Hi everyone, thanks again for waiting. I recently got back from a brief vacation with my family and now I'm back with another addition to this surprisingly popular story, thanks so much for all your support. Now, last time, we left off with Rai revealing that he has a Geass very similar to Lelouch's, Mao has made his appearance, Shirley knows about Lelouch's secrets and has even met the Autobots; we've also had a brief encounter with Airachnid, which has begun to shake Suzaku slightly. So, what will happen now? Let's find out.
Cheering Mao
After Shirley was introduced to the Autobots; The schoolgirl was briefly told about the conflict between the Autobots and the Decepticons, she also met Kallen at the Ark and also learned of her being in the Black Knights, Lelouch and Rai were the ones to explain the situation regarding the Autobots, Decepticons, and Cybertron; but they didn't go into any specific details, just that the Decepticons helped bring Britannia to where they are now and have the potential to destroy the entire world; which is why Lelouch and the Black Knights were working with the Autobots. Shirley promised that she wouldn't say anything to anyone, so Lelouch, Rai, and Bumblebee helped Shirley home before the two returned to the Ark where the other Autobots, Kallen, and C.C. we're all waiting to discuss the current problem they were all facing.
"Someone else has Geass?!" Ratchet exclaimed.
"[Yeah, some guy named Mao, but his ability is very different from Lelouch's]" Bumblebee said.
"Mao said he had the ability to read minds; which is how he was able to learn about my identity." Lelouch added.
Most of the Autobots, particularly Ironhide, Arcee, and Ratchet, and even Lelouch and Kallen, glanced at the only person who could give them an explanation.
"Alright, start talking." Ironhide told the immortal. "Where'd this guy come from?"
"He's from the Chinese Federation, though he's not aligned with any military branches or organizations." C.C. explained. "He's not exactly social."
"And you didn't tell us this before, why?" Arcee questioned.
"I honestly thought he was dead; I hadn't seen Mao in years." C.C. answered.
"I don't get it." Bulkhead said. "Lelouch's Geass lets him control people, so why is this Mao-guy a mind reader?"
"The way Geass manifests is different for each person." C.C. explained. "If Mao concentrates, he can hear thoughts up to five hundred meters away, and he can read clear-down into your subconscious if he wants to. For someone like Lelouch who fights with his head, he's his worst possible enemy."
"You said Geass manifests differently. Does that mean you've given it to others before? Not just Lelouch and this Mao-guy?" Kallen questioned.
"Yes." C.C. confirmed.
"How many?" Lelouch questioned.
"I don't know. I've made so many contractors in the past that I've lost count." C.C. responded. "But so far as I know, you and Mao are the only ones currently alive."
"Well, we kinda guessed that might have been the case." Cliffjumper said. "Given you're a whole lot older than you look."
"So, what kind of Geass would I get if I made a contract with you?" Kallen asked.
"I don't know. I have no control over that, it depends on the inner most desires of the person I form a contract with." C.C. explained.
"C.C. was there a specific reason you choose to form a contract with Mao?" Optimus asked.
"I felt he could meet my criteria, but he couldn't, so I left." C.C. answered.
"And you just left him out to dry?" Wheeljack questioned. "That's kinda harsh don't ya think?"
"This coming from an Autobot who's typically a lone-wolf." C.C. commented.
"Least I don't abandon my friends!" Wheeljack pointed out.
"Okay, okay, how about instead of arguing, we focus on the problem we're facing right now." Cliffjumper got everyone back on track.
"Is it possible for Mao to retain the information from the mind he has read?" Optimus asked C.C.
"Yes." The immortal confirmed.
"Meaning, he likely knows everything I do." Lelouch assumed with a grave expression. "He knows who I am, both as a former prince, and as Zero, and everything about you and the Decepticons, even the Ark's location."
"It's not like he can get to us though considering how deep we are underwater right now." Rai put in.
"That is correct." Fixit added. "Given the water pressure at this depth, no human could survive the attempt to swim down here."
"I highly doubt he's gonna come here all alone, though." Ironhide guessed.
"You think he could go to Britannia? Tell Cornelia where we are?" Arcee asked the veteran.
"Well, it's certainly something I would do." Cliffjumper seemed to agree.
"What makes you think the mind-boy's gonna stop with just Britannia?" Wheeljack questioned. "Why not go even higher?"
"You mean Megatron?" Bulkhead asked.
Ratchet gave something of a scoff. "How would Mao even know where to find the Decepticons? Lelouch doesn't know their whereabouts. And even if he did, I highly doubt Megatron would entertain such an idea."
"Why not?" Kallen questioned. "The human-Bot-alliance works for us, plus he's already got Suzaku on his strings."
"Mao is after me." C.C. said. "He's not seeking to destroy the Black Knights or the Autobots."
"I could have guessed that." Lelouch said. "He could have gone to Cornelia or Megatron before and told them my identity as well as the Ark's location. But instead he went after Shirley."
"Why Shirley though?" Cliffjumper asked. "I mean it's not like she had anything to do with us."
"[Well, she was in Port Yokosuka.]" Bumblebee put in.
"But she's not connected to us. At least she wasn't before, until Lelouch brought her onto the Ark." Ratchet said in a tone indicating he didn't really approve of it.
"Or perhaps Shirley was targeted because of close she was to Lelouch, not to Zero, but to Lelouch." Optimus assumed.
"What are you saying, Optimus?" Lelouch asked.
"This is merely speculation." Optimus began. "But I believe, that Mao may have been watching you for some time, enough so that he could read into your mind and discover your weaknesses. C.C. told us that she is Mao's target, and he likely saw you as his primary obstacle, because you are currently contracted with her. Given the circumstances surrounding you and Shirley at the time, he likely saw her as a target to draw you in and isolate you away from us."
"He did try to get Lelouch on a rail-car away from me, Bee, and C.C." Rai put in, seeming to agree with Lelouch.
"So, he tried to kill Shirley right in front of Lelouch then?" Kallen questioned. "Why her?"
"Because he was trying to make me hurt." Lelouch said. "He said… some things that I never really wanted to hear."
Most of the Autobots had disturbed or disgusted looks on their faces. "Well, looks like he'd fit right in with the Cons." Wheeljack voiced in contempt.
"Yeah, he seems every bit as sadistic as they are." Arcee agreed.
"So, we got a mind-reading psychopath out there that knows most of our secrets." Cliffjumper said. "Yeah… this could be really bad."
"Are there limits to his powers?" Ratchet questioned C.C. "Like how Lelouch's Geass has limits?"
"Mao's Geass is very potent." C.C. explained. "He can use it as many times as he wants, and he doesn't need direct eye-contact."
"What about weaknesses?" Ironhide questioned.
"If you press me, I guess it's that he can't turn his power off." C.C. revealed.
"Saywhat?" Rai questioned.
"So, he can't stop reading minds even if he wanted to?" Bulkhead questioned.
"No, in a crowd, he hears all the minds rolling and writhing around him, whether he wants to or not." C.C. confirmed.
"So, if he walked into a library, even if everyone's quiet, it's like he's what, listening to five hundred conversations at once?" Kallen asked.
"Yes." C.C. confirmed.
"Yesshh." Cliffjumper winced. "I know I like to talk a lot, but I'm not sure even I could handle listening to people talk non-stop twenty-four-seven."
"Coming from you, that says a lot." Arcee added.
"And there's another weakness." Lelouch said. "Much like with my Geass, he can't read Cybertronian minds. Bumblebee showed up and Mao looked beyond shocked."
"[Yeah, with that whole five-hundred-meter thing, he would have heard me coming a mile away. But he didn't.]" The yellow scout confirmed.
"Okay, so that gives us something of an advantage." Ironhide said.
"Guess we can get the jump on the mind-reader and he'd never see us coming." Wheeljack grinned.
"Japan is a rather large country." Ratchet said. "The odds of us finding one human out of such a vast population will prove incredibly difficult."
"Even if we use Kyoto and the other Black Knights, Mao can probably read their minds to and he'd see them coming." Arcee put in.
"Regardless, we must find Mao as soon as possible." Optimus said. "He has sensitive information, and it is clear that he will stoop to any means necessary to acquire what he wants. He may not be sided with Britannia or Megatron at the moment, but that could still change."
All the other Autobots, as well as Lelouch, Rai, and Kallen knew Optimus was right. They had to find Mao as quickly as possible. However, there was still one thing Lelouch had to say before they got started.
"C.C., you said Mao and I are your only remaining contractors alive." Lelouch said to the immortal. "Does that mean Rai got his Geass from someone else?"
That earned a gasp from Kallen as well as a shocked expression from all the Autobots present, even Optimus was more than a little surprise.
"Rai, you have a Geass?!" Bulkhead questioned to his partner, who only looked a bit confused.
"Eh… yeah. Apparently." Rai wasn't sure. "I had no idea… I swear!"
"It's okay, we believe you." Wheeljack told him sincerely. "Probably got before your amnesia."
"Lelouch, are you certain Rai possess a Geass?" Optimus asked.
"I saw it myself. Rai had ordered Mao to release Shirley right before he could pull the trigger, and he did just that." Lelouch explained.
"But I thought C.C. said that you and Mao are her only remaining contractors." Fixit stated.
"I did not give Rai his Geass." C.C. said.
"So, if you didn't, who did?" Cliffjumper asked.
"This would also imply that there are other people out there who have the ability to grant a Geass." Ratchet assumed as he and Ironhide glanced at C.C. once more.
