Part 9: Found
Star flew above the main building of the facility as he pushed his right hand against the energy the flare warhead released. Strikes of lightning came out from his hand as it covered the pink light, "AHHHH," he yelled as the pink light began to shrink as the lighting quickly covered it. Then Serpico, Armin, Manami and Aoi watched from the ground as the pink light turned bright blue before completely vanishing.
"I think we only know one person whos capable of doing such things," said Serpico calmly.
"Yeah but how did he get here so fast," said Armin looking surprised before he turned around.
"Hey what is it?" Asked Aoi looking confused before they all turned around to see what Armin was staring at.
Manami smiled, "Looks like our back up has arrived," she said as they watched the Orion Omega slowly fly over the facility before hovering above it. Then out of the ships hangars came the ship Frame, with the knightmares Guren seiten, Lancelot Albion and the Shinkiro flying behind it.
"So they decided to use this facility for experiments and to hide it from everyone else," said Lelouch who was wearing the helmet that connected him to the his Knightmares systems, "Well its time we put a stop to it," he said as the cannons on his knightmare opened before firing down on the soldiers that were coming out of the buildings, causing explosions all over the ground.
Three more Knightmares drove out of the main building before they were quickly destroyed by the Gurens Seiten metal arm, setting off three explosions.
Star landed on top of the main building in front of Hermione and Hanji. His wife rushing over to him and wrapping her arms around him, "Great timing," she said as she felt his arms wrapped around her as he hold her close.
"I'm just glad your safe," he said before noticing the fallen communications tower, "Wait what happened up here?" He asked as she stopped hugging him.
"We had an uninvited guest attack the facility," she said, "Luckily the sword training you gave me really payed off," she said smiling as she put the sword in question back into its sheathe.
"It was Dark," said Hanji making Star look at her.
"Where is he," he said looking around for his enemy as a bright blue light shined on his back and when it stopped Excalibur in its holder appeared.
"Don't worry we dealt with him, one good blade to the stomach and an explosion should have done the trick," said Hanji smiling before they all heard some yell from somewhere below them.
"LELOUCH I BRITANNIA," Dark yelled getting everyone attention, "YOU KNOW THE ONLY WAY TO SAVE YOUR WORLD IS THROUGH THE ZERO REQUIEM," he yelled.
"Star did you hear that," said Levi through the ear piece on Stars right ear.
Star pressed one of his right fingers against the piece, "Ill take care of him you make sure reunite with the others," he said before looking at Hermione and Hanji, "Can you two get down on your own?" He asked them, the two of them nodded yes before he jumped off the building. He walked through the spaces between the buildings looking for Dark, only to find him crashed into one of the buildings.
The explosion destroyed his entire lower half and his arms, "So you showed up after all, should have known you would have found out what Schneizel did," said Dark.
"Its thanks to Kio and Eris actions that I got here in time, but looks like I'm not the only one able to take you down," said Star with both of his fists clenched as he thought about what would have happened if he didn't show up, an image of a pink light destroying Hermione flashing through his mind.
"Listen well Dark, coming after me is just fine but going after my friends, my comrades, my wife when I'm not around is not allowed," he said as his body began to shine brighter from his anger.
"Ha, just what are you going to do to stop me from doing that and just in case your wondering the answer to killing me for good isnt here," said Dark happily, "I cannot kill you Star, but I can make sure you suffer and ILL MAKE SURE YOU WISH YOUR POWER NEVER AWOKEN," he yelled this last words as Star quickly placed his left hand over his chest and his right hand in front of his forehead.
"SHUT UP", Star yelled as he began to move his right hand slowly.
Over with Armin, Serpico, Manami and Aoi. Frame landed in front of them with its ramp facing them. Everyone accept for the Franxx pilots, Nana and Hachi walked off it.
"Armin," said Annie rushing over to her boyfriend as the helmetson her suit came off and she noticed he was covered in dust, "What happened?" She asked as she looked him over for injury's . The others besides Guts and Casca who were in their armor, were wearing the suits they could get on frame.
