A/N: I do not own Code Geass or Gundam Seed. Both are works of Sunrise and are amazing and not mine. So don't arrest me.
This chapter and the next are the two I've been dying to write for a long time now. I think you can guess why.
Also, the reason why Schneizel had so many people with him that are Britannian, is because they are essentially his loyalists. They are as loyal to him as Kanon if not a little less were and are willing to go along with him no matter what he's done. At least, to an extent. The people he killed in Pendragon were the ones who would have opposed him. So he got them and his family out of the way in one stroke.
So enjoy my third to the last chapter. And if you thought the last chapter was a cliffhanger ending, wait till you read the end of this.
Also, I've been thinking of writing a Lelouch is Spider-Man story for a while now, I may work on that next, or maybe not, I'm not entirely sure what my plan is. But I'll see what happens. I'll provide more details later on. But I will say this. It will take place at the beginning of Code Geass, instead of after Charles' death like my other stories have been doing. Lelouch will have the powers of every Spider-Man (Venom Sting, Cloaking, Stingers, Talking to spiders, etc. if I missed any, let me know), cause he's gonna need it all when going up against a country ruling one-third of the world. He won't kill, but he will struggle with it, much like how Batman does with his no-kill rule.
Here's the working title (If you have any better ideas, let me know) and synopsis for it. Send me some ideas for story plots, also if you guys have a better idea for a synopsis, please send them to me.
Spider-Man: Lelouch of the Web: Having been granted incredible powers, Lelouch Parker must now bear the responsibility of controlling such power in a world that he currently despises, and against an enemy that threatens all he holds dear.
I've put it in the polls, and if any want to change their vote to this story or another, PM me, please also let me know what your changing your vote from so I can deduct points from that choice.
So without further ado, here we go.
"The Britannian and Black Knight forces are in disarray." The tactical officer said as the battle continued to rage on outside. "They're disorganized and unable to maintain proper focus. Some Black Knights have even begun supporting us. The tide is turning!"
"Excellent! We must press the advantage!" Leila declared as she looked toward the battlefield to give an address. "All forces, the enemy is disorganized and multiple units are switching to join us. Press forward, don't give Britannia and the Black Knights an inch!"
"Yes General!" Akito said, his Geass still blazing. He maneuvered the Alexander Freedom around multiple fires from the three Knights of the Round, which was an easy feat due to his piloting skills and his advanced Knightmare.
"Dang! Doesn't this guy ever quit!?" Nicol complained as his V.A.R.I.S. rifle failed to get a lock on and he missed yet again.
"Doesn't seem like it!" Dearka said as he fried the Busters missiles toward the target, but the Alexander merely fired off blue energy wing daggers that made short work of the missiles.
"Who cares?!" Yzak yelled. "This guy may think he's something special but were the Knights of the Round! The best soldiers in the whole Britannian Empire! He shouldn't stand a chance against the likes of us!"
"If you're really Britannia's best, then what does that say about your Empire," Akito commented as he suddenly dashed forward and delivered a powerful kick that sent the Duel flying with Yzak screaming.
Nicol and Buster sighed. "Sometimes I wonder how we're friends with him again?" Dearka asked himself.
"I wonder the same thing myself from time to time," Nicol said as they flew to engage the European Ace.
The Destiny cleaved a Knightmare in half with its beam sword. Another machine was about to get the jump on it, but a quick blast from one of the Strike Freedom's DRAGOON pods disabled the danger.
"Don't get cocky just because you stopped a F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead Kallen, were still not out of this yet." Lelouch told her in a stern tone before flying to meet more enemies. Kallen sighed in frustration at Lelouch's overprotectiveness. Yet, at the same time was touched by it, it meant that she was someone important to him, like Nunnally and Suzaku. And that's what she wanted, to be important to him.
But in no way was Lelouch gonna treat her like a freaking invalid and some girl who can't take care of herself! She activated the Wings of Light and followed after Lelouch.
They met up with Suzaku who had just finished decapitating half a dozen Knightmares with his Gundam's beam sabers. He turned to face another that was charging only for the Destiny to destroy it with its beam rifle.
"The Britannian forces are in disarray, now we have a chance to attack the Damocles head-on," Lelouch said as the three turned to face the massive fortress.
"Are you sure you can do this?" Kallen asked Lelouch with concern as she turned to the Strike Freedom.
"I'm in one of the strongest machines this world has seen," Lelouch assured her. "Plus Suzaku's the one who will get us into the Damocles. After all, the Justice was upgraded to break though the Blaze Luminous shielding."
"I think we both know what she's really talking about Lelouch," Suzaku told him, causing Lelouch to let out a tired sigh.
"I know. And if I'm being honest, I'd rather want to avoid this confrontation with Nunnally." Lelouch admitted, but his eyes hardened with a strong resolve. "Regardless, my feelings or my wants are insignificant to the mission as a whole. We have to destroy the Damocles. And if that means we must also have to confront Nunnally to do that, then I will do what I have to. Even if I hate it with every fiber of my being."
Suzaku had to admit he was impressed with Leloiuch's resolve. In the past, Lelouch would do whatever he could to please Nunnally. But now, he was more concerned about the betterment of the world than just Nunnally. He really has grown.
Kallen on the other hand was worried. To her, it sounded like Lelouch thought his feelings and concerns never mattered in this whole engagement, which she thought was a load of crap. But before she could say anything to encourage him, the warning signals in her Gundam went off.
"We've got incoming!" Kallen warned, shaking Lelouch and Suzaku out of their thoughts. "A single unit has just exited the Damocles and is making its way toward the main battlefield."
"Who is it?" Suzaku asked as he then looked at the same thing on his monitor. "Another Knight of the Round? A new type of Knightmare?"
"I can't tell!" Kallen reported. "The unit's serial number is unknown. I've never seen this sort of serial number on a Knightmare before."
