Horai Island." C.C spoke up, looking at Todoh, but speaking to Zero as well "All we have to do is rendezvous with them and-!"
She trailed off, the Ikaruga's canteen shaking as the warning alarms went off, the empress letting out a shocked cry as Kaguya hugged her close, shielding the poor girl's head with her arms.
Bridge of the Ikaruga...
"An attack?" Ichijiku Hinata exclaimed, the Ikaruga's bespectacled Radar-Operator staring at her screen in shock as several Akatsuki signals just vanished, Ohgi commanding the units to halt, the flight deck crew gazing into the smoke as a new enemy came into view.
"A Knightmare?" Ayame Futaba gasped, the purple haired defensive systems operator gazing into the smoke in alarm, magnifying the image to better look at the frame, Rakshata blinking, the scientist sitting up on her couch with a look of shock.
"What is that thing?" Ohgi wondered, gazing at the blue and purple mech, with golden faceplate, in growing apprehension "And why's it equipped with the same float unit we use?"
Before anyone could answer, the troops facing down the mysterious frame moved, ignoring a direct order from Chiba to stand down. In response, the frame launched what looked like a Slash Harken variant from it's wrist guards, using it to spear one Akatsuki, and using it to smash the others out of it's path. Chiba, enraged by the death of her men, moved in to combat the mech, only to be overpowered as it's Harkens rotated like a propeller, smashing through her sword and sending her crashing to the ground, out of action, but alive.
"Can you hear me…zero?" the pilot of the Mech called out, hovering towards the Ikaruga, almost as if the mech weighed nothing at all, Xingke's face appearing on the monitors, his features stern "Zero…you shall not pass!" he deactivated the rotation of his Harken, the whip-like weapon receding back into his frame's arm "Now…return the Empress, and I shall spare your lives."
"XINGKE!" A familiar voice snarled, the crew of the Ikaruga looking on in shock as the Gurren, which last they'd heard was being recharged, launched into the air, the crimson frame clashing with Xingke's mysterious mech in an aerial battle.
Shenhu versus Gurren...
"Kallen Kouzuki!" Xingke growled, the long haired general recognizing the Gurren anywhere, though he was surprised to see a flight enabled version, having not been briefed on it's existence prior to now "Nonetheless, the Shenhu will CRUSH you!"
"Scatter shot!" Kallen yelled, deploying her GEFJUIN NET spheres, only for Xingke to blaze through them "Not bad…" the redhead muttered, scowling as she charged up the Gurren's Radiant Wave Surger "But I'm a Black Knight Ace!"
"Show me Shenhu!" Xingke demanded, pulling back on his control yoke, arming the firing system for the frame's main weapon "Show me your power!"
Bridge of the Ikaruga...
"Wait a second," Ohgi stammered, the former school teacher, now co-commander of the Black Knights gaping down at Rakshata's team of engineers in growing alarm "you...You KNOW what that thing is?"
"Of course we do." Rakshata replied, turning to regard the man, her features dark, her posture as she reclined on her couch anything but relaxed "We know because WE built it." She nodded towards the screen "We developed it at the same time as the Gurren, but it was to high spec to handle…" she gazed at her abandoned child, her expression unreadable "A one of a kind Knightmare that no pilot could master...until now." She scowled at the screen "That crusty old Maharaja…he must have sold it off to the Chinese to line his own pockets."
All comments on the matter was cut off, as the Gurren and Shenhu's main weapons clashed, in a fiery, explosive display that blinded the monitors.
"Does that thing have a weakness?" Diethard asked, the head of information management and propaganda bracing himself against the impact, wondering where the hell Zero was at a time like this.
"It has a different design concept than the Gurren." Rakshata mused, her eyes narrowing as she recalled the specifications for the Frame "There's no Radiant Wave System, and piloting it takes skills that are almost beyond human."
"Well there's a human piloting it now!" Ohgi muttered, the co-commander gesturing towards the screen wildly, a look of concerned anger marring his features, only to blink as Zero burst into the control room "Zero!"
"Status report." The Tekkaman demanded, dressed in his Black Knight outfit, his jacket, as always, open over his bare chest, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the overhead screen, locking onto the Shenhu's battle with the Gurren "Who's attacking us?"
"Looks like Xingke of the Chinese Federation." Ohgi opined, his features grim as the Generals data was brought up on screen, unintentionally blocking Zero's face from Diethard's view,as the man's frustration displayed "The Eunuch's must've offered him a reprieve if he brought the Empress back.
"Huh…so he's willing to sleep with the enemy to get what he wants." The Tekkaman muttered, smirking to himself as he watched the Shenhu and Gurren duke it out "I underestimated you again Xingke…you're tenacious I'll give you that."
He pulled out his Tekka Crystal, his eyes lighting up as he held the gem up to his face "But you, in turn, have underestimated the Black Knights."
And That'll do for now.
Kallen: Hold on! What's the deal with those pills?
Kyugan: It doesn't matter anymore, just forget about them.
Kallen: Like hell! What were they for?
Kyugan: If you'd taken them, then you wouldn't need to worry. But you didn't, live with it.
Kallen: Why you! *Raises Zector*
Kyugan: Oh...bollocks...