Disclaimer: I don't own anything belonging to Code: Geass or Naruto.
C.C. sat on the bed of the room she and Naruto shared, looking out the window. The henge covering her eyes had dropped, showing her Rinnegan as she stared out at the city. She looked solemn but let out an irritated sigh when her vision caught a large red light in the distance.
'A Geass and by the looks of it an unstable one. I can sense ill intent in it.' C.C. narrowed her eyes. 'You have to be here now of all times, lurking in the slums of the city as you meddle in my life because of your foolish obsession.'
She recognized the Geass because she knew it and the person using it all too well.
'Of all times for you to show up, this is worst.' C.C. closed her eyes as she covered her Rinnegan again. 'You won't get what you want, especially if Naruto has anything to say about it.' C.C. turned away from the window. "I can't afford to make the same mistake again."
"Hey, Naruto? Where's Tsunade? I noticed she never came for class this morning." Milly asked as the Student Council stopped in front of the entrance to the hospital.
"She went to see her mother when she heard that Mito's been making progress on how to cure Refrain." Naruto answered honestly. "It's a touchy subject up here in Area Eleven so she's decided to see if there was a way to cure the effects of the drug rather than wait through a long period of withdrawal."
It was true as Rakshata had discovered that Refrain had been created from the blood cells of someone who's Geass allowed people to relive happy memories and was at work on studying a few blood samples of a few drug addicts to see if there was a way reverse it. Kallen glanced at Naruto when he answered Milly's question, wondering if they could cure her mother but pushed it aside as her mother was in jail for twenty years.
"Oh, well I hope she succeeds." Milly said as they walked through the entrance.
Shirley was anxious to see her father and it had taken everyone to convince that bolting out in the middle of the night to see him was not a good idea as the man needed his rest. Of course Milly suggested they all go visit him and no one could change her mind. Lelouch and Kallen let out a few yawns along the way, having not been able to get a lot of sleep the previous night but when Shirley opened the door to the room her father was staying in the irritation they felt was instantly replaced with guilt as Shirley rushed in shouting at the injured man. "DADDY!"
Said man looked up and smiled as his daughter rushed to the side of his bed and would have hugged him if not for the bandages on his chest, right arm, the cast around his left arm and leg that could mean they were broken.
However that did not dampen the man's happiness at seeing his daughter. "Shirley! What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here?"
"I came to see if you were all right. I was so worried when I heard you had been hurt!" Shirley hugged her father lightly which he happily returned.
"It's all right. I'm fine and I should be out of here in a month." Joseph Fennette answered as he patted his daughter on her back and looked up at the students at the door. "Are these your friends?"
"Hi sir. I'm Milly Ashford, President of the Student Council." Milly walked in, followed by the others. "We decided to come along see how our friend's father was doing."
"Well, thank you. It's nice to have some company around here." Joseph replied as he looked at each student. "Staring at the white walls all the time gets a little boring."
"If you don't me asking what happened to you?" Rivalz asked and ended up getting slapped on the head by Milly.
"Rivalz, we're not here to talk about that!" Milly hissed.
"It's all right, Miss Ashford. I was simply in a house on the outskirts of the city at the base of the mountain when the landslide hit. The house collapsed on me and a few friends but luckily the military came and dug us out. They were evacuating the city at the time and we were the last ones who didn't get the memo until it fell on top of us." Joseph explained with a smile. "None of us were killed, just a little hurt. It's a good thing the house wasn't buried too deeply."
Kallen and Lelouch both looked guilty while Naruto hid behind his usual fox smile. Lelouch felt guilty for coming up with the idea of using a land slide as a weapon against Cornelia while Kallen felt guilty because she caused the land slide.
"Cowards." Everyone looked at Suzaku who had a grim look on his face. "They're all just cowards. The Black Knights just do what they feel like and don't care who gets caught up in the attacks."
As he spoke he flashed back to what the pilot of the blue Knightmare had called him.
" Yes, a coward! One who refuses to see the truth and ignores just how rotten your masters are and allow them to kill and oppress people, your own kin no less, to satisfy their so-called superiority and hope that if you bow your head and submit to that them that they'll actually get off their fat asses decide to start being nice. Let me make this warning perfectly clear, you will not be able to change Britannia no matter how many times you kiss their collective asses, it'll be the same each and every day until you die or realize the utter foolishness of your beliefs! The Japanese along with the rest of the Areas will never accept their rights, pride, and home being taken from them! "
'And is this not cowardice? How can you call me that when you and Zero don't care who gets in your way?' Suzaku thought angrily.
'Show some respect you moron. This is her father right here and you're going to complain about that right in front of him and his daughter? This is about them not your sense of moral outrage.' Naruto scowled while Kallen and Lelouch shrank back.
"Oh yeah, I want to apologize, Mr. Fennette for thinking the Black Knights were cool and stuff. When they first appeared a lot of us thought they were all amazing for always beating the army even when it looked impossible. It was stupid and I'm sorry." Rivalz spoke with a remorseful look on his face.
"It's all right, everyone. I know that the Black Knights caused the avalanche but I also know they didn't do it to kill me or kill anyone else in the city. They had no way of knowing where I was at the time and I didn't know until everyone else had been evacuated." Joseph reassured everyone as he shook his head. "I don't blame them for this even though they caused the land slide."
"They're risking the lives of innocents by fighting!" Suzaku exclaimed.
"And the military risks lives everyday regardless of whether or not they try to evacuate civilians first. I'm a researcher but I'm well aware of how the military operates." Joseph calmly replied. "A lot of people have been killed by the military simply because they were in the wrong place like I was from time to time. The Black Knights are fighting for what they believe in, they are not out to kill everyone in their way."
Suzaku suddenly remembered the words of the pilot of the blue Knightmare back at Narita.
"You say the Japanese should roll over and accept whatever brutality Britannia dishes out on them? Endure all the pain of being their lapdogs and slaves and just hoping for things to get better. Don't make me laugh. That's a load of bull shit. The Japanese may have lost the war but that did not dampen the determination to free their country or the hate they feel towards Britannia for its crimes and it never will as long as people still dream of a free Japan and as long as Britannia continues its racial beliefs."
"They fight because they believe it's only path they can take because Britannia has taken their homes, their rights, and all things we take for granted taken from them. As much we say otherwise non-Britannians are treated somewhat poorly in all Areas and even Honorary Britannians live a hard life despite attaining rights to live in the settlement." Joseph sadly continued.
"Why are you defending them? They did this to you." Suzaku pointed at the bandages and casts. "If they really cared about helping people they'd-"
"Suzaku, that's enough!" Naruto stated loudly, making everyone look at him in shock for the way he was speaking as he glared at the Honorary Britannian. "We're here to see Mr. Fenette and be happy he's all right, not argue over the morality of the Black Knights. This is about Shirley and her dad being happy that he's still alive, not your political views on the Black Knights or your sense of moral outrage. So stop arguing with the injured man and just say 'hi, nice to meet you and hope you get better'!"
Suzaku looked surprised by the scolding he received but had the decency to look ashamed as he knew Naruto was right. "Your right, I'm sorry. I… I just got carried away."
"It's all right, young man. I know you feel angry with the Black Knights and you have every right to be but I just wanted you to know they didn't hurt me intentionally and they don't fight to intentionally hurt every Britannian out there." Joseph nodded with a smile. "And one reason I don't condemn the Black Knights because…" He reached up and patted Shirley on her head which embarrassed her. "They helped save my daughter and I can never forget that."
"Daddy!" Shirley whined from the display of affection in front of her friends.
Suzaku had to keep himself from saying that the military could have saved them but Naruto was right, this wasn't about his views on the Black Knights. He tried to keep a smile on his face along with everyone before the nurse came and kicked them out of the room, saying Mr. Fennette needed his rest. In the meantime Lelouch along with Naruto and Kallen had a busy night to prepare for so they had to get themselves ready. Once they said their goodbyes Lelouch and Naruto headed back to Ashford Academy along with the rest of the Student Council while Kallen walked in the direction of her house.
As Kallen took a path through one of the Ghettos that wouldn't draw attention to her a man who had been hiding out perked up and looked in her direction, smiling first before suddenly becoming very angry.
A green haired girl smirking mischievously as she wrapped her arms around a blond haired boy with whisker markings on his face and kissed him passionately.
"You… You bastard! You dare take my C.C.!" The man shouted as he stood up. "SHE'S MINE! MINE! MINE!"
