"What do you mean you don't know!" Cornelia boomed, her fury sounding like the crash thunder. It was enough to cowl most folks, but Nunnally and Suzaku had long since learned to not flinch in the face of her fury, and C.C. had learned the same since long before even Cornelia's grandparents were born.
"Exactly as I said. I just don't know," C.C. responded calmly.
"You met her and that's all you can say? That you don't know if she's really Euphie!?"
"I still don't believe there is any real way that a person who died could be brought back to life," C.C. affirmed, but that affirmation came out considerably weaker than it had when she made it before heading out to search for the Dragon Witch.
"But…" Suzaku started for her, encouraging her to be a bit more forthcoming.
"But something I know nothing about is going on."
"What do you mean?" Nunnally asked.
"I can't say that I knew Euphemia very well, but I've heard people talk about her all the time. I've seen her from afar numerous times as well, times when she would think she had no reason to put on a mask. The woman I met in the Danvers Forest was exactly like the Euphemia that died over five years ago. Except… except now she appears to be immortal, and has a complete Geass."
"A… a… Geass?" Cornelia stammered, horrified.
"That… that can't be. She said that?"
"I shot her, in the forehead." C.C. stated coolly. The look of abject outrage Suzaku and Cornelia gave her was bone chilling. She went straight to explaining her logic to forestall another outburst. "I knew that, no matter what the case was, she could not be Euphemia, and could not be left to keep doing what she's been doing, so I killed her. Except she got up moments later and then showed me the sigil in her eyes."
"Damn it! I knew Geass was involved. What have you been hiding from us?" Cornelia demanded.
"You have to tell us, C.C. We need to know. Don't you understand by now how dangerous Geass is?" Suzaku urged as well.
"Be quiet!" Nunnally commanded.
She hadn't had the voice someone like Cornelia did, a loud booming decibel she could unleash to overpower others. But she had quickly developed a powerful tone all her own that bled through when she was angry and frustrated. It wasn't about how loud it was, but how forceful and impactful it was despite being quieter. Suzaku knew all too well that Nunnally was not one to be underestimated. She was Lelouch's precious little sister. Despite her gentle affect and sweet voice, she had a brutal temper that could spin into a lashing tirade on a dime. It may have been relegated to her childhood for some time, but the stresses of her life as a monarch were not content to let those old inclinations die too easily.
"This can't be any Geass we would know of," Nunnally defended. "C.C. said she shot her and that she didn't die. That could only happen if she had a Code like C.C. But once you have a Code, you lose the ability to have a Geass, isn't that right? But this person had both. If there were such a thing before, father would probably still be on the throne instead of me. Or C.C. might even be on the throne herself if she could have such a power. We can't blame C.C. for not knowing about something like this.
"We have to find a way to stop her, whoever she is. I can't let anyone ruin all the hard work, all the sacrifices, Lelouch put into this world. I won't let Euphie's memory be destroyed like this."
"Even if she is immortal, there are ways to deal with her." C.C. assured.
"Let's continue this after the Round Table," Cornelia suggested as she rose from her seat. "It's almost time for us to go."
"Yes, we should get going," Nunnally said, her frustration transitioning to a somber mood. "I'll be along in a moment."
"Sure thing, Nunnally," Suzaku agreed.
As Cornelia, Suzaku, and C.C. were on their way out the door to give Nunnally a moment to herself, Nunnally called out, "Could you please wait a moment, C.C.?"
C.C. paused and looked back at the empress. She then looked to Cornelia and Suzaku, but they didn't seem to think it worth acknowledging. "Ok." C.C. answered, walking back towards Nunnally.
Nunnally waited a moment, as if pondering what she wanted to say. C.C patiently waited, sure Nunnally had a lot on her mind. "C.C., there's something you didn't want to tell Suzaku and sister, isn't there?"
"I don't know what you…"
"The power of gods… you didn't mention it to them,"
C.C. looked at Nunnally with shock that then turned to a pained look. "Where did you hear that?"
"Why didn't you say anything about it?"
"I didn't think it was important."
"Why not!?" Nunnally insisted, angrily.
"The Power of Gods… is a version of Geass that is very unique, and very rare. Just like a regular Geass there's no way of knowing what its power will be. But there's also no telling who will get that Geass. It will have enhanced abilities compared to a Power of Kings Geass. The user will be immune to other lesser Geass abilities. Plus, the exact ability they are granted will have a wider range of effects than other Geass'.
"But how did you find out about…"
Nunnally slowly closed her eyes. When she opened them again, a blue shape like a small bird, the Geass sigil, was glowing in her left eye. "That's what this is, isn't it?"