Lelouch frowned at that comment. 'An unknown Knightmare? No way Schneizel could manufacture a new kind of Knightmare in the time he had ever since I started this. That's impossible! Unless…' Lelouch's eyes began to widen slowly as he just realized what it was they were facing when he took a closer look at the number. 'It's not a Knightmare at all. But something else.'
Lelouch wasted no time as he kicked the METEOR's high powered engines into overdrive and blasted off in the opposite direction of the Damocles and toward the unknown unit.
"Lelouch wait!" Suzaku called as he and Kallen flew to catch up to him.
"I know what it is! And it's not a Knightmare!" Lelouch said, uncharacteristic fear bubbling in his stomach coming out his mouth in the form of a tone.
"What?! What is it?!" Kallen asked, her own fear increasing as she heard the worry in Leloiuch's tone.
"It's a Gundam," Lelouch began, and what he said next sent a chill down both the experienced pilots' spine, "And it's not one of ours."
"Keeping pushing, drive them back!" An E.U. captain ordered as her squadron of over two dozen Knightmares pushed against the Britannians and Black Knights. As they began to overwhelm the enemy, a green beam shot from the sky and destroyed a Knightmare.
"What-" Was all she could get out before more green beams shot out and destroyed the rest of her squadron in less than ten seconds, She looked up in the sky and gasped in fear at the machine above her before she met the fate of her comrades.
Within the Legend, Schneizel smirked in a sadistic manner. This machine. This weapon. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen! It was incredible! The power! It was intoxicatingly so good! And it was now his! And soon, after dealing with his foolish brother and his companions, it would only be his and no one else.
He was pulled out of his thoughts when the warning lights went off. He turned to the source and activated the beam shield just in time to block a beam from a beam rifle. Schneizel smiled wickedly at the implication.
The Infinite Justice and Destiny were firing their beam rifles at the new Gundam, but Schneizel merely had to pull up it's beam shields to block their attacks. He responded by firing his own beams, from his rifle and the DRAGOONs, towards his enemies who were able to dodge or block most of the shots.
He then got a warning and was barely able to dodge when his brother came from behind in the Strike Freedom and nearly sliced him in half with the METEORs beam blade extending from its canon. The Legend rebalanced itself and fly high above his enemies and held a sadistic smirk. He opened a comm channel with the three and spoke to the one who he would destroy this day. "Hello, Lelouch."
"Schneizel," Lelouch growled out the name of his accursed half-brother from the cockpit of his own Gundam. "I should've known it was you in there. Though I have to admit I'm a bit surprised to see you here on the battlefield, actively fighting. After all, you were always one to hold back in a battle."
"True brother, very true," Schneizel admitted in a mocking tone of voice. "But I've decided to follow in your footsteps, Lelouch. 'If a king doesn't lead, how can he expect others to follow.' your words, correct."
Lelouch narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth at Schneizel. To see him out here on the battlefield actively fighting was annoying enough, but to hear him claim the reason was Lelouch himself, as well as using one of his most famous phrases, made Lelouch's blood boil.
"Oh, but where are my manners," Schneizel said as he shook his head which bore a faux smile on his face. "Allow me to introduce you to the ZGMF-X666S Legend Gundam." As he said the last word, the blood of all three other Gundam pilots went cold, so it was true. "The first Gundam developed and manufactured by the Holy Britannian Empire, courtesy of blueprints from the Strike Freedom Gundam. With the specific objective to destroy your precious Freedom Lelouch."
"Well I got bad news for you, mister, you may have some fancy new machine, but you're still outnumbered." Kallen declared as she drew the Destiny's beam sword and brandished it in front of the Britannian Gundam, ready for combat.
"That's right!" Suzaku agreed as he brought his two beam sabers together and ignited them in a double-bladed fashion. "And not only that, we have both experience and skills leagues above yours. There's no way you can win!"
He and Kallen charged the Legend. However, a large canon was held out in front of them to stop them from advancing. They turned to the source to see the Strike Freedom as the one who held the back using one of the beam cannons.
"Lelouch?" Kallen asked softly, confused by the reasoning for his actions. Suzaku well was bewildered by the act of hesitation.
Lelouch was silent for a long moment. Then he spoke. "This is just a distraction." Lelouch declared. "You know you can't beat all the of us, or maybe even two us. But you can slow us down long enough for the Damocles to reach a height of 300 kilometers, which will assure your victory, even if you did die fighting us."
Schneizel merely smiled and laughed slightly at Lelouch's impressive deduction. "Oh, how I've missed our little games of deduction, Lelouch. You truly are a worthy opponent in all forms of mind games."
"So have I Schneizel, so have I." Lelouch admitted with a smile himself, recalling fonder times, before he turned serious again. He turned back to Kallen and Suzaku. "Suzaku, Kallen, get to the Damocles. Disable it, or destroy it, and retrieve Nunnally. I'll take care of Schneizel and the Legend."
"What?! No way! We'll take him together!" Kallen declared as she moved to have the Destiny stand next to the Strike Freedom. "Besides, you heard Schneizel, that machine was specifically designed to destroy you and your Gundam. So if anything you go on ahead with Suzaku and i'll fight this guy. Or Suzaku could do it."
Lelouch shook his head. "No. We need the Justice to break through the Damocle's Blaze Luminous shielding. It can't waste time here. And since this machine was specifically designed to fight the Freedom means I have the best chance against it. I know the Freedom inside and out, I know it better than anyone now, even Ruben. I can predict what weaknesses it seeks to expose and counter them. Besides, Suzaku needs some needs to make sure Nunnally gets out okay, and I trust no one more than you two to do it. And finally," Lelouch then turned his head and glared at the machine that belonged to the man who had taken almost, if not, everything from him. "I owe my brother some payback for what he's done to me and those closest to me."
Kallen was conflicted, but Suzaku had a look of understanding. He knew what Lelouch was going through, and that this fight was his fight alone and no one else's. "He's right," Suzaku said, breaking the tense silence. "Let's go, Kallen. We need to stop the Damocles before it has a chance to subjugate the whole world."
