By the God Emperor of Mankind can someone fucking add an quick edit button for the Authors on the bloody page! It would make so easy to edit small typo errors. I've tried to fix Chapter 13 and 14 three times now and the save button has failed me. This is crushing my inspiration!
Stage 2 - The White Knight Awakens (Part 3)
"Z-01 Lancelot now activating. Lancelot is activating. Releasing hatch..."
Activity immediately echoes into motion once the session resumes, showing a certain portion of the Britannian's forward base going into alarms all of the sudden. It appears the soldiers of the logistical personnel are moving everything they can to supply this one transport tank among the many, and the reason why very is simple, the hailers themselves seem to announce the coming actions of some scientific workforce bringing a pristine weapon of war up into display…
"...Z-01 Lancelot standby for activation. Pallet extension initiating…"
Suzaku could hear them go quite loudly as he finishes dressing his new uniform, basking in the loose comfort the thing has before checking himself upon a mirror. Indeed, this fittingly customized, high-impact suit he was given looked rather fashionable in its white and black colors under the gold trimmings. It is a bit too flashy for his tastes sure. but nothing that he couldn't complain really, after all, Honorary Britannians can only dream of being able to wear of these things.
However, as the pains of his hips clearly demonstrate, his life is not a dream. This former japanese soldier has earned an opportunity that no one could match, a chance to make things right through the example of his deeds. This is what he set out to do, standing ready for his new duty as a knight pilot.
"So, have you finished reading the manual?" He hears his new supervisor, Miss Cecile, calling into his newly gifted headset.
"Yes, pretty much."
"Well done then. We've finished computing the data and as expected you've scored the top of the class in the simulations." The lady informed with grace.
"I see…" But, while this certainly put ease to Suzaku's acknowledgement into the role, he had more things to be worried about, "Look, about what you've told me earlier… Are you sure of it?"
"Hmm? Ah, yes It could be, but the possibility is nearly zero."
"Still, that just means I have a little chance, right?" Suzaku held into his hopes while walking his way out of the medical truck. Looking ahead, he could see parts of his new weapon sticking out of its wraps… The very same weapon that will help him rescue Lelouch whenever it will be possible.
Miss Cecile of course knew of his intentions, as he had confided her after making his masterful display of talent. And yet, despite all that, she acted with much reluctance when faced with the odds of an civilian surviving the initial slaughter down in tunnels. Suzaku's friend would need the luck of a saint to keep himself breathing all the through now. It's either that or he actually joined the terrorists, which only makes things worse in appearance...
"So?"
"Well, I'm afraid you're right, there's a small chance, yes..." She worded it, voicing an mild agreement to his vain hope, "Even so, I don't want you to do anything reckless. The new model doesn't have an ejection mechanism installed, so If you get cornered-"
"-Right, I understand, Miss Cecile." Suzaku finished her sentence, already knowing what to expect. He just have to careful through it all, something that the good soldier didn't see much of a issue to be worried at. Considering how the simulations went, none of the terrorists should really present a threat to this venerable knightmare. In fact, just seeing it being released from its pressurized metal binds was enough to make Suzaku stare wide-eyed at it's majestic, elegant design of a sleek humanoid combat walker.
And what a machine it is… a four to five meters tall, white and gold behemoth in the shape of a judging knight, with a plated face glaring oppressively from its protruding helmet, seeking to challenge whoever stands before it...
"This is it?" Suzaku even doubted if he was looking at the right thing.
"Yes, the experimental weapon developed by us in the Advanced Special Envoy Engineering Corps: Lancelot, the world's first seventh generation Knightmare Frame." Cecile introduced it to him.
"(Lancelot…)" The soldier parroted. Truly, such definition certainly fits the appearance. This thing looks nothing compared to the clunky Sutherland designs that often employed in the army…
"Right then Suzaku, if you're ready, shall we proceed with the initial start-up?" Intruded another voice in his headset, this belonging to Mr. Asplund, the genius behind this relic.
"Ah yes!"
"Initial start-up, proceeding from phase 20." Given his acknowledgement, the ASEEC's engineering teams go on to follow a sequence of phases where they remotely ascertain the functionality of their machine piece by piece, from its electronic systems to its exotic components, all under the supervision of the creators, "...Equipping Energy Filler."
"Pre-start confirmed. Energy filler is now at full output. 30 seconds to reach full voltage. Core Luminous, shifting phase. Yggdrasil powering up…"
Suzaku heard every procedure as it flowed into his headset, waiting forth until he himself was called to finally enter the machine, "...Initiating Devicer setup." And just as stated in the manual's terms, that's his cue.
"Confirming entry of Devicer Z-01." The soldier was then lifted up to the cockpit where he can finally get comfortable in its seats and turn up the knightmare key gifted him, "...Individual I.D registration, completed. Man-Machine interface, confirmed. Yggdrasil resonance, confirmed. Rejection response, weak. Devicer stress response, weak. All readings normal."
"It's all going according to data so far…" Commented Mr. Asplund ominously, his tone sounding rather serious for the occasion. Lancelot's engines were burning hot, it's levers fully sensitive at touch, leaving Suzaku free to make his own personal adjustments before making any move. If there's any chance for some malfunction to happen, now it's the time…
"...all status, green. Tactical back-up bank, authorized. Secondary confirmation, granted." Thus, with all cables cut, the engineers and support units surrounding the machine move away to give Lancelot some space, letting its last motions be tested before the pilot kneels it down and drop the landspinners into a runner stance.
"Lancelot, M.E boost." Suzaku affirmed over radio, manually powering his machine to such a degree that covered the entire transport tank he was in with the smoke of his rolling wheels...
"Lancelot, Launch!" And so, the moment Cecile gave him the signal, the soldier just catapulted himself straight into the streets, cutting the very air in a shockwave as he soared! Indeed, so powerful was his exit that it knocked the entire supervision team off their feet, forcing them to duck into cover just to protect themselves from the killer gust.
"HAHAHAHA! Running full throttle right out of the gate, huh?" Met with this result, Lloyd just laughed off, happy to see his machine run as intended. Safe to say it, this Devicer's compatibility had greatly surpassed his initial expectations.
"Incredible..." Yet none could say it better than the pilot himself, who had his firsthand experience right off the bat, "This is cooler than what manual said." Suzaku admitted, feeling the power and weight carrying him forth with such strong intensity. With this, he now felt certain of his victory... All he had to do now is eliminate the terrorists and secure the ghetto as per the Prince's orders.
