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Code Geass: Rei of the Revolution
Chapter 36: The Glaston Knights
"So which is it? Are you going to accept or are you going to be a coward and run? Either way, death is already around your neck." Claudio said.
He didn't want to take this any further than it has to be. But the conditions warranted this. He had to do this. He had to face him in combat. It was the only way to be sure that his father's killer wasn't some cowardly Eleven. He had to find out who this boy was aside from the obvious. He didn't want to take this course of action. It was unbecoming of a Knight. Especially a Knight of his caliber.
"I'm waiting for a response." Claudio said.
"F-Fine… you'll have what you want…" Rei said. "But I—"
"You want my word that me and my brothers will not only let her go, but that we'll also forget that we had sort of an encounter." Claudio said. "Don't worry, you'll have my word on that."
He motioned David to knock the Eleven out. A swift strike to the nape and Rei lost consciousness.
"As Princess, I order you to—!"
"Forget it lady, you don't have jack on us. All you got is a wheelchair." David said. "No title, no claim to the throne, no political power of any kind, no authority over us, nothing. Nothing but the wheelchair."
"Alfred,"
"B-But do I have to?"
"Look, I don't know how long he's going to be asleep and if he wakes up, he's gonna blow his top off." David said.
Alfred turned to Nunnally.
"I'm sorry… but I'm afraid you'll have to come with us." Alfred said.
Nunnally gripped the ends of the chair tightly. She was sobbing.
'Rei… forgive me… I… I dragged you into this…' Nunnally thought.
29 minutes remaining…
Rei woke up. He was going to remember that one well. He… he had to get the Byakuen. He knew just what to do. He pulled out his phone. He had to get Kagari on the horn. He made a call to her and as soon as she answered, she explained the situation to her.
"So you got yourself in quite the jam…" Kagari said. "Alright, I'll bring the Byakuen. Should I get Neha?"
"Y-Yeah. Just in case." Rei said.
Docks
"So it's really serious…" Neha said. "Alright… the device has gone past the experimental phase with flying colors. It should give him the edge. I had it installed, so there shouldn't be a problem."
"Thanks." Kagari said.
Shinjuku Ghetto
25 minutes remaining…
The Glaston Knights had got themselves hold up in a building with a big enough room for the Knightmares to fit in through. Nunnally was placed in the back of the room.
"Brother… is this really ok?" Alfred asked.
"Are you seriously having doubts right now?" David asked.
"I mean… he sounds like he kinda likes her genuinely, so aren't we taking this a bit far?" Alfred asked. "I mean… what if she—"
"Not a chance in hell." David said. "She can't do anything for him. Not while she's a cripple, albeit a blind cripple."
"He's right. She can't help him." Bart said. "Besides… we can't turn back."
"Then will he show up?" Alfred asked.
"He'll come." Claudio said. "If all goes as planned, he'll do it."
"Tell me, all of you, why is it that you'd go this far just to fight him?" Nunnally asked.
"Tch! Isn't it obvious?! He killed our father!" David said. "He was the only one who gave us a place to live and something to live for! What would you know what it's like to be an orphan for all your life?!"
"David… you shouldn't talk to her like that." Claudio said. "She may not have anything aside from the wheelchair, but she's a daughter of the Emperor. I'd pay her the utmost respect."
"But—!"
Claudio looked to Nunnally.
"It's true. He did kill our father, Andreas Darlton, in battle. He was… he was a man whom me and my brothers came to respect." Claudio said. "He'd given us something to live for. We all joined the military hoping to one day be as great as he was and perhaps even greater than that."
"You mean… you looked up to him a lot, didn't you?" Nunnally asked. "And you were all orphans at the time?"
"Yes…" Alfred said. "Back then, we only had the orphanage. It was rough living there. We had to do anything to survive."
"But Claudio did us a solid by having all of us work together." Bart said. "And when he adopted us, we… we had a life I'm sure many would want badly."
"He treated us like we were his sons." Edgar said. "David knew him the most. Sure, he can be a meathead, but at least his skills make up for that meat headed personality of his."
"Hey!" David said.
"We climbed through ranks faster than anyone of our generation." Claudio said. "That's how we became the Glaston Knights. Sheer determination and all that training we endured."
"The old man was one of the best Knights Britannia could muster… until that bastard killed him." David said. "And the fact that he's only close to our age is… it's upsetting…"
"We have to defeat him ourselves. We went to great lengths for this. I won't let our efforts go to waste." Claudio said. "I'm sorry, your highness. Even if you do love him or he loves you, we can't let that deter us. Not while the honor of the name of Darlton is put into question."
A proximity alarm went off.
"So he's finally here…" David said, "And not a moment too soon…"
"Remember the plan. Overmen can sense a killing intent, so remember to cull any notion of that." Claudio said, "Act randomly to throw him off."