Suzaku turned the justice around and blasted off toward the Damocles. However, the Destiny had yet to move from it's spot as it's pilot continues to stare at the machine piloted by the man she loved.
"Get going, Kallen." Lelouch's voice filled her cockpit. She was about to protest but Lelouch cut her off. "Please Kallen. I have to do this, and it has to be me. Please."
Kallen was caught off guard in the tone Lelkouch was using toward her. He was begging her to let him fight this battle, he really needed to fight his brother, as if he had to rest some demons that had been festering in his mind for a time.
So she sighed in frustration as she relented. "Alright," Kallen said as she turned the Destiny around to follow after Suzaku. But before she flew off, she took one last glance toward the Strike Freedom and said "But you'd had better come back alive." She then activated the wings of light and blasted off to meet with Suzaku.
"Don't worry, I will." Lelouch whispered as he looked after the trail that Kallen left behind. He then turned back to face his brother as his hands tightened around the controls of the Gundam.
"Well, it seems the inevitable has come to pass Lelouch." Schneizel declared as he gripped the controls of the Legend in anticipation with a sadistic and exciting grin on his face. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."
"Oh, you have no idea," Lelouch said, he himself smiling in the same fashion as Schneizel. "I've been wanting to do this for a long time. I've held in a lot of anger just for this moment. And I'm gonna let it all out right now and use it to kill you!"
"Well then Lelouch," Schneizle began as he pulled out a beam javelin. "COME AND GET ME!" He declared as he charged thew Strike Freedom.
"GLADLY!" Lelouch responded as he blasted off to meet his foe.
Both pilots scream in righteous fury as their two machines clashed as the lightning struck and thunder boomed around them.
Despite the assurance Lelouch gave her, Kallen couldn't help but worry about him. He was going against an enemy that had managed to outsmart him at nearly every turn, even he admitted that Schneizel is one of the rare few that could beat him.
But Kallen also knew that Lelouch wasn't the same person he was months ago. Now he was a warrior, a seasoned fighter who had mastered his new machine. Though that still didn't do much to lessen the fear she felt in her heart.
"He's gonna be fine Kallen." Suzaku's voice came through the comms. Kallen looked over to the Infinite Justice with her mouth slightly open. "The one thing that is certain about Lelouch, is that no matter what the challenge he may be facing, he always finds a way to come out on top and live another day. I should know that better than anyone. Considering how many times I've tried to kill him. And I've tried to kill him a lot of times."
Kallen actually laughed at that comment.
"And besides, I'll be the one to kill Lelouch, not Schneizel, that's a promise." Suzaku declared in a sarcastic tone.
Kallen chuckled some more. "Yeah right! Over my dead body!" She declared. The two couldn't help but chuckle. This both seemed unreal to them. Just months ago, they were trying to kill each other with everything they had. Now they were fighting alongside each other and making jokes as they went along. Things have changed.
But that joyful moment was gone in an instant when they made it to the shield of the Damocles. "Okay, we're here Ruben, now how do I get the Justice to break through the shield?" Suzaku asked.
"Change the VPA settings on the Justice to about 6.2 level in density settings, that should allow you to physically pry open the Blaze Luminous shielding. Then when you do, activate your beam shields, which will allow you to expand the opening so the Destiny can enter." Ruben instructed the Gundam pilot.
"Understood!" Suzaku acknowledged as he put in the instructions. When the diagnostic said complete, Suzaku maneuvered the Infinite Justice up to the green barrier. He then dug his hands into the shielding and began to pull it open. It wasn't easy, he assumed the system was only for Knightmare sized Blaze Luminous, not full-on flying fortress', but he continued on, despite the shaking hull of the Gundam frame.
He finally was able to pull it open big enough for him to get the Infinite Justice in. He then activated the beam shielding to expand it open wider. "Go on Kallen!" Suzaku order as he continued to hold open the shielding, though he was struggling to do so.
Though Kallen hesitated slightly as she looked back to where the Strike Freedom and the Legend were engaged in combat. If she went inside, then Lelouch would truly be on his own then, no one would be able to help him against Schneizel, not truly like she or Suzaku could. And if he were to-
"I can't keep this up all day Kallen! Hurry up!" Suzaku yelled as he felt as if the Infinite Justice was being crushed under the force of the shielding. That was enough to knock Kallen out of her daydream as she shook her head and flew through the opening Suzaku gave her before he followed after her.
And with that, the two left Lelouch to his fate.
"Report! Two of the Gundams have just entered into the Damocles' shielding and making their way into the fortress!" One officer in the Damocles bridge reported.
"Send the Knightmares we have in the station! All of them! We can't let them take the Damocles!" The acting commander ordered from his chair.
As the Infinite Justice and Destiny entered into one of the hangars of the station, their warning signals went off. They turned and saw a small army of Kngihtmares approaching their position. Suzaku was gearing to fight when Kallen flew in front of him.
"Kallen?" Suzaku asked in surprise.
"You go and find Nunnally! I'll take care of these punks!" Kallen ordered as she brandished her beam sword.
"Are you sure about that Kallen? It looks like there's a lot of them, and more are coming?" Suzaku asked, unsure if it was wise to leave her.
"Who do you take me for Suzaku?!" Kallen asked angrily as she activated the Destiny's wings of light and blasted off to met her foes. The Knbightmares tried to get a hit on the Gundam, but thanks to the mirage system, they had no clue as to which was the real one, which allowed the Destiny to get in close and slash at a group of half a dozen Knightmare, destroying them in one stroke.
Suzaku held his mouth opened in surprise, but then remembered that Lelouch chose her to pilot the Guren for a reason, and he was pretty sure this was it. Kallen Kozuki was an absolute force to be reckoned with, especially when she was made, and boy was she mad right now.