"Nunnally…" C.C. could only say with a distressed voice, as if her own child just said she were dying.
"I wasn't sure what this was," Nunnally said as she placed her hand over her Geass eye. "When Lelouch died in front of me, for a moment I thought I saw everything that had happened to him, even things he couldn't have known or seen himself. I thought I had imagined it. When I regained my vision, the doctors said that I might occasionally have hallucinations, so I assumed that was what it was. But a month later, while I was thinking about Lelouch, I started thinking back to when he was killed again. I was very sad. I started seeing those visions again. And when I looked up and saw my reflection in my mirror, I could see this blue symbol in my eye. I knew it was a Geass, since I could remember seeing father's and brother's, but mine was a different color. That's when I realized it had to have been how I had seen and knew those things about Lelouch.
"I was scared. I didn't want anyone to find out I had a Geass, because I was sure they would want me to die. I wanted Lelouch so badly I think I called out his name while I was crying. And just like that, I suddenly knew it was something called the power of gods instead of kings."
"Oh Nunnally…" C.C. said, unable to find any other words.
"I don't know what this power is, but ever since I saw Euphie that night, I felt like there was a voice calling in my sleep, trying to tell me something. When you left to go find her, it was like I knew you would. Without you having to say a thing, I know that you saw her sitting on top a boulder, that you shot her in the forehead, and that the bullet passed right through. I feel like I was standing there watching you react in terror when the hole closed up and she stood up again; as if I could feel the heat you felt from the dragon just quietly standing there."
"Clairvoyance?" C.C. wondered aloud. "I know of Geass that were able to read a person's mind, but you can only see things as they see it. It sounds like you're saying you saw it as if you were there yourself."
"Yes. It feels that way. That's why I knew you weren't lying about not knowing how she could be alive, or how Geass could be involved."
"It's still the truth; I've never heard of any Geass, whatever the version, that brings people back from the dead, or creates dragons."
"I don't know enough about this power. I don't even know how I was given it, or when, or by who. I can't make it show me things, or make it stop either. I have a very powerful feeling that it's connected to Euphie and Marrybell, but I don't know why."
"It's okay, Nunnally," C.C. said, rushing to embrace the still young empress. "We'll figure this out, okay? You, me, Cornelia, and Suzaku, not to mention everyone else who supports you. We'll get through this. I'll protect you, no matter what."
The two embraced, C.C. hoping to comfort the distraught empress. She already had a million thoughts racing through her head now about what it meant that Nunnally had this mysterious Geass. But where that would go from there was a question for later. For now, there was a meeting to attend.
It had been the hope that there would be better news from C.C. upon her return. Today was the deadline. That was the purpose of this meeting. Marrybell had been silent since taking her seat in Londonium. But the time limit she imposed for Britannia to withdraw from Europa was almost at its end. If there were clues to be had, an answer to who these people claiming the names of the dead really were, then perhaps there was a way to fight back. But that hadn't come to pass.
There were a couple skirmishes in Britannia since the Memorial Day tragedy. The media had really taken to the suffix "Alter" on the name of these identities. It seemed they were as resistant as the royal palace was in allowing these instigators to use the proper name of the late princess', the reasoning differing of course. It had originally caught on with the GIN that the then rumored Euphemia doppelganger should be called Euphemia Alter. With that, Marrybell Alter caught on quickly enough.
Marrybell Alter's public display tore off most of what was left of the bandage covering the secret of Euphemia Alter's activities. Even without an official acknowledgement yet from the crown, it was already understood that the recent attacks, from the destruction of the imperial castle, to the spate of attacks on the military bases, were the doing of Euphemia Alter.
The discourse was divided on who these Alters were, however. Many conspiracy theories of course said they were in fact the real-to-life princess', Euphemia and Marrybell, having evaded death and hiding out these last several years. That didn't do much to explain their beasts and where they came from. The most common theory was in line with the official story – a terrorist group was behind all of this, causing disruption and chaos by using people masquerading as deceased members of the Britannia royal family.
Regardless, the stories of the destruction of London and Cartagena weren't mere theory or speculation, and as such the question of what came next was on everyone's mind. The idea of Britannia being forced out of Europa seemed too alien to believe, but at the same time, so was the devastation Marrybell Alter seemed capable of. The stories about the military being incapable of harming the black beasts known as dragons were also getting around now too. An off-the-record report from a commander who was on the scene of one the Euphemia Alter's attacks said the beasts were as armored as any Knightmare, and more agile than any aerial weapon. The military was still keeping tight lipped about these encounters, so there were still many unknowns.