When the Student Council left Joseph Fennette frowned deeply for some reason and picked up his cell phone and brought up a picture.
A picture of a blond haired boy suspended in a green tank along with the green haired girl that had already been there.
'General Bartley needs to be notified.'
Villetta Nu was not having a good day.
Actually that was a bit of an understatement as she took a sip in a bar she came to while off duty but she was still in her uniform. Her old friend Lord Jeremiah was presumed killed in action at Narita by the red Knightmare that had wiped out the other purists, dispatching them all so easily and done so looking like a red demon surrounded by the flames of Hell itself.
'Zero…' Villetta narrowed her eyes as she stared at the picture of the Britannian student, standing with the two Knightmares.
The way he stood with the Knightmares by his side, she could almost literally see him in Zero's mask and clothes, staring her down with his two bodyguards ready to take down anyone on his command.
'What is his connection to Zero though?' Villetta wondered.
According to Diethard the boy's name was Lelouch Lamperouge, a student of Ashford Academy and was one of three students who were in Shinjuku around the time of Prince Clovis's death. The other two was Rivalz Cardemonde who had been removed from the ghetto by police and the other was Suzaku Kururugi who had been cleared of all charges. She took out another picture and spotted this student with two more students on school grounds, the picture taken by school cameras that had been sent to her by a contact.
Then there was the father of a girl who attends the same school who had been caught in the landslide. She first thought of using the girl to get more information but when she saw the girl unwilling to leave her father's side she decided against it. All that she had was a hunch that this boy and his two friends had a connection with Zero.
'If this boy is connected to Zero do these two students who hang out with him have anything to do with him as well?' Villetta wondered. 'I need to find out. If they suspect anything about him I can use it and find out if he can manipulate memories somehow. I won't have to die stripped of my position and honor like Jeremiah. Hell, this is my chance to move back up again, so I have to find a link to Zero. It has to be me.'
She was in her car, driving towards Ashford Academy with the intent to find out if these students had the connection she needed to find and arrest Zero but that was when something unexpected happened. A stranger in a white outfit stepped out onto the road, forcing Villetta to slam on her brakes before she ran him over.
"Hey!" She rolled her window down and shouted at the man. "What's wrong with you?! Do you have a death wish?!"
"Oh me? Oh no, I wasn't trying to kill myself. I knew you would stop in time as you noticed me from a safe distance." The man said as he clapped his hands for no reason and smiled. "But I happened to overhear you looking for a few people and one of them happened to be a girl with long green hair and yellow eyes?"
Sir Guilford sighed as he walked to Princess Cornelia's office to deliver his latest report. Princess Cornelia and Euphemia had been under pressure to capture the Black Knights and Zero since their talk with the Emperor and knew that the Emperor was not pleased with their lack of progress. With that in mind Guilford carefully knocked on the door to the office Cornelia shared with Euphemia.
"Who is it?" Cornelia called out.
"It's me, Your Highness." Guilford answered. "I have urgent news."
"Enter."
He opened the door and saw Princess Cornelia and her sister at their desk doing their paper work.
"Ah, Guilford, you have news for me?" Cornelia asked with a small smile.
"Our Intel has reported the last remnants of the JLF are attempting to flee Area Eleven to the Chinese Federation." Guilford reported.
"Ah, the cowards realize how outnumbered they are and are trying to flee. They think they can ask the Chinese Federation for help." Cornelia remarked with amusement.
"Yes Your Highness. There is also something else you should know. The envoy the Emperor sent to assist us." Guilford said, sounding slightly hesitant.
"Yes?" Cornelia frowned, wondering who was sent to assist her.
"She's-" Guilford started but was cut off by a female voice outside of the office.
"Oh Nelly! Where are you?"
Cornelia paled upon hearing the voice while Euphemia could only chuckle at the look on her sister's face.
"Guilford, is that-"
The door opened and the person stepped in. "There you are Nelly! And Euphie, look how pretty you've become!"
'Of all the Knight he could choose to send he had to choose her .' It was times like these that Cornelia hated the Emperor even more than usual.
Kallen spotted Lelouch and Naruto walking away from the clubhouse after another day of school and when no one was looking followed after them. As she walked after them into the woods she picked up on their conversation.
"So is Shirley okay?" Naruto asked curiously.
"She's taken a week off to be with her father but she seems to be holding up fine." Lelouch answered, still relieved he hadn't gotten Shirley's father killed. "What about you? Where's C.C.?"
"She left a while ago and she's blocking me from seeing through her eyes to keep me from knowing and she refuses to speak to me. She must be relying on her senses to go wherever it is she's going." Naruto answered solemnly. "I know she can take of herself but leaving out of the blue like that is odd, even for her. I trust her though, it must personal to her and she knows how to look after herself. If she runs into trouble I'll know instantly."
"It's an inconvenience though, with this request from Kyoto we'll need all the manpower we can get." Lelouch sighed.
"So it's true then, the JLF's leader and what's left of them is going into exile." Naruto commented.
Kallen's eyes widened slightly. 'What?'
"You can come out now, Kallen." Naruto called out. "We're far enough now."
Kallen gasped slightly and realized she forgot to let them know she was following them but quickly came out from behind a tree.
"How are you holding up? What happened to Shirley's dad must have shaken you up too." Naruto commented as Kallen walked up to the two.
"It did but I'm glad he's okay and that he didn't condemn us." Kallen looked at the ground as she answered. "Thanks for stopping Suzaku in there. I wasn't comfortable listening to him argue about us with Shirley's dad."
"No problem. He really had no right ranting about them in front of Shirley and her father like that no matter how he felt. And you argued with me that using full blast was the better option." Naruto looked at Lelouch who had the decency to look ashamed.
"All right, you proved your point, Naruto." Lelouch looked down. "It's easier to use large attacks like that land slide and not stick around to see if it has any consequences of what happens to the people left behind."
"At least you now understand but all you can do regardless of what happens is continue on because if you hesitate all those lives will be in vain." Naruto continued, remembering his own experience in wars. "Now then, we have a present matter."
"I was wondering if you would get to that." Lelouch commented, holding a paper in his hands. "And yes, it's true. The last remnants of the JLF are fleeing Japan with barrels of liquid Sakuradite and they are trying to flee to the Chinese Federation."
"Well, except for the Holy Swords and Kyoshiro Todoh." Naruto offered. "And no doubt Cornelia will attempt to take it out. The fight at Narita has left them with nothing but what they could take with them in the aftermath and Cornelia will already know that. This will be her chance to wipe out what's left of them for good this time."
"So what do we do? We can't let Cornelia destroy them." Kallen asked, eager to save her fellow Japanese.
"Perhaps but if we let them leave they'll make any kind of deals with the Chinese Federation for help but even if the Chinese help they'll just see it as a chance to gain access to Japan's Sakuradite supply if they help expel Britannia. Japan would simply trade one master for another." Lelouch pointed out, his mind coming up with multiple scenarios. "We could use the JLF as a distraction to attack Cornelia when she's not expecting it, allowing the JLF to slip away but the moment they escape Cornelia will turn her sights on us. And if we try to save them we'll be risking the Black Knights in what will turn quickly into a war zone like Narita."
"But at the same time we can't ignore a request from Kyoto now that they're backing the Black Knights or we'll lose their back. At the very least we can give the JLF a fighting chance." Naruto offered, having thought up a plan to help the JLF after thinking it over.
"How?" Kallen asked.
"Cornelia won't do anything yet until the ship is ready to take off because of the Sakuradite onboard, right? If she attacks while the ship is still in the harbour and Sakuradite blows up it would take out the JLF along with anyone nearby in the harbor. So they'll use Portman-Frames that will only be armed with Slash Harkens to avoid igniting the Sakuradite while Cornelia will stay on the pier with her Royal Guard but she'll only rely the kind of ammunition that's too weak against a Knightmare's armor and if the Lancelot is there it'll only use its MVS swords and Slash Harkens. Even if they expect the Black Knights to show up they'll wait and hide, keeping their Knightmares deactivated until nightfall when the ship tries to leave." Naruto explained as he took the paper Lelouch had in his hands and looked over the contents. "If they expect the JLF to be weaponless we can use that to our advantage. The ship is large enough to carry a few Burais by the looks of it."
"You suggest we send them Burais?" Lelouch asked, wondering what Naruto was planning.