"Again, something you apparently left out." Ironhide casted a distrustful tone towards the immortal.
"How many of you are there?" Kallen questioned in the same sort of tone as well.
"Aside from myself, there is only one other. He goes by the name V.V., and he has the appearance of young boy." C.C. explained. "As I didn't give Rai his Geass, I would assume it came from V.V."
"C.C. and V.V.? Do you all go by that?" Cliffjumper asked. "What? Is there an A.A, B.B., or R.R., D.D.?"
"Really? You're making jokes now?" Arcee questioned her partner.
"A young boy…" Rai muttered as he felt his head slightly. "Does he have… long blonde hair… and dark pink eyes…"
C.C. cast a look of surprise in Rai's direction. "That sounds like him…"
"I… I think I remember." Rai said, getting everyone's attention.
"You remember something, partner?" Bulkhead asked.
"You got your memories back?" Kallen asked as well.
"Well… no, not exactly." Rai tried to describe it. "Just… images. I do remember a boy with blonde hair so long, it stretched past his legs. And… someone else… a woman and a girl… both were dead. But… that's it."
As the Autobots shared concerned expressions, Lelouch had something else to say. "There's one more thing to note." He activated his own Geass, knowing it wouldn't affect anyone present. "As you can see, my Geass only forms in my left eye. But when I saw Mao, there as a Geass in both his eyes, same goes for Rai." This got everyone's attention as Lelouch looked at C.C. "Is there a specific reason for that? C.C., could I end up like Mao? Unable to turn off my own Geass?!" He questioned more accusingly to her.
"Lelouch…" Optimus tried to speak.
"It is a possibility." C.C. revealed, much to the surprise of the Autobots, as well as Kallen and Rai. "The more you use your Geass, the more powerful it becomes."
"Yet another detail you choose to omit." Ratchet added accusingly. "Any other secrets you care to reveal?"
"Are you saying you know something like this can happen, and you still offer these kinds of contracts to Lelouch?! And to Mao?!" Kallen also seemed a bit angry. "You don't even warn them?!"
"It's possible, but it's also just as possible to control the power." C.C. said. "Mao ended up the way he did because he couldn't, and it ultimately consumed him."
"All the good it's gonna do if you don't actually tell them that!" Ironhide stated. "Whenever you involve yourself with someone, you always tell them the risks! Otherwise it's all gonna fall apart on you! It's no wonder this Mao-guy lost his mind!"
"Ironhide's right, you should have at least settled things with Mao, like take his power back, or try to help him instead of just leaving things half-finished!" Arcee exclaimed.
"And now he's out there with information that can put all our lives at risk!" Lelouch began to yell as C.C.'s expression remained unchanged.
"[Okay! Yeah, I can see where C.C. screwed up, but is yelling at her really gonna solve anything!]" Bumblebee quickly said.
"Why are you even defending her Bumblebee?" Ratchet asked.
"[Because she's been through plenty of crazy stuff in her life! You've seen it to, right Lelouch?!]" Bumblebee reminded the exiled prince who said nothing in response.
"Wait… what do you mean you saw it?" Kallen asked.
Lelouch sighed. "Back in Narita, when Suzaku had corned Bumblebee and myself, C.C. came. Apparently, she fed Suzaku some kind of shock-image, we tried to stop her, but when we touched, I guess we saw her memories, or part of it."
"You know, now that I think about it, if Bee here saw C.C.'s memories, does that mean Geass-powers can affect Cybertronians?" Wheeljack questioned.
"Hey, that's right." Bulkhead put in. "When we first looked at Lelouch's, we saw his Geass was puny compared to the Cybertronian spark, which is why it didn't affect us. But if it gets stronger…"
"Then there remains a possibility that Geass can affect us." Optimus finished.
"Yeah, maybe we should focus more on that instead of accusing each other." Cliffjumper seemed to agree.
"We're not accusing each other. We're accusing her for leaving out important details." Arcee put in.
"Cliffjumper is indeed correct." Optimus said. "Arguing amongst ourselves is not going to change the situation. Before we deal with Mao, we should see how much stronger Lelouch's Geass has become, as well as the potency of Rai's own Geass."
"Yeah, that's something I'd like to know, to." Rai raised his hand.
Lelouch was understandably angry at C.C., and it wasn't just him; Kallen, Ratchet, Arcee, and Ironhide had quickly began to distrust C.C.; but they knew their allies had a point. They should focus more on what they can do right now, instead of arguing over what hadn't been done in the past.
Lelouch, once again, activated his own Geass, which manifested in his left eye. Rai had to take a deep breath and concentrate before he activated his own Geass, which manifested in both of his own eyes. They stood together as Ratchet scanned them both with his arm-scanner. Once they had the data necessary, Fixit began to press some commands on his own handheld device as a screen popped up on the Ark's window, with a pulsating blue line above a pulsating red line.
"Now then, this is our initial scan of Lelouch's Geass before we officially formed the Black Knights." Fixit began. "As you can all see, his power is rather miniscule compared to the energy output of the average spark. Now, this is our newer scan." Fixit had put up a second screen, and the red pulse was a bit bigger than before. "According to our scan, Lelouch's Geass has indeed gotten more powerful, but not by much. It appears to be only a seven-point-nine-eight percent increase, still not powerful enough to affect Cybertronians."
"I see." Lelouch said, that didn't exactly help though as they had no data to compare to a Geass like Mao's that ultimately consumed his mind.
"And this, is the reading of Rai's Geass." Fixit said as he brought up a third screen with a pulsating red line, only this one seemed more active, as it would constantly shift from being high and potent, to low and docile, almost randomly. "Oh, this is unexpected."
Rai didn't like the sound of that. "Good unexpected or bad unexpected."
"With our kind of luck, unexpected typically means bad." Wheeljack commented.
"Hmm. From what we can tell, it would seem that Rai's Geass is more… erratic." Ratchet tried to explain. "When active, it would seem to bounce in-between states of power or docility. I can't say for certain whether this can affect Cybertronians, but this isn't something to be taken lightly."
"Could it maybe have something to do with his amnesia?" Kallen wondered. "I mean, from what we've seen, all Geass-stuff comes from the mind, right? Just like amnesia."
"So maybe Rai's amnesia screwed up his powers?" Bulkhead guessed.
"Well, that doesn't help much." Rai seemed more than a bit nervous, not liking the idea of having a power that he could not control. "But… I think I can still turn it on and off just fine."
"This will require further testing." Optimus said. "But Rai, I would strongly encourage you not to use your Geass unless absolutely necessary, at least until we can determine its strengths and weaknesses."
"No argument here." Rai said.
"Okay, that's one problem solved." Cliffjumper said for the sake of positivity.
"What about our other one?" Arcee questioned.
Lelouch already seemed to have an idea. "We need to find Mao, everything else has to take a back-seat until he's been dealt with. Bumblebee, I want you to stay with me at Ashford in case he tries to go after Nunnally or anyone else there. Rai, I want you there with me to."
"[Got it]" Bumblebee nodded.
"Sure thing." Rai nodded as well.
"Everyone else, search the entire country if you have to." Lelouch told Kallen and the other Bots. "Get the Black Knights and Kyoto on this, but don't tell them about his Geass powers. The second you find him; I need to know."
"There really is no need for all of that." C.C. pointed out.
"Oh, and why is that?" Arcee questioned as she, Ratchet, Kallen, and Ironhide glared at the immortal once more.
"I already told all of you, I'm Mao's target. Just use me as bait." C.C. said.
"Do you have any idea where to find him though?" Ironhide questioned.
"What do you want us to do? Hang a giant neon-sign up that says 'free-immortal women right here' or what?" Kallen questioned incredulously.
C.C. rolled her eyes before walking toward the exit of the bridge. "And where are you going?" Ratchet questioned.
"To find Mao." She said bluntly.
"Do you even have a plan?" Wheeljack questioned.
"You all have your way of handling things, I have mine." C.C. said as she had left the bridge, leaving the Autobots and human teenagers present either confused or frustrated.
"I do not get her. Like, at all." Bulkhead said.
Optimus was the first to get everyone back on track. "We all know what we must do. Mao has become a dangerous threat; even if he is specifically targeting C.C., I fear that he will go to extreme lengths to get what he wants. We cannot let that happen."
The Next Morning
Mao's head was pounding. He wondered throughout the settlement, hearing thousands upon thousands of different thoughts throughout his head, it was like listening to hundreds of endless conversations all at once. This is why he hated cities, too much noise. There was only one solace for him in a place like this; he turned up the volume of the head-set he was wearing, which began to play C.C.'s recorded voice in his ears on loop.
"Do you understand, Mao? Don't worry Mao, I'm not going to die. Mao? Mao! Are you awake, Mao? Oh Mao, how silly."
An obsessed smile formed on Mao's face. "C.C., I can't live without you. Wait for me, I'll find you soon." Mao knew however that as long as Lelouch and the Autobots were around her, he'd never get to C.C. Fortunately, he knew a way he could have all of his obstacles removed for him. Mao found himself at his destination, just outside the gate toward the ASEEC base, the base where Suzaku was at with the Lancelot, but he wasn't here for any of them.
After reading Lelouch's mind, Mao had already learned all he needed to: he knew the location of the Ark, the details regarding all the Autobots and some of his friends in the Black Knights as well as Ashford Academy, but more importantly, he knew everything Lelouch knows about the Decepticons.
The gate opened and Mao saw a certain red car began to pull out, but it didn't get very far until Mao approached him. Though Mao couldn't read the mind of the one truly behind the wheel, he knew from Lelouch's mind who this supposed car really was.