"Dont worry about it Im fine I just got caught up in an explosion," said Armin smiling nervously.
"Yeah you should have seen him Annie, if it wasn't for his quick thinking we wouldn't have been able to take down that knightmare," said Manami smiling.
"Is that true," said Annie looking at him with a serious look on her face.
"Uh yes," said Armin before she grabbed the left side of his face, kissing him on the cheek and she then looked at him smiling.
"Thanks for surviving," she said.
"Just what happened out here anyway, I thought you were all suppose to be on a scouting mission?" Eren asked as Farnese walked over to Serpico.
"Dark showed up and we found out he was after Euphemia as well," said Serpico as the Guren Seiten, Lancelot Albion and Shinkiro landed nearby. Their pilots exiting their Knightmares before walking over to the group.
"Alright we better," Suzaku began to say before the ground under them shook as giant pillar of bright blue light shot into the sky. Thought none of them could see it the light shined went past the planets atmosphere and into space.
"What's going on," said Guts as Hanji landed near them and Hermione appeared next to her.
"Well I think to put it in safe terms is that our leader is angry," said Levi as the light stopped shining. A few moments later Star walked out onto the road with his hands in his pockets under the bright blue light covering his body.
"What was that about?" Guts asked nodding in the direction he had walked from.
"Dealing with a threat, come on we better get a move on," said Star turning towards the building when Lelouch spoke up.
"What was that man talking about, the zero requiem," said Lelouch taking off his helmet and staring at Star with a serious look on his face.
"Lelouch we need to focus on rescuing Euphie right now," said Suzaku standing in front of him.
"If that really was Dark it couldn't have been good," said Connie putting his hands behind his head.
"Wait you recognized his voice," said Sasha looking surprised.
"Well yeah, hard to forget about something like that," said Connie.
"Lets just say he was doing the opposite of what were doing," Armin answered looking serious.
"There will be time for explanations later, right now we have a mission to complete," said Star as the franxxs, including Argentea landed outside the fence of the facility.
"Well stop anyone else who try's to get in," said Zero Two from Strelezias face.
Star nodded at them before they started running toward the entrance to the main building. Meanwhile Cornelia was crouched behind cover as three soldiers with machine guns fired at her.
"Ahh," said one fo the guards and Cornelia looked down the hallway to see Excalibur stabbed into one of the soldiers chest. Star then appeared behind one of the two soldiers left and broke his neck.
"What the hell are you," said the last soldiers firing his gun at Star only for the bullets to fall to the ground. Star pulled his sword out from the dead soldiers chest and slice the last one in half from his waist. The mans body fell to the ground as Cornelia stared at the scene surprised until Lelouch spoke up from behind her.
"Cornelia," he said getting her attention. Cornelia looked back to see him with Suzaku, Kallen and most of the protecters.
"What are you all doing here, what happened in Tokyo?" She asked standing back up as Star put his now clean sword back into its holder.
"Lets just say your not the only team who ran into complications, Schneizel was able to get to a communications terminal and have the Damocles launched," said Star.
"Well that explains why we couldn't see where the warhead came from," said Hermione remembering what the Damocles is from learning about it from her husband.
"From the way you rushed over here I guess this Damocles aint good," said Hanji.
"Trust us Hanji, from what we know it's the next big threat in this world we have to worry about," said Levi as they walked further down the hall way.
"This is what they were guarding when I reached this place," said Cornelia pointing at two white doors in the wall and a small scanner next to it.
Lelouch inspected the scanner, "Damnit, it requires a retinal scan," he said looking annoyed before Star placed his hand over the scanner and a light went over his hand before a female voice came out of it.
"Identification recognized,". The two doors opened revealing an elevator.
"Wait how did you get past it?" Suzaku asked and Star simply showed the palm of his right hand where the image of an eye had appeared.