"Please… you can't… you don't have to do this." Nunnally said, "Must you really do this? Isn't there another way? You could die if you do this. He could die if you—"
"Fine by me." David said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."
She grew frustrated.
"Why must violence always be the answer?! Can't you still make peace?! Is that off the table now?! Is that it?!" Nunnally exclaimed.
David grew impatient with her and went over to her before grabbing her by the collar.
"Listen lady, when someone hits you, you hit back." David said, "If you keep acting like peace will fix anything, then you're delusional."
He put her back down and went to his Gloucester.
The truck's door opened and the Byakuen got out. It had a black attachment on its shoulder and another on its left forearm. He could sense it. Nunnally's presence. It was in that building. But he knows that waiting for him are the ones who wished to avenge Andreas Darlton.
This was not going to be easy.
The Byakuen entered the building. He kept his senses on high alert. They were waiting for him. He can't afford to slip up. He was up against the sons of a man he killed in battle. That man was widely respected by others, even Cornelia herself deemed him as a dear friend, their abilities had to either be above or near that man's level.
He instinctively pulled the railgun and aimed it up at the ceiling and fired a shot. A Gloucester came falling down. He backed as the machine fell.
'How did he know?!' Alfred thought, 'I didn't want to kill him! So then why?! How?! How did he—?!'
'Got you!' Rei thought.
He retracted the railgun and pulled out the blades. The Gloucester pulled its rifle up and started firing. The Byakuen evaded the incoming bullets. Rei dodged the bullets and began to charge at Alfred.
The Sattel Waffens on the Gloucester were fired. The missiles detonated on impact.
"I got him!" Alfred said, "Claudio! I got him! I got him!"
'Already? No… that can't be right. The intel we had on him stated that he reacted right before the trigger was pulled… so unless…!' Claudio thought, "Alfred! Get back!"
A large black hand grabbed the Gloucester's head and gripped it tightly. The hand had a red light coming from behind it. The forearm had glowing red outlines. A red light encompasses the head. It began to slowly heat up before the head began to short-circuit and explode violently. The Gloucester fell down. A blade severs the right arm of the Gloucester before it was jabbed into its midsection.
Alfred saw the red blade barely miss him by a few centimeters. The accuracy was unbelievable. Had that blade been any closer, he would have lost an arm at best.
It made him question why the White Jack intentionally did this.
There was nothing logical about that. Leaving him alive would only… but his Gloucester was disabled at this point.
What he was trying to accomplish?
Rei knew who and what he was dealing with. They were like him. Orphans. Children with nowhere left to go. He got wind of a transmission and began to jack into it.
"Alfred! Alfred! What's wrong?! Respond! Respond!"
"It's no use." A familiar voice spoke.
"You—!"
"What did you do to Alfred you son of a bitch?!" David asked, "Talk or I'll—!"
"I… I'm fine!" Alfred said, "My Gloucester though… it's disabled… I can't fight anymore…"
'Disabled? No… he can't be serious right now…' Claudio thought, 'Is he… what in the hell has possessed him to not kill Alfred?'
"You're probably wondering why I didn't kill him." The White Jack said, "And the answer is obvious. We're not that different. We're just orphans with nowhere left to run nor hide. All we have is the people who cared for us, who have been with us. That's all that matters to us. Isn't that right, Claudio?"
"We're nothing like you! You're just an Eleven who killed our father!" David yelled.
"Yeah, and you don't know what I've been through." The White Jack said.
'What I've been through… what does he mean by that?' Claudio thought.
Then there was radio static.
He looked at the gauntlet that was now on the Byakuen's left arm.
Flashback
"Radiant Wave Barrier?" Rei asked.
"A defensive application of the Radiant Wave Surger." Neha said, "Thanks to the Britannian technology that we managed to reverse engineer, we have built a prototype that can be used as a weapon."
"Seriously?" Rei asked.
"Simply put, the shoulder piece can act as the shield while the left arm piece can act as a brass knuckle." Kagari said, "Put the two together and you have a gauntlet that can destroy anything with a punch, or even by simply holding the enemy down."
Present Day
'With this weapon, I should be able to—'
He heard a Knightmare dropping in.
"Bastard!" A familiar voice said.
'Is that… is that the guy called David?' Rei thought.
"I don't care if you feel sorry for us or not!" The voice yelled, "You killed my father and now you dare to say that we're not different at all?! I'll kill you!"
"David! No! Fall back! This isn't part of the plan!" Claudio said.
"To hell with the plan! He thinks he can pull the wool over our eyes by acting sympathetic! I'm already tired with his bullshit!" David said.
"David! I'm ordering you to pull back this instant!" Claudio said, "David—!"
Silence.
'He cut his radio off! That idiot!' Claudio thought.
"I know how you feel… but is killing me really going to do anything for you?" Rei asked, "We can walk away from this. Hand over Nunnally and—"
"No! I won't have anymore of your bullshit!" David yelled.