"Right," Suzaku said, still in slight shock at Kallen's actions. "Then… I'll just… go find… Nunnally." He said as he flew the Infinite Justice higher up the Damcoles to find his friend's sister.
The Strike Freedom blasted a pair of short burst beam shots toward the Legend with its METEOR cannons. However, the black Gundam was able to dodge the attacks. Changing tactics, the Strike Freedom moved in close, igniting a beam blade on the right cannon, and slashed horizontally at the Legend, yet the Gundam just barrel-rolled around the attack, all the while, deploying his DRAGOONs from the disk in it's back.
Lelouch gritted his teeth in frustration. Despite piloting a Gundam for the first time, it seemed that Schneizel was able to master it's potential in that short amount of time, much like he was able to. Though he should have expected it, it didn't make Lelouch any less irritated.
He didn't get much chance to think on it however as from all around him, the Legend's DRAGOONs fired, forcing Lelouch to take evasive maneuvers. He rolled all around the laser light show that Schneizel was putting on, all while gritting his teeth.
Ohgi observed the battle between the two Gundams with slightly mixed feelings. While he wanted Lelouch dead, he certainly wasn't comfortable with Schneizel having a weapon like that.
'Schneizel… Zero…' Ohgi thought to himself as he continued to watch the battle.
"You are very persistent, I'll give you that little brother." Schneizel commented as the Legend began firing both its CIWS and beam rifle along with the DRAGOONs to try and land a hit on the Strike Freedom. But Lelouch's experience, combined with the Gundam's superior speed, allowed him to avoid the storm of beams raining down on him. Though just barely.
Opening up the missile ports on the METEOR, the Strike Freedom fired an army of missiles that rained down on the Legend. However, Schneizel maneuvered the DRAGOONs around the Legend, and fired all the beams, created a green web made of beams that destroyed all the missiles, creating a cloud of smoke.
"Your nothing but a nuisance Lelouch! You always were!" Schneizel declared as he emerged from the smoke and fired at the blue Gundam with his beam rifle. The hit struck home as it nailed one of the METEOR's canons. Acting quickly, Lelouch abandoned the weapon before it exploded.
"Why you…" Lelouch muttered as he ignited the beam blade on his remaining cannon arm and tried to slash at the Legend. However, the enemy Gundam simply dodged the attack, pulling out its beam javelins and slashing the other cannon in two. Lelouch as well let go of that weapon as he backed off to avoid another slash.
Schneizel fired all the Legend's ranged weapons in an attempt to hit him. However, the Strike Freedom was able to avoid the beams and retreat backward to avoid the attacks while the Legend gave chase.
"Did you really think this wouldn't happen, Lelouch!?" Schneizel asked as he continued to fire after the Gundam as it maneuvered around its beam weapons.
"Shut up!" Lelouch yelled as he fired off more missiles. The DRAGOONs took care of a majority of them, while the Legend cut the rest of them down with its beam javelin.
"Did you really think that there wouldn't be people out there who would want this sort of technology for themselves?!" Schneizel asked now with a fiendish grin on his lips. "Were you that naive Lelouch!?"
Lelouch could only grit his teeth in response as he continued to dodge the hailstorm of beams all around him. Pulling up the Strike Freedom's railguns, he fired them, the beam cannon, and the short-range cannons on the METEOR toward the Legend, who simply pulled up its beam shield to block the attack.
"Everyone wants power! Power like this!" Schneizel declared.
"Your wrong!" Lelouch countered back. The Strike Freedom then pulled out its beam sabers and used them to deflect the incoming beams from the DRAGOONs. However, a beam was able to nick one of the short-range cannons on the side of the METEOR.
"Am I Lelouch?! AM I?!" Schneizel asked as the DRAGOONs continued to rain down on the Strike Freedom, this time making contact with one of the METEORs engines, shaking the whole suit and Lelouch inside.
Schneizel continued to rain fire down on the Gundam, but Lelouch managed to dodge an attack from his beam rifle. "Even so! Though people will use that power to do evil, there will be just as many who will use it for good!" He declared as he again fired his remaining ranged weapons at the Legend.
Schneizle simply dodged the attack. "You really believe that?!" Schenizel bit back as he laughed in madness. The two Gundams continued to circle each other with the beams still flying around them. "You truly are nothing but a fool Lelouch!"
Schneizel launched even more of his DRAGOONs and fired all the beams on them. However, Lelouch was ankle to back up as another web of green beams appeared in front of him. He then fired back using his beam cannon which Schneizel was able to avoid. The DRAGOONs lined up and then began to charge at the Gundam, all opening fire.
"You were always a fool! You and your compassion has always made you weak!" Schneizle declared as the beams continued to rain down, bearing more fury than ever. Lelouch did his best to avoid the beams and deflect as many as he could with his beam sabers, even tried firing back a few times. However, the concentration became too much and Lelouch was losing ground fast. And he was completely unaware of what was to come.
"And you always will be!" Schneizel declared as he comes from the side and jam3ed his beam javelin into the METEOR's remaining engine. The explosion rocked the whole Gundam as Lelouch struggled to remain still. When the shaking finally stopped, Lelocuh went over a quick rundown of the situation in his mind.
'I've underestimated this machine.' He admitted to himself but then he corrected himself. 'No. Not just the machine, I've also underestimated the pilot. I thought with my experience and the METEOR, I would be able to overpower Schneizel, due to his lack of experience handling such a machine, but he's apparently planned for this moment for a while now. Most likely ever since I started piloting the Freedom. His Gundam excels at ranged combat, even more so than the Freedom, but how does it perform in close-quarters?' And that's when a plan formed in Lelouch's mind.
Acting quickly, he ejected the Strike Freedom from the METEOR just as the DRAGOONs fired and destroyed the support unit and flew directly toward the Legend, pulling out a beam saber. He raised the weapon high and it clashed with the Legend's beam javelin. The two machines were locked in contact, however, the Strike Freedom broke it by delivering a kick to the Legend's side, sending it tumbling back.