"That's a nice paintjob you got there." Mao began. "But I suppose you can really get any kind of paintjob you want, right? Just scan the car you like and bing-bang-boom. Must be one of the perks to being a Decepticon and all, right Knock Out?"
Knock Out's door suddenly opened as the seatbelts outstretched to ensnare Mao and quickly pull him into the driver's seat before Knock Out sped far from the base. It wasn't long before the disguised Decepticon pulled into a long alleyway, far away from any pedestrians that he transformed and held Mao in his grip.
"Who are you?" Knock Out questioned. "You're not a Britannian and you certainly don't look like a Black Knight."
"I'm neither, but I'm honestly surprised a Decepticon could tell the difference, you usually kill people left and right regardless of their nationality, not that I really care or anything like that." Mao commented with a knowing smile.
"You didn't answer my question; who are you?" Knock Out pressured.
Mao kept his smile up. "There lies a bit of a tale, which won't be nearly as interesting to Megatron as this." Using a free-hand, Mao lowered his sunglasses to reveal the Geass emblem in both his eyes. "So, take me to your leader."
Knock Out could only respond with a confused, yet intrigued expression on his face.
Ashford Academy
As Kallen, Rai, Ohgi, and the other Black Knights worked with the Autobots to locate Mao, Bumblebee remained in vehicle mode in the Clubhouse parking lot, his scanners keep an eye out for Mao. So far, so good. And while Bumblebee was close outside, Lelouch sat inside with his sister having some tea with Nunnally, while at the same time, he had hidden cameras installed throughout the building as he looked through his laptop.
"It's been a long time since we spent time by ourselves, huh?" Nunnally asked.
"Well, it's the weekend, even Sayoko needs a little time off now and again." Lelouch said as he continued to look at his laptop for any sign of Mao in the building. He was confident in Bumblebee, but he needed to be sure.
"You know, I was surprised you spilled our little secret to Kallen." Nunnally said in a teasing yet honest manner. "I mean, I understand Rai since he lives with us but…"
"Well, Kallen and I have been spending some time with a… group of friends… who've helped me to see things differently." Lelouch said.
"Do they know our secret to?" Nunnally asked.
"Yes, they do. But you don't need to worry, Nunnally. I promise they're good people." Lelouch told his sister.
Nunnally smiled. "Don't worry big brother, if you say they're good people, I believe you. And if they're helping you, then I'd love to meet them."
Lelouch smiled back. "You will, I promise. I'm sure you'd love them."
Nemesis
Mao followed Knock Out through the halls of the Decepticon warship. He would see different Vehicons throughout the base, but he couldn't read any of their minds. This whole ship was completely quiet to him, and he couldn't be any happier. He even turned off the recording of C.C. in his headset, though he couldn't get enough of her voice, it was nice to think clearly and not have any intruding thoughts in his head. This place was perfect! Though he did hear a few thoughts earlier when entering the Nemesis, guess Megatron had a few human prisoners here, one of which was even Shirley's father, so he was alive after all. But he honestly didn't care, he wasn't here for any of them.
Mao was brought to the bridge of the Nemesis, with only two other Decepticons occupying it. Mao could already identify them after reading Lelouch's mind; Soundwave and Megatron. And while the leader of the Decepticons was intimidating to normally anyone, Mao wasn't the least bit nervous, not when he had some important cards in his hand that he knew Megatron couldn't resist.
Megatron turned to see Knock Out enter the bridge but was surprised to see a human with him. He clearly wasn't Britannian.
"Knock Out, who is this human and why have you brought him here?" Megatron questioned.
"Forgive me, Lord Megatron, but he knows about us. He knows… quite a bit actually." Knock Out confessed.
"Call me Mao, and I have a very interesting proposal for you, Megatron." Mao made a confident bow as he spoke. "Tell me, you've been around Earth for quite some time. But have you ever seen a human who has… this?" Mao took off his visor to reveal his Geass.
Megatron had a raised eyebrow, it was certainly something he hadn't seen before, but not exactly something note-worthy, but nonetheless, allowed Mao to continue.
"It's called a Geass, and it lets people have special powers. My Geass allows me to read minds." Mao explained.
"Oh really?" Knock Out questioned skeptically. "What am I thinking right now?"
"No idea." Mao replied.
"You literally just said…"
"I can only read human minds, Doc." Mao told the red Decepticon. "For some reason, I can't read Cybertronian minds. So, tell me, Megatron, have you known anyone who can read minds before? Even among your Decepticons?"
Megatron did not answer that question, but he had never seen that kind of ability before. However, what really got his attention was the word 'Geass', which he heard before when Shockwave brought him those human scientists after Soundwave downloaded the information from that Code-R laboratory, though the information they had was limited.
"Tell me about this Geass, are you the only human who possess it?" Megatron questioned. "And how is obtained? Were you born with this ability?"
"Nope, it was given to me." Mao said with a grin, thinking he had Megatron. "And I'm not the only one who has it, so far as I know, only two others have it, one of which… happens to be Zero."
That really got the Decepticons' attention. "So, you're saying Zero can read minds to?" Knock Out questioned
"No, each person has a different Geass-power. That's just how it works." Mao said.
"You said the ability was given to you. By whom?" Megatron questioned.
"She calls herself C.C. and she's no ordinary human." Mao said.
Megatron had heard that name before as he turned to Soundwave with a nod. The silent Decepticon's faceplate showed the image of C.C. acquired from Code-R, the minute Mao saw her image, an excited smile formed on his face.
"Yes! That's her!"
"And she has the ability to grant this 'Geass' to others as well, and has even granted one to Zero?" Megatron mused.
"Oh yes, and I would be willing to help you remove that common thorn from both our sides." Mao offered.
"And just how do you plan to do that?" Knock Out questioned further.
"Because I know who Zero is." Mao revealed, surprising Knock Out, and even Megatron raised an eyebrow. "I also know a few things about Optimus that I'm sure you'll find useful, something that not even Britannia can give you."
"And what is it you wish in return for this information?" Megatron suspected Mao had an ulterior motive behind him.
"I want C.C." Mao said with a triumphant smirk. "And, I want my own place here, far away from Earth. So, do we have a deal?"
Camelot Division – Later that evening
"A medical check-up?" Suzaku asked as he put his school uniform back on.
"Just regulations." Cecile told him. "It's required for all Knightmare pilots."
"I understand." Suzaku nodded.
"Good, tomorrow then, after your school gets out." Cecile already had it scheduled, truth is, she had hoped this would help him to ease his conscious a bit as he was starting to become a bit obsessive, especially since joining the Decepticons.
"Right, thanks." Suzaku said. "Oh, Miss Cecile, do you know of any way I could get in to see Princess Euphemia?"
"You know, you could have spoken with her already given she helped us with our last 'monster hunt'." Lloyd told Suzaku. "Speaking of which, who was that spider-con anyway?" He asked with an intrigued look on his face. "Did the big-bad Megatron tell you about it?"
Suzaku was surprised a bit by that question, but Cecile look more so annoyed. "Lloyd are you asking that now?! After what that monster did in the ghettos?!"
"Pardon me, but I've never seen a Cybertronian with insect-like features, so it's really caught my interest." Lloyd said casually.
"Her name's Airachnid." Suzaku said with a sense of unease in his voice. "From what Dreadwing has said… she used to be a Decepticon, but now she's gone rogue." His fists clenched as he remembered clearly just what she did to all those people in the ghettos. "But I will bring her in!"
Cecile looked with Suzaku in concern, while Lloyd just looked more intrigued. "Well, when you do, let me know. I'd love to get a good look at her."
"So, about Princess Euphemia?" Suzaku felt the need to change the subject.
"Forget it, you have to be at least be a knight of honor to get an audience with her." Lloyd said.
"But an earl could arrange it, if he really wanted to." Cecile told him.
"Who me?"
"Yes."
Suzaku honestly did not see that coming. "Lloyd, you're an earl?! You never told me that!"
Lloyd laughed. "Oh, I'm so embarrassed."
"The prodigal son of nobles, he really can't separate work from play." Cecile explained.
Suzaku still looked in comic shock. "Wow."
Ashford Academy – The Next Day
"Increased security?" Milly asked in surprise.
"I think it would at least help the rest of the academy feel safer." Lelouch explained. "What with what's going on between these giant transforming robots and all the military activity."
"Well, I could talk to my grandfather about it but…" Milly's eyes widened slightly. "Did somebody find out you're a prince?"
"Hopefully that secret's still safe, only the Ashford family knows about me and Nunnally." Lelouch looked down slightly. "Milly, listen I… I never really did thank you for that. It's because of you and your family that we even have a roof over our heads, you may have very well saved our lives. So, thank you."
Milly was genuinely surprised by what Lelouch said, but a small smile formed on her face. "Lelouch, no matter what, I'm your friend, and if there's anything you need me for, I promise I'll help."
"I truly appreciate that." Lelouch said honestly.
The blonde chuckled slightly. "You know how you could repay me, by finding a way to get me out of this blind date my parents have set up for me." Milly joked, earning a chuckle from Lelouch. "You know, you've really changed, haven't you?" She got his attention. "I can't explain it, but ever since Rai and Suzaku came here, you've been very different. You used to just go through the motions, like you didn't really care about anything. But now… It's different."
Lelouch had a small smile. "I met someone, who helped me to understand a few things about myself, and what I can do to change."