He was considering just getting rid of the JLF because they were a nuisance at best and a group that didn't see the big picture of Japan's future if it was successfully liberated at worst. However he knew Naruto and Kallen would object so he decided to see what plan Naruto or C.C. would come up with.
"Sounds like you're just using the JLF as bait for a shot at Cornelia." Kallen scowled.
"We're just brainstorming here, Kallen because we need a good plan if we want to save the JLF, take out Cornelia, and come out alive. We can't fight Cornelia and protect the JLF at the same time, especially with the Sakuradite onboard. If a random shot hits the ship the chances of the Sakuradite igniting are really high and if it's still close to the harbor everyone would be blown up with it. And if C.C. isn't back by then it'll just be Seizan and I will be limited as I can't fight at full strength without causing a lot of destruction with the low amount of space and with the underground pipes and drains I can't go underground without breaking them causing a potential flood." Naruto reasoned. "When the JLF escapes there'll be nothing distracting enemy from fighting us head on and we'll attract a lot more trouble when the Britannians scramble to rescue Cornelia. With what happened at Saitama and Narita they'll be paranoid of us trying to capture the Viceroy again so we can expect a lot of resistance. But if we give some Burais to the JLF with long range assault rifles and rocket launchers and the moment they find out that Cornelia's after them they might join the fight for a chance to get back at Cornelia for Narita." Naruto continued with a thoughtful look on his face. "We have a weapons factory now and I got someone to call on for all the ammo we need to give the JLF a fighting chance."
It would only be a matter reverse summoning himself to Rakshata's base back in India, pick up as many weapons as he can and then have C.C. or a Shadow Clone he leaves back in Japan to summon him back.
Kallen seemingly caught on. "And when they find out Cornelia's about to attack they'll fight back if they think they have a chance."
"Catch them in a pincer movement and keep Cornelia's forces bogged down while we move in take her out." Lelouch caught on, seeing the benefit in this plan. "And since the JLF will be on a ship with liquid Sakuradite Cornelia's forces won't risk attacking it until it's out of range, making them effectively untouchable. Ironically the target that they consider unarmed and weak will become the most dangerous threat to them, even more than the Black Knights."
It would save them the trouble of having protect the JLF and allow them to concentrate on capturing Cornelia. Only her Royal Guard would be with her and if they moved fast they could be in, get Cornelia, and get out before reinforcements arrived.
"With the JLF in front and us behind Cornelia will be trapped even if the Lancelot is with her." Kallen smiled.
"Exactly." Naruto nodded and looked at Lelouch. "So what do you think?"
"It's a good plan with the element of surprise. Cornelia won't expect us to actually share anything with the JLF as officially the Black Knights are not allied with them. It'll give us good PR amongst the Japanese and erase any lingering doubts Kyoto might have about us." Lelouch nodded, deciding that Naruto's plan was the best plan to go with. "What about C.C.? Will she be back?"
"Not sure but if she isn't we'll have to go without her. I know she wouldn't just take off unless she had a good reason." Naruto answered.
"The Guren and Seizan should be enough to handle Cornelia and… Suzaku." Kallen said was slightly hesitant saying the name of the Lancelot's pilot.
Lelouch inwardly flinched. "Yes… He's not here and I was hoping we could have done something to keep him from participating. I could have put something in his food to make him sick but he hasn't been at school since Narita."
"It can't be helped, Lelouch. Suzaku chose his side and we can't convince him to join us… unless you use your Geass on him." Naruto said, feeling slight sympathy for Lelouch as he knew better than most people of the feeling of fighting your best friend.
"No." Lelouch glared at Naruto. "I won't force Suzaku to join me against his will. I didn't use it to recruit anyone onto the Black Knights and I won't use it on… my friend."
Kallen watched the exchange and remembered Kirihara saying Lelouch and Nunnally were sent to the Kururugi family as hostages. That could explain how Lelouch and Suzaku know each other and why Lelouch is taking Suzaku's status of being the Lancelot's pilot so hard. Kallen herself had mixed feelings on that subject, seeing Suzaku as a nice guy even if he was an Honorary Britannian but couldn't help but be angry that he was fighting against his own people for some crazy idea of changing the Britannian system from within.
"Then are you prepared to fight him? He'll try to kill you." Naruto pointed out.
"No, he'll try to capture me. He doesn't believe in killing, even on the battlefield. He hasn't changed in that regard." Lelouch turned around and looked up to the sky. "I just wish I knew what made him become like that."
Kallen and Naruto shared a look; both were a little worried, even Kallen who had seemingly grown use to Lelouch as Zero even if she didn't get the full story.
"Then you better be ready tonight, Lelouch. You can't afford to let your personal feelings distract in front of your men." Naruto said, remembering his own experience from trying to save Sasuke. "You are friends here but tonight…"
"Yes, I am Zero and he's an Honorary Britannian who will attempt to capture Zero." Lelouch closed his eyes as he turned around and nodded. "I won't forget."
Suzaku glanced at the new Knightmare that stood in the hangar next to the Lancelot that was still being repaired and instantly noticed how similar they looked.
"Wonderful, isn't it?"
Suzaku turned around to see Lloyd and Cecile walking up next to him to look at the white and blue Knightmare. It had the same height as the Lancelot but was colored white and blue while the Lancelot was white and gold. Its Landspinners were folded into the back of the legs and like the Lancelot it had the same forearm mounted Slash Harken/Blaze Luminous combo with Factspheres on both shoulders. It's 'face' was blue and gray with a blue pointed crown on its head.
Like the Lancelot it was armed with two MVS swords, an assault rifle, and a VARIS rifle was being built for it to use but not on the mission for tonight. It was impressive looking and even if it did not have all of the Lancelot's capabilities it would still be great help against the Black Knights.
"The Lancelot Club, our first attempt at mass producing Seven Generation Knightmare Frames. It failed because none of the pilots were able to handle its peaky adjustments." Lloyd remarked with his usual smile. "But it seems someone managed to find a pilot who can handle it."
"Who?" Suzaku asked curiously.
"I think it would be… him." Lloyd pointed at the door.
Suzaku looked and saw Cornelia walking in with Euphemia, Guilford, Darlton and two more people he didn't recognize. One was a grinning woman with pale green hair, bordering on blond, wearing a white uniform with a purple cape with a gun holster strapped to her thigh. The other was a boy around Suzaku's age with silver hair, blue eyes, and had the same physic as Lelouch but more athletic looking and wore the same uniform as Suzaku.
"Well, well, we've been blessed to be in a presence of one of the Knights of the Round." Lloyd commented.
"A Knight of the Round?" Suzaku asked, surprise evident in his voice as he knew the Knights of the Rounds were elite pilots that answered only to the Emperor himself.
"Lady Nonnette Enneagram." Cecile whispered.
"Well, Nelly," The woman stated with a cheerful smile and seemingly ignoring the annoyed look on Cornelia's face and the flabbergasted look on Suzaku's face. "I got here just in time for them to offload my little Rai's Knightmare. Doesn't it look fabulous?"
"Nonnette, we didn't come here to look at your apprentice's Knightmare." Cornelia said in irritation. "We have an important mission tonight."
"Oh, Nelly you must learn to stop being such a prude. My little Rai will have the Lancelot Club ready for tonight. You really need to learn how to relax and take a break once in a while." Nonnette playfully chided at Cornelia who could only look away with a resigned look on her face. "You'll never get a boyfriend with that bossy attitude."
"So," Lloyd came and looked at the boy named Rai. "Are you the one who managed to work my Lancelot Club?"
Rai took a step back. "Y-Yes sir."
"Excellent. I hope to get some interesting data tonight." Lloyd chuckled happily before Cecile pulled him back by the ear. "Ouch! Owie!"
"Honestly Lloyd." Cecile sighed in irritation.
Suzaku looked at Rai who stood next to Nonnette, looking out of place for some reason.
Nonnette seemingly noticed this. "Oh are you curious about my little Rai?" She looped an arm around Rai and pulled him close, chuckling at the yelp from the boy. "Don't mind him, he's just a little shy but acts like my cute little puppy."
Rai stuttered and blushed from what he was being called and looked away, unable to look anyone in the eye.
"Now, what's this about a mission?" Nonnette asked, looking at Cornelia with an eager grin.
C.C. walked through Ashford Academy's park wearing her white and blue summer dress and white hat to cover the top of her head and the top of her face. The walks through the park usually relaxed her but she was here for one reason and one reason only.