Schneizel grunted as he tried to steady himself. Just as he did, however, he had just barely been able to dodge another strike from the blue Gundam, who then turned back around clashed again with the Legend, this time with their beam shields against each other.
"Your Gundam may have the superior firepower and range capabilities compare to the Freedom," Lelouch admitted, before smirking. "But trust me, when it comes to close-quarters-combat and speed, you'll always be lacking. This fight's just getting started Schneizel!"
As Suzaku made his way through the Damocles, he was met with surprisingly little resistance. He figured that had to be because Kallen was keeping the main force busy downstairs, and caused more and more reinforcements to be sent after her. But he wasn't worried. Why should he be? Kallen was a danger to everyone in Britannia when she piloted the Guren, but now that she was in control of the Destiny, even her allies weren't safe from her.
Suzaku pushed those thoughts out of his mind as decapitated a Knightmare that was in front of him with his beam saber and stabbing another one straight through the cockpit. With the increased security he was facing, he must be getting close to Nunnally.
A few kevels more and he arrived at the castle entrance, where he believed Nunnally was being held. He then powered down the Infinite Justice and walked towards the entrance of the room. His hand reached out to grab the handle, but he hesitated.
Despite hiding it better than Lelouch, Suzaku was indeed afraid of seeing Nunnally again. He had changed so much and done so terrible things, even lied to her multiple times concerning Lelouch, and he was sure Schneizel told Nunnally of all of his deceitful nature and his recent tendencies while he was still in the Britannian army.
But despite having that knowledge, he had to push forward. Like Lelouch, he needed to change. He needed to let go of his past mistakes and embrace the future, and right now, Nunnally was apart of the thing standing in his way. So, steeling both his body and mind, along with his heart, he took a deep breath and opened the door.
There she was. Sitting in her electric-powered wheelchair. Eyes still closed and oblivious to the things around her. And in her hands was an object he couldn't quite make out. "Nunnally?" Suzaku dared to speak aloud as he approached her, his footsteps were slow and uncertain.
Nunnally's whole, body perked as she heard the familiar voice, but soon developed a sad frown as she clenched the object in her hands tighter. "Suzaku." She said in a disapproving tone.
That tone made Suzaku halt in his progress as he continued to look at her. But taking a deep breath, he continued toward her. "It's been a long time Nunnally. How's death been?" Suzaku asked sarcastically as he held a frown of his own.
Nunnally winced slightly at that. "I didn't want to keep this a secret from you, or Lelouch either Suzaku," Nunnally admitted with a now more regretful tone in her small voice. "But after everything that happened, and learning the truth, I figured it would be for the best if you both thought I was gone."
Suzaku clenched his fists in anger at her statement. "'For the best' for who exactly?" Suzaku pointedly asked. "For me and Lelouch? I think not!" Suzaku yelled, which startled Nunnally. "Do you have any idea what you did to us by pretending to be dead? Lelouch and I were absolutely devastated when we thought you died! I was the one who fired the F.L.E.I.J.A. warhead, Nunnally! I felt responsible for months after your death! And you didn't think you could do anything to relieve me of that guilt, that shame! And Lelouch, do I need to even tell you how he reacted! Admit it, Nunnally! You didn't lie for anyone's sake but yourself! You just didn't want to be responsible for hurting us, but you did way worse than that, way worse!"
Nunnally again adopted the disapproving frown. "And you think you can claim to be better?!" Nunnally asked, surprising Suzaku. "You lied to me for more than a year! You lied about Lelouch! You lied about Euphemia! You even lied to me about what you were doing!"
Suzaku tried to come up with a counter-argument and was about to pass the blame onto someone else, but stopped himself. He then shook his head. No. He was done running away from his problems, it's time he took some responsibility.
"You're right," Suzaku said softly, shocking Nunnally. "I did lie to you. About so many things. I convinced myself I was doing it for your benefit, but in reality, it was all for myself. Just to keep you from blaming me for anything. So that I wouldn't have to hear any words of hate from you about me."
Suzaku squeezed his hands harder together. "But I'm trying to do better," Suzaku told Nunnally. "To be better than what I was Nunnally."
"Better?" Nunnally repeated the word with some distaste in her mouth. "You spout off for months about the evil Zero, Lelouch, has committed. And now here you are, by his side to destroy this machine and kill so many people? Are you sure you trying to be better and not worse Suzaku?"
Suzaku was taken aback by the words, so much that he looked down and clenched his hands in anger as the memories of all that Lelouch did to him came bubbling back up to the surface. "I did hate him," Suzaku admitted. "I hated him so much for so long! I hated him for what he did to Euphie, for what he did to me, for killing so many people, for his Geass! I hated him so dang much that I wanted to kill him more than anything!"
Suzaku took a few breaths to calm himself down. As he did, more recent memories of Lelouch came to mind, the memories of the Lelouch he knew now. He compared the two memories and his anger left him as he came to a revelation. "But he's trying to change," Suzaku said as he looked back up at Nunnally. "As hard as it is to believe, he is trying to do better, at least, better than who he was. Even though I couldn't believe it when I first saw it, I believed it was an act. But I can tell he still carries that guilt, that hatred he has himself, that and the sheer determination he has to succeed in his mission. Those are all the signs, he is trying to change, to change into something better than who he was. Better than I was trying to be."
Suzaku clenched his fist in determination. What he was gonna say next was probably going to scar his relationship with Nunnally forever, not that it wasn't already scar to begin with. But he had to do it. In order for her to see the truth, she needed to see.
"It's time Nunnally." He said in a low voice, but just audible enough for Nunnally to hear. At her confused look, Suzaku took a deep breath and looked her dead in her closed eyes. "You need to open your eyes."