Before Milly could ask what it was that he meant, she heard a familiar voice call her. "Madan President!" Shirley walked onto the scene.
"Oh, hey Shirley. You doing okay?" Milly asked.
"Yeah, just fine." Shirley answered.
"Are you sure?" Lelouch asked. "After… everything."
Shirley knew what Lelouch meant by that, and there was a part of her that was still trying to process everything that happened, but after a couple days, she seemed to relax. "Don't worry Lulu, I'm fine, really." She told him.
Milly seemed confused at first before a teasing grin formed on her face. "Oh, is there something special going on between you two."
Shirley's face blushed. "What!? No! Milly it's not anything like that!"
"She knows." Lelouch said right away. "She knows about me and Nunnally, I told her." That completely caught Milly by surprise. "I met up with her in Shinjuku and it just… slipped out." Lelouch tried to explain it while leaving out some crucial details. "But she knows."
"I promise I'm not going to tell anyone! Who'd believe me, anyway?!" Shirley tried to laugh nervously, more so to Milly.
"I understand. I believe you, Shirley, I just… didn't quite expect Lelouch to…"
"I know what it's like to lose someone you love, and also… I haven't realized till then, how much I've been taking my friends for granted. But that's about to change." Lelouch said with a straight-forward face.
Shirley had something of a sympathetic and understanding expression on her face as she put a hand on Lelouch's shoulder. Even Milly had a similar expression before she genuinely smiled.
"Like I've said, you've really changed Lelouch." The blonde said. "Just be careful, not everyone is so considerate."
Lelouch grimaced. "Trust me, I know." Milly really had no idea just how true that was.
"Hey, you seen a guy named Mao around?" Tamaki questioned a few people in the ghettos as he sat in the vehicle mode of Wheeljack.
This was happening all over as a few Bots and Black Knights were searching through the ghettos across Japan for any sign of Mao. Kallen rolled with Arcee; Rai, Inoue, and a few others rode with Bulkhead; Sugiyama, Minami, and Yoshida rode with Ironhide; even Cliffjumper drove around with some Black Knights himself. Though the Black Knights weren't told about Mao's Geass, they were told that he knows about Zero's identity as well as critical information regarding the Autobots. Despite some vagueness, the Black Knights knew they could trust Zero and the Autobots, so they would continue to look.
But they weren't the only ones searching. C.C. had pressed a man by his throat with her foot to the wall in an alleyway.
"I'm not looking for a refrain dealer! I said a Chinese guy named Mao! Did you hear me?!" C.C. interrogated.
"Believe me, I have no idea… the only Chinese around here are the pushers or gang labor. Go ask the cops or something."
"I don't like cops." C.C. said as she pressed her foot even harder.
"Then ask the Black Knights about him… they're all over the underground…. They're wired into the settlement and the ghettos!"
"Everyone tells me the same thing." C.C. commented as this was the same answer she got ever since she left the Ark a couple of days ago.
"Cause it's obvious!"
Ashford Academy
Shirley had just walked out of the school and was about to head home, when she saw a blue motorcycle pull up with a certain someone in a blue motorcycle pulled up.
"Hey Shirley." Kallen greeted as she wore a red leather suit with a red biker's helmet.
"Ka… Kallen!" Shirley didn't expect to see her. "And um… R… Three right?" She tried to get the Autobot's name right.
"Arcee." The blue fem-bot corrected
"Right sorry." Shirley apologized.
"You doing alright?" Kallen asked.
"Eh… yeah. Do… Do you need something?" Shirley asked.
"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over to my place and… maybe just talk and hang out?" Kallen asked.
"Really?" Shirley asked in surprise.
"Yeah… We haven't really known each other at all, and I'd like to change that a bit." Kallen said. "I'd like for you to get to know the real me."
Shirley had already known Kallen was a Black Knight after Lelouch took her to the Ark after their encounter with Mao, but she still wasn't quite used to it, so this was a bit of a surprise to her.
"Plus, we haven't located Mao yet so, just in case he thought about coming after you again, I think you'd be better off with us for now." Arcee also added.
"O… okay. You still haven't found him, yet?" Shirley asked.
"Apparently, he's really good at hiding." Arcee commented with an annoyed sigh.
"Don't worry, we'll find him, and if you're with us, we won't let him hurt you again. I promise." Kallen smiled honestly as she offered Shirley a hand.
Shirley hesitated for a second, not that she distrusted Kallen, but she wasn't completely used to all this yet. But after a second or two, she accepted Kallen's hand. The redhead handed Shirley an extra helmet as she got onto Arcee.
"I've never ridden a motorcycle before so…" Shirley said.
"Just hang on tight." Kallen told her as Shirley wrapped her arms around her friend as Arcee drove off.
Suzaku had just left the hospital with Cecile, the check-up went just fine, physically he was completely healthy, and carried positive traits for a soldier. So, it didn't seem like there was a whole lot to worry about.
"Well, that went well." Suzaku commented.
"Yes, but… if it's alight with you Suzaku, I think it's best you take a break from your duties. Just to give your mind time to recover." Cecile told him.
"Um… sure…" Suzaku was a bit unsure of how to appropriately respond to that.
"Suzaku." Both he and Cecile were caught by surprise as a certain pink-haired royal met with them, along with a pair of bodyguards. But she didn't wear any of her royal attire; just some casual clothes consisting of an orange sweater, a white mini skirt with heels, and a hat with a pair of glasses.
"Princess Euphemia?!" Suzaku exclaimed in surprise, and even Cecile was caught off-guard.
"Sssh!" Euphie put a finger over her mouth. "I don't want to make a fuss. You wouldn't believe all the trouble I'd get with paparazzi."
"Eh… sorry." Suzaku apologized. "Is there anything I can do for you?"
"I was wondering if, you wanted to… just come with me." Euphemia asked somewhat nervously.
"Is there a mission?" Suzaku asked.
"No… no missions. No military duties or anything, just you and me… maybe walking around the settlement, maybe some ice cream to?" Euphemia asked.
"Really?" Suzaku did not expect that.
"Like how we… first met?" Euphemia asked.
"Oh… I'm not sure if…" Suzaku wasn't entirely sure how to respond to this. A Britannian Princess was asking if he'd like to spend time with her. Not anything military related, but rather just hanging out and maybe even having some fun.
"I think it's a good idea." Cecile said quickly, thinking this could be good for Suzaku.
"Miss Cecile?"
"Suzaku, I think you should go with her." Cecile continued. "We did talk about you taking some time off to recover."
"Well, yes but I…" Before Suzaku could say anything, he felt Euphemia gently grip his hand. Though she tried to maintain a straight face, he could see something in her eyes that was almost begging him to come with her. And that was all that was needed to break his resolve. "You know what? Sure, let's go."
Euphie did her best to contain her excited emotions as she simply smiled. "Then let's go." She practically pulled Suzaku away as her guards followed them, all the while Cecile had something of a knowing smile on her face, having a good idea what was going on between them.
Meanwhile; Tohdoh, along with Chiba and Asahina were at the rendezvous point: the grave of former Japan Prime Minister, Genbu Kururugi.
"Urabe and Senba are late." Chiba commented.
"Well, this sure is an ironic meeting place, isn't it?" Asahina also commented. "The grave of Prime Minister, Kururugi."
"The traitor who told us to fight to the end, then committed suicide himself." Chiba voiced in contempt.
"Enough." Tohdoh silenced the two. "General Katase also committed suicide and he was a true patriot." That was the official story on what happened at Port Yokosuka, but he heard rumors of the Black Knights and Autobots being there, and after what happened at Naritia, he doubted that Katase truly committed suicide, or was even dead at all, that is if Zero was who he thought he was.
'I should have known you'd try to seek revenge.' Something of a small smirk formed on Tohdoh's face. 'I only wish I can see you myself to see if it's really you… Lelouch.'
However, unbeknownst to him or either of his comrades, Tohdoh was being watched. "Fugitive Tohdoh identified. All units, prepare to move in."
The Ark – The bridge
"We've read through your proposal of reorganizing the Black Knights." Ratchet spoke over the communications. "I have some changes myself I'd like to implement, but overall, this is a good structure. I'll contact you with the final iteration by tomorrow."
"Thanks, I appreciate that." Diethard contacted from the other line.
"We'll work on how implement the cell-based structures another time. That is all." Ratchet hung up.
"Well, seems as though we were wrong about Diethard." Fixit said as he and Optimus were the only ones on the bridge aside from Ratchet. "He seems quite acquitted… submitted… committed!"
"He may not be a spy… but there's something about him I just don't like." Ratchet said honestly.
"Perhaps, although his connections could make him a valuable asset." Optimus replied. "But regardless, we'll be certain to keep an eye on him."
"Good to know something's going smoothly right now." The three Autobots saw Lelouch enter the bridge.
"Lelouch, when did you get here?" Ratchet asked.
"He recently asked me for a Groundbridge." Fixit answered.
"Bumblebee will remain at the clubhouse to watch over Nunnally in case Mao shows up." Lelouch added. "Speaking of which, still no sign of him."
"I'm afraid not." Optimus confirmed. "Despite our efforts, we still have yet to locate Mao."
This only seemed to make Lelouch more frustrated. "He can't read any of your minds, but all the good that's gonna do if we can't find him. It's like looking for a needle in a haystack."
"I agree." Ratchet said. "Having a wild card out in the open like this with such sensitive information is something that we cannot afford right now."
"We will find him." Optimus stated. "But we must not afford to lose our heads."
"My head is firmly attached to my body, so I think I'm alright." Fixit said.