'Mao, you cannot have me just as you will not harm Naruto. Whatever life you envisioned for us can never come to pass.' C.C. thought as she noticed the red light for some reason moving away from the school. 'Hm? Why is he moving away? Did he pick up something from someone who might know where I am?'
C.C. frowned as she realized Mao was not moving back into the Ghetto and she couldn't take him out in the public even with her powers.
'Why is he moving away all of a sudden?' C.C. wondered.
"Wait a second, Zero. I realize this is a request from Kyoto. I think we can definitely handle it and I'm pretty sure the Japan Liberation Front would rather join us then flee to foreign soil and all but…" Ohgi trailed off.
"You're the one who brought us this information…" Zero turned to the man who had two guards keeping their rifles trained on in case he tried anything. "Diethard was it?"
"That's right." Diethard Reid answered calmly despite the guns pointed at him. "It's an honor that you would meet me like this, Zero."
"So Cornelia is going to deploy the Royal Marines on General Katase of the Japan Liberation Front. Is that correct?" Lelouch questioned, already knowing the answer.
"Yes, the network is already poised to broadcast a special report on it." Diethard answered.
"Lieutenant Colonel Todoh will never make it to General Katase in time. Which means the Japan Liberation Front has no military strength right now." Lelouch looked across the assembled Black Knights. "Their only chance of escape is the liquid Sakuradite they are carrying."
"Which is why we should help General Katase escape instead of going after Cornelia." Ohgi pointed out.
"Don't worry, Ohgi." Naruto stepped out of the shadows. "We've already made plans to help the general. We are not going to abandon him like that."
"I've taken the liberty of sending Katase several Burais armed with assault rifles and rocket launchers. When the JLF attempts to leave that is when Cornelia will launch her assault. The JLF will respond by launching their counterattack and when it happens Cornelia will be caught off guard as she believes they won't have anything aside from a few guns. When the attack begins the Black Knights will attack from behind, catching Cornelia in a pincer movement and keeping her forces bogged down." Lelouch explained. "With us attacking Cornelia the JLF will have the time they need to slip out into international waters."
"After all, Ohgi, who are we?" Naruto rhetorically asked with a teasing voice.
"Well, we're the Black Knights, Zero." Ohgi hesitantly answered.
"Then we have but one task: we will destroy Cornelia's troops and in doing so rescue the remains of the JLF." Lelouch stood up. "Tonight, we once again show Britannia that we will not tolerate one-sided massacres!"
"What are our chances?" Ohgi asked.
"Need you ask?" Lelouch smirked.
Ohgi smiled. "Understood."
Diethard made a note of how easy it was for Zero to inspire his troops.
"Being preparations, you all have your orders to carry out." Lelouch turned and started walking away.
"Uh, Zero!" Kallen called out.
"I have something to attend to," Lelouch looked back at Kallen. "Whatever it is, save it for later."
Kallen could only watch as Zero and Seizan vanished into the shadows.
Suzaku and Rai stood with full attention as Darlton debriefed them. "Just so you know, the Viceroy has her reservation about using Numbers. But use every able body I always say, even if it's the son of the former Prime Minister."
Suzaku flinched but remained calm. He would have had the Lancelot with him but it was still being repaired so he was piloting a standard Sutherland instead. He was still upset for losing at Narita and wanted to hunt down the blue Knightmare for stopping him from rescuing Euphie who at the moment was under house arrest by Cornelia as she led tonight's operation.
"Our target is Katase, take him out and the Japan Liberation Front is finished. We're sending in the Royal Marines." Darlton looked at both pilots. "Your jobs are to provide supporting fire from the shore until the Marines have Katase as well as annihilating any stragglers left over."
Suzaku's eyes widened. "I'm to annihilate them, sir?"
Darlton nodded, not surprised by the boy's reaction. "Nobody but the target is to survive is that clear." Upon seeing Suzaku's shocked look Darlton turned around. "Warrant Officer Kururugi show your loyalty to the Crown. This is your chance to get ahead in the world, soldier."
As Darlton walked away Suzaku whispered. "Understood sir."
"Onward Christian soldiers," Lloyd walked up to the boys. "Conflicting morals right?"
Rai looked away while Suzaku clenched the fist holding his key.
Someone dressed a delivery boy came up to the ship with a truck that a large container attached to it. The Japanese soldiers pointed their guns at him but when the man lifted his cap they saw his left eye flashing red.
"You originally planned to destroy the JLF didn't you?" Naruto asked as Lelouch changed out of his delivery boy disguise.
"Hm? You figured me out?" Lelouch asked, not bothering to react to the accusation. "I considered it because the JLF only wants to make Japan the way it was before the invasion and they had no qualms killing anyone who got in the way, Britannian or Japanese. At their core they are just as racists as the Britannians are and would hinder Japan's rebirth to try revive the old government that wasn't really effective to begin with. I went over it in my head and came up with several different scenarios on how it would have gone and there are too many possible outcomes."
"True but if you had gone through with it and someone figured you out you would be in a lot of trouble." Naruto pointed out with a frown. "You're concerned about removing obstacles and making the Black Knights the strongest group in Japan. And if the JLF is gone you could get Kyoshiro Todoh on your side."
"I did consider it, he'd be a great help to us and he'd inspire more Japanese to rise up with us." Lelouch nodded, impressed by Naruto's deductive skills. "But at the very least I was willing to hear out your plan, Naruto and I have to say it works better because it allows for a greater chance of capturing Cornelia. I won't pretend to be a saint around you, C.C., or even Kallen as this is war and more than once people end up caught in it even if they had no interest in fight for either side. Even if people see us as cowards, we have to prevail, if that means more blood will be shed so be it. We've spilled so much to get here, we can't let it be in vain. I won't try to force you, Naruto or C.C. or Kallen to help me, if you wish to turn back…"
"I made my choice before we met, Lelouch. And what about you, Kallen?" Naruto looked over his shoulder.
Kallen stepped out from the door and looked at both of them as they glanced at her. "… I made my choice as well."
Lelouch smiled. "I'm grateful for that, both of you."
"Just one thing…" Kallen walked up to Lelouch.
"Hm?" Lelouch looked confused.
Kallen raised her hand… smacked Lelouch across the face which made him step back.
"What was that for?" Lelouch put a hand to his red cheek.
"For considering sacrificing what's left the Japan Liberation Front. Even if what you say is true they are Japanese and you're fighting to save them." Kallen huffed as she stepped back.
Naruto snickered. "Ouch."
Lelouch grunted and rubbed his cheek. "You knew she would do that and you had me talk when she was hiding so she'd hear me."
"What? Me? Would I do such a thing?" Naruto chuckled. "Am I that devious?"
"Yes." Kallen reached and whacked the back of Naruto's head with her fist.
"Hey!" Naruto protested, clutching his head. "What did I do?"
"Being a devious bastard." Kallen simply said.
Lelouch smirked. "At least all I got was the slap."
"Oh ha, ha." Naruto grumbled, while wondering why he kept on getting hit by violent red heads. "For a cold faced emo you sure like to smile when someone other than you gets whacked."
"And for someone who wants to bring peace you sure like to pester everyone around, fox-boy." Lelouch retorted.
"Oh did you not just go there-OW!"
Kallen shut both of them up by bonking them on their heads. "Will you two knock it off, already? We need to get a move on… By the way, where's C.C.?"
"Haven't heard from her yet but I know she's nearby. I think she's trying avoid coming here for some reason. We might just have to start without her." Naruto answered, getting serious.
"It's all right; we can make do without her." Lelouch said as he put his mask on. "We can't afford to wait for her. Did you set the bomb where I wanted?"
"Yep. It's all ready." Naruto nodded.
"All right, let's get started."
"It's time." Darlton spoke.
The Royal Marines were all lined up while Suzaku's Sutherland and the Lancelot Club stood waiting with several Sutherlands.
"Commence with the operation." Cornelia commanded.
" All units, in the water! Dive! Dive! " The Portman Frames begin diving underwater.
Suzaku and Rai moved with the Sutherlands as they went to their positions. It went as expected as the Portman Frames surrounded the ship while the Knightmares on the land attacked from distance with their rifles. The Portman Frames launched their Harkens and started climbing up the ship.
"This isn't a battle, it's a slaughter." Suzaku muttered as he sniped another soldier.
