Kyugan: Sorry it took so long, but we were waiting for Kallen to get back with Lelouch.
C.C: What kept you?
Kallen: *Wearing a sombrero* Mardi Gras.
LElouch: *Covered in beads and sloshed* I AM THE LIZARD QUEEN!
Kyugan: Dude he is WASTED.
Lelouch: I'm not Drunk! You Wouldn't call me drunk if I was sober!
KAllen: Sure Lelouch, Whatever, no get into costume.
Lelouch: *Looks at Kallen and holds out beads.*
Kallen: NOT NOW!
Lelouch: Damn...myu powers fail me...
37. United Federation of Nations.
While Zero was giving C.C a refresher course in the finer things in life, all throughout Horai Island, the Black Knights were scrambling to prepare for the summit, in which the various nations of the EU, China, and every other country in direct opposition to Britannia, would meet to ratify the treaty, in which they would become a united front.
Some of the Knights were dealing with the stage preparations, others were prepping the Knightmares and transports, because it was likely that the Briannians would try something, and even if they didn't, there were rumours of new marching orders pending on the eve of the treaty's ratification.
As for the apparent 'leaders', they were off preparing for the festivities in their own fashion.
With Tianzi...
"R-Redgarding the Union of the Nation's charter…" Tianzi stammered, the sheltered empress of the Chinese Federation looking over the speech that had been prepared for her and Kaguya for their presentation later that day, a little unsettled, as she was used to the Eunuch's giving the speaches in her name "I will leave explanation of it to representative of the Supreme Council, Sumeragi Kaguya."
"Are you alright?" Xingke asked, the longhaired general looking on with a reassuring smile as his empress paused with a sigh "We can always…"
"No!" Tianzi countered, looking up at her closest protector with a reassuring smile, a little nervous at having piqued his protective instincts "I've alread gotten the-!"
"You're the empress." Xianglin reminded the girl, smiling at the girl reassuringly from across the small table "We know you can."
Tianzi blushed slightly, taking in the looks of confidence and pride being directed her way from her various attendents, all close members and supporters of Xingke's attempted coup that had survived the battles with the Black Knights, and more recently, the Eunuch's betrayal.
True to their words, the Black Knights had helped to reign in the chaos tearing through the Federation, helping to reunite the people, an act that was aided tremendously by Tianzi's presence, often bringing entire Resistance groups to their knees whithout firing a single shot.
The sheer fact that her people took such pride, such faith in her, she who had been little more than a puppet to the whims of the Eunuchs, that they would rally beneath a united banner, was staggering to the young empress.
'Kaguya-san was right…' she realized, a gentle smile forming on her face at the memory of her closest friend, who had brought this ray of hope to her people, in the shape of her armoured husband-to-be 'Zero-san does create Miracles…'
'And he's got a pretty nice chest too…' a certain part of her mind noted, causing the child empress' face to light up like a tomato, a startled Xingke looking on as she buried her face in the speech, her stammered words nigh incomprehensible.
With Black Knights...
"KANPAI!" Tamaki cheered, the mercurial redhead toasting the air with a bottle of champagne, one arm thrown over Shougo's shoulder "Good thing we followed ol' Zero, right buddy?"
"Sure is…" Shougo stammered, the bespectacled sword grimacing slightly in response to Tamaki's slurred question, as the redhead was sitting a little too close to him for comfort, and had apparently injested far more alcohol than was advisable, judging by his slurred speech and jerky motor skills "By the way," he asked, looking towards Asahina to change the subject "Where's C.C?"
"From what I heard she was with Zero." The bespectacled Commander murmured, looking a little unsettled, judging by the redenning of his ears "Kaguya-sama said they're not to be disturbed."
"Atta boy Zero!" Tamaki crowed, the redhead toasting the air with his champagne bottle, unconciously putting an unfortunater Shougo in a headlock "Three cheers for the happy couple, and all their little Tekkamen babies!"
"Tamaki-san…" Hinata stammered, the Ikaruga's navigator sweatdropping as she tried to pry the bottle off the redhead, while Urabe tried to rescue Shogo from being suffocated, while off to the side, a smiling Chiba added the finishing touches to her less-than pleased commander's appearance.
"A soldier wearing make-up is disgraceful…" Toudo muttered, the Co-Commander of the Black Knights somehow managing to scowl with his eyes closed, earning a bemused smile from Chiba, who had to admit she was enjoying this a little TOO much to be professional.
"I have to make you look good." The female sword countered, though personally, there wasn't much she felt could be done to improve her commander's appearance. As if sensing her thoughts, Todoh opened his eyes, Chiba freezing in the act dusting his cheek as their eyes met, the female sword swallowing as she slowly stood up, a determined, nervous expression on her face.