"it's an expression, Fixit." Lelouch told the Mini-Con but even words from Optimus did little to deter his frustration. "I feel like we could put Mao in check right now if we had just one…"
"…Missing piece?" C.C. revealed herself as she stepped onto the bridge. "Seems like were all on the same page."
"When did you get here?" Ratchet questioned.
"I snuck in through the same Groundbridge portal Lelouch entered." C.C. commented. "We've been unable to find Mao separately, so the logical choice would be for us to work together, don't you agree?"
"Yes, that maybe for the best." Optimus seemed to agree.
Suddenly, Lelouch's cell phone began to ring. He checked the Caller-ID and saw it was a 'NoNumber', having a good idea who it was, he looked up to Optimus who simply nodded. Lelouch then answered it.
"Hello?"
"It's me, Lulu." Mao teased on the other side of the line. Lelouch need only look to Optimus, Ratchet, and Fixit to confirm who it was on the other line as they all had serious expressions. "C.C.'s there, isn't she? I want to talk to her alone, put her on."
Lelouch handed the phone to C.C. just as Optimus looked to Ratchet with a nod. The Autobot medic quickly pressed several key commands on the console, bringing up the phone line on the speakers for the bridge, allowing everyone present to hear the conversation.
"It's me, C.C."
"Mao." C.C. acknowledged as she turned away from Lelouch and the Autobots to hide a conflicted look on her face.
"I'll be at Clovisland, come alone."
C.C. sighed in annoyance. "You're as selfish as ever I see."
"If you don't come, I'll just have to tell Megatron who Lelouch really is." Mao told her, much to the surprise of Lelouch, Fixit, and Ratchet, while Optimus just maintained a stoic expression. "Oh, and just in case the Autobots are listening to this, which they probably are, I haven't told Megatron about the Ark or where it is, yet. I'm keeping those cards close to my chest. But if I see any of you anywhere near Clovisland, I'll tell Megatron. And I'll watch with a bowl of popcorn as he and his army lay waste to your precious Ark."
"I'll be there, and they won't bother you Mao." C.C. told him.
"You promise?"
"I promise." C.C. said before hanging up.
"You're not thinking of going there, are you?!" Ratchet exclaimed.
"I don't necessarily have a choice in the matter." C.C. pointed out.
"From the way Mao spoke, it seems as though he's made contact with Megatron." Fixit stated.
"We have no way of knowing what he said to him though." Lelouch grimaced as he could think of over a hundred different scenarios right now, and all of them had undesirable outcomes.
"However, I do not believe Megatron is aware of your identity, Lelouch; nor does he know the Ark's location." Optimus assumed.
"Perhaps, otherwise we'd be under attack at the moment." Ratchet seemed to agree.
"That being said, I believe we must also assume that Mao has likely given information to Megatron that he may have found intriguing: perhaps the concept of Geass." Optimus continued to assume.
Fixit gulped. "I can't imagine what he'd do with information like that."
"All the more reason for me to deal with Mao right away." C.C. pointed out.
"Are you seriously handing yourself over to him?!" Lelouch yelled. "What if Mao told Megatron about you!? You could be the Decepticons' primary target!"
"I'm not handing myself over." C.C. said. "I said I was going to deal with Mao, and I mean that in a way he can no longer bother us."
It didn't take a genius to figure out what she meant by that statement. "You mean termination?" Optimus asked.
"Yes." C.C. confirmed. "You we're all right. I should not have left things half-finished with Mao, so I intend to fix that."
"A logical choice. He knows far too much." Ratchet concluded.
"But we can't run the risk of Megatron getting his hands on C.C either." Lelouch argued.
"You needn't be concerned for me, I'm plenty good when it comes to hiding. I've lived long enough to know how." C.C. put in.
"You're leaving?" Optimus asked.
"It's not like I've really contributed to your war." C.C. said. "I'm no solider, so there really isn't any need in me staying here."
"I can't risk that… we can't risk that." Lelouch said as he activated his Geass. "C.C., stay here, don't go."
Optimus looked to Lelouch with concern, as did Fixit and Ratchet. The medic and Mini-Con were unsure of how Lelouch's Geass would react with C.C. seeing how she granted the ability, though Optimus was more concerned with why Lelouch would resort to using a Geass on C.C. On the surface, it made sense to keep her away from Megatron, but he couldn't help but feel there was some other reason, something more personal.
"Geass does not work on me." C.C. said as Lelouch grunted.
"It seems rather logical." Ratchet put in. "I've theorized that it wouldn't work on her seeing as how she gave you your ability, Lelouch."
"But Geass isn't the only means to stop me. You have two giant robots with you that can so easily crush me literally underfoot." C.C. put in. "And you don't have to worry, I've survived worse. So, I supposed the real question is… Optimus." She looked to the Autobot leader directly. "Do you intend to force me to stay here?"
Optimus had a look of understanding. "If you believe you have no place here, then you may leave. You are not a prisoner."
"Optimus!" Lelouch exclaimed, not agreeing with his choice at all.
"This is her choice; we have no right to strip it from her." Optimus told the young revolutionary.
"Thank you. It's been fun, I'll say that at least." C.C. said as she was about to walk out. "Fixit, I'll need a Groundbridge."
"Um... yes, of course." Fixit pulled out his remote and pressed the necessary buttons. "Alright, the portal should be all set for you."
"Farwell, and good luck with your little war." C.C. gave a final wave as she left the bridge.
"Why are we just letting her go?!" Lelouch questioned, looking at the Prime directly. "Optimus, you know Megatron, do you really think he'd pass up an opportunity like this!?"
"No, he would not." Optimus confirmed.
"If I were in Megatron's place, I would be quite intrigued with C.C. myself." Ratchet added. "I can only imagine just what he could do with an ability like Geass."
"Just thinking about that makes me feel even more glitchy than normal." Fixit shivered.
"So, you just let C.C. leave with a risk that grave?!" Lelouch exclaimed.
"No, because I know you won't." Optimus said, surprising the former prince as Optimus continued. "Lelouch, I know you can defeat Mao. He may be able to read your mind, but I also know you're smart enough to find a way to work around it. I understand how you might feel towards this, you are taking this risk very seriously and I can respect that, but you cannot allow your emotions to cloud your judgement. Unlike myself, or anyone else in our organization, be they Black Knight or Autobot, you've met Mao face-to-face, you've seen how he acts, use your strategic mind, analyze what you know about Mao and find a solution; I know you are capable of doing just that. If you need assistance, I will provide you with it, we all will."
Lelouch was rendered completely speechless. Optimus had just told him that he believes in him and what he can do. A part of himself honestly felt truly touched by this; he wouldn't admit this aloud, but Mao was right about one thing, Lelouch had admired Optimus a great deal, up to the point that he considered him a father-figure, one far more fitting than the likes of his biological father. He truly admired Optimus for his strength, strategy, experience, and even his ideals, so much so that it was starting to rub off on him. Lelouch smiled inwardly, making a silent promise not to disappoint the Prime that he admired so much.
"Alright, I think I might have an idea." Lelouch began, causing Optimus to smile slightly.
"Should I contact the other Autobots, or the Black Knights?" Fixit offered.
"No, if this works, we won't need any of them." Lelouch said. "In fact, the only one I'll really need is Ratchet."
"Me?" The Autobot medic questioned.
"Yes, more specifically, your vehicle mode." Lelouch confirmed.
"So, I trust then you have a plan?" Optimus asked, to which Lelouch could only reply with a knowing smirk.
Kallen's Residence
"Here you go, Shirley." Kallen handed the orange-haired schoolgirl some tea. "It's instant-tea, I'm not really good at making the real thing."
"Thank you." Shirley smiled as she accepted it. She had spent much of the evening in Kallen's apartment and had taken the chance to get to know the real Kallen, not that sickly façade of a girl she thought she knew. She even got to meet Kallen's birth mother, who was really happy to see Kallen had brought a friend over, though Mrs. Kozuki had to go to sleep rather early. Kallen explained her mother's involvement with Refrain, and while she is recovering and getting the help she needs for rehabilitation, she needs plenty of bedrest. Kallen had also explained what had happened to her brother, and how that was the reason she was even fighting Britannia to begin with; to which Shirley expressed her utmost sympathy, which Kallen was grateful for.
"You know Kallen, I really don't know why you tried so hard to pretend to be sick." Shirley said to her as the red head sat down on the coach with her. "I really like this active personality of yours, it makes you feel fun."
"Yeah, I really hate acting like that to." Kallen smirked. "But I'm glad I can be myself around the other Black Knights and the Autobots."
"They're your friends?" Shirley asked.
"Yeah." Kallen nodded as she picked up a framed picture of herself, her brother, and Ohgi. "This guy right here, Ohgi, he's almost like family. He and Naoto were best friends growing up, and I got to know him myself."
"What about your motorcycle, I mean, Arcee?" Shirley asked.
"She's my partner, actually…. She's more like an older sister." Kallen confessed. "Protective, but very reliable. She's always there for me, and it's not just her. That red Autobot, Cliffjumper, he's her partner, and by extension, my partner to. And… now that I think about it… he's actually a lot like Naoto; overall friendly, a sense of humor, the only difference is that Cliff doesn't know when to shut up." She chuckled.
Even Shirley giggled a bit. "When Lelouch had me first meet the Autobots… I was a bit… overwhelmed, who wouldn't be? But now… after hearing how close you are to them… It.. makes me want to get to know them. They just seem so friendly, and that big one…"
"Optimus." Kallen said.