" Officer Kururugi. " Cecile appeared on the monitor.
"Go ahead." Suzaku answered.
" I certainly know this must be hard for you but you are a soldier, remember that. " Cecile offered her advice.
"They've launched their attack already!" Katase banged his fist on his desk. "Hurry up and deploy the Burais!"
They had received confirmation from Kyoto that was sending Burais and ammunition as well as the chance that Cornelia would attack them. According to them Todoh set up the plan to lure them out so the JLF could take them by surprise, using the Sakuradite as a shield as Cornelia wouldn't risk destroying the ship and with the Burais that Kyoto had sent fending her off long enough for them to make it into international waters they all jumped at the chance for revenge on Cornelia for their losses .
It was only half the truth but Lelouch needed them to trust his plan.
Suzaku spotted the ship's main cargo hold opening up. "There's something happening on the ship. It's-"
Suzaku's eyes widened as four Burais stood up from the cargo hold with rifles pointed at the land-based Knightmares with men holding rocket launchers. And behind them were containers, all of them no doubt filled with liquid Sakuradite.
"It's a trap!" Suzaku shouted.
"Die Britannian scum!"
With that said half the soldiers with the rocket launchers aimed and fired on the Port-Frames, taking them out with one shot while the Burais and the other soldiers armed with rocket launchers aimed at the shore and fired.
"I can't believe it! They have Knightmares with them?!" Cornelia was furious as the JLF attacked, taking out several Sutherlands easily. "Our Intel said they didn't have any weapons!"
However Cornelia instantly realized that the JLF couldn't have gotten weapons that fast, unless they had help.
'Zero.' That one word shot to the top of Cornelia's mind and she then knew that they had lured into a trap. 'He's here and he's about to make his move!'
"The JLF are keeping the Britannians bogged down! All forces move in and rush them from behind!" Lelouch speed boat he, Kallen, and Naruto were on rushed to the mainland. "Take them out quick and show them our determination!"
"Right." Kallen answered.
"Here we go." Naruto grinned.
"And now then," Lelouch held up the detonator.
As the Sutherlands along with the two seven Generation Knightmares tried to reorganize themselves Lelouch pushed the button. The bomb that Naruto had placed near where the Knightmares had gathered went off and exploded, sending water flying up and preventing them from seeing the boat.
"What the-" Suzaku gasped as he and the others were blind for a second.
When the water fell back down a giant speed boat came into his vision as it flew through the air and slammed into several Sutherlands before they could react.
"LOOK OUT!" Suzaku shouted as he and Rai quickly moved out of the way.
With the JLF continuing their attack any Sutherlands that weren't fast enough move were instantly taken out. Before they could do anything Suzaku and Rai came under attack by incoming fire from the Burais on the JLF boat, suffering some damage, even the Lancelot Club before it activated its Blaze Luminous to protect itself and cover Suzaku.
"We can't fight like this!" Suzaku grunted.
If they tried attacking someone might accidently hit the Sakuradite and cause a huge explosion that would put everyone in the harbour in danger.
"They caught us by surprise." Rai spoke up.
'He's right. How could they know we were coming, unless-' Suzaku's eyes widened as he realized only one person could set up a trap this elaborate. 'Zero.'
"It's like Narita all over again." Ohgi noted.
"It's outstanding!" Diethard who had been dressed as a Black Knight jumped and slid down the ladder.
"Hey, get back here!" Ohgi shouted, having been tasked with watching the Britannian reporter.
'He used the JLF as bait but armed them so that when the moment was right Cornelia would be taken by complete surprise and now their command is wide open now.' Diethard smirked. 'Once again Zero shows his cunning.'
"Where are you going?! Hey!" Ohgi shot at him but Diethard made it down to the ground and took off to get a better look at the carnage.
'It makes perfect sense. He used the hate the JLF had for Britannia and supplied them with enough weapons to make their stand while he swoops while making sure they can't fight back because of the Sakuradite and takes Cornelia out in all the commotion. He's excellent material, this Zero. He's chaos incarnate! More, show me more of your genius! Let your ego engulf the world!'
Diethard let out a loud laugh from the sheer exhilaration he was feeling.
"They have us in a pincer movement! Mount up now and form defensive line on the double!" Darlton shouted as he tried to get into his Gloucester. "Protect her Highness at all costs!"
"How did they know we were here?" Cornelia grunted, trying to understand how Zero anticipated her plan again.
"Your Highness…" Guilford spoke, wishing his princess was not here.
Once the boat had slid to a stop it opened up, allowing the Knightmares inside to jump out.
"Knock their Knightmares into the sea before they can be mounted. Guren Mk-II, Seizan, you're with me!" Lelouch said as he took off.
"Right!" Kallen quickly took out a Sutherland that tried to attack Lelouch from behind.
"Right behind you!" Naruto nodded as he pulled out his kodachi and took out two more Sutherlands easily.
Cornelia quickly got into her Gloucester and started powering it up. She knew that Zero would be coming for her and this time she would be ready.
" Your Highness, we can handle this! " Guilford said over the radio.
"Quiet! How many times do you think I'll allow them to mock me?!" Cornelia snarled.
She would not let Zero get the better of her, not this time!
However Lelouch anticipated her intent and quickly wheeled forward, smashing his Burai into her Gloucester and through the wall of the warehouse.
"I haven't even powered on!" Cornelia growled, gripping her controls as her Gloucester came out of the wall and hit the ground.
As Lelouch's Burai wheeled out of the smoke Cornelia fired her shoulder Slash Harken that took out Lelouch's left arm.
"Do you think you can best me at Knightmare combat?!" Cornelia shouted taking her assault rifle out but a Slash Harken shot out and knocked it out of her hand.
Behind Lelouch came the Guren and Seizan out of the hole in the warehouse.
"You again?!" Cornelia growled hatefully as the Guren fired its Harkens that quickly tied up her Gloucester.
"I'll smash your hatch and drag you out, Cornelia!" Lelouch pointed his own automatic at Cornelia's cockpit.
However before he could fire a Gloucester came out from behind Cornelia and sliced the cable holding Cornelia down.
"Damn!" Lelouch pulled back.
He then saw a symbol painted on the Gloucester and noticed it was custom modified Gloucester.
"That symbol, that's the symbol of the Knights of the Round!" Lelouch's eyes widened in shock. "Kallen, Naruto, that pilot's a member of the Knights of the Round!"
"What?!" Kallen shouted over the radio.
"I know that symbol and it belongs to the Knights." Lelouch explained, his features turning grim. "Why are they here?"
"Guess we made a bigger impression than we thought." Naruto commented.
"Well, well, looks I made in time, Nelly." Nonnette spoke to Cornelia through the radio. "You almost got blown to bits."
"Save it, Nonnette. We need to take them out now!" Cornelia growled, her pride suffering a serious blow from having to be saved by the Knight of Nine who would never let her live it down.
"Oh calm down. You won't do any good all riled up like that." Nonnette said as she stared down the three enemy Frames in front of her.
"Kallen, Naruto, we need to move fast while they haven't organized themselves yet. Rush them and take them out!" Lelouch said through the private channel.
"Right!" Kallen shouted as she wheeled forward.
"Here we go!" Nonnette's smile turned predatory.
Kallen lunged at Nonnette's Gloucester with the Guren's claw but Nonnette held up her lance and slapped the claw away as she pulled out her automatic to shoot the Guren in the face. Kallen backpedaled, flipping through the air as she dodged the bullets and pulled out the Raijin sword. Nonnette however didn't plan to let her use it as she launched her Slash Harkens past Kallen, hitting the warehouse behind her and was pulled straight to the Guren. She swung her lance forward and knocked the Raijin away before Kallen could activate it and slammed her shoulder into the Guren, sending it straight into the wall of the warehouse.
"Gah!" Kallen cried out.
"Kallen!" Naruto and Lelouch shouted.
Naruto would have moved to help but that was when Cornelia leapt crashing her blades between Naruto's kodachi.
"This is payback for Narita!" Cornelia shouted as she backpedaled and fired her Harkens at Lelouch who grunted as he stepped back to avoid being hit.
Meanwhile someone was watching from a safe distance, observing the battle and seeing that Cornelia was barely holding out. The person was in a standard Sutherland with a sniper rifle in its hand.
"Enemy has pinned Cornelia down. Orders?" The pilot asked.