Even so, the outcome seemed clear enough, even if no one wanted to admit as much. If the military was powerless against this enemy, and total war was the threat placed before the empire if it didn't acquiesce, it made better sense to retreat and bide time rather than provoke a conflict and be slaughtered outright.
With a little more than 24 hours to spare, Nunnally ordered all Britannia forces to withdraw with all due speed from Europa territory. A diplomatic cable was sent out to Londonium, a plea to allow time and space for the redeploying forces to complete their exit.
It was an unwinnable decision. Nunnally, better for herself than she knew, had resigned herself to being ridiculed no matter what she did. Some said she dithered too long, risking the lives of her soldiers and knights. Some said she didn't press the issue enough, challenging Marrybell Alter to see if she could stand up against a direct attack rather than the surprise attacks she had until now gotten away with. Had she stayed and fought, she would have surely lost, and been ridiculed for the body count that would have amassed. Even had Britannia fought and won she'd be held as inept for not having stood up sooner to save Cartagena and Londonium.
"There are few things I'd hope for Nunnally to take from our father," Cornelia remarked as she walked with Suzaku. They were several steps behind Nunnally, C.C. pushing the Empress' chair. "But her ability to make decisions is worthy of praise."
"I hope she continues to take the proper advice at least," Suzaku bemoaned. "We have to do our best to support her by making sure we surround her with those who have her best interests in mind and will actually give her sound advice."
"Our father's greatest downfall came in part from his failure to better choose those who had his ear. His anger and melancholy from a young age led him to seek advice from unsavory sources who fed him poisoned honey. My fear, especially given how she's reformed the government, has long been that Nunnally would find herself having too many errant voices in her ears."
"I failed as a Knight once before. I won't allow myself to fail again."
"I'll hold you to that, Zero."
It would likely be too far to say that they had become friends. Strong allies was about as far as you would describe their relationship. As frosty as their report with one another could be at times, and as sharp as their elbows could seem, it all came from a different place now than it once might have. They understood and shared in each other's grief over the loss of Euphemia. And though they viewed the events from somewhat different angles, they also both knew full well of Lelouch's sacrifices to right the wrongs of their world, including the ones he himself was responsible for. That shared experience between them created an understanding. It didn't mean either was liable to ask the other out to drink away the stress of the day, but they at least didn't need flinch at the others being there. In many ways the title of "friend" would apply to them, given how open they were with one another. But they would each likely deny the title if asked.
"I'll be returning home for a couple days," Cornelia told him as they neared Nunnally's study. "I'm trusting that you will keep any harm away from her until I return."
"Guilford and Euphiane will be glad to see you," Suzaku replied. "When are you leaving? Tonight?"
"Tomorrow. I'll at least hear Lloyd's update. I should also thank Kouzuki for offering her assistance."
"She should be arriving fairly late this evening."
"It may well be that she cannot offer us any aide, but we'll lose nothing having her here," Cornelia remarked with a somewhat unusual dourness.
It hadn't been as easy as initially thought to get Kallen to join the efforts against the Alters. In actuality she wanted nothing to do with the whole mess. If it wasn't for Marrybell's atrocities, Kallen would likely still be in Japan.
At the end of the war, Kallen was a famed figure. Known all over for her role as the pilot of Guren Knightmare frames that routinely overpowered the Britannia forces while she was the Black Knights ace, and then as the ace leading the UFN forces, including the raid on Camelot at the end of Lelouch's reign. She was a legendary figure… and she hated it.
Through much of her time as a Black Knight, Kallen displayed a great deal of pride in being the pilot of the Gurren. But the source of that pride was easily mistaken by those who didn't understand her as well as they might have thought. It was a pride born from believing in her cause for fighting, believing in the future that was promised at the end of her battles, and her admiration turned love for Zero who promised to grant her wishes. She held no particular fondness for battle, and could even be said to have hated it. But it was a necessary action for all those other reasons.
When Zero turned out to be Lelouch, she felt a profound sense of loss. Suddenly that future she believed in and that person she loved were not at all what she thought them to be, and so she lost some of that determination and pride. But her anger and frustration became a fresh motivation, and so she continued to put herself on the line, shedding some of that pride for a sense of duty and purpose. Her love for Zero, her love for Lelouch, kept her fighting through the war, and when his ultimate betrayal came, her love turned sour. She led the raid on Camelot, not knowing the full measure of the truth regarding Lelouch's plans. She had questions she wanted answered from him, and thought that day that in undoing what madness he'd wrought, she might force him to answer her burning questions.