And, if possible, he'd prefer to do this before his wounds start to become a problem again…
"...Ugh…"
Either way, gunshot pains aside, the Jury restrained their opinions about Lancelot's deployment in the favor of the action, staring as the mystical machine instantly arrived at the objective, hunching over in swift zigzags to approach its first victim.
"Huh?" Tamaki, being the unlucky one overwatching the front at time, blinked his eyes in confusion when his sensors detected the approach. What saw next was this insanely fast white blur charging on his way, going so fast that his aim tracker couldn't really pinpoint it correctly, "...What's that? It doesn't look like a-Guh!" Hell, before he could even finish his sentence the factsphere of his Sutherland had been suddenly crushed, spreading such damage that it forced the cockpit to auto-eject from the impact sensors alone, leaving the hothead guessing blindly in confusion as he flew off.
From there, Suzaku didn't spare a second, already moving from his well executed punch to lunge after the next sentry in the same full-throttle speed to keep the momentum. His relentless advance did wonders to catch the terrorists off-guard, creating enough of a disruption so that nothing but bits and pieces could escape off into their radio channels. As such, even Lelouch himself was left successfully unaware of this blitzkrieg assault, distracted as he was planning the final push from what he believed to be a crippled enemy.
But, such thing wouldn't go for long with his many pawns on look out...
"This is B-group! Reporting enemy presence!"
"Hm?" The Demon, disturbed in his contemplations, arched an eyebrow to this news, "(Reinforcements, here? Hmph. I guess real battles really are a different thing…) Status report."
"Everyone ejected off in the outskirts. Something took the four of them in a blink of eyes!"
"Enemy numbers?"
"One, just one!" His bishop answered in a surprising explanation, "I think it's a new model. I've never seen anything like-gah!—-"
However, in a sudden scream the radio went static, leaving Lelouch baffled, "Hey, what happened!?" Indeed, being blind much like his brother on the tactical display, the Demon could only judge and deduce that his servant had been struck down in some rushed attack, with the rest about to suffer the same fate if he didn't do something…
Now, while Lelouch was quick to improvise at face of such threat, there's only so much his men can report accurately over radio, specially under the stress of a life and death situation. The terrorists weren't anywhere disciplined or learned enough to describe the imposing appearance of their opposition they're dealing with. Hell, according to them, this thing, this… White Knight, as one soul would put it, seemed to just arrive in this sudden burst of wind, treating them down like scum as it scanned the surroundings from shoulder-mounted factspheres. And with their comrades lying defeated upon its feet, the glittering picture of a dominant Britannian was certainly impressed upon them.
"Why you bastard!" Reacting in anger, the japanese then primed their guns in revenge...
...to which Suzaku merely presented Lancelot's right arm and powered up the so called Blaze Luminous Defense System against them. What followed next then was a shocking display of defiance as the Sutherland guns proved to be useless on contact, their bullets being deflected inches away from their target as it struck a flashing green wall of sparkling energy.
"What? Your bullets are bouncing off?" Lelouch was surely incredulous after hearing this.
"Yeah! Some kind of shield thing! What should we do!? Shit, Ishida, watch ou-Gah!"
But, as reality was out there, it had to be considered to be true. "Tch! (Useless terrorists…)" Nevertheless, the Demon was less than impressed at this performance, "(...They have all the resources in hand and they're still being beaten by one unit...)" He judged with a growing frown. How is he's supposed to create a plan based on such faulty intel? Was he to believe that a single, unarmed Knightmare with special issue gear could really do this? Some kind of prototype model? Hmph, how quaint, "N-4, N-5, hold your positions. When the rear units reach you, surround that thing." He ordered forth, thinking some of countermeasure.
"Gotcha!"
One unit can't be this possibly effective alone. Even veterans or geniuses, for all their skills and prestige, has their limits when faced with real battlefield conditions. This much is what Lelouch believed…
Yet little did he know that what he faced had the might of both terms fused in one being, for Lloyd was the veteran scientist behind his creation while Suzaku had the genius talents make it work. Together, they create a unit so powerful that it might challenge and breakthrough even the most cautious of strategies, one that should not be underestimated at any second.
In other words, "(Yes, I can do this! With this Lancelot I can stop all this at once!)" Suzaku could only shine in his proven confidence.
As such, led by his sharp reflexes, the soldier just moved in for the execution, launching one slash harken from his wrists to immediately decapite the Sutherland in front of him while using another to boost himself into a somersault jump, all to plant a hammering a landspinner wheel in the head of another…
The two terrorists were down but more came out into the open, a whole ten of them in a squad who immediately tried to surround him, firing guns from every direction possible to bypass his shields. However, Lancelot was far too agile to be cornered in this manner. Suzaku had no problems keeping them in his front long enough for them to run out of bullets. Then, by the time they realized their mistake, he was already charging through the hail of lesser bullets, cutting through the arms and bodies of many terrorists without breaking a sweat.
"We can't stop this thing!" One of them screamed, desperately shooting his own slash harkens blindly before being himself pierced through the neck by one.
This certainly had an effect on morale as panic and fear quickly spread in the terrorist radio channels, "N-Group, what's happening!?" Lelouch tried to get a line with any survivors, but time and time again the thing would hang up dead in his ear, with screams being the last thing the Demon would hear, "(What is this? Something I didn't foresee?") Shocked, he pauses for a second to think, gritting his teeth while scrolling through mental options. Things were getting out of control and he had no extra information to work on...
Such the turn of events became so drastic that even Prince Clovis had to admit that he did not expect this degree of success occur so quickly... To think Lloyd had something like this, a force that's actually capable of going against such unknown villain… It sure leaves a bad taste on the mouth, "For Heaven's sake, now I'll owe my older brother a debt I don't need to incur…" He first commented in discontent before shaking his head, "Still, it is for best."
An success is a success. That's how Clovis reasoned it. Better to accept this gift for the moment and worry about the cost later. After all, he can plan on silencing Lloyd after they recover the immortal girl.
Now, such revelations only served to inspire the Jury to see further in session, but even so, amidst the adrenaline of the action, anger and awe going in conflict did much to shatter the immersion, making it freeze whole so that the crowd could process them.
"Of course, of course It is for the best… it must be for a scum such as you, brother..." Cornelia seethed in anger, feeling annoyed at every second his treacherous sibling went on to disgrace himself with his words and actions. Clovis's motivations were far far too reprehensible for her to accept, a feeling many shared together at this point.
"Such wasted effort…" Guilford spoke, frowning in a head shake, "Every side is being led by either misinformation or treachery of their own doing, fighting almost blind through the whole skirmish."