The Knight started shooting at Rei. He brought his left arm up. A red barrier suddenly appeared as the bullets smacked into it, melting upon impact.
'A barrier?! When did the Black Knights—?!'
The White Jack rushes at David. He brought the shield up to block the punch. He was knocked back, but he managed to recover. He looked to the shield to see a visible dent in it. It was useless! He tossed it aside. He grabbed the sword and held it. He remembered the basics of CQC. He had to get in close, it was the only way he was going to put a dent in that beetle head. He used the slash harkens to go up. The White Jack followed him up. Tripwired Chaos Mines suddenly went off. The Beetle dodged the incoming shrapnel.
"Damn! He dodged the trap!" David said.
The machine came at him from the side and delivered a powerful hook to the head. He lost his head and fell over.
The Byakuen loomed over David's Gloucester.
"Go on… what are you waiting for?" David asked, "DO IT! DO IT! KILL ME YOU BASTARD! I'M RIGHT HERE! DO IT NOW! KILL ME!"
He thought about his request…
No. He couldn't grant his request. He can't answer his challenge. He doesn't have any reason to kill him. There has been enough blood on his hands. He's separated enough families. No one deserves to die here and now. He has no obligation, no reason, no provocation, to kill him.
"No." He said over the speakers, "I won't."
"Gutless coward! That's all you are and that's what you'll be! A coward!" David yelled, trying to provoke him.
"I'm no coward." Rei said, "I have spilled the blood of many. I won't kill you."
"What are you trying to prove to me by acting like a pacifist?!" David said, "You're no different from Kururugi… he could have helped the old man but he didn't… HE DIDN'T! And all he had to say was that there was nothing he could have done… that it was all too late… and he still thinks he can integrate you Elevens into our society and pretend that things can be solved from acting all kind and peaceful when he knows that isn't possible anymore! It never was!"
He began to feel sadness coming from him.
"My father… he wanted to change the system so that orphans like us wouldn't have to suffer… but in the end… it was pointless…" David said, "He knew it wasn't going to happen… that it was impossible… that even with all his expertise in battle and in politics… it couldn't be done…"
'David…' Rei thought.
"And now he's dead…" David said, "I… I couldn't even say goodbye to him… I… I couldn't tell him how much I loved him as any son would love their father… be it those who are related by blood or not…"
'David…' Rei thought, 'I… I know how you feel… I never got the chance to tell them how much I loved them…'
"Why bother continuing to live this life if all it does is bring pain?" David asked, "Please… just give me a warrior's death. That's all I ask…"
"David… the blessing of life doesn't come from having a purpose…" Rei said.
"Wha—?"
"It comes from what you do with your life that makes life such a blessing." Rei said.
Two more Gloucesters came down. He turned to them as rockets came at him. He flipped the barrier on. The shoulder piece lit up. The rockets smacked into the barrier and exploded. The Byakuen came out unscathed. The arm piece moved up as the shoulder piece extended to the arm and clamped down on it. The left arm now had a giant hand with a gauntlet attached.
"An upgrade?!" Bart exclaimed.
"Damn!" Edgar said, "We don't have data on that modification!"
"Even so—!"
The Gloucesters drew their swords out. The Byakuen had its combined blade out. The Gloucesters clashed with the Byakuen. The barrier over the gauntlet blocked the swords. They backed away as he swung the blade. The Gloucesters charged at him altogether. He dodged their attacks. He parried a blow and reversed the direction of the force. He backhands the Gloucester before decapitating the other. He pulls the drill out and stabs the decapitated Gloucester in the waist. He throws the Gloucester down onto the floor and whips the cannon out. He shoots the Gloucester in the legs, making it fall. He pulled out the barrel and attached it to the gun. He aimed up and fired.
The ceiling is blasted open.
He heads up.
Edgar got out of his Gloucester and looked at the hole made by the Byakuen.
"Damn… he really isn't trying to kill us…" Edgar said.
"David!" Bart said, rushing to David's Gloucester.
He forced the hatch open and saw David in tears and sobbing.
"David?"
"That… idiot… Why doesn't he get it?" David mumbles to himself, "What the hell is he trying to accomplish?"
"David! Bart! Edgar!" Alfred said, coming onto the scene.
"Don't worry, we're all accounted for." Bart said, "David though… he seems ruffled."
"Why does he care about us all of a sudden?" David asked, "I don't get it… Why? Why?"
"It's alright Dave… we'll make it through this." Bart said, "Claudio, he's looking for you."
"I know…"
Rei got up a few more floors and stopped to find Nunnally.
"Nunnally!" Rei said.
"Rei? What are you—? Why? Why did you come here? You shouldn't have come here." Nunnally said.
"I'm going to rescue you! Just hold on!"