"Um…Sir?" she queried, swallowing nervously as Todoh turned his head to look up at her with his usual inquisitive, hawk-like stare "After this…current situation is over…" she swallowed again as Todoh blinked "I'd…like to propose a request to Todoh Kyoshiro that…"
Whatever the female sword was about to say was cut-off as a haggard Ohgi, followed by a smiling Diethard enterred the room, to the greeting of several of Black Knights, Todoh quickl vacating his seat to greet his fellow Commander and the head of Information, leaving Chiba staring down at the ground in disapointment.
"Too slow…" she muttered, sighing to herself, vowing that the next time, she would'nt let her chance slip through her fingers, even as Diethard announced it was time to change the history books.
Ashford Academy...
"We are coming to live, right overHorai island," a Britannian News Caster announced, looking down on the iceberg-island through an automated camera drone, taking in the sight of numerous battle ships floating just off the coast of the man-made island "where the ratification ceremony for the United States Charter is about to begin!"
"To help viewers understand this development," Milly Ashford picked up, the blonde heir looking out at the viewers from next to a map of the world, having decided to become a news broadcaster upon graduating, much to the shock of most of Ashford Academy, not to mention her parents "the ceremony and ratification of this new charter will create a Federation of Nations that will rival our own Britannian Empire."
"As parts of the now dissipating Eu are joining as well," she continued, gesturing to the screen, where the relevant states were hghlighted in blue "it will have a great unified power."
"Man…" Rivalz muttered, the blue haired secretary sighing in exasperation as he listened to his beloved president, as truth be told no-one could replace Milly Ashford as Student Council President, and no-one WANTED to either, list of the number of member states from the former EU that had joined "I can understand not being able to contact Suzaku, Gino and Anya…they're Knights of the Round after all, but why the heck can't I get ahold of Rolo?"
Things had gone downhill, in Rivalz opinion, ever since Milly had graduated. Bad enough the love of his life no longer brightened the hallways of Ashford Academy, save for the times she appeared on the news in the clubroom, but it seemed that with her departure, everything she had loved had begun to fall apart.
First, Shirley, sweet, loveable, clumsy Shirley, had been murdered, apparently in a terrorist shoot-out. Rivalz could still remember the howls of Mrs. Fenette, who would have collapsed on her knees in the rain had it not been for Nick Carter, who'd supported the grieving woman, letting her cry into his chest as he stared down at the girl's grave, Shirley having been buried next to her father Joseph.
Suzaku, Gino and Anya had been there as well, the normally boisterous Knight of Three unusually solemn, while Anya actually refrained from snapping a picture of the proceedings, at least until Mrs. Fennette had been escorted home by a concerned relative.
Suzaku, naturally, seemed to be taking this the hardest, the former Eleven always seemed to take everything personally, though for the life of him, Rivalz couldn't understand why the Knight of Seven had kept glaring at Nick, his emerald eyes burning with accusation.
And to top it all off, Rolo had apparently disappeared from campus without a word. Not that this was uncommon, the boy's health problems meant he was frequently ditching classes after all, but when Rivalz began looking over the attendance records, a task previously attributed to Shirley, he moticed that Rolo hadn't been showing up at ALL, and was certainly not staying in his dorm room.
All of this combined led to a very depressed Rivalz, who couldn't help but feel his rosy high-school life was crashing down around him.
'I never noticed how big this room was before…' he noted, eyeing the walls of the unnaturally silent student council room morosely as Milly hypothesized that the new Federation would be an enemy of the Empire 'was it always so…quiet in here?'
Area Eleven...
"They're forming a Union of Nations…" Kanon Maldini noted, Schniezel's aide de camp standing at his lord's side as the Prime Minister watched the proceedings unfold over the news, the Knights of the Round standing before him, dressed in their ceremonial cloaks "Just as you said."
"But the Militaries of each country will NEVEr be able to work together." Bismarck opined, the Knight of One eyeing the prceedings with a neutral expression.
"They'll just be an unruly mob." Lohmeyer agreed, the bespectacled governess standing on Nunnaly's left, the blind Viceroy of Area Eleven twitching slightly at the woman's mockery of her brother's efforts at uniting people, a motion that wasn't missed by a grim faced Schniezel.
"Not so…" the blonde Prime Minister of the empire countered, his features calm as he eyed the screen before him expectantly as Kaguya Sumeragi stepped forwards "There IS an option…"
"Finally," the Kyoto Princess declared, Suzaku's features flinching slightly as he watched his cousin's features on the screen "Article Seventeen of the United States Charter: All Ratifying Nations do now declare to abandon native military power forever."
Nunnaly jumped, a look of shock forming on her face, even as Schniezel smiled, the Prime Minister already understanding where this was leading, even as the Knights of the Round and Lohmeyer questioned the Federation's Sanity.