Nunnally gasped. "B-but I… I can't Suzaku…" Nunnally stuttered, trying to come up with an excuse. "My eyes-"
"Are perfectly fine!" Suzaku interrupted her, startling the young girl. "They were never blinded by trauma! Charles used his Geass to make yourself believe you witnessed your mother's murder. But that was never the cause of your blindness. You can see Nunbnally, and it's time to open your eyes and see the world for what it really is!"
Nunnally began trembling, her eyes twitching as if waking up, but she had them remain closed.
"I think the real reason why your eyes won't open is that you don't want to see the world," Suzaku said, again getting Nunnally's attention. "And I understand not wanting to see the world for what it really is, it's scary. But you can't keep living in ignorance for the rest of your life. By doing that, you're not only hurting yourself but also the ones you love. Like Lelouch!" Nunnally gasped at the name of her beloved brother. "He's been risking his life, his future, his sanity, all so you could have a gentler world so you could live in! Open your eyes and wake up! WHEN WILL YOU STOP RUNNING FROM THE TRUTH NUNNALLY!?"
As Suzaku took a few breaths to calm himself down, he looked back to the girl in the center of the room. Her eyes were twitching as if coming out of a dream. Then slowly opened.
For the first time since they met, Suzaku was staring into the beautiful lavender eyes of one of his best friends. He was shocked that she was actually able and willing to do it. But that was Lelouch's sister alright, never underestimate any of them, regardless of the situation they were in.
As Nunnally looked around at surroundings that were unfamiliar to her, her eyes were drawn to the ceiling where she gasped. People were dying. So many people. Britannians, Black Knights, Europeans, etc. So many were losing their lives, and she was helping them lose them. That caused a waterfall of tears to fall from her eyes.
Her eyes were then drawn to another battle between two strange machines. One was a black and white machine with blue wings, which she could just feel a light shine from it's pilot almost. The other was a black, dark grey color with a disk on it's back, and this pilot seemed to radiate evil and malice.
But in the former, she could almost sense a familiar presence. One she knew all too well. 'Lelouch…'
Lelouch brought the Strike Freedom's rifles together as he simultaneously launched all the DRAGOONs from their holders. The blue pods fired their beams toward the Legend as it pulled up its beam shield to block the attack. It then retaliated by launching its own DRAGOONs.
The blue and grey DRAGOONs fired at one another back and forth as the pilots worked to simultaneously control them and their Gundams. Each danced around streaks of light as they worked to destroy one another, yet no pilot could land a true hit on the other.
As they maneuver both the pods and Gundams, one, if looking closely enough, could see the hate projected in each of their movements. The sheer ferocity and savagery each placed in their movements, no matter how graceful it seemed on the surface. These two brothers who grew up being the only match the other truly had in chess in a friendly rivalry, now had no greater desire than to absolutely destroy one another in this one last game!
And it began to look as if the elder of the two would win this final game between them as he had destroyed yet another DRAGOON belonging to the Strike Freedom. Lelouch gritted his teeth in frustration as he looked toward the Legend.
"You seem to be having some trouble, Lelouch?" Schneizel asked in false concern as he continued to push Lelouch further and further into a corner. "Let me guess, the DRAGOONs. Yes, when we looked at that part of the Gundam's design, we could clearly see the flaw in that design. However, thanks to Britannia's technological advancements, we were able to perfect the DRAGOON system for this Gundam. So much that I could brew a cup of hot cocoa and the DRAGOONs would still be operating at top performance level." Schneizel finished as another of the Legend's DRAGOONs destroyed the Strike Freedom's.
As much as Lelouch hated to admit it, Schneizel was right. Whatever advancements that Britannia made to the DRAGOONs, it allowed greater control and less of a mental strain on the pilot than the Strike Freedom did. So much that every time Lelouch took down a DRAGOON belonging to the Legend, two of his pods met their end in a fiery explosion. And soon he would be put at a disadvantage.
A disadvantage that happened now as his last DRAGOON blew up in a brilliant explosion. Lelouch again gritted his teeth as he maneuvered the Strike Freedom around the blasts coming from the Legend's DRAGOONs. Though there was a silver lining to this unfortunate series of events; now without his DRAGOONs, he was able to completely focus on his piloting of the Strike Freedom without any mental strain. And with the DRAGOON pods now no longer coming back, the "Voiture Luminaire" propulsion system was operating at its full power, as evident by the "Wings of the Skies" effect on the Gundam's wings.
And if there was one thing that the Strike Freedom excelled at above any other Gundam or Knightmare frame in the world, it was speed. As evident as it easily dodged all the beams coming from both the DRAGOONs and the beam rifle of the Legend. Who went in pursuit of the first Gundam.
As she continued to watch as explosions and fire rained throughout the battlefield, she couldn't help but blame herself for this unfortunate series of events. If she had tried to stop Schneizel, from doing this in the first place, then so many people wouldn't be losing their lives now.
"If your thinking this is your fault, stop." She looked up to see Suzaku walking towards her. "You couldn't have convinced Shcneizel to stop any more than I or Lelouch could've. He's too set on his twisted goals to try and be stopped by the likes of us. So don't blame yourself."
But Nunnally couldn't help but blame herself. Not for what Schneizel was doing, but rather, for what she put Lelouch and Suzaku through these past few months. "I-I'm sorry Suzaku," she said, tears falling down her face. "For everything; I'm sorry for what I said to you and Lelouch. I'm sorry for believing that you could kill all those people. I'm sorry for making you believe I was dead for so long and making you two suffer. I'm just so sorry, for everything!"
She continued to sob into her hands, however, a familiar presence stopped her. A presence that wrapped its arms around her and pulled her close into a comforting hug. "Thank you for apologizing Nunnally," Suzaku said as he held her in that comforting hug. "But Lelouch and I aren't exactly saints either. So we have a great deal more to apologize for than you ever do, so please, try and find it in your heart to forgive us."
Nunnally wasted no time in wrapping her arms around Suzaku and sobbed in his shoulder as he continued to hold her, tears of his own forming in his eyes. They stayed like that for a long time before finally releasing one another.