"Whoa," said Isidoro looking amazed before the image vanished.
"Its kind of creepy though, can you even see through that thing," said Puck flying over to Stars right hand only for the image to vanish as Star placed his hand down.
"Sorry to bring this up sir but theres not going to be enough space to fit us all," said Annie as Star looked in the elevator to see the space available.
"Alright two teams, one gets back on Frame and heads back to the orion omega while the rest of us go down and rescue Euphemia, Ill lead that team, Suzaku, Kallen, Lelouch, Cornelia, Guts, Casca, Eren, Mikasa, Levi, Hanji your with me," said Star before looking over at Hermione, "You still good to go on?" He asked only for her to smile.
"Good thing you asked otherwise I was going to ask you to bring me along," she said and under the bright blue light smiled Star smiled as his team entered the elevator. They nodded at the others before the doors closed and the Elevator started going down.
As the elevator moved further down Hanji aand Hermione explained to the others why Dark had shown up, "So he wanted to kill Euphie," said Suzaku looking shocked before looking over at Star, "But why?" He asked.
"From the way he spoke it sounded like he wanted to stop us from saving her," said Hanji, "Which means like Star and Hermione he obviously knows what happened to this world if we hadnt shown up," she said.
"From the story I knew Euphemia was never alive," said Star who was leaning against the back of the elevator.
"Hes just doing this to anger you," said Hermione placing her right hand on his left shoulder.
"Wonder how many times were going to have to kill him until he stops," said Levi looking annoyed.
"If only we knew how to get rid of him for good," said Casca crossing her arms.
"If I might ask, is Nunnally on board the orion omega?" Cornelia asked looking at Lelouch.
"No shes back in Tokyo, but I have Jeremiah and C2 looking after her," said Lelouch as the elevator came to a stop.
The doors opened revealing a long hallway with lights going all the way down to two metal doors at the end of it.
"I don't like this," said Eren as he rested a hand on the handles of his blades.
"Wish there was enough space to bring my knightmare down here," said Kallen looking annoyed as they walked down the hallway.
"Hey wait Star couldn't you have shrunk it like the times you did with the Franxx and she could have carried it with her," said Hanji calmly.
"You know your right I could of," said Star before sighing, "But I just didn't think of it at the time," he said.
"Well you were just after defeating your enemy and we are on a mission," said Lelouch smiling, "There are times when you forget about other things," he said smiling at Kallen who looked confused.
"Hey what are you thinking about?" She asked only for him to laugh as they reached the metal doors. The doors opened revealing a large cubed shaped room and the same kind of doors they walked through were at the other side of the room.
"Guess we go through there," said Cornelia as they started walking through the doorway and the doors quickly closed shut behind them after they all walked through.
"Looks like you were assumptions were right Eren," said Levi taking out his blades when something lit up behind them. They turned around to see there was big screen on the wall above the doors and on it was image of a smiling Schneizel.
"Don't tell me he got free again," said Mikasa.
"No, it's probably a recording he made for this part of the facility a long time ago," said Lelouch as the Schneizel on screen spoke up.
"If you are watching this it means you've discovered my secret and found out that Princess Euphemia is still alive and I'm sorry but I cant allow her to leave," said Schneizel with a sad smile on his face, "The world will not forgive for what she's done," he said as different images appeared on the screen. The massacre Lelouch had originally caused, one image showed a geass controlled Euphie carrying a machine gun and gunning down innocent civilians.
"Damn you," said Kallen angrily as she pulled out her pistol and shot a few holes into the screen. The image shook a little but you could still see Schneizels face.
"While you may not escape, perhaps you cant test these new soldiers out for me," he said as two large hatches opened at each side of the doors revealing Knightmares wielding swords.
"Damnit," said Suzaku.
"Hopefully like Euphie your deaths will help better," he began to say before Excalibur stabbed into the screen, making it completely shatter like glass.
"I don't know about the rest of you but ive had enough of that asshole for one day," said Star as his sword flew back into his right hand.