"Yeah, he's… he's like a superhero. It's… it's hard to describe."
"I know the feeling, he does give off that sort of impression, doesn't he?" Kallen replied.
Shirley's smile faded into confusion, however. "But, while they can all talk, I noticed Bumblebee… why does he speak with bleep?"
Kallen grimaced, Ohgi had told her after he, Tamaki, and Ratchet brought Villetta back from Port Yokosuka. "There's a reason for that. During the War for Cybertron, the poor guy had his voice box torn out by Megatron, the Decepticon leader."
Shirley gasped as she instinctively grabbed her own throat. "That's horrible!"
The red head gave a slight scoff. "You think that's awful, I had the pleasure of meeting a Decepticon face-to-face who was a real monster." Kallen's fists clenched in anger as she remembered Airachnid, but it wasn't just her. "I… I honestly never thought I'd meet someone who's even worse than Britannia. At least with them, I know there's some good people, hell Lelouch and Nunnally are freaking royalty and I thought those guys were the scum of the Earth. But… the Cons… A butcher, a backstabber, an assassin, and so many others who love to kill, who love to destroy… and had no qualms at all about destroying their own home?! How can anyone like that exist!?"
Shirley was slightly taken aback by Kallen's attitude as she saw the clear emotion in her eyes.
"I am not going to let them get away with any of that." Kallen continued. "And I won't let them bring that kind of destruction to Earth. It's not just about Japan anymore, it's so much more. Shirley, I am not going to let the Decepticons win, I'll do everything in my power to stop them! I swear it!"
The schoolgirl seemed to understand. When she first heard about Lelouch's identity as the former prince, and what happened to his mother and Nunnally, which was why his father exiled them, she wasn't sure how to respond. But after taking some time to process and think it over, it made sense why he'd become Zero, and why he even has this Geass power; it wasn't just out of revenge, it was destroy a world where the weak and helpless are always sacrificed and trampled upon. And after learning what happened to Kallen's family, Shirley knew that it wasn't just Lelouch who was suffering; countless people in Japan had lost their homes, families, and even lives to Britannia, she honestly felt ashamed to be a Britannian. Of course, she knew that there were still good people in Britannia, such as her mother and her friends on the Student Council, but she can no longer follow that monster of an Emperor. And from everything she's head, these Decepticons are even worse. They torture and kill, and thoroughly enjoy it, even the destruction of their own home. Shirley's fists soon clenched into determination as she came to a decision.
"I want to help."
Kallen looked to Shirley in surprise. "What?"
"I said I want to help." Shirley began. "After learning everything, about the Autobots, Lelouch, you, and the Black Knights; and about Britannia and these Decepticons, after finally knowing all that, I can't imagine sitting by and doing nothing anymore. I want to help you, all of you." She clenched both of Kallen's hands into her own and said Eight words that Kallen would never expect.
"Kallen, I want to join the Black Knights."
Tokyo Settlement
Suzaku had spent about two hours or so with Euphemia. They really had no destination in mind as they wondered around the Settlement. Per her orders, Euphemia's guards kept their distance, but still maintained a close eye on her. And so far, her disguise appeared to be working as nobody recognized her. Suzaku, for the most part, seemed to enjoy her company. It honestly felt much like when he first met her before realizing she was a princess, and needless to say, he liked it. There was a part of him that had come to see Euphemia as a friend, and while he did hold a great deal of respect for her, he felt as though he needn't push it to become personal as he was an Eleven soldier and she was Britannian royalty.
The two sat on a nearby park bench to rest their legs after wondering so long. "This feels nice." Euphemia confessed honestly. "Between all the politics, as well as all the fighting, it feels good not to worry about that, at least for a short amount of time anyway."
"Yeah, I guess it does." Suzaku seemed to agree.
Euphie smiled in his direction, however her smile faded when she noticed the Decepticon-pin still attached to his uniform. Seeing that made her experience a whole new feeling of discomfort. Suzaku noticed the changed expression on her face.
"Princ… I mean, Euphie, are you alright?" He asked.
"Suzaku I… I don't want you working with the Decepticons anymore." Euphemia told him.
The Honorary Britannian couldn't contain his surprised gasp. "What…?"
"I… I'm not comfortable with you working with them." Euphemia began. "I… I honestly don't believe they are who they say they are."
"But Dreadwing has…" Suzaku tried to speak.
"I trust Dreadwing." Euphemia said honestly. "I can safely say that I trust Dreadwing completely, enough so that I've allowed him to act as my bodyguard until I can find my own knight. But… he's the only one I can trust. I just… I can't help but get this horrible feeling whenever I'm around them. And… wasn't that monster you fought in the ghettos also a Decepticon?"
"A former Decepticon." Suzaku said immediately. "She's a rogue, acting completely on her own. And I'm going to bring her in even if it's the last thing I do…"
"But it's not just that one." Euphemia continued. "After Naritia, Cornelia and I had a meeting with the Decepticons, particularly Megatron and Starscream, on how to handle the Black Knights and the Autobots. Do you know what Starscream suggested? That we'd completely destroy this entire country and everyone in it! Britannians and Elevens!" Suzaku couldn't contain his own gasp. "The fact that Megatron allows someone like him… as his second-in-command, doesn't that... make you feel that he's not who he says he is?"
"But, Megatron didn't allow it, right?" Suzaku tried to provide a defense. "Shouldn't that also say something? I'll admit that… I don't agree with Starscream, what he suggested was horrible, but… maybe if Zero and the Autobots stopped fighting, we'd find a solution to all of this together."
Euphemia looked to Suzaku with concern. "Have you ever considered that we may be on the wrong side?"
"What do you mean?" Suzaku asked with a serious expression.
"I mean, that maybe, the Black Knights and the Autobots are right to stand against us." Euphemia began to voice her personal opinion. "Look all that Britannia has been doing, not just to Japan, but all across the world. We invade nations, destroy their livelihoods and cultures, and try to make another reflection of our own. Japan didn't do anything, we're the ones who declared war on them and attacked in the first place!"
"But Britannia also rebuilt Japan…" Suzaku tried to argue.
"Not all of it." Euphemia countered. "What about all the ghettos, or the fact that innocent people have to earn their rights back? Rights that… honestly should never have been taken away?"
"Britannia… isn't perfect… I can admit that." Suzaku said. "But… it can change for the better. It has the potential to do just that. I mean, you're a princess. The fact that you've just said how you don't approve of all this violence shows that Britannia isn't all bad."
Euphemia's expression didn't brighter, but rather, she grimaced even further. "Suzaku, can I confess something to you? Something… very personal?"
"Of course." Suzaku was listening.
"I hate being a princess."
Suzaku looked at Euphemia as if she had grown a second head. He had never thought he'd ever hear those words come from her mouth.
"I hate being a royal to Britannia… but more than anything… I hate my father even more." Euphemia confessed honestly. "That man… I… I don't think there's even an ounce of humanity in him at all. He has us invade so many countries; taking, stealing, killing, all for 'progress' and power… so many people die because of him and… he doesn't even care. And it's not just other countries… even his own family! You heard what he said about Clovis during his funeral, he didn't even shed a tear for him, just saying his death, my brother's death, was just another 'march toward progress'. And.. You… you've known Lelouch and Nunnally, right? Your family took care of them?" Suzaku could only respond with a nod as Euphemia continued.
"Do you know why they were even sent to Japan?" Euphie continued as her voice became more emotional. "It was because their mother was killed! Lady Marianne… I even loved her, almost like a second mother… and Nunnally… dear sweet Nunnally… lost her eyes and legs because of that. And how did our father respond? He sent Lelouch and Nunnally away, because… he had no use for them…" Euphie was on the verge of crying. "And.. he even ordered for Japan to be invaded… knowing they would probably die… but he didn't care! He didn't even bother to investigate Lady Marianne's death!" Tears were already streaming down Euphie's eyes. "Whenever I look around at the Settlement… I see Lelouch's face… I see Nunnally's face… and I can… only imagine… how scared they were before… before… I'm a princess, and I couldn't do anything to help them! I hate myself every day for that!" She pressed her hands against her face as she let her tears flow freely.
Suzaku looked with an expression of surprise and utter sympathy. There was a part of him that considered telling her about Lelouch and Nunnally, that they were alive, and she could see them. But, he didn't want to run the risk of their identities getting leaked to the media, or to someone who could take full advantage of them. He wasn't sure what to say to Euphie that could help comfort her, no matter how much he wanted to. But that's what he ended up doing as he put a hand on her shoulder, and she looked at him with puffy red eyes.
"I… I don't really know what to say." Suzaku began. "I… I feel humbled that you choose to confide all this with me. And I am so sorry you feel this way, but don't hate yourself! None of that is your fault! You didn't send them here, you weren't the one who attacked Japan, it wasn't you. And I'm sure they wouldn't want you to blame yourself either. You're a good person, someone who wants to change the world for the better and I want to help in any way I can." Suzaku had a genuine smile. "I promise, if you need me for anything… anything at all, I'll be here for you. I promise, Euphie."
Euphie looked toward Suzaku with an emotional expression. He had just addressed her as 'Euphie' rather than 'Princess or Sub-Viceroy Euphemia' and reached out to her as a friend, not as a soldier to royalty. That was enough for Euphemia to wrap her arms around Suzaku and burry her face into his shoulder as she continued to cry, but not just sorrow, but tears of joy as well, as she knew that she had a true friend in Suzaku that she could trust completely.