" Assist them but do not give away your presence. "
"Understood." The person then aimed the rifle at the JLF tanker and immediately pulled the trigger.
The bullet shot through the air, past the Burais and the JLF soldiers and hit one of the tanks of liquid Sakuradite. The effect was instant as the JLF tanker was instantly engulfed in a huge explosion that wiped the people onboard and took out a few nearby Britannian Knightmares on the land and still in the sea.
Both Suzaku and Rai were shocked when they saw the JLF tanker exploded but had no time to comment as a voice spoke over the radio. " The enemy tanker has been eliminated. Go and assist Princess Cornelia. She's under attack by enemy forces. "
"The princess! Zero!" Suzaku realized as he sped off.
Zero would not get away this time.
"Damn it!" Naruto grunted as the shockwave from the explosion flew past them, sending debris flying all around them. "Who blew up the tanker?!"
Nonnette still had Kallen pinned down and tried to finish her off but thinking quickly Kallen placed her clawed hand on the wall behind the Guren and activate the Wave Surger. The wall instantly exploded, covering the whole area in dust.
"Gah!" Nonnette as she fell forward as the Guren pedaled back but managed to right herself just as Kallen slapped her Gloucester in the face and knocked it back. "She's good. A little bit of training and she might be Knight of the Round material."
Cornelia was caught off guard by the destroyed warehouse and Lelouch quickly aimed his automatic at her. But before he could fire a blue and white Knightmare leapt out and stood in front of Cornelia, blocking the bullets with a green shield.
"What?!" Kallen exclaimed.
"A new model?!" Lelouch's eyes widened.
Naruto looked up and saw a Sutherland leaping over the wooden crates and aim its foot down at Lelouch. "Oh no you don't!"
Seizan leapt up as Suzaku fell forward and aimed his own kick at its midsection. The foot slammed into the Sutherland's chest and sent it spiraling through the air but it easily landed back on its feet, thanks to its pilot's skills.
"Zero, you're methods are not going to change anything." Suzaku spoke through his Sutherland's speakers as Seizan landed next to Lelouch's Burai. "You're focused on goals and don't understand the pain of others!"
'Suzaku! Not again!' Lelouch gritted his teeth.
"Well, if it isn't the Knight in Shining armor and you have a new friend. I see you traded in your fancy Knightmare. Got tired of being defeat in that white toy?" Naruto commented through Seizan's speakers. "No longer confident you can defeat us alone?"
He looked to the new Knightmare and instantly noticed a red light in the cockpit where the pilot was through his disguised Rinnegan.
'He has Geass!' Naruto realized.
"These are people's lives you are playing with! You're nothing but murderers!" Suzaku exclaimed as he changed forward.
"Oh shut up with your crap! We're not the ones who blew up that tanker!" Naruto shouted, getting really annoyed with Suzaku's attitude.
The four Britannian Knightmares instantly moved into action against the three enemies before them. Rai jumped up into the air, pulling his MVS sword and clashed with Naruto's kodachi, Nonnette and Suzaku engaged Kallen while Cornelia went after Lelouch.
"Damn it!" Kallen gritted her teeth as the two Knightmares charged towards her.
The Raijin sword had been knocked out of her hands so she only had her skills and the Guren's manoeuvrability to rely on. Luckily all Nonnette had was a golden lance and Suzaku only had a rifle with micro-ammunition and his Frame's Stun-Tonfas but both made up for the lack of weaponry with their piloting skills.
"Hey, Eleven boy!" Nonnette said through the radio. "Go help Nelly. I got this!"
"But-Understood." Suzaku wanted to object but Nonnette was Knight of the Round so he obeyed.
"Oh crap!" Kallen punched the communicator as Suzaku moved to attack Lelouch. "Lelouch, get out of there! Suzaku's coming towards you!"
"I can't! Cornelia's got me pinned!" Lelouch said as he struggled to avoid Cornelia's golden lance killing him.
"Naruto?" Kallen asked, looking to where Naruto's Knightmare was, seeing him fighting the Lancelot look-a-like.
"Little busy." Naruto said as he fought with the Club. "I can't go all out in a place like this without seriously causing damage and possibly killing everyone else. We got to hurry and get past these guys and get out before the enemy piles on us!"
At the very least he and the Club were even in combat. The new Knightmare not only looked like the Lancelot but shared a lot of its features but the pilot seemed be highly skilled as he fought with fast reflexes and seemed to be just as skilled, if not more skilled than Suzaku.
'He's not using his Geass meaning it probably it doesn't work like Kallen's.' Naruto thought as he blocked a slash and launched a kick that the Lancelot look-alike dodged by jumping back, flipping through the air and landing perfectly on its feet a few yards away. 'But he's a very good pilot.'
Kallen cursed as she avoided Nonnette spearing the Guren with her golden glance and sped away, firing her Slash Harkens but Nonnette fired her assault rifle that collided with Kallen's Harkens in mid-air, cutting into the cables and sending the blades flying. Kallen quickly sped off towards where the Raijin sword was lying on the ground, aware that Nonnetta was shooting at her from behind. She grunted as she heard bullets hitting the right arm but leapt forward, grabbing the Raijin sword and activated it as she landed on her feet.
"Long range mode activated!" Kallen shouted as she spun around and swung her blade out, releasing a blast of red lightning.
Nonnette spun out of the way and shot at Kallen again but she used her sword to block the bullets as she charged forward with a loud yell.
However to her shock, Nonnette vanished and reappeared right in front of her. "Huh?!"
As Naruto fended off Rai his Rinnegan caught sight of something, a red light enveloping Kallen for a ten whole seconds. 'That light, it's a Geass!'
' So, another Geass user. ' Kurama mused.
"You have to move fast!" Nonnette laughed as she thrust her lance forward.
Acting on instinct Kallen held up clawed hand and activate her Wave Surger, creating a shield that blocked Nonnette's lance and destroyed it. She swung her Raijin sword at the Knight but Nonnette vanished, reappearing twenty feet away.
'Again?!' Kallen's eyes widened as she had to dodge Nonnette firing her Slash Harkens at the Gurren's cockpit. 'How does he do that?!'
"Kallen, there's a Geass user here!" The red headed pilot heard Naruto shouting through the radio.
"What?!" Kallen exclaimed.
"Yeah, the guy's close by but I can't concentrate on finding him and fighting at the same time. All I know is that Geass must somehow paralyze its target like yours. You got to use your Geass and take out your opponent. I got this guy but Lelouch is getting creamed so we have to move fast." Naruto replied. "The moment you have an opening take it and get out of here."
Lelouch was having the worst luck of the three as Naruto was holding off the Lancelot Club while Kallen was at a stalemate for the moment with Nonnette. He had already lost one arm and while he hadn't lost his rifle it was next to useless as Cornelia and Suzaku were too agile. The funny thing was that it wasn't his skill keeping him alive; it was the lack of teamwork and coordination between Cornelia and Suzaku. Cornelia was overly aggressive as usual and attacking without taking note of Suzaku who had to abort a move that would have finished Lelouch off more than once.
"Damn it!" Lelouch swore as his Burai lost its rifle thanks to Suzaku knocking it out of Lelouch's hand with a Stun-Tonfa and Lelouch barely managed to keep the arm.
He kept on moving, knowing that if he stopped he was dead.
"Surrender, Zero!" Suzaku stated through the Sutherland's speakers.
"As if." Lelouch said as he reached for the hidden compartment on his right side and pulled out a capsule.
The same weapon that had been designed just in case he ended up fighting the Lancelot without any backup had been added to his Burai as a precaution. It would release a shockwave of chakra that would disable or overload any Knightmare it touches and that hopefully included the Lancelot.
"A chaos mine?!" Cornelia's eyes widened as Lelouch threw it at her and Suzaku.
"Your Highness!" Suzaku moved in front of Cornelia to shield her with his Frame.
However instead of raining down multiple explosives on them the capsule released an explosion of blue light that collided with Suzaku and sent him flying back while Cornelia tried moved out of the way but Suzaku collided with her and they flew back.
"Gah!" Suzaku cried out as he collided with the wall of a nearby warehouse.
"Damn it!" Cornelia cursed as her Gloucester hit the wall next to Suzaku with enough force to make a series of cracks form around her.
"Now's my chance!" Lelouch tried to flee but he suddenly froze even though he had no way of knowing that.