"You and me both sir," said Levi readying his blade before his and Mikasas odm gear glowed bright blue. When they stopped shining it looked like nothing had changed, but the one noticeable difference were the buttons on the handles.
"What are these?" Mikasa asked holding up her right handle.
"Your odm gear now works like mine, Guts you and I will take the ones on the right, the rest are up to you Levi, Mikasa," said Star holding Excalibur up.
"Right," they said looking determined. Guts wolf helmet covered his face as he and Star jumped towards the right. Guts blocked the Knightmares sword with dragon slayer and pushed it back making it almost fall over. Guts took the opportunity to cut through its midsection.
"Is that all," he said before noticing the the Knightmare swung its sword down. Guts dodged it just in time and cut off its sword arm. Guts then stabbed it in the middle and it stopped moving after it tired to crawl with just its right arm.
"Somethings not right with those Knightmares," said Suzaku looking confused.
"You've noticed it as well then, their chest are too small for someone to pilot them," said Cornelia as they watched Star jump into the air above the knightmare he was facing.
He moved the switch on the sword to under R and pressed down on the lighting strike button making the blade go wide and bright blue. The knightmare held up its sword to block him, but the sword easily broke through the blade and sliced the knightmare in the half through its middle. The machine then vanished as Star placed his sword back into its holder.
Levi cut the arms and legs off the knightmare he was facing before jumping to the ceiling and throwing both of his blades into the knightmare below him. He then pressed down on the buttons on the handles making it explode.
Mikasa kept flying around the knightmare she was facing as she dodged its attacks, "Ahh," she screamed swinging her blades right onto the Knightmares sword making it break. The knightmare tired to grab her with its left hand but she dodged and threw one of her blades into the Knightmares upper half. She landed on the wall behind the knightmare and detonated the blade making it explode.
"Alright you got it," said Eren running over to her as the knightmare fell onto its back and he noticed Mikasa looked shocked at something, "Hey whats wrong?" He asked only to looked shocked himself when he noticed what was in the upper half of the knightmare she was staring at.
Star and the others walk over to them, "What the hell," said Hanji lifting up her goggles. Instead of a cockpit like the other knightmares, this one was filled with different kind of machinery and in the middle was brain sticking out of a broken jar with wires going out from under it.
"They were being piloted," said Suzaku.
"Lets just do what we came here to do," said Levi turning towards the other doors only for Star to beat him to it. The leader of the protecters brought his right fist back and punched the middle of the doors with enough force to send them flying down the hallway. When they reached the end they found a small room at the end of it. There was glass wall separating them from the person inside.
"Euphie," said Suzaku looking shocked. Her hair had grown and she was dressed in a white hospital gown. She was looking at the wall at the other side of the room before looking towards them and sure enough her eyes had red circles around them.
"Suzaku, let me out I need to kill the Japanese," she said banging her fist against the glass wall.
"Star," said Cornelia.
Star walked to the door of the cell to see a key pad next to it, he punched it off the door before kicking it open.
"Who are you," she said looking confused before a bright blue sphere shot out of Stars body before going through her. The red circles in her eyes vanished and she then stared at her hands.
"What, have I done," she said before screaming as she cried.
"Euphie," said Suzaku rushing into the room with Cornelia, Lelouch and Kallen following him in.
"Stay away," said Euphemia crawling into the wall and hugging her legs, "I don't want to kill you too," she said while they looked at her shocked.
"I don't understand, last time I talked to her she didn't know about the massacre," said Suzaku.
"Please Euphie calm down," said Cornelia who had tears in her eyes from seeing her sister in such a state.
"I saw what I did but I couldn't believe it, how could I do it," she said holding her hands over her eyes. Lelouch shut his eyes as the memories of that day flashed through his mind.
"This is all my fault," he thought putting his head into his right hand.
"I think that's how she found out," said Hermione pointing to the tv above Euphemia.