"To guarantee security," Kaguya continued, standing alongside Tianzi, the Chinese Empress, as they faced the cameras together "member nations have agreed to employ a fighting force not affiliated with any ONE country…" she gestured to the bay, where the several battleships hovered, "they have contracted: The Black Knights."
Lohmeyer grimaced, her lips pursing even as Schniezel's smile grew, the Prime Minister taking in the sight of the Ikaruga, the Black Knight's Flagship, or more accurately, the armoured figure standing on the prow, lancer in hand, before a fleet of Gekkas.
"We herby…" Zero intoned, his armoured head rising, one purple eyes flashing dangerously at the viewers through the screen "accept. In return, we will become the Shield to defend every member Nation…and their Sword, to destroy every external foe!"
"As I said…" Schniezel chuckled, looking highly amused by this turn of events, eyeing an equally amused Kanon off to the side, while Nunnaly placed her hand over her heart, torn between concern for her brother, and pride that he was protecting countless people from further suffering.
summit...
"Disturbances in this world are caused by the military powers of desperate nations." Tianzi declared, the formerly sheltered empress' voice gentle, a sign of her youth, but filled with a grim certainty that suited her position as leader of a nation "The UFN will only use Military Force in accordance with a full resolution by the Supreme Council."
"And with that," Kaguya continued, smiling as her friend finished her speech, closing the UNF charter as she spoke "I will put forth the first motion: Japan is being held by an unjust foreign power, and the USJ has asked for our help to free them from this occupation." She turned to face the assembled Council members "I request that the Black Knights be dispatched at once. All those in favour, please stand up."
Almost instantly, every single member of the Council took to their feet, earning a grateful smile from the Kyoto princess at their desire to aid her homeland.
"And so with overwhelming majority," Kaguya declared, turning to face the cameras once more, her features lined with determination, even as her heart soared "Under UFN Resolution No.1, the Black Knights will go forth to liberate Japan!"
"So be it." Zero agreed, the Tekkaman twirling his lancer before pointing his tip at the sky, even as a unanimous roar of approval sounded out throughout the island nation's local residents "Our first operational objective shall be: JAPAN!"
"OUR Japan." Todoh agreed, the former general, now Co-Commander of the Black Knights, turning his eyes from Zero's armoured form toawards the Eastern horizon, already visioning shores of his homeland, as if he could hear their cries of elation despite the vast leagues of ocean seperating them "And now we shall take it back!"
"We might rescue Kallen in the process too…" Rakshata noticed, earning a look of surprise from Ohgi, only to be replaced with a determined frown as the co-commander of the Black Knights nodded his head.
It had been a real blow to learn Zero had returned to them without Kallen after being in Area Eleven for so long. While he could understand the threat the Geass Order posed ranked higher, it didn't change the fact he'd left Naoto's little sister in the enemy's hands.
"HEAR ME ZERO!" a voice declared, the cheers dieing down almost immediately, the Tekkaman's head snapping up towards the monitor, the digital flag of the UFN fading, to be replaced with an all-too familiar bearded figure in a purple military uniform, his hair styled like a Judges wig.
"The Britannian Emperor?" Ohgi exclaimed, startled by the sudden appearance of their most hated enemy on Diethard's secure line, even as the former Paparazzi tried to cut the broadcast, to no avail, the Emperor having somehow managed to hack through every firewall the man had set in place.
Zero's POV...
"So…" Zero muttered, the Tekkaman's grip on his lancer's shaft tightening as he glared up at the man that haunted his every waking moment, whose voice and face darkened his dreams with their presence "We finally meet…Emperor Charles zi Britannia."
"Indeed…" Charles recountered, his tone powerful, lined with a confidence and authority that was awe inspiring to behold. It suddenly became all to clear why Britannia had become as powerfull as it had with such a man in control, his very being seemed to emanate power, so much so that several of the younger members of the Black Knights instinctively averted their gaze from the screen "I have long looked forward to the day I would face the man foolish enough to oppose the might of Britannia…the man who dared to stain his hands in Britannian blood." He snorted "But after seeing this farce, I must say I'm not impressed." He narrowed his eyes at the Tekkaman "Tell me Zero, did you honestly believe this foolishness would surprise me?"
Zero scowled, glaring up at the Emperor heatedly, only to frown as the map of the world reappeared, this time displaying the Britannian territories alongside those of the UFN.
"It matters not." Charles declared, his features supremely confident "This charter you've created is little more than a child's note. The EU, once a third of the world, is DEAD. You've only helped distinguish Britannia on a map from the rest of the pitiful dirt!"
Zero grimaced, glaring angrily at the map, alongside the equally grim Black Knights, as the Emperor's words were proved true, as even with the inclusion of the EU, Britannia still controlled most of the planet.
"The situation is very simple and clear," Charles intoned, adressing the entire world, though he never seemed to take his eyes off the Tekkaman "for in the end, whoever succeeds in this battle, shall gain control of the entire world!"