Naruto who was still fighting the Lancelot Club saw the bright red light engulfing Lelouch and realized the same Geass user who had paralyzed Kallen was doing it to Lelouch. 'Damn it, not again! We're actually on the losing side this time!'
"All the systems are fried, I can't move." Suzaku slammed his console when he saw that the strange energy blast had overloaded his systems. "Not now. I have to move! I have to stop Zero!"
While Suzaku was down Cornelia had luckily avoided the blast thanks to Suzaku shielding her with his Frame even though she had been knocked back into the warehouse with him.
"Zero, your tricks won't work a second time." Cornelia glared at the black Burai staring at her. "I'm ending your rebellion and I will see to it you suffer for my humiliation!"
"Huh?!" Lelouch felt disorientated for some reason and looked up to see Cornelia's Gloucester that just managed to get back up and renew her attack. "Shit!"
'Same Geass froze Lelouch until they could attack him again.' Realizing that enough was enough Naruto had to act fast. He activated the power of the Asura Path inside Seizan and rockets appeared in the feet, propelling Seizan forward as it grappled with the Lancelot Club and slammed it into a pile of crates.
Rai grunted as the crates fell on top of the Club, burying him but he wouldn't be down for long and Naruto knew that. Upon realizing that a Geass was slowing her down Kallen activated her own Geass as she and Nonnette charged at each other again. She watched as the customized Gloucester slowed down before her, the power her Geass enhancing her vision and seeing things more clearly and slowing everything down. Just as they were at point blank range as Nonnette thrust her lance forward Kallen reacted just as the lance was mere inches from the cockpit.
The Guren suddenly leapt up, over the lance and its foot came down on the Gloucester's head before it jumped off and send Nonnette tumbling forward.
"Gah!" Nonnette grunted as she tumbled across the ground.
"Hang on!" Kallen moved forward to save Lelouch.
As this happened the person who had been watching the fight and destroyed the JLF tanker knew that something had to be done fast or Cornelia would lose. The person's left eye flared with the power of Geass.
"Hm?" Naruto narrowed his eyes as he saw a red light envelope him and Kallen, freezing her but he was immune to the effects of Geass.
At the same time Lelouch had been cornered by Cornelia with the Princess aiming the tip of her lance at his cockpit.
Lelouch thought it was over until both Knightmares suddenly stopped in front of him. "Huh?"
"Lelouch, hurry! Move!" Naruto shouted.
Thinking Naruto had done something Lelouch fired his Slash Harkens, aiming both at Cornelia's knees. The loss of her knees caused Cornelia to fall forward while still charging towards Lelouch. The masked boy barely moved out of the way in time as Cornelia fell face first into a large wooden crate.
"Gah!" Cornelia grunted as the crash shook her cockpit and she slammed her fist on her console when she realized she lost her legs. "Damn it!"
"We have to move, now!" Lelouch said as he took off.
Suzaku looked up and saw Zero fleeing. He had seen the entire fight and wandered if the strange explosive had paralyzed Cornelia for a second, allowing Zero to make his move and take her out. He needed to stop the terrorist before he escaped and he needed to do it now.
"Come on… Fire!" Suzaku shouted as he slammed his fist down on his console and fired his Slash Harkens at the Burai's back.
Lelouch heard an alarm as the Harkens slammed into his back and came out the other side.
"Lelouch, eject!" Kallen shouted.
Lelouch did as he was told and ejected his cockpit from his Burai as Suzaku tried to pull him back.
"Damn!" Suzaku gritted his teeth as he saw Zero getting away again.
"He's fine, let's go!" Naruto shouted as he spun off with Kallen behind him.
"Will Lelouch will be all right?" Kallen asked as they lost the Britannians behind them.
"He'll be fine, boy's too stubborn to die from something like that. And just in case there's someone moving to check up on him right now." Naruto replied with a small smile before frowning. "But we got some new problems to deal with now."
C.C. came out of hiding as Lelouch's cockpit crashed onto the ground not far from her. She had been busy trying to track down Mao but she had been interrupted by the battle at the harbour and the fact that Mao for some reason turned away from the school. She didn't know why but she had little time to consider as she rushed down here to see the battle end.
'Troublesome boy.' C.C. looked down and saw that Lelouch's gun had fallen out of his clothes and landed on the ground in front of him. 'Honestly, he just keeps on getting in trouble.'
Lelouch groaned as he awoke with a pounding headache. 'Wh-where am I?'
"Looks like the idiot's awake." C.C.'s annoying voice spoke from somewhere nearby.
Lelouch opened his eyes and found himself inside his room in the Black Knight's mobile headquarters.
"You okay?" Kallen asked as she came into his vision with a concerned look.
"What happened?" Lelouch said as he sat up.
"You want the short version or the long version?" Naruto sat against the table where Lelouch's laptop rested. "Short version is that mission got fucked up."
"And the long version?" Lelouch asked with a frown.
"We had Cornelia on the ropes when someone blew up the tanker and took out the JLF." Kallen answered with a scowl. "Ohgi reported that was a Sutherland with a sniper rifle that wheeled off when it fired."
"And if that wasn't bad enough we ended up facing a Knightmare that was similar to the Lancelot and a pilot who appears to be a member of the Knights of the Round. With the death of General Katase the Japan Liberation Front is pretty much done for. Their leaders are all gone with only Todoh and the Four Holy Swords left but without any Knightmares or any backing from Kyoto what's left of the JLF will collapse and scatter across Japan with no hope of recovery." Naruto added his input into the report.
"That's right…" Lelouch grimaced as he remembered. "We got blind-sided by this unexpected development."
"There's also the matter that there are two Geass users working with the enemy." Naruto continued.
"What?!" Lelouch exclaimed.
"It's true. Naruto explained to me how you and Kallen were caught off guard as your opponents seemingly teleported in front of you. No doubt it's from a member of the Gease Directorate and from what I saw from our shared vision it was Rolo, their top assassin." C.C. explained. "His Geass is the Seal of Absolute Suspension, meaning he can freeze the perception of his targets. He froze you and Kallen during the fight to give Cornelia the advantage."
"That explains it… That's why Cornelia froze when she cornered me." Lelouch realized. "Why did he freeze her?"
"He didn't mean to. Kallen and I took down our opponents and were moving to help you. Rolo had to use a wide range effect of his Geass which froze Kallen but he accidentally caught Cornelia in it. Luckily you were out of range but I was immune to it so I would have taken her out before she could finish you off." Naruto explained. "And then there's the Geass user in the new Knightmare looking like the Lancelot. I don't know his story because he never used it in the fight meaning it must only be used directly like yours."
"And I had to use my Geass to defeat that Knight I fought." Kallen added, sounding slightly shameful. "He's good, skilled enough that if not for my Geass I don't think I would have won."
"Great." Lelouch rubbed the back of his head. "So our enemy has two new ace pilots, one of which has Geass and an assassin who has a Geass that can paralyze anyone like Kallen's but doesn't need eye contact and the other is a Knight of the Round. This changes things greatly."
"Pretty much." C.C. nodded.
"So they've finally sent a Geass user here but you mentioned the pilot of the Knightmare resembling the Lancelot having Geass?" Lelouch sighed.
"He didn't use it so I guess it can only be used in person like yours and Kallen's. But he seems to be as skilled as Suzaku or Kallen from what I saw." Naruto answered as he picked up Lelouch's laptop. "There is a way to find out where that Knightmare came from. Our benefactor has been looking into it."
"Benefactor?" Lelouch and Kallen asked at the same time.
Naruto tapped the mouse and Rakshata appeared on the screen. "You're on Rakshata-chan."
" Ah, finally. I was wondering if I'd meet the infamous Zero. " Rakshata grinned at the two shocked teens. " I take you have heard of me? "
"Rakshata Chawla? The woman whose work in cybernetic prosthetics and general enhancements have revolutionized Knightmare research? She designed the Guren." Lelouch commented with a surprised look on her face.
"And our Knightmares too." Naruto offered with a smirk.
"Really?" Kallen wondered where Naruto and C.C. got their Knightmares. "She designed your Knightmares? How did she come up with a way for you guys to use your powers with the Knightmares?"
"We did some modifications of our own." C.C. answered with her signature smile. "And we gave Rakshata some tips on how to make some improvements herself."
"Gave her? Like what?" Lelouch questioned.
" Well, this would be one of them, boy. " Rakshata smirked as she closed her eyes and when she opened she was greeted with satisfying looks of surprise on Lelouch and Kallen's faces. "Something on my face?"