Suzaku embraced her back, giving her the comfort she needs with a genuine smile. However, as he did, he couldn't help but recall what she said on not just Britannia, but the Decepticons to as the words of both Starscream and Airachnid continue to play in his mind.
"As your commanding officer I am ordering you to execute this Black Knight now!"
"Oh looky, an idealist. I didn't think the Decepticons had any left."
"Kururugi will have the honor of executing them."
"Unfortunately, you're on a side that thrives of killing idealism."
The more he dwelled on these memories, the more he began to realize that for the first time in his life, he began to have second thoughts about the path he chose. Once he felt that, the words of Optimus Prime surfaced once more.
"What if you go down this path… and you're wrong?"
Clovisland
The amusement park was closed, even the employees and workers had all gone home for the evening. So it was pitch black, with only one single soul in the park all alone. C.C. had arrived just as she promised Mao, and she didn't bring any Autobots or Black Knights with her. Now all she'd need do was wait for Mao himself to arrive.
Apparently, C.C. didn't need to wait very long as lights around the amusement park suddenly came on, starting with the streetlamps, followed by all the rides, such as the ferris wheel, or even the merry-go-round which began to run and play lullaby music.
Mao appeared to ride on one of the horses of the merry-go-round as he called to her with a childish smile. "C.C.! Your mind is so quiet! It's the only human mind I can't read!"
"Aside from Cybertronians, obviously." C.C. said.
"And that's what makes them so perfect!" Mao continued to ride the merry-go-round. "I'm a prince on a white stallion, here to rescue his princess and take her back to our castle and live happily ever after!" He got off the ride as it came to a stop. "Doesn't that make you happy, C.C.?"
"Mao, we talked about this before." She tried to tell him. "I told you that you and I…"
"Those are all lies, lies." Mao interrupted. "C.C., you love me, and this is how I know." He took off his headphones so that C.C. could hear her recorded voice.
"Thank you, Mao. Mao. Mao."
"Stop it!" She exclaimed, but Mao didn't seem to listen to her.
"C.C., you're the only one. The only one I want, forever! Lelouch doesn't matter, the Autobots don't matter either. Just forget them. If you just come with me…"
"I said stop it!" C.C. shouted as she pulled out a pistol and pointed it directly at Mao, much to his shock. "I should have done this a long-long time ago."
She was just about to pull the trigger, when something inside her forced her to stop. Her memories of Mao in his childhood came back to her.
"Since my mind is the only one you can't read, and you can only be happy when you're with me, I will stay with you always. Yes, I'm right here, so you don't need to worry."
No matter how much she tried to deny it, she did love Mao back then. She had developed a genuine bond with him, and even considered him her child. It was that hesitance, that gave Mao an opening to pull his own gun and shoot her in the shoulder, forcing her to drop her gun and fall to her knees as she held her bleeding shoulder.
"I knew it! I knew you couldn't pull the trigger! That's cause you really love me C.C.!" He laughed in a manner that was both childish and maniacal as he clapped his hands.
"You're wrong! I was just using you right from the start!" She exclaimed almost desperately.
This caused Mao's insane smile to vanish. "What are you saying? You shouldn't tell lies like that. You really shouldn't!" He shot her again in her other shoulder. "Lies are very, very wicked! Wicked lies!" He shot her multiple times, in her arms, and legs. "Don't worry. I understand." He finally put the gun down. "C.C., you must listen. I made a deal with Megatron. He told me he could build us a house on the moon for us, just you and me. Since it's on the moon, there are no people there, so it'll be nice and quiet and perfect for us. But… the thing is C.C., Megatron wants a sample of you to study, and he's not exactly someone you can say no to."
C.C. looked with a fearful expression as Mao walked off to the side to grab a chainsaw from around the corner. "So, I'm going to give him a sample!" He exclaimed as a crazed smile formed on his face. "Don't worry, I'll just cut off a hand, and not one of your lovely legs! You've been shot before and you can heal, so you can grow your hand back to!" Mao cut down a sign with the chainsaw, almost for emphasis.
"Is this your revenge… your punishing me…?" C.C. asked as fear began to seep into her voice.
"Oh no." Mao replied as his child-like smile was still present on his face. "I'm not. I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not, I'm not at all! I'm showing you my gratitude…"
"So, Clovisland, huh?" Both of them directed their attention to the television screens that suddenly turned on and showed the image of the masked revolutionary known as Zero as he spoke. "It makes sense, a place where no one else's thoughts to bother you."
"Lelouch." Mao growled as C.C. looked in surprise, even more so that Lelouch was apparently dressed in his Zero-attire.
"Since your Geass has a total maximum range of five hundred meters, it can't reach me here at the Ark."
Mao laughed and clapped his hands. "That's true, that's very true! But what can you do from all the way over there? And why are you wearing that dumb costume anyway? Thinking the Decepticons are watching, and you want to hide your face? I could just say your full name right here and now, you know? How do you know they're not watching? You wanna send in the Autobots to crush me like a bug, seeing how I can't read their minds either?" Zero didn't seem to respond. "What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? If you want C.C. then…"
"Mao, think!" Zero interrupted. "You don't believe C.C.'s her real name, do you? She never even whispers it to anyone." That caught Mao by surprise as he glanced at C.C.'s fallen form. "But I know it though, she told me her true name. In fact, all the Autobots, and even a few of the Black Knights know it."
Mao appeared saddened and almost betrayed by this revelation. "Is that right C.C.? You never told me, ever, ever! But you told it to them?!"
"You know why?" Zero continued. "Because C.C. is mine. C.C. belongs to me in every possible way."
"No!" Mao exclaimed in anger as he walked closer to the screens. "She doesn't! She doesn't! She doesn't! She was mine long before she met you!"
"I have gained every single thing from her. Including all of the parts that you have never seen." Mao stumbled back at that. "All of them." That really hit Mao where it hurts.
"Lelouch…" He growled as he revved up his chainsaw. "FACE ME!" He yelled as he sliced at the screen with his chainsaw like a maniac. "LELOUCH! COME HERE! COME HERE SO I CAN LOOK INTO YOUR MIND! I'LL CUT THAT FANCY MASK OFF YOUR FACE AND DELIVER YOUR HEAD TO MEGATRON! YOU LIAR! LIAR!"
"Mao… you've lost…" The screens had been cut to pieces as they fell apart right as the transmission ended.
"What are you talking about?! I don't care! I'm gonna be with C.C.!" Suddenly, Mao heard multiple thoughts in his head coming in all at once, all of which were closing in fast. "Is that Lelouch?! But he's too far away! Sounds… everywhere… all those voices!"
"Hold it right there! Drop the weapon and surrender!" Suddenly three police Knightmares rolled onto the scene as at least two dozen SWAT police officers with pistols and riot shields quickly came in to surround the shocked Mao, even a helicopter shined a light on him. "Remain where you are! Drop your weapon and raise your hands!"
"The Black Knights… no, they're the police! But… but who contacted them…?" Mao was at a complete loss; this should have been impossible.
An ambulance rolled up as well and came to a halt right next to C.C. The backdoors opened as a paramedic got down and picked up the green-haired immortal. However, once she saw his face, her eyes widened in shock.
"Lelouch?! What are you doing here?!"
Mao gasped as he heard C.C. say his name. "It can't be! He was just at the Ark! He can't be here now!"
The paramedic, revealed to be Lelouch in disguise, turned to Mao with a knowing smirk. 'Are you that slow?' Lelouch spoke in thoughts alone. 'That was all a recording I had Fixit set up.'
"That's a lie!" Mao exclaimed. "You… you we're talking to me! Answering me!"
'Your thoughts are simple. Since you read minds, you've never resorted to cunning.' Lelouch responded. 'Consider it payback for what you did to Shirley.'
"You predicted every one of my answers!?" Mao questioned enraged. "What?! Why not sick Daddy Optimus on me!? Where are your precious Autobots!"
'One's right here.' Lelouch gestured to the ambulance. 'Ratchet was all I ever needed. Oh, and if you really read my mind, you would see why I admire Optimus.' A trolling grin formed on Lelouch's face 'Simply put, a spoiled little man-child like you isn't worth his time and effort.'
That really graded on Mao's nerves. "You… you little…" He couldn't even think of a proper response. "Don't think you've won! If the cops arrest me, I'll be out in a heartbeat!" Mao then heard all the thoughts of the cops all around him, calling him insane, and other private thoughts echoed in Mao's head. "SHUT UP! JUST STOP TAUNTING ME!"
'For once, I agree with Lelouch.' Ratchet thought to himself, as he knew Mao couldn't hear him. 'Someone like this really isn't worth Optimus' time.'
Lelouch kept his smirk up. 'C.C. told us that you can't turn off your Geass, and your reach is erratic. If you don't concentrate, your range gets very short.'
"So, you used the monitors to keep me distracted?" Mao realized Lelouch's intent. "Even so, I can still defeat you, I'll have you ruined!"
'The moment you try, is the moment you die.' Lelouch walked into Ratchet, still carrying C.C.
"Lelouch wait! If I talk to him, then I can get through!" C.C. sounded almost desperate as he loaded her into the Autobot disguised as an ambulance.
"You think I'll die?!" Mao questioned. "Listen cops! You know who that guy is?! He's the terrorist you want! He's…"
"FIRE!" The head police officer, under the influence of Lelouch's Geass, gave the order. This signaled all the cops to open fire and fill Mao full of holes until he dropped to the ground.
"Oh no!" That was the last thing C.C. saw before Ratchet's door closed and he drove off.