"Sounds like a challenge…" Zero intoned, the Tekkaman's tone mocking as he continued to glare up at the Emperor's features mockingly, his glowing eyes narrowing behind his visor as he glared at the face of his enemy "You seem pretty confident, sitting on your laurels, hiding behind your children. Why don't you get off your high horse and come say it to my face?"
"YOU are the one who has challenged ME, Zero." Charles shot back, his features showing about as much reaction to the Tekkaman's barb as a granite statue, possibly even less "In which case, I apologize for not responding sooner." He scowled "However, your assumptions on my cowardice are incorrect…for I am not IN Pendragon."
Zero blinked, the Tekkaman looking on as the Emperor got to his feet, the crowd visibly flinching as the man's already imposing figure becoming even more so, if that was even possible, as he stood to his full hight.
"As we speak, my personal transport is headed for Area Eleven." The Emperor revealed, the eyes of every nation widening as the camera zoomed out to reveal an image of his airship moving towards Japan.
'Nunnally!' Zero exclaimed, the lights of his eyes widening in alarm, only for his teeth to clench as he realized just what the Emperor was doing 'That bastard-!'
"You say your first operation will be the liberation of this twice defeated pile of dirt?" Charles repeated, his eyes boring into the Tekkaman's own through the screen, even as he thrust an arm out from under his cape, his palm held out, fingers clenching into a fist before his face "Very well, come at me, Zero!" he commanded his eyes filled with absolute authority "You want me? Here I am!"
Area Eleven...
"Ever the crowd pleaser, father…" Schniezel murmured, the blonde Prime Minister looking on in distaste at his sire's tactics, even as Nunnally flinched at the idea of her massive sire's coming, only restraining herself from a more open show of emotion in case the Knights of the Round and Lohmeyer picked up on it, though she did relax slightly as Schniezel placed his gloved hand atop her own, reassuring her with his presence.
"A brilliant ploy on his majesty's behalf." Luciano noted, the pshychotic Vampire of Britannia smirking as he watched the looks on the Black Knight's faces "Now no matter what happens, it will be a massacre!"
Schniezel frowned, wishing he could order the vampire to be silent, but with his father literally hovering over his head like the sword of Damocles, any authority he'd held over the Knights was moot.
"Brother…" Nunnally whispered, Schniezel turning his head to see what the blind viceroy wanted, only to find her features turned towards the screen, turning his head to see the camera had focused on Zero's features.
'How will you respond to this, Lelouch?' he wondered, a serious frown on his face as he awaited the Tekkaman's answer to their father's challenge.
Summit...
"You bastard…" Zero snarled, the Tekkaman's grip on his Tekk-Lancer tightening to the point the shaft began to creak, his eyes flashed a murderous purple as he glared up at the image of his enemy "You cowardly son of a bitch!"
"Any good strategist knows to take advantage of his enemies weaknesses." Charles countered, his tone imperious, though some noted their was a hint of something else as he matched gazes with the Tekkaman "Your move Zero." The emperor ordained "Will you win it all now? Or will you lose everything?" he raised his fist to his chest "Time to learn the gambles of war…" he punched the air commandingly "ALL HAIL BRITANNIA!"
As if in response to his cry, every Britannian Citizen and Millitary personnel punched their fist in the air, rallying behind their emperor, mimicking his declaration across the globe, their voices somehow reaching over the speakers, the Black Knights flinching in the face of such a united opposition.
"HRAGH!" Zero roared, rearing his arm back and hurling his lancer at the screen, the weapon ramming right between the image of the emperor's eyes, up to the hilt, cutting off the image and kick starting a chain reaction that crashed every one of the images through Diethard's uplink, cutting off the cries with a burst of static.
"Zero?" Todoh wondered, the general, who'd been about to start a rallying cry of their own, looking up at the Tekkaman in concern as the armoured warrior's frame trembled in anger, only to step back as Zero stood up straight, the Tekkaman turning to face him with a calm that was unsettling.
"Todoh…make the call." The Tekkaman requested, one purple eye lighting up within his helmet as he eyed the Co-Commander determinedly "It's time to go to war."
"You heard the man!" Todoh declared, turning to face the Black Knights with his sword in hand "It's time to take back what's ours! Long Live JAPAN!"
Kyugan: Say what you like about charming Charlie, man knows how to get the message across.
C.C He DOES have a commanding presence.
Kallen: Whatever, least I'm getting out of a cell FINALLY.
C.C: Why DIDN'T Lelouch get her out back then?
Lelouch: *Hung over* Can't think...braincell's poisoned...
C.C: Never mind...Looks like it's go time.
Kyugan: Not yet (Pulls up boombox and tape, hits play)
Boombox: Imperial March
Kyugan: Now it's time.
Kallen: You nerd.