"Those eyes…" Lelouch trailed off when he saw those ringed eyes. "That's the-"
" Rinnegan . Right you are little Zero, while building my wonderful children that have been helping you C.C. gave me these eyes and made me one of her Paths. And thanks to them I've learning so much about these powers and what I can make. " Rakshata chuckled. " Hope you like what else I have in store. "
"Wait, C.C. mentioned she gave someone the Rinnegan before Sayoko. It was you." Lelouch realized.
" Yes and I've been working on discovering where that Knightmare came from and I know it's the work of Lloyd Asplund, an Earl who works for Prince Schenizel. " Rakshata stated as she smoked her pipe. " Luckily when you found the Ashford's old weapons factory you gave me a way to access Britannian military data. "
"What'd you find?" Naruto asked.
" Well, it seems that Knightmare you fought, the Lancelot Club was a project set up to try and mass-produce Seven Generation Knightmare frames but the project failed because of how poor the prototype's performance was. Turns out that Lloyd used a Sutherland Frame built with spare parts from the Lancelot. Perhaps he found a pilot capable of using the Club perfectly now even if the Club is not as advanced with the Lancelot. " Rakshata explained.
"How does having the Ashford's old weapons factory help us?" Kallen questioned.
"Just because the Ashford's lost their nobility doesn't mean they lost all of their connections. Turns out the Ashfords, more specifically Ruben Ashford found out how to hack the Britannian military data network and even has a library on every known conceivable Knightmare combination. He's even come up with a counter for the VARIS through a shield system Rakshata is looking at along with the Blaze Luminous systems that the Lancelot and the Club are equipped with." C.C. answered and grinned when she saw the surprised looks on Kallen and Lelouch's faces. "And with Rakshata's help and some money from Lelouch's funding we can start producing Knightmares, powerful ones for the Black Knights soon. Of course we'll have to keep it secret or Britannia will start producing more powerful Knightmares to compete with us, making it harder to actually take back Japan."
"This… this is amazing." Lelouch looked at the screen as Rakshata brought up schematics of Knightmares. "We could mass produce Knightmares as capable as the Guren and your Knightmares in a matter of days."
"That's not all, Lelouch. Take a look at this Knightmare." C.C. brought up a Knightmare file and showed it to Lelouch.
"Is this an experimental Knightmare?" Lelouch looked it over and was impressed by what he saw.
"The reason we're showing you this is because you need a personal Knightmare if you're going out onto the battlefield. Your skills with a Knightmare are not on our level or Suzaku's and if they corner you again you won't last long." Naruto explained with a serious look.
"You wish to design a personal Knightmare for me?" Lelouch questioned, seeing the benefit of such an idea.
"Not wish, going to. Rakshata's already at work on it." Naruto answered. "You need to defend yourself, especially if and when we're not around to save your scrawny ass."
"Very well. At the very least I realize that I need a Knightmare I can use as a command center while out on the battlefield." Lelouch relented.
"And that means you need to start getting some training on the simulator. Now that that's over with we need to head back. Today was a long day." Naruto yawned. "And I'm wiped out."
"He's right." Kallen nodded as she yawned. "That was a long mission even for us."
Deep within the depths of the Ashford Weapons factory Mito Senju smiled as she looked over the data on her laptop.
"All right, we're all set up here." Mito said.
" All right, let's begin. " Rakshata smiled from the screen.
With that said Mito activated the factory by bring up her cursor to the word FABRICATE and clicked on it. She watched as the mechanical arms and conveyor belts activate, taking the parts that had been brought in and began building what Mito had programmed the computers to build, a Knightmare frame from scratch with experimental technology that officially did not exist yet but all the necessary parts had been acquired thanks to the wonderful effects of Summoning and Sealing Jutsus.
"Another masterpiece." Mito chuckled gleefully. "It should be ready in just a few weeks."
"Good and in the meantime I have to work on the most important piece of the project." Rakshata grinned as she looked at the Sakuradite Core Luminous before her. "Time to see if my chakra control exercises paid off."
She held out her hands and activated her Rinnegan as she begun the procedure, releasing small tendrils of blue chakra into the cube before her. As she studied her new abilities she learned that her chakra was blue unlike C.C. and Naruto's because while she was made one of C.C.'s paths her body created its own chakra network from C.C. granting her the Rinnegan that did not share the unique aspects that C.C. and Naruto shared.
'Meaning I can't convert a Knightmare or person into a path like C.C. can but that doesn't mean I can't continue to produce Core Radiance as a new and improved energy source. And the Earl of Pudding will tear his own hair off trying to figure out how I could create a new energy source like this.' Rakshata thought with a grin as she pushed her chakra into the cube, following what she had seen from Naruto and C.C.
Oh yes, Rakshata was going to give birth to a lot of badass children in the future.
All right, another chapter done.
I'd like to take this chance to speak and thank all my reviewers for their supports up to now. I never thought I'd get over three hundred reviews this fast but I guess I wasn't the only only who wanted to see this story continued but I'm glad you all like it. Now there are a few things I'd like to talk about:
One: Lelouch's Knightmare
I'm actually thinking of a few ideas of what it would look like and what weapons it could have. Several times I thought I could just make an upgraded version of the Shinkiro with a few hidden surprises. I realized that while Naruto and C.C. made their Knightmares unable to be used by anyone but them it's not the same for Rakashata because Seizan and Shinryoku were converted into Naruto and C.C.'s Asura paths. So it's possible she can create Knightmares that while have Core Radiance they can be piloted by people other than anyone who has chakra. And after creating Kallen's Raijin sword I imagine Rakshata's eagerly working several new weapons that she might want to try out. I'm actually considering listening to the advice of anyone who has any ideas about what they think Lelouch's new and improved Knightmare should be like as I work on it with a few of my own ideas and when it should officially make a debut. I'm still scratching my head on that one.
Two: Naruto and C.C's blood
A lot of people pointed out how they didn't want Britannia to make instant shinobis because they were injected with Naruto's blood and I agree. I just don't believe that they wouldn't have taken some samples from Naruto while he was in that facility for two weeks when he arrived in the Code: Geass world. So when Charles realizes the strange powers that the strange boy that came out of nowhere has shown he orders Bartley and the Geass order to find a countermeasure the only way to understand that power is to understand how it works. But for those who reviewed and said that they can't make shinobis you are right because trying to develop chakra inside a normal human body that doesn't have a chakra circulatory system would be like inserting poison into the body.
However the reason that Charles is ordering Barley to inject C.C.'s blood into subjects because he realizes it's possible that something has altered C.C.'s code into something that he cannot use for the Ragnarok Connection. That's not to say it will work because as one reviewer pointed out it's not C.C.'s blood that has the Code but at the same time I believe her blood had been used in the Code-R Project and helped create Jeremiah's Geass Canceller. Even if her blood doesn't grant the immortality Code the way I see it is that the Code is a form of energy, a conduit of sorts for C's World, containing an imprint of the collective subconsciousness of humanity and I believe that energy, while can't be copied, a very small bit of can be extracted through a Code Bearer's blood since it keeps the body immortal and heals them from almost any kind of wound but it requires a lot of power to be used, especially if the subject doesn't have Geass and that's why they made Jeremiah into a cyborg and tampered with his mind. They were building experimental technology to channel that small bit of energy that got from the blood but it's only enough to cancel Geass effects much like how C.C. cancelled the effect Charles's Geass on Lelouch and it keeps his body stable as C.C.'s cells were implanted into Geass users on Nightmare of Nunnally that caused biological degradation even if it's not considered canon. It's basically a crude attempt to copy the Code's powers but it's impossible to copy the immortality or the ability to grant Geass but that doesn't mean Charles isn't going to look for ways to artificially create a Code or find another Code Bearer, if there are Code Bearers out there besides V.V. and C.C.
Now I'm not giving away anything here I'm just stating my views on what I believe could and might happen and I thank you all for your input.
Three: What happens between Season One and Two?
I know we're a long way from that but I like to consider my options as we go down that road. Like for starters, do we encounter characters from any spin off stories like Oz of the Reflection or Akito the Exiled. I've already considered bringing in a few characters from some of the other story lines like I did with Rai and the Lancelot Club but that'll happen down the road. I'm just asking for some opinions in that matter but I'm sure I'll think of something.
So then, hope you enjoy this chapter and chapters I plan to make in the future