The rebel Japanese is being led an opposing Britannian, the opposing Britannian is a friend of the rebel Japanese fighting in the other side, and neither know who they are fighting against… Truly, everything here is mess in a handbasket.
"I suppose this goes to show the importance of military intelligence." Xingke comments aloud, adding his own opinion. It was hard to gauge himself reacting in any other way when faced with such unknown threat, "Lelouch sure was caught flat-footed there."
"Well, he got what he wanted, a challenge worth of his skills." Todoh added along, "Too bad, he couldn't see the irony of who was behind it all." He concluded, eyes closing in contemplation. Indeed, the circumstances here appear so paupable now that a single talk between both sides would have resolved everything, changing the world for better or for worse if it had ever happened...
"Tch, I cannot accept this..." Chiba reacted with cold anger, "Why must our kindred be the ones to bleed under scheme of these monsters!?"
Her feelings, manifested in the indignation of the Britannians coming out in the top, just seemed to burn her ever small patience. The injustice just doesn't seem to stop. No matter how… understandable, the Demon's journey towards madness may have been, the fact remains that only innocents (Japanese only in her mind) seemed to suffer in his wake, and the Holy Swordswoman couldn't fathom why this is how it should be…
"Why, isn't it obvious?" Came the answer in a smug tone. It appears Schneizel was keen to try give his opinion, "It must because nature dictates it so. There are those born to rule just as those born to serve. It is that simple."
"..." Yet, despite his unwanted words, the crowd still listened.
"But to put it into action, when two or more sides come into an impasse, the struggle of reality finds a way to put everyone in their rightful place, either they want it or not..." The gallant lectured, explaining a vision not just from how he sees it, but also how he is also affected by it, with the weight of what expects looking quite clear by his glare at Lelouch's frozen face.
"Urgh, give me a break. That's just a really pessimistic way of saying how we're all just different…" Kaguya retorted, unconvinced.
To which Schneizel merely smiled, "I would argue that I'm realistic, logical even... Not that you would ever accept my view." He countered.
This however only earned him some empty stares from the rest, all with that cold vacant eyes of reflection upon the sour meaning behind what he said. Though not actually agreeing with it, few could put their thoughts into the words to say against him.
Or at least, few without the sheer honesty in their hearts...
"Yeah you damn right I won't!" Tamaki shouted in his usual display, "Fucking brits with their fucking traitors and their fucking secrets… You're all dumb bastards who should have died back there! That's how I see it fair!" He boasted, both angry and loud.
"..."
As such, dealing with this, the hated gallant just shook his head realizing he wasted his breath again, turning instead to face Zero who observed him silently...
"Well then." Being unofficially addressed, Suzaku fought the urge to sigh. This had just gotten out of hand, "If you're all done venting, may we just continue?" He inquired in a short and passive suggestion.
Safe to say it, the Jury's acknowledgement was as quick as it was intended, already flowing into motion the ever darting form of Lancelot running free to divide and conquer his enemies as much as it could. Back to the action, Suzaku's presence just terrified the terrorists in sight, making their aim go blind against his unstoppable acrobatics of jumping from wall to wall amidst alleys while kicking, slashing or tackling anyone caught on the way...
By now, progress was most certainly being made out of this and the supervision team was more than happy to receive the data they were collecting in feedback from the confrontation, giving them what they needed to calibrate their collective creation into ever finer efficiency. In fact, just a glance in Lancelot's Core Luminous Reactor Relay and Cecile could only remain wide-eyed at the numbers she's receiving, "These readings are even higher than predicted!"
"Well, that's because our pilot is taking his job very seriously." Lloyd theorized in his trademark smug. His Devicer was pushing his limits quite dramatically out there, which is something to be praised for sure… Of course, he cared more about what Suzaku could give him in data than otherwise but he at least recognizes the effectiveness of the boy.
"(If I can stop all the knightmares, then this battle is over.)" Affirmed the good soldier, vowing to himself, "(No matter what it takes, I've gotta save Lelouch and that girl!)"
And so it goes...
With the destruction of the terrorists underway, Lelouch eventually had to come into terms that his strategy was failing him, "P1, report!" His last pawn, sent to catch the enemy in a corner, was shortly taken out by another indescribable melee assault from the so called White Knight, leaving him with no means to face the enemy directly…
This then meant that he, the Black King of this table, was now pushed into a corner, locked in what's essentially a check, done by none other than his brother Clovis. Truly, such improbability leaves Lelouch quite baffled to think of. Only his older brother Schneizel had ever put him in this much pressure on their chess games, and yet here he was, being nearly crushed by the one sibling he always seemed to win over in past times...
"The enemy… can it really be only one unit?" The Demon contemplated in a whisper, distraught by the shift of circumstances as he briefly counted at few pieces he had remaining on his war table. The terrorists now barely numbered into a single squad of survivors, led by his quite resourceful Q1 out there somewhere. And even then he doubted they really were around after this scattering mess they have faced. If so, perhaps he should consider a retreat then, maybe concede defeat here to move into the covert phase of his plans like he had first intended...
Lost in these decisive thoughts, Lelouch was left completely distracted on his hiding spot, an situation that would instantly change when a slash harken zipped into a ceiling a few feet of his presence.
"...!"
The White Knight had arrived, and he fit every bland description he was told by terrorists, including the monstrous speed it seemed to have as it instantly zipped into his face to strike! Hell, the Demon had to cross his arms purely on reflex there, lest the sharp edge of a wrist-mounted slash harken decapitates his Sutherland on a single punch.
"(Is this it? This is what's ruining my plans!?)" Lelouch scorned, trying to match and push his knightmare in vain against his now revealed nemesis.
"You're the commander, aren't you!?" A voice shouted over the hailer, the tone sounding far younger than expected.
"..."
Indeed, the silence spoke for itself. Suzaku had found him, the mastermind behind the terrorists. It's was only by chance that he managed catch a heat signature lurking here in this abandoned ruin, hiding away like a coward to commit such atrocities… Yes, because of him, Lelouch, that girl and every other innocent on this ghetto… They have all been put into danger because of this one terrorist pulling the strings! He had to pay for this! He had to be beaten down and brought to court to answer for his crimes!
"Gr!" Such was the White Knight's righteous rage in pushing his villain there that that the very floor where they both stood cracked under the weight of their lockdown, causing whole sections of ruined building to collapse down on their wheels…
And as one can expect, this left the Demon scowling as he fell, enraged at having these circumstances forced upon him due to the actions of this one single individual, "(How dare he, coming out of nowhere like this! He's nothing more than a pilot!)" He mentally voiced, balancing himself up to his feet as the debris washed over his now-dirty Sutherland. Truly, this felt like an insult to his intellect as a General. To have him, his plans and everything else thrown into ruins… The reality of his surroundings reflected his mood very well here…
Alas, for as much as he wanted to correct this perception, Lelouch as usual considered the logic first, "(No choice, I've gotta get out of here.)" Trapped in such tight corners, fighting was not an option, not against something unknown who can move faster than his clunky model. So instead, he had to gain some distance and find a way to escape unnoticed, get somewhere safe so he may think properly of an alternative strategy.