But he died. Because he died, she had no chance to reach those answers, until she was finally alone with Nunnally one day. It had been several months after Lelouch's death. Nunnally had travelled to a meeting of the UFN General Assembly. Kallen was still serving in the role of their chief military affairs officer, albeit with a dispassionate gloom about her. The world had attained peace, or at least some reasonable facsimile of it. Japan was liberated. The Demon King was vanquished. It should have been a happy time, yet that was not how she felt. Nunnally took the opportunity of this meeting to divulge all she knew of the Zero Requiem.
Learning of what Lelouch did, why he did what he did, pained Kallen. Perhaps her more than anyone else his actions had sent her on such a roller coaster of emotions. She'd gone back and forward between loving him and wanting to hate him so many times she didn't know what she was even supposed to feel anymore.
A week later, she announced her retirement from her UFN post. It had little and less to do with the meeting with Nunnally, though that had reaffirmed her plans. She had already been planning to leave and return to school. Easily forgotten was the fact that she was a very bright young woman. If not for the war and her part in it, and before that with her brother's role in the resistance and his death, she likely would have been a rival for even Nina in terms of grades. It was her intellect and interest in engineering that helped her to take to Knightmares so easily. So, once finishing her final year of high school, she went on to Tokyo University and studied under their engineering program.
All told, Kallen didn't want to go back to the battlefield. She didn't want to have anything to do with battles anymore. But there was only so much she could distance herself from it all. Peace, she learned, was as fraught with the mechanisms of battle as any war. Companies still raced to create new weapons and weapon systems to prepare to fight whomever their next enemy was. Her skill as an engineer meant that regardless of what her actual subject of study, it would be reimagined as something to aide in the development of a combat Knightmare.
She couldn't deny her admiration of Knightmares, one of the many oxymorons of life. She loved the science and technology that created these machines, even if their ultimate use was one she didn't admire so much anymore. She'd been contracted in the past to consult with a group producing an animated show with Knightmares, but in space. They wanted her help in determining how a Knightmare might need to be redesigned to operate in such conditions. She like the challenge of the idea, but hated that the setting seemed to just be another tragedy or war.
There was also a project redesigning the joint structure of light-duty Knightmares to make maintenance and repair easier for construction models. That always seemed to be a need, as construction businesses continually sought ways of making more profit by cutting costs. At least the machines would be put to good use, fixing the inscrutable levels of destruction all over Japan, not to mention the rest of the world, following the war.
Even more recently she was working with a group that was looking to build and race Knightmares in what they were tentatively going to be titling the Immortal Grand Prix. That project was also very interesting. She even helped on the virtual mockup of the machines that would be used for training purposes. The idea of racing Knightmares seemed so bizarre yet quaint. It honestly seemed to be a preposterous idea, given the sheer size of the endeavor, but if they were going to pay her to help breathe life into the idea, well, it wasn't so bad.
"I'm not a fighter anymore. I haven't piloted a Knightmare since before Lelouch died."
"We aren't asking you to fight that way," Suzaku told her. "We have a different kind of battle we'd like you to help us with."
"I'm not going to be much help. You already have Rakshata, Lloyd, Cecile, and Nina helping you, what good would it do to have me there?"
"I shouldn't have to explain how easily those four can get lost in their theories and curiosities. Besides, mechanical engineering isn't their first skill set. I don't doubt their skill in creating Knightmares, but you can provide a more rational perspective than they can without having to run a pilot out there to test every idea they come up with."
"I shouldn't have to explain either. After the war, after I left the UFN, I swore not to involve myself with Britannia anymore."
"I know you hate…"
"You're wrong!" She quickly cut him off. "I don't hate Britannia… I did. I really hated Britannia and anyone who called themselves a Britannian. But… I don't anymore. Even so, anytime I think about Britannia, all I get are terrible memories that haunt my dreams. I wanted to move on with my life, to not let Britannia's shadow loom over me anymore. And now you're asking me to willingly step back into that shadow…"
"I understand why you don't want to get involved in such a spectacular mess. I really do, Kallen. But we're in a really bad position right now. There aren't many people we can turn to for help with this enemy, and every little bit of help we can get could be a big part in helping us solve this crisis. Nunnally didn't want us to ask you, but I don't think we have any options left."
With a heavy sigh she answered, "Give me a little time and I'll head over, okay? I'll wrap up a few things and I'll head for Britannnia. You guys can manage without me for a week, right?"
"I don't know how we can ever thank you, Kallen."
"Shut up. Just look after Nunnally until I get there. This is a difficult time of year for her."
A couple days later was the attack on Cartagena.