"No don't!" Nunnally said, "If you try to save me… we'll both die…"
"What?"
"That's right." A voice said.
He suddenly felt anger and turned. He saw the last remaining Gloucester. Claudio.
"Right now, she's surrounded by wires connected to a few liquid Sakuradite explosives." Claudio said, "Touch them, and boom, all of us go sky high. There won't be a trace of evidence of what occurred here except for the blast. The military will just write it off as some idiot playing around with explosives. A rather good cover-up for unintentional regicide if that is what you're aiming for."
"You bastard… she's a princess and you—!"
"She was a princess." Claudio corrected him, "And the only way you are saving her is to kill me."
"What?!" Rei exclaimed.
"The bombs are currently armed and I have the remote in my hand, take it and you'll be able to disarm the bombs." Claudio said, "I now know your weakness. You didn't want to kill my brothers not because of who, but because of what they remind you of. In this case, yourself. You lost your parents during the war seven years ago, long before me and my brothers became who we are today. You had no one else left to care for you. And then you were adopted by a bunch of terrorists who then joined with Zero and the Black Knights."
"Rei?"
"He was like a father to you, more than anyone else could. Or perhaps he was more of a she and was like a mother to you. But we can debate the subject of his gender later." Claudio said, "Regardless of that subject, he was the one person who inspired you to live on with a different purpose. It was only until Narita where you have left scars in the Empire that would never fade. The death of my father, Andreas Darlton, the humiliation of Viceroy Cornelia, and even the death of the Knight of Ten has rattled the empire."
"Rei… that's not true, is it?" Nunnally asked, "Did you… did you really do all of those things? Tell me it isn't true… tell me that it's all just lies…"
'Nunnally…' Rei thought, "I… I… I'm sorry Nunnally… but I… I really… the blood of countless soldiers stain my hands…"
"Rei…" Nunnally said, "I… I…"
"And there you have it." Claudio said, "He killed countless soldiers who had loved ones, family, and friends altogether. Tell me, is that the kind of person you love?"
Nunnally and Rei were silent.
"I…" Nunnally spoke, "I'm so sorry, Rei."
"Nunna…"
"I've been so selfish…" Nunnally said, "And look at what that has done…"
"Nunnally?"
"I… I can't do this to you…" Nunnally said, "I'm just a burden to you at this point. I… I can't let you live with the guilt of what has come in between us… I… I…"
Tears were coming down from her face. She sobbed.
"I… I want to see your face… but I'm scared… I'm scared that if I look… I'll see you die trying to protect me…" Nunnally said, "I don't want to let myself see that…"
"Nunnally…" Rei said, "No… don't be selfless now. Let me be—"
"No!" Nunnally said, "I can't let you do that! Not for me… I… I'm not worth it… leave me… you can live without me..."
"YOU'RE WRONG!" Rei yelled.
"R-Rei?" Nunnally asked.
"I can't live without you! A life like that is nothing but torture!" Rei said, "Where would be the happiness in me not being there for you?! How could I ever be able to help you see again if you push me away now?! What would the point be in not being able to one day look into your eyes and find out what color they are?!"
"R-Rei…" Nunnally said, "But why?"
"Because… deep down inside my heart… beneath these bloodied hands…" Rei said, "I want to be with you, Nunnally!"
His left eye glowed with the power of Geass.
Suddenly, he found himself in some different reality. And with him was… Nunnally, with her eyes opened. They were an amethyst color, just like Lelouch's eyes. Their bodies… no, mental constructs are made of light. He leaped towards Nunnally.
"Nunnally!" Rei said, wrapping his arms around Nunnally.
"R-Rei…" Nunnally said.
"Your eyes! I—! I can see your eyes now!" Rei said.
"Rei… your face…" Nunnally said.
She touched his cheek and cupped them.
"Rei…"
She had tears flowing from her eyes.
"So this is what your face looks like…" Nunnally said, "I… I love it…"
"Nunna… your eyes are beautiful…"
"And so are yours…"
The two held each other before embracing one another…
And kissed.
Pairs of angel wings sprouted forth from their mental bodies. They enveloped the pair.
Rei snapped back into reality. He smirked.
"Claudio, I'm afraid no one is dying here." Rei said.
"Pardon me? I have the remote, and you are going to have to take it from my dead body." Claudio said.
"There won't be any bodies." Rei said, "Not as long as I don't have to kill you."
"And you think you can accomplish that?" Claudio asked.
"Oh I think I can."
"Then let's see if one of us is wrong."
The two boys clashed swords.
A/N: And now we're getting to the climax of this arc.
Rei x Nunna
The ship is sailing! It is sailing!
Rei being a pacifist
I mean, he doesn't like to kill people unless he feels like that person should die.
Byakuen upgrade
I know its early for that, but hey, a prelude to Gouka Byakuen would be nice if I get to R2.
Until next time!