With this in mind, the Demon would move, rolling a few inches ahead right before a proximity alarm flared on his visor, revealing the White Knight flying right into his direction with this massive spinning kick aimed at his face!
"...!?" Against such sudden mortal blow, the Demon had again but a split moment to block the attack, only to be thrown off balance regardless as the impact made his hefty Sutherland crash into the ground in a thunderous fall, "Gah!" Shaken, Lelouch was only able to grit his teeth as the White Knight moved too quickly for him to recover, already approaching with a slash harken ready for execution over him...
...but then, in a unexpected assistance, a red Glasgow saved his life by suddenly appearing from the flank to throw a punch, trying but failing to knock the knight who easily caught it in her charge.
"Hey! I'm returning the favor!" Lelouch heard Q1 boast, right before she fired her only remaining weapon point blank at her target's face, with the sharp edge of a slash harken having almost reaching the head helmet before the enemy instantly reacted, snatching it out with his bare metallic hands!
"...!?" This came as quite the shock for Kallen as she didn't expect her attack to be so easily suppressed there. And worse yet, locked in a strength contest, the White Knight seemed to easily overwhelm her petty Glasgow, crushing it's only remaining limb in a matter seconds under it's monstrous grip, "This is it for me…" Thus, forced to her knees under a dangerously sparkling cockpit, the red ace did what she could and ejected herself, escaping from fiery explosive death right out of the ruins...
Though not as effective as she wanted, her actions were not for nought in the end, for Lelouch did well to make the most of the distraction to flee. From this, he recalled one important lesson out of his queen's well timed altruism, "(I have to remember this. The most vital element in battle is the human one, for its the soldiers that conquer the battlefield, not the weapons that they wield...")
Yes… His loss here was a matter of misinformation combined with a effective shock-and-awe executed by his enemy, both fruitful conditions that easily thrive in underestimation. The Demon figures that his biggest mistake was assuming his strategies could fully compensate for the lack of skill the terrorists had to offer, not to mention letting himself to be blinded by his successes. Such pride had almost cost his life here, with his queen being the only sacrifice that prevented a proper checkmate...
That said, the danger was not over yet, for the White Knight was shortly on tail, going faster than ever now that he caught up in pursuit.
Lelouch couldn't take his chances here so he immediately turned his torso around to shot while running, striking naught but the road as his enemy dodged with his uncanny agility. Failing that, he then tried to use the terrain to his advantage, spending what's left of his magazine to shred the nearby buildings and make them collapse on top of his pursuer in a shower of debris and dust.
"Hmph~" With this, surely his foe can't possibly dodge that...
Such wishes however were vain, for Suzaku's pursuit wouldn't be denied. The good soldier needed but one scan of his surroundings before immediately making the precise turns and jumps necessary to avoid destruction. His instincts and skills, pushing the levers in right moment made Lancelot gilde through the enclosing gaps, existing completely unscathed as the highway shook into dust. Truly, the sheer ease of how he accomplishes this, without losing an ounce of speed or distance to his fleeing target cast quite the shock for the villain ahead who saw this and gasped in awe.
"What!? What is that monster!?"
And while Suzaku could understand the fear he cast upon him, the good soldier still frowned at the sacrifice his people were willing to make just to get away from punishment, "Bastard! He's tearing things up for no reason!" To him, it's just an unnecessary desperation… The loss of life, bloodshed, the anger… If only the Japanese understood the consequences of their actions, of how dangerous they can be to lives of others who just wanted to survive… All of this could've be avoided if they had more patience and compassion.
In fact, as an unwanted example, out of the blind destruction that now surrounded him, another victim fell prey into to his people's desperations. Lancelot's sensors picked up the screams of a woman falling down in lethal velocity right above him, her frail form cradling what appeared to be a baby in her arms...
"Tch!" This then forced Suzaku to make a choice: Leave her be and continue the pursuit, or let the criminal go to save lives. Indeed, If he was a heartless, pragmatic individual he might have just picked the first option and moved on with it. After all, what are a couple of lives in the face of capturing the head of Tokyo's terrorists who managed to defeat the army? Surely some sacrifices must be worth, right? Bullshit! The good soldier could never let such unjust view on life thrive in these dark times, specially when his own victory was pretty much guaranteed.
No, he can capture the villain later if all possible...
Thus, having long made his decision in that split second, Suzaku made a full turn and threw himself up in a another harken-boosted jump, stretching Lancelot's hands to catch the poor victim with grace and care to prevent what could've been certain death.
Such action, while heroic to see, did raise eyebrows from both sides in the engagement as they couldn't exactly determine how to judge this.
"(...He saves someone else in the midst of battle?)" Lelouch for instance was left solemn, trying reason the thought behind it. If anything this definitely paints his enemy as the gallant White Knight he appeared to be, an extreme rarity among his warmongering kindred for sure, but nothing more to it, "Hmph, in that case I don't mind giving you the tactical victory here..." The Demon conceded, "...However, the cost of this battle will be far more than Britannia would ever be willing to accept..."
With such mental declaration, Lelouch then decided to eject himself out there anyway.
While keeping the Sutherland might have eased the portions of his plan from here it was not critical enough to force him fight for it. Rather, he had other ways to make his threat worth of its words, so toppling his own king piece down was of no cost. Besides… there is something to be said about the loss of life he had almost caused right there. The Demon wouldn't ever admit this but he did lost the moral battle here as well.
Meanwhile...
"What? He rescued someone?"
"So it would seem."
"Huh, how strange of him..." Lloyd blinked in wonder after seeing what Devicer had done. The feed did show it clearly, him placing a mother and baby into safety far away from any crumbling debris. Indeed, Suzaku even made the effort of assuring her surroundings were safe before dropping her down, to which, for all his altruism, the eleven herself didn't even bother to give thanks, running away in quite the fright from the giant knightmare staring her down...
"Oh well, I guess the stress of battle must getting into him. We should pull him back." The Earl suggested in assurance.
And nodding along, Cecile complied, opening a visual link into his screen, "Suzaku?"
"...! Yes, ma'am...?" Startled by her face, the young man straightened himself into a serious yet apprehensive stare. It seems he's expecting an rebuke for his blunt disengagement there, not that she really intended to give any...