Mao grunted as face filled with emptiness and despair as he saw the Autobot disguised as an ambulance drive away with C.C. "…Zero."
Unbeknownst to anyone, the entire scenario was being observed by the Decepticon Mini-Con known as Laserbeak that continued to circle the air.
The Nemesis
Soundwave had projected the footage from Laserbeak, onto the bridge's main screen as Megatron and Knock Out watched it all play out. They could not see Zero's face when he was on the monitor, nor could they hear the name Mao was spouting out.
Megatron sighed as he shook his head. "Disappointing."
"That guy was a few wrenches short of a complete toolbox." Knock Out commented. "Still, we learned a bit more about Geass, so it wasn't a complete loss. But it would have been nice if we learned Zero's true identity."
"Indeed." Megatron responded as he carried a knowing expression on his face.
The Ark
Ratchet had returned to the Ark with Lelouch and C.C., where Optimus and Fixit were waiting for them on the bridge.
"I've just informed all Black Knight personnel as well as the other Bots that Mao has been dealt with. Everyone should be returning soon." Fixit informed.
"Thank you Fixit." Ratchet nodded as he and Optimus looked to Lelouch and C.C. as the two stood on the catwalk to be on equal level with the two Autobots present.
"Mao was only six years old when I made my contract with him." C.C. began as Lelouch, Optimus, Ratchet, and Fixit listened. "He was an orphan, who'd never known the love of a parent; he couldn't read or write, and he knew nothing of good and evil. When I gave the Geass power to Mao, it isolated him. In his mind, I became his only friend, and his lover. Though I was still a perfect stranger. I'm the only one he even thought of as human, I was Mao's entire world."
"Then why did you leave him?" Lelouch asked.
"I suppose… I was afraid." C.C. confessed. "I had felt connections with others before him, and I've lost every single one. I didn't want to feel like that again."
"That is a pain and a fear that everyone present has experienced at some point in their lives, including myself." Optimus said. "However, if you allow yourself to form connections and bonds with others, you could be surprised at what you find. You do not have to be alone, however if you still wish to leave, we will respect your choice. But if you choose to stay, then know that you are no longer alone."
C.C. wasn't sure what to say. Despite knowing only bits and pieces of her past, as well as some of her mistakes, even those that could harm them, and yet the Autobots and even Lelouch were still willing to accept her.
"Cera, I promise I won't let my Geass destroy me." Lelouch told her, while also surprising her that he addressed her by her real name. "I'll find a way to control it, if I can't do it alone, then I know I have help. Not just with the Autobots, but you as well. I trust you, and I need you. As Optimus told you, you can leave if you want but… I'd prefer if you stay."
She turned to Lelouch with a hopeful expression in her eyes. "You… really want me to stay?"
"Yes." Lelouch told her without even a hint of hesitation in his voice. Optimus looked towards Lelouch with a small smile, proud of how honest he was being with himself and how much he was starting to open to others, even those with a flawed past and give them a second chance.
Cera had an honest smile on her face. "Very well, I'll stay." She told him, causing Lelouch to smile as even Optimus and Fixit both smiled, while Ratchet just simply nodded in approval. "And, seeing as to all the trouble you went to for me, there's something I need to tell you. That other one like me that I mentioned before, the one named V.V…. his real name is Victor Zi Britannia, the twin brother of Charles Zi Britannia." Lelouch couldn't contain his gasp as even Optimus, Ratchet, and Fixit were beyond stunned. "He's your uncle, Lelouch."
Pendragon
It was unusual for there to be no one else in the throne room of Charles Zi Britannia, aside from the Emperor himself. Normally there would be nobles, or other people of prestigious backgrounds, but no. It was only the current Emperor of Britannia, along with a pair of bodyguards standing by his side as he sat on his throne. The Emperor looked to the other end of the massive chambers as the door opened as four individuals entered the room and began to walk toward the throne.
All four of them wore white clothes with black gloves and boots, but each of them had a differently colored robes on over their uniforms and were rather young. One was a teenage boy with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a dark green robe with a golden Britannian crest stitched into it. On his right was a pre-teen girl with an emotionless expression on her face light pink hair and red eyes, and a dark pink robe over her uniform. On her right was a young woman, clearly the oldest present, light grey hair and blue eyes, with a purple robe over her own uniform. Finally, a teenage girl long amber hair and blue eyes, with a light green robe of her own.
"Your majesty." They all said at the same time as they kneeled before the Emperor who began to address them all.
"Gino Weinberg, Knight of Three; Anya Alstreim, Knight of Six; Nonette Enneagram, Knight of Nine; and Monica Krushevsky, Knight of Twelve. I trust you are aware of the situation in Area 11?"
"Yeah, a bunch of giant robots are tearing things up down there." Gino said with an excited smile.
"They are causing problems and need to be dealt with as soon as possible." Anya said almost robotically.
"Indeed." Charles Zi Britannia confirmed. "You are to be deployed to Area 11 immediately, to assist Cornelia in destroying these vial machines, and these Black Knight associates."
"As you wish, your majesty." Monica replied.
'This should be fun.' Gino thought to himself.
"And what of Zero, you're highness? Or these Decepticons we've been told about?" Nonette asked.
"You are to assist the Decepticons as well, they will act as your allies." Charles explained. "In addition, you are being placed under Megatron's direct command."
"Understood." Anya said in the same emotionless tone.
"As for Zero, you are to bring him to me alive." Charles instructed, much to the surprise of Monica and Nonette.
"Alive? Your highness?" Monica wanted to be sure she heard her Emperor correctly.
"Yes, alive."
"Is there a reason you want to bring a famous terrorist alive right to your doorstep?" Gino asked.
"If you needed to know, I would have told you." Charles said with narrowed eyes, indicating this wasn't up for discussion. All four of the Knights of the Round present bowed their heads in response. "You are dismissed, with the exception of the Knight of Nine, I must speak with you privately."
Nonette was somewhat surprised but acknowledged his request. "As you wish." She stood up just as Gino, Anya, and Monica turned around and began to walk away. Once they were out of the throne room, or at least outside hearing range, Charles spoke.
"I'll get right to the point, Lady Enneagram, Kaizaren Von Britannia is alive."
Nonette couldn't contain her gasp as her eyes widened and her pupils shook. "He's… what…. Alive... Are… are you certain, your highness?!"
"indeed, though he may not remember his past." Charles confirmed. "This mission is reserved solely for you, as you served under him as his knight all those years ago. You are to find Kaizaren and bring him to me."
Nonette wasn't over the shock of this news but straightened herself out to bow. "As you wish, your majesty. Is there anything else?"
"No, you are dismissed." The Emperor allowed her to leave.
The Knight of Nine turned around and left but did her best to contain a disgusted look on her face, even though her back was to him. 'Why would you want him alive? You didn't even seem to care when you heard he died. I don't know what it is your planning, but I will find Kaizaren, and I will protect him; from these Autobots, from Zero, and even from you.'
Done.
So, quite a bit has happened. Looks like Mao has been dealt with (for now anyway), but it seems that Megatron knows more about Geass than before and is now aware of what C.C. can do. What does he plan to do with this information? One can only wonder.
But more importantly, Lelouch and the Autobots know about V.V. now. (However, don't expect them to learn about Ragnarok just yet, a lot is going to happen in the near future that will change the circumstances around that particular concept).
And it seems Shirley, who has been given enough time to process all that's happened, wants to help Lelouch and the Autobots by joining the Black Knights. Now, before ANYONE says ANYTHING, I've read your reviews on you saying why Shirley shouldn't join the Black Knights and I can understand your reasoning, but don't expect Shirley to become an advanced Knightmare pilot or anything like that. The last thing Lelouch wants is to put her life in danger, so he's going to put her in a position that serves as more of a supporting role, and not so life-threatening. But that doesn't mean she's not going to get pulled into some crazy situations.
I also added a bit of a nice bonding moment between Suzaku and Euphemia. I wanted to add a bit to their relationship and chemistry, by having Euphie confessing how she feels about Britannia and how much she hates it, as well as her growing distrust in the Decepticons. Even Suzaku is starting to waver slightly; but don't expect him to have a full wake-up call just yet. We all know how stubborn he is.
One unimportant note; Villetta hasn't woken up yet. Unlike in the cannon when she was shot with a gun, she was shot at by a Cybertronian Energon blast, so she's still out of it. But she will recover and (small spoiler), she'll still have amnesia.
One last thing… the Knights of the Round are coming to Japan. Specifically; Gino, Anya, Nonette, and Monica. Seeing how badly Britannia is losing to the Autobots and Black Knights, it only makes sense. We all know Gino and Anya, (as well as Anya's 'roommate') but I choose to add Monica and Nonette, because the former has had little-to-no screen time in the cannon, and she is a freaking Knight of the Round. She only made a few seconds of screen time at the R2 premiere and close to the finale, only to get killed off by Suzaku in two seconds flat. Seems like a waste of character development (especially since she has a larger role in the OZ manga). And it seems Nonette has a history with this 'Kaizaren', but what exactly? So much drama is bound to happen in the coming chapters.
Now that this chapter is done, I will be implementing two "Transformers Prime" episodes into the next pair of chapters, kind of taking a break from the Code Geass plotline. We will be meeting a certain spider-con again as the Bots, Cons, and their respective allies, fight over a pair of deadly and experimental weapons seen in Season 1 of TFP. (hint, hint)
I'll see you all next time with the next chapter of Code Prime. Roll out!