Nunnally then glanced behind Suzaku and a loom of confusion dawned on her face. "Whose that Suzaku?" She asked.
Suzaku looked back to see Kallen standing in the doorway eyes wide at the scene before her, he then mentally kicked himself in the butt. Here he was, reuniting with his friend, while his comrade was facing the whole of the Damocles forces alone. But by the look of her, she did alright, and that scared him more than her being in mortal danger.
"Kallen! You made it!" Suzaku sad as he looked toward the red-haired girl in surprise. Nunnally also dawned a look of surprise as she looked toward the red-haired girl she supposedly discussed her brother with. So this was Kallen. As she examined the girl head to toe, she couldn't help but smile mischievously.
"Was there any ever doubt Suzaku?" Kallen asked accusingly as she folded her arms across her chest, causing Suzaku to turn into a stuttering mess. But she merely smiled as she walked over to the now seeing girl in the wheelchair. "Nunnally, you can see now?" Kallen asked in shock.
"Yes, I can." The young girl replied cheerfully. She then looked Kallen over again, causing the redhead to feel self-conscious. Nunnally then adopted her mischievous smile again. "And now finally seeing you, no wonder my brother Lelouch fell for you."
Kallen then felt her whole face turn red as she turned into a mess trying to say something, anything, but nothing ever came out of her mouth. This caused Suzaku to chuckle off to the side at Kallen's expense, then caused Kallen to grab him by the throat and begin choking him. "Shut it!" She shouted as she continued to squeeze harder on Suzaku's neck while Nunnally laughed slightly at the entanglement.
This small event did much to ease the burden of what was going on outside, if only for a while. But they were soon brought back to reality when a Knightmare exploded above their heads.
Suzaku, able to get out of Kallen's death grip on his throat, turned to the two girls. "We need to get out of here. Come on!" He shouted as he pushed Nunnally's wheelchair toward the Gundams with Kallen behind them.
"The enemy forces are in disarray! It seems the defection of some of their greatest fighters has left them confused." An officer reported.
"Keep pushing! Don't let up! We can't let the enemy regain their senses." Leila ordered. As the crew continued to work, She took a subconscious glance towards the battle between the Strike Freedom and Legend. While she had no doubt in the skills of the man who had saved both her life and the life of her soldiers and love, she was indeed wary of the enemy's machine and it's power.
"Our forces are getting whipped out, we can't hold long in this kind of engagement forever."
"Tell squadrons 3, 6, and 7 to reinforce the Ikaruga and have the remaining one back up any that are in immediate danger," Ohgi ordered on the bridge of the Ikaruga.
As the officers began to follow his orders, Ohgi looked out the window to see the battle between Lelouch and Schneizel. While he held no love for Lelouch, he was still somewhat wary of the machine Schneizel was in possession in. As if him having that machine meant doom for all who stand on this Earth, regardless of allegiance of nationality.
"I don't understand why we don't just take Nunnally back in our Gundams," Kallen said as she and Suzaku flew down toward the hanger that was cover in Knightmare wreckage. Suzaku was now even more frightened to see what Kallen had done to all these Knightmares on her own.
"The enemy is gonna be gunning for us on all sides. I don't know about you, but I'm not willing to risk Nunnally's life like that, even though we can take care of ourselves." Suzaku said as he dismounted out of his Gundam with Nunnally in his arms.
They found a surprisingly still functional transport ship in the hangar. He saw that multiple pilots and personnel were boardings, in an attempt to escape. "Hold it right there!" Suzaku called to them. They stopped and looked in fear to see the Gundams standing right behind the Japanese boy.
"Princess Nunnally needs to be transported off the Damoclea and to a safe location, can you do that?" Suzaku asked the pilots, though it wasn't really asking, more demanding.
"Take her yourself you eleven scum, we have our own lives to worry about!" the pilot said as he proceeded to enter his craft. But before he could proceed up the ramp, a giant metal hand stopped him. He looked up to see the Destiny looming over them.
"Might want to rethink your answer," Kallen suggested, her voice dangerously low. "Because if I hear something I don't like, then I'm gonna just kill you right here and now, and anyone else here who shares your views."
That was enough to cause the pilot to wet himself as he immediately turned around and went to help Nunnally in. "Right this way your Highness! I assure you will be cared for extensively and have first-class privileges." The man said with a forced smile of politeness as if to assure the Gundam pilots he was sincere in his words.
Though Nunnally was upset by the actions to secure her passage, she smiled nonetheless. "Thank you very much. I look forward to my flight." She said with such an innocent smile. Ever the angle.
As she was loaded onto the transport ship, the young girl turned back to see Suzaku walking back towards his Gundam. "Suzaku, wait!" She called out to him. The boy turned around ti face the young princess. "I need to ask something of you. You as well Kallen."
Bothy pilots looked confused but nonetheless relented. As Kallen exited her Gundam, Suzaku walked up to the girl and leaned in as she whispered in his ear. Suzaku's eyes widened as the words left Nunnally's lips. He looked as if he was going to deny, but the look in Nunnally's eyes made him promise her.
He passed Kallen on the way to his Gundam who kneeled down to hear the girl speak her request. As Nunnally began whispering her request, Kallen's face erupted in a furious blush and she began stammering, but the smile from Nunnally made Kallen's defiance waver and she relented, causing Nunnally to smile brighter.
Before the transport ship blasted out of the hanger, Suzaku spoke to them from the Infinite Justice. "I'm sending you coordinates to follow back to a safe location away from all this fighting. Take Princess Nunnally there." He ordered as he turned toward the exit in his Gundam, but then he glanced back at them. "Oh, and one more thing. If you even think about trying to run away or using Princess Nunnally as a hostage, just remember; her brother is the one who whipped out an invasion force all by himself with just one machine." That caused the pilots to gulp, immediately shutting out any thoughts of betrayal from their minds.