"Are you okay? Tired maybe?" The assistant addressed him, expressing both worry and ease, "We can call it quits for today. You've done well so far."
"..." The good soldier however remained unfazed, "No, I'm fine. Please let me keep going." He requested, looking determined as he scanned his general area for his long gone target.
"..." Faced with this, Cecile took a glance at her senior, who just smiled and waved his hand, giving his general approval. If Suzaku is willing to repay his mistakes, then Lloyd is keen to oblige. Any amount of stress in piloting Lancelot had already been expected in their estimations, so this was fine for him. Better get him used to now than later, "Just be careful of his operational time, okay?"
"Yes, sir."
After that, Lloyd left everything with Cecile and headed out to stretch his legs a bit. This whole operation has been a far greater success than he had expected. Prince Clovis has his victory, the terrorists had been squashed and he got himself a prodigy in tow, all wrapped in one big present he can gift to his sponsor alongside the data... The only thing that's missing now is the stolen poison gas out of the terrorists' hands but that's something that Suzaku will soon handle from here...
"My my, that boy's an excellent piece of equipment..." Lloyd commented to himself, reeling in the success. By now he can't just stop smiling through it all...
...And unbeknownst to him, so couldn't someone else.
Few feet away from him, down at the very center of the Britannia's forward base, a single uninteresting soldier made its way towards the idle land-cruiser, seeking to enter it straight. However, the guard standing in the front entrance did its job, priming his gun at everyone who dared to approach even if they were part of the army itself. Then again, this is probably due to a matter of leadership security. A nobody can't just have access to the Prince, can him?
"Stop right there and show your ID! This is Prince Clovis's personal transport!"
"Heh… At last, the check point, lightly guarded as I planned…"
"Planned…?"
"Yes, and now I'd like you to let me pass…"
Alas, as reality would have it, the so-uninteresting soldier that arrived just happened to have the brightest of purple eyes underneath the helmet he had removed, with a royal voice so divine that the guard couldn't help but to be mesmerized by it, "[I see, understood.]"
Indeed, bereft of any impediment, Lelouch made his way inside, not once disabling his unholy power as he entered dressed in a stolen uniform… And as he and Jury knew it, the Prince and his retinue would be completely defenseless against what's coming, their minds hanging vulnerable at the Demon's dominating will...
As one would expect it then, such outcome was wrapped too many undertones to be ignored, some too intense to be simply set aside in the eyes of the Jury...
"Oh, wow… that's… cool as shit!" Rivalz for example couldn't contain his excitement despite all the reluctance to the historical facts. Lelouch may have proven himself to be a badass yes, but the reality is that Suzaku wasn't too far behind on that aspect. In fact, given how the symbolism was obviously thrown around, the blue waiter/chess expert had never ever expected to see old genius partner falter in the way he did. And to think it took his Japanese friend kicking this much ass like a superhero to make Lelouch react like he did…
"Meh, not exactly." Gino however disagreed, dismissing Rivalz mental awe with a coolheaded manner, "Just like I suspected, none of the terrorists could put real fight against him, and the one who could didn't have what she needed to win." He stated, looking at a certain redhead.
Kallen then simply rolled her eyes, "Hmph, not my call there. I was supposed hide out and wait for some predictable response, not face the next generation's death machine." She explained.
But then, "Lancelot is not a death machine…" A dull voice sprouted right beside her, without a soul noticing said presence until it spoke.
"Wow-what the-" This made the red ace jump as she took notice of a petite Anya staring nonchalant to her reaction, "W-where did you came from!?"
"From behind." The knight girl simply answered.
"Anya?"
"Hi Gino, hi everyone, I'm here now." Anya presentes herself, not really putting much of an emotion other than visible smile, "Anyway, Lancelot isn't a death machine, it's a knight, much like Suzaku himself was." She added next, reinterring her point.
"..." Such thought lingered in a rather cold awkwardness among her peers before Milly decided to speak, "Weeell I guess we can't just deny that. He didn't quite kill anyone there from what've seen and he DID became knight of round so I suppose you're right." The mischievous reporter followed.
To which Nina frowned, "It does look brutal though…" She commented, rewatching all the fight scenes so far, "If anything, the terroris- I mean, Kallen's friends might have gotten.. too crushed right there." The genius girl mentions, not exactly comfortable in admiring Suzaku's talents. It vaguely reminds of her own when it comes to horrible reality of war...
"And?" Yet, challenging that, Gino showed her as well as all of his friends there an deadly stare, "Soldiers are trained to make split second decisions, otherwise they will find quick death on battle. Hell, we just saw how messy all that skirmish turned out to be... The ghetto was overrun, soldiers got ambushed and everyone else who didn't move or run either died for good or got crippled for life. No other way around it…" He affirmed, not mincing his words there.
One would guess that with everything they've saw, with all the horror or death shown so far, this shouldn't affect them this much. But, that cringe of hearing the cold truth did still make some twitch upon facing it, their faces hanged with the weight of realization on how everything is inevitable in it's cruelty.
Just glancing back in the session, the many times those close to them have almost died is staggering. Kallen almost died twice fighting in the skirmish; Suzaku got lethally shot once; and Lelouch? He already walked on the edge of death's door many times now, risking much of his head in this scheme of his…
And now with Suzaku brutally punching his way through to, ironically speaking, go after the Demon's head, Gino's words sounds even more deadly than it is.
"So… that's how wars go then…" Nunnally uttered in a small epiphany, "It only gets worse in scale, huh?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, yes it does." Zero responded with a sour tone, "And it's not just life that is in stake here. In every fight there is, in every skirmish or battle, or every war that is wrought, life is in danger on every aspect. Those that fight risk not only their lives, but also their very sanity as minds are grinded in the heart of conflict, all to achieve what they believe to be their righteous objective."
"..."
"If I had to judge what's the worse thing about a war, it would be the cost of it… How far are you willing to go to get done? How much you're willing to sacrifice? That's the worst dilemma, and that's only counting what you can control… One must also not forget what can just be lost in chaos of it all, the unintended consequences of it..." He lectured, remembering his actions in former life as the infamous White Death of Britannia, "Imagine what would you all think if Lelouch had just vanished, if he had caught dead by an stray bullet back there in that battle? How sudden your lives would change then? I'm sure none of you could imagine it. That's how bad it can get. That's how horrible wars can be…"
"..." His words, though modulated by the helmet, were solemn to hear from the way he spoke. The gathered student council could just feel some kind of trauma that this figure, this masked hero, seemed to carry with him. Quite, from the few who actually knew his actual identity, it was easy to sympathize what he meant knowing how fragile their lives could be.