"He wanted to make sure she didn't want to leave," said Hanji with a sad look on her face before they heard Lelouch fall to the ground on his knees, this getting Euphemias attention.
"Its not your fault Euphie," he said as tears appeared in his eyes, "If I had just listened to you none of this wouldn't have happened in the first place," he said before holding a hand over his left eye.
"Its this fault," he thought as Kallen crouched next to him and held a hand on his shoulder.
"I know geass helped us with winning, but when it comes to things like this it's nothing but a curse," she thought.
"You tried to stop me didn't you," said Euphemia getting their attention.
"Yes I'm so sorry Euphie," said Lelouch before he looked to see she was smiling even with tears coming out of her eyes.
"I know you didn't mean it," she said before looking over at Suzaku, "I'm so sorry Suzaku, can you ever forgive me," she said crying before she felt herself wrapped in his arms.
"I thought I lost you, I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner," he said as she felt her arms wrap around him and two of them were now crying tears of joy for being reunited.
The others just smiled when Star heard a voice speak into his ear piece, "Star we got a problem up here," said Ichigo.
"Whats the situation?" He asked making everyone look at him.
"Theres like a whole army of those Knightmare things on their way here," said Goro.
"Can you tell how far away they are?" Star asked.
"About a few minutes," said Goro.
"Alright regroup with the others and prepare to teleport," said Star, "Hachi you there,".
"Yes, Frame is on board the Orion omega as requested, all accept the Franxx pilots are on board also," said Hachi.
"Understood, sorry Euphemia but explanations are going to have wait till later," said Star.
"Wait what do you," said Lelouch but before he could finish his sentence all of them vanished in a bright blue flash, on the surface the Fanxxs, the Gurent Seiten, Lancelot Albion and Shinkiro did the same and in the distance the ship Strike did as well. Stars team appeared in the crews quarters of the Orion Omega surprising the people there.
"Your back," said Nana walking over to them.
"What happened," said Kio.
"Mission successful," said Levi before noticing Star running towards the direction of the bridge. Star ran up the steps in front of the doors to the bridge as the bright blue light stopped covering his body. When he entered the bridge he got onto the pilots chair and placed his hands on the table.
The ships controls lit up as it began to fly upward. Star then pressed a button on the controls and the ship entered light drive. A moment after that Hermione, Guts, Casca, Levi, Hanji along with Lelouch, Kallen, Suzaku, Euphemia and Cornelia walked in. Suzaku having an arm around Euphemias waist.
"Whats going on," said Lelouch before the ship came out of light drive and he stared at the sight in front of him.
"Wow," said Kallen looking surprised.
"Are we in space?" Euphemia asked.
"Looks like it," said Suzaku.
"Why did we leave, we could have found evidence to make sure Schneizel pays for what he's done," said Cornelia looking annoyed while Star just stared outside the screen.
"Trust me either way hes going to pay," said Star calmly as he pressed another button on the controls and displayed the image of a massive flying station on the screen.
"Is that what I think it is?" Kallen asked looking surprised already having an idea of what they were all looking at.
"The Damocles, before we take down the Britannia empire we're going to have to take care of that first," said Star calmly as Hermione stood next to him.
"I have to know, the zero requiem can it help save this world?" Asked Lelouch making everyone stare at him accept for Star who continued looking out the screen, but he had a serious look on his face.
"Lelouch after what we heard what that thing is like, do you still want to hear what that plan is," said Suzaku referring to Dark.
"Yeah its probably just a trick, Darks only good for one thing and that's messing with us," said Hanji.
"Ill tell him what it is and it can help save this world, but it comes at a great cost," said Star making everyone look at him as he got out of the pilots chair, "But let me make one thing clear Lelouch, even after I tell you what it is, theres absolutely no chance I'm letting it happen," he said making everyone accept Hermione, look surprised.
"Just what kind of plan is it," thought Levi wondering what would stop Star from using a plan that could save a world.