As the transport began to pull out of the hangar, Suzaku and Kallen followed with the Infinite Justice and Destiny staying close to protect them the best they could, but not too close as if to tip off any enemy forces.
"So what did Nunnally want?" Kallen asked over the comms to Suzaku.
"Why don't you tell me what she wanted with you and I'll tell you?" Suzaku counter.
"T-that's none of your business!" Kallen yelled, her face red.
"Same goes for me. It's not your business." Suzaku told her as he sliced a Knightmare in half. More Knightmares came and, and Suzaku blasted off to meet them, while Kallen dealt with her own squadron.
As Nunnally observed the battle and death around her, she could only look down in shame. She had contributed to so much death when she fires the F.L.E.I.J.A. in a foolish belief that she was using it to cleanse the world of her brother's sins.
Speaking of her brother, she looked up to see him currently engaged in a fierce battle with Schneizel.
Lelouch continued to dodge around the beams from the Legend and it's DRAGOONs with ease thanks to the Strike Freedom's superior speed. However, he was unable to land a solid hit, as was evident every time he tried to take aim, he had to dodge just to avoid getting blasted.
Finding time to breathe for a moment, Lelouch took aim with his left-handed beam rifle, only for a beam from one of the Legend's DRAGOONs destroyed the rifle before Lelouch could get a proper aim in. Gritting his teeth, Lelouch then drew a beam saber and decided to charge the Legend head-on.
The Legend responded with raining hails of beams onto the Strike Freedom, but the original Gundam merely dodged and weaved through the storm of green streaks of light, even deflecting some with its beam saber. Finally, it came upon the Legend, bringing its beam saber up high then down onto the black Gundam, only for it to block its attack with its beam javelin.
However, the Strike Freedom didn't relent as it delivered a kick that sent the Legend flying to the side. It didn't stop there as it then fired its beam cannon at close range, and Schneizel was just barely able to pull up the beam shield, but the force behind the power was enough to cause the Gundam to shake viciously.
The Strike Freedom moved closer to get in another attack, but another web of green beams was soon formed with stopped the Gundam in its tracks. The DRAGOONs returned to the Legend, which then folded them forward and fired the six beams from its disk toward the Strike Freedom.
The blue-winged Gundam was able to perform a mid-air backflip to dodge the attack. However, the Legend just kept coming as it fired it's now separated DRAGOONs and beam rifle toward the Strike Freedom. Lelouch was able to bring up the beam shield to defend against such power. But Schneizel continued to pour on the fire, causing Lelouch again to bring up the shield.
In his Gundam, Lelouch gritted his teeth. 'Dang it! I hate to admit it, but his Gundam is superior to my own, at least in some aspects. Not only that, but he also knows that if he gives me an inch, I'll use every millimeter of it to it's fullest potential. So how can I beat him?' Lelouch then thought about using his new Geass, but for some reason, it wasn't activating. 'Why isn't my Geass working, am I doing something wrong?'
As he thought that, he happened to glance toward the side and he gasped as he saw a single unprotected transport ship flying through the raging battlefield. And on the ship was…
"Lelouch!" Nunnally cried as she noticed that her brother had finally saw her.
Again Lelouch gasped as he saw his sister flying through this battlefield, even more so when he saw her eyes were open. "Nunnally?!" He shrieked in fear.
Schneizel also noticed Nunnally and frowned in disappointment. It seems that Nunnally as well as an obstacle to achieving his mission. But… perhaps there was still use for her yet. 'Yes, that will do perfectly.' Schneizel thought as a sadistic smile spread across his face.
Ceasing fire on the Strike Freedom for a moment, the Legend then took aim toward a new target: the transport ship Nunnally was currently on. Lelouch gasped in fear as he saw his rifle took aim. He then wasted no time as he pushed the Strike Freedom's engines to maximum velocity, trying to get there before it was too late.
Schneizel's crazed smile grew as he fired a beam.
Time slowed throughout the whole battlefield as all turned to see the Strike Freedom race against a beam to save the life of his sister.
Cornelia also happened to glance at this event and gasp as she felt fear for her sister's life.
Nonnette and Tohdoh ceased fighting and looked in shock at the beam traveling toward the ship.
The Strike Freedom reached out its hand as if its pilot tried to reach for his sister as the beam inched closer and closer.
Ohgi and the crew of the Ikaruga looked in shock to see the beam get closer and closer. Was Prince Schneizel really going to claim the life of an innocent girl.
In the E.U.'s flagship, Leila couldn't help but try and pray for the girl's safety.
The beam got closer and closer to the ship as the Strike Freedom tried moving faster and faster.
Akito looked in shock to see a family member attempt to murder another. While he was no stranger to this action, as he murdered his brother, Shin, for someone to attempt to kill an innocent girl, their own sister no less, was unthinkable. Even the Three Rounds he was facing couldn't help but be shocked about the action Schneizel was taking.
Suzaku and Kallen looked back in shock to see the beam getting closer to the transport ship they left unprotected for just a small moment.
When the Strike Freedom was close enough, Lelouch activated the beam shield to maximum ranged and was just barely able to block the beam from the Legend.
The Gundam moved its hand away from the window to get a good look at the pilot's sister, who appeared safe and out of harm's way.
"Big brother..." Nunnally said as tears of joy fell from her face. In the cockpit of the Strike Freedom Lelouch couldn't help but smile and sighed in relief that his sister was safe. Everyone else gave a sigh of relief as well. But no one could be happier than Lelouch. He finally did it, he was able to protect someone close to him, despite the hardships that he would always face.
And that would never change. No matter what happened, or will happen, between the two of them, Lelouch would always be there to protect his little sister. No matter if she hated him or was against him, he would always keep her safe.
And Schneizel knew this. And knew exactly how to exploit this.
BA-CHOO!
Without any sort of warning, a DRAGOON pod fired.
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Next Chapter…
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… Rage of the Berserker