"...And yet, we all need to go through it nevertheless eh, Zero?" That said, latching into his distracted mood, Schneizel intruded with his words, his tone both soothing and taunting at same time, "It is inevitable. After all, how else would we resolve our conflicts with those we can't trust to be fair in good faith? Hmph, simply to put it, we can't. There is no other way."
"..." Not knowing what he intended, Zero then raised his senses, and trying to see what his point is...
"Even worse, instead of acknowledging such fact, we humans often try to sugar coat, avert or justify our actions in vain, much like that younger Suzaku over there, attempting to save an everyone under his principles by crushing everyone who stands on his way… In fact, I don't know if I find this tragic, ironic or just hypocritical." The gallant Prince commented, "In any case, it's a shame he couldn't see what his choices would result into..."
"That… Is True…" The masked man reacted, reluctance laced in his voice. He held back his emotion but his body betrayed their existence, having his hand tightening in a crushing grip from a mix of fury and guilt, both indicated at himself and at Schneizel.
"...(Oh? Unfazed, are you? I see…)" This of course was intentional, for the fallen Prince simply sought to provoke him, testing his manners as to drawn his attention and break his resolve. In a way, Schneizel was getting tired of the open secret his jailor is foolishly holding. Though much of a petty action from his part, he wanted to see what would happen if Zero's mask fell off right now.
He's in for a challenge on this however. The slavery of geass cannot be easily avoided…
"(Suzaku, Big Brother...)" Alas, blind to this little skirmish, Nunnally took her guardian's words to heart, dreading what may come now that consequences came to be unveiled. She, latching into the same same feeling shared by the rest of the Jury, wanted to know what Lelouch's schemes will end…
So, as silence was restored, the illusion flowed into motion once more.
Too bad for them though, for what the Jury really wanted wasn't exactly what they got here...
Instead, It appears that the session had yet another point of view to show elsewhere, another scene, going back to remains of the Japanese hideouts right after Suzaku's major intervention. This went so heavily against the wishes of the audience that it even created an anomaly in the illusion itself, an strong reaction to their desires of wanting to see the Demon at his work against Prince Clovis.
The resulted in the same effect that the maid Sayoko had previously uncovered, the yet-uncontrolled slicing of perspectives that now tried to keep maintain focus on Lelouch himself while the sight of an younger Kallen was the one they should pay attention to. In other words, the Jury now witnessed two scenes at once, both flowing in real time as the events went, one with all the perceptions, while the other was shrouded in a mute, near-colorless reality...
That said, starting with the lively one, the Red Ace was shown running away from the remains of her cockpit, which landed somewhere near the old industrial warehouses a few blocks away from where she fought with the White Knight. After paying debts with her savior, Kallen now sought to find anyone from the resistance as quickly as possible, keeping her head down while crossing the ruined streets of an eerily silent ghetto. As of now, only the occasional helicopter or tank could be heard here and there and she knew it won't be long before the Britannians recover from their own butthurt to kick their asses back.
How they are going to survive from here is a wonder for sure. The Red Ace in her mind couldn't conceive any kind of plan. The voice promised victory earlier… and almost had given them one until that goddamn knight showed up and screwed with everything. Now scattered, outgunned and definitely outnumbered, one can only remain pessimistic as they are stand in a position far worse than before.
"Kallen!"
"...!" However, luckily for her, crossing faces with a friend, her current leader even, that was the best start that she could hope for in recovering from this mess, "Ohgi!?"
"Over here!"
Dragging her off to an alley, both followed a path that slipped right into a seemly abandoned complex, passing along plenty arrays of similar buildings that were tailor made with same design inside it's walls. The refuge they sought was hiding in here somewhere, acting much as rally point for the resistance members to get into safety.
"Thank goodness you're alright. That was crazy of you, going that after monster all by yourself!"
"Well I couldn't just stand still and nothing hearing all that noise!" Kallen retorted to Ohgi's sudden reprimand. She knew his tone was one of certain worry and frustration with what she did but the feeling was mutual, "Anyway, is everyone okay? Did they make it out?"
"Yeah most of us escaped unharmed. Those Sutherlands are quite bulky on the rock out, so that's nice bonus." Ohgi responded with resolution, "The ones left standing are trying to hide in the tunnels but that damn knight is sniffing them out one by one somehow. Didn't get any news from them after that…"
"What about-"
"Wait. We're here."
Yet, interrupting her suddenly, both stop over the entrance of one specific warehouse among the many, where Ohgi makes some sort of knock for someone to open. There was a eerie silence where those inside try to recognize them before the doors open a gap, bringing them inside a rather crowded place filled with the many japanese survivors of the disastrous genocide that had just occurred. Safe to say, Kallen was relieved to see her many compatriots alive and well to watch over their people. This means the fight can still go on somehow.
On the other hand however, as the civilians saw the doors open for another duo of the so called 'freedom fighters' to enter, some eyes just glared back with disgust and contempt...
"...It's your fault." One soul accused among the crowd, "This is what happened when you oppose the Britannians!"
"What!? Why you gutless coward!"
"How many people were killed because of this!?" It appears that with dire consequences of their actions taking a tow in their hearts, many were willing to blame on whoever brought such calamity in to homes, much to the shame of the resistance members.
"Shut up!" Tamaki however couldn't accept that judgement himself, "Do you know how many of us were captured or killed, do you!?" Out of everyone, he perhaps felt the blame the strongest, crushed with anger at what they have lost.
As such, distressing tears flowed freely among the crowd, and while Kallen could sympathize under the pressure. Their situation at hand haunted her still, "Ohgi, what about the Voice we heard? Is he alive?" She inquired curious, continuing from where she left off.
"I don't know. He doesn't answer when I call, so maybe he has escaped…" Her leader expresses, laidback as he takes a spot to sit on the ground.
"..." Kallen, still notably worried, eventually shook her head in response, figuring that perhaps it was better to just clear her mind and rest for now. She will need this for the later fight when it comes.
And came it has... far sooner than she and everyone else had thought of. Suddenly, muffed thunders of notorious gunshots echoed outside, followed rocking quakes that shook the whole warehouse they stood!
"What the-"
Out of nowhere, in a escalating sound of motorized treads grinding upon each other, something big just parked right in front of warehouse's gate, to which the resistance could barely scramble the people to move before a giant explosion blasted the doors down in cloud of smoke and dust, revealing the imposing presence of an battle tank treading itself inside with multiple squads of infantry, all to mount a wide firing line against the survivors.
"See? See!? Instead of following somebody we don't even know, we should've used the poison gas from the beginning!" Tamaki screamed at Ohgi, frothing from the dead end he and the rest of resistance were suddenly left in, "Damn that Nagata!"
Indeed, the Japanese souls could only gasp in the fear of damnation, for this is exactly what they've feared… The Britannians have found them, and they are about to deliver death from which there's no escape from!
"So, this is where you elevens scurried off to…" The tank commander savored maliciously at the easy meat, "Prepare to Fire!"
Faced with this, cornered with no exit, Kallen could only close her eyes shut, instinctively calling for her long-gone big brother to save her, "Naoto…!"
"Fire!"
…
…
…
But then, for some reason, her death didn't came...
"Attention all forces! Cease fire at once!"
Instead, a powerful voice echoed across the battlefield, drawing gasps from every soul lost caught in the skirmish…
"In the name of Clovis la Britannia, Third Prince of the Throne and Viceroy of Area Eleven, so are you hereby ordered! Cease fire at once! Cease the destruction of any buildings or property. All casualties, whether Britannian or Eleven, shall be treated equally and without prejudice! In the name of Clovis la Britannia, so are hereby ordered, cease fire at once! I shall allow no further fighting!"
…
…
…
Only awkward and shock could be felt once such message was spread...
"(Cease Fire?)" No one had expected it. Not Suzaku on top of his Lancelot; Not the soldiers patrolling the streets; Not Jeremiah frozen on his spot; Or the mother the knight had saved; Not Villeta stumbling in the battlefield; Neither Lloyd or Cecile staring at the cruiser nearby, No, the Prince's words were clear to everyone, to both the living, the death, and those in-between… There was no doubt on what they just have been told of here.
"..."
This then leaves the question what led the royal to say it. Why did he suddenly sprout ominous surrender right in peak of his victory? Well, none but Jury knew fully well why. The Demon hasn't idle when Kallen went through her dilemmas, far from it. Much like it was revealed before, he was instead busy executing the last steps of his plan, as shown in the spliced half of the session at hand.
And it all began with a mute scene of sinister horror...
Like an unwanted ghost, Lelouch strode upon the bland walls of cruiser's inwards, drawing the attention from all he came across on his path with his strange glowing eye. Out of everything pictured in this colorless scene, the only thing with a vibrant light other than grey was the shining power of geass flowing out of the demon's head, leaving nothing but red circles in the eyes of those he spoke.
The cruiser's personnel, from the operators, to the engineers, to the soldiers and guards aboard, all the way up to the throne deck where the General and his advisors stood, every single one of them except for Prince Clovis just stopped what they were doing to calmly walk away, acting as if nothing uncommon or unusual was happening. And as one would expect, this caught the royal off-guard since from his gestures alone you could see how he demanded some answers. That however quickly changed when the Demon pointed a pistol in his direction, an action from which no one among the other souls present seemed to react with any alarm.
Only Bartley, in the infinitesimal moment where he could still perceive with his consciousness intact, realized what had just befell upon him, recognizing the sigil of geass glowing so brilliantly in his direction, right before he too was seemly ordered to forget everything and walk off, thus leaving his liege completely exposed for Lelouch to have his theater…
From there, nothing more need to be described about was transpired. If anything, the only remaining thing worth of mention was the fact that the Demon hasn't yet geassed the Prince when threatening him to give ceasefire... Beyond that, just as the word had been spread, the focus of the session began to shifted back to the scene at hand, granting the Jury the whole perception of what's now "the present."
"Hmph, Satisfied?"
"Yes, well done."
In other words, sound could now be heard again, and by the looks of it, Clovis appeared rightfully miffed at the fact he was so thoroughly threatened in this theatrical manner…
At this point he just resigned himself to this fantastical situation, wondering who among his opposition in the Court could have pulled an act such as this. Hell, he couldn't think of anyone who could just buy the loyalty of his every advisor in one go, specially that ingrate Bartley who left with such calm expression out the room to leave him in the dirt. It seems trusting him all these years was a mistake all along if their cold reaction is to be considered.
They must have planned this...
"So? What shall we do now? Sing a few lively ballads? Or perhaps a nice game of chess?" The Prince mocked forth, prodding at his captor's nerves who went on to shut down the lights of the throne deck.
"Heh, that has a familiar ring…" The man curiously responds, removing his helmet and throwing it away before facing his way. "Don't you recall? The two of us used to play chess together as boys. Of course, I would always win…" He affirms next, casting an strange wave of confusion for Clovis.
"What?"
"Remember? At the Aries Villa?" The man adds, making the Prince frown.
That was the name of a place only a few dared whisper it. For this traitor to know something like that he had to be someone important… or at very least, be the pawn of high echelon, "You...Who are you?!" Clovis demands harshly. He had to know!
The stranger then, obliges, "It's been a long time, big brother." He first says, stepping into light, only to reveal himself as being a ghost from the past, one that the Prince immediately gasps wide-eyed, "The eldest son of the late consort Marianne and seventeenth in line to the imperial throne, Lelouch vi Britannia, at your service…" And from that presentation, complete with a kneeling bow, only stutters remains as Clovis meets his lost brother for the first time in what seemed years...
"Lelouch?! B-But I thought–"
"-That I was dead?"
Certainly, the Third Prince had no words to describe what he was seeing from his shaking eyes, much less what he felt in the presence of his now-alive sibling standing before him. Indeed, his heart was in turmoil. There was anger; guilt; remorse; apprehension, all crushed beneath the intense dread that he felt from just looking at those purple powerful eyes that glared back at him...
"You were wrong, Your Highness. I have returned… And I've come back to change everything..." Lelouch declared, carrying a smile that threatened so many malicious things out of intention alone.
This is what would be pictured there, the Demon's deadly expression, frozen in motion, with outcome that the Jury expectantly sought denied right in front of their eyes as the session just ended...
"Wait what!? No no you can't just end it here, come on!" Milly complained as the whole crowd shouted their frustrations.
"Yeah, there's still some time! Show us more please!" Rivalz added, begging as the illusion around him reverted back to the ruined scenery of the floating stage. His wish, much like everyone else's, was thoroughly ignored…
"Aw, bummer..." Anya pouted forth with her lips while Gino shook his head with a snarky smug, reeling in his own way much like Kallen who was fuming nearby.
"Eeehhh? Why? Why a cliffhanger right here ." The red ace boasted, shaken by the broken immersion. Nina nodded quickly alongside her, scowling shortly with Nunnally giggling in unsatisfaction in her face, her eyes twitching ever so slightly. One would never see the ever-graceful Empress making such expression in life so commonly.
Yet, laughing in mirth in contrast to the rest, on man stood jovial through it all, "Ha! Oh well, joke is on us I guess. This is one way to make us come back." mentions Lloyd in a comical gesture.
"Right… Just when I was getting interested." Rakshata retorts at his side, puffing smoke in annoyance. At this point, the only things that even stir her is actions scenes and whatever effects geass has on people.
"Hmm..." Cecile, incredibly enough, didn't felt bothered by the ending however. Rather, she looked perplexed, "I suppose we should be grateful we weren't caught by His Majesty there… He was… Quite close there." She affirms, feeling slightly worried by the scene at hand. Seeing the Demon do his thing was somewhat chilling. She, much like Lloyd, did suspect something was up when every staff abandoned the landcruiser with quite the eerie silence, not to mention the way they just stood there, staring at the entrance, waiting for something…
Now they know why.
"Well... how convenient." Meanwhile, on the Asian side of things, General Xingke scoffed at the ending scene at hand, "Saved at the nick of time… It's like fate was woven into your favor, Prime Minister." He commented with friendly sarcasm.
Being directly addressed, Ohgi then felt sheepishly, "W-Well, It's not like I can complain, can I? What are the odds of that happening?"
"Hmph. I'm not one to believe in gods or fate for sure, but even I'm starting the get unnerved by they we're all connected." Todoh added with held breath. Granted, seeing how things went from the very beginning of this session up till now, the sheer degree of circumstances layered on top of each other as the events go was jarring to witness. It's kinda hard to judge who is right or wrong when one's actions have consequences for being in the right place at the right time everytime.
"Maybe this is proof of it then, that god or fate is real." Xianglin suggested, sweating lightly beside Xingke. She has opened a quite controversial topic.
"No… no, no, no, I can't accept this, I cannot." Chiba retorted with disgust, gritting her teeth, "This… This is the work of the Demon, as well whatever forces behind him. Lelouch is their puppet, that's how it is!"
"That's… wrongly condescending..."
"Grr, god, fate or whatever, It doesn't matter! They can't leave us in the dark like this! Why stop the confrontation right there in this crucial moment!? Why!? This is so infuriating!" Kaguya screeched, biting her own kimono clothing in childish frustration. This made everyone around her either sweat a drop or close their eyes in embarrassment, with the theological discussion lost to the wind...
Alas, adding to the tension, one princess seeks relief by massaging her sinuses, trying but failing to break the frown sculpted in her face, "Urgh… This is stressful." Cornelia, unable to take an proper stance on either side, could only shake her head at her sibling schemes, not really expecting much of an revelation other than Clovis's demise. Beyond whatever atrocity Lelouch might come with his cursed geass, the Witch of Britannian just imagines that he will simply declare his resolve and execute the pompous bastard. Other than that… There's nothing else of note that she could see. There's no relief to be had, no satisfaction to be felt, no closure to this mess being dealt with...
"Are you okay, Your Highness?" Her love confronts him, worry branded in his frail state.
If anything, his attention alone is enough to appease Cornelia, or at least, slightly, "Hardly Guilford, hardly..." Pulling him closer for an embrace, the Regent Princess takes some time to reflect her sour emotions, "...I feel like all this time, I've wasted my time pursuing worthless justice… For all the virtues I've tried to preserve, none of my brothers, none of my family even, none of them seemed to hold any valor to be worth the effort..."
"You couldn't have known. None of us could. That's just how it is." Guilford assured, "The way I see it, we're either being shown the naked truth here or we're being deceived in full. For that we know all of this could have been an lie, that Prince Clovis still were the gentleman you knew all these years ago fighting for a good cause… That's something to hope for at least."
"..." However, even with his gentle attempts, Cornelia still stood unconvinced. After everything so far, after all the struggle trying to undermine the King's Court's legitimacy, her resolve is slowly but surely being shaken as the session go on.
Guilford knew of this, so he simply continued, "Of course, in the case I'm proven wrong, it's better that we embrace this honestly and simply move on then. We should be glad to have our illusions dispelled in this way. After all, as you often would say to our deluded enemies in the battlefield, it's better to live with the bitter truth of defeat than live in the comfort of an false victory…" And so, pulling his love's attention directly at his eyes, he assured, "...Besides, not all of the royal family is sinful and you know this. Euphemia, Nunnally, yourself even… You all carry the valor of virtue."
"Do we? Do we really?" Cornelia countered in whisper, her tone of voice uniquely broken and submissive, "I don't know, I just don't. I know my crimes, Guildford. I can't escape from them. If so, when it comes down to it, what difference there is between myself and my brothers in the killing? How different I am from Clovis or Lelouch?" That was she inquired, more to herself than anyone else.
Her lover then reflected, thinking his words carefully before whispering back, "The difference is that you did what you had to do in the right way, through the right means… Your cause was just, honorable, reasonable… supported by your own principles and nothing else. That's how you are. You didn't pursue the accursed power of geass, nor did you ever came to rely on it. You just saw what was wrong, and sought to fix it through how you've learned since infancy, by walking over with a steadfast force manner that of a General… You cannot blame yourself for that." He concluded, holding the princess face in his hands.
The Regent Princess would try argue against it but couldn't so, feeling too cast into her love's manly presence to delve into her depression…
Certainly, there were things Cornelia couldn't agree on what he affirmed biased as he was in her favor. But even then, having his lone support in at time of doubt and disappointments… It gives her some refuge.
As such, with the Jury coming into the sad conclusion that they will not be able to see the resolution of Clovis death today, they resign themselves to the fate that awaits them tomorrow, willing to somehow make the day flow fast if all possible. And while many felt observant and curious for sure in this session given the right pack of action, none of them noticed the most reserved among them, she who didn't say as much as a whisper through it all…
Indeed, an certain Empress had observed all that carnage withheld fear, disgust and anger, absorbing in all that she would learn while hiding her thoughts. Sadly, she never got a chance to comment this time around, reserving herself to wait until the right moment, but she definitely was eager to immerse herself in the truth that the Jury sought, following Lelouch's steps in his confrontation with his brother, just as her protector was taught her...
In other words, the hype was real. The desire strong, and the truth so far and so close at the same time.
Until then...
…
…
...
To be Continued…
Author Notes: Next chapters will cover Stage 3 and 3.25, amount about 4 chapters in total (presumably). When they will be released? Hell if I know. I'm still recovering and life isn't exactly stable. I just managed to write these in the free time I had conscious, sooo… It will take time. I simply unable to write consistently I'